Chapter 52
Darrow
Imoved as quickly as possible across the garden island, passing empty sections that had already been cleared for the coming winter, and others that had vibrant fall flowers in bloom.
Shades of red, orange, and yellow petals burst from them.
I used to think little about such things, but every time I saw plants these days, I could hear my wife’s voice in my head spouting facts about them.
Those I passed were harmless, but they could be used to make scented soaps. Why did I have to know these things?
My footsteps were light as I moved along the dirt path. Up ahead, I spotted the trees surrounding Aella’s large garden plot, along with the tall archway and metal gate. She’d left it open while inside, as usual, but as I came closer, I sensed her mood.
My wife hadn’t been herself ever since we returned from Balzour and rarely spoke to anyone aside from Rynn. Whenever we didn’t need her services elsewhere, she spent her time in her garden.
Stopping at the entrance, I looked at each of her crunchertraps. Both of them drooped a little as they swung their large violet flower heads between me and the garden’s interior. I’d been working on winning them over, but they were very protective of her, especially right now.
“I need her help,” I said, giving them a stern look. “While I appreciate you protecting your mistress, let’s avoid me forcing my way past you. I’ll bring you treats next time.”
Wrath turned its head away, which passed for something like, “Oh, very well.” The newer crunchertrap snapped its teethy petals at me. It still had something to prove.
“I know Aella said you couldn’t have a name until you ate one of her enemies, but I’m her mate.” I pointed a finger at it, feeling utterly ridiculous for arguing with a flower. “And you know I can make you stay still, so don’t push me.”
The situation was too urgent for games with murderous flora, but they knew I’d use my powers if necessary because I’d done it twice since their arrival.
The littler one bristled. Then, it arched back enough that I knew it meant to let me pass.
I hurried along, using the mating bond to guide me since Aella wasn’t within sight.
I wove down the left pathway and around thick bushes to find her next to the pond.
It was clean and sparkling, full of water, unlike a few days ago.
She sat at the edge of it, staring at her reflection.
In her cream tunic and pants with her blonde hair flowing down her back, she reminded me of a broken angel.
I so desperately wanted to put the pieces of her back together.
Every night when she came to bed, she lay on her back, staring at the ceiling.
The darkness seemed to leave her empty inside, with hardly any emotions at all.
In the light of day, her anguish saturated the air around her.
“Aella,” I said gently.
She jumped and spun her head around to look at me, nearly falling into the pool. “Oh, Dare. I didn’t hear you come up.”
Not long ago, I couldn’t have done that. It shouldn’t have been possible with our bond. The fact that she ignored my movements worried me. My only consolation was that no one could sneak into this place without regretting it—long before she needed to notice.
“An attack is imminent near my aunt Durelle’s cabin.
” I took a step closer, stopping when she stiffened.
“I wouldn’t bother you, except we need to get the troops there right away.
” Unfortunately, the only other channeler in Darynia at the moment was the one who’d warned us of the invasion, and they couldn’t open another portal for a few hours.
Aella frowned. “Did they come from Therress?”
“Yes.” Evrenn wasn’t making our takeover of the land easy, and we’d had several cross-border skirmishes since the battle at Balzour.
“They likely spent the night crossing the mountains with their invisibility stones, but they triggered some of our traps partway down. My cousin must have broken the wards at the border, so we couldn’t anticipate their arrival sooner. ”
She rose to her feet. “Very well, let’s go push them back.”
“You only need to open the portal,” I said gently, since we’d planned to bring the other channeler with us. “No one expects you to fight.”
Aella shrugged. “I feel like killing something.”
She said it so plainly without a hint of anger or malice that I couldn’t help letting out a chuckle. “If it will improve your mood to slay a few dark elves, then by all means.”
“I guess we’ll see.”
Aella had come to the dungeon with me each morning since we brought Elgord and Ulmar back a week ago.
For an hour or two, she found distraction in beating, slicing, or breaking one or both of them.
It was the only time she didn’t appear either bleak or lifeless.
Then, she was utterly ruthless in ways I never expected.
She would eventually lose interest, though, and seek out her garden and solitude. My wife was mourning the loss of a friend who hadn’t really existed, never mind finding out about her father’s real killer. I had no idea how to help her.
Karganoth soldiers poured down the mountainside, weaving between tall pine and mistarr trees, both of which maintained their foliage year-round, as they headed our way.
With Aella’s help, we managed to move almost four hundred soldiers to counter the invasion before they reached any villages or remote homes.
Despite that, they outnumbered us, but they didn’t know the terrain the way we did.
This was our home, and they wouldn’t find it welcoming.
My wife stood at my side. I glanced over at her, where she stood poised and ready. “Don’t hold back on your powers. If we have to wait longer to leave or use another channeler, so be it. I want to see what you can do when you have free rein.”
“Are you sure?” She gave me a skeptical look. “I might scare you.”
As much as Aella appeared innocent and submissive, I’d found she had another side she usually hid from the world—except, interestingly, with me.
More than anything, I wanted to draw out that savage inner strength to fortify her against the difficulties of life and, hopefully, help her heal a little by dominating the enemy. It always helped me.
She wasn’t going to move on from her past until she learned to face her adversaries and make them fear her. While she had started that process by taking down Karganoth’s ships multiple times and whipping them on land once as well, I wanted to magnify their terror of her.
“Nothing would please me more than seeing exactly how fearsome you can be, so by all means, prove it,” I said, challengingly. I’d missed the wind funnel she used to take out a contingent of dark elves and couldn’t wait to see what she did today.
She gave me the first genuine smile I’d seen in a while. “Very well.”
The enemy edged closer, perhaps less than a mile away.
I pointed to the mountain near the top. “Do you see the boulders up there?”
“Yes.” Aella nodded. “What about them?”
“We set them there years ago with minor spells to hold them in place for my use. I’m going to release them, and as they roll downhill, I want you to use your wind magic to prevent the enemy from avoiding the path of the boulders.”
Surprise lit in her eyes. “You know that’s more complicated than what I usually do, right?”
“The fate of us all may rest on how well you manage it,” I said with a shrug. “I’ll handle everything to the left of us, and you take all who come on the right.”
Our enemy outnumbered us by hundreds since we couldn’t spare or move many of our forces from other vulnerable fronts.
Of course, I could summon the God of Wrath’s power to help vanquish our foes and increase our chances of success.
There would be a price to pay, though, and I had no desire to suffer more torture so soon.
Working with my wife was the better option, especially since she needed the confidence boost after the betrayals she’d suffered.
Aella straightened her shoulders. “I can do it.”
“Also, Zelthor,” I said, calling out to the young man a short distance to our right, who’d insisted on joining the battle. “Unleash your frogs on any enemies who make it within a couple of hundred feet of us.”
A slow smile spread across his gray visage.
After the loss of his mother and the near-loss of his father, he’d had a rough time lately as well.
Giving him a job would help. Jacthor had finally left to resume leading the Frostdar at Radoumar, unexpectedly leaving me to watch over the eighteen-year-old.
I could only hope he realized it meant I wouldn’t go soft on his son.
“You mean, if I let any dark elves get close…” Aella paused to glance up at the approaching enemy, shuddering. “We’re going to have spit yellow frogs all over the place?”
She really hated frogs. