Chapter 34
THIRTY-FOUR
SLOAN
“When was the last time you ate or slept?” Ashley asked as the two women surveyed the perimeter of the town. “I’m only asking because I can’t remember the last time I did either.”
“Food’s not really been my thing lately.” Sloan avoided eye contact with the woman. “I took a nap earlier today. I don’t know for how long.”
That seemed enough for Ashley. Instead of chatter, the two warriors scoped out what would serve as their battleground.
The town of Term was hedged in on two sides by the forest and on two sides by a kind of dead, rolling grass that eventually turned into desert. There were no natural barriers. The small town simply began where the first building started and ended where the last street came to a stop.
It would be near impossible to fortify the town from attack. There was no time to dig ditches, no time to build walls. Even if there had been time to raise defenses, who would man them? Sloan’s objective was to buy the townsfolk time to flee to Azra.
Already the town was alive with the hustle and bustle of packing. Lights were on inside windows, even at this time of night. Voices murmured and argued on what would be packed and what could be left behind.
Even at this distance, Sloan could hear them.
Mothers and fathers arguing, children excited and panicked.
Sloan let all of the background noise drown out as she stared out into the darkness brought on by the late hours of the night.
Was it the late hours of the night, or the early hours of the morning? Sloan couldn’t tell.
“I’m not as versed in strategy as you are, but this doesn’t look like much of a defensible position.
” Ashley stared out into the night. Her mage sword had been powered off.
It rested comfortably across her shoulders.
“If you’re just trying to buy the fleeing citizens time, you might as well try to engage them in a head-on fight instead of trying to defend anything. ”
“You should’ve been in the army.” Sloan drummed the digits of her right hand on the pommel of her own mage sword.
“I need to keep them in the city for as long as possible. Every second I can give to those escaping Term might make all the difference. If I can stop the invading force here, make them lose enough men to pull back, that would be even better.”
“Who’s staying with you?”
Sloan didn’t think about the question for more than a second. “I can do it by myself. Edison and Elwood aren’t fighters, Kimberly and her men need to push the refugees from Term along the road as quickly as possible, and … well, you and Aareth have your own future to think about.”
“Yeah, a future that starts with a past I can’t even remember.” Ashley let out a long sigh.
The chatter of an excited child reached their ears.
The women turned to look. One of the first houses on the way into Term was in the process of being vacated by its owners.
A mother about Ashley and Sloan’s own age held a sleeping baby in her arms, while her husband corralled two giant suitcases and a rambunctious child that couldn’t have been more than three.
“Where are we going? What are we going to do? Can I bring my stuffed animals with me?” The questions tumbled out of the child’s mouth as if each one were connected to the rest.
“Do you ever wish your life had taken a different route?” Ashley didn’t look at Sloan while she asked the question. “I don’t mean, ‘Do you regret your past?’ but are there times you’ve wanted more for yourself?”
“Since my fall out with the queen, so much has gone through my mind. I really don’t know any more.
” Sloan thought on Kimberly’s words a bit longer.
The silence lengthened between the two women as each was caught up in memories long past. “The older I get, the more I realize there’s more to life than service and duty.
I understand now the truly important things I’ve missed along the way. ”
“We should help them.” Ashley nodded to the young family struggling to gather their belongings and children. “They don’t look like they’re capable of much, let alone preparing to flee their homes in the middle of the night.”
“You’re not as heartless as you think.” Sloan smiled over at her companion as the two warriors began walking toward the family. “Maybe there’s hope for you yet.”