Salez who had tried to stop her from leaving. Oh, she remembered him. He was cruel and got a discount because he was one of the Queen’s. The thing that disgusted her about him was that he too was in the care, but had shown aptitude at fighting so was placed in a special regiment. He would get his someday. Those were the front-line men; most did not make it long. Sara had needed to be good at what she did. If she made the owner good money then she didn’t go to the barracks—to the soldiers in the care and the others. She shivered on the inside remembering them. Avoiding the barracks was worth talking a man out of a week’s pay any day of the week.
She looked at Keither. There was nothing that was physically appealing about him. He was young with no social skills and also in need of a diet. At the same time, he wasn’t like most men. Kovos and Legon weren’t either, but they were strong and looked it. Keither was just a mind, and that was it. He was harmless. He was also the type that would probably follow a woman with puppy-like devotion, not because he was a romantic, but rather because he suffered from low self-esteem. He would be simple to manipulate, but due to his lack of status, money, or appearance it was unlikely that anybody with a malignant disposition would fall for him. But, that knowledge aside, there was a part of her that wanted to protect him, to safeguard his innocence. It wasn’t attraction she felt, but compassion. Could that change to something more? She didn’t think so. She didn’t want to have to take care of a man for the rest of her life, and unless Keither changed, that’s what she would have to do.
Still, the thought of what Sasha said about her and Legon…the Everser Vald. “Don’t think that name,” she said to herself. Arkin would be angry if he knew she was dwelling on it. She looked at Legon. What would it be like being with an Elf? He was going to turn, that much was obvious. This wasn’t something she knew much about, but Arkin had filled in some gaps. She pushed the thought from her mind. It would be a horrible existence when she thought about it. One would grow old, weak, and die while the other would be left behind, young forever. At the same time, she was more connected to him than anyone else in the world. He knew and understood her, and in a sense she understood him as well.
He wasn’t hard on the eyes, either. She had a crush on him as a kid. Well, if she was being honest, she still did, but it wasn’t worth her friendship with Sasha. Plus, what would the Everser Vald think of her? She knew that he loved her. She couldn’t ever deny that and she could trust him to care and protect her… “Stop, Sara. It’s not going to happen,” she thought.
She was so thankful for everyone in their little party. Every night she prayed to the White Dragon to protect them. She wondered if they believed in him. Or did they think that he was merely mythical? Sasha knew; she had to. But Legon?
She handed a plate of eggs and cheese to Kovos.
“Thanks, Sara.”
“You’re welcome.”
Kovos was changing as well. He was more tempered now. He was going to make a great husband for Emma. Now that he was sharing thoughts with Sasha, she was changing them all, making them better.
* * * * *
Kovos followed Legon and Arkin back to camp with Keither close behind. Legon gave Sasha a funny look when he passed her and she flushed a bit. Kovos figured she was still feeling awkward from the day he had said that he was sorry for the way he had thought of her his whole life.
As they rode he became lost in thought. He was questioning a lot about himself lately, and he wondered what kind of man he was going to turn into. Legon and Sasha were up front with Arkin, learning who knew what. That stuff made him uneasy. Lately, Legon had taken to joining the minds of all those around him for training. The idea was simple. If they got into trouble, Legon and Arkin would use magic to fortify themselves and those around them. When his mind was connected with Legon’s he was privy