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The trail had been easy to recognize. Crow skulls had been staked into the ground in front of a set of matching trees. Every mile or so another pair of skulls met their gazes. They spent hours traveling, climbing over tree roots, and following the secret trail nearly the whole way. They hadn’t seen another pair of skulls in over a mile.
Thalasia stopped. Off in the distance, she spotted a faint cloud of smoke. “We must be—”
An arrow whizzed by their heads. “The next one won’t miss.”
She scanned the direction the arrow and voice came from. It sounded female, although somewhat on the husky side. A good eight yards ahead, a figure occupied a tree almost thirty feet high. Thalasia narrowed her eyes and scrutinized the figure. Despite her eyesight, she couldn’t make much out much of the creature. They blended quite well with the forest. “We aren’t here to cause any problems. We’re looking for someone.”
“Think you can knock whoever that is out of that tree, Seru?” Aurelia whispered, leaning in and bumping shoulders with him.
“I could ... but I don’t think that’s the wisest option here. Diplomacy is better than violence.”
“A sudden breeze isn’t exactly violent,” Aurelia said. “They shot at us first.”
“We’re going into someone else’s territory. You, of all people, should understand defending it.” Thalasia crossed her arms recalling her introduction to the woman’s whole fucking guard. And she wants to knock someone out because of one arrow? What was wrong with this girl?
The slight sound of leaves rustling brushed her ears. The breeze around them kicked up just a bit.
Whatever it was, they were moving. Thalasia attempted to follow the path the creature took as it jumped from branch to branch, but she couldn’t keep up. “It can’t be,” she muttered. She tossed a glance over her shoulder from Seru to Aurelia and did the only thing she could think of. Removing the cloak from her shoulders, she spread her wings wide.
“I thought we weren’t showing the wings!” Aurelia hissed.
Seru put himself between Aurelia and the threat. “Trust her,” he said, holding Aurelia back while gauging the situation for himself.
The wind settled. “Who are you?” a deep, masculine voice asked.
Thalasia shot a quick glare to Aurelia, hoping the dragon got the hint to shut up. Shifting her attention back to the male siren she had yet to gain sight of, she straightened her spine and focused. “My name is Thalasia. These are my companions, Seru and Aurelia. We need to speak with you, please.”
“Why?” His voice came from the opposite side of the forest. He’d changed places again.
That was a good question. How much of the truth did she reveal? Thalasia inhaled and exhaled a deep breath. “We were told you might have knowledge ... about the bridge.”
Leaves fell from a tree close by. There was a gentle creak of a branch shifting as a six-foot-tall, green-winged siren darted out from the tree line. He slowly eased to the ground, landing on the grass with the finesse of a dancer. He stood tall; a quiver full of arrows strapped across his broad chest. “What do you know about the bridge?”
“Only that it exists,” Seru interceded. “That there are bizarre creatures with elemental magic on the other side.”
Aurelia pushed against Seru’s chest as she narrowed her eyes at the stranger. “Your turn, green bean.”
“The name is Mac, dragon. Use it. You came to my home. Not the other way around,” he spat out and crossed his arms.
For about the millionth time since this trip started, Thalasia tensed. Between the discovery of a male siren in existence and Aurelia’s constant anger, she was ready to be anywhere else. “Can you please help us?”
Mac stared at the three of them, his eyes settling on Aurelia. “Ask me nicely and I’ll consider answering your questions.”
“I don’t think—” Seru began, dismay coloring his tone.
“If I had it my way, we wouldn’t be wasting time with pointless conversation,” Aurelia said. “But the Regent and bluebird thought friendly was best. I got out voted.”
Tapping his mouth with his finger, Mac smirked and waved them off. “I get it. You don’t really need my help.”
Thalasia reached a hand out. “Your village ... it was attacked ...” She paused and swallowed the lump in her throat. There hadn’t been time to share the vision with Seru, but it was too late now. She’d already opened her mouth. “What if I heal your injured? Would you help us then?”
