Authors: Joanne Wadsworth
Warrior (31 page)
Goldie grabbed me by the shoulders. “Hold on. Maslin wanted to see you too.” She tapped her head. “I just ’pathed him you were up.”
A knock sounded, and we all turned. Faith crossed to the door and opened it.
Maslin hurried in. “Are you healed?”
“Yes.” Maslin was my friend and always would be. Our lives were intertwined because of our love of this station. He had always stood at my side, never having left when I needed him. “What happened out there? Between you and Silas.”
“It was a tense moment when he brought you to the surface. Once we knew you lived, I told him he wasn’t getting you back. I reacted from my gut, and well, I’m sorry, he attacked and I defended. I realize he’s your mate, and in hindsight, neither of us were likely thinking straight. It won’t happen again. Your safety will always come first.”
I took his hands in mine. “What am I going to do with you?”
He gave me one of his assured grins. “We’re blood-bound. I’ll always be by your side. Tell Carver I apologize for my part in what went down, but more than that, I accept his place in your life. He saved you. That I can never forget.”
Goldie rubbed my arm. “Carver dived deep to get you. I can forgive him his lapse in judgment for what happened afterward since Maslin wasn’t harmed.”
Maslin popped a kiss on my cheek. “I’m truly sorry for my part in it. Make sure you take plenty of time to rest and recover. We have a ton of watering holes to top up once you have. Stay safe.”
“You too. I’ll see you later.”
“Absolutely.” He flashed away.
“That goes for me as well since I imagine you’ll want to be elsewhere. Get lots of rest like Maslin said.” Goldie ’ported as he had.
Faith smiled. “I really like Maslin. In fact I’m even a bit jealous he got to–”
I clapped a hand over her mouth. “Don’t even think of saying it.”
She pried my fingers away. “He got to cut Silas. Lucky dude.”
“Sheesh, you weren’t supposed to say it.” I headed to my dressing room.
“Who knows?” She sighed wistfully as she followed. “Maybe one day I’ll get my chance. I can but dream.”
“What we actually need to do, and not just one day but soon, is work out a plan on how to bring peace between Peacio and Dralion.”
“I’m with you there, sister of mine.” She pulled me into her arms. “Sorry, just needed another hug.”
I squeezed her back. “I love having a sister. Thanks for being there during my rising.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t have been anywhere else, and I’m with you on working out a plan.” She eyed the rack and snagged two pairs of black jeans then tossed me one of them. “We’ll go and see Silas, before he wakes up and comes over here. I need to see you put him in his place.”
“Oh, I’ll be having words with him.” My chest tightened as frustration and worry equally collided. “Is he truly all right?”
“I’ll check again, but I would have had forewarning if not.” She closed her eyes. “Yeah, he’s still out to it. Silvie’s with him though, as well as Davio.”
I nabbed two violet stretch t-shirts and handed one to her.
“Silvie’s flicking him in the leg now, telling him to hurry and wake up. She’s getting impatient. His chest wound is healing, though. I can see the pink line and it’s getting fainter. You ready to go?”
“Yep.” I straightened the hem. “Don’t dally. I’ve gotta show him who’s boss.”
“Good. Hold tight.”
Everything darkened and my heartbeat raced as we arrived in Silas’s room. His thick beige curtains were drawn against the dark and the bedside light was on. He lay still, his wetsuit rolled to his waist, the slash across his chest healing, as Faith had said.
“There you two are.” Silvie motioned me closer. “Come talk to him. Do something. He’ll respond to your voice for sure.”
I crossed and took her spot as she moved away. “Hey, wake up. Enough of this lying around.” I merged my mind with his, sinking into my soul-blending spot.
He didn’t answer, or even move.
“I’m awake. Why aren’t you?” I picked up his hand and glanced at Faith.
“Keep trying. He’s just napping, the lazy sod.”
I cupped his stubbly jaw and leaned in. “If now isn’t a good time for you, I could come back later. I’ll have worked up a little more steam by then.”
He moaned and his fingers tightened around mine. “You were down so deep.”
“There were extenuating circumstances. What were you thinking?”
“I wasn’t. I was an idiot for going after Sol when I should have been watching you.” He lifted his eyelids, then blinked. A tear escaped from the corners of his eyes as he focused on me. “I thought I was too late. You were so limp in the water.”
“Nah-ah, I’ve been known to return from the dead, and I certainly would have come back to haunt you.”
“Not funny. Let’s forget the handcuffs. I’m going to lock you up in the cells so no harm can ever come to you.” He tried to sit, but groaned and slumped into his pillows.
“You could try.” I nipped his nose. “Although in your current state, I doubt you’ll be successful.”
“If there’s a will, there’s a way.”
“Then you’ll need a lot of will, because my way is the way. Officially, I’m now the boss.”
“You’re fully healed?” His gaze traveled over me, inspecting all he saw.
