Page 48 of Amaros

Chapter Twenty-Five

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AMAROS CHECKED HISwatch frequently during the sprint back to the house where he’d left the girls.As estimated, they returned just before five hours had passed.“They’re still in there,” he said when he came to a stop.He was more relieved than he’d expected.

“Are we finally there?”Camriel asked, looking and sounding a bit ragged.“I need to rest and recharge.”

“We’re here,” his commander confirmed.

A curtain twitched and Amaros waved in greeting.Zoe’s face appeared for a moment as she studied his second in command.“He’s even bigger than he looked in my vision,” she whispered not quite quietly enough.

Camriel gave Amaros a confused glance, but he avoided looking at the knight.“We need to leave,” Amaros said, knowing they could hear him clearly.“I want to be back at our base before nightfall.”

“Good luck with that,” he heard Grace say in amusement.“We’ll have to speed the whole way back.”

Camriel was starting to look wary by now.“Who are these females?”he whispered.

“You’ll see in a moment,” Amaros said, still putting off the inevitable.Crossing to the garage door, he heaved it upwards to reveal the truck.

Instantly captivated by the huge black pickup, Camriel gave it an appreciative smile.“This I like,” he said in approval.“Can I drive it?”

“You can drive it tomorrow,” Amaros promised just as the girls entered the garage from a door on the back wall.

Camriel’s brows drew down into a dire frown when he sensed them.“They’re cambions,” he said with his upper lip lifted.It was an instinctive reaction based on the interaction he’d had with the creatures in the past.

“And you’re a big, blond doofus, but we’re not going to judge you for it,” Grace retorted snarkily.

Camriel turned to his leader incredulously.“You can’t expect me to...”

“Treat them with the same respect you treat myself and your fellow knights with,” Amaros said to cut him off.“Their sires are our foes, but Fate intervened this time.The cambions aren’t evil.”They don’t know about the choice Fate gave us yet,he said telepathically.It took a lot of power for him to communicate without words, so he only did so rarely.His strength would increase as more of his team turned up.

Getting the hint that he wasn’t supposed to mention a possible bond with the females, Camriel turned to study them.They were both staring at him through hostile eyes now.“Ladies,” he said with a polite bow.“I apologize for speaking ill of you.My name is Camriel and I’m pleased to meet you both.”

“I’m Zoe and this is Gracelyn,” Zoe said, willing to take the olive branch he was extending.

“Grace,” the teen corrected her, then sneered at Camriel’s clothing.“Nice outfit, dude.Where did you get it from?The kids’ section of Walmart?”

Glancing down at his sweatpants and t-shirt, Camriel grinned.“At least they show off my muscles,” he boasted.Flexing his biceps, the fabric tore with a pained ripping sound.

Grace cackled and he laughed along with her.Zoe smiled and Amaros shook his head.His second always managed to win over the ladies.He just hoped Zoe wouldn’t fall for his charm.