Free Guardian [New World Book 6] by C. L. Scholey Page B

didn’t seem to mind, even when the warrior grabbed her hair and thrust brutally within her.
    Roam leaned in close to Taz. “You did that?”
    Taz grinned, Roam scented he was recalling the same memory. “That and then some.” Taz was still chuckling. “It’s been strange having you here. I mean that in a good way. Your thoughts are pure, you never lie. I sense your compassion. The way you treat Haven is delicate considering she has a crush on you. Skylar senses you have eyes for Jinx and has discreetly backed off. She loves Jinx.”
    “You do too.”
    “Yes, in my own way I do. You aren’t judgmental with me. It’s still somewhat of a culture shock, having a Castian around who doesn’t loathe me or look at me like I’m pure evil.”
    “I have to admit it took a while to get past your distrust of me. I’m used to being around Tonans. The ones on Bagron were like you at first. Waiting for their senses to be bombarded with anger. I understand Tonans sense things like Castians. The first night in the cave with you, I needed to rinse my mouth out; I could taste your worry.”
    Taz had surprised Roam more than he knew. When the Tonan were reintroduced back onto Bagron, there were other Tonans, not only one. They would group together, feel out and sense how a Castian warrior was feeling toward them. There was a lot of animosity, mostly from the Castians, but because the Tonans didn’t reek of deception they were tolerated.
    Jinx and Haven came racing from the cave followed closely by Skylar. Roam smiled at all of them, they were like a pack of wolves Taz showed him. They all came running when the leaders of the pack came home to welcome them. Haven was still at that gangly teenage stage. Roam had come across a few on Bagron her age. Most were smitten with the warriors. Skylar was a real beauty. Taz would have his hands full once they arrived on Roam’s planet.
    “He’s a beauty,” Haven gushed with enthusiasm over the deer. “I still think it’s amazing how you never find female animals to hunt.”
    Roam knew Taz did. He chose not to hunt anything female. It was a sore point with the warrior. Taz was angry over the loss of his parents. Being raised by a hurtful male aided in Taz’s compassion toward females. Roam didn’t think he personally could hunt anything female, regardless; it wasn’t in a Castian’s nature.
    “I’d like to get some roots to go with dinner. They need to be soaked in water first,” Jinx was looking at Taz.
    Taz gave her a wry glance. For the last few days, Jinx was a little more subservient when it came to Taz. Roam was wondering if she was trying to impress him by not being as unruly as Taz made her out to be.
    “Don’t be out long,” Taz said. “I still need Roam’s help after lunch.”
    “Yes, Dad ,” Jinx said and rolled her eyes.
    Taz took a swat at her ass as she went by him. Roam trailed behind her until they entered the thicker part of the jungle. When traveling deep into the jungle, Roam was cautious. He couldn’t let his shield go up, but there were times when it was next to impossible. One of his greater fears was his shield occasionally had a mind of its own and was downright anal in its protection of him. Roam understood the reasoning behind this; if he was dead the reason for the shield would become moot.
    When Roam was a child, he used to fantasize his shield was a separate entity. He imagined his shield like a shadow, walking around. Attached, but not. Many children had imaginary friends except he really couldn’t group his shield within that category. The shield was real; he just couldn’t step away from it, or hide from it. It came from within.
    “So where did you grow up?” Jinx asked.
    Roam would have sighed, but she was watching him closely. Jinx thought of him as a mystery she needed to solve. Or as Macey would say: he was a gift Jinx wanted to unwrap. Roam could sense her emotions. Curiosity practically oozed from her pores. All week she had been on