FOREVER KNIGHTS: #12 Primal Intent

TEVERIUS

Teverius watched the ethereal glow emanating from a chamber on the second floor. A fey glow.

“Could only be one thing.” Bast stepped next to him.

Appearing from nowhere. Sneaky bastard.

“Where’d you come from? You smell like Rhyers’ blood.”

“I’m covered in it.”

Well, that’s not good. Tev glanced over and saw Bast’s shirt was soaked in it despite someone’s sincere effort to clean it up.

“You look like we’ve been drinking three days. What the hell happened to you?”

“Chavias…” Bast sighed.

Is everyone okay? Chavias rarely misses a target.

“Oh, bloody hell!” Tev expostulated. Shifting to look at Bast. “Are you both okay now?”

“He lost a lot of blood but he’s going to be fine. I’m headed home now.”

I see that. Most of it is on your shirt!

“To WaterRose?”

“Yes. To my valkyrie.”

“Doesn’t seem a safe endeavor when you’re already weak.” Tev objected.

What if she tries to kill you? She’s done that before. Though it has been awhile…

Last I knew, anyway.

“Better then wandering Ardae with Chavias loose.”

That’s true.

“Touche.”

“What are you doing here?” Bast asked.

“Waiting for the Captain. I sent some friends to him I was hoping to check on.”

See if Bronwynn and her daughters and the fairy made it safely to him.

“The fey women?” Bast asked.

How’d he know, already?

“Yea.”

“He has them under his care and is looking for honest work for them.”

Good. They’re hard workers.

“That’s good. Bronwynn had no desire to wed her daughters off as is the custom.”

And the husbands chosen for them were pompous jackanapes. I wouldn’t have let any daughter of mine wed either of them.

“Can’t you change that?”

I tried that already.

“No.” Tev looked away. Staring back at the windows.

“Then what good is being king of the fey?”

Not much so far.

“It doesn’t mean I can change ancient customs created by their people.”

“Well, perhaps you shouldn’t have killed their king then.”

I didn’t know he was their king.

“Perhaps he shouldn’t have been harming children.” Tev grunted.

“So, who runs your realm when you leave the Netherlands?” Bast was curious.

“My second.”

“Poor sot.” Bast commented.

“You’ve no idea.” Tev sighed. “Better him than me…”