Chapter 53
Ikar
I’ve watched the mate bond mark closely the last several hours, making adjustments as needed and watching as it brightens and dims to know which direction we should travel after we landed the sharp flyers a half day’s journey from the nymphs this morning.
Now it’s nearing the end of the day, the second sun about to set, when Rhosse, Darvy, and I find the encampment we search for.
We stealthily make our way through the forest, the gloam so thick I almost resist the urge to breathe as the mate bond on my wrist continues to grow brighter the closer we get.
My side aches as we climb a small hill, but it’s forgotten when we see what’s on the other side.
A full army makes camp. Smoke from hundreds, if not thousands, of fires permeates the air, filling the spaces between tents that spread into the distance as far as we can see.
A mix of roaring, growling, and the easily recognizable sound of screeching and breaking glass fills the air—a sound I’d hoped to never hear again.
“Shard beast,” Darvy mutters with dread.
“Five of them,” Rhosse adds.
I clench my jaw, remembering the last shard beast I fought and very nearly lost to—I have a scar to prove it. With the weakness of lucent magic, five would decimate my entire army.
“Let’s find out what else they’ve got,” I mutter.
“You have a death wish?” Darvy scoffs.
“A kingdom to protect and a Tulip to rescue,” I growl, then begin leading the way around the edge of the encampment to get a closer look at the gloam beasts.
It takes longer than I like, crouching painfully behind large dead bushes and scraggly trees that hardly help hide us from groups of soldiers that pass every so often.
The awful sound of the shard beasts growing louder tells me we’re traveling in the right direction.
One particular roar is so loud that Rhosse curses.
Between the scraping glass and my ears ringing, Darvy whispers to Rhosse, “What do you bet I could tame one of those?” Darvy gestures with his chin toward the shard beasts.
Rhosse considers the beasts with narrowed eyes. “I’ll bet a month’s pay you die within three minutes of trying.”
Darvy appears truly offended, but I speak before he can argue because his foolish bet has given me an idea.
“I have a plan,” I say, still counting gloam beasts trapped within gated, gloam-wreathed pens below us.
“Every time you say that I end up almost dying,” Darvy whispers.
“We simply need to set them all loose. Cause a big enough distraction that I can find a way through the camp.” And hopefully find Vera unharmed.
I point far past the many tents and a smattering of smaller buildings to a large house, designed to be more imposing and indicative of status. “I assume she’s there.”
The tightness in my chest at the thought of what they could have done to her solidifies my decision. We need to move quickly. Rhosse frowns as he stares across the wide expanse of tents and penned beasts that block the way.
Darvy appears just as doubtful. “How do you know she’s there? What if she’s in one of the thousands of tents?”
“You like to gamble,” I remind Darvy. “Think of it like that.”
“Except it’s our lives instead of money,” Rhosse mutters darkly.
Darvy ignores Rhosse, his eyes brightening with interest. “I’ll bet you six months’ pay and my second-best enchanted sword I can set half of them loose.”
Rhosse shakes his head and challenges the glint in Darvy’s eyes. “Your confidence is terrifying. What happens if we’re unsuccessful, which is likely?”
Darvy offers a bitter smile. “Honorable death. Living on the other side of magic, preferably with the beautiful goddess, Lucentia.”
Rhosse scowls.
Darvy turns toward me, serious now. “As your healer, I strongly advise you to stay here. Rhosse or I can get Vera.”
The suggestion irritates me. “I’ll not hide in the bushes,” I growl.
“Set the beasts loose and run. We’re not here to battle an army with only the three of us.
I just need enough chaos to reach that house undetected.
I’ll circle around in the forest that way.
” I point to our right. “We’ll leave from there as well—meet there as soon as you release the beasts. ”
Rhosse and Darvy both nod, taking the official order as well as any top commanders would.
I unsheathe my sword. “Let’s go.”