PREVIEW: Protected
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The LOST GENRE GUILD
Biblical Speculative Fiction
| C.E. Lavender's short story "Protected" can be found in Light at the Edge of Darkness along with 26 other stories of Biblical speculative fiction.
Read more about the author, C.E. Lavender. |
Mason knew better.
Glancing up the trail at Tori, he had to pause. He needed to stall, to think. Just
which side was he on, anyway? He’d started out on Zeke’s side, but then Tori came
into the picture.
Love has a funny way of changing things, blurring the lines between sides. Instead of
pursuing the shield for Zeke, Mason found himself searching for his own protection. If
he could find the shield, perhaps he could stop Zeke and protect Tori. Even whisk her
away from this war.
Mason frowned. How did it come to this? How did a simple mission turn into so much
more? How did I, of all people, fall in love?
Rule number 1: never become emotionally attached to a target.
Mason studied his target. Tori’s short auburn hair clung to the neck of her baby blue
shirt. She stopped, scanned their surroundings, and rubbed sweaty palms on her dark
khaki shorts.
A smile broke through Mason’s introspection. Beautiful. Even all sweaty and plain.
Elegance in exercise. He chuckled. I guess that’s how I fell for you. So, how do I get
us out of this predicament?
Tori wasn’t to blame. If she knew of his original allegiances, she’d never let on. And
she’d brought him here to help her sister, not hand-deliver him to his death. Perhaps
if he hadn’t avoided the past few meetings with Zeke, things might’ve been
different.
Zeke had grown bitterly impatient with Mason’s evasions. Their last encounter, one
Mason hadn’t expected, had ended with an ultimatum: find the shield and disable it
within forty-eight hours or die. Tori didn’t know time was up.
CRACK!
Tori’s gaze shot up the mountainside. Mason’s heart leapt into his throat. Fluttering
echoed down the mountainside ahead of a red-tailed hawk. Mason loosened his fists,
hoping Tori hadn’t noticed. He had to play it cool. Moreover, he needed to buy some
time. Slumped against a cool rock, he reached for his canteen.
Tori’s brown boots crashed down into his diverted gaze. Mason looked up. Hands on
her hips. Not good.
Her deep-set blue eyes bore through his stare. “Why did you stop?”
Mason took a swig of water. “It’s getting hot.”
“We have to get to Izzie. She’s in danger.”
She meant Zeke, but Mason couldn’t let on that he knew. Why not? The question hit
him hard and nearly stole his smirk.
He forced an amused expression and hoped she bought it. “A ‘Taker,’ right? The
really, really bad guy in this secret war of yours?”
“Yeah, a Taker.” Tori’s voice quavered with anxiety and irritation. “And this is far
from funny, Mason. Izzie’s in danger, whether you believe it or not. She’s our best
agent and she needs to know she’s walking into a trap.”
Tori had confessed her allegiances and given Mason a story about their arcane war
that varied a great deal from Zeke’s rendition. She’d entrusted him with her secrets,
closing the revelation by saying that she loved him. She’d risked everything to share
the truth with him. Why couldn’t he do the same?
Because of Zeke. The Taker—a soul collector for Lohrian traitors. Only the shield that
Tori’s people used could stop a Taker’s dark powers. Mason didn’t have that shield.
Glancing up the trail at Tori, he had to pause. He needed to stall, to think. Just
which side was he on, anyway? He’d started out on Zeke’s side, but then Tori came
into the picture.
Love has a funny way of changing things, blurring the lines between sides. Instead of
pursuing the shield for Zeke, Mason found himself searching for his own protection. If
he could find the shield, perhaps he could stop Zeke and protect Tori. Even whisk her
away from this war.
Mason frowned. How did it come to this? How did a simple mission turn into so much
more? How did I, of all people, fall in love?
Rule number 1: never become emotionally attached to a target.
Mason studied his target. Tori’s short auburn hair clung to the neck of her baby blue
shirt. She stopped, scanned their surroundings, and rubbed sweaty palms on her dark
khaki shorts.
A smile broke through Mason’s introspection. Beautiful. Even all sweaty and plain.
Elegance in exercise. He chuckled. I guess that’s how I fell for you. So, how do I get
us out of this predicament?
Tori wasn’t to blame. If she knew of his original allegiances, she’d never let on. And
she’d brought him here to help her sister, not hand-deliver him to his death. Perhaps
if he hadn’t avoided the past few meetings with Zeke, things might’ve been
different.
Zeke had grown bitterly impatient with Mason’s evasions. Their last encounter, one
Mason hadn’t expected, had ended with an ultimatum: find the shield and disable it
within forty-eight hours or die. Tori didn’t know time was up.
CRACK!
Tori’s gaze shot up the mountainside. Mason’s heart leapt into his throat. Fluttering
echoed down the mountainside ahead of a red-tailed hawk. Mason loosened his fists,
hoping Tori hadn’t noticed. He had to play it cool. Moreover, he needed to buy some
time. Slumped against a cool rock, he reached for his canteen.
Tori’s brown boots crashed down into his diverted gaze. Mason looked up. Hands on
her hips. Not good.
Her deep-set blue eyes bore through his stare. “Why did you stop?”
Mason took a swig of water. “It’s getting hot.”
“We have to get to Izzie. She’s in danger.”
She meant Zeke, but Mason couldn’t let on that he knew. Why not? The question hit
him hard and nearly stole his smirk.
He forced an amused expression and hoped she bought it. “A ‘Taker,’ right? The
really, really bad guy in this secret war of yours?”
“Yeah, a Taker.” Tori’s voice quavered with anxiety and irritation. “And this is far
from funny, Mason. Izzie’s in danger, whether you believe it or not. She’s our best
agent and she needs to know she’s walking into a trap.”
Tori had confessed her allegiances and given Mason a story about their arcane war
that varied a great deal from Zeke’s rendition. She’d entrusted him with her secrets,
closing the revelation by saying that she loved him. She’d risked everything to share
the truth with him. Why couldn’t he do the same?
Because of Zeke. The Taker—a soul collector for Lohrian traitors. Only the shield that
Tori’s people used could stop a Taker’s dark powers. Mason didn’t have that shield.
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through its authors, fans; to endorse new releases that fit this criteria; and of course, to glorify Him.
through its authors, fans; to endorse new releases that fit this criteria; and of course, to glorify Him.
EVERY SCENARIO ENDED WITH Mason’s death. With Zeke hot on
his heals looking for answers, Mason didn’t have much time left.
He had to complete his mission before Zeke discovered the
truth. He had to find the shield. Not an easy task when his
unwitting informant had him gallivanting up a mountainside
toward the very man he needed to avoid.
Mason peered down the mountain at the cars crawling along the
distant highway. What he would have given to be ignorant
again. The rest of the world had no idea what was really
happening. Just innocent people living innocent lives, oblivious
to the war waging around them.
his heals looking for answers, Mason didn’t have much time left.
He had to complete his mission before Zeke discovered the
truth. He had to find the shield. Not an easy task when his
unwitting informant had him gallivanting up a mountainside
toward the very man he needed to avoid.
Mason peered down the mountain at the cars crawling along the
distant highway. What he would have given to be ignorant
again. The rest of the world had no idea what was really
happening. Just innocent people living innocent lives, oblivious
to the war waging around them.
