Free The Shattered Sylph by L. J. McDonald Page B

he said, managing a smile. His wife matched it, her eyes shining with tears.
    “You do that. I’ll finish packing for you, silly man.” She turned him to the door and patted his bottom to send him on his way.
    Leon went out into the hall and down the stairs to the front porch. Outside, Mace was sitting on the swing beside the Widow Blackwell, his master. Leon didn’t have the faintest idea what the woman’s first name was, but she looked at him sympathetically. Of all the others, he knew she was the most likely to go with them, but she was the dorm mother of every urchin and orphan in town. She was the last one who could leave—which meant Mace couldn’t go, either. Not farther than Para Dubh.
    He considered her for only a moment before turning to the front yard. Most of the neighbors were still there, standing in groups and conversing, all of them shooting looks at the young man waiting nervously at the foot of the stairs, a heavy travel pack by his feet. Justin Porter. He looked up at Leon, twisting his hat nervously between his hands.
    “Um,” he stammered. “I’m coming with you.”
    Leon blinked. “What?”
    The boy took a deep breath, and Leon wondered distantly where his father was. Cal Porter would have a heart attack if he knew what his son was suggesting. Either that, or he’d talk them all to death.
    “I was with Lizzy when she was kidnapped. I should have protected her, and I let her down. I need to make up for that.”
    “We’re not going out there to salvage your pride, boy,” Leon responded coldly.
    “That’s not it!”
    “I don’t have time to care,” Leon replied, turning to go back into the house.
    “I love her!” Justin shouted. Leon stopped, every muscle tense. “I love her,” the boy repeated. “I want to marry her.” Leon turned and saw how miserable Justin looked as he added, “I have to go. If you don’t take me, I’ll just follow you anyway. I don’t care what it costs, I’m going to get her back.”
    Leon studied the youth, really studied him, wishing for once he had Ril’s talent for empathy. Not that Ril cared what others thought. Right now, Leon envied the battler that as well.
    “Fine,” he said, vaguely aware that he would never agree if he weren’t already emotionally drained. “But you have to keep up.” When Justin beamed, grin huge and innocent, Leon sighed and said, “Get inside.” The boy ran past, carrying his pack, and Leon rubbed his forehead and looked at Mace. The big battler stared quietly forward, one of the widow’s hands held in his own. She was smiling.
    Leon headed back inside, stepping over Mia and around Ralad. He could hear Cara and Nali in the kitchen yelling at each other. As he walked down the hall, both girls turned from Justin to him.
    “I wanna come, too!” Cara demanded.
    “Don’t you start with me,” he told her, and looked at Justin. “Show me what you brought.” The boy nodded frantically and started to dump the contents of his pack onto the table.
    Ril entered the kitchen. Mia hung on his leg while he tried to fasten his cloak. Seeing Justin, he stopped, one eyebrow raised. Justin saw him, too and froze, swallowing repeatedly. Ril eyed Leon.
    “He’s coming,” Leon declared. Stomping out of the room, he went to see what his wife had collected. Behindhim, Ril looked at the frightened boy and growled. Justin flinched.
    For the second time in the same number of weeks, Mace flew over the mountains toward Para Dubh. This time the only battler to accompany him rode within his mantle, along with two men.
    They were awkward to carry, as he needed to remain incorporeal enough to fly quickly but solid enough to keep them aloft. He was careful not to jostle the trio, but he was also glad when he finally dropped down yet again at the docks and let them loose. Ril shook himself, staring out at the water while Justin pulled his pack onto his back and waited nervously.
    Leon turned toward Mace, nodding. “Thank you.”
    Mace