Catch, Curse, Release (Immortal Warriors #1) ✅ Completed

Chapter Four: View From the Wall

View From the Wall:

My lord, two travelers approach from the west, less than a league from the wall.  

Blake, the young guard on duty, communicated the information quickly to Eric via their mental pathway. All immortals were born with various extrasensory abilities; chief among them was telepathic communication among their species. The ability to command and receive orders in such a fashion was an invaluable tool. It was also one of the reasons immortals were such an elite fighting force.    

Eric and his men had spent most of the morning running drills in the enclosed courtyard of the castle. The wind blew in an easterly direction but Eric’s sharp nose had caught a faint hint of something approaching from the western border. He knew Blake's sharp eyes would spot them soon enough, so he'd continued his sparing match with Aiden untroubled.

Giving his cousin a chance to catch his breath he called up to the young soldier, “What can you make of them, Master Blake?”

“They appear human, a man and a woman travellin' alone, my lord; no horses or other beasts in tow.”

Some older clans still sent the lone messenger or two ahead of a travelling caravan. These messengers usually traveled by mount or in most cases in their animal form if they belonged to a shape-shifter clan. Two humans travelling without mount was practically unheard of.

Eric and Aiden shared a quick glance, conveying to one another they had no idea who was heading their way. It was Aiden's turn to call up to him, “Can you tell which clan they’re from Blake?”

“No Captain. They’re travellin' without clan shield or standard from what I can see.”

Weres then? Aiden looked to Eric questioningly.

It was Blake who answered the silent question, “I doona think so Captain. They’re travellin' on foot and have not shifted forms once.”

The Were-clans were loathed to travel in their human forms as they found it too slow and cumbersome for speedy travel. Immortals did not have the ability to change forms but their heightened senses and physical prowess more than made up for it. But even immortals travelled on horseback. Among the clans, Eric’s high regard for the various Were-clans was well known. It’d been over a century since any last conflicts among them – it was normally other immortal clans that were a pain in his ass.     

“Anything else you can see young Master Blake?” Eric asked, setting his sword and gear aside now. 

“The woman, my lord…”

“Aye, what of her?”

“She looks about as riled up as a wolf in a trap,” he admitted, making a face that was a cross between amusement and worry.

Arching a brow at his cousin he called up again, “And how can you tell that from your lofty perch, soldier?”

“Well, she just hit her escort right between the eyes with a stone and caught him square in the jaw with a hard right cross my lord,” he replied, amusement winning out over the worry. 

“Really?” Eric asked, his voice perking up in interest.

“Aye, my lord. It appears she got him with another rock as well. She’s got a mighty fine aim sire. Perhaps she’s come to train some of the archers, Captain,” he laughed calling down.

Now it was Aiden’s turn to call up to the soldier, “She has the look of a soldier then?”

“Well sir, only if you’ve taken to fancying your soldiers young and comely now.” They watched as Blake leaned out far over the wall, “Quite fetchin' really…” he murmured low, but the appreciation was clear in his tone. 

Pushing each other as they raced to the ladder, Eric and Aiden scaled the castle wall to have a good look for themselves. They reached the top at the same time and took up a spot right beside Blake on the wall. Together, all three men watched in fascination as a dark haired woman fought with her much larger companion. She was gesturing wildly as they made their way towards the castle, giving her escort what appeared to be a severe tongue lashing. She was still far enough away to keep Eric’s sharp ears from picking up what she said, but he had no doubt it was serious. She looked about as put out as any female he’d ever seen.

“Maybe she’s just found out where she’s headed,” Blake grinned. Upon seeing the look on his lord’s face, the young guard turned a bright red and began to stutter, “Beggin’ your pardon my lord. I only meant that…well…uh, she might not want to….”

Aiden laughed saving the young soldier, “You mean she doesna want to become yet another one of our lord’s brokenhearted rejects.”

Eric scowled. Surely, his reputation wasn’t so bad…at least he didn’t think so. Perhaps he would have to look into the matter a little further. He glanced back at the woman. The scowl left his face as he watched her approach. Blake had been right: she was a fetching creature indeed. His sharp eyes caught the sweep of her lush curves, the round perfection of her hips and ass. She was tall, not as tall as her escort but definitely taller than most females who’d visited over the last month. He couldn’t make out her eye color but her raven hair was long and wild, and she had a lush mouth perfect for kissing. He felt an instant jerk in his body as he watched her fight; her fiery temper was palatable even from a distance. Eric smiled at his cousin.

Aiden knew that look only too well. Eyeing his cousin warily he asked, “Did any other messengers arrive?”

“Nay,” Eric answered shaking his head. Truly he had no idea who the visitors were. His smile widened, “But ‘tis a most welcome change of pace. Bestin' you has lost much of its old appeal, cousin.”

Aiden gave his cousin a knowing look, “Come now Eric, we all know she’ll just be one more female you’ll just send off cryin' in the mornin'. Might as well let her have some fun with me before you go and break her heart.”

“Ouch, cousin,” he replied, feigning mock hurt, “You know ‘tis not in my nature to deny a female her choice.” he grinned, crossing his arms across his chest. A chest he knew women loved to run their hands down as he charmed them right into his bed. “If she wants you, I willna stop her.”

“Best you keep that in mind when she gets here cousin. Doona think all females fall for such a ridiculous smile,” Aiden replied dryly.

Smiling cheerfully Eric clapped his cousin on the shoulder, “If you were a female you wouldna say such a thing.”

“If I were a female I’d run as far away from you as my legs could carry me,” he shot back, meaning every word of it.

Eric laughed heartily before climbing back down the guard wall and heading into his keep to get ready.  

It seemed they would be having guests tonight.