FOREVER KNIGHTS: #15 Insatiable Beasts

WaterRose, Meadow Mountain, Grier Country

SEBASTIAN

Sebastian walked through a castle packed with wolves roaming the halls, panthers and horses wandering the bailey. Elves worked the kitchen and stables, and still he felt like everything was empty. The two people he hungered more than anything to see were far away. One floating softly in the dark waters deep in the flood room. Still as stone.

And the other…He looked into a dark night sky watching stars winking at him. Taking in the earthen smell of trees and dirt from the meadow. And wondering where she was. Somewhere under this sky is my heart.

He walked to the stables. Crouching in the hay, it wasn’t long before the cats flooded over his feet, winding up his arms. He scooped up a particular favorite. A thick orange tom. He looked into its eyes, conveying his message. Nearly lowering his nose to its’. Keep track of her for me.

He opened six stable doors. Walking to run his arm fondly against the cheek of each half wild animal. Pressing his head to its and they leapt from the doors heading across the bailey.

Stepping to the doors he shouted to the elf in the bridge tower. “Dimitrius!”

He lowered it. Horses and a flood of cats poured across. Splaying over the meadow in different directions. Set on their mission.

Bast watched them go nearly sadly. Realizing it was the last of his companions leaving WaterRose.

“I’ve never seen you do that before.” Bast turned and saw Captain Deragan standing near the half door behind him. Leaned over, with his elbows propped atop the thin ledge of it.

Sebastian rounded to face him. Certain his expression was as broken as he felt.

“After her?”

Sebastian lowered his head in acknowledgement.

“You know I’d send them to find her for you.” He gestured around at the entirety of WaterRose.

To mean every knight within.

“As you have for me countless occasions.” Deragan finished.

“I know.” Bast murmured. Swallowing hard. “But she needs time.”

“I’m surprised you let her go.”

Finally. Lord knows he’s ordered me to enough.

“Keeping her with me would’ve been the death of her.”

“Of all your generosities I’d never thought you had it in you to release her.”

“I don’t.” He tossed his arm in the direction of the creatures he’d sent to keep track of her.

I can’t let her completely go.

“And Rhyers?”

He’s asking if I asked him to track her. Of course, I did.

“I sent him at dawn.” Bast admitted.

“But not to bring her back?”

“Just to know where she is. To pray for her safety.”

“You’ll check on her, you know?” Deragan said, straightening from the half door. “You won’t be able to resist if you know where she is.”

No one would know that better than he does. He’s lived it enough. Bast knew.

“Is that so wrong?”

“No.” Deragan said. “With my mate it’s necessary to protect her.” He said. “With yours, I think the only danger to her is you.”

“Ouch.” Sebastian winced.

Deragan smiled softly. “Some day you’ll understand that’s a compliment.”

Bast’s brows drew together in question. “Do explain?”

“She’s strong enough to fend off any Cimmerii, too sharp to be outwitted by Radix for even a moment, careful enough to never let anyone close enough to manipulate her. But you…She’s let you so close there’s pieces of her you possess she’ll one day realize she needs.”

“Unfortunately,” Bast’s shoulders slumped, “In all this time we were never that close.”

Deragan scoffed.

Bast’s head lifted.

Deragan sighed and returned to the half door. “You’re utterly comfortable with intimacy, Bast. You’d meld into her skin and still not feel close enough.”

That’s true. But it doesn’t make me wrong.

“To her being close, meant something entirely different. Do you think she’s ever behaved with another living being as she did with you?”

No. Bast tilted his head. Intrigued by the thought.

“She built a life with you.” Deragan enlightened him. “Do you think she spent so many days and nights tending broken knights in your absence and spooning them broth for some liking of them?”

She did all that?

“I didn’t realize she did.”

“Of course, she did. She’d become the gentleness in this cold castle. She did everything she knew how to do, to show you how much she cared.” He sighed and turned again, pausing to toss over his shoulder. “She’ll come back to you. When she’s ready.”

He asked me to let her go because he wanted me to do it before she decided to never forgive me. Bast realized.

Damn Deragan and all his wisdom!

“I dearly pray so.” Bast murmured.

“I hope you do.” Deragan nodded. “Pray.”

It’s all I can do now.