Magician's Touch (Deadly Touch book 3) Chapter 21: 21: Come Home

Read chapter 21 of Magician's Touch (Deadly Touch book 3) by Deb E Howell on NovelPedia.

The first rider drew alongside the roadside fence, followed by just four uniformed men. Uniformed, but not soldiers. It was the lead rider that held Jonas’s attention. He rode tall, his hair dark, his face framed by a road beard, but still undeniably Lord Gaemil Tovias of Rakun. A long ways from home. Llew released an audible breath. Rowan stepped closer to them. “Should I—?” He indicated Jonas’s vest, offering to grab a knife. “We know him,” Jonas murmured. Gaemil turned through the gate, taking everything in, and continued to ride right up to Llew and Jonas. Alvaro and Karlani followed the riders. “Where is Anyunca?” Llew seemed lost for words, but she glanced over her shoulder to the farmhouse and Lord Tovias took that as both direction and invitation and urged his horse onward, his men following. “Uhm.” Llew gave Jonas an alarmed look. He didn’t know whether to be pleased to see the earl, either. Llew took off at a run back to the homestead, giving the horses a wide berth, reaching the door a few moments before Gaemil pulled his horse up outside and swung down from his saddle. Rowan, Alvaro, and Karlani followed the horses at a brisk walk, and Jonas followed as fast as he could manage; not quite so fast. Anya emerged as Gaemil reached the porch, allowing the door to open just enough for Llew to stand behind her shoulder. “My love. I’m so grateful to see you are safe and well.” Gaemil placed one foot on the porch, with no intention to use the steps, and stopped, evidently reading in Anya’s demeanor that she was less than joyous to see him. “It’s time to come home.” Anya had been shaking her head from the moment Gaemil started talking. “No.” “Why ever not? You’ve ensured Llewella is alive and well.” He waved a hand in Llew’s direction, her jaw rippling over clenching teeth. “Her name is Llew,” Jonas stated flatly. Gaemil stuttered to a halt and looked over his shoulder at Jonas. “What?” “You will call her Llew.” A couple of Gaemil’s guards bristled, taking a step closer, hands hovering over weapons. Gaemil raised a hand to steady them. “Ah, Llew. Right.” A scowl in place, evidently unsettled by Jonas’s order, he turned his attention back to Anya. “Llew and her friends may return with us. No doubt you’re eager to leave Turhmos.” He smiled at Llew, business-like; one of those smiles that fails to reach the eyes. “No,” Anya repeated. “Yes,” Gaemil stated. “Your business in Turhmos is complete and we have a tenuous enough relationship with the country as it is. You’re not a civilian anymore. What you do has consequences. You can’t be here without an invitation, and you certainly can’t fight them.” “Llew still needs me.” Anya glanced at Llew, as if asking permission to divulge more information. “Brurun needs you. I need you. Come home.” Again, Anya shook her head. “Not yet.” “Make her see reason,” Gaemil implored Llew. “Not that I’m not pleased to know you’re well, and you—” He glanced over his shoulder at Jonas, saw the crutches, but Jonas’s trousers and boot hid the prosthetic. “We heard about your fight. Not surprised you survived it, more surprised you were captured in the first place.” He tilted his head in a that’s-a-story-I’d-like-to-hear kind of way. “And Aris. I was sorry to see him turn like that. He’d always been a good friend to me. My condolences. I will miss him, too.” Jonas nodded his acceptance. He’d lost the Aris he’d loved weeks before the bastard had got his comeuppance. Gaemil turned back to Llew. “Ll— Llew, please. You’re welcome back in Rakun while you settle your plans for the future.” Llew gave a tight-lipped smile. “Turhmos is working with the magician Braph to destroy Quaver’s Kara. I think even Brurun would prefer we fight to maintain the status quo, and we have the only person capable of achieving that.” She nodded at Jonas. He both wanted to shrink under that expectation and rise to meet Llew’s belief in him. “But first, we need to fix him.” Gaemil looked at Jonas, scowled, turned back to Llew. “How d