“What are you doing?” He repeated in a much calmer tone this time and I turned on my heels to face the owner of this monstrosity. The autumn wind blew my hair in all places as the rays of morning sunshine blinded me. But when I dealt with all that and blinked away the sudden tears in my eyes, I gasped. Killian Winter was standing in front of me in just his pants and a white shirt that was half undone, giving me a glimpse of his well sculptured chest. I sucked in a breath as I hadn’t seen anything like this for a while. In this world, there was no TV or internet and no Men’s Health magazines. So, it was practically impossible for an unmarried single woman to see an even partially naked male body. This was one of the reasons why girls at the Academy were often seen relaxing right next to the field where battle mates trained. They were tearing their shirts off when they fight (probably not always accidentally) or simply taking them off all the time and giving the ladies an innocent show.
Wait, what was I even thinking about? I took my eyes off him. Yes, he was gorgeous. But did it matter?
“What does it look like I am doing?” I chin-upped and arched my brow, wondering if he noticed my gaze.
“It looks like you are ruining my garden.” He stated plainly and my lips parted in shock. Was he serious right now?
“Ruining?” I practically spat the words, “I hate to break it to you, but in this place, there is nothing that can be ruined! Everything here has been dead and for quite a while!”
“Then leave it be,” he was drilling my skull with his icy glare.
“I am an Earth mage!” I hit myself on the chest with pride, “I cannot leave a garden to die! Besides, what is the point of having it at all if you let it dry out like that?! It could be such a beautiful place just if you…”
“It’s not your garden, lady Satorr,” Winter reminded me, only fuelling my anger further.
“I apologise, Your Grace,” I curtsied elegantly but spitefully, and stayed down just like a commoner, which, I guessed, I was now, was supposed to do before a duke.
“And what are you doing now?” he seemed annoyed with me and I tried to hide a smirk that was forming on my lips.
“Waiting for your permission to rise, Your Grace,” I said, every word coated in poison.
“Sage…” he let out an exasperated sigh, but then, surprisingly, took my shoulders into his hands and helped me up, “I am sorry about yesterday. I…”
He wanted to say something else, but his eyes shifted to something behind me and his grasp on me became tighter.
“Get in the house,” he said and, of course, I didn’t. I turned to look at what he was staring at. My eyes landed on my new little friend Fern, who poked out from one of the bushes. There was literally nothing or no one else here to be worried about, but Killian seemed on guard.
“Don’t tell me that the Ice Sword of Riord is scared of a little marten!” I scoffed and he let me go, standing in front of me as if to guard me.
This was stupid. But when I saw ice sparkling on the tips of his fingers, I realised that he was about to attack Fern.
Luckily for me, he paused and I hurried to my furry friend to save her.
“What are you doing?” I hissed at the man, “It’s just a little ball of fluff! Let it be!”
I stretched my hands and Fern jumped into them, both of us making the duke go pale.
“Sage,” he said, carefully stepping towards me, “Very slowly, put her down.”
Hmm, interesting. How did he know that it was a her?
But most importantly, why was he worried so much?
“Who? Fern?” I giggled because he looked ridiculous, “She spent the night sleeping right next to me. I think I am fine just holding her.”
“You…named her?” his mouth parted in shock but after a few seconds he finally relaxed and swore under his breath quietly. So not like a duke…
“Yes, and she likes it,” I smiled, rubbing my fingers over my pet’s neck, “Don’t you Fern?”
A spark of electricity went between me and the marten, and she purred in delight, quickly getting onto my neck and wrapping her red tail over me. It probably looked very cool.
“Sage…” he called me by my name and I wanted to object to that, but he looked really worried and I experienced a prick of guilt.
“Really, it’s fine,” I smiled at the duke, “She will not hurt me. She likes me.”
“Fine.” He inhaled and exhaled as if he was trying to suppress something. “Let’s go inside of the house. I have something for you.”
