FOREVER KNIGHTS: #7 King of Assassins
Mardichi's Loss

“I don’t know what happened. Where is she?” He asked in confusion. Looking from side to side as though she’d suddenly appear.

Bast looked frantically around, peering in doorways and leaning around walls. “I don’t know, Mardi.” He said slowly.

Mardichi delicately set the baby back in the crib, giving him a long-pained look before tearing his face away and turning his back.

I can’t imagine such agony. Bast looked away. Nothing could be worse!

“Why would she leave him? Did they take her?” Mardichi sounded unsure. His eyes dried as he looked to Bast like a small child begging for answers.

Answers I don’t have… Bast swallowed. Striving for the right thing to say.

It’s unlikely a mother would abandon her child. He was sure but bit his tongue. Knowing Mardichi needed answers. Not my speculation.

“She would not have-wouldn’t have…left him. She wouldn’t.” He said more decisively as if convincing himself.

I hope not.

Bast was still as a statue. “What do you need me to do?”

“Where is she? Is she here? Did they take her?” For a man so huge, he sounded very tiny just now.

I don’t know. Bast gave Mardichi a long look. Damn it all to Ardae! Realizing what was needed, Bast tugged his tunic from his shoulders and tossed it in the corner. Dropping to the floor, he forced his body into a meditative state. Despite the pain he knew would arise.

God give me strength. Drawing a long breath, he let the marks winding his torso move to his shoulders and back. Tiny claws erupted, digging through the skin to let shining gold creatures spill from his back, sides and chest. Thumping to the floor and scrambling outside to pour across the meadow embracing the house.

He muttered a prayer under his breath and forced his body still. Swaying under the rending and jerking of the dragons separating from his flesh. As soon as one tore free, his body would attempt to seal the skin in a great effort to heal. But another would tear through that new flesh and raw nerves. It too would drop out and scurry away.

As fast as they emerged, they were intent on their mission. One after another.

Bast’s generally gold skin went nearly white as parchment, his eyes increasingly hollow. And breaths hissing out of him. Fighting the pain to keep his body relaxed enough to unleash the little ground-bound dragons. They spilled through the house. Sniffing cautiously. Yellow and green eyes glowing. Long whipping tails flicking in agitation as they searched.

Every corner…every hollow.

And finally headed into the trees to look for any trace of Mardichi’s mate.

Bast grunted against the pain of the last one pulling from his body. Tugging the long length of tail free from his back and raking open the skin with the tiny sharp spines. Bast collapsed sideways against the doorframe. Panting weakly.

“You sent them all?” Mardichi crouched before him. Putting a thankful hand to Bast’s shoulder as he understood the significance. What it took from his friend to send out the tiny beasts.

Yes. Bast was dizzied and took weak to form unnecessary words.

“Where is she?” Mardichi asked fearfully. Face now normal, his eyes still glinted ruby.

I can’t replace her.

She’s not here.

Bast shook his head forlornly. “There’s nothing Mardi. Just tracks leaving. Only hers. Drag marks across the dirt say she had the forthright thinking to put on her cape.” Bast paused. “She’s left. Apurpose.” He sighed. “And there’s this.” His eyes skid sideways to the corner wall next to him.

A shining black and gold dragon emerged around the corner. Dragging metal which scraped the floor. Easing past Bast to Mardichi’s feet where it dropped a chunk of gold metal on the floor.

A Paladine circlet.

“Her circlet?” He gasped. “But how-why?” Mardichi fell back as though he’d been punched. He slapped the floor. “Why would she do that?”

“I don’t know.”

Bast understood the importance of a man and woman’s Paladine Circlet and could fathom no idea why Mardichi’s mate would’ve discarded it.

“Was she Cimmerii?” Mardichi’s voice broke. “Did I miss it?”

Bast shook his head adamantly. “My dragons have checked everything. There was no Cimmerii here before today.”

“Then they came to get her because she was theirs. Or she found the babe and thought I’d done it and fled.”

“Did she fear you?”

“Never that I knew. But she recently saw me changing from the scales and worried about what I was. And if I’d been keeping things from her. She was hurt. Angry.”