Halli’s voice called as if from a distance. “Tetra?”
He sat up, staring at where the cave’s entrance had been. He scrubbed the dirt from his eyes and looked around. A few others had been knocked down as well.
“Tetra, are you alright?” Halli crouched beside him.
He managed a jerky nod. She grasped his arm and her Geist rippled through him, raising bumps along his skin. She swayed, and Tetra noticed how exhausted she appeared. He gently pushed her hands away. “I’m fine,” he heard himself say. “The others need it more.” Something wasn’t right. He had to find Reynolds.
Halli squeezed his hand and moved on to a wounded Admired. Then strong hands hauled Tetra to his feet.
“We need to get moving,” Andros said. “They may have another surface exit nearby.”
“But Reynolds …” Tetra went to the pile of rubble. Bealdred already stood there, helm visor lifted, revealing his mournful look.
His uncle joined them, downcast. “Tetra, he’s …”
“We have to help him.”
“Tetra.”
“There’s still a chance.”
“Tetra.” Andros grabbed his shoulder and spun him about. “Tetra! I’m sorry. He’s gone.”
Tetra shook his head. It couldn’t be. Reynolds was a Tempest. He could control time itself! He looked to one side of the clearing, where Sibyl leaned against a tree, tears coursing down her face.
“We have to go,” Andros said. “Reynolds made sure that we could.”
“He’s right, git.” Bealdred was sweating profusely and his breathing was labored. “Ain’t no tellin’ how long a’fore they break outta there. Can’t let the fallen fall for nothin’.” His voice was rough, thick with sorrow.
They gathered to assess their situation. Halli had already mended Alleen’s leg, and Oltarian claimed he was fit to march, though his words were slurred. Halli stood from one of the Admired and spoke to Jaimson, who lowered his head. Of the seven Admired who’d joined them, three remained.
“I’m sorry, but there’s no time for burials,” Andros told Sibyl, who stayed staring at the rock pile. “We need to cover as much ground as possible before dark. The Aspects have smiled on us today, to have walked away from such a battle with so few losses. Let’s not waste that blessing. Tetra, lead the way.”
They hurried through the forest to the cliffs where the children waited. A babble of voices broke out as they came through the tree line. Kellian sat propped up against a boulder, Gnarrl bowed over him.
Tetra bounded over. “Get away from him!”
“It’s alright,” Kellian said. “He’s healing—”
Tetra shoved the oroc off the soldier. Gnarrl shuffled aside, hunched in on himself, eyes on the ground.
“He was at Jaegen! He killed my family.” Tetra flung a hand at the oroc. “Who knows how many more he’s murdered. Were you part of the attack on the castle, too?”
Gnarrl glanced up at him without raising his head. “Yes.”
“See?” Tetra shook a fist. “All they do is destroy. They’re beasts.”
Halli came forward. “Tetra, he protected us. He saved my life when other orocs tried to kill me.”
Tetra huffed in frustration. Why didn’t she see the danger the orocs still presented? Why didn’t she understand that, at their core, the creatures were as bad as the ifrahn they’d just fought?
Kellian winced as he rose. “I think these orocs wish to be allies. They want peace.”
“So what if they do?” Tetra asked. “Do they really deserve it? And maybe these two want it, but do you really think all the other clans are like them? You think two friendly orocs are going to make a difference the next time they decide to burn down a village?”
Gnarrl straightened and joined the other oroc to speak in their own language.
Tetra scowled their way. “Who knows what they’re really plotting? Maybe they’re working with the ifrahn. This is their forest, isn’t it? How did so many of those creatures get here? Some of them had to know.”
“They wouldn’t do that,” Halli said. “The ifrahn killed the other orocs trying to help us.”
“Bealdred,” Andros said. The blacksmith stepped forward. “I want you escorting the orocs. If they try to escape …”
“Aye, sir,” Bealdred said.
“Gnarrl go without challenge,” Gnarrl said. “But Fursta not in attack. Gnarrl ask that Fursta go free, to warn Rocmire clans of ifrahn.”
Tetra caught Andros’ eye and shook his head, but the captain held a brief internal debate. “Very well,” he said at last.
