Bloodflowers Bloom (The Astral Wanderer Book 2), D'Artagnan Rey [essential reading .txt] 📗

the capital with little effort. As they proceeded, the boy pointed out the sights, from a watch tower that was said to be the place where a great general directed the Monleans army from during an attempted invasion a couple of centuries before, to the garden district that was favored by many magi as a relaxing area to study their practices. He then took them through the Monleans’ trade market, the biggest in all the kingdom. It was there, as he showed them some of the fashionable wear in the capital, that a familiar voice called to him.

“I know that tenor,” Devol said with a smirk as he looked around and waved at an approaching figure in white-and-gold armor. “Captain Castiel!”

The others noticed a rather young man with long blond hair and fair skin and an inviting smile who waved in response. He approached them quickly and placed his hands on his waist as his smile widened. “I thought it was you, Devol. It’s good to see you back,” the guard captain said cheerfully. “Were you ever able to find the Templar Order you set off for?”

He gave him a playful frown. “Do you think I’ve been running in circles these last few months?”

“It’s a possibility,” Castiel retorted with a wry grin that took any possible sting out of the words. “You’ve always been more gung-ho than thoughtful in my experience.”

“Well, you should have a little more faith, good sir!” he chided as he placed a hand on Jazai and Asla’s shoulders. “These are my friends, Jazai and Asla. They are recruits in the Templar Order like me.”

“A recruit?” Castiel asked, momentarily astonished. “And here I thought you were dead set on being a guardsman.”

“I did too if I’m honest,” Devol admitted and pointed at Wulfsun. “But I think I can do more as a Templar. This is Captain Wulfsun. He’ll be my mentor.”

“You might want to hold off on that declaration for a wee while longer, lad,” the man chided but he chuckled as he extended a massive hand toward Castiel. “A pleasure. I’m Baioh Wulfsun of the Templar Order.”

Castiel took his hand and studied him with a mixture of surprise and awe. “Baioh Wulfsun? I never thought I would ever meet you. My mother has told me stories of you.”

“Your mother?” the large man questioned, his eyes wide with confusion and a trace of concern. “Who would that be, Captain?”

“Corrin Gale. She told me stories of her time in the Templar,” the guard revealed.

“Corrin!” Wulfsun shouted and caught the attention of several people around them. “Then yer her son? My word. Has it been so long that you’ve grown up to be a guard captain, no less?”

The younger man grinned and nodded as he reached behind him. “Indeed. If you would like more proof…” He withdrew what appeared to be a lamp, a winding metal cage of gold where a glowing orb hovered in the middle. “She passed this down to me.”

Wulfsun was taken aback when he saw the guard captain’s majestic. “Fyrehart. Well, I’ll be…” he said wistfully. “I never thought I would see it in action again. It’s good to see it still fulfilling a duty.”

“I always try to make her proud, sir, and her comrades as well,” Castiel replied and put the lantern away. “She always speaks fondly of her time in the order.”

“Aye, she was always warmer than any hearth for us, especially during the dangerous missions,” Wulfsun said with a smile. “When she left to have you, we all missed her greatly. But given the kinds of things we have to deal with, it was better that she cut all ties and started anew. Although I suppose if she’s passing stories along, we haven’t completely faded from her heart.”

The guard captain shook his head and his eyes seemed a little misty. “Not at all, sir. I wish I could take you to her but she moved to Britana a couple of years ago. She said she missed the air there.”

The Templar nodded knowingly. “Aye, I was rather surprised to hear she’d decided to settle in Monleans, but I guess going to her homeland right away would have been something of a tip-off. Why didn’t you go with her, lad?”

Castiel shrugged and looked at Devol. “Well, while Britana is her home, this is mine. Once she passed her majestic on to me…well, I was fast-tracked into the captain position. I couldn’t leave my people.”

“I’m glad you stayed, Castiel,” the young swordsman interjected. “Things would be much less fun without you.”

The captain chuckled and nodded. “I do have to admit, it’s been somewhat dull without you to chase around. So are you coming to visit?”

“I’m on a mission,” the boy revealed and glanced at his teammates who looked questioningly at him “Uh…we’re on a mission. But I want to say hi to my parents while we are here. Is Father on duty today?”

Castiel shook his head. “It’s a day off for him. Unless he had plans today, he should be home with your mother.”

“Good, then let’s go there now.” Devol beckoned excitedly to the others. “It was good to see you, Castiel.”

“Don’t be a stranger if you come through again, Devol,” the guard captain shouted and waved as the small group began to head to the Alouest abode. Castiel looked at Wulfsun. “It was an honor to meet you, sir.”

“Likewise, young Gale,” the Templar replied and nodded in the direction of the lantern. “She shines with you. Fyrehart can be picky and it’s not only genetics that can let one wield a majestic.”

“Thank you, sir.” The younger man fidgeted slightly. “Although there is one thing, sir—two, in fact.”

“Go ahead, lad.”

“Do look after Devol. He can be rambunctious and perhaps a little childish, but he has a good heart and strong sword arm.”

Wulfsun snickered. “Trust me, I’ve seen that.”

“And the other…” He looked around warily. “I’m sorry to bring this up but do be careful about the Templar signifier. Monleans has a better history with