I followed him, wondering what he could possibly have for me. Maybe he went back to where I was attacked yesterday and got my things?
He led me into one of the reception rooms that, I had to admit, looked better in daylight. And I gasped, seeing a long rail full of dresses. Shoe boxes were covering the tables and in the middle of it all stood a leather case which I recognised at once. It was a Lorelea set for artefactors, designed by one of the most famous and gifted artefactor of our time - Lorelea Leroy. I lost one exactly like that in the attack. Well, I tweaked mine a bit, but it didn’t matter. It was so expensive!
Did he get it for me?
“What is this?” I asked, struggling with what I had to think about it. There was no way I could accept this. Not from him. He was my enemy, not a friend. And how it would look to accept such gifts from a man after staying a night in his house.
“Everything that you need to go on with your life,” Killian replied calmly, “At least I think so.”
“I… can’t,” I shook my head, “It’s… too much.”
“Then pay me back for all that when you can,” I heard his words, which brought me back to reality.
I looked around one more time and had to admit that I couldn’t go to the Academy without all of those things that he got for me.
But it helped that he wasn’t just giving me those. Paying him back seemed reasonable. I could make this much money in a few months if I worked hard. I had a list of potential clients, after all.
“All right,” I nodded, “I will pay you back in several installments.”
“Very well,” something resembling a smile tugged on his lips and I felt the urge to smile myself, but turned away.
“I would like to leave for the academy as soon as possible,” I told him and he nodded curtly.
“I will arrange everything right after breakfast.” Killian informed me, “Finn will bring bags and will help you pack everything.”
“Thank you,” I managed to say. I had to admit that this was helpful. Denying it would be simply stupid.
Although I was slightly angry that he was making it harder for me to hate him. But I could always get back to that after I paid him back, right?
Finn came and helped me pack, working efficiently for an old man. I wanted to do something for him because he was nice. It wasn’t a custom to leave tips to servants in this world, but I loved doing that. Unfortunately, at the moment, Finn was probably richer than me.
We were almost done when I saw Fern curling herself up in one of the suitcases. I had no idea if my little pet had anything to eat and decided to bring something to her. Not knowing the place, I looked for the kitchen instinctively, guiding myself with the help of the delicious smells.
I pushed the heavy door and… gasped. Pots and spoons were flying in the air and eggs were cracking themselves over the pan. I lived in this magical world for twenty years but never saw anything like this!
My eyes circled the room as I walked in and I saw a young girl standing at the other end of the kitchen. Our gazes locked and at the same time everything in the room dropped as if it wasn’t flying at all. But even that wasn’t the most peculiar thing. The girl had long pointy ears and amber eyes with vertical pupils. That was something that I did not expect.
“M-my lady,” she mumbled and then turned away quickly to pull on a white hat, “I… I…”
“It’s all right,” I smiled, feeling guilty for scaring her so much. She looked like she was 14 at best. Too young to be working in the kitchen. “I am sorry for intruding. I just wanted to ask for some milk for my pet.”
She relaxed a bit hearing my words and went all the way to the pantry to get what I asked for, returning with a medium-sized bowl full of milk.
“Thank you,” I smiled at her as she handed it to me, “What is your name?”
“Mylie,” she blushed, but looked me straight in the eye and I saw her exotic pupils once again.
“What are you, Mylie?” I asked and her face changed. She started trembling and I wasn’t sure why.
“Wh-what do you mean, my lady?” she giggled nervously, “I am just a kitchen maid.”
The girl looked scared, and it got me worried. Something was off. I couldn’t see her ears now that she was wearing a had but her eyes were right there. Riord didn’t have too many other races. Mostly humans lived here with rare exception from faraway lands. Maybe Mylie was one of them? Whatever it was, I didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable because of me.
“Sage?” I heard Winter’s voice behind my back and turned to face him. He looked similar to what he did an hour ago, when he saw me with Fern. Just what was going on here?
