71. Maseo

Chapter 71

Maseo

A bead of sweat dripped down Maseo's face as he walked through the forest on the way to Sybir. He could see the city looming ahead of him in the distance, making him redouble his efforts. The sooner he arrived, the sooner he could set about finding Auslin and Kitsuki.

Unfortunately, Yaro hadn't told him who to look for once he reached the city. Maseo knew Auslin was close with a mage named Eldin, but that was the last person in Odatam he wanted to encounter. Eldin's smoldering rage scared him, especially when Auslin wasn't around to temper his friend's reaction. Maseo got the distinct impression Eldin blamed him for Auslin's sorrows and would have happily used his magic to send Maseo to the Beyond Realm.

Suddenly, vines shot out from the trees to grab Maseo. He only narrowly dodged them, rolling out of the way and sliding in the dirt. Maseo drew his sword as he searched for whatever danger lurked in the forest.

"You dare to show your face around here?" Eldin asked in an icy voice as he appeared from behind a tree. Green magic glowed in his hands, ready to summon nature to harm Maseo.

"I don't want any trouble," Maseo said. He kept his sword raised as he warily watched the mage.

"You should have thought about that before you broke Auslin's heart." He waved his hand, casting his magic on the tree closest to Maseo.

The branches tried to grab Maseo, but he was fast enough to scramble away. "I never wanted to hurt him."

"And yet you did." Eldin sent a boulder sailing in Maseo's direction. "You deserve to die for what you did to him. I'll enjoy getting revenge for Auslin."

Maseo dodged the sizable rock. "He wouldn't want you to do this!"

"Yes, he pleaded your case so beautifully to me today." Eldin's tone turned mocking. "‘All I want for Maseo is for him to find happiness and love.' It makes me sick. You don't deserve his pity."

Maseo's mind raced as he tried to understand why Auslin would defend him to Eldin. Why would he even have come up between them?

"The only thing you deserve is to die a painful death." Eldin held his hand out to cast his magic. Dirt from around them floated into the air before it pelted down on Maseo.

To his relief, his ring activated to protect him. The dirt gathered over the invisible barrier, dropping from the sky as it pushed up from the ground. Eldin's magic relentlessly tried to crush Maseo to death under the weight of the soil. But the barrier held, no matter how much dirt covered it. He could feel Eldin's magic crushing down on Kitsuki's, but the dragon king's power was stronger.

It pulsated before it blasted all the dirt off it in an explosion. Eldin shielded himself from the blowback. "How is that possible? Half-shifters don't have access to magic!" His face contorted into an ugly rage that sparked fear in Maseo. Eldin drew a short dagger from behind him. "If I can't kill you with nature, then I'll do the next best thing."

Eldin charged with his weapon held high, bringing it down as hard as he could on the protective shell around Maseo. The barrier repelled him into a tree, where he collapsed with a groan.

Maseo wasn't about to let Eldin take a second chance at destroying him. He ran the rest of the way to Sybir until his lungs burned and his legs threatened to give out on him. Once he was safe in the city, he could find a better hiding place.

M aseo remained hypervigilant as he walked through the bustling streets of Sybir. It was a relief to blend in with the crowds, where he was confident Eldin wouldn't attack him with so many witnesses. He also felt safer not being in a forest with a mage capable of using the magic contained in nature to harm him.

After a fulfilling dinner, Maseo set out to look for an inn to stay at for the night. He was more than ready to put the troubling day behind him.

"There you are," a voice from behind Maseo said.

Maseo froze. Everything in him screamed to run away from one of the most dangerous people he had ever met. His viciousness was legendary, which was why he was such an effective right-hand man for Nasume. Combined with his natural predilection for murder, he was the last person Maseo wanted to be near.

Maseo turned to face his nemesis. "Gamino." The man seemed to have grown even more fearsome than the last time Maseo had seen him years ago. For a wolf shifter, he had an unusually broad build, hulking with muscles that knew how to hurt people in the most painful way possible. With long black hair, yellow eyes, and a permanent scowl on his face, he was an imposing figure.

Gamino got right to the point. "Your father sent me to bring you home."

Maseo struggled to smother his fear. He didn't want Gamino to know how badly shaken his appearance made him. "I'm busy, so if you'll excuse me, I?—"

"That was not a request." Gamino's words chilled Maseo.

"Let me guess. Come willingly or come broken?" That was Gamino's usual style.

His smile was vicious. "You know your father well. So, which will it be?"

The magic protecting Maseo hugged him tighter. It urged him, " Run ."

But there was nowhere safe Maseo could run from his father. If Nasume wanted to see him, he would get his way. It was merely a question of how many broken bones it would take to get him there. Going back to Kunushi to see his father felt like a death sentence.

Since he didn't have a choice in the matter, Maseo considered his other option. If he went willingly, then maybe he could find out more about what Nasume was planning. It would allow him to give Kitsuki more concrete details once he escaped. While it wasn't much of a chance, Maseo wanted to do his part to return the favor of Kitsuki's protection.

Maseo sighed in defeat. "Fine. Take me to my father."

Gamino patronizingly patted Maseo's cheek. "Good boy. You made a wise decision. His Majesty will be pleased."

Maseo could only hope his father didn't murder him while he was home. He had to get out alive to save Kitsuki, Auslin, and possibly all of Talwyn.