Cari listened to the children playing in the courtyard behind her and smiled. Turning, she watched as the two little girls sat and giggled at each other while they played with the porcelain dolls, dressing them up in a variety of outfits from a small wooden chest on the bench next to them.
“Young Jaycee’s adjusting to being here well, it seems, don’t you think, Cari?”
Cari nodded and turned to greet Crandall Wheldon, leader of the raider Council of Captains.
“She and your granddaughter have become close friends in the last few weeks. I almost hate to take her away from all this. She deserves to be happy after all she’s been through.”
“There’s no reason either of you has to leave, Cari. You are welcome to remain here. We can protect you. You’ll both be safe with us. Besides, according to the last ship in to Cairn Island from the mainland, you’re all dead, lost at sea during a great sea battle. No one knows you’re here.”
“That’s good enough for the short term, Crandall, but it doesn’t stop the Duke of Charon from completing his task of taking over the Empire for himself either as a puppet master pulling the strings on Timron, or even as Emperor himself. Once that happens, he’ll come for you, for all the raiders. He can’t let you all live when you know everything he did to take the throne away from its rightful heirs.”
“We’ve survived here in isolation for a long time, my dear. We’ll not let the Duke or anyone else bend us to their will ever again.”
“I hope you’re right. You all have become my friends and I’d hate to see anything happen to you or this place.”
“I hear a but coming.”
“But, I’ve met Prince Timron and the Duke. I can’t let either of them take control of the Empire. Not as long as I possess the means to stop them. Plus, Jaycee is the rightful heir. It’s her throne and, like it or not, I find myself in the position to be a protector and champion for the heirs of this land.”
Crandall laughed. “Judging from the sour look on your face, it’s something you don’t like.”
“Let’s just say I never wanted to take on the family business. Prince Hal was the hero of this land, not me. I don’t want the job, but it’s been thrust on me. I’ll not shrink from doing what is right.”
“Spoken like a true champion.”
“Yeah, one who stumbled on the job by accident. If you only knew how I ended up here.”
“Someday you’ll have to tell me. So how long do you intend to stay?”
“I’m waiting for word from my friends on the mainland. I’ve got a few feelers out to leave messages for them here and there. They’ll get back to me once they realize I’m alive and well. After that, we’ll see. There’s nothing forcing my hand as long as no one knows we’re here.”
Crandall grinned at Cari. “Excellent, then. You’ll be staying put here for the time being until the opportunity comes along for you to produce the young princess.”
“I guess so,” Cari replied.
Squeals of delight from the courtyard interrupted them and both captains turned back to watch the children. A servant had brought in a crate. Both little girls reached inside, each pulling out a small yellow puppy. They cuddled them to their chests, laughing as the puppies nuzzled and licked their faces.
“She’s safe with me by her side,” Cari said, to herself as much as to the raider captain. “I’ll be her champion.”
Want to read more about Cari’s adventures? Get ready for Accidental Dragoon.
Read on for a preview chapter of the next exciting book in the Accidental Champion series.
