The Taming of a Beast

Chapter 7

Evelina was having a pleasant time showing Adrian around in the village where Peter appeared abruptly again.

"You have to get out of here!" He shouted.

"What?" Evelina asked, startled at Peter's frantic look in his eyes.

Adrian stepped in front of her, putting his body between Peter and her.

"No, you don't understand! A horde of knights came around asking for you! They look as though they're trouble, and they've already harassed the other villagers." Peter glanced behind him. He looked as though he had been in a rush. "You have to run away and hide, now!"

"Knights? But what for?"

Panic was beginning to set in. Evelina was sure that no one knew where she was or who she truly was. There was no way those knights were after her because of that incident, was she? And how had they found her?

"They said they were looking for Morena." Peter continued.

"What? But I'm not Morena," protested Evelina.

For all of the years that Evelina had known her mentor, Morena had never given any indication that she had been in any trouble with the mages, just that she preferred to stay isolated by herself.

"How many are there?" Adrian demanded.

"I counted about eighteen," Peter answered.

But before Evelina could do anything else, the said knights appeared.

"Shit, run!" Peter yelled out.

"Witch Morena! There you are. Kill her!" The lead man roared.

He appeared to be the leader, with his armor much fancier than his comrades.

A flood of arrows suddenly flew through the air. Screams pierced the air from the villagers, but none of the arrows hit their mark. With a quick wave of his hand, Adrian had summoned a large wave of water from a nearby rain barrel and froze the arrows in mid air, creating a wall of ice.

"Adrian?" The man in the lead asked. His eyes narrowed. "So you are still alive. Men, whoever kills the Beast of Galvador will have a sack of gold coins as his bonus. Two sacks if you bring me the witch's head!"

"Peter, run!" 

Not bothering to hear any more, Evelina grabbed Adrian and fled down the village path as Peter ducked away from the men. She was at least grateful that he had come to warn her, even if the warning had come late.

"You know those men? And what are they calling you, a beast or something?"

Evelina ducked as a spear flew overhead and continued running, wishing that she was still inside the Forest of Illusions where she could easily use mana to defend herself. The village's air had no mana since it was located outside of the Forest. The only supply of mana was Adrian himself, and he was already poisoned.

"Long story! Which I'm sure your story is as well as to why they're looking for your mentor. I thought you said she was dead."

Adrian cursed as another spear was cast, almost hitting the merchant who had sold them the hairpins earlier. 

"I'm sure she is! I buried her myself!"

Evelina scowled as she heard the racket behind her. The men pursuing them didn't seem to care that they were knocking down innocent people. The village had become her home in the past ten years. She would not stand by idly and watch them destroy the people who had at least tolerably let her live in peace.