He stopped mid-stride and peered back at them, his emerald green eyes regarding Thalasia. “You have the touch?”
It hadn’t been something she’d used on anyone besides animals, but she could try it on another creature ... person. “Yes, but I need to know beforehand, are they different? Or like the ones across the bridge?”
“They’re as unique as our colors. You have a deal.” His eyes darkened as he glowered at each one of them in turn. “But if you harm anyone in my village, I promise you death.”
“Ugh ...” Aurelia groaned. “Kill me now, fucking multi-colored chickens.”
Seru gave her a look, urging caution, pleading for it.
Mac quickly closed the distance between himself and them. He growled, his gaze laser-focused on Aurelia. “You’re welcome to leave.”
“Trust me, I would, but he’s grown attached to your blue doppelganger over there.” Aurelia pointed from Seru to Thalasia. “Nauseating, isn’t it?”
With a snicker, Mac glimpsed at Seru and shook his head in disgust. “Fool.”
“We didn’t ask for your opinion.” Thalasia balled up her fists. She was fucking tired of everyone throwing out their thoughts about her and Seru. Was there some problem with them caring about one another?
“And?” Mac sneered and sauntered off in the direction they’d been traveling.
Her mouth slackened and she glared at the green-feathered freak. This was the siren she’d been given as a mission. Great, just fucking great. Demeter had jokes. Unfurling and refolding her fists, she tucked her wings in tight and strode after the male.
Seru used his long strides to catch up with Thalasia and whispered in her ear, “You did well. You got us in. Don’t allow their silly squabbling to steal your victory.”
“Thank you.” Without giving a shit what Mac and Aurelia thought, she laced her fingers with Seru’s and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. It was the only way to squelch the fire in her belly. She was pretty certain Demeter hadn’t sent her to kill the siren, no matter how much he pissed her off.
Aurelia brought up the rear, seemingly pleased to find someone who agreed with her point of view.
“What happened to your village, Mac?” Seru asked out loud. “Beyond healing, surely there’s other aid we can offer.”
“We were attacked. Dark guilers managed to sneak in. I dropped at least two. Unfortunately, you three showed up and I haven’t been able to fully assess the damage or determine what happened to the other dark guilers.” Mac continued walking forward.
Dark guilers? Thalasia grimaced. “Is that how you differentiate them?”
“They have no souls.” Mac snarled. “The ones I live with understand that power is a give and take relationship. For those that forget, they don’t survive.”
“You say they snuck in,” Seru said. “Were they searching for something?”
“You think they meant to steal from them?” Aurelia asked, curiosity causing her to rejoin the conversation. “Or were they searching for someone?”
“We aren’t anywhere near the bridge.” Mac glanced toward the sky for a brief moment. “They can’t maintain flight, which leaves a boat as their only way across, so yes, they snuck in. We’re one of the oldest villages in Prisma Isle, either is possible.”
This wasn’t good. Not good at all. Thalasia’s eyebrows drew together as she peered over to Seru and then she swung her gaze forward as the tree line opened up.
Just ahead, loads of wooden huts had been sporadically built across a large shore to both the east and west. Trees of varying heights were scattered throughout the land. Some offered shade over the homes, while others bore fruit. Not far off in the distance, the gentle sound of waves crashing could be heard. The smell of salt, acrid smoke, and sweet treats wafted through the air.
An older woman with curly paper-white hair, seven fingers on each hand, and crystal blue eyes ran up to their group. “Mac! There you are!”
“What’s going on Maggie?”
Her eyes bulged out. “We’ve got the fires out, but I can’t find Felix.” Mac’s gaze dropped and he muttered something under his breath. “He was in the west end by the gardens. Did you check there?”
“Who’s Felix?” Seru asked. “Give us a description, we’ll help search.”
“By we, I hope you mean you,” Aurelia retorted, stubbornly parking herself beneath one of the fruit trees.
