Chapter 25
CHAPTER
The intoxicating smell of meat cooking on a skillet wafted into my tent and woke me.
I had almost convinced myself I was still dreaming and Chef D’eliar was preparing brunch for Versa and I…
but then I felt the unfortunate results of sleeping on the hard ground radiate down my back, and was abruptly reminded I was no longer dreaming.
I sat up and crossed my legs, leaning over, trying to stretch when Theory and Saryn’s words from the night prior came to mind.
I hugged my arms around myself and closed my eyes, letting my magic send healing and relaxation deep into my muscles, travelling through my blood then encapsulating my bones and, within minutes, the aches and pains dissipated.
I opened my eyes and smiled to myself, relieved.
Exiting the tent, I saw my mentors sitting around our breakfast chatting leisurely like it was any other day. When I approached, Theory handed me a plate with bacon.
“Figured you could use a good breakfast to give you strength for the task ahead.”
“Thank you,” I said, grabbing the plate eagerly and sitting down beside her.
It smelled delicious, and I let myself inhale its divine aroma before downing each piece quickly.
I always ate fast when I was anxious, and my nerves were already setting in.
With the sunrise well overhead, I was fearful of inspecting the gorge below and seeing those who would soon fall victim to my abilities.
I was certain Saryn and Theory had already done so at first light.
Since they hadn’t awakened me, I assumed there was no direct threat to us, but that didn’t mean everything they saw wasn’t of concern to me.
“So…what’s the situation?” I asked, jutting my chin in the direction of the ledge a bit behind us.
“Unfortunately, they’ve fully breached to the interior. Consistent mining operations are well underway, but for how long, we can’t be certain,” Saryn replied, looking concerned and frustrated that our enemies had already made such progress.
“How many?”
“About 100, maybe 150 I’d wager. With the movement in and out of the mine, it’s difficult to ascertain.”
Over a hundred Fae would die by my hand today. I sat frozen, staring down at the empty plate in my hand, my mind quickly trying to reconcile Saryn’s assessment.
Theory gently grabbed my chin, angling my face to meet her gaze. I felt hollow and disassociated from her presence.
“Killing the unarmed, the unprovoked, the unaware…it is a treacherous truth we must endure. Others might call it dishonorable, but we do not live by their code, we live by our own, that of the Imperi.”
Theory’s words seemed to play out in slow motion, the sounds of everything beyond her voice were silenced.
“We are preventing something much larger, much worse. Sacrifice the few to save the many, or the next great conflict will be upon us.”
I nodded silently, still trying to find my own belief in her sentiment when Saryn interrupted.
“If you’re thinking of holding back, keep in mind that any left alive will be mine and Theory’s to confront. It will be far more painful and slow. Choose wisely.”
Theory shot Saryn an agitated look, but all I could do was dip my chin at him in silent acknowledgement.
“More bacon, please,” I said, almost mechanically, agonizing over which method would put them out of their misery, how much energy this would take, and what it would cost me.
I chewed the bacon, its distinct saltiness turning to ash on my tongue, thinking of how each of those in the canyon had tasted their last meal this morning.
“There is no innocence in their actions,” Theory reminded me, recognizing I was still struggling with what was to come.
“They know they have crossed into Cambrian territory; they know they are stealing. And though they may not understand the full picture of what is being demanded of them, they have chosen this.”
“Like we…chose this?” I said, looking back and forth between them. Theory and Saryn knew full well the intent of my remark and did not respond.
Many more moments passed by before Theory stood and held out her hand to aid me, “Come, Dark One, lest you waste time in showing them the darkness.”
Fear ached in the back of my throat, making me painfully aware of my conscience with every swallow.
It took me far longer than they would have liked to get the courage to walk to the ledge and look below, as was made evident by Saryn’s pacing and deep sighs.
I crouched, then eventually crawled forward, hoping to avoid the gaze of any lookouts.
Laying on the hot ground, the sun beating down from overhead, I rested my chin on my hands and surveyed the area.
Below, the encampment at the mouth of the mine consisted of a well-established pocket of tents and some smaller, sturdier structures built from driftwood.
Though the accommodations were meager, the tents were arranged uniformly.
It seemed the workers were organized and purposeful in their movements.
There was a cook running a makeshift kitchen, providing the workers with hot meals.
Scouts walked attentively along the bank of the river, armed with bow and sword.
Small pockets of horses and a few unhitched wagons indicated supplies had been brought with them.
As I observed new intricate components of their camp, I began to justify what must come next.
They may not know what master or purpose they served, but they worked diligently and thoroughly.
There were no females or children to speak of, which only brought me a moment’s comfort about my own involvement.
The mouth of the mine yawned somberly, cloaking most of the workers in impenetrable darkness.
Infrequently, I witnessed several workers emerge hefting a large covered box.
They’d bring it into a tent and presumably sort the moonstone fragments into large leather satchels, which would eventually be attached to horses for transport.
I could tell by the rustling behind me that Theory and Saryn were growing somewhat impatient.
I needed confirmation with my own eyes that they had gained access to moonstones before I acted.
I couldn’t bring the whole of the cliffside down upon them without knowing for certain.
I scooted backwards, then stood up to walk back to where my mentors awaited me.
“I can’t do it. Not unless I have proof.”
Theory threw her arms up in frustration. “You need more proof than seeing over 100 Artumian trespassers steal from your own king’s land?” she said, exasperated.
Saryn pulled something small from his pocket and tossed it abruptly in my direction; it landed at my feet in the dirt. I kneeled down to inspect it while he chided me.
“I knew you were too sentimental for something like this, so I took it upon myself to portal down there while you slept, infiltrate their camp and bring you back evidence of their treachery.”
Between my fingers, I held a rough, raw moonstone.
Still jagged and dirty, having been plucked from the place it had slumbered, hidden from daylight, until Fae hands disturbed it.
I pulled my own moonstone from my inside pocket and marveled at their differences.
Strange to see it this way, like it had just been birthed from the crusts of Demir. I glanced up at Saryn skeptically.
“You swear you retrieved this from down there?”
“By the Gods, I swear it.”
I gritted my teeth in frustration that there were no more excuses or warranted delays. Today, I decided their fate; tomorrow, who would decide mine?
“Take the horses farther away. If anything goes wrong, we fly. I’m uncertain what further consequences may result from my actions.”
They both nodded and began to pack up our small camp, loading our supplies safely onto the horses.
While they led them away, I went back to my previous spot and continued to monitor the mining operations and study the wall of the canyon.
I closed my eyes and listened to the faint breeze.
I smelled the air, inhaling tiny bits of dust, licking my lips to taste them.
I lay there, flat on my stomach, quietly attempting to become one with this foreign land.
My eyes scanned from end to end, taking note of each jutting ledge and deep crack in the rocks that could be used to my advantage.
The Ledor Canyon was strange to me, unlike the Elorn Mountains, which I could still picture with absolute clarity.
I feared that if I did not study it well enough, I would not be able to bring it down as artfully as Saryn desired.
There was a definite possibility that I would destroy far more than King Aeon had bargained for.
During our travels, Saryn instructed that it was important not to stop the flow of the Ledor River.
The goal was to take down the mine so it appeared like a natural rockfall and not garner unwanted attention.
Saryn and Theory returned from leading the horses to safety and I informed them of my plan.
“I’m not comfortable performing this while laying down. I’ve never practiced it as such, so save your lectures. I need you both to keep watch while I prepare.”
They nodded at my instruction, and as we began to make our way toward the ledge, I turned to Saryn. “Remember what I told you.”
Reminding him of our conversation about the Drift did not bring me any real sense of comfort, but I did it anyway.