Page 51 of The Pactbound Angel (The Soul Mirror Duet #1)

An Obligation

The next day, as we came out of the castle after receiving a personal thanks from a grateful king, the dimness and despair of the city seemed to have completely vanished.

The warm sun peeked out from the clouds, casting rays of golden light across the expanse of red-tiled roofs and glittering streets.

It was a physical manifestation of our work, our good work, that made me smile.

We saved this place. We really saved it.

“You’d think he’d cough up some coin for saving his ass. A favor. Anything. But no. Just hey, great job and a dismissal.” Raewyn grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.

I glanced at my sister, feeling amused, “He has a lot of rebuilding and diplomacy to do after what the mischief hag did. Perhaps he was tired?”

Raewyn tilted her head, considering. “You know, he did seem a bit out-”

A man called out behind me, “Wait!”

We all turned to see Prince Jaylin running towards us. He slowed to a stop, raising a hand. “I think my guards and I should accompany you back, with the mischief hag’s henchmen about. They will be searching for you now to enact revenge on her behalf.”

Kind, but why is he troubling himself? “It’s alright. We’re just going to our inn, Your Highness. Taking the main road. Surely, they would not-”

He interrupted me, “Oh, but they would, Lady Nathalia. They have no shame, I assure you.”

Beep. “More beatings!”

Raewyn raised an eyebrow.

“Please, Lady Nathalia. I insist. If not for yourself, then for me. My peace of mind.” Worry creased his brow.

Feeling as though I couldn't refuse, my manners won out. “Very well, Prince Jaylin. We accept your escort.”

The prince’s relief was palpable, and he nodded, then waved a small group of soldiers to his side. “Let’s go.”

The walk through the city was one of awe.

Though I’d seen the city before, after the mischief hag’s demise, it had been dark.

Now, in full sunlight, the restored beauty of the city shined.

People were smiling. Cheerful. Happy. Some bowed and greeted their prince as he passed, walking next to me.

The prince, all smiles, waved in return.

When a little girl ran up to give him flowers and a curtsy, I finally commented. “They are quite happy to see you, Your Highness.”

Prince Jaylin waved to another with a smile. “Thank you. I have not had much of a chance to interact with the folk here of late. People had grown suspicious. Even violent. I could not risk it.”

I nodded. “Wise. I’m glad you are able to, now.”

“As am I, Lady Nathalia. Thanks to you.” He grinned charmingly at me and took up my hand to kiss it gently .

The last time someone kissed my hand like that was over five years ago. I miss court life, sometimes .

My sister cleared her throat then asked in a strange tone, “Why were you unable to do anything about the mischief hag yourself, Prince Jaylin? You had soldiers.”

The prince looked back at my sister with a glare that morphed into sorrow. My glare stayed.

“She mesmerized and destroyed a hundred of those soldiers at once. She was far too powerful. I am an able warrior, but I was no match for her. Not like Lady Nathalia.” He turned to me, and the sorrow faded.

My cheeks burned again at the unfair praise. “It was all of us, Your Highness, not just me.”

The prince raised an eyebrow. “That is not what I hear.”

“Oh?” Ramiren replied. “And where exactly would you have heard of our battle? You arrived after she was defeated.”

The prince eyed Ramiren. A flicker of annoyance passed over his face, but it was quickly replaced with another smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“I know it was all of you. I just choose to give compliments to not only a savior of my country, but a beautiful one. I am but a humble man. It’s easy to heap compliments onto her, is it not? ”

“Certainly, but she doesn’t appreciate unearned ones,” Ramiren replied with a frown in his voice.

To my left, a beggar hunched over a cane on the side of the street with a small child next to him. Both were dirty and disheveled. The girl, overly skinny, looked up at me with big eyes.

I walked over, pulling silver from my coin pouch. I give him gold, and he’s a target. The man held out his hand. “Good lady, could you spare a coin for my daughter?”

“Yes, of course.” I fished out two pieces.

“Nat,” Raewyn spoke in warning.

“Hm? What? I have plenty of money-.”

My eyes turned to see that we had been surrounded by a crowd of beggars. But they did not hold out their hands for coin. Their hands held weapons.

Ambush.

The beggar beside me straightened and pulled on the end of his cane to reveal a sword. The girl ran off as he cried, “Murderers! Kill them!”

“Fear not, Lady Nathalia. I shall protect you!” Prince Jaylin drew his own sword, brandishing it.

With no time to take the shield off my back, I pushed the false beggar beside me away, with the added distraction of two silver being thrown at his face, giving me the chance I needed to unsheathe the longsword on my hip.

The beggars all doffed their moth-eaten cloaks to reveal armor and more weapons at their sides. They were a strange mix of elves and lupa fey. Some sported daggers, others swords or handaxes. All of them looked ready and willing to use them.

Two lupa fey immediately felled an unfortunate footman and charged me like I’d personally insulted their mother.

Dodging the club of one, while parrying the daggers of the other, immediately put me on the defensive.

I did not enjoy taking two at a time, especially when they were as skilled as these two were.

