Chapter 16 Dianna #2
Samkiel’s shoulders lifted in a slight shrug, and I turned back to the townspeople.
I wouldn’t have been surprised if she had.
Every town we had ventured into that didn’t proudly display her banner was run down or forgotten.
Even here, the buildings were missing stones, and the roads were cracked and overgrown.
Most signs and fixtures looked handmade, using what they could forage from the surrounding forest, and I didn’t even want to start on the subject of their clothes.
Keep the poor poorer and the rich richer, it seemed, but then I guess we shouldn’t expect anything else from a power-hungry tyrant.
I wouldn’t have been surprised if she spoon-fed her fucking loyalists.
“Okay, well, we’re going to. Tonight. So if you truly want to repay this glorious, heroic man who single-handedly saved you and your town from rampant death and destruction,” I felt Samkiel groan as I patted the chest plate of his armor, “you don’t need coins, but music and liquor.
Everyone, change into your best-looking clothes. The whole town.”
“But …” The man looked damn near terrified. “What about the legion?”
“If the legion shows up, I’ll burn them alive.” I stepped forward and clasped a hand on the man’s shoulder. His muscles were so tight they felt like they could tear with the smallest movement. “Now, where’s the biggest tavern you have?”
The man gulped and glanced at Samkiel before looking back at me.
Finding the reassurance he sought, he nodded and turned toward the townspeople, repeating what I’d said.
A few people nearly bounced with glee while others seemed to cower into themselves, checking the sky.
How brutal and cruel had her reign been that places like this, far beyond her reach, shook with fear at the possibility of her arrival?
A flicker of movement to my right caught my attention. Reggie stood near a dirt path, and I nudged Samkiel with my elbow since the town seemed to respond better to his words than mine.
“If you would kindly prepare, we will meet you soon.”
The man nodded once and shoved the coins into his pocket.
He hurried toward the center of town, waving his arms wildly and barking out commands.
The townspeople cleared out, a few dragging the head of the creature with them.
The whole town began to buzz as people prepared for the party.
Samkiel and I walked toward Reggie, meeting him in the clearing.
“Glad you weren’t monster bits,” I said.
Reggie smirked slightly before his face cooled, and he looked at Samkiel. “I believe I found something that may explain the recent attacks.”
“Show me.”
Reggie turned, and we followed after him.
He led us a distance through the underbrush to a disheveled clearing heaped with upturned dirt and scattered limbs.
The debris was not natural. It had not fallen from the trees or been blown here by a storm or strong winds.
No, the ground looked as if it had been seared in a circular pattern, almost like it was branded.
I stepped forward to inspect the edges. The circle at the center was as wide as two grown men, and when I looked closer, I could see the marks carved deeply into the ground.
They looked like words, but I didn’t recognize the language if that was what it was.
Samkiel crouched and ran his fingers over what looked like claw marks, tracing the lines gouged into the forest floor.
He raised the dirt to his nose and inhaled deeply before wiping his hands and standing.
His gaze focused on the fate. Reggie nodded as if he knew.
“What?” I asked, looking between the two of them.
“I know why we’ve been seeing an uptick in Otherworld creatures,” Samkiel said.
“Please, enlighten me,” I said, folding my arms.
“That pattern carved into the ground means they are being summoned, and from the smell of it, they are being summoned by a Prince of the Otherworld.”
My eyes fell to the ground once more. “A prince? What does that mean? Does Nismera control the princes?”
Samkiel shook his head. “No one controls the Otherworld but the rulers of the Otherworld. If you think my ego is bad, the Princes and their mother have me beat.”
“Well, that’s enlightening.” I sighed deeply. “Okay. Well, we will just add it to the list of growing concerns we currently have.”
Samkiel forced a half smile as he glanced back at the circle and marks on the ground. “I need to return to the other realms where we found the prior beasts and see if this is a pattern or an isolated incident.”
I knew what that meant and stepped forward, placing my hand on his armored upper arm. “No, tonight you will celebrate.”
His brows furrowed, that bothersome line setting in his jaw that meant he was about to argue. “With all my love, akrai,” he said, “I cannot.”
“Don’t akrai, me,” I said. “You need this as much as they do, as much as I do. You’ll worry yourself to death at this rate.
It’s been non-stop reading, researching, hunting, training, and killing for weeks now.
Plus, there was the minor possession issue.
There is and will always be something happening to us or coming for us.
Even more so since the entire realm now knows you are back.
This,” I waved to the ground behind him, “is a tomorrow problem, baby.”
His face softened at the sweet pet name he seemed to love so damn much. “I want to. Truly, I wish I could, but—”
I slapped my palm across his mouth. “At this rate, you’ll die from stress. One night with people who are thankful and probably need the safety and security of your presence will not kill you, but I will if you don’t come and enjoy yourself.”
His eyes narrowed, and I felt his mouth move behind my hand.
I am sure that whatever he was trying to say would make perfect, logical sense, but I didn’t care.
Reggie spoke, cutting short the argument that I was more than happy to continue.
“Perhaps it is okay to take one night for yourself, yes? Times like these are minimal.”
Samkiel looked at Reggie, and I dropped my hand, knowing he would never repudiate my touch, even if I were keeping him from speaking. “Is this a premonition, Reggie?” Samkiel grumbled.
Reggie watched us steadily. “It is what you already know. Moments of peace in times of war, even the smallest, are few and far between.”
“See?” I pointed toward Reggie. “He agrees, too.”
Samkiel folded his arms, glaring at us both. “This is an unfair advantage.”
I walked over and leaned against Reggie’s shoulder, doing my best at wide-eyed innocence. My hand grabbed Reggie’s chin, and I squeezed. “I mean, look at our faces. Do you really want to say no to us?”
Samkiel rolled his eyes and dropped his head back, a soft, breathy chuckle leaving his lips. “You’re lucky you’re cute.” His eyes cut to Reggie. “Not you, Reggie.”
I pinched his face a little harder. “I think he’s adorable.”
For the first time ever, I saw the fate roll his eyes. “I thought I’d find peace away from Cameron,” he said, his voice muffled by my hand. “I was mistaken.”
I snorted and patted Reggie’s cheek before dropping my hand.
Samkiel ran his fingers across his brow, and I saw the weariness in him. “Fine. We can stay here tonight. Tomorrow, we will check a few other locations before heading back home, and then we will plan our trip to Killium. Deal?”
I squealed and gave a little hop before wrapping my arms around Samkiel and his thick armor as best as I could. My head tipped back as I grinned at him. “Deal.”