The Forest Keeper

Chapter Thirteen: IN WHICH Dameon Fights Back Harder, and Abaddon Breaks Again

Tuesday, October 23rd

Kea rubbed the back of her neck and watched Leonas and Abaddon spar in the clearing. "They are both very good," she said to Milaya, who leaned against a tree next to her. "Who do you think is going to win?"

Milaya grunted and turned her head away. "I hope Leonas kicks Abaddon's tail. He sure deserves it," she muttered, still a little angry with the werewolf. She took a breath. "But in reality, I think Abaddon has had more practice. Leonas talks tough, and says things about him being a prince and the general of the Laconean army, but there hasn't been a lot of fighting since..."

"Since Harendeth had him working for him."

She started, almost losing her spot on the tree, and looked down at Kea, who was sitting in the grass, calm as the breeze. "He told you?" she asked. "I thought he was going to wait until you were... ahm, officially together."

Kea looked up at her, one eyebrow cocked. "What do you mean, 'officially together?' Like we..." She twisted her mouth in what looked like a half-smiling, half-embarrassed snicker. "I don't think that's going to happen. At least, not for the next little while." She turned her attention back to the men as one of them shouted.

Milaya looked at Kea for another moment, and then she looked at Abaddon. A stream of blood was running from a gash in his upper right arm and staining his skin a deep red. It was...

She gagged and turned away. She had thought that Abaddon Timbercol, the man who had practically thrown her away for some Mere tramp, was sexy. She could have died right there, and no one would have been the wiser...

Abaddon threw his sword at Leonas' feet. "Alright!" he shouted, laughing. "Alright, Irades, you win this round! You've improved since we last fought."

"Or you've gotten worse," Leonas remarked with a snicker. "But don't worry; I won't let Milaya know that."

Milaya rolled her eyes and turned her back on the two as Abaddon turned to look at her. She couldn't deny that she wanted to go back to him, as much as she wanted to deny it, but after the few nights he'd had with Talyn, she didn't feel like it was worth it. He would just hurt her again.

Kea sighed and stood up. "He's trying to prove that he's capable of taking you back," she whispered, approaching her. "Why won't you just... let him?"

"Because if I do let him, I would be a hypocrite and an outcast among my people," Milaya hissed, turning toward the Keeper. "I told my brothers that I would never go back to him, as long as I lived, and to go back on that promise would mean... I would lose my throne, my family, and my people. I would be a pariah, forever cursed to wander the forest alone and forgotten by those who once knew me as their queen." She bit her lip. "I'm not about to give up all that just because someone thinks their heart belongs to me after all the hell they put me through." She looked down and saw her hand rising to her heart. Her broken, bleeding heart...

Stopping net to her, Kea reached out her hand and touched Milaya's shoulder. "I would still do my best to take care of you," she sighed. "Even if your family forsook you, I doubt Albinan as a whole would. Don't you think?"

Milaya sighed, but didn't meet Kea's eyes. "Perhaps. But at the moment, I don't feel brave enough to test your theory."

"Will you ever?"

She smirked. "I don't know. But that day is most certainly not this one." She reached up and grabbed a branch. "If you need me, I'll be in the trees. I think I'll stay there until I can make up my mind about this whole da... about this whole thing." She bit back the curse, however mild she thought it was. She knew Kea didn't like swearing much, so she kept it to a minimum around her. Out of respect, and out of a kindness she didn't think she still had.