46. Debt Repaid #2
Halvor sighed, pointing at the middle of the city right at the space before the Second Wall.
“Reclaiming Safír has been nothing like Perle. Regent Omiros knew we were coming, and he prepared. It took us a full day to breach the Outer Wall. Another day to secure the Outer Section, although there are still skirmishes and pockets of sentries we’re attempting to root out.
We’ve been trying to break through the Second Wall for the past two days.
Torsten gave me the charge of evacuating citizens and the wounded.
The rest of the generals are inside the city as well, except for Soren, who remains in Perle. ”
Halvor removed his glasses to rub at his eyes, revealing the dark bags beneath.
He continued, “News came in last night that a force is coming down from Rubin. They’ll arrive tomorrow.
We’re running low on weapons, ammunitions, and food.
King Torsten wants to attempt one last breach today, but if we can’t get through the Second Wall, we’ll have no other options but to pull back our forces to Perle. ”
It was just as the Norn had predicted. If they pulled back, the lives lost would have been given in vain. Anara rolled on her heels, eager to join the fight. “That’s why we’re here.”
Darien’s look was one of gratitude. “Anara’s right. Hope isn’t lost yet.”
“We’ll need whatever weapons you can give us and directions.” Larissa pulled out her gun, counting the bullets that remained in her magazine.
Masai strapped his staffs to his back. “I’d take a gun as well.”
Anara snorted. “ You’ll fight with us?”
Darien glared at her. “It’s alright if you need to stay here, Masai. I’m sure there are many who could benefit from your galdr .”
Masai clapped his hand on Darien’s shoulder. “There are many in there who could use my galdr as well. I’ll come.”
Halvor narrowed his eyes. “I’m sorry, but who are you?”
Anara laughed. “Masai, son to Regent Kiah of Smaragd.”
Halvor’s glasses nearly slid from his face as he jerked in surprise. “I would ask questions, but we really don’t have the time.”
He stepped out of the tent, barking orders to one of the guards who stood nearby.
Anara heard the running of feet, and then Halvor re-entered the tent.
This time, a boy around Kai’s age followed them in.
The confusion on his face morphed into one of awe as he looked around the tent.
When his eyes landed on Darien, he fell to his knees. “Prince Darien! I knew you would come.”
Darien backed away, glancing at Larissa, who smirked as her eyes seemed to say, See? It’s awkward when it happens, isn’t it?
Halvor let out an exasperated sigh, yet there was genuine fondness in his voice. “Get up, Marinos, I have a job for you.”
Anara recognized the scent on the boy instantly. “You found your family?”
Halvor’s eyes softened and misted over. “Only by the Norn did I find them in the midst of the fighting. I brought them out of the city for their own protection, but as it turns out, Marinos is our best messenger. He knows the safest routes in and out of the city. He’ll get you to King Torsten.”
Marinos’ large green eyes shone. “It’d be an honor. I’d be happy to help you fight as well, Your Majesties.”
“You are to come straight back after delivering them and let me know the status of the battle,” Halvor spoke sternly.
Watching them interact, Anara experienced genuine joy in the midst of the horrors outside of the tent. It was only right that Halvor should be reunited with his family after all the years of his life he’d given to the rebellion.
One of the guards from earlier stuck his head in through the tent flap. “Sir, there are several men and women who would like to accompany their Highnesses back into the city.”
“For óeinn’s sake,” Halvor muttered. “The transport truck will only seat twelve. Pick the least wounded to accompany them and tell the rest they must wait. If Rubin’s forces arrive early or if we need to evacuate, we need a capable force remaining here as well.”
Through the canvas of the tents, Anara listened to the man relay Halvor’s instructions and the subsequent groans of the men and women not chosen to join them. The engine of the large transport trucks rumbled closer.
“That’s your ride,” Halvor announced.
The transport truck idled in front of the tent, but more of the Vienám clambered around it.
Masai’s body stiffened as he took in the devastation.
Many of the rebels were wounded, some severely so.
The woman nearest to them was missing an eye.
The man on the other side of the truck was still bleeding from a wound on his head even as his friends attempted to convince him to lie back down.
As Darien and Larissa hopped into the back of the transport truck along with Marinos, Anara stopped, watching Masai, who walked straight to the bleeding man. The man and his friends froze.
