Free The Sword by Jean Johnson Page B

head snapped up as he moved into the globe’s field of light, spotting his approach.
    â€œSaber? Are they all gone?”
    At least she wasn’t hysterical anymore. “They’re gone. I will take you back to your room.”
    â€œAre you sure they’re gone?” she asked.
    â€œI swept your chambers myself.” He turned on his heel and headed back toward the palace.
    â€œHey!”
    Saber stopped and looked back at her. She was still standing in the chalk circle. She hadn’t followed him as he’d expected. Women. They’re too damn contrary! Especially this one. Gods, get her out of here quickly! “What?”
    Kelly folded her arms more tightly across her chest. “You didn’t say I could come out and play, you know. You said I had to stay right here until you told me otherwise.”
    She’s actually obeying? Saber found himself arching a brow at that. “Are you asking my permission to move?”
    She lowered her golden-copper brows and hefted the glowing ball in her hand, narrowing her eyes in menace. “Do you want me to bean you with this?”
    There was the temper of the virago he remembered, though he wasn’t sure what beans had to do with her threatening to throw the lightglobe at him. Truth was, he had forgotten she could not dispel the simple warding spell on her own, like any of his brothers could. Three years was a long time to be away from those who didn’t also possess the gift of magic in one form or another. He snapped his fingers. “You can move, now. But if you hit me with that—”
    â€œYeah, yeah, I know; you’ll do something gruesome to me, or chain me up in the dungeon or something,” she muttered, stepping over the circle and making her way past the weeds growing up through the flagstones. “Warn me if we have to pass any broken glass. I didn’t exactly have time to look for myself on the way down here, and you guys certainly aren’t the poster boys for Housekeepers of the Year.”
    â€œIs that your way of asking to be carried?” Saber demanded, glaring at her for being such a nuisance.
    â€œThat’s my way of asking if there was any glass, to avoid bloodying my damned feet!” she snapped back. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about, regarding that Prophecy, Mister Grumpy. No woman in her right mind would fall for a surly ass like you!” She stomped past him, heading for the bulk of the castle to look for a door—then hissed and hopped on one foot. “Ow, dammit!”
    â€œWhat is it? Glass?” Saber asked, instantly at her side. He didn’t think any glass had been broken and scattered this far out into the courtyard, though some of the palace windows had cracked with neglected age long ago, and none of the brothers had repaired anything beyond what was absolutely necessary since their arrival.
    â€œNo, it’s a thistle thorn! You’re lousy groundskeepers, too!” She let him balance her, as she cradled the lightball in one hand and picked the thorn out of her toe with the other, her heel braced on her thigh with limber dexterity.
    â€œWell, I am not weeding the whole damned courtyard just to satisfy Your Pickiness!” he shot back, concern adding an extra edge to his tone. She dropped her foot and limped forward, pointedly ignoring him. He let out a disgusted sound and picked her up, swinging her over his shoulder again. “The faster I get you back, the faster I can be rid of you!”
    â€œWell, why don’t you run, then?” Kelly demanded sarcastically, gritting her teeth from the bruises on that side of her body. There were plenty of others elsewhere, but did he have to slam her face down over his shoulder and hit the ones on her stomach again?
    Unfortunately he took her seriously. By the time they got up to the room she had been placed in before, Kelly could barely breathe from all the painful jouncing. He