Free Lone Star Magic by Karen Whiddon Page B

her?”
    Coming closer, the Mage knelt down and
examined Carly. “I believe so. `Twould appear she has hurt her
head, and that can be tricky.”
    “I will call my brother so we can move her
into the palace.”
    “I am here.” A second voice spoke from the
shadows under the trees. Moving silently, unlike the mage, Alrick’s
identical twin brother Cenrick stepped forward. Alrick again
experienced the familiar shock of seeing himself as others saw
him.
    “By the Blue Matusas, it’s good to see you!”
Rising, he clasped Cenrick on the arm and grinned. “Well met.”
    “Yes.” Cenrick’s violet eyes, the only
discernable difference in the two men, looked troubled, even as he
clasped his brother back. “I see you have brought the woman here.
That cannot be good.”
    “She is gravely wounded. I had no choice.”
Alrick let his arm fall.
    “I agree, but father will not be pleased. You
are fortunate he has traveled across Rune to visit
grandmother.”
    Alrick acknowledged that remark with a quick
nod. “Help me carry her. And be gentle. She is mine to
protect.”
    With the Mage leading the way, together they
carried Carly down the winding path. Kayo scouted out ahead of them
and TM followed docilely after. Directing them to his own, private
chambers, the Mage summoned another, younger Mage and his acolytes,
then shooed Cenrick and Alrick from the room.
    After a quick glance at each other, they
obeyed.
    “Where to?” Cenrick stopped in the hall,
waiting as he’d always done for Alrick to lead the way.
    Alrick had wondered if circumstances might
have changed Cenrick in his absence. Apparently not.
    Alrick sighed. While he wanted more than
anything else to be named heir, he loved his twin. Often he’d tried
to teach his brother to be more like him, with little success.
Cenrick’s nature was different. Where he was a warrior, Cenrick was
a scholar.
    “Come on.” Alrick pushed the crystal door
open and stepped outside. Cenrick followed. As always.
    Alrick sighed again.
    “What’s wrong?”
    “I am weary. This human woman is…” He tried
to find the right words.
    Cenrick tried to supply them for him.
“Special? Unique? Exceptional? Extraordinary? Astonish—.”
    “Stop. You don’t even know her.”
    “Ah, but I know of her exploits.”
    “Future exploits.” Alrick passed a hand over
his eyes. “She doesn’t even believe we have the right person.”
    To his credit, Cenrick kept his face neutral.
“Perhaps that’s to be expected. You did appear out of nowhere and
you can be very intimidating.”
    “I am not intimidating.”
    With a chuckle, Cenrick shook his head. “You
haven’t looked at your reflection lately, have you?”
    Stung, Alrick had to admit he hadn’t. Still…
“The ladies never find me intimidating.”
    “Ah, but their world is so different from
ours. And it follows this woman is different than ours.”
    “She is. But she doesn’t appear to be afraid
of me. Then again, she doesn’t exhibit fear over anything.”
    “Even the Warlord?”
    “She doesn’t take him seriously.”
    “Even though he’s attacking her?”
    A headache began in the back of his temple.
Alrick rubbed with two fingers. “She’s wasn’t even sure the Warlord
existed, until she saw him with her own eyes. Thus far, he hasn’t
managed to transport himself completely across time.”
    “Then how was she hurt?”
    “He caused an explosion. This would have
killed her, had she been closer. Instead, she was injured.”
    Cenrick nodded.
    “I must see TM settled.” Alrick started
toward the barn. “And make sure Kayo is all right.”
    Cenrick followed “Is TM the horse? Or
Kayo?”
    They’d reached the palace barn. As different
from Carly’s ranch as night was from day, the immense barn was made
of crystal, and could house over fifty horses.
    “TM is the horse. Kayo is the dog.”
    Hearing his name, Kayo leaped in the air,
tail wagging. After he’d greeted Alrick, he did the same for
Cenrick.
    Alrick was