“I mean all of us.” Seru sounded wounded. “But if you insist on sitting this one out ... Thalasia and I will gladly help.” He turned to Mac and Maggie. “It may not be much,” he said, touching his collar with his free hand, “but I can still fly. What do you say, Thalasia? We can split up, cover more ground from higher up.”
Thalasia smiled bitterly at Aurelia’s lack of involvement. Not that it should surprise her. Whatever. She was over it. She turned her attention to Seru and the situation at hand. It was a great idea. She could stretch her wings and check out the village at the same time. “Absolutely. I’d be happy to help search.”
Mac cast a glance at Maggie, and then he shifted his eyes to the two of them and nodded. “Felix is the village elder; he won’t be hard to miss. He’s bald and his skin is covered in eggshell bumps. Just keep low. We’re close to the fairy forest and they don’t take kindly to strangers.”
“Stay here with her,” Mac said to Maggie gesturing to Aurelia. Without another word, he shot into the sky and soared toward the west.
“Don’t forget to whistle when you find him,” Aurelia called after him. She paid them little mind as she rifled through her knapsack.
“Ladies first.” Seru nodded to Thalasia, stepping back to give her some room.
Flashing a warm smile at him, she stretched her wings out to their full span and eased into the air as she took off for the southeast side of the village.
The charcoal remains of several of the huts could be seen from above, especially those closest to the water. Although the fire had been contained, the acrid smell of smoke still remained. A few of the huts had been water logged, while others had their roofs and doors ripped off. There was debris throughout the land. The damage was widespread across the village.
Felix was nowhere among the wreckage.
Mac’s talons touched down on the ground where he’d left their visitors. Although he’d agreed to letting them scour part of the village, he didn’t trust them. He’d executed a quick fly over the east side of the village, assessing the carnage along the way. They’d be rebuilding for months. And Felix hadn’t been anywhere he’d covered. None of this would stop him from asking the visitors what they’d found. He looked from the male dragon to the siren. “Anything?”
“I didn’t see anything,” Thalasia said.
Seru returned with a grim expression. He shook his head in dismay. “I found little more than ash and smoldering ruins, but no evidence of life. The guilers decimated the shore line. It appears they now have fire in their elemental arsenal. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen destruction of this magnitude on Prisma Isle.”
For crying out loud. He’d have to check with the sprites since they were always watching. Maybe they’d seen something. He eyed the sun. It was too early for that. Raising an eyebrow, Mac noticed the blonde had disappeared. Not his problem. His gaze shifted to Maggie, who sat there fidgeting. “What is it?”
“We’ve got a situation ... in the cage.”
Really? A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He may not need the sprites after all. Directing his focus on the siren, Mac pointed at her. “Come with me.”
Seru looked to Thalasia at Mac’s lack of invitation.
Thalasia crossed her arms and lifted her chin in defiance. “I’m not going anywhere without Seru.”
Flicking his gaze over to the male, Mac sneered. The siren might be gorgeous, but she was irritating as hell. It didn’t stop the possibility that he required her help. She had abilities he didn’t, and he wouldn’t risk Felix’s life to spite her. Mac shifted his eyes back to her. “Fine. Bring your boyfriend.”
He sauntered off toward the east side of the village and paused mid-step. It was an afterthought, but something that should be corrected. Mac glanced back to Seru with a slight scowl. “For the record, they have more than fire in their arsenal. Air, fire, water, and earth.”
Adding nothing more to the statement, Mac continued on expecting them to follow. He kept an eye on them out of the corner of his eye.
Peering at the spot they’d left the blonde, Thalasia shook her head and turned to Seru. “I feel like things just went from bad to worse.”
“The amount of attitude we seem to be catching has certainly doubled.” Seru offered her his arm. “And I can’t help but wonder if the Matriarch wandering off isn’t multiplying our troubles. She’s clearly up to something. Let’s hope Mac and his village know more about these dark guilers than we do. Otherwise, we’re back to square one.”
