The Beast And The Blessed

Twenty-Seven: Joselin

Joselin's P.O.V.

He jumped down. His dirty-blonde hair appeared brown in the shadows of the trees until he stepped into the sunlight and illuminated the gold strands. He was of average height but still a head shorter than Tobias. He was lanky and thin, almost like he had been starving for months in the woods.

But what fascinated me the most was the subtle pale yellow eyes. Even the powerful aura coming from him didn't bother me. His eyes, though, they did.

They bothered me greatly as they bore into me like he could read my mind and see my soul.

I didn't need confirmation for me to know that it was him. He was the toy the nymphs wanted. He was what everyone on the mountain was hunting.

He was who Aurora and Killian sent me to convince to come back with me.

"Why have you brought me here?" A crooked smile met my question, and he began to circle me with curiosity.

I kept my blade up, turning with him as he examined me how a predator would its prey. "You brought yourself here."

His low snort as he laughed made me pause, and my eyebrows pressed together in confusion. The geekiness of this man made me think there was no way he could be a threat, but then again, most villains got their start the same way.

They were dismissed or looked down upon and became angry or power- hungry.

I wouldn't underestimate a man who had blown up half of a mountain and convinced a descendant of the moon goddess and the king to send me out without backup or magic.

come back with me. So what will it take?" The tension in my shoulders lowered when I realized I was possibly only a day

He asked, nudging a crushed granola bar with his toe by

had taken me away from my

demanded to speak with the person in charge." He said with a shrug, looking back up at me and away from the scattered food and supplies on the ground. He should have spoken with Killian or even Natalie if he wanted the person

another explosion erupted, shaking

walking back toward the tree he had been standing in earlier. I didn't move more than to turn and watch his back as he walked

dragon shifter. Please be a dragon

coming or not? We can't wait around here all day." He shouted over his shoulder but didn't look

curiosity or my duty to my king that made me decide to shove everything back in my backpack quickly and follow him without arguing. He walked briskly before reaching a stone wall, uneven with loose rocks and tiny bits of crumbling dirt that I assumed was the aftermath of all

never broke his stride until he was inside the mountain and out of

angle to see the almost unnoticeable glimmer of magic. This would be

must have had a witch working for him to build him the sanctuary, and it made my mind go back to the mountain. The

I straightened my back and trailed after him through

inside the cave, almost damp. I wrinkled my nose at the smell, and the man gave me a sheepish look as he scratched the thick strawberry­blonde

was safe to use magic now that I was with him. It didn't make sense that he would have a protection spell around the mountain without having his witch cast a border. His witch

person in charge, she warned me about

into flames, the smoke going up two feet before being sucked into a flat

I take time out of my schedule to come here, so speak." My demand made him smile, and I looked away to examine the rest of his cave. There wasn't much around, but I had to imagine that he was pretty comfortable if

his hand out, and I spun to face him, lifting my dagger between us, making him stop

name. I