The Keeper's Flame (A Pandoran Novel, #2) Read Online Free

He pointed at me. “A little, non-magical girl?” Thad made a tsk-tsk-tsk sound. “And you call yourself Aegises. I am starting to grow very concerned for the future safety of Gaia.”
    “Why you—” Denn choked on air while holding his stomach “—the king’s…”
    Thad planted a foot on Denn’s face, pushing it into the ground, and continued speaking in the nicest, most unthreatening tone. “If the king hears a word about where the princess spends her mornings, I’ll make sure it’s impossible for you to procreate. Got it, Rusty?” With one last shove, Thad released his foot from Denn’s face, and Denn choked again and spit up dirt.
    The boy with dark hair stepped forward, scowling. “What did you do to him?”
    Thad beamed with mischief in his eyes. “Don’t worry, Laird; he’ll be walking just in time for dinner. Spirits help us if he ever misses that , and I know how much you care about him.” Thad winked, and Laird’s cheeks flushed pink. Laird reached for his sword, but Thad waved a hand and Laird’s sword flew through the air and landed in the stream.
    Laird growled and lunged forward but was thrown back by an invisible force.
    “Anyone else?” Thad looked around the group while Egan dared them with vicious snarling. When no one stepped forward, Thad looked genuinely disappointed. “I’ll be borrowing the princess, then.” He motioned for me to follow.
    I took a deep breath. I wasn’t sure which I hated more, what had just happened or how helpless I’d been.
    How could I protect Fleck when I couldn’t even protect myself?
    We were far away from the group and sound of rushing water when Thad nudged me in the ribs.
    “Lighten up, would ya?”
    I spun around to face him. His brown hair was a disheveled mess, matching the mischievous spark in his eyes and, like always, he had a smirk on his face.
    “It isn’t funny, Thaddeus.”
    He rolled his eyes. “I suppose you’re right. Getting kneed in the crotch that hard is never funny. For a second there, I felt bad for Rusty.”
    I eyed him and his grin spread wider. “I’m serious,” I said.
    “So am I.”
    Growling, I marched forward and Egan kept to my heels.
    Thad grabbed my arm and yanked me back. “Come on! You’re gonna let that oversized toddler ruin your day?”
    “That oversized toddler almost…” My voice trailed as I closed my eyes and sighed. I was too embarrassed to think about it.
    “But he didn’t,” Thad said.
    I opened my eyes. A piece of grass was hanging from Thad’s mouth and he was chewing on it, eyeing me.
    “It’s not just him,” I said. “It’s everything. Everyone. I feel so helpless, and if you hadn’t shown up…” I looked away, and Egan dropped something on my foot.
    A stick.
    Thad let go of my arm. “Still no luck?”
    I shook my head and Egan pawed at my boot. I picked up the stick, threw it into the woods, and Egan vaulted after it.
    “That’s it, then.” Thad rubbed his chin.
    Oh, no.
    I’d learned to worry when Thad got ideas. I arched a brow. “What’s it ?”
    “I’ll be your personal bodyguard…well, until you figure out how to do magic.”
    I rolled my eyes. “I don’t need to lose my sanity, too.”
    “Oh, come on. Surely there are worse alternatives.”
    When I looked doubtful, Thad laughed. “Anyway, I was coming to find you because Prince Alaric ”—his voice took on a serious tone as he saluted no one—“was looking for you.”
    Prince Alaric, a.k.a Dad. I hadn’t seen him much lately, because he’d been traveling all over Gaia with Cicero and Sonya Del Conte, making sure the world was safe for me. And, of course, it wasn’t. “He’s back?”
    “Just. Went looking for you and I told him I knew right where you were.”
    Thad was one of the few who knew the truth about my secret fighting lessons with Stefan. “Which was…?” I asked.
    “Picking out fabric for your festival gowns,” Thad preened.
    For weeks, the king had been insisting I look