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won’t
let them take you,” he said seriously. I was avoiding looking at
his eyes, but he tilted his head sideways and down so he could look
at my face. “I’m going to protect you like I promised to twelve
years ago. You don’t have to be scared.”
    I jerked my hands away from his and quickly
tied the necklace around his neck. “I’m not scared. And I don’t
need your protection.”
    He ignored me and went to his bedroll to
finish eating. “I hope Macon isn’t too angry. Maybe we’ll get out
of it because of what happened.”
    “Good night,” I said as I wrapped myself up
in my bedroll again, choosing to ignore his attempt at
conversation.
    “Good night,” he said softly.
    I knew I should have been nicer, but he’d
made me mad by his niceness. Even as crazy as it was to be mad that
he was nice, I was. He should have kept that comment to himself
instead of telling me. I knew he would protect me because he always
did. He took his word seriously and when he vowed to protect me
back then he hadn’t broken it since.
    For once I really hoped he would keep his
word and even though I said I didn’t need his protection, I truly
wanted it.
    I relaxed and prayed that tomorrow would be
uneventful and we would make it to school easily. As the time
passed I didn’t think I’d be able to fall asleep, but then Favian
moved his bedroll closer to mine and with his reassuring presence
so close, I fell asleep to the sound of the nocturnal creatures
stirring and the crickets chirping.
     
    ~~~~
     

CHAPTER THREE
     
    An uneventful night and an uneventful morning
were good signs for us as we rode towards the school. Favian was
still being silent and I could see him scanning everything ahead to
ensure our safety. I kept on high alert as well, but Favian could
see and hear miles ahead of me so there truly wasn’t much of a
point.
    The trees ended and we began passing farm
land where families were already out pruning, gathering and
inspecting their crops. A small girl with a dirt smeared face waved
to us and Favian and I waved back.
    “Momma did you see the girl fighter? I wish I
could be a fighter,” the girl said excitedly.
    “Hush child, we mustn’t keep them. Leave them
be on their way,” the mother said as she continued picking.
    Soon the town came into view and the large
wooden walls surrounding it. Favian backed up so that we were
riding side by side and kept extra close to me as we approached. We
were forced to stop at the closed gate and wait for the guard to
grant us admission to the city.
    “Who goes there?” the head guard called out
from behind the walls.
    “Humble students of the Academy,” I called
back.
    “Is that little Marin?” he asked just before
he popped his head up and over the top of the walls. “My, you
aren’t so little anymore are you girl?”
    “No gatekeeper. I have grown some since I
last came one month ago,” I teased him.
    “May we be allowed entrance?” Favian
asked.
    “In a hurry are we Favian?” the gatekeeper
asked with a smirk.
    “We’re late and the roads have not been
safe,” he said as a hint to the gatekeeper.
    “Why didn’t you say so?” the gatekeeper asked
angrily. We heard him climbing down and yelling orders to the other
guards and then the gate began to move inward slowly.
    Favian nudged Fire’s side with his leg and
she trotted forward through the small opening in the gate with Ice
following close behind. I turned and glared at Favian for touching
my horse, but he just looked back at me. Why did he have to be so
infuriating sometimes? We made it inside and the guards shut the
gate quickly behind us.
    “What happened on the road?” the gatekeeper
asked with the other guards around.
    “I’m heading to the Academy,” I said
bitterly.
    “Just wait a second,” Favian ordered. He
turned to the gatekeeper. “We were attacked by six human bandits.
One of them had a picture of Marin with a note on the back to
kidnap her alive and bring her.”
    “Kidnap