The Protector and the Peacemaker

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

(Sarah)

The campfire roared, chasing away the overpowering winter cold. Sarah lay in front of it, letting it warm her belly. The rest of their group was gathered around as well, and the smell of stew filled the air, making Sarah's mouth water. In the distance, just at the edge of the firelight, Porter was busy practicing with Flicker. The sword danced in a hypnotic pattern, reflecting the firelight with every swing. Then, when Porter reached the end of his routine, he summoned the rest of his Kalion armor and began again. Droma was busy stirring the stew, but he still called tips to Porter whenever he thought he needed them.

"You are stronger when you have the armor on," the giant said, pausing to taste the stew. "Your movements need to compensate for that."

Sarah's stomach growled, but Droma shook his head when she looked at him. With a sigh, she glanced around the fire. Ozzie sat on the opposite side, almost as far away from the flames as Porter was. The young man sat with his legs crossed, gripping a length of rope with both hands. The other end was tied around the neck of a wolf.

Sarah got up and made her way over to them.

"How's she doing?" she asked.

"She's stopped fighting me," Ozzie answered with a sigh, behaving nothing like the manic boy he'd been only days before. "But she still won't talk to me."

Ever since they had kidnapped her from her adopted father, Drake Mortoph, Misty had behaved as if they'd all stabbed her in the back. Her twin brother, Ozzie, got the brunt of her aggression as she tried to attack him over and over again until he had been forced to tie her mouth shut. When that had proved fruitless, she'd tried to run, and he'd had to put a leash on her.

"I'll try to talk to her," Sarah offered.

Before they'd found out the truth, Sarah had known Misty as Misoki, the name Mortoph had given her when he'd adopted her. When the Slayers attacked Jellaska Kob Lertan, Misty had revealed that she had been working with them all along, leading them straight to the Sanctuary. As much as the betrayal hurt, Sarah found that she couldn't make herself hold a grudge against the werewolf, not after everything she'd been through.

In the end, she was just a kid trying desperately to make her daddy happy.

"Hey, Misty," Sarah said softly, laying down next to her. Misty couldn't reply, since her mouth was tied shut, but she managed to send an angry glare at her. "I guess you're still mad at us, huh?"

Misty looked the other way, refusing to meet Sarah's gaze.

"You shouldn't take it out on Ozzie, though," Sarah went on. "After all, he's your brother."

Misty went rigid and turned to glare at Sarah again. This time, her eyes were icy cold with wounded anger, and a growl came from her throat. Sarah understood. Misty had rejected the idea that Ozzie was her long lost brother, and grew furious whenever someone suggested it. Whatever Mortoph had done to her over the years, it had made her entirely dependent on him.

"I don't see why you're reacting like this," Sarah said. "Wouldn't you want to be with Ozzie more than Mortoph?"

Misty shook her head furiously.

"Misty, I saw what that man did to you!" Sarah insisted. "He hurt you just for calling him your father! How can you love a man like that?"

Misty's growled again, and her hackles rose.

Sarah sighed. "Fine, be that way then. But whenever you feel like coming to your senses, we'll be happy to take the leash off."

With that, the sphinx got back up and rejoined the others. As Droma ladled out a bowl of stew for her, she mentally kicked herself. She shouldn't have spoken so harshly to her. Hard words and sharp comments would only drive her further away. Maybe she'd try again later. First, though, she needed to think of something Misty would actually want to listen to.