“You don’t think she’d take advantage of us being so close to the fairies, do you?” Thalasia hooked her arm in his, scrutinizing the villagers as they walked.
Seru grimaced. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s done exactly that.”
Many of the villagers had returned to normal activities: collecting fire wood, tending to plants, gathering fruit and vegetables. Others were cleaning up the debris. The one thing that could be noticed about each villager was every single one of them had some deformity.
“As much as I don’t want to admit it, I can see we were led here for a reason,” Thalasia said.
Mac eyed Seru and Thalasia for a second, arm in arm, and frowned. Patience was not his strong suit. At least he could do something while he waited for them to catch up. He crouched down to a gaggle of guiler children and began playing air ball with them. Although each child used air magic to keep a white ball in motion, he used his wings.
Watching Mac play with the village children, Seru suppressed a laugh and smiled ruefully. “I think our mighty hero and the Matriarch have much in common. They both seem to be drawn to playmates of a much younger variety.”
“Great ...” she drew out the word.
Sending the ball a bit further out, Mac shooed the kids off toward the middle of the huts. He looked over to Seru and Thalasia. “Are you two done dawdling?”
She glared at him as she ground her jaw. Her grip on Seru’s arm tightened. Heat rose up her neck and she gritted out her response. “Just lead on.”
Seru placed his hand over Thalasia’s and showed a little fang as he spoke. “You shouldn’t let him bait you like that. He gains satisfaction from getting under your skin, getting a rise out of you. It’s how they make themselves feel more in control, more important and empowered. In reality, they’re just being ... well, brats.”
Thalasia cracked a smile. Leaning in close, she whispered, “I guess I just hoped one part of this mission would be”—she paused as the words fell short— “easier, I guess.”
Mac’s eyebrows furrowed at the male’s comments. Eh, he was the one in control. Hooking a right, he ambled to a square building that had been in far corner of the village. It sat near the edge of the forest, completely untouched from the damage they’d seen in the rest of the huts. The place didn’t have any windows or other openings.
He gave a curt nod to the young man standing post outside the door. “Anything I need to know?”
“Broken femur bone, a few gashes along the belly, possibly internal bleeding. He probably won’t last long.”
“Alright. Go check in with Maggie and see what she needs done.” They’d have to do some reorganization for a while. They had a lot of people and not enough homes to sleep everyone.
“Yes, sir.” The young man took off past Seru and Thalasia, barely offering them a glance.
Mac crossed his arms and faced his two visitors. His eyes raked over Thalasia and the way her arm was curled around the male dragon. He couldn’t stop the sneer that settled on his face at the sight of them. It really shouldn’t bother him this much. Shaking the unexplained from his head, he thought about what was on the other side of the door. “You just need to heal the dark guiler inside, then leave the rest to me.”
“Meaning what?” Thalasia asked.
“Maiming or killing our only lead is ill-advised,” Seru cautioned. “I realize the damage done to your homes and people is severe, but allowing your emotions to cloud your judgment isn’t going to bring back your friend or restore their homes and lands.” He gestured to the villagers still hard at work salvaging and rebuilding.
“We may be outsiders, but Thalasia and I combined have greater experience in negotiation,” Seru said with a slight wince. “And diplomacy. We also have our emotions in check. Let us try to gain this guiler’s secrets without further wreckage or injury.”
“My interrogation techniques work quite well.” But her charm is stronger than yours. “Shut up!”
“We didn’t say anything.” Thalasia smirked. “But Seru’s right. I’m not healing him so you can kill him.”
Frowning, Mac balled up his fists. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud. The voice he’d heard hadn’t been his own, he knew that much. Felix had spent too many years training him and educating him about his own kind. The man was the closest thing he had to a father. As much as he despised the idea of standing back and watching these two work together, it was the best option. He rolled his shoulders and released the tension in his back. “Fine. But if you don’t find out what I need, then we do this my way.”
