Chapter Seven
Warmund
The next day, Penny was less sullen and snappish than she had been when they’d walked to the town. Warmund, using the gold that he’d gotten from selling off the things they’d brought from Earth, hired a wagon to take them to the capital city. On the way there, he sat in the back entertaining the twins while Penny stared at him with an expression he didn’t really like on her face. He tried to tell himself that it didn’t mean anything and that he had no reason to care even if it did, but that didn’t stop the uncomfortable twisting of his stomach.
He didn’t demand to know what her problem was, though. If he did that, then she’d know it was bothering him.
When they reached the city, Warmund got another inn room with the last of the money. Penny set the sleeping baby down on the bed, and then turned to the twins. “I don’t suppose there is anything left to eat?”
“I thought you wanted to be rid of me at once. Don’t you want to go to the shelter?”
Penny flinched. Maybe it had been the sleep or the long trip, he wasn’t sure. She hadn’t snapped at him at all, though. Maybe she was just in shock. She wet her lips and shrugged, not looking at him.
“If I got there, then there won’t be any chance at me getting home.”
Warmund started to tense but forced himself to relax. “No,” he said slowly. “But there isn’t any chance of you getting home anyway. This was always planned to be a one-way trip. I can’t change that, especially now.”
She still didn’t look at him.
Warmund waited for a beat. That uncomfortable twisting sensation was back. It had been so long since he’d last had someone that he needed to care about. Someone that actually needed him. If he turned her out on the street right now, she might find a helpful stranger, or she might just be taken advantage of. He couldn’t take that risk. In his time in the Exiled Lands, all he cared about was surviving to the next day. Now he had a mission to fulfill but also a woman and three babies to protect.
It was a heavy burden. One that he wished he could just cast off. But that wasn’t the type of man he wanted to be, not by a long shot.
“Look,” he said gently, edging toward her. “I’m sorry that you got mixed up in this. It wasn’t my intention.”
He put a hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t touch me,” she spat.
And the next thing he knew, a jolt of fire went through his body. It was like a flame but also lightning. It threw him back, hitting the wall hard. Penny squealed and both twins jumped, whimpered and started the build-up to all-out crying. To prevent that, Warmund quickly jumped to his feet and laughed.
“Boom,” he cried, smiling at the twins.
They stared at him for a moment, then decided it wasn’t worth crying over and went back to whatever they had been doing.
Penny, though, was white. Both her hands clapped over her mouth.
“Well, I guess we know why that portal went crazy, then.” Warmund’s heart was hammering, but he still smiled at her so she wouldn’t be frightened. “You’re a mage.”
“A mage?”
Warmund nodded. “That there was magic. The portal must have been reacting to your untamed magic, and that’s why it grabbed you. Unexpected, but it does mean that you have roots here. Like that friend of yours. Sylvia?”
Penny stared at her hands. “Shit. I’m Harry Potter. And you’re Hagrid!”
This time when Warmund laughed, it was genuine. “I wish! Hagrid was the best character in that series. Harry should have named Albus Severus Hagrid Hagrid, after the only adult who gave a damn about him and treated him like a kid!”
Penny let out a tittering laugh that sounded on the brink of panic. “Yeah. Right. I saw that meme, too.”
Warmund hesitated a moment before he came forward and put a hand on her shoulder again. He knew he was risking a repeat, but she looked so lost and confused that he had to comfort her somehow. “Look, I know this is frightening, but it’ll be over soon. I promise. Now, I’m going to go look for some work or something, to get some money.”
“You’re lying.”
Warmund’s brows rose.
Penny shook her head. “But whatever you want. Just go, then. I’ll figure out how to take care of my babies myself.”
He flinched. When he opened his mouth to assure her he would be back, though, he realized that was the stupidest thing he could say at the moment. There was no way she’d believe him, even if it was true. So, he dropped his hand and left the room without another word.