“Uncle!” Tetra drew his sword.
Andros sighed. “I know how you feel, boy, but you will sheathe that weapon now!”
Tetra hung his head and slid the blade back into its scabbard.
“Look, if this … Gnarrl … wishes to come freely, then it’s better than trying to deal with two unwilling prisoners. He’ll be placed with the rest at Castle Drayston, I assure you.”
Gnarrl’s shoulders settled. He had another quick talk with the female before waving her away. She shot a last incomprehensible look at Tetra and then disappeared into the forest.
“Everyone prepare to head out.” Andros frowned at Sibyl. “I take it you’ll want to return to your camp?”
“I’ll stay to help them,” she said, gesturing to the children. “It’s what Malthius wanted.”
“Wait, where is Reynolds?” Kellian asked.
Sibyl shut her eyes against new tears. No one spoke. As he realized the truth, the pain on Kellian’s face mirrored Tetra’s own.
***
Chapter Fifty-eight
Tetra Bicks
Though everyone hung on the edge of exhaustion, they traveled each day as fast and as far as they could. The adults carried the children when they couldn’t walk any further, and Gnarrl even helped from time to time, despite Tetra’s protests. Since the others refused to give his suspicions any credence, Tetra decided to just keep his own eye on the oroc, ensuring he didn’t try to slip off into the forest carrying several prisoners or try to use them as hostages to secure his freedom.
It did surprise him each time he woke at dawn to see Gnarrl still sitting with the group. While Bealdred acted as his escort, surely the oroc knew the humans prioritized returning home and wouldn’t likely pursue him if he ran away.
Stranger yet, the oroc acted as a guide at times, pointing out easier paths or redirecting their route if they strayed too far off course. Malec always confirmed that he pointed out the proper course, and the oroc’s helpfulness irked Tetra. He despised taking any sort of assistance from one of their kind, even if it got them home faster. Did Gnarrl think this would put them in his debt? Lighten his sentence?
They marched well past dark, and even fashioned torches and risked using volamps to stretch the day’s progress. Four days passed this way, eating rations as they went, making a few stops to refill water skins.
The main consolation of the journey’s length was the time it allowed for the Jaegen Seven to reconnect. Tetra, Halli, Sven, Malec, Pavil, Katerine, and Laney celebrated being in each other’s whole company once more. They swapped stories of captivity, battle, escape, devious plans, and desperate moments. Even as they trekked on, they laughed together, wept, consoled, and comforted one another as best they could.
The details of their time in the oroc encampment only served to reinforce Tetra’s opinion of the beasts, no matter how much Halli tried to laud their peaceful intentions and paint them misguided by ifrahn deception. Did the reasons behind their actions count for more than the actions themselves? At times, he wondered if Gnarrl had focused on deceiving his sister with acts of mercy and kindness, a long-term sinister plan to plant doubts and stall the humans from further action, biding his time until the orocs could rally and strike.
Malec and Pavil spent hours each day walking beside Sibyl, who rarely spoke. To Tetra’s surprise, the two boys didn’t fall into their usual banter or quarreling around her
, but just stayed constant companions, and she occasionally looked at them with a trembling smile. Kellian stuck close to her as well, one of the few people Sibyl bothered talking to from time to time. From the few snatches he caught, they exchanged words about Reynolds, though Sibyl glared and quieted whenever she noticed him trying to get close enough to listen.
Andros tried to cheer the children up with talk of what they would do after they reached the castle. He spoke of baths and feasts and warm beds, and this brought a spring to the step of even the weariest youth. Then he asked the Jaegen Seven what they might wish to experience. He could find places for them to stay at the capital, perhaps, or see about opening the way into the Academy in Aldamere. No doubt the recruiters would be amazed at their tale of survival and welcome them still.
The seven conferred among themselves, but it didn’t take long for them to reach a consensus. The first thing they had to do was visit Jaegen. They had to see what remained and at least say goodbye. Everything beyond that could wait.