“We can’t allow that,” Seru said, stepping forward. “Much like Thalasia expressed, I won’t stand idly by while you terrorize or beat a man to death. Even prisoners of the lowest kind should be treated with dignity and respect.”
Respect? Dignity? Mac glared at Seru as he closed the distance between them. His jaw tightened. He had no problem going toe to toe with the male. “They get what they deserve.”
“We need answers, gentlemen. And this isn’t going to get us to them,” Thalasia said.
“With respect, neither is going in there hot-headed, ready to do violence when things don’t go your way.” Seru eased back.
Mac frowned. Folding to anyone else’s wishes hadn’t been something he’d ever done. Maybe he couldn’t get a full sense of Seru’s power, but he had ideas of what Thalasia should be capable of. At least if what he’d heard was true. It was something he absolutely wanted to witness. Felix was the only father he had. He looked past both of them at the sun that had yet to set. Damn. He inhaled and exhaled a deep breath. “Fine. We’ll do this your way, but you both best get the answers I need. Just don’t think I’m leaving the two of you in there alone.”
He turned around and pushed the door open.
Thalasia placed a hand on Seru’s shoulder and squeezed. “This should be fun.” Her words dripped with sarcasm.
“Just be careful,” he requested. “We don’t yet know the limits of their power.”
“I will. Besides, I don’t know how effective my healing will be. I’m accustomed to animals, not people.” Thalasia half-shrugged as they followed Mac.
Inside the hut was almost entirely bare. There was only a wooden table, which a dark guiler had been strapped to; he’d been tied down in four places: his chest, arms, upper and lower legs. The guiler was barely conscious. His body was drenched in sweat. He had several deep, bloody gashes along his chest and abdomen. His left upper thigh was bent at an angle with a bone protruding from it.
“Looks like you’ve got your work cut out for you,” Seru said, careful not to breathe too deeply. He lifted Thalasia’s hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss on the back it, allowing her to step farther into the room before letting go.
Thalasia’s eyes widened at the sight of the damage imposed on the creature—the broken bone protruding a shredded thigh muscle. She gagged until Seru’s lips found her hand. She swallowed and made her way to the dark guiler.
Seru stayed near the entryway, casually bringing his hand to rest on his chin and cheek—close enough to bury his nose in his sleeve. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, and then cleared his throat before speaking a few strained words of encouragement. “You’ve got this, Thalasia. I’m here if you need me.”
Mac stood off to the side opposite the doorway, leaning against the wall as he watched and measured every step Thalasia took. If she was truly the one from the prophecy, then this would be a sight to witness.
The table came up to her waist. She placed her hands on the dark guiler, whose eyes bulged out. “Shh. I’m here to help.”
Setting one hand gently on the dark guiler’s leg and the other on his arm, Thalasia started to hum softly. The small room filled with the gentle aria as her hands began to glow a bright silver. Slowly, the guiler’s bone snapped into place, and the skin over his leg and surrounding wounds across his chest and belly began to mend.
Seru’s jaw slackened as Thalasia worked her magic. His shoulders dropped as tension appeared to leave his body.
Mac stared as Thalasia’s power radiated and healed the wounds inflicted on the dark guiler. Her song even had an effect on him, uncoiling the tension in his rigid body. It was her. The one his father had told him about. He’d truly begun to think Felix had lost his mind telling him about prophecies that made no sense. What siren could heal? They took life, they didn’t give it. Her existence should frighten him, but it didn’t. He wanted to know what else she was capable of. How far did her powers extend?
Thalasia’s shoulders sagged as she continued to heal the unseen damage. The wounds ran deep. As the last of the injuries closed, her song ended and she stumbled backwards, nearly tripping over her own two feet.
