by Lisa Daniels
“Wait, you saved your guardian?” The woman’s hands dropped. “But why? Mystics don’t care. My first husband—are you two involved?”
Caspian gave her a demur smile, “That is a very definite possibility.”
Callie immediately responded with a sharp denial, “No! I would never do that to him!”
The woman’s eyes narrowed, but she moved to the kitchen. “Alright, I am convinced. I will feed both of you, but you must leave before the sun sets. Power like that will surely attract attention, and I do not need attention.”
Callie began to object that they wouldn’t need to be there that long, but Caspian gave her a little squeeze to keep her quiet. To the woman he said, “You have my word, we will be gone before nightfall.”
Callie’s stomach growled as the smell of food wafted through the room. Caspian sat down with her, placing her in his lap.
“Thank you, Caspian, but could you place me on my own seat?”
“But I am so comfortable this way.” He moved a hand up and down her back. Callie shuddered involuntarily, and to her surprise, she realized it was a shudder of pleasure.
“Please don’t do that.” Her voice was low so that the woman wouldn't hear her.
“You need to learn how to feel pleasure. If you go with your guardian, I seriously doubt you will ever understand what pleasure is. He is about as cold and unfeeling as they come.” His hand moved more slowly up her back.
“If you keep doing that—”
Suddenly the hand was off her back. Caspian’s voice was enticing as he looked at her. “If you find yourself wanting to feel life, I can pay you a visit wherever you are, whenever you like. There are few things that I love more than a powerful woman who doesn’t yet know her limitations.”
“Don’t wait for me. I trust Caden, and he was clearly uncomfortable with you.”
“Oh, he just took one of my hits personally. She wasn’t even his charge anymore.”
“What do you mean?” Callie looked at the man, whose attention seemed to be straying.
His eyes looked around the room as he spoke, “Obviously, you aren’t his first charge. You are, what, not yet 20? He’s over 125, quite an old age for a guardian.”
“He’s 125?” Callie was in shock. “He looks really good for 125.”
“Well, white tiger shifters tend to live to be about 400, so he is still quite young, but guardians are a uniquely stupid kind of creature. They allow themselves to die to protect women like you. Women who, if they live to old age, won’t be more than 80. Beautiful to the end, sure, but why would a creature that can live to be 400 give up that life for a creature that lives a tiny fraction of that? It’s not like mystics are particularly kind or generous. Yet there he is, choosing death over the much more logical and natural desire to stay alive. You are a particularly interesting wrench in his thinking, to be sure.” Caspian’s eyes moved over her. “And beauty alone isn’t enough for him. I mean, the woman I killed complained about how he wouldn’t touch her, not in any way she wanted, even when she commanded him to. It was why she fired him, leaving a much better opening for me. You see, her next guardian was much easier to manipulate and when she got frustrated with him, she was willing to sneak out to meet me. And she was beautiful on the outside.” There was a look in his eyes that Callie did not like. “I almost wanted to stuff her and mount her after taking her life. I doubted that it would be nearly as pleasurable as mounting her had been when she was alive.” He let out a laugh that caused Callie to shudder. “But it would have been nice to have that corpse for show later. She was a remarkable beauty.”
Looking toward the kitchen, Callie wished the woman was done. Clearly Caspian was just going to hint at things without giving context or details. His conversation was pretty one-sided.
Without any other topic, Callie asked, “How long do you think it will take him?”
“Knowing Caden, he’ll treat her like a mystic instead of what she is, and that is going to cause some serious trouble down the road. And I would love to be a spectator at that.”
“So how long do you think it will take?”
“Maybe a few days.”
“What?”
Caspian shrugged, “You were the one to beg him to take care of her. Oh,” a wicked grin spread across his face, “are you jealous? Are you imagining her riding him to safety?”
The way he asked let Callie know that what he meant was something different than what it sounded like. “No, I am not jealous. I want her to be taken care of.”
“Yes, and when you learn better, you will mean that in a way that is more similar to my line of work.”
“She was a poor, helpless creature who—”
“Oh please, she is a seer. Mystics and seers get along about as well as guardians and assassins, although you are much less honest about it.”
“I have nothing against seers. The stories about them in the book always seemed more like propaganda than anything. I always thought the mystics and seers should have sat down and talked.”
“Stories? Is that why this bag is so heavy?” Caspian pulled a bag seemingly out of nowhere.
Callie quickly recognized it as the bag with the only items she had taken from her home. She tried to snatch it from his hands, something that should have been easy considering she was in his lap. When she ended up leaning over him to try to grab the bag from his hand, Callie realized that she had pressed her breasts into his face. Pulling away from him, her face burning red, she was about to reprimand him when the sound of someone clearing her throat interrupted them.
“I realize that these kinds of things happen, but please not in my home. Keep your urges to yourself because I have children here.” She set the food down in front of them.
Callie struggled to take a seat away from Caspian. The woman came around. “No, no, dear. With as much magic as you used last night, you should be dead. That more than anything else tells me that you two really care for each other, so there is no need to move away from him on my account. And you probably need the support in your current condition. I don’t mind you being close, just don’t take it any further than that. If you ride him to the next town, you should make it before the gates close. Or I’m sure he can pay them to get in.”
“Did you hear that? All you have to do is say yes.” Caspian’s hand ran up her back, causing her to shudder.
“Thank you, madam,” Callie tried to ignore the assassin.
“Jade, dear. My name is Jade.”
“Thank you, Jade. I promise we will behave,” she gave Caspian a meaningful look, “and as soon as we are done eating, we will get out of your way. I really appreciate everything you have done.”
Jade patted her hand, “I really hope you make it onto the council. Growing up away from them has certainly made you a much better person, although I suppose that is not really what they want.”
She left the room. Callie ate everything on her plate, her stomach full only after she finished a second glass of water. It was only as she set her plate down that she realized Caspian was focused on his own meal. Unlike her, he was eating slowly, savoring every bite as if it were his last.
“I wouldn't have taken you for someone who is a slow eater.”
His eyes looked at her before going back to his plate. “When you get regular meals you wouldn’t understand what it is to appreciate a good meal when the opportunity arises.”
“Certainly all you need to do is get your own… whatever it is you protect.”
The fork in his hand stopped on the way to his mouth. “Are you trying to be funny? Do you think you are clever saying things like that just because I have a deal with your guardian? Believe me, I could be a long way from here before—”
Callie shook her head, “Mystics have guardians. Seers have champions. They are cat shifters. Certainly, you are meant to have someone you protect. Isn’t that the point of cat shifters?”
Caspian let out a low growl, his eyes dangerously narrowed for a moment. Finally, he put h
is fork down and ran a hand over his mouth. “No, you don’t know because neither mystics nor seers would talk about assassins. We are seen as beneath the other cat shifters. We aren’t strong like tigers, and we certainly aren’t as confrontational as jaguars. In a head-on challenge, we will almost always lose. Panthers have agility and stealth. We rely on it to survive, and as a result are seen as little better than scavengers. Druids do hire us from time to time, but we are not coupled like other shifters. Now, if you don’t mind, I would like to finish enjoying my meal. If I can find any enjoyment in it now.”
Callie frowned at him, “But why? Agility is not something to scoff at. One of the most valued people in our village was incredibly dexterous and agile. He wasn’t the best worker in the field, and he couldn’t take on bandits, but he could do things to repair people’s homes and tools that no one else could. The way he climbs around is…” Her voice faded as she realized she would never see him again.
Caspian remind silent for a while. When he spoke, it brought her out of her reverie and memories of the past. “Well, in my world, that won’t get you anything.
“What if I hire you?” Callie looked him directly in the eyes.
Caspian looked at her for a moment, his eyes clearly trying to figure out if she was serious. In the end, he laughed at her response. “Even if you were willing to pay me with the only thing you have—which isn’t money, by the way,” the look in his eyes was unsettling as he emphasized her current state, “you won’t be hiring me to kill. You don’t need an assassin to fix your latest dress or saddle.”
There was a knock at the door. Jade walked through, her eyes on the pair sitting there. “Did you tell someone else to come here?”
Caspian stood up quickly with Callie in his arms. “He should not be back for several more hours.” The handsome assassin sighed. “I guess that means it’s time we get moving.”
Jade frowned at him, “I take it you are running from someone and that is the person at my door.”
As soon as the door opened, Callie let out a little squeal. Caden stood in the door. “Hello, Jade. I believe you have my charge.”
“Caden? What are you doing here?” Jade turned to look at the pair. “I take it he isn’t a guardian, then.”
“No, but for the moment, he is not a bad guy.” Caden brought out a small purse, picked up her hand, and placed the purse in it. “This is for your hospitality. I would ask you to be hospitable with him until he finishes his meal, which will likely be another hour or two.” His eyes looked between Caspian and Callie, and she noticed a slight flash in them as he looked on. He quickly shifted his gaze to Jade as she replied.
“For you, Caden, I promise to do as you ask. But you owe me.”
“Actually, I know exactly how to pay you back. My charge there had to leave her village with no warming. As problematic as she is, Alexis affected their minds, and they believe that she is on vacation. While gone, she will fall in love and get married.”
Jade’s eyes looked hopeful, “So they are in need of an apothecary?”
“Yes, and if Callie is alright with it, I would like to extend the offer to you to take over. I can draw you a map if you two agree.” His eyes flicked back to Callie for a second, but he looked away nearly as quickly.
Callie looked at Jade, “I would love to have you take over. The back door will need to be repaired, and I would ask that you keep Proseus as your apprentice, but the village where I grew up would greatly benefit from a woman like you. I wouldn’t recommend using magic in front of anyone, though, unless you are saving a life. They are somewhat traditional in the way they think. I am sorry that you are losing your village.”
Jade smiled, “It’s okay. Most of them moved after a few noblemen had taken to hunting too close. The area has some unusual prey, and they ended up killing a couple of children by accident. It wasn’t something I had to worry about because my children are too young to leave home, but the other parents were understandably concerned. When the stream dried up, that convinced most others it was time to take their chances elsewhere, especially after someone started talking about a curse. There are only four other occupied huts here.”
Callie looked at Caden as if she needed something from him. He tilted his head to the side, not sure what to say. Biting her lip, Callie asked, “What will happen to those who remain?”
Jade shrugged, “The village has already been noticed, but they have nowhere to go. There are some elderly people and two other families with young children, so how could they leave?”
“What if he helped?” Callie indicated Caspian. He looked at her like she was insane, the food halfway to his mouth. Caden’s eyes were wide at the suggestion, but whatever he was thinking he kept to himself. “You could all move to my village. There are a couple of unoccupied huts there. They may need to share until a new home can be constructed, but I’m sure the town would welcome them. And as payment, you could feed him three meals a day until the move is complete.”
Jade gave Caspian an appraising look. “I suppose if he is willing to help.”
Callie turned to Caspian with a smile, “You can appreciate three square meals for at least a week.”
His brilliant eyes looked into hers, his thoughts unknowable. Finally, a smile flickered over this face and he tilted his head back. “Alright. I will help, but I would request not to be used as a babysitter. I don’t much like children.” His hand brushed some of her hair back as he looked at Callie. “If it will make you happy, then I agree to it.” Callie stared into his eyes, vaguely aware of a low growling sound.
Jade frowned but still nodded her head. “Alright. We can notify them once you are done eating. We will need a couple of days to prepare.”
Caspian smiled, his eyes fixed on Callie’s. “Don’t rush on my part.” He pulled her down so that her ear was near his mouth as he whispered, “I can certainly see why he likes you. Remember, I am here for you should you desire excitement.”
Caden moved over and picked up Callie from Caspian’s lap. Callie let out a slight gasp at the way he nearly yanked her away. Her eyes turned to his, but Caden’s eyes were on Caspian. “Thank you very much for tending to her. I believe we are more than even, so don’t try to follow.”
Callie whispered in his ear, “Can you give them some money for a horse and cart?”
Caden looked down at her. There was a flash in his eyes and he gritted his teeth for a second, but finally he nodded. “Here.” He pulled a small purse out of his coat and handed it to Caspian. “I will leave getting the cart and horse to you.”
Caspian’s smile was pure enjoyment. “I am being rewarded?”
Caden’s voice was stern as he reminded Caspian of the money’s purpose. “Don’t even think about running off with it.”
“I don’t run from a week of good meals. I was thinking more about what you are putting the horse through. You realize what that will do to the horse’s lifespan.”
“You could always pull the cart.”
Caspian shook his head, “No, no. I’ll be careful. And don’t forget this.” He proffered Callie’s bag as Caden prepared to leave. Almost snatching it from Caspian’s hands, Caden turned away from the assassin.
Caden strode toward the door. They exchanged farewells with Jade, then Caden opened the door. Callie turned toward Caspian and said, “Thank you very much. I wish you better luck after the move. Perhaps it will dispel whatever misfortune you are currently experiencing.”
A strange look crossed his face, but it was quickly replaced with a smile. “Thank you.” Caden pulled the door open and they had stepped through when the silky voice caught their attention. “Oh, and sweetheart,” Caspian’s eyes were penetrating as he looked at Callie, “since you have been so kind, I feel compelled to help you with your problem. You had best try it if you want it to go anywhere. He will never do it himself. If not…” He gave her an alluring smile, and she felt a rumble in Caden’s chest. Caspian’s smile didn’t move as he turned his attention back to his
food.
Jade leaned over toward Callie and Caden. “He’s an assassin, isn’t he?”
Callie watched Jade’s hospitality start to sour as soon as she knew what Caspian was. “You promised to be hospitable with him. Please do, because he isn’t the person you think he is. He is willing to help you and the remaining villagers move.”
Both Jade and Caden gave her looks of surprise, although Jade looked like she was also disgusted with the reminder. “I will not turn away his help, but it will not change my distaste at having to rely on him. An assassin in my house.” The last sentence was muttered.
Callie looked back at Caspian, who seemed completely oblivious to the conversation. She said, “He is better than an Unwashed.”
Jade shivered. “Obviously, but he makes me uncomfortable.”
“Only now that you know what he is. You were perfectly fine with him before.”
Caden cut in, “Thank you, Jade. I will send more information, including a map. Come, Callie, we need to move.”
Several minutes later, Callie and Caden were on their way to the nearest town. Callie had so many questions, but afraid that she would sound jealous, she kept them to herself. Caden seemed equally lost in his own thoughts. Finally he spoke up, “I am going to shift because it will go faster. Despite a large head start, if we keep up at a human pace, they will catch us.”
Callie nodded. Once the transformation was done, she gently climbed on his back and rested against his fur. The steady movements combined with her full stomach soon had her drifting off to sleep soon after they left the village.
Chapter 8
Caspian’s Advice
When Callie woke, she felt strong arms around her. Caden looked down at her. “Feel better?” His expression seemed unusually somber, but she wasn’t sure why.
Callie turned her face into his chest, enjoying the warmth. “It’s pretty embarrassing. Since I learned that I have a guardian, since I met you, I’ve been asleep more than I’ve been awake.”