Warrior's Soul (Book 3 of The Warrior Chronicles)

Chapter 41

"La-La," her name was a whisper, then Michael was running towards her.

Suddenly, everyone moved at the same time. The guards grabbed at Michael's arms to hold him back, the Hayvani stepped between her and the others while Leyla leaned down to calm the growling Athiri.

"Roooawwr!"

Bloody Diya, he must have sensed her jumbled reaction and gotten worked up.

"Athiri, calm!" Leyla stroked his head, feeling his anger fade as she got her own emotions under control. "Calm," she repeated gently, until the animal turned its nose into her hand and gave a last low growl.

Pushing the guards hands from his arms, Michael approached again, this time with measured steps. "Raphael said he was majestic, but I couldn't imagine..."

Leyla's lip curled at the sparkle in his blue eyes as he studied Athiri; his thirst for knowledge always won over fear. Feeling the feline's calmness she said: "You can touch him, if you like?"

"I can?" The look of delight that crossed his face reminded her of his younger self and the time when they had lived together in Asch.

I missed you, Michael. "Of course you can."

It was testament of his trust in her that the he covered the rest of the space between them and reached out to touch the Hayvan's head.

Athiri snorted, and for a moment Michael looked at her uncertainly, but then he was stroking the feline between the eyes and reaching behind his ears. Athiri's eyes began to close and he leaned forward happily.

"He likes it," Michael grinned, delighted.

Leyla stood beside the two of them and for a moment everything was peaceful and right with the world. Then a twig fell from a branch nearby and she remembered where they were standing.

"Michael, what are you doing here? Don't you know how dangerous it is?"

The Curator of the Land of Light sent her a narrow-eyed glance. "Don't even start."

Uncomfortable with the sudden tension, Athiri snorted and stepped out of his reach, but Michael didn't seem to notice: "Do you know how many weeks you have been gone? I missed you so much, La-La, so I don't care if you or my brother get mad, I'm not apologising for coming here!"

Leyla's brows rose at the implication of his words, "You didn't tell Raphael you were coming here?"

"He would have stopped me for sure, so I snuck out." Michael admitted. Then he stuck out his chin defiantly, "Raphael came to see you several times while he left me sitting around speaking to imposters wearing your faces just to convince the Leader you were both still in the keep - ah, whatever. Did he think I would wait forever? You are my sister and I can come and see you if I bloody well please..."

"Wait, hold on, whose face, what imposters? Say it in a way I can understand, Michael!" Leyla frowned in exasperation.

"Raphael didn't explain anything?" Michael seemed surprised for a moment, then his lips thinned with disappointment. "Of course he didn't, that is so like him...but I was still hoping..." He looked from the Hayvani who had moved far enough away not to overhear their conversation to the guards who were watching Athiri from several sword lengths away, before taking a step closer to Leyla. "Raphael lied to you, La-La."

"Yes, I know-"

"No, you don't know," Michael interrupted. "That night you overheard us talking, the night you left the Land of Light, Raphael had only just found out about your parents."