***
It was only after the guards bowed to him and let him through the gates that Warmund realized he had no plan. The day his life would fall apart was still a week away. How was he meant to prevent it right now? He could go to Indulf and explain it… but there were instances of mages glamouring themselves to look like other people; he could just as easily get himself thrown into jail and subjected to magical tests that would take more than a week…
Warmund wrapped his cloak tight around himself as he walked the familiar hallway. It had been so long since he had been here. It felt like another lifetime. This had been his childhood playground, his home for most of his life. Now it felt like he didn’t belong.
He shook his head as he headed for his room. First thing’s first. He’d go to his room, retrieve his safety cache of gold—it had gone missing around this time anyway—and take that back to Penny. Maybe he couldn’t send her home, but he could at least set her up for a comfortable life here.
Then he would come back and tell Indulf everything. Magical tests or not, his father would at the very least increase security when he walked into the throne room.
The plan might not be sound, but Warmund didn’t care about that. He nodded, satisfied with himself, and headed for his room. He got there meeting only half a dozen people and slipped in without anybody questioning his place here. After all, he was the prince still. He might be significantly older now than he was then but with the hood of his cloak up like this, it wasn’t as though people saw his face clearly.
Just as he was retrieving his cache, though, the door opened… and he walked in. Warmund froze, staring at his younger self. His eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. Flames burned between his teeth.
Warmund’s own flames had not yet rekindled enough to withstand such an attack. He seized a candlestick and hurled it at his younger self. The metal struck with a solid thunk right in the middle of his forehead; the ghost of pain flitted across Warmund’s forehead as he dashed over his fallen younger self. Why had he forgotten this—he’d interrupted the intruder that had stolen his gold! He growled low in his throat as he stashed the gold in his pocket.
The hood slipped forward into his eyes as Warmund dashed into the corridor. Two guards rushed up from one end, drawn by the noise and he let out a curse. He had to get this gold to Penny. He spun on his heel and raced the other way.
“Intruder,” one of the guards shouted. “An intruder has attacked the prince!”
I am the prince you dolts!
He rounded another corner, pushing himself hard. Only, someone was waiting for him. Thonis, his long hair in a braid down his back, skidded to a stop when he saw him. Warmund ducked his head to hide his face and rolled to the balls of his feet. Thonis didn’t waste time; he leapt, drawing his sword in the air.
Warmund ducked under the blade and caught Thonis’ wrist. He moved to slam it against the wall, but Thonis was too quick. He seized Warmund by the back of the neck and hurled him forward, twisting the sword as he did so. Warmund yelped as he contorted his body to avoid it. The blade sliced shallowly across Warmund’s belly; hot blood poured as white-hot agony slashed through him.
The two dragons spun, both trying to seize control over the other. Warmund threw his head forward, smashing his forehead into Thonis’ nose. Smoke billowed into the air. Thonis dropped the sword, then twisted his wrist so he grabbed Warmund’s. He spun him and slammed him into the wall.
Warmund let out a pained groan as his gushing wound connected with stone. The two guards who’d been chasing him rounded the corner. Warmund took a deep breath, calling on his fires. Nothing but smoke answered him. In desperation, he threw his head back, smashing into Thonis’ nose again. This time, he felt something snap. Thonis let out a pained cry and his grip loosened just enough for Warmund to slip away.
Blood poured down his side. Too much. His head spun as he stumbled down the corridor. They’d catch him again and then… Penny would be truly alone.
Heat rushed into his chest, making his fires flare. And he dove for the window. Cries of disbelief followed him out. Wind rushed across his face as he fell, the ground looking especially hard since he was about to splatter all over it.
He closed his eyes and called on his fires. Wings tore from his back, painful from their lack of use. They snapped out, caught air and slowed his decent enough so when he hit the ground, he rolled rather than broke. The impact jarred his leg, but he had no time to think about that. His wings were already retreating, and he scrambled to his feet.
He raced away, even as the alarm bells started to ring.
Penny needed him.