Novel Jumper

Chapter Thirteen

 "You're alive?" Winfrith demanded as the creature released Lilia and she staggered to Connor's side, trying to put as much distance between herself and the thing as possible. The humanoid regarded her calmly - well, actually, she couldn't tell what it was feeling, because its huge eyes were completely black. A few sharp teeth poked out of its nearly non existent lips. It was incredibly skinny, with a large head that was completely disproportionate. One just like it, only covered in silver scales, had been holding Connor.

"Yeah, we're alive. Why wouldn't we be alive?" Connor asked, only a slight tenseness evident in his voice as he took Lilia's arm and steered her behind him, rotating so they had the two creatures in their sight. It was clear that the apprehension wasn't from Winfrith, but rather the monsters he had with him.

"I don't know if you heard," Winfrith replied sarcastically, "but your town's not doing so well at the moment."

"We got out."

"And Azca?"

"He's fine. He's at the capital. Duty calls and all that."

"Oh!" Lilia suddenly exclaimed, and blushed, shrinking into herself as all attention was focused on her. She had remembered who Winfrith was, but she couldn't exactly tell Winfrith or the two creatures that.

Connor, quickly understanding what had happened or at least picking up enough of it to know to keep it secret, asked hastily, "So what's new with you? Got some new sidekicks, I see."

"You have no idea," Winfrith muttered. "They won't leave. Say they're in my debt or some crap like that."

"We are," the humanoid thing that had been Lilia's captor said in a low tone. "You saved us when we were helpless children."

"I thought you were regular tadpoles that would grow up to be regular frogs, and frog parts are especially tasty in soups! How was I to know that you were being terrorized by the pond's local eagle?" Winfrith retorted exasperatedly. Lilia sensed it was an old conversation and hid a smile behind her hand.

"A couple of Whitters. You're lucky," Connor said as he struggled with his own grin. "They're loyal till their death. Which I've heard is about fifty years after their birth."

"Correct," said the first Whitter with a completely straight face.

"I'm working out how to get rid of them," Winfrith muttered, glancing sourly at them. "Your turn. What the hell happened with you?"

Lilia glanced apprehensively at Connor. How are we going to play this? Are you going to lie to your comrade?

"Lilia here was about to be killed in the battle battle. She was visiting my town, see, and picked a bad time. I'm taking her home."

Well, technically, none of it was a lie.

"Since when have you taken pity cases?"

Since it means discovering what brought me here and whether or not it might be a problem in the future, you -

"Since I learned that she has no survival skills whatsoever and would practically hand herself over to the enemy," Connor replied smoothly, shooting a cheeky grin Lilia's way. She rolled her eyes at him but couldn't deny it. "I'd feel pretty bad, having the blood of a damsel in distress on my hands."

Oh, you'll pay for that one.

"So what happened with you?" the man asked. "And where's Theresa?"

Lilia saw Connor's hands curl into fists. His knuckles turned white. "My house's protective wards kept us - Azca, Lilia, me - safe. We hid out there until the battle was over. Theresa - " He took a deep breath and blurted out the words quickly. "Theresa's dead."