Chapter 11
Aella
Rynn and I sat down with Tamasine and her family for dinner.
We were eating later than usual because Prime Chief Orran insisted we needed the intense training for the war ahead.
He even ordered the prince around like an underling, making him work extra hard.
To Armin’s credit, he didn’t complain. Instead, he pushed himself more than anyone with unrivaled focus.
“That was so amazing how you healed that sword wound on my father, Rynn,” Tamasine’s oldest son said, looking at my cousin like she was a hero. It was cute, even if he was only ten and far too young to idolize the girl.
She blushed. “Thank you, but it took longer than I would have liked. I’m still trying to get better and faster.”
“I thought you did great,” the younger boy said, grinning. “And you don’t get grossed out by blood like some kids.”
Rynn laughed and shook her head.
As far as Chief Orran was concerned, we didn’t stop training until at least half of us were bleeding badly or unconscious.
That included me because I was usually among the first to break.
Then, he’d have Rynn or another person heal me and insist I use my magic to fight from that point.
That led me to injure others to get patched up.
He was pushing his healers and Rynn to their limits to sharpen their skills as well.
No one was getting out of hard work since I’d arrived in this place. The older kids were in charge of moving the wounded off the field, and the younger ones prepared bandages and replaced water bowls in the healer tents.
“I agree with my sons,” Tamasine said, reaching across the table to put a hand on Rynn’s. “Your talents are most impressive for one your age and will certainly be an asset to Zadrya.”
Nodding my agreement, I added, “She just needs to be more confident in herself.”
Enam finished piling his plate with meat from the central platter—the large man ate a lot. “We aren’t ones to invite fae to stay here permanently, but more than a few members of the tribe have said that if Rynn ever needed a place to live, she would be welcome here.”
“You’re not going to steal her from me.” I put an arm around my cousin. “But I’m grateful to know she has somewhere to go if she needs it.”
We began eating in earnest. Rynn and I had carefully filled our plates with food items we recognized and liked.
We’d made a few mistakes since coming here about what was palatable to us and what wasn't. I felt starved after a long day of training with few breaks and only a light lunch. At least they didn’t seem to lack for food on this land.
Halfway through my meal, a loud knock sounded at the door. Enam got up to answer it, returning with Chief Orran. There was tension in the air as his gaze ran around the table until falling on me.
“You need to open a portal to my territory in Hartoll right away,” he ordered.
I glanced at my unfinished meal. “Can it wait a few minutes?”
“Your husband recovered the princess, her husband, and their daughter, but as soon as they reached safety, Darrow collapsed and fell unconscious. No one can wake him—not even the healers,” Orran replied.
I didn’t take another breath before climbing over the bench.
My chest felt too tight, and my hands began to shake.
He was supposed to be stronger with the God of Wrath’s powers fueling him.
I’d felt it when I last saw him and couldn’t imagine anything that could have put him into a coma. “Do they know what’s wrong with him?”
The Prime Chief shook his head. “The message didn’t explain anything further. I will go with you so I can get an update from my people while you tend to your husband, and then we can bring everyone back here when you’re ready.”
“Okay,” I said, mind racing.
Maybe I resisted feeling deeply for my husband, but I still cared about him.
The thought that something was wrong terrified me.
He was a large, powerful man who appeared practically indestructible.
Without realizing it, I’d counted on that.
He’d survived my uncle hitting him with an ice spear in the chest when most died from such an injury.
Orran turned and led the way out of the house. I couldn’t simply walk out, even in emergencies, considering I had other responsibilities. I turned to look back at the Andalagarian couple. “Watch over Rynn for me?”
“Of course,” Tamasine replied, making a shooing gesture with her hands.
“Be careful!” Rynn said, giving me an encouraging smile, though I could see the fear and worry in her eyes. “I’ll be here to help when you get back.”
“Thank you.”
Once we were out of the cabin, I hurried to mine across the road long enough to fill a small sack of holmium for the journey there and back. Orran waited patiently for me, though I could tell he wanted to hurry. I felt the same way.
We moved through the dark field, guided only by moonlight and the crash of the sea waves, as we navigated toward the ring.
I wanted to ask more questions, but I doubted Orran had the answers.
