Wild Magic Three: The Shade of the Earth- a M/M fantasy shifter romance

5- Bear

*****Guys, I just really love Sera and I'm so excited/nervous to write her book T-T *****

ROBERT—

The guards of Teren Keep kept a similar schedule as those in the Emperor's palace. We were on three month rotations— three months in the dungeon, three months on the barricades, three months in one of the outposts, three months in the training yards and armory, and for a handful of us, three months on the royal family. Any guards with families or partners were kept from the outpost rotation, except for Dasan and Nibley, for they could just go together.

There were only about a dozen guards— me, Dasan, Nibley, Tate, of course, and eight others— who were switched out as the personal guards to Prince Lhiam, Prince-consort Edon, and Princess Lacy.

There were special events that precluded our current posts. Usually if the keep had a visitor or an emergency, we were moved around to where we best fit.

The rotations helped keep us alert and battle-ready. We were kept from the boredom of staring at the same walls of the dungeon for the rest of our lives, there were no guards who felt they were being punished in the outposts for extended periods, and we were kept trained and ready for anything.

I was, unfortunately, on dungeon duty when the mercenaries who survived the attack on the Emperor were brought in. There were eight, and only two had been seriously injured and were still up with Lady Sera and the doctor.

I led Sami through the keep, stuck with him for the time being until he could better communicate and we could maybe find a job for him. I was all for sticking him in the kitchens as a dishwasher, but Lhiam had frowned at the idea.

"We need to know his past, and go from there. How do we know he doesn't have a family out there, waiting for him? Stay close to him, Robert, and keep us updated. It will hurt the keep none to have another shifter here. They're damn useful," he joked, pulling his husband to his chest and kissing the now-pouting man's forehead.

As I walked away from them, I heard Edon's quiet, usually gentle voice, feigning annoyance as he muttered, "I'm useful, am I?"

When I reached the dungeons, both Talyk and Raider were there, waiting my and Erik's arrival. Usually the dungeons were a one-man post, but with the many mercenaries we were holding until they could be brought to the capital, the guard's captain Tate had ordered us to double up on our shifts.

The moment we walked through the door, Sami's hackles visibly rose and he froze, his nostrils flaring. I watched him, a little bemused, a lot curious, as he crouched and moved down the dark dungeon stairs. It was only a few steps, and then he stood in front of the crowded jail cell, staring in at the men.

"These are the men you helped capture," I said, trying to feel out the reason for his wary watchfulness.

"Bear," he hissed, his nose poised in the air and his eyes lidded as he looked from man to man.

"What is your pet goin' on about?" Talyk muttered, annoyed. He looked exhausted, and I couldn't blame him. After all the craziness of last night, he'd had to cover the dungeon watch night shift.

Sami glared up at the man, hissing almost under his breath before turning to me. He met my eyes, then pointed out a man near the corner of the cell. The man was unassuming at best. Young, maybe halfway to 30, tall but kind of lean. But his eyes— now, those stood out like a house on fire.

They were silver like a pool of mercury.

"Bear," Sami repeated when I finished studying the man.

The man's nostrils flared but he made no move to deny nor accept Sami's claim. The other mercenaries seemed confused, only a few catching on and glaring the man down.