Life Bonds (Binding Words Book 2)

by Daniel Schinhofen

  Silence fell over the room as everyone turned their attention to the tasks before them. Sean found the bronze alloy of the bar to have a lot more tin than he’d expected, which is what set it apart from the bronze coins they had used before.

  Letting his energy flow into his hands, Sean separated the half pound bar into four segments. Setting three of them aside, he looked at the two-ounce section he held and worried about the weight of it. He took his time to craft the clasp, but left the clip plain. When he’d finished Shaping it, he handed it over to Fiona.

  “Is that too heavy for comfortable wearing?”

  Fiona clasped it into her hair and tilted her head from side to side. “It feels heavier than the copper one. I’m not sure I’d want to wear it all day.”

  “I’m going to cut the weight some, then. I might be able to make five of them,” Sean said, taking the clasp back. “How are you two doing?”

  “We used your previous one as a model,” Myna said. “We’ve made one each so far.” She held up her finished hair clip. “I need either you or Fiona to smooth the lines for me, though.”

  “I can take care of it. It’s not an issue,” Fiona said.

  “We have a bit of time before dinner, so let’s see what we can manage by then,” Sean told them, returning his attention to the clasp in his hand.

  A soft knock on the door snapped Sean out of his focus. Myna was already on her way to answer it, so Sean waited. Myna opened the door and Ryann stood there, looking a little nervous.

  “Is something wrong, Ryann?” Myna asked.

  Ryann stepped into the room and Myna shut the door. “I was just downstairs, and ran into an old acquaintance. He was one of Oriv’s friends, and as soon as he saw me and realized I didn’t have the same Bond mark, he frowned and left. I think he’s going to get some of his friends.”

  Sean sighed, “Just once, I’d like to visit a town or village and not have anything happen.”

  Ryann fidgeted nervously. “I wanted to let you know because they’ll likely be back soon.”

  Sean stretched as he got to his feet. “Meh, it’ll be fine. We’ll leave tomorrow morning as soon as our supplies get here. If they show up to cause trouble tonight, we’ll deal with it then.”

  Nodding, Ryann let out the breath she had been holding. “Right. Sorry, I don’t know why I started to panic.”

  “Just don’t kill anyone,” Fiona reminded Sean. “Hurting them to protect yourself is one thing, but if you kill them, then the magistrate will get involved.”

  “Why wasn’t it an issue in Oaklake, then?” Sean asked her.

  “Because you didn’t kill anyone. That idiot stabbed his friend for you,” Fiona said simply.

  Shrugging, Sean looked at the five completed bronze clips. “Looks like I’m all done as it is.” A sudden thought occurred to him. “Why were you downstairs, Ryann?”

  “I went to arrange for meals to be brought up,” Ryann said, suddenly looking away from all of them.

  “Someone is hungry,” Fiona murmured, just loud enough for Sean to catch the words.

  “Is it dinner time already?” Sean asked.

  “Just about, yes,” Ryann mumbled.

  “Let’s go eat, then,” Sean smiled. “Myna, Fiona, you might as well join us tonight, since we’re leaving tomorrow.”

  “As you wish, Master,” Myna said.

  Fiona gathered up the hair clips. “I’m ready.”

  “Ryann, if you’ll lead us downstairs?” Sean said.

  The common room was just as busy as it had been the previous day, but a table near the bar was open. Ryann led them there, placing them well away from the door. As they took their seats, Sean overheard a lot of surprised whispers about the two Life Bonded accompanying him.

  It finally dawned on Sean that all of Fiona’s shirts of late had been tight and came up to her neck, completely covering her metallic side. “That shirt really suits you, Fiona,” Sean muttered under his breath.

  “I was wondering when you would notice,” Fiona whispered back, looking around the room and seeing the many eyes on them. “This is the reason I wear this cut. Myna chose the same, so we match for you.”

  The barmaid came over to the table and Sean smiled at her. “Four dinners, and I’ll have the pale ale tonight.”

  “We only have the stew tonight,” the barmaid told him. She looked to the ladies, who all ordered wine.

  “Miss,” Sean said, stopping her from leaving. “Make mine wine as well, and bring a pitcher.”

  “The extra will cost—” the barmaid began, but Sean put a large copper on the table. “I’ll bring it right out, sir,” the barmaid corrected herself, picking up the large coin and leaving five smaller copper in its place.

  “Should we drink so much?” Ryann asked as her eyes kept darting around the room.

  Fiona was staring at Sean with a rueful expression. “It will be fine.”

  Myna glanced at her, then to Sean. “He isn’t…”

  “I’ll bet you the good morning kiss on it,” Fiona said softly enough that no one outside of their table could hear it.

  Frowning, Myna shook her head. “Sucker’s bet.”

  “What are you two talking about?” Ryann snapped.

  Sean sighed, “Don’t worry about it. Here comes the wine.”

  The barmaid set out four full cups and the pitcher. “Dinner will be another minute,” she said and walked back to the bar.

