by B. T. Narro
Eventually, we had the fort to ourselves. We remained in a large group, waiting for direction. I could see everyone’s exhaustion from all the drooping shoulders and heavy eyelids. We had fought and argued through the night, orange rays of the morning sun now peeking over the trees. As tired as I was, I felt hope in the air. The betrayal many of us had feared was over, and the king was still standing.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
There was much to do, but many of us needed food and rest before we could even think about being useful. At least there was consolation in knowing that the traitors must feel even worse than we did, and they didn’t have the fort. Even though it didn’t offer nearly as much protection as it had before last night, when all of its walls and ramparts were still intact, we had everything required for a hearty breakfast and a peaceful sleep.
Just about everyone ate at the same time. The sleeping part would have to come a little later.
I went with Michael and many others to check the corpses of Rohaer’s fallen for anything valuable. We would stack the bodies to be burned later, if people from Rohaer didn’t come with wheelbarrows to collect their dead for burial. There was fear that some of these bodies might carry the sickness, even if none of their skin showed pox, but having already healed it from two people, I did not fear it would spread through our small army.
Perhaps we would be lucky and the sickness would not only take out many more of Rohaer’s soldiers but also some in Harold’s army. Then again, that meant the rest of Lycast could be susceptible to infection after Harold led his troops back and took control of the cities.
It was a confusing time, made even more so by my fatigue.
I noticed Michael looking around. “What is it?” I asked.
“Where’s the metal mage? Did you see, Jon? I shot that fucker with the ballista!”
“I saw—”
“It was a good shot, too! He was moving through the air when I got him!”
“I know, I saw.”
“Did you?”
“I did. His body is way over there.”
“Show me.”
Michael was not at all disgusted by the sight of bloodied bodies. In fact, he seemed particularly proud as we came to stand in front of Davon’s impaled torso.
“Look at that! It went through his armor and everything! Good god, what power!”
“Mmhmm.” I didn’t share his enthusiasm for the ballista, but I was pleased Davon was dead.
“Dah!” Eden called out loudly as she playfully grabbed Michael’s sides from behind.
He squealed like a young lass, clearly startled.
Eden and I laughed.
“I told you I was going to make sure Jon heard one of your screams,” she said.
“At least now I don’t have to worry about it anymore.” He looked at me almost arrogantly. “So I scream like a girl when I’m startled. It’s nothing.”
“If you say so,” I teased.
Eden skipped off. Michael stared at her as she went, and she seemed to realize he was doing so as she looked back and made a flatulent noise with her mouth. He chuckled.
“How is she doing with dteria and all?” I asked.
“Much better. I don’t know what Jennava did, but I think she’s over it. Eden knows it almost took her to a place that she couldn’t recover from. She’ll be careful not to let it do that again.”
“Does that mean she has to use it more sparingly than she’d like during a battle like last night?”
“I don’t believe so. It’s not so much a matter of usage as it is a mentality toward the power. She could use it all she wants so long as she remains in control.”
I figured my attitude toward dvinia and the power it granted me could be described in the same way. If that was true, then I shouldn’t have anything to worry about so long as I never abused the power.
We left Davon’s corpse for now and went back to searching the bodies and then piling them together. Eventually Reuben and Charlie came up to us, I thought to help, but Reuben started talking to me without moving toward one of the many bodies near him, and Charlie just stood there as well.
“Jon, have you realized that we must give warning to our allies back north, like my father?” Reuben asked. “He and others in the capital must be evacuated before Harold arrives, people like Barrett. They need safe transport, not just on your back. They have many valuables that need to reach us so they are not pillaged when the capital goes to hell.”
“Have you spoken to the king about this?”
“I figured he might’ve told you his plan already.”
“I haven’t spoken with him since his speech last night.” He and our officers, including the demigods, had been in discussions since Harold left with many of our men.
“When can we sleep?” Charlie asked with dangling arms and drooping shoulders. “I don’t want to be awake any longer.”
“Charlie, you were great toward the end of the battle,” Michael said as he put his hand on Charlie’s shoulder, but Charlie looked too tired to care.
“Thank you,” Charlie muttered.
“Were you afraid?” Michael asked.
“At first, but—when can we sleep? I want to sleep, then I want to hear a lot of praise.”
We chuckled.
“I’m sure it’s fine if you sleep now, Charlie,” Reuben said.
Especially if he’s just going to stand there complaining about how tired he is instead of helping us, I decided not to say.
Charlie shuffled off like the living dead.
“You should probably rest as well, Jon,” Reuben told me. “I imagine you’re going to be needed a lot in the coming days.”
“He’s right, Jon,” Michael said. “Let the rest of us take care of this mess.”
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Yeah, go ahead,” Michael said.
“Thanks.”
“Hey Reuben,” I could hear Michael saying as I walked off, “did you see what happened to that metal mage? I shot that fucker with the ballista!”
“I heard about it, but I didn’t see.”
“Let me show you.”
I was thankful that some of our people had spent the morning putting up tents, knowing all of us needed rest. I spotted an empty one across the camp, but I stopped on my way over to poke my head in the king’s tent.
“I’m going to rest unless I’m needed,” I told the group of officers and demigods.
The king waved me in. The demigods parted so that I could join everyone.
“Jon, we wouldn’t be where we are today without you,” the king said. “I know the reason you put yourself at risk over and over again is for more than just riches and my good favor. You believe in this cause. In fact, you would probably let yourself die for it. But we need you alive now more than ever before. I’m ordering you to take better care of yourself. You do not need anyone’s permission when you want to take time for yourself. You are still young, barely nineteen. Look out for yourself during times like now, and you can bet that everyone will look out for you when battle comes, as you have for us.”
“Aye,” Leon said. “Barrett was right about you from the start. I owe that man an ale after all of this is done. Hell, I owe him a whole pitcher.”
It felt like ages ago that Barrett and Leon were arguing about how I should pursue sorcery. It made me realize how much Leon had grown, not so much with his sorcery, as he had been powerful when I’d met him, but in regard to being patient with us.
“Thank you, Leon, and your majesty,” I bowed slightly before leaving.
With permission to take time for myself, I knew exactly what I wanted. I had a lovely bath, then I found Hadley asleep in a small tent. She awoke as I entered.
“Is something wrong out there?” Hadley asked as she sat up.
“Everything’s fine,” I assured her. “I just came to rest.”
“Oh good.” She lifted up her furs. I nestled next to her and gently put my forehead against hers. She reached up and ran
her hand through my short hair and kissed my cheek.
She was warm and inviting and knew just how to melt away my tension. I knew tomorrow would bring trouble, but for now, I couldn’t possibly be more comfortable.
END OF BOOK 4
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