Free Five: A Maor Novel (Maor series) by Caroline Greyling Page B

marriage going to help?’ I ask, and watch in
astonishment as Nan’s ivory cream cheeks bloom bright red. She glances at Kael,
still leaning against the tree trunk and drops her eyes to our hands.
    ‘It’s not the marriage itself…’ she says quietly.
    ‘Then what…’ I stop mid-sentence and my cheeks turn the
same shade as Nan’s.
    ‘You have got to be kidding,’ I say, dropping my voice,
praying that Kael can’t hear, but knowing that he can. ‘But I don’t even know him, Nan.’
    She sighs and looks up at me again.
    ‘I know this is all confusing for you, Bluebell,’ she
says, ‘but just give it a few days and things will start to make sense.’
    Nan looks up at Kael; he meets her eyes and pushes
himself away from the tree. He comes to the bench and stands just in front of
us.
    ‘Kael is your royal bodyguard, although the word doesn’t
quite seem adequate. There is so much more to being a seastnan than just physical protection. The seastnan bloodline is as important as the royal bloodlines and can
be traced back just as far. Kael has many talents that will help him to protect
you, but it’s a two way street. You two need to trust one other implicitly. You
haven’t had the benefit of growing up together, as most seastnan and their charges do, but the bond is there, you just need
to nurture it.’
    I think about the surge of electricity when my wrist
touched Kael’s. He’s not touching me now, but I can still feel the thrum in my
veins and in the tingling of the tiny scar on my wrist. Perhaps this is the
bond Nan is talking about.
    ‘Shaylee,’ Nan says, twisting her body toward me, ‘you
are not to go anywhere without Kael. It is imperative that you obey his every
instruction.’
    The word ‘obey’ has a strange effect on me. I know Nan
is trying to protect me but I find myself rebelling at the mere mention of the
word. I’ve spent my whole life ‘obeying’ my parents. When am I ever going to be
free to ‘obey’ my own instincts, my own dreams, and my own ambitions?
    I look away and give a short laugh.
    ‘Do I get a collar with that leash?’
    Nan frowns and pulls my chin around to face her.
    ‘It’s no laughing matter, Shaylee,’ she scolds. ‘You
can’t imagine the extent of the danger you’re in. There are things out there that would think
nothing of killing you, or worse, to access the power in your blood. Kael is
the only one powerful enough to protect you from them. You need to obey him
like your life depends on it – because it literally does.’
    There is such force behind Nan’s words that I bite back
the words that have slipped to the edge of my tongue at the mention of that word again. I swallow and give a
small nod, even though every fibre of my being disagrees.  
    Nan gives me a relieved smile and stands.
    ‘I think you’ve had enough excitement for one day, let’s
get you home.’
    I still have a million questions to ask; about the Maor , about talents, about bonds,
prophecies and promises, but I’m just too tired to argue. I drag myself off the
bench and sway a little as I straighten. Kael immediately steps forward but I
hold my hand up. I’m not going to
repeat my embarrassing faint and I don’t need someone else hovering over me,
treating me like a pathetic glass specimen. I’m stronger than he thinks. I take
a deep breath and walk toward the car.

 
    I am so completely beyond exhaustion, I can’t sleep. I
glare at the bedside clock for the hundredth time since midnight, give up and drag
the downy duvet over to the love-seat. I wrap the duvet around my shoulders, curl
into the seat and lay my head against the cool window.
    The night is pitch black outside, with barely a hint of
moon in an overcast sky. Every now and then, the clouds part and the crescent
moon casts an eerie yellow glow on the fountain below. It makes me think of the
horrors that Nan hinted at today.
    I wonder what kinds of creatures are out there, capable
of making a fearless woman look