***
“How dare ye remove us from battle!” Pheron was bristling with anger. “I do not recall hearing an order for us to retreat. We left them to deal with those creatures without our help! Return us now!”
Sarah held up her hands to the angry lieutenant. “I know you’re mad, Pheron, but it’s what Rhenyon wanted. With us out of the way, they can go after that ant queen by themselves.”
“How do ye know it’s what the captain wanted?” Rhein wanted to know.
Standing in the plaza where not twenty-four hours ago they had a pleasant lunch together, Sarah explained her actions to the angry soldiers.
“Steve and Rhenyon were whispering together, and then he told me to get all of you to safety, myself included. Don’t you understand? My husband was worried about me. He wanted me safe. So he looked to Rhenyon to see if that’s how he felt about you three. And your captain agreed.”
“The captain wanted us gone?” Kern was incredulous. “I do not believe that at all.”
“I have a feeling that my husband is about to go nuclear,” Sarah carefully explained. “Remember the attack in the orchard? The explosions? Something along those lines. If any of us happen to be too close when he does that, then it’s all over for us.” Taking a deep breath, she continued. “Now, Steve will only fight like that if he feels that he won’t hurt anyone. Rhenyon and Breslin can take refuge behind him when that happens. Two people can do that,” Sarah said quickly, observing Pheron ready to interject a complaint, “but not five, and certainly not six.”
Rhein put an arm on Pheron’s shoulder. “She’s right. I certainly don’t condone their decision, but I do see the logic of it.”
“Do ye feel that?” Kern had squatted down to lay a hand on the ground. “The ground is shaking.”
Pheron dropped to one knee, placing a hand on the rocky surface as well. “Aye, the ground is trembling. Is that from them?”
The rock floor continued to shake for a few moments more before slowly dissipating. The soldiers looked to Sarah for an explanation.
“I don’t know, I guess it could be them.” Sarah held up her hands. “Who’s to say that the ground doesn’t shake around here?”
Pheron straightened. “I can feel it trembling without even squatting down. It was not like that a few moments ago.”
“I feel it, too. And I could not earlier, either,” Kern helpfully supplied.
Rhein, still squatting, kept his hand firmly planted on the ground. “The shaking has increased in strength. They must really be going at it in there.”
The Prophecy Page 39