Masai reached out, laying his hand on the man’s head even as his friends shouted questions. Then Masai pulled away; the wound had closed. Masai didn’t wait for their awed thanks but walked past Anara and pulled himself up into the truck.
“You do realize word will spread that you’re fighting alongside us if you do that?” Anara asked as Masai squeezed in next to her.
“I can’t just ignore them.”
The truck rumbled into the city. Anara took stock of the rebels that had joined them.
Four men and three women. All were bandaged in some way and wore identical grim expressions as they shared their weapons and ammo with Larissa, Darien, and Masai.
When one turned to offer her a gun, Anara declined.
It would only slow down her transformations.
As they passed under the Outer Wall, Masai turned to the red-haired woman on his right, whose entire waist was wrapped in a stained bandage.
“What happened to you?” he asked.
“Shrapnel. We weren’t expecting them to bomb their own cities.”
“Bomb?” Larissa asked. “They didn’t have those in Perle.”
“They did, actually,” another rebel answered.
“We just didn’t discover them until after we took the city.
It seems Regent Hammon didn’t think he would need them, but you proved him wrong, Princess.
” Though the man’s words were spoken with admiration, Anara noticed the way Larissa’s mouth twisted in distaste.
Darien leaned forward. “How goes the fight?”
“Not good,” the redhead answered. “Regent Omiros is using small regiments, forcing us to split into smaller groups as well. It’s prolonging the battle and making it difficult to avoid civilian casualties. The bomb that got me took out an entire city block.”
Masai gestured toward the girl’s back. “May I?”
Perhaps she had seen what he’d done outside the truck, or maybe it was the compassion of his deep voice that compelled the woman to turn her back toward him.
He laid his hands on top of the bandages, and although Anara could tell his touch was gentle, the woman still gasped at the pressure on her wounds.
A green glow emanated from beneath his palms. Anara hadn’t seen anyone’s galdr act that way apart from Larissa.
When he dropped his hands, the redhead rolled back her shoulders and sighed in relief.
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Masai’s eyes turned guarded. “I never said—”
“They’re not stupid,” Anara pointed out, crossing her arms and leaning against the canvas that covered the truck bed. “Skogkatt’s out of the bag now. Might as well accept it.”
“Your Highness.” Another rebel swallowed hesitantly, gesturing at his leg. “If it’s not too much to ask—”
As the truck rolled on, Masai moved from rebel to rebel, healing again and again where he could.
Larissa and Darien watched in equal fascination, but Anara sat stiff with worry.
Galdr had a price, and every injury that Masai healed would only drain him further, making him just one more possible victim of the war.
The sounds of battle grew around them the farther in they drove.
All around them, citizens fled or hid in bullet-ridden buildings.
Larissa and Darien clenched their fists, no doubt forcing themselves to remain in the truck instead of leaping to help.
Smoke drifted from destroyed blocks, and still, Masai went on healing.
By the time the truck was forced to stop due to the debris in the road, the rebels all stared at one another in wonder.
Masai leaned back, his shoulders sagging forward as they all unloaded from the back of the truck.
Anara stood, looking down on where he sat. “You probably shouldn’t have done that.”
“They needed it. It might mean the difference between life and death if they’re able to run faster or fight harder.”
“And they still might die anyway. You will too, now that you’ve weakened yourself.”
Masai’s eyes were hard. “Do you only think of yourself?”
Anara hissed. “If you really think that, you don’t know me at all.”
Only the two of them remained in the back of the truck. Masai shook his head. “I’m trying to.”
“Try surviving this. Figure out if I’m a heartless monster later.” Anara hopped down from the truck and approached where the others huddled around Marinos.
The young boy, Marinos, brushed his sandy-blond hair out of his eyes. “The Second Wall is a mile away. King Torsten will be on the eastern side of the Wall, Prince Darien. Follow me.”
The rebels formed two lines surrounding Anara, Darien, Larissa, and Masai as Marinos weaved over the broken pavement and through the collapsed buildings.
Broken statues of Njorer, Safír’s patron god, were scattered amongst the ruins.
Marinos never wavered from his path, even when there was no path to see.
The Second Wall loomed ever closer as the young boy kept up a stream of chatter and questions directed at Darien.
Anara let the small smile creep onto her face at the obvious hero-worship.
“I can help you,” Marinos argued. “I know my uncle said to return but—”