Feral Mage 3: Chapter 10

Dusk was settling in when Bryce finally arrived at the garrison town. The journey here had taken him a few hours, and Ciarra left him to his thoughts, which were still about her and his power.

Ciarra, The Goddess of Monsters.

Alex had been the one to mention her name, referencing the subject of a restrictive book that had been burned in the University. Bryce hadn’t thought much on the vandalism once he learned it wasn’t related to the Soul Mimic, but now that he knew it was connected to the heretical Goddess speaking to him, it worried him that someone knew a lot more than he did about what was happening.

The garrison town was like most he had seen before, a stone and mortar keep that served as the garrison with a tavern, shops, and homes built around it. As with most small towns, the tavern was the heart of the community, and Bryce saw several people gathered outside the establishment, but one stood out to him, or rather her four fluffy tails did.

“Bryce,” Janna said as she raced from the porch of the tavern to him. “Are you injured?”

He could see her eyes darting to the holes in his clothing. Bryce eased her worries with a nod before wrapping her in a hug.

“How’s Callie and Vex?” he asked.

Janna squeezed him tightly. “I was so worried.”

She broke the embrace and looked up at him, wiping a tear from her eye.

“Callie is injured, but not severely. Her armor stopped the spikes from piercing too deeply,” Janna said, then frowned. “She’s still a stubborn ass and tries to push through the pain, but you can tell she’s hurting.

“Vex is with her right now. I don’t think I need to tell you the wolfkin was pretty mad we left you with that monster. I’m still surprised she didn’t try to rush out to find you, at least not after we told her what you said.”

Bryce had to admit he was surprised as well. He figured there was a decent chance Vex would still be locked in the trunk when he met back up with the girls.

“Did you kill it?” Janna asked.

Bryce shook his head.

“It got away. I’ll need to warn the garrison Captain about it,” Bryce answered. “When we get back, I’m speaking to Bellamy to see if she’ll help me hunt it. I think it’s too much for just myself and too dangerous for you girls.”

He also didn’t want to disappoint Ciarra again and have the heretical Goddess kill him.

“We already told the soldiers about the Wyvern. They’re out on patrol right now, so come inside and rest for a bit,” Janna said, taking his hand.

As soon as he stepped into the tavern, he overheard many of the patrons discussing the Wyvern. Fragments of conversations about strange kills being found, missing livestock, or even signs of the creature greeted his ears. Experience told him that many of the conversations were just exaggerations or fabrications, made to allow individuals to add their voices to the excitement that was happening in the small town.

Janna led him through the dining area of the tavern to the back, which served as the inn where rooms could be rented. One of the doors opened, and Vex rushed out. She scowled as she looked him up and down, then hugged him. Bryce saw her holding the callingstone necklace in her hand as she wrapped him in the embrace.

“Brave, stubborn mate!” Vex said in beastkin. “I stayed with our pack, but I still feel I should have been fighting beside you! I only knew you lived because the stone would move toward us.”

Vex rubbed her face against him, and he patted the wolfkin’s back.

“I’m fine, Vex,” Bryce said.

She held onto him as they entered a room, and Bryce grimaced when he saw Callie sitting up in her bed watching the door with Omelet sleeping by her feet. Bandages covered her, and she frowned at him.

“It’s not that bad,” she said, still frowning. “Your mutt got carried away with the dressings.”

Vex turned and glared at Callie.

“Grumpy elf kept moving!” Vex said before switching to beastkin and shaking her head. “I should have tied her to the damn bed! Elf is as stubborn as my mate!”

The two glared at each other before Bryce patted Vex on the back and looked to Janna.

“Do you girls care to get me something to eat?” he asked. “I’m pretty famished from the fight and walk here.”

Bryce waited until Vex and Janna were well out of the room, Omelet deciding to follow them to no doubt beg the patrons for scraps. When he was sure they were far enough away not to hear anything, he took a seat beside Callie’s bed.

“No bullshit. How bad is it?” he asked her.

Callie’s frown faded to a more neutral expression.

“Muscle damage to my sword arm and left hip. I can walk, but running hurts, and I’m not swinging a blade for a few weeks or until I can see a healer,” she answered.

Bryce nodded.

“Once we’re back in Witchbrook, I’m taking you to a healer and paying for it,” he said before adding. “Then I’m taking you to the armorer and getting you a new set of plate, stronger.”

Callie tilted her head curiously at him.

“That’ll be expensive,” she said.

It would be, and Bryce hadn’t finished Isabelle’s contract since the fence’s cargo wasn’t recovered, and the Wyvern was still alive. Still, he met her gaze.

“You saved Janna on that bridge today. I’m damn well making sure you’re taken care of and better protected,” Bryce answered.

Callie stared at him, and slowly a smirk appeared on her face.

