Silver and Evergreen

Chapter 10

"Right, forgive my outburst. It's just that this is incredible news." He smiles at me then takes my hand in his. We sit down in the chairs again and he pats my hand. "One step at a time." He breathes, his eyes dancing. "Although I don't know which step to take first."

Agreed, one step at a time. So many steps to take but there's one more I need to take first. I twist my fingers together again breathing in deeply to ready myself. Prepare for the worst or the best and everything in between. If what I want to know, what I wanted my whole life, is written in there then I could finally know where I came from. Who I came from.

"Does it say anything about my parents?"

He shakes his head soft and slow. My heart begins to sink. "No, it says that your mother died after bearing you. She lived in a small village out south in Stroben where you were found. Nothing on your father either."

"Nothing about them being Azures?"

"No but my speculation is that your mother was human and your father was either Azure. Or maybe even Fae, explaining why there is no information on him." He frowns. "I just don't know how you ended up with your old master... And why was your mother so far from Stone Vale with a newborn. It's also strange that there is nothing on your father." He strokes his chin staring down at the floor.

Speaking of my old master. "There's also something else you should know.."

He tilts his head to the side. "What?"

"Drakon, my old master, is here in the city."

"What?" He repeats in a low growl and Sebastian's eyes grow wide.

"Earlier today before we met at the gates, he caught me at the smaller market place behind some buildings. I was able to get away and I made sure I wasn't followed. He mentioned you... Because people have seen us together, Drakon was able to find me." I don't say the rest that is on my mind because Sebastian will agree that we can't be friends anymore... And that is something that I don't want happening, now that I have thought about it.

"Unacceptable." He gets up and steps over to the windows, peering out to the street below, "This is absolutely unacceptable." Then spins around to me. "We have to pack you up. You're coming to live in the castle with me."

I walk over to him. "What, why?" Live in the castle? I couldn't, a girl like me doesn't belong there.

"So I know that you are safe, so that I can protect you. I can't post any guards here without raising suspicion and if something happened to you on my account, I don't know what I would do." He gazes down at me, our faces only a hand apart and my heart starts to quicken. His hand moves up to my cheek and hovers for a moment then he lowers it.

"If that bastard knew where to find you there is no doubt that he will soon find out where you are staying. No wonder you wanted to leave so eagerly. Drakon or that Lord Hearthgrim won't hurt you any longer. In fact we can start by completely lifting that mark from you."

That's possible? It feels like my heart did a flip, the floorboards wobble under my feet. "Really?" I say gazing at my mark. I can be truly free from this. A slave no more. "You can do that?"

"Yes. My court mage, Nezra, will be able to cast a spell or at least teach me to do it. Since it was a spell that bound you to your old master, you are unable to remove it yourself." He looks around the room then to me while rubbing his chin. "Now how are we going to sneak you into the castle..."

Where is he? He shouldn't be taking this long. I walk along on the top of the railing, pacing back and forth waiting for Sebastian. The look on his face when he watched me transform in front of him. It was quite amusing. His eyes were wide and his mouth had dropped to the floor.