These are not run-of-the-mill cutthroats.

The two footmen who were left surrounded the prince in a defensive formation with their halberds tilted forward, leaving the rest of us to fend for ourselves.

Ramiren moved forward with his own weapon, easily deflecting the sword of one with the tip of his blade. The broodling lunged, his rapier piercing the man’s mail armor as though he wore none. The man cried out and stumbled backwards, clutching at his stomach.

Two went for Raewyn in a stalking fashion, leering smiles on their faces.

She simply raised a mocking eyebrow, far more expressive now that she no longer needed her mask, “Not my type, I’m afraid.

” A prayer fell from her lips as searing flame erupted from her hands and shot out towards the ambushers, knocking them backwards.

They rolled around, yelping, trying to extinguish the fire quickly enveloping their clothing.

Georgina climbed up onto M.A.L.C.O.L.M.’s shoulders, giggling. “Let’s have some fun!” She leveled her crossbow at one, who took one look at either her or her metal automaton and ran away down the alley.

“Aw,” the gnome moaned, disappointed.

Beep. “I was promised beatings!”

Keeping an eye on everyone else, they seemed to be fairing fine except for me.

The two I faced off against were cunning and kept me on my toes.

If one went high, the other slashed low.

If I stepped, they stepped in kind. I could not gain ground, and all I had to show for my efforts was a sweat-covered brow.

The one with the daggers tapped each side of my sword with a blade, and then twisted in, knocking the sword out of my grip. It clattered away out of reach.

I’d never seen a maneuver like that before.

Shieldless and now weaponless, my hands went up, ready to face them with my fists if need be.

The one with the club stepped forward, swinging his weapon back to strike. When I put my hands up defensively to catch his hand, he stopped with the club held back and then jerked. A gurgling screaming was next as a thin sword point poked through from his back.

When he fell, I expected to see Ramiren there, but it was Prince Jaylin who was behind him. The one with the daggers saw his fellow fall, and he shuffled away slowly.

Prince Jaylin smiled at me brightly. “I told you I would protect you.”

But I’m supposed to do the protecting! Feeling worse than useless that someone had to come to my rescue, that I couldn’t even handle two cutthroats, I petulantly picked my sword back up with a huff.

Two unusually-skilled cutthroats.

The one with the daggers hesitated, as though not sure who to strike or if he should run .

“And now, ruffian, you will cease assaulting my lady.” Prince Jaylin turned his sword point to him.

The man held his hands up with the daggers raised, to either strike or surrender, he opened his mouth to yell, “Tr-”

Prince Jaylin ran his blade through the man’s throat, cutting him off.

The ambusher gurgled, dropping his daggers to hold his neck as redness seeped through his fingertips. His eyes rolled back as he collapsed to the ground.

A footman rushed to Prince Jaylin’s side. “My prince, are you hurt?”

Prince Jaylin wiped his sword on the dead man’s clothing and sheathed it. “No, and thanks to me, neither is Lady Nathalia.”

“Yes. Sure. Thank you.” Overwhelmed, annoyed, and distracted, the words fell meaninglessly from my lips.

Ramiren sucked in a breath.

Prince Jaylin flashed a dazzling smile. “You thanked me.”

Oh, fuck.

Fuckfuckfuckfuck.

My eyes slammed shut. Stupid! STUPID!

The prince laughed. “Your only obligation is to come back to the castle tomorrow. I wish to discuss an important matter.”

We had planned to leave the next morning for the grove. But I was caught like a rabbit in a snare. My jaw clenched then released. “Yes, of course.”

He motioned to everyone else. “Your companions, of course, may come as well. We’ll have lunch in the gardens and then talk.”

The gory scene around us painted a strange juxtaposition to his words.

I replied quietly, “Yes, I will attend, but I cannot speak for everyone, though.”

Everyone, who looked decidedly displeased with me .

“I’ll stay, of course,” Raewyn said, sighing softly. “What’s one more day?”

Georgina somehow managed to stare me down, red-faced and holding her hands out in front like she was trying to throttle me from a distance. “ Fine .”

Ramiren looked at Prince Jaylin instead of me. He seemed to be thinking when he said, “I’ll not leave without Lady Nathalia.”

“Splendid!” the prince exclaimed cheerfully. “The Black Unicorn Inn, I believe, was your destination?”

I stalked to my door with Ramiren hot on my tail. Before I could open it, he put his hands on the wood, caging me in with my back to him. With a groan, my forehead thumped the door twice. “I know. I know I messed up. I know I shouldn’t have thanked him. I was…”

I wasn’t sure what I was thinking at that moment.

He muttered between gritted teeth. “You cannot thank him again, Nathalia. Do you understand me? This goes beyond anything.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

His voice softened. “You need not be sorry. Just please, I beg of you, don’t ever do it again.” Something, either his lips or his forehead, gently touched the back of my head, then was immediately removed when I heard Raewyn call out from the stairwell leading to our floor.

“At least we’ll get a decent meal tomorrow. Gods’ sakes.”