Mac shot upright, but didn’t move from his spot against the wall. For a split second, he considered it. And that bothered him. He didn’t touch people and they didn’t touch him. Felix was the one exception and it had taken years to garner that trust. His desire to reach out and physically aid anyone, especially a woman, disturbed him in many ways.
Her stomach did somersaults. Bile threatened to come up the back of her throat. Good Demeter, she was going to throw up.
“Easy.” Seru closed the space between them, offering support to help steady her. His nose wrinkled up. “We should give her a moment to rest. It’ll take the guiler time to recover and regain consciousness.”
Mac nodded. He still hadn’t left his spot on the wall. “Yeah.”
“You did it.” Seru sang her praise, nuzzling his cheek into hers as he carried her away from the creature on the table.
Leaning heavily on Seru, she half-covered her mouth and muttered, “Take me outside, please.”
Seru easily took her weight and escorted her back out in to the open air, where the not-so-refreshing stench of smoke greeted them. Still, it was easier to breathe than the foulness in the guiler’s hut.
“I can take you above the clouds if you like? Away from the smog to cleaner air,” Seru offered, his arm hugging her to him. “Anything you need, just name it.”
Animals were so much easier than people. Getting away from the horrid smell sounded like pure bliss. At least her stomach had begun to settle. “Yes. That would be great. It took more out of me than I thought it would.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Seru cloaked them in clouds and took to the skies. He remained steady and gentle. Once they hit the true clouds, it went momentarily dark before they broke through high above. The sprawling fluff illuminated by the vibrant hues of dusk reflected off their surface. Pinks, oranges, blues, and purples.
The air was thin, but clean. Much easier to breathe than the ground-level toxins. “Promise not to run screaming,” he whispered jovially. He hugged her close.
Run screaming? She chuckled at the humor. She wasn’t going to run anywhere for a bit.
Above the clouds, unseen by anyone below, Seru truly transformed. His beast stretched, its serpentine form reflecting those same marvelous colors glistened in the sun. The massive creature rumbled a contented sigh. The saint beast hovered on top of the clouds, weaving with her perched atop its shimmering back.
Clutching her hands into his thick mane, Thalasia drank in as much as she could see of Seru’s form. He was absolutely stunning. The color of his scales consistently changing to match the varying hues of the sky and clouds. She beamed, biting her bottom lip as she remained mindful of her talons. She ensured they stayed curled away from his skin. With the air rushing at her face, she stroked his shoulder, enjoying the leathery feel beneath her fingers.
Seru kept her aloft until the sun vanished beneath the clouds, leaving a stunning star-scape to fill its absence.
Thalasia gasped as she watched the sun dipped below the clouds and disappeared. The glow of the moon and shine of the stars taking its place. It was absolutely serene and peaceful. She’d never seen anything like this before. Watching the sky change from this height, sitting atop Seru’s back—it was an experience she’d forever treasure.
The night sapped warmth quicker at this altitude. The drop in temperature didn’t bother her ... much. Goosebumps crawled up her arms, but she didn’t care—she wouldn’t change the two of them being up there together. She wanted to hold on as long as they could—away from the judgment, the snarky remarks, the dismissive looks ... if she could, she’d stay up here with Seru forever.
He bobbed, testing her grip before diving back into the clouds. She couldn’t communicate with him in this form, at least not verbally. Thalasia sifted her fingers through his mane and curled her arms around his wide neck, hugging him as best she could, hopeful he understood exactly what she was saying.
Halfway down, Seru shed his scales. The beast burrowed into its dark, quiet hiding place as he reclaimed his human skin. He wrapped his arms around her as they freefell back toward the earth. “Feeling better?” he shouted over the whipping winds. The widest smile she’d ever seen graced his mouth.
“Much, much better,” she hollered back, lighting up as she partially unfurled her wings to slow their descent. She just wanted to prolong their time together a little longer. It was nice to see him so happy. That’s exactly how it felt, down to her bones. And she prayed to Demeter she got to see it again and again.