“So you’ll take care of me?” Callie asked in a sultry tone. “What if I want to make a special request of you?”

Bryce raised an eyebrow at the snow elf, and she let out a laugh only to wince.

“Neither the fox nor the mutt knows how to bandage a wound properly. Vex has this linen wrapped around me so tight I feel I’m wearing a corset,” Callie said.

Bryce smirked.

“I’ll be honest, it’s hard to picture you in a corset,” he said.

Callie’s blue eyes almost shone.

“Maybe you will see one day,” she replied.

He grabbed the small pack they kept bandages and healing salves in, then filled the wash basin and brought it over to the side of the bed. Quickly, he prepared a work area to change the dressing.

“I’ll work with them on first aid,” Bryce promised. “Now lean forward.”

Callie did as he asked, pushing the blanket away and revealing she was nude under it. He started unwinding the bandages Vex had done, keeping his eyes on the task and not Callie’s lower back and ass.

“Did you get the lizard?” she asked him.

Bryce came to the first puncture from the spikes. Cotton had been stuffed into the wound to stop the bleeding. He frowned, already able to tell no healing salve had been applied to it.

“It got away,” Bryce answered.

Callie swore as he pulled the cotton out of the puncture mark and applied a new one with the salve. She let him work in silence like that as he did the same to two more wounds.

“So what happened on the bridge?” she asked, her voice low.

Bryce scoffed.

“We ran into two types of monsters that shouldn’t be this far from the wild,” he answered. “And almost died from it.”

Callie turned and looked at him, no shyness about her pale breasts with pink nipples being visible.

“That’s not what I’m talking about. I saw your face right before you first used the Ice Breath attack. Your eyes turned solid black, Bryce,” Callie said. “But only that first time, not any time after it. Also, I’ve never seen you use that ability before in battle or the training yard.”

Callie stared hard at him as Bryce debated what to tell her. Finally, he sighed.

“I’m not sure myself, Callie,” he answered, looking into her blue eyes.

He was about to say more when the door to the room opened. Janna and Vex walked in carrying a tray of food, Omelet following closely.

“Sorry it took so long, they were in the middle of cook—” Janna stopped as her tails flared out behind her and her face turned red. “We-we can come back.”

Omelet waited by Janna’s feet, staring up at the tray of food in hopes the kitsune would drop it. Meanwhile, Vex frowned and stepped forward toward Callie.

“No!” Vex said to Callie before taking the blanket and covering the snow elf’s breasts.

The wolfkin crossed her arms and shook her head before speaking in beastkin.

“You’re too hurt to mate with Bryce. Wait until you’re healed.”

Callie’s eyes widened as she turned red and swore in a mixture of elvish and common.

Bryce cleared his throat, trying to hide his own shock at Vex’s comment, and looked to the still stunned Janna.

“I'm changing her dressings. They were too tight, and healing salve wasn’t applied to the wounds,” Bryce said, keeping his face straight.

Janna relaxed as she stepped forward and set the tray of food on the small table in the room. Callie said nothing but glared at a smiling Vex, the wolfkin’s tail wagging behind her.

Bryce finished redressing Callie’s wounds before using the basin and soap to wash up, his gut growling as he eyed the food. He hadn’t lied about wanting something to eat after the day’s events.

The tray of food consisted of fresh bread and a hearty stew with decent chunks of vegetables and meat. He tore the bread, dipping it into the broth and taking a bite as he watched Callie and Vex have their little spat in a mixture of common, elvish, and beastkin. Janna set some fresh clothes on an empty chair nearby before sitting beside him, her tails lightly brushing against his arm and back.

***

When Bryce finished eating and changed into clothing without holes torn in it, he headed to the garrison. The guards gave him the runaround with excuses for a bit, until one noticed the steel dog tag on his neck and eventually got the Captain of the garrison.

Bryce informed the old seasoned soldier about the Quill Wyvern in the area, along with the Carrion Fairies. The soldiers were already on the alert for a Wyvern, but the information Bryce provided about the particular species and the fairies might save lives.

“So if we hear this chirping laughter, the monster is probably near?” he asked.

Bryce nodded.

“The creature has a wound that’s infested with them. I also recommend burning any corpses you find that aren’t immediately being buried, man or beast,” Bryce warned. “Don’t underestimate the fairies. They’re nothing like the old stories.”

The Captain swore, but nodded his head in agreement. Bryce could see a hint of fear in the man’s eyes, and he knew everything he said was being heeded.

The fact that his advice was being taken seriously helped ease some of the sting of the Wyvern escaping him. Night had fully set by the time he returned to the tavern, and Bryce was ready to fall asleep in his bed with Vex and Janna. Even if their night would be tame with Callie sharing a room with them, he was looking forward to holding both of his girls.