Anastasia (The Bolton Series Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

you help me with dinner please?” Mom yelled from the end of the hallway.
    “I’ll be right there mom,” I yelled to the living room. Kenelm stood up from my desk chair.
    “It was nice to get a chance to chat with you, your majesty.” His voice seem to spread around my body, making me feel safe the way my dad’s would. “I should find your father.”
    He walked out of my room being extra careful not to bump into me on the way out since I had not moved from the doorway. I followed suit to help mom with dinner.
    My thoughts kept drifting to Kenelm’s wife. I wondered how she had died. How long they were married. How, exactly, did she know my mom. My heart ached just thinking of what he had been through. Never getting the chance to see the person you love ever again. I do not think I would have the strength to go through that. If I lost my parents or Simon, I do not know what I would do.
    However, Kenelm had his daughter. She was there for him when his wife passed away. Helping to bring him comfort in those dark days where I am sure the only thing he wanted to do was die himself.
    After dinner, Simon and I tended to the horses in the barn.
    “Who is this Kenelm guy?” I asked as I brought his horse out of the stall. He was a very stunning horse, reminding me much of Kenelm himself. I was not sure what kind of horse he was. His mane was perfectly white with one black spot on his left shoulder blade. His brown eyes looked at us with such happiness.
    “He’s an old friend. We used to live next door to each other.” Simon continued to brush Hope and never once looked up at me.
    “What’s he like?” I asked as I began to brush Kenelm’s horse.
    “Why do you want to know?” Simon finally lifted his face to look me in the eyes. He was searching for something in them. 
    “He is spending the night in our home. I think I deserve to know who is sleeping in the room across from me.”
    “Okay, fair enough. Well, he’s a nice guy, usually pretty quiet. He’s a Bandraoi.” I stopped my hands from brushing the horse. I had never met anyone from another coven before. The Bandraoi had the power of all the covens. They are the masters at controlling the elements. Most often they could get spells to work without any ingredients or words said. From what Simon taught me they were highly thought of by, not only the covens, but all species.
    “Whoa,” I whispered. “Simon, do you think he knows anything about the sword of Ustrina?”
    “Yes,” he laughed. “Of course he does but I don’t think he knows where it is. I told you, that sword is long gone.”
    He was probably right. It most likely did not even exist. Like most people said, it is just a tale. But I wanted it to be real. I wasn’t sure why but I felt like it was somewhere on this planet just waiting to be found once again.
    We spent the rest of the night cleaning the stalls.
    *~*
    Kenelm left early in the morning just as dad said he would. I have to admit that I was sad when I saw him leave on his horse. I wanted him to stay a little longer. I wanted to talk to him and get some more answers. Who knows when he would be back, if ever. My parents were not exactly social people.
    I spent the whole day with Mary, cleaning her stall, brushing her, taking her out for rides. I knew Simon would tell our parents what had happened while they were gone. I was not quite ready to discuss it with them. 
    Simon joined me on my last ride of the day with his horse, Hope. We both decided to go the opposite way of the red river. My heart raced and my breath quickened at just the thought of it.
    “What do you think of Kenelm,” he asked me once we were under the protection of the trees.
    “He seemed okay, although, I found him snooping through my room last night before dinner.”
    “He was just curious,” Simon chuckled moving a branch away before it hit him.
    “Funny, he said the same thing.”
    Simon ducked underneath another outreached branch before he shrugged his