“I just came for some milk,” I demonstrated the bowl to him, sensing that I did something wrong. “For Fern.”
He clenched his lips and I noticed that he was looking at the maid more. I could only hope I didn’t get the girl in trouble.
“Mylie here was very helpful,” I smiled nicer than I usually smiled at him. “You are lucky to have an air mage working for you at the kitchen.”
“Right,” he muttered. “Anyway, let’s go. I am sure Mylie will be able to serve breakfast in a few minutes.”
We walked out and I just couldn’t help saying, “How old is she?”
“Why are you asking?” he raised a brow at me.
“Because she looks underaged,” my reply was probably harsh as he gave me a stern look.
“She is eighteen,” he said coldly, “And she helps her mother here. She doesn’t actually work here.”
Somehow, I felt that it was a lie. But I decided that it wasn’t the time to dig into that topic. What if he was exploiting a child? It would be horrible. Mylie seemed scared… However, she only got scared when she saw me. She looked like she was having the time of her life before she noticed me.
“I see,” I forced a smile. “I am sorry I disturbed your servant.”
“It’s all right,” he said, and then added at once, “And yes, she is an air mage. Next year I will be sending her to one of the academies.”
“It’s very kind of you,” I nodded, “She seems… talented.”
Winter left me to have breakfast alone and only Fern kept me company. Which was for the best. I had enough of those awkward conversations.
I saw that a carriage for me was already waiting outside and put on the new cloak that Killian had provided for me. It was trimmed with whiter fur and the fabric was soft and warm. The stitching was absolutely marvellous. Everything screamed that it was an expensive cloak and I sighed, slightly upset about that fact. It might take me more months to pay him back than I thought.
Fern jumped into my hands and I didn’t think twice about taking her with me. It was as if she was my emotional support pet. And, gods, I needed that now.
I went to the exit in hopes of leaving early, when I heard Winter and Finn speaking.
“Finn, just forget about it,” the duke said, “She didn’t see anything. Mylie is still safe.”
"It's Mylie, Killian!" the old servant sounded as if he was talking to a close friend and not a master, "What if..."
"Mylie is safe here," Winter reassured him, "I don't think lady Satorr saw anything."
"Why did you even bring her here, boy?" Finn asked, sounding emotional and upset.
And I decided that I didn’t want anything to do with all that. I have bigger problems that were my own. All I wanted now was to leave this place and start acting to get Dad out of prison.
Quietly, I came back and then slammed the door loudly, so that they knew I was walking down the hall. I appeared before them within seconds.
“Let me escort you to the carriage,” Winter offered me his hand which I decided to take this time.
“Thank you,” I replied politely and we walked out of his mansion together.
“Sage,” he cleared his throat and I looked at him with interest as Fern tickled me with her fur tail while sitting on my shoulders lazily, “Would it be too much for me to ask not to tell anyone about Mylie?”
“And may I ask why that is?” I arched my brow, knowing that he wouldn’t tell me the truth. But there was definitely a story there.
“There are bad people looking for her,” Killian furrowed his brows as he said, “Her father… was a bad man. And if those people find her, they will kill her. I am trying to protect her.”
“How noble of you.” My mind went to places. Of course, I wasn’t going to tell anyone about the poor child, even though I wasn’t buying the story. But what if I could negotiate with him now?
“So, you want a favour from me?” I smiled and stopped to look into his face.
“I do.” This time he didn’t seem to be the ice statue that I knew him to be. He really cared about that girl.
“I am ready to keep your secret,” I told him with a smile, and he seemed relieved. But this was when I added, “If you tell me about the charges against my father.”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry, it's a day late. I am still so slow with my writing after covid. I will be updating two chapters in the following week and daily updates will start on the 1st of March. I will be posting a picture of Killian on my IG and Dreame Slayers group. I found just the perfect model ;) You are going to like him.
Aksara