Flashback ( PDFDrive )

allying with an enemy.”
Sophie’s mouth went dry. “We were only—”
“Spare me your explanations,” he interrupted. “I’m a Mercadir. I
follow the orders of my king. And my king has ordered me to protect
you. So I meant no threat”—his eyes flicked to Sandor, who’d drawn
his sword—“I only thought we should acknowledge the challenge in
our situation.” His eyes drifted back to Sophie’s. “We don’t have to be
friends. In fact, it’s better if we aren’t. It will allow me to keep the
objectivity your other guards clearly aren’t capable of.”
Sandor muttered something under his breath, and Sophie had a
feeling she was discovering at least one of the reasons Ro was so very
anti-Bo.
“All that matters,” Bo continued, “is that if you trust me with your
life, you won’t be disappointed. You’ll soon find that you don’t need
any of these other protectors.”
“So you keep claiming,” a droll female voice noted from the general
direction of a nearby tree. Sophie craned her neck, trying—and failing
—to catch a glimpse of her as the voice added, “And yet, we’re here to
handle threats that involve some from your species, aren’t we, Bo?
Meanwhile my people have kept themselves separate from this foolish
drama. So I’ll have nothing slowing my hand when the time comes.”
“Neither will I!” Bo snarled. “I’m looking very forward to ending the
lives of the fools who dared to think themselves mightier than my
king. One in particular.”
“Then your hunger for revenge will distract you from your other
responsibilities,” the female argued. “Either way, it’s a liability.
Whereas I’ll be entering each fight without any connection or agenda.
No elf, goblin, ogre, or dwarf can say the same. Even you, little gnome