Burchard gave Armand a sharp look but wasn’t sure he wanted to know who told the page that Reggie was not worthy of the General’s attention. “Do you know what a gladius domini is?”
Armand sucked in a sharp breath, eyes widening. “It’s a sword master, but where did you hear it called that?”
“One of the druids, Damos, used that term before I faced Lieutenant Commander Walter Pell. Damos said he wasn’t worried about me against twenty rebels because I am a gladius domini,” Burchard responded.
Armand’s eyes got even wider. “He said that you are a gladius domini, or will become one?”
Burchard’s lips twitched before he answered. “Damos said I am a gladius domini.”
“You’re only fourteen!” Armand almost shouted. “King Roland won’t permit a squire to take the sword master test. You must pass your knight’s test first.”
“I am aware of that,” Burchard said tartly. “I just am not sure I believe Damos that I am a gladius domini.”
“Damos probably knows more about you than your father does. Druid magic is very different than what we are used to. Some of them can talk to the trees, and if a tree witnessed something, then they can access the tree’s memory. As you know, there are plants and trees all over Etria. A druid with that type of magic would be able to learn many things without ever having to interact with a person,” Armand explained.
“Ah,” Burchard murmured. Now he understood how Jade had known so much about him when they met at Leosor Hollows.
A single bell rang out in the courtyard. Armand leapt to his feet. “Dinner!” the page exclaimed before racing out of the barn.
Burchard chuckled and finished cleaning up the aisleway before finding his way to the dining hall too.
23
Alderth Castle was quiet when Burchard slipped out. The sky was completely dark, dotted only by a few scattered stars not hidden by clouds. Given the hour, he decided that he would be better off walking. The edge of the forest wasn’t far, and he didn’t want to alarm anyone unnecessarily by taking Chip. After explaining what he was doing to Fang, the wolf had decided to follow him. He wasn’t sure why but decided her presence wouldn’t change anything.
Burchard had his hands stuffed in his coat pockets. Even with the fur-lined gloves, the wind that was picking up was cold. A bad winter is coming, he predicted. Fang, of course, seemed unruffled by the cold. In fact, she was bouncing around, as one would expect from a puppy, not an adult wolf. He picked up his pace, hoping the faster movements would warm him up. He didn’t want to run, worried that Jade would get the wrong idea.
At the edge of the trees, he saw a flickering light. She made a fire? Just another hundred paces or so and he’d be there by the fire. A slight movement in the trees stopped him in his tracks. Fang had noticed too. She gave him a quick lick before disappearing into the trees. He didn’t see the movement again. Shaking his head, he walked the rest of the way to the fire.
The fire circle was tiny, with only a handful of kindling and a short, thick branch surrounded by a ring of rocks. But the heat it generated was far greater than what it should have been. Jade caught his eye from the other side of the fire.
“I thought we should be warm instead of trying to not freeze while we met,” Jade explained.
Burchard studied the fire ring again. “How is it giving off this much heat?”
“Magic,” Jade said, wiggling her gloved fingers in the air.
“I didn’t know you could do fire magic,” he said.
Jade shrugged. “I don’t think you ever asked what kind of magic I have.”
Burchard held his hands out to the fire, relishing the warmth that trickled through his gloves. “What kind of magic do you have?” he asked, taking the bait.
“A little of this and a little of that,” Jade said with a smile. “I told you before I can communicate with animals and druids who are shifted. I can also amplify heat or light that already exists. Like I’m doing with the fire.”
“Convenient,” murmured Burchard.
Fang had not returned yet. He wondered if he should worry or not. He turned his back to the fire and peered into the dark forest. Jade slipped close to him so they stood with their shoulders touching as they looked out into the forest. Tentatively, she slid her hand into his.
Burchard took a deep breath, trying to settle his nerves. “I thought you wanted to talk to me.”
Keeping their fingers laced together, Jade turned to face him, her brown hair looking almost red in the firelight. “I do. Damos wanted me to share some information with you,” she said softly. Burchard raised his eyebrows. “I told you last time we met that I really like you, Burchard. I was serious.” She leaned forward and kissed him.
A shiver ran through him as cold air worked its way up a gap between his shirt and pants. He stepped forward without thinking, pressing his body to Jade’s tightly. He had to brace his hands against her shoulders to keep from toppling them both into the fire. When they were balanced again, he pulled away slightly, uncertain what to do.
Maybe I should speak to Ruschmann again about how to talk to a girl, so I don’t sound like a bumbling idiot! “Damos said…” he prompted.
Jade licked her lips in a way that made his blood thrum in his veins and had him hoping she’d kiss him again. “I can tell you later.”
“But—” he protested, part of him wanting to stick to the task at hand, the information Damos had wanted passed on. It could be critical for the safety of those within the castle, he reminded himself.
His words were cut off as she captured his lips once again with hers. This time she was more demanding. Her hands traveled down his chest. Burchard closed his eyes. He didn’t think he was ready for anything beyond kissing but had no idea how to tell her so without embarrassing himself. He kissed her and ran his hands along her back, then pulled away. Jade had said that Damos had something important for him to know and he wanted to know it—then they could kiss more.
Jade stuck her tongue out at him, “You’re ruining the fun. Damos wanted you to know that there are no…”
A loud crunch in the forest just in front of him. Burchard’s whole body tensed. To his horror, it wasn’t Fang who materialized from the dark forest, but Ossa. His long gray hair fell around his face and down his back in greasy clumps.
“How sweet, the two of you together.” Ossa’s cold voice wrapped around them. Jade whirled, fists raised, earning a harsh laugh from Ossa. “You are going to make this even easier than I thought.” Ossa grinned, flashing his razor-sharp teeth at them.
Burchard could not suppress the shudder that ran through him. “What do you want?” he demanded through gritted teeth.
“You, of course. I’m surprised you haven’t figured it out yet,” Ossa replied. “Eos should have chosen better. Too bad for her, there won’t be a next time. Once Mors is free, she will be the first god to die.”
Interesting that Ossa let it slip that Mors will be the one to kill Eos. I wonder if that is true of the other gods. If only a god can kill a god. He tucked that revelation away, hopeful there would be time later to examine it further.
“Are you waiting for something? You could just kill us now and be done with it,” Burchard growled.
