Bound To The Goddess

VEYRON'S SHADOW

CHAPTER 12: VEYRON'S SHADOW

Dawn was gray.

Drayk was already up. Armor on. Blade in hand.

He hadn't slept.

Lithia sat on the cot. "Morning."

He glanced at her. Once.

"Pack."

That was it.

All day he was professional. Distant.

He handed her rations. Pointed the direction.

Checked the perimeter.

Like she was a soldier. Not a person.

Through the bond she felt it:

Annoyance. Duty. Responsibility.

Nothing else.

He had bricked it up after last night.

*The key. The tool. That's all.*

Lithia stopped trying.

By evening: mountain pass. Rain.

Drayk walked ahead. 3 steps. Always 3 steps.

"Stop," he said suddenly.

Arrows.

"Veyron."

Six men. Black armor.

And Veyron in front.

"Brother," Veyron drawled. "And the golden asset.

Hand her over."

Drayk moved.

It was fast. 8 seconds.

5 men down. Blade work. No wasted movement.

This was what a vampire king looked like.

The last guard grabbed Lithia.

Drayk's sword went through him.

He checked her. Quick. Clinical.

"Are you injured?"

"No."

Veyron was furious.

"If I can't take her, no one will."

Black magic. Aimed at Lithia.

Drayk calculated. Too far.

He moved anyway.

The spell hit his back.

He dropped to one knee.

The bond flared. Just pain.

No emotion. He was blocking it.

"LORD!" Lithia ran to him.

Drayk looked up. Blood on his mouth.

His eyes were cold. Even now.

"Get up," he ordered. "We move.

You're the only one who can break the curse.

Don't die."

Orders. Even bleeding.

He stood. Swayed.

"Walk."

Veyron laughed from above.

"The king protects his tool. How noble."

Drayk didn't answer.

He just started walking.

Bleeding.

Because kings don't fall in front of enemies.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**