“I’m fine, but in the future, no fighting with Maslin. He said it won’t happen again from his side, and I want your promise on that too.”
“Your safety is all that matters. I give you my promise, and I’ll apologize to him when I see him.”
“That’s one very agreeable mood you’re in right now.”
“I shouldn’t have fought with Maslin. My jealousy almost got you killed, and it’ll never happen again. Whatever you ask, I’ll do.”
“Now, that sounds better.”
Loveria coughed. “Ah, if you two are about to make up, then we’re out of here.” He wrapped an arm around Faith’s waist.
She sighed. “I’m not sure we should leave them alone. You heard. An agreeable mood.”
“Ha,” Silvie snorted. “Well, I’m not agreeable. I want to go and talk to this Maslin Sol and hear his promise to not fight with my own ears.” She snagged Faith’s hand. “Take me to see him, please. Now.”
“Nope.” Faith shook her head. “I know you too well. You’ll hurt him yourself.”
“So? He’s a warrior. He can handle a little pain.”
“It’s still a no.”
“That’s so unfair.” She trudged to the door. “I’m not going to forget this. I’m not making you rocky-road again.”
“Oooh, hold on. Now for rocky-road, I might take you.” Faith skipped after her. “I mean it. Make me a huge slab and we have a deal. I’ll find a way to protect Maslin from you.”
Loveria chuckled and gave Silas a thumbs-up as he followed the girls. “Take the rest of the day off. You’ve still got some serious groveling to do.” With a silly grin, he shut the door as he left.
“Come here.” Silas tugged on my hand and pulled me against him. “Do you forgive me?”
“Maybe. Serious groveling, remember?” I rested my head on his shoulder and cuddled in. I was so tired. “What a day. I’m glad it’s over.”
Here with him was where I longed to be. Nowhere else. He was my home, just as Dralion and the wide-open plains of the outback were.
“Faith and I are going to work on a plan to bring about peace.”
“That’s a tough one, but I’ll do what I can to help.” He stroked the nape of my neck. “As long as we’re together, that’s what counts.”
I edged up and looked him in the eyes. “Thank you for saving me.” Undeniably he had.
“You’ve saved me too, in more ways than one.” He reached to his bedside drawer and removed a small black velvet pouch from within. Sitting up a little, he tipped out a silver charm, one of a red rose. “I gave you a white rose for the beginning of time, a yellow for the gift of friendship, and this red rose.” He kissed me, deeply, until we finally had to pull apart for air. “I want you to know there is a love which consumes my heart, and it’s only for you.”
“Oh. Wow.”
“You have my heart, now and forever, Hope.” His breath whispered across my neck as he added the red rose to join the white and yellow charms.
Love, it stole all good sense and was an agony unto itself. Still, my heart burst with the emotion. “I love you too, Silas. You’re my mate, and I’ll never let you go.”
“You don’t have a choice, and I’ll make sure I never allow you to slip from my grasp again. You are the only woman I want. Always.” He took my face between his hands. “And I have our entire lives to prove it. Are you ready for our journey to begin?”
I looked deep into his eyes, because I could never get enough of him. “For the first order of business. Kiss me. Then I’ll tell you.”
He did, and with absolute devotion, I lost my “yes” against his lips.
Other Lyrical Books By Joanne Wadsworth
Protector
Magio-Earth Series
About Joanne Wadsworth
When I first set out the cast and characters in the Magio-Earth series, Faith led the way in book one,
Protector,
and Hope followed in
Warrior.
Both girls are an integral part of the series, although I have other heroines and heroes, and a ton of edgy villains, all with their own issues, to bring you. I can’t wait to write their stories, and to catch up with Faith and Hope along the way. So look out for book three,
Enchanter.
It’s the adventure of Silvie and Guy, one which I’m working hard to get to readers right now.
Another series underway is Bodyguards. This is an adult line of heart-pounding romance. Each story will bring you a bodyguard and the woman he protects. The first book in this series,
Witness Pursuit
, releases January 2014.
Thank you for joining me…where romance meets fantasy and adventure.
To learn more about Joanne and her works, visit her website at http://joannewadsworth.com
Warrior
ISBN: 9781616504960
Copyright © November 2013, Joanne Wadsworth
Edited by Penny Barber
Book design by Lyrical Press, Inc.
Cover Art by Renee Rocco
First Lyrical Press, Inc. electronic publication: November 2013
Lyrical Press, Incorporated
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PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.
Published in the United States of America by Lyrical Press, Incorporated
Preview
Protector: Magio-Earth Book 1
by Joanne Wadsworth
Chapter 1
“Faith. Hey, Earth to Faith Stryker.”
Silvie Carver snapped her fingers and bobbed her head of fiery red-gold curls in front of me. I slowly focused on her, dreading my instinctive first thought as I shook my head forcefully. “Oh no, don’t you dare even think it, Silvie. No. Don’t think it and don’t say it. We’re in class and there are other students–”