As my eyes adjusted, I began jogging down the slope, urgency quickening my pace.
The chief stayed beside me the whole way.
As soon as we reached the ring, he called out the rune sequence. It wasn’t a location I’d been to before, which he undoubtedly knew. I poured the right amount of holmium into my hands and began chanting.
My strength had finally returned, so thankfully, opening the portal came easily. It also helped that the distance wasn’t too far. With only two people passing through, I didn’t even have to hold it open for long. With luck, I wouldn’t need to wait more than an hour before I could bring Darrow back.
We rushed through the ring, light spinning around us for what felt like forever despite it only being about fifteen seconds. When we stepped out, a tall Andalagar man waited for us.
“Prime Chief,” he said, taking a knee. “Thank you for coming quickly.”
“It’s good to see you, Chief Cinar. Take us to Darrow.”
He nodded and rose, then looked at me. “Brace yourself. He was uninjured when he arrived, but we’re at a loss for what is happening to him now or how to stop it.”
I gulped. The Andalagar weren’t ones to worry easily, so that told me it must be bad. “Thank you for warning me.”
He took off at a run. I didn’t hesitate to follow, pushing myself to keep up with his pace.
His urgency only fueled my anxiety. We raced into the town and passed about a dozen cabins that looked similar to the ones I’d left in Doga.
Finally, he stopped in front of a small place with a door in the center and one window on each side.
It only had one floor, like the one I used, but it was wider.
I followed him inside, noting the princess and her husband in the front room.
Protocol dictated that I should have acknowledged them, but I didn’t care about niceties at the moment.
They merely nodded as I passed them, stress and exhaustion lining their features.
Cinar led me into a back room where a bed took up much of the space.
A strangled cry escaped my lips at seeing Darrow.
He only wore pants, and blood covered him.
There were welts across his body, some deep enough that they bled.
He tossed and turned, grunting and groaning.
Jax and Loden stood on each side of the bed, trying to hold him down by the shoulders.
Sweat covered their faces from their efforts.
“What’s wrong with him?” I asked, moving closer on shaky legs.
Loden met my gaze with fear in his eyes. “The God of Wrath always exacts a price for using his magic. Usually, Darrow is down for half a day or so, depending on how much magic he uses, and he has some nightmares. This time, I think he’s having to endure the torture physically as well as mentally.”
“Ahhh!” Darrow shouted, trying to sit up.
A fresh slice appeared across his stomach. Tears filled my eyes at seeing how deep it was and the amount of blood coming from it to stain his skin and the bed. How could he handle this for much longer? I had to help him somehow.
“Get bandages and clean water!” I shouted, looking toward the two chiefs. Whatever their title or position, it didn’t matter right now. Darrow needed help.
Cinar rushed out of the room.
Orran’s face was a mask. “I hope using the nameless god’s magic was worth this level of punishment.”
“We’d be dead several times over if he hadn’t done it, so I’d say he thought it was worth the sacrifice,” Jax said. He had both hands holding down Darrow, but he glared at Orran, eyes displaying his deep loyalty to the half-dark elf.
I stopped next to the bed and leaned over to rest a hand on my husband’s face—the only place not covered in blood. He felt hot and clammy, but his shaking eased to a slight tremor within seconds.
His two friends looked at me in astonishment. I didn’t understand it myself, but I began grazing my fingers across his cheeks and through his brown-black hair. That settled him a little further.
Cinar returned with a bowl of water and a couple of rags. He set them on the nightstand and backed away. “I’ll leave you to it, but let me know when you’re ready to go.”
“We will,” I said, giving him a grateful nod.
Orran followed him. “I’ll be in the other room speaking with the princess and Lord Hartoll. If you need me, shout, and I’ll hear you.”
I nodded. ‘Thank you.”
As soon as he shut the door behind him, Darrow’s friends and I got to work cleaning our patient.
His wounds appeared to be healing. Loden began gently scrubbing his chest. I kept one hand on my husband’s cheek to soothe him and used the other to clean up his stomach, giving Jax the cloth to rinse when it became soaked with too much blood.
A woman I didn’t recognize came to replace the water twice before we finished.
By then, his wounds were mostly closed, and he breathed a little easier.