The Shifter from Another World

Chapter 9

Thaeron cleared his throat, and Raul and I looked at him with equal blank looks on our faces. "Now," he said while he bowed his head and cleared his throat again, looking at me. "Why don't we show you two to your tents, yes?" he asked and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Please," I said and nodded in confirmation while I walked over to my sister and Raul, and Thaeron followed me. "I am sure that my sister is ready to go to bed, right?" I asked and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

My sister nodded and bit back a small smile, letting go of Raul's hand. "Yes, please," she said. She walked over to me, and Raul followed her close behind, protecting her back. "Can you carry me?" she asked while she raised an eyebrow in question.

I bit back a small chuckle while I slowly nodded, biting back a small smile. "Ok," I said and picked her up, and she quickly wrapped her legs around my waist and laid her head on my shoulder.

She sighed with relief and closed her eyes. "Thank you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, and I bit back another small chuckle while I nodded again.

"Of course," I said. "I will do anything for you, Kiddo." I squeezed her leg, reassuringly, and she bit back a small smile while she buried her face into the crook of my neck.

Thaeron cleared his throat, and Raul and I looked at him. He had a small scowl on his face, and I pressed my lips into a thin line while we continued to look at him and waited for him to say something. "Are you three ready?" he asked and raised an eyebrow in question, and I nodded in confirmation while I set my jaw.

"We are," I replied coldly and nodded again.

"Then follow me." He twisted on his heels and started to walk away, and we looked at each other before we started to follow him, with me not trusting him at all.

My whole body was tense while I stared at his back, wondering why he had been allowed in this encampment when everything that had happened to us, to my family, was somehow tied to him.

Or had everyone forgotten what had happened while he was in charge?

I wasn't sure what had happened because I was a child when everything went down, but I knew that he used to work for my parents and did something that my parents didn't agree with and was sent out, losing his eye in the process.

Thaeron cleared his throat and glanced back at me as if he knew what I was thinking. He bowed his head and set his jaw, pain and guilt filling his eye while he looked at me. "We need to talk later," he said before he looked away from me and toward the way we were going, again.

I set my jaw and narrowed my eyes while I scowled. I didn't say a word, not sure if I wanted to talk to him or not.

"He's not talking to you alone," Raul said, his voice barely above a whisper while he looked at him. He set his jaw before he narrowed his eyes and scowled as well, and I could tell that he felt protective of me, especially since he was supposed to be my main guard. "I hope you understand that he isn't going to talk to you alone, Thaeron," Raul added louder for him to hear.

Thaeron bit back an annoyed sigh before he slowly nodded, knowing full well that he wasn't going to change Raul's mind. "Of course," he said, sounding slightly annoyed. "Would that be ok with you, Peter?" he asked while he raised an eyebrow in question and looked at me again.

I nodded in confirmation. "It will be," I confirmed, feeling very relieved that Raul wanted to stay with me while we had this discussion with him.

"Hmph." Thaeron set his jaw and looked away from us. His whole body was tense, and I held back an eye roll while I scowled.

Raul slowed down enough until he was at my side. He didn't say a word and bowed his head slightly before he looked away from me.

I rubbed my sister's back, and her whole body grew relaxed while she buried her face further into the crook of my neck. I pressed a small kiss to the side of her head, pulling her closer to me and closed my eyes a little but not enough to not see where I was going.

My sister sighed happily and moved her head closer to the crook in my neck if that was even possible. Her whole body was relaxed, and I couldn't help but smile while I looked at her, grateful that she was still asleep and didn't need to know what was going on between the three of us for now.

Raul looked at me before he looked at Thaeron. "Have they been able to make sure that I was able to be near them?" he asked while he raised an eyebrow in question, and Thaeron set his jaw but nodded.

"Yes," he confirmed before he cleared his throat and grew serious. "They were able to make those arrangements for you once the request was made."

"Good," he said and nodded, and I could tell that he was relieved. "Who else will be near them?" he asked and raised an eyebrow in question.

"There are not that many people near them," Thaeron said while he shook his head. He cleared his throat and grew serious while he looked at me before he looked at Raul. "Are you pleased that you get to sleep next to him?" he asked while he raised an eyebrow in question and not answering Raul's question.

"I am," he said and nodded in confirmation, and I held back an eye roll while I set my jaw. "Thank you."

"Hmph." Thaeron while he folded his arms behind his back. He set his jaw and looked at me before he looked away when he saw that I was staring at him.

I held back another eye roll and scowled. "What can I do for you, Thaeron?" I asked coldly while I raised an eyebrow in question, and Thaeron looked at me with a raised an eyebrow in question. "Why do you keep looking back here?" I asked, knowing full well that it wasn't to make sure that we were still following him.

Thaeron cleared his throat and shook his head while he stood taller and pressed his lips into a thinner line. "Nothing," he replied coldly as well and not apologetically. "I do not need anything from you."

I set my jaw and narrowed my eyes, staying silent because I didn't know if he was telling the truth or not. I looked at Raul and raised both eyebrows, and he shrugged, looking indifferent.

Thaeron cleared his throat while he stopped in front of a tent and turned to face me.

He bowed and looked at me with his hands still clasped behind his back, and his whole body stiff. "This is where I leave you for the time being," he said while he looked between the two of us. "I am sure that Raul will show you the other... spots... that you can go to. Correct?" He looked at Raul and raised an eyebrow, and Raul set his jaw and nodded in confirmation.

"I will," he confirmed before he cleared his throat and shifted on his feet. "Thank you for leading us here, Thaeron." He looked around before he looked at Thaeron again, taking a step toward him.

Raul's whole body grew tense, and his whole demeanor became threatening while he looked at Thaeron, and I couldn't help but shift my sister to the side while I watched him, not knowing what had gotten into him. "Must I remind you that you shouldn't bow like that in front of him any longer, Thaeron. It could get people talking and trying to figure out why, which would be bad for us." He paused and narrowed his eyes further while he took another threatening step toward him. "Or have you forgotten?"

Thaeron stared at him and bit back a small gulp before he looked at me, his eyes growing wide. He didn't say a word, and I didn't say anything either while Raul continued to stare at him with the same threatening look in his eyes.

"Well?" Raul asked while he raised an eyebrow in question, and Thaeron turned his attention back to Raul when I didn't say or do anything. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Of course," Thaeron said and nodded while he cleared his throat. "My apologies."

He paused and cleared his throat again while he shifted on his feet, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but here. "Excuse me."

And with that, Thaeron nodded before he left, leaving Raul and I behind to watch his retreating back.

Thank the Gods...