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Drake felt a growl build in his throat. “It would not. You would destroy our bond with the humans. She is not to be touched. Never. Do your duty.”
Even if he disregarded his feelings for her, killing Calliope would be wasteful. That Konma thought it wise reduced the mauleon in his eyes.
“Of course, lord. Bless this day in the eyes of the gods. We will return victorious.” He bowed to Drake then jogged into the dark street with Sawatel following him.
Dawn was a few hours away.
Chapter Nine
Drake was true to his word. His men followed her through the lower city, through the mostly dark streets, even told her which way to go at a few intersections. Once in the upper city she felt comfortable again and when she neared her favorite place, Children’s Hill, she stopped.
Why not? The mauleons following her could only say no or leave her be.
The real name of this hill she’d forgotten, but the first time she climbed it she’d sat and admired the city view. Three children had arrived, having climbed the same track. She’d shared her lunch and watched them play some pretend game. It had become a habit and some days she’d brought a basket of food to dole out. It was quiet and there was something beautiful about kids. They didn’t judge, even if a couple of them had seemed to figure out who she was and called her princess.
Most were from poor families, a few were huleon, and they played together as if it didn’t matter who had claws and who did not.
If this were daytime, her guards might’ve scared off her small friends. Though a sec-force policeman used to regularly visit as if to check the site for problems, he’d never spoken to her and the kids had ignored him. She wondered if he’d been watching her on her father’s orders too. Even the electric streetlight she sat beside had been installed soon after she paid the hill some pre-dawn visits.
The light showed an animal toy lying in the grass near her ankle. Pieces of fruit peel were scattered to her right. It had been months ago when Dart, one of the youngest boys, had eaten that fruit sitting beside her. She’d been playing her guitar, an Old Earth artifact she’d taught herself to play. The kids seemed to like it though her singing was awful.
That was then, this is now.
She rose, sliding her hand up the streetlight.
A small engraving halfway up the pole snagged her fingertips. Two hearts were etched on the metal but painted over. They’d been there on the day the pole was installed.
Inside the hearts were letters—G and C. The heart with the G had a crown. She leaned against the pole and sighed. Tears filled her eyes. Her father had watched over her far more than she’d ever realized.
The wind buffeted her, and she squinted out over the darkened buildings, tucking her hands into her cloak. Was this the last day she could go where she wanted?
Drake was also her father’s doing, but was he her savior or something else?
She turned away and trudged down the track.
Apart from some distant fires reflected in clouds, some random cracks of gunfire, and the scent of smoke, she’d seen little out of the ordinary. By morning the streets might be flooded with fighters. The mauleon guards accompanied her partway to her secret entry to the palace. She hoped she’d lost them before she slipped in, but there was no way to be certain.