Bealdred remained the lightest in spirits, entertaining them all with a steady stream of jokes and colorful observations about the land they marched through. He never failed to elicit a smile from those around him, even if they faded soon after. Between his jesting sessions, Tetra noted how the blacksmith’s jowls drooped when he thought no one watched, and he kept casting looks back at the deeper forest.
As the fifth day brightened around them, the slope slanted up at a sharper angle, and they reached the lowermost terrace of the forest boundary. It took them several more hours to reach the uppermost tier, where the land stretched blessedly flat through the trees, off toward the road.
When the true forest fell behind, dissolving into sparse rows of stunted trees, they paused in a final break before the last stretch of walking. As he took a swig of water, Tetra noticed his uncle take Gnarrl to one side, just out of earshot of the rest.
Tetra tried not to look at them directly as he walked a casual circle, pretending to study the land ahead of them while edging closer until he could hear his uncle’s words.
“After this, you can’t turn back,” Andros said. “I can accept letting you go for all you’ve done, but if you travel on, it must be entirely as our prisoner.”
Tetra snarled quietly, feeling the rage rising. Even his uncle had been suckered by the beast’s do-gooder act.
Gnarrl shifted in place and Tetra waited for him to bolt. Let him then. Either he would cower in the forest the rest of his miserable existence, knowing himself as a coward, or he and Tetra would cross paths again, and a reckoning would occur.
But then the oroc put his back to the Rocmire. “I must right wrongs, make justice. I go with.”
Tetra could hardly believe it. Surely the creature knew what was in store for it?
The group mustered and headed on. This close to their destination, even the youngest’s pace quickened. As they, at last, trooped through the western gate of Mirewatch, under the astonished eyes of the guardsmen, Tetra finally allowed himself to relax.
They had reached human territory and would soon be behind castle walls. Nothing short of an oroc army could touch them there.
They were safe. They’d survived, yet again.
He paused and gazed back at the forest, thinking of a certain pile of rocks.
Most of them.
Then Pavil’s voice drew his attention back to the main yard. “Who’s he?”
Tetra turned to see Lord Major Illamer. The man sat astride his stallion, his smirk nearly as unbearable to look at as the glare off his polished armor. A squad of Drayston soldiers and his personal guard stood behind him at attention, and Tetra noted many an unhappy glower among them.
Illamer nudged his horse into motion and stopped before Tetra’s uncle. “Captain Andros Bicks. I hereby place you and all those accompanying you under arrest.”
While a clamor went up from the survivors, Andros gave the Lord Major a flat look. “Under what precedent?”
“Rebellion, of course. Disobeying the king’s command, orders which you yourself delivered to our province.” Illamer nodded at the forest. “No Drayston soldiers were to enter the Rocmire and engage any orocs, possibly provoking a war.” He raked the group with his gaze. “I count no less than three here, all sworn to Drayston’s service. And in the company of an oroc, even. Though …” He frowned. “Where is Sergeant Reynolds?”
“The major,” Bealdred said, curling a fist, “fell in battle while gettin’ these youngin’s outta the orocs’ paws. Come off it, Illamer. Pretendin’ to care about procedure.”
“Such a pity. He will no doubt be missed.” Illamer tightened his grip on the reins. “Nevertheless, let his death serve as an example of what happens to those who defy a royal edict. Execution may yet await you all unless you come peacefully.”
“We won’t,” Tetra said.
The Lord Major’s attention snapped his way. “What’s that, boy?”
Andros gestured for Tetra to back off, but he ignored the motion. “You want peace? Then maybe you should’ve fought for it instead of for your own tassels.”
Illamer trotted his horse over so he could fix Tetra with a glare, ignoring Andros’ taunt. “Just who do you think I am?”
Tetra crossed his arms. “You’re a coward.”
Illamer stiffened in his saddle. “No one labels me as such.”
“Calling me a nobody?” Tetra rose to his full height as the anger boiled over again. “I’ve killed orocs and ifrahn. I’ve saved the lord’s own nephew. I’ve rescued people nobody else even thought were alive. What’ve you done? So far as I can tell, you got plenty of your men killed in battle, trying for your own glory and pride. Then you hid in the castle while others risked everything to bring my friends home. Now you’re trying to arrest those same people just because you don’t want to see them recognized for the effort. That’s nothing but a coward’s work, and I’ll say the same for anyone who follows you.”