By the time they reached the surface, the life the world above had breathed into them was swallowed by the grim reality they returned to. Near the center of the village in the largest clearing was a bonfire that still burned. Several young guilers gathered around sharing food that had been collected for dinner. West of the fire, all the children had simple cotton linens laid out to sleep on. There had to be forty to fifty in varying ages. They had been arranged in a circle with the older children on the outside.
The linens for the adults had been laid between the children and the forest edge. Some already curled up and resting, while a few couples snuggled close together. Mac and Maggie stood off to the side of the bonfire speaking in hushed tones.
Seru gripped Thalasia’s hand. “They’ve been through enough. Perhaps we should see to the formerly wounded on our own?”
She could see the weight that had been placed on the group. So many lives torn asunder by one wrong move. Thalasia bit the inside of her cheek, squeezed his hand, and swallowed. She had to tell him of her suspicion. First, they needed to deal with the dark guiler. “I agree.”
Seru led the way back to the hut, scanning the area along the way. His eyebrows drew together. He halted their progress just out of sight of the guard stationed in front of the hut. They huddled behind a fallen tree, charred black like the rest of the area. He shook the concern from his face. “Any chance you could charm the guard? If not, I could cause a distraction, but ... calling up a lightning storm feels a bit extreme.”
She could see he was worried about Aurelia, who hadn’t yet returned. She hadn’t dealt with fairies before. Even the ones in the bar she’d avoided. But she’d witnessed bits and pieces of the dragon-shifter’s power. She should be able to take care of herself. Or so she hoped.
Thalasia grinned at Seru’s suggestion. “Yes, I can. And it would definitely draw less attention.”
Instead of singing, she simply whistled. It sounded like nothing more than the gentle chirping of a bird carried across the wind. The guard swayed to the noise as he slowly slumped to the ground. “That work?”
Seru awarded her with a radiant smile. “Always so full of surprises, aren’t you?”
“I’m not the only one.” She bit her bottom lip. Cracking a grin, she led him toward the square building.
When they slipped inside, Thalasia gasped. The guiler was still tied down and fully alert. The difference—all of the blood had been cleaned up. Only a faint metallic smell lingered, covered by lavender and water.
Seru turned to behold the guiler. “Hello. We’d like to speak to you about what happened here. Would you be willing to speak to us? We aren’t from this village and harbor no ill will. We merely seek to understand what it is you hope to accomplish here.”
It wasn’t entirely true. Hopefully, Seru’s statements portrayed a sense of neutrality. Regardless, the door was open if the man wished to speak.
The guiler hissed. “No talk. Nothing to say.”
“My”—Seru faltered for a moment— “friend, here”—He swept a hand toward Thalasia in a grand gesture— “healed your wounds. Would you mind if she performed a quick once-over to ensure everything is mended?”
Thalasia tried to act like she didn’t notice how Seru stumbled over his words. Not that she would’ve done any better, despite the word Mac used to describe Seru earlier. She shook the thought from her head and offered a kind smile to the guiler. “That’s okay. If you’ll allow me ...”
The guiler narrowed his black, beady eyes and glanced between Seru and Thalasia. After a moment, he nodded.
She started with the torn pants leg, where his thigh had been mangled. Eyeing the healed skin, Thalasia began humming. She combined her charm and soothing touch to relax the guiler. Moving up to the wounds that had been along his belly, she continued her work to lull him into submission.
Seru watched her work her magic, careful to keep an eye trained on the guiler for any suspicious activity or attempts at an escape.
She didn’t know enough about what the guilers could do, so she stayed away from his face. Inspecting the new skin, she hummed a little longer and noticed his body had gone lax and his eyes had glossed over. Her eyebrows knitted together as the corners of her lips tugged into a small smile. “Your wounds look good. How did you get them?”
The guiler bobbed his head side to side. “I fought one of the guilers here. They aren’t like us.”
Thalasia glanced over her shoulder at Seru and winked. “I think we’re ready.”