How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days (The Embraced #1)

“That’s wonderful.”


“And he told me the strangest thing. He thinks we are mistaken to worship either the sun or the moons because who made the sun? Or the moons? He believes there is one Creator who made everything in the Heavens. Plus every living thing on Aerthlan.”

“Oh.” Luciana blinked. “That’s … interesting.”

“I know! Ted—he said I could call him Ted—he’s not like anyone I’ve ever met before. He wanted to read some of his favorite books to me, but he said he wasn’t able to open the books or turn the pages, so I told him I would give it a try. We went to the library, and I did it!”

“That’s amazing.”

“That’s what he said I was. And he’s so intelligent!” Tatiana sighed with a dreamy look on her face. “I never realized before how attractive a smart man is!”

Luciana grinned. “That’s true.”

“I was such a fool.” Tatiana winced. “I used to think it was brute force and aggression that made a man attractive. But that only means he’s an ass. Tedric is a real gentleman. He kissed my hand and said I was so lovely, he was tempted to give up going to the Realm of the Heavens so he could spend eternity with me.”

“Oh, my. That’s beautiful.”

“I know.” Tatiana’s eyes filled with tears. “So as much as I would love to stay with you and be your spy—”

“No, you must stay here. You deserve to have your own life. And your own love.”

A tear rolled down Tatiana’s face. “We’ll come see you at court every now and then. Ted says he would be happy to provide counsel for his cousin if he would accept it.”

“I’m sure Leo would love that.” Luciana blinked away tears. “And I would love to see my sister. You’ve grown into a beautiful woman.”

Tatiana laughed. “Better late than never.”

*

On the way to Ebton, Leo surveyed the land surrounding them as he was accustomed to doing as a soldier, but this time, he also observed the sky in case the Chameleon was in eagle form, keeping an eye on them. After discussing the new enemy with Brody, Jensen, and Edmund, they had all reached the same conclusion. The Chameleon had demonstrated too much determination to take over the Eberoni throne. He would not give up easily.

Leo suspected that by now, the Chameleon could have already infiltrated the court at Ebton, perhaps taking the place of a guard like he had at Benwick Castle. Brody claimed that he could pick up his scent. Leo glanced over at the shifter, who was currently in dog form and hitching a ride in the cart. The Chameleon might also walk with a limp, Leo thought, since he had managed to scorch the eagle’s right foot with a bolt of lightning.

As Leo surveyed the sky once more, his thoughts turned to what Luciana had told him about Tedric’s new idea. One Creator who had made everything in the Heavens and on Aerthlan. The theory appealed to Leo’s military-trained sense of logic and organization. There could be only one commander, or your troops would be in chaos. But if this Creator was real, why had he neglected to show himself to the people of Aerthlan? They could certainly use some heavenly guidance. The countries were continuously at war, not only with one another but also within their borders.

Leo looked again at the blue summer sky, and the way the sun sparkled off the Ebe River to his right. To his left, the rolling hills boasted green meadows and stately forests. The world was beautiful, a creative work of art. Perhaps the Creator had made himself known after all.

He pushed the philosophical thoughts aside as they reached the summit of a high hill and the town of Ebton stretched out before them.

On the outskirts, poorer homes lined dirt streets that were still muddy from the recent rain. The wooden houses had thatched roofs, and every bit of fenced-in yard was dedicated to growing food. Farther into town, the streets were paved with cobblestones and flanked with larger buildings of brick and stone, two and three stories high, roofed with gray slate. Along the river, small ships had docked at the numerous piers, and merchandise was being carted to and fro.

From their vantage point on the hill, he could see the town squares where merchants ran their shops and vendors set up stalls to sell fruits and vegetables. The streets and squares were crowded with people, and the noise they made sounded like a dull roar. They had no idea, Leo thought, that their king used them as hostages in order to keep him and his army from rebelling.

The bell tower of the Church of Enlightenment rose above the town, its gold-plated bells glowing in the sun. And just beyond the town, the outer curtain wall of Ebton Palace stretched for miles to encircle the enormous fortress. Inside the wall, the huge square-shaped keep overshadowed numerous smaller buildings. Attached to the fortress, a long bridge spanned the river with a wooden drawbridge in the middle for boats to pass through.

Beside him, Luciana gasped. “There are so many people. And I didn’t realize Ebton Palace was so huge.”

Leo nodded. “My family built the drawbridge over the river several centuries ago. Any boat that wishes to sail through must pay a toll. That was the beginning of the Benwick family’s wealth and power.”

She bit her lip and gave him a worried look.

He reached out to take her hand. “We can do this.”

With a nod, she squeezed his hand. “Together.”





Chapter Thirty-five

Slowly they rode through town. Without his uniform, Leo garnered only a few curious looks. The townspeople were far more interested in the coffin being escorted by a few soldiers. As the people pressed closer, asking who had died, Leo worried that one of them would get too close to him and accidentally receive a shock. As nice as it was not to be feared for a change, he couldn’t risk injuring anyone.