Heart Fate Read Online Free Page A

Transnow.
    Voice even quieter, he said, “You don’t have to be afraid of me. And you don’t have to be afraid of whoever did this to you. As you noticed, I’m a Hawthorn guard, and I’m close to my Head of Household, GreatLord T’Hawthorn himself. He who was Captain of all the Celtan Councils last year and the year before. I can take you to him, you can tell your story. Commoner or Noble, he’ll see that right is done and you’re protected.”
    She felt her eyes get wider and wider, and her heart thumped so hard and fast that she thought it might break through her chest. Talk to another FirstFamily Lord? No, no, no! They all stuck together. No one would listen to her. No one would believe her. She wanted nothing to do with FirstFamilies, or even Nobles, ever, ever again.
    Wanted nothing to do with men for that matter. If this Hawthorn guard had been female . . . but that was just a silly wish. A distracting thought, when she’d better get her fear under control, now. She swallowed, dipped a curtsy. “No-thank-you-very-much.”
    His eyes narrowed, his tone roughened. “I’m going to give you some advice, GentleLady. If the man you were with put those marks on you, he’s not a good man. No matter how good a lover he is, he’s not a good man, and he won’t treat you right. Probably not any woman right. So you don’t go back to him. You leave him. You hear what I say?”
    She nodded violently.
    They stared at each other. He lifted his hand from her shoulder, raised it.
    And she flinched again.
    Everything about him got even slower as he scratched the scar on his cheek. He took a couple of paces back, and the breath she’d been inadvertently holding shuddered out.
    There was more scrutiny on his part. Enough so she realized that he had very little Flair and was depending on sight and experience and body cues, or whatever.
    â€œGentleLady,” he said so abruptly and in such a low, dangerous rumble that she jumped, dropped her bag, and scooped it up without her gaze leaving him. He could still stop her. Such a big man could do anything with her he wanted. The new day and all the threat it would bring wound her fear and tension tighter.
    He put his hands in his trous pockets. She noticed he wore working trous, not the fancy, blousey Noble trous that used a lot of material to proclaim the worth of the wearer. And he stepped back several more paces. Far enough that if he lunged at her, she should be able to get away.
    â€œGentleLady,” he repeated.
    The sun was definitely over the horizon now, and she glanced around. T’Yew Residence wouldn’t be stupefied for long, would soon give the alarm. She’d already lost too much time. She knew none of the town gates well enough to teleport to them, if she could ’port. She’d be caught.
    â€œListen to me!” he demanded.
    It was enough to have her jump again, but this time her fingers clenched over the cloth knot of the bag.
    â€œYou’re sure you won’t put yourself under my protection? I’m an honorable man, I promise to help you.”
    She didn’t know she had enough breath to laugh, but she did. Her eyes stung, and she sniffed loudly. All very rude.
    He nodded. “Very well. Looks like you’re in trouble, maybe I can help another way. Have you heard of FirstGrove? It’s a sanctuary for those who need one.”
    â€œA myth,” she said, her voice higher and shakier than she wanted.
    â€œA sanctuary,” he repeated. “Find a door, and it will open and protect you.”
    Again she was snorting laughter, shaking her head.
    â€œYou must have heard that Ruis Elder hid there. It exists. I was there myself, my first few days in Druida. Afore I knew that T’Hawthorn would acknowledge me as Family and take me on as a household guard. A deserted estate, like many old ones, this one is lost within the city.” He tilted his head, jutting