The squad behind Illamer shifted, and Tetra called to the Drayston soldiers. “You all know this is wrong. Major Reynolds gave his life to bring these children back, and he was the best man I’ve ever known. Are you all going to continue obeying the orders of this coward?”
“Call me that again,” Illamer said, hand going to his saber hilt, “and I’ll strike you down right here, you stupid little—”
“Try it,” Sven said, standing beside Tetra, fists raised. “I dare you.”
One by one, the other Jaegen survivors moved up until all stood behind Tetra, pinning the Lord Major with their scowls.
Illamer looked to Andros and sniffed. “Hiding behind children, Captain Bicks?”
Andros shrugged. “They’re not children, Lord Major. Not anymore. And if you can’t see them as anything but, then I pity the soldier willing to follow a blind commander.”
“Just go, Lord Major,” said Tetra. “You have no friends here. In fact, I’m not sure you really have any at all, except for those who like to pucker up for your arse.”
Halli gasped, and Pavil giggled.
Illamer tried to stare Tetra down, but the man’s gaze might as well have been a buzzing gnat for all the impact it held.
“You’ve spoken your last words, traitor.” He drew his sword.
Bealdred stepped forward and stared at the Lord Major. “I’d be thinking twice. You really think the king is behind you on this?”
Illamer stared at Bealdred. The blacksmith stared back.
At last, the Lord Major sheathed his sword. He spat on the ground at Tetra’s feet. “We’re not done, you and I.”
After his mount’s hoof beats faded into the distance, Andros addressed the guardsmen still standing there. “Thank you all for seeing reason. We’re a weary lot and could use a committed escort back to the castle. Don’t fear being implicated in any royal prosecution. I accept all responsibility for our actions.”
As the tension seeped out from the guardsmen, Bealdred came up beside Tetra, who stayed staring at the gate the Lord M
ajor had taken. The blacksmith chuckled.
“Oh, git. You done made a right nasty enemy today, for sure.” He struck Tetra a glancing blow on the shoulder. “Well done.”
***
Chapter Fifty-nine
Kellian Mikkels
Rows of Drayston guardsmen filled the courtyard, armor polished to a gleam and tabards freshly laundered. All eyes fixed on the great steel plate attached high on the wall above the main entrance. A Tecton hung by a harness from the parapet, hard at work etching a name into the steel, a tedious technique, shaping hard metals, which required a substantial amount of time and skill.
Kellian refused to drop his gaze, no matter how long it took. The massive plaque bore the names of every soldier who’d died in the current lord’s service. With the oroc attack, it had become nearly half full, and Malthius Reynolds’ name was now being added to the list. Kellian blinked back tears, holding himself rigid.
Once the last letter formed, those assembled saluted and then settled back into their own thoughts, each meant to contemplate on their experiences with Reynolds. Kellian’s gaze settled on Sibyl. The woman had replaced her forest garb with a green dress, lined with lacy frills. Strange to see her as the perfect image of a lady, especially when he felt she looked far more natural and graceful in the forest. Only Tetra’s sister, Halli, matched her in beauty, and the youth might surpass the lady as she matured.
Halli stood between Tetra and Sibyl, dressed in white. The rest of the children stood behind them, all washed, dressed in new clothes, and looking human again. Kafa sat at Tetra’s heels, unusually calm. Tetra and Sibyl were taking Reynolds’ death hardest, and Kellian thought he understood why. He tried to tell himself Reynolds died as a soldier should, in action, saving lives, yet it didn’t make the loss any easier to bear. It didn’t stop the tears from flowing freely now.
On their journey out of the forest, Sibyl had given him enough hints to piece together parts of the major’s past. Reynolds had been the Tempest et’ Almuare of the Lady Ilyse Amberley in Sandomere, if only briefly. His dismissal from that position had cost him the rank of captain and brought him to Drayston … and it all had something to do with Sibyl. Kellian didn’t press the matter, thankful she’d told him as much as she did. The relationship she’d shared with Reynolds seemed far more complicated than he’d ever be able to comprehend.
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