Savior by Eli Harlow Read Free Book Online Page A

cakes. When I was a very young child though the woman died and since I had no other family that I could remember I was given to her husband. They had long since split up and he was part of a traveling carnival that kept various other creatures."
                  Alyssa paused sadly. "I made friends with the other creatures and felt like I had finally found a place I belonged with them. The staring and pointing from the people wasn't as bad as you might think and I was given food and a place to sleep each night. I shared my cage with a baby dragon that was the same age as me. He and I became fast friends and then the man bought a unicorn and I made friends with him too."
                  Her eyes darkened and she wrung her hands nervously. "Then one day Ruben came to see us. I sang a little song and danced with the unicorn as the people watched. But he saw something else in me and offered the man forty silver pieces for me. The man quickly agreed and once Ruben saw the dragon he had to have him too. By the time he was done the dragon, unicorn, and I were in a wagon for the lump sum of 100 silver pieces." Alyssa leaned back in the chair and trembled slightly.
                  "I was just a child and in my youth he let me play in the garden with the other creatures that were like me. I cleaned the floors, brought him dinner, and he treated me like a pet. He almost cherished me and insisted that I learn the finer things in life such as table manners and dancing." Alyssa’s voice trailed off to a numb whisper and she folded her arms over her stomach. Afraid of what Marcus’s gaze would reveal, she looked away. The memories had felt good to tell. He was the first human she had ever told and she hoped that he could be trusted with her secrets. Alyssa’s mind drifted to her friends; the dragon and the unicorn. They had been her closest allies through it all. Especially the dragon, he had become her best friend. Her fingertips remembered every curve of his body down to the last silver scale. She resisted the urge to cry as the memories overcame her.
                  He digested her words for a moment and nodded at her. She appeared as if bringing the memories to the forefront of her mind was painful so Marcus decided he would alter the conversation. “Since you have told me something of yourself, it is only fair I do the same for you. My name is Marcus Atalicus Lakyle and I am a traveler. I was born in a faraway land called Larencia to noble parents. The sword which you see at my hip was made for me by the Elvin kin who have since taught me their craft. The stone in the guard is called argincite, a gem found only in the city of angels. During my travels there I had obtained a close relationship with a kind family who eventually gave me this stone. I decided to make my home within this gentle forest and here many creatures have had the grace to befriend me.
                  The elves which you may have seen were once but a small family who had been separated from their kin when humans decided they liked the land their homes were on. Though the human world would consider this forest my property, I prefer to think of it as simply sharing the land with the elves. They are a fairly withdrawn and quiet people and sadly I do not know as much of them as I wish, that is why I try to read what lore there is concerning their people. I hope you can think of this place as your home as well
                  Alyssa, for as long as you wish to stay here.” He smiled at her and dipped the last of his bread into the soup while watching her eyes intently.
                  His words had eased her pain and she smiled softly to him. Never had any human been so open with her. She wondered if all humans lived as he did and decided that she should learn more about them.
                  At the mention of the elves her ears perked up and she remembered the bag.