Read Online Unicorn Keep by Angelia Almos - Free Book Online Page B

would want to switch places with a chosen candidate knowing the risk of discovery.”
    Why did you switch places?
    Thoughts of Madelen and Wilm quickly filled her as well as her own parents’ worry for their children’s prospects.
    The unicorn colt stepped closer to her. She is the one.
    You cannot be sure. It is a great risk we would ask of her.
    He raised his head. You wish to remain in this prison forever? We do not know if another will come who can help us.
    Her eyes darted back and forth between the two unicorns as it occurred to her that she was listening to two unicorns arguing.
    The second unicorn gazed at her with deep brown chocolate eyes. Would you help us?
    Yes , vibrated inside her, but she couldn’t fathom how she would be able to help a creature as magnificent or powerful as a unicorn. The magic flowed from every pore of their bodies.
    “How would I help you?”
    The unicorn colt spun in a flash. A keeper approaches. You must return to the Keep before you are spotted.
    You take her. I will distract him. The second unicorn flitted through the woods and disappeared.
    Come . The unicorn colt commanded.
    Jiline obeyed without thought, running after the dancing unicorn back toward the Keep. He stopped at the final line of trees.
    Return tomorrow night and I shall explain. Climb quickly, Jiline.
    The unicorn colt was gone. Hee ding his command, she ran across the small meadow and climbed as fast as she could, scrambling up the rock face. She was sure someone probably waited at the Keep entrance to catch her. But no one waited for her.
    ****
    Herrick fumed in the library. Madelen was out training in front of the Keep. Marta had them running sprints. Dark circles under Madelen’s eyes told him she hadn’t slept through the night. He wondered if thoughts of him had kept her up or thoughts of a more nefarious purpose. He hadn’t told his mother of his embarrassing attempt to prove Madelen had magic within her.
    Yet, she beckoned to him whenever she was near. He could feel her presence before he saw he r in a room. It didn’t make sense. The book he had been studying on courtship rituals of the mages hadn’t been any help. No mention of a mage feeling the draw to a non-magic. Not even the possibility. So, how could he feel it if she had no magic?
    “ Herrick,” his mother’s voice was filled with irritation.
    He stood up quickly and bowed his head to her as mistress of the Keep even if she hadn’t used his title name, her voice certainly put her in that realm. He tried to block the book with his body, but her sharp eyes had already caught what it was judging by the frown on her face.
    “This is getting ridiculous,” she said sharply. “You are not a child anymore.”
    He raised an eyebrow at the scolding she was giving him like he was a child, but he didn’t voice it.
    “You are a young, healthy man, it is perfectly natural for you to be attracted to young healthy girls . It is not a draw that you feel.” His mother’s voice no longer held it’s perfect cadence as she appeared to stumble over her words. “She’s a keeper in training. You must leave her alone. A hint of magic on her could ruin her to the unicorns.”
    “You think I would put her in danger?” he asked sharply.
    She hesitated. “There are plenty of other pretty girls here. If none of them suit you, perhaps you should travel again.”
    He gritted his teeth. He had no interest in heading out on another journey. She’d sent him off to every available young mage woman over the summer in the hopes that he would be drawn to one of them. It hadn’t worked. But he had to be careful with what he said. As the Keep Mage it was completely within her right to send him away as a mother could not send her son away. He would have no choice but to obey her if she commanded him.
    He kept his eyes steady on hers. “You’re right . I was just trying to understand how a draw would feel.”
    She stepped forward to pick up the book. “You understand