Free Protector Of The Grove (Book 2) by Trevor H. Cooley Page B

change the fact that you’re nobility.”
    “Why do you keep bringing that up? The Vriils aren’t even your nobility. They’re Dremaldrian nobles. You’re from Razbeck.”
    “So sorry, ‘Lord Willum’.” Benjo said, giving him a deep bow. “I didn’t mean no disrespect or nothing. See us peasants don’t always understand your high-sounding talk.”
    Willum shoved the bowing man, sending him off balance, and Benjo fell to the ground, laughing.
    “ Oh, let him pretend to kowtow, Willy. I find it amusing ,” Theodore said.
    Willum closed off their connection again. Somehow the imp had found a way to open it up on his own. Willum found that more than a little bit disconcerting.
    “Did you come all the way down here to mess with me, Benjo?” Willum asked.
    “You gotta admit it’s kinda funny,” Benjo said, sitting up. “When we were kids, Father made you work with everyone else. You were covered in dirt head-to-toe, just like me and here, all along, you were the heir to the Vriil fortune.”
    Willum reached out his hand and pulled Benjo to his feet. “It was good for me that Coal did. If word had got out that I had surfaced, Ewzad Vriil would have had me killed.”
    “I guess you’re right,” Benjo said, still grinning. “I just think it’s funny is all.”
    “Yeah, well I’m not finding much funny lately,” Willum said. He turned from Benjo and continued eastward towards the outside edge of the farmlands.
    Benjo hurried to catch up with him and walked at his side. “That’s why I came. Samson said you were out on patrol and that you weren’t in a good mood, so I thought I’d keep you company.”
    Willum gave him a slight smile. “Well you’re definitely better to talk to than my axe.”
    “Oh, right,” said Benjo, blanching slightly. Willum’s axe made him nervous. He didn’t like how wicked it looked with its black haft and blood red runes. It also didn’t help that the one time Willum had let him touch it, the imp had made some pretty frightening comments in Benjo’s mind. “Good then. So, uh, what’s bothering you?”
    Willum sighed. Benjo never had been subtle. He always got right to the point. “I don’t know. I’ve been looking forward to coming back here for so long, but now that I’m back, I just . . . Tolivar loves it here. He wants to stay, but I’m just having a hard time being content. I know I should love it here, being back home. I know. I just . . .”
    “Oh, that,” the big man said, nodding sagely. “That’s an easy one. I know what’s bothering you Willum.”
    “Great,” Willum said, shaking his head. “Please enlighten me.”
    “It’s ‘cause father’s not here,” Benjo replied. “I’ve been feeling the same way ever since I knew he’d died. Coal’s Keep just ain’t the same without Coal.”
    His words hit Willum like a punch in the stomach. Of course. It really was that obvious, wasn’t it? Coal was the reason he’d always assumed he’d come back and live his life out here. He had been more than a father, after all. He’d been his bonding wizard.
    With Tolivar things were different. Sure he had Willum’s bond and they had a mutual affection for each other. But Tolivar didn’t expect his bonded to stay at his side forever. Samson would stay with Tolivar because, well that’s what rogue horses were made to do. But Bettie would be leaving for the academy soon with Lenny and their new baby. Where did that leave Willum?
    “What?” Benjo said, giving him a strange look. “Darn. I was wrong, wasn’t I?
    Willum realized that he was wearing a sour look on his face. “No. No, Benjo, you were right. That’s exactly my problem.”
    “Oh. See? Easy,” the big man said, his smile returning.
      The two men walked on in silence for a moment, Benjo whistling to himself and Willum brooding. Then Benjo said, “Hey, Willum, looks like we got some strangers coming up the road.”
    Willum looked up, raising a hand to shield his eyes from the sun. Sure