  Ryann looked around at the three of them. “I’m not understanding something, am I?”

  Sean tapped the table in front of her. “You’re my bodyguard, right?”

  “Yes…” Ryann trailed off, sensing some sort of trap coming.

  “You’re willing to die protecting me, right?”

  “Yes…”

  “Then why are you worried about who might show up?”

  “They know something is up,” Ryann said, trying to keep her voice pitched under the volume of the bar.

  “What are they really going to do?” Sean continued. “They might demand to know why you’re my Bonded now, but that’s not any of their concern. If they cause problems, then we’ll give them some trouble they don’t want. You’re with us, and you’ll learn what that means.”

  Ryann’s brow furrowed. “The ones here in town aren’t sloppy like Oriv was.”

  “Our food,” Myna said, letting them know that the barmaid was coming.

  Sean thanked the barmaid as she set their bowls before them. Their meal today was a dark stew with veggies and meat, along with a chunk of bread. The stew had a bitter aftertaste that made Sean glad they had the wine to cleanse their palates. Finishing first, he sat back and watched the door.

  Ryann was using her bread to sop up the last of her stew when five men walked into the bar, looked around the room, and obviously started their way. Sean sat forward in his chair and got Ryann’s attention. She swallowed her last bite as the men got to them.

  “Ryann Cullin, where is Oriv?” the broadest of the five demanded. Everyone in the inn’s common room was staring at their table to see what was going on.

  “You’re talking to my Bonded,” Sean said casually. “She isn’t allowed to talk to anyone without my permission.”

  Glaring at Sean, the large man put a hand on the table and leaned in. “Fine. Where did you get the little bitch next to you?”

  “That is my business, not yours,” Sean yawned. “Now go away.”

  The large man chuckled darkly. “Look, you must be new to town. People here know that I get what I want.”

  “You get to learn something new today, then,” Sean said, “disappointment. You’re interrupting our dinner, so please leave.”

  The broad man leaned on the table, putting his face inches from Sean. “Or what?”

  “Ladies, upstairs,” Sean said evenly as he stood up. “We’ll leave.”

  The big man’s hand landed heavily on Sean’s shoulder. “No you won’t.”

  Sean looked at the hand. “That is assault.” C
almly looking at the man, he smiled. “Remove your hand.”

  “Let’s take a walk outside,” the guy sneered at Sean. “Bring them with,” he told his cronies, motioning his head toward the women with Sean.

  “Ladies, feel free to resist,” Sean said, grabbing the leading man’s hand and starting to squeeze, his smile fading as he stared at the guy’s eyes. “Now let’s go outside, shall we?”

  Myna vanished from view as one goon reached for her. Fiona clapped her target’s hands away from her and kicked him between the legs, sending him to the floor. Two more grabbed Ryann and began hauling her toward the door.

  The big man started to sneer at Sean, but as Sean tightened his grip, the man’s eyes started to widen. “Ahh, look… it doesn’t… gah…”

  “Call your men off,” Sean said, prying the man’s hand off his shoulder and bending the wrist the wrong way. “Hurry, or this goes snap.”

  “Leave them be,” the man hissed in pain. “Get this bugger off me.”

  Sean smiled at the four men. “If one of you comes toward me, I break his wrist. Or you can all step outside and I’ll bring him with.”

  The bar was silent as they watched Sean apparently effortlessly holding the big man motionless with one hand. The upright thugs let go of Ryann, grabbed their nutted friend, and headed for the door, staring daggers at Sean.

  Sean waited for them before he began to follow. “Ryann, follow me. I want you to make sure they don’t knife me to death.”

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Sean shoved the gang leader out the door ahead of him, then let the man go without breaking his wrist. Unbuckling his sword belt, he handed it to Ryann. “Remember: no killing. If you have to, disable them.” Meeting her eyes, he saw her fear. “You signed on for this, and you can manage it.”

  Ryann nodded as she took the scabbard, taking a deep breath. “I’ll try.”

  “You’re going to pay for this,” the leader seethed, holding his aching wrist.

  Sean rolled his eyes. “Can you get anymore cliché? For fuck’s sake, you came into the inn after me and mine, and now you act like a two-bit villain when you’ve been stopped.” Looking back, he saw Fiona at the door, and could hear people inside making small wagers as they gathered around the windows and door. He tossed his belt pouch to her with a smile. “Get us good odds.”

  Sean turned back to the five men only to find four of them holding clubs or coshes, and their leader behind them. “Bringing weapons into it? Really?”

  “Break him, then we’ll take the women with us and get some answers,” the leader snarled.

  Sean shrugged. “Fine, broken bones it is.”

  Stepping off the porch and toward the group, Sean smiled as time slowed for him. All five came in a rush, which just made Sean laugh as he stepped to the far side of the line. They tried to pivot, but couldn’t move fast enough to stop Sean from grabbing the one in the lead and shoving him to the ground in their path.

  All four men went tumbling away in a pile as Sean stepped back. “So are you guys going to be serious, or would you rather just roll on the ground with each other?”

  “Get up,” the leader yelled.

  Sean waited as the men regained their feet. “Look. If you come one at a time, I’ll only hurt you a little. If you come at me as a mob again, I’m going to break things.”

  They looked at each other, then over their shoulder at their leader. One of them finally stepped forward. “Fine, I’ll take you.”

  “Brave, if stupid,” Sean snickered, beckoning him forward.

  Slowly moving forward, the man waited until he was a few feet away before he charged. Sean chuckled as he sidestepped, grabbed the attacker as he went by, and wrapped him in a choke hold. “When you wake up, you’re going to have a headache.”

  “Behind you!” Ryann shouted.

  Sean kicked out behind him and felt a crunch through his boot. The scream from the man behind him suddenly turned into a wheeze. The three remaining men had charged at him from behind, and with one down, the last two attacked him with their weighted leather bludgeons.

  Sean dropped his challenger, the unconscious man falling like a sack of potatoes as Sean covered up his ringing head under the continued blows from the blackjacks. Sean hunched in, covering his head as they attacked his ribs. Hissing against the pain, he dropped his center and swept his leg around. A sickening crack was echoed across the road, followed by grunts of pain.

  Rolling away from the attackers, he came to his feet and saw one down holding his ribs, another holding a very badly broken leg, and the last getting back to his feet. “Attacking me from behind was not the best move,” Sean said, the pain from the few hits fading away.

  The leader looked at his men, then to Sean with a snarl. “Who the fuck do you think you are!?”

  Sean chuckled, “I was just having a quiet dinner. I asked you to leave several times.” Grabbing the one guy still standing, he slammed his fist into the unlucky guy’s jaw. “Now, about your rudeness to my Bonded.”

  The leader sneered. “Fine.” Reaching behind him, he pulled a hidden throwing knife from his back. It left his hand just as a knife hit him in the shoulder.

  Sean snagged the knife coming at him and glanced back at Ryann, who held a second knife in her hand. “Nice throw,” he grinned. Gently tossing her the knife he had caught, Sean started toward the big man, who was pulling the bloody knife from his shoulder. “Now,” Sean grabbed the man’s arm to stop the knife from coming out. “This is the only warning you are going to get. Leave me and mine alone, or next time, I won’t be nice.” Sean leaned back and slammed his head into the leader’s, breaking his nose and dropping him into unconsciousness.

  Standing up, Sean started back toward the inn. “Are you still hungry?” he asked Ryann. “We can probably get a second meal, or maybe some kind of dessert.”

  Ryann just blinked at him. “He tried to kill you.”

  “What, with a knife?” Sean asked. “That wasn’t going to kill me. Let’s go inside and see about something sweet.”

  Fiona kissed his cheek as Sean collected her at the door of the inn. The rest of the patrons in the common room looked at him with wide eyes. He looked around with a frown, not seeing Myna until she came in from the hall that led to the stable yard. Giving her a smile, Sean turned his gaze to the innkeeper. “Can you send some dessert up to my room, along with some berry tea?”

  “Of course,” the innkeeper said quickly.

  “Thanks,” Sean said. “Fiona, pay him please.”

  “I have it, Master,” Myna said, placing a large copper on the bar as she went by. “Just give us this much, please,” she said.

  Swallowing, the innkeeper nodded. “Of course.”

  Fiona touched Sean’s arm. “I need to collect, first.” A number of people rushed over to her and handed her coins. She gave them all polite smiles, taking the coins without even looking at them. “I’m ready now, Master.”

  “Ryann, lead the way,” Sean said with a grin.

  When they got upstairs, Sean led all of them into his room. “Well, that was eventful. What are the odds that that idiot will learn his lesson, Ryann?”

  “Harkin is smarter than Oriv was, but is also known for holding a grudge,” Ryann said.

  “Was he their leader?” Sean asked, getting an immediate nod. “I don’t think…” he trailed off when a knock came at the door.

  Myna opened it to find the innkeeper himself outside the door with a tray. As Myna took it, he spoke up, “I’m wondering if you wouldn’t mind finding a different establishment? I can repay the coin for the day you’re not going to stay.”

  “If you refund us for the day, we’ll go,” Sean said, not mentioning the fact they hadn’t intended to stay the extra night anyway. “We paid your brother for three days as well, it would be bad if—”

  The innkeeper held out a couple of coins. “This will cover that, too.”

  Fiona collected the coins with a smile. “We will leave tomorrow, b
efore high sun.”

  “Thank you.” With a couple of nervous looks back, the old man left them.

  Fiona shut the door and shook her head. “At least Gosrek invited us back.”

  “Funny you mention the inn at Oaklake, considering we were attacked while having dinner again,” Sean said as he sat on the floor next to the bed.

  “Who wanted to have dinner in the common room?” Fiona replied as she took a seat next to him.