Son of Ereubus by J. S. Chancellor Read Free Book Online Page A

past her shoulders in thick waves, a stark contrast to her snowy white complexion. It reminded him a little of his own pale coloring. He started to ask her about the sword when her eyes flickered shut and she groaned in pain.
    This did not bode well. Fears of how many Ereubinians had crossed over the divide flooded his veins like ice water, but he had no choice. He was scantily armed and alone. If it was a trap, it was too late to back out of it.
    He leaned over to pick her up, first moving the sword from her reach. He felt a prick against his neck.
    “Stay… away… from…” Another spasm of pain took care of her acerbic tongue, though it did not remove the dagger she held at his jugular.
    In all the years he’d been in battle, he had never once seen a woman fight, let alone stumble upon one in the middle of the night in a protected realm, carrying more weapons than he probably was aware of. He quite genuinely couldn’t discern what to do first.
    A dark red stain was spreading from beneath the hand clamped on her side, soaking her tunic. He took a chance and lifted his hand to hers, prying the knife free, hoping the pain would override her strength of grip. “I need to see how badly you’ve been wounded.”
    She was struggling to keep her eyes open, but shook her head. It was mere seconds before her breath grew shallow and she lost consciousness.
    After securing her sword at his back, he moved her arm away from her side. It was probably a shallow wound, but it was bleeding steadily. Placing his hand at the base of the arrow, he gripped the shaft with the other and glanced up at her. Leaving it whole would cause more harm than good, but he wasn’t certain she was completely unconscious. Her cry as he snapped the arrow off, leaving the tip in place, answered his question.
    She moaned and fought him, but he outweighed her by at least a hundred pounds — probably more.
    “I have no intention to harm you, nor did I to begin with. I didn’t see you,” he spoke softly, feeling more sympathy than he cared to. As much as he disdained her world, her whimpering was woeful enough to bring any Adorian to his knees.
    He noticed then that the animal he had been so certain was a wolf was in fact a dog. It rose and trotted alongside them as Michael carried her through the woods to his horse. “Is this beast a friend of yours?” he asked her.
    “Koen,” she whispered. It was the last thing she said before finally succumbing to unconsciousness.
    He placed her on the horse first, pulled himself up behind her, holding her around the waist with one arm, and took the reins with the other hand. He had brought his horse to carry the spoils of his hunt. This was far from what he’d expected to return with.
    It was not a short ride to the capital, but it went quickly as he was consumed with watching the horizon. His only thought was to gather his men as swiftly as possible and strengthen the border.
    The cuts on her face and the bruising were plainly visible as they entered the gates of Cyphrus, but what caused him to wonder more was her clothing. Though she wore an Ereubinian cloak, her pants and tunic were human, typical of the poorer villages.
    He slowed his horse to a trot just outside of the keep, stopping as a stable boy approached them.
    “My Lord,” he bowed, taking the reins in his small hands.
    “Wake Jareth and tell him I need his men on the southern border.” He turned to one of the two guards who approached as he dismounted. “Summon the Arch Elders. I’ll convene with them after I have taken her to the healer.” He didn’t wait for their acquiescence.
    Starting up the stairs to the massive double doors of the keep, a scant smile passed over his lips. There, sitting patiently, as though he’d known in advance where Michael was taking his companion, was the dog.
    “Well, come on then, no sense leaving you out here alone.”
    After navigating a long hallway, he came to a narrow staircase that was easy to miss if