sliced through him. If not for his banishment, he would
have been here that day. Unlike the other Sentinels, he had to fight the Katagaria
alone. "No."
"Oh."
"Is something else wrong? You still don't look happy."
She met his gaze levelly. "You stole the tapestry from the museum," she said in
modern English so no one else would understand her. "I want to know why."
"I had to get it back here."
"Why?"
"Because it's the ransom for another Sentinel. If I don't give them the tapestry on
Friday, they will kill him."
Channon scowled at that. "Why do they want the tapestry?"
"I have no idea. But since a man's life was at stake, I didn't bother to ask."
Suddenly, she remembered what he'd said last night about the tapestry. "It was
made by a woman named An-tiphone back in seventh-century Britain. It's the story
of her grandfather and his brother and their eternal struggle between good and
evil."
On their way into town, he'd said it was the story of his grandfather.
"Antiphone is your sister?"
"Was my sister. She died a long time ago."
By the look on his face she could tell the loss was still with him.
"Why was her tapestry in the museum?"
"Because..." He took a deep breath to stave off the agony inside him, agony so
severe that it made his entire being hurt.
He felt the tic working in his jaw as he forced himself to answer her question. "The
tapestry was with her when she died. I tried to return it to my family, but they
wanted nothing to do with me. I couldn't stand having it around me, so I took it
into the future where I knew someone would preserve it and make sure it was
honored and protected as she should have been."
"You plan on taking it back after all this is over with, don't you?"
He frowned at her astuteness. "How did you know?"
"I would say I'm psychic, but I'm not. I just figured a man with a heart as big as
yours wouldn't just steal something without making amends."
"You don't know me that well."
"I think I do."
Sebastian clenched his teeth. No, she didn't know. He wasn't a good man. He was
fool.
If not for him, Antiphone would have lived. Her death had been all his fault. It was
a guilt that he lived with constantly. One that would never cease, never heal.
And in that moment he realized something. He had to let Channon go. There was
no way he could keep her. There was no way he could share his life with her.
If anything should ever happen to her ...
It would be his fault, too. As his mate, she would be prime Katagari bait. Even
though he was banished, he was still a Sentinel, and his job was to seek and
destroy every Slayer he could find.
Alone he could fight them. But without his patria to guard Channon while he
fulfilled his ancient oath, there was always a chance she would end up as
Antiphone had.
He would sooner spend the rest of his life celibate than let that happen.
Celibate! No!
He squelched the rebellious scream of the inner Drakos. For the next three weeks,
he would guard her life with his own, and once his mark was gone from her, he
would take her home.
It was what had to be done.
After they left the bakery, they spent the afternoon browsing the stalls and
sampling the food and drink.
Channon couldn't believe this day. It was the best one of her entire life. And it
wasn't just because she was in Saxon Britain, it was because she had Sebastian by
her side. His light teasing and easy-going manner wrapped around her heart and
made her ache to keep him.
"Beg pardon, my lord?"
They turned to find a man standing behind them while they were watching an
acrobat.
"Aye?" Sebastian asked.
"I was told by His Majesty, King Henfrith, to come and ask for the honor of your
company tonight. He wishes to extend his full and most cordial hospitality to you
and to your lady."
Channon felt giddy. "I get to meet a king?"
Sebastian nodded. "Tell His Majesty that it would be my honor to meet with him.
We shall be along shortly."
The messenger left.
Channon breathed
have been here that day. Unlike the other Sentinels, he had to fight the Katagaria
alone. "No."
"Oh."
"Is something else wrong? You still don't look happy."
She met his gaze levelly. "You stole the tapestry from the museum," she said in
modern English so no one else would understand her. "I want to know why."
"I had to get it back here."
"Why?"
"Because it's the ransom for another Sentinel. If I don't give them the tapestry on
Friday, they will kill him."
Channon scowled at that. "Why do they want the tapestry?"
"I have no idea. But since a man's life was at stake, I didn't bother to ask."
Suddenly, she remembered what he'd said last night about the tapestry. "It was
made by a woman named An-tiphone back in seventh-century Britain. It's the story
of her grandfather and his brother and their eternal struggle between good and
evil."
On their way into town, he'd said it was the story of his grandfather.
"Antiphone is your sister?"
"Was my sister. She died a long time ago."
By the look on his face she could tell the loss was still with him.
"Why was her tapestry in the museum?"
"Because..." He took a deep breath to stave off the agony inside him, agony so
severe that it made his entire being hurt.
He felt the tic working in his jaw as he forced himself to answer her question. "The
tapestry was with her when she died. I tried to return it to my family, but they
wanted nothing to do with me. I couldn't stand having it around me, so I took it
into the future where I knew someone would preserve it and make sure it was
honored and protected as she should have been."
"You plan on taking it back after all this is over with, don't you?"
He frowned at her astuteness. "How did you know?"
"I would say I'm psychic, but I'm not. I just figured a man with a heart as big as
yours wouldn't just steal something without making amends."
"You don't know me that well."
"I think I do."
Sebastian clenched his teeth. No, she didn't know. He wasn't a good man. He was
fool.
If not for him, Antiphone would have lived. Her death had been all his fault. It was
a guilt that he lived with constantly. One that would never cease, never heal.
And in that moment he realized something. He had to let Channon go. There was
no way he could keep her. There was no way he could share his life with her.
If anything should ever happen to her ...
It would be his fault, too. As his mate, she would be prime Katagari bait. Even
though he was banished, he was still a Sentinel, and his job was to seek and
destroy every Slayer he could find.
Alone he could fight them. But without his patria to guard Channon while he
fulfilled his ancient oath, there was always a chance she would end up as
Antiphone had.
He would sooner spend the rest of his life celibate than let that happen.
Celibate! No!
He squelched the rebellious scream of the inner Drakos. For the next three weeks,
he would guard her life with his own, and once his mark was gone from her, he
would take her home.
It was what had to be done.
After they left the bakery, they spent the afternoon browsing the stalls and
sampling the food and drink.
Channon couldn't believe this day. It was the best one of her entire life. And it
wasn't just because she was in Saxon Britain, it was because she had Sebastian by
her side. His light teasing and easy-going manner wrapped around her heart and
made her ache to keep him.
"Beg pardon, my lord?"
They turned to find a man standing behind them while they were watching an
acrobat.
"Aye?" Sebastian asked.
"I was told by His Majesty, King Henfrith, to come and ask for the honor of your
company tonight. He wishes to extend his full and most cordial hospitality to you
and to your lady."
Channon felt giddy. "I get to meet a king?"
Sebastian nodded. "Tell His Majesty that it would be my honor to meet with him.
We shall be along shortly."
The messenger left.
Channon breathed
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