Sytravious: The Lost Warlock Of Moruz (The Oathbreaker Book 1) Read Free Page A

him.
                  As he debated whether he should swim away and forget this encounter or make his presence known, his curiosity, and strong desire to know this girl, overpowered his common sense.  The further she strode away, the less of a chance he would ever see her again.  Despite every concern he felt about unveiling himself to this girl who he knew nothing about, the possibility of never having this opportunity again was just not an option for him.
                  He began to swim over to her, trying to conjure up a sensible way to introduce himself.  All sorts of wild thoughts were coursing through his mind when the smiling young maiden looked back, spotting him.  It was at that moment he caught a glimpse of her angular, glittering honey colored eyes.  The smile faded from her face, and her joyous expression was replaced with a look of alarm.  He knew he had to speak now or else he would risk frightening her even more.
                  “That had to be the sweetest smile I have ever seen,” he said.
                  Startled and panicked, the girl let out a high-pitched shriek.  Her hands covered her exposed body and she plunged down in the shallow water.  She seemed scared and unable to move.  The uncomfortable moment felt as if it lasted an eternity.  He held his hands up and turned his back to her in attempt to ease her fear.  Even without looking at her, the damsel’s effortless beauty still burned bright in his thoughts.
                  “What are you doing in my bath?” she screamed at him.
                  Her sudden tantrum snapped Sytravious right out of his daydream.  He should have expected it, but he was still caught off guard by her accusatory tone.  He looked over his shoulder, and raised an eyebrow in surprise.  His crystal blue eyes caught a glimpse of her in his peripheral vision, and he snickered at her. 
                  “Pardon me my lady, but unless I am somehow mistaken, this is a public spring.  It is open to all citizens.  So I am not sure how it qualifies as yours, or even a bath for that matter.”
                  Her mouth dropped in shock at his shrewd response.  “Very well sir, I suppose it is not really mine.  However, I am still a young woman who happens to be swimming in my undergarment.  It is about a simple matter of privacy.  A lady ought to be able to enjoy the springs without worrying about strangers with prying eyes.  Is there no consideration for a girl’s privacy anymore?”
                  Sytravious noticed her tone of voice, while still stern was not quite a shout anymore.  Feeling that her anger was subsiding, he allowed himself to regain his composure.  His heart was still pounding hard from the thrilling range of emotions he had just experienced in these brief moments.
                  “Now please sir, have the courtesy to allow me to dress without having to worry about your wandering stare.”
                  He rolled his eyes and gave an exaggerated exhale, expressing his frustration with her accusations.  Sytravious could hear her moving through the water and thought it would be best to fulfill her request by keeping his back to her.  He did not want to scare her away.
                  Sytravious decided to break the growing silence between them, and continued with the conversation, “I do suppose there is a matter of privacy for a lady in her bath.  However, as I mentioned before, this is a public spring.  Nobody told you to bathe here.  But I will say, because of your poor judgment, I have never seen a better sight in all my days.”
                  He thought he heard a small chuckle, but he did not receive a response from her.  Perhaps it was his ears deceiving him.  It was more likely that she was shaking her head in disapproval.  Then he grinned while he envisaged her