Cross of Faith: Tales of Terrara Vikos #1 Read online

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  As the brush ripped through my untamable hair, I yelped loudly. As soon as she’d started, my fingers dug into my palms, and with every yank, they went deeper. Good thing I was suppressing my daemon nature, or my hand would have been a bloody mess.

  “Hold still, Halden,” my mother ordered.

  Gritting my teeth to balance another wrench, I replied, “Yes, Mother.” This submissive statement was punctuated by another cry from me. Suddenly, the brush stopped splitting through my hair. I turned around to face my mom to find that she had moved to the doorway of my room and was talking to my father in hushed tones. I scowled.

  I still hadn’t been told why all this was necessary. I mean I was glad I wasn’t wearing a dress shirt and slacks like my father usually made me do—really glad—but this just reeked of an unwelcome surprise from Father.

  Eventually, my mother left the room, and I got off the stool to face the doorway. I bowed in my father’s direction, as was custom for me. Usually, he told me wasn’t necessary—me being his son—but I needed to be on his good side in case I needed to start begging for something. I watched a small smile cross his face as he approached me.

  “Halden,” he said slowly, “There is a reason for all this preparation. You mother suggested we wait to tell you until we are there, but I did not want to do that to you.”

  I nodded, acknowledging what he said.

  “You’re going to be Lucian’s new bodyguard.”

  I stiffened. “The pazzo Lucian?” I knew I deserved the slap that came after that statement, but I still protested. “I don’t wanna be his bodyguard! Doesn’t his father have enough of them? Why me?”

  “It’s true his father does have bodyguards he could employ. However, his identity is a secret to anyone outside of his close family and friends to make sure that he’s not killed. So, in order for him to go out, he has to have an inconspicuous bodyguard to travel with him.”

  I crossed my arms against my chest. “Again, why me?”

  “Because the least noticeable bodyguard for a kid to have is another kid.”

  I raised an eyebrow and asked curiously, “And what happen to his previous kid bodyguard?”

  A small, humored smile appeared on my father’s face. “He got expelled by attacking another student.”

  “And why did he attack that student?” The smile coming on my face mirrored my dad’s.

  “The student tried handing Lucian a sharpened pencil.”

  That made me burst into laughter so hard it produced tears. I bent over and kept hitting my leg with a closed fist, an obvious show of what I thought of the ‘Pencil Assassin’ situation. Eventually, I calmed myself down and wiped the water from my eyes.

  “That’s one dumb bodyguard!”

  “Ah, may have been dumb, but he was just doing his job. You think you could do a better job?”

  I grinned wide and stated proudly, “Of course I could, Dad!” Then, my smile faded to a frown, and I started glaring at him. “Wait a sec! You just tricked me into agreeing!”

  My father’s smile widened. Purposely not replying to my angry statement, he said, “Hurry up, or you’re going to be late for school, Halden.” With those words, he walked out of the room. I stood there a bit longer, seething. How could I have been tricked like that? Eventually, my father called my name, and I stalked off through the halls of my home.

  Even though I was boiling mad at the situation I’d fallen into, some hidden part of me was excited. I’d never been to a real school before. I’d been homeschooled and tutored my whole life. This might actually be fun, I thought with a small smile.

  When I reached the front door, there were two people there waiting for me. Lord Morgan leaned against the doorframe, smiling. He was wearing a simple red polo, black jeans, and shades. Even though he was dressed so normally, I could still feel a large amount of power originating from him.

  Lucian stood closer to me and held out a hand. “Ready, Brother?”

  I hesitated and stared at the hand for a few more seconds. Finally, my smile returned, and I gripped Lucian’s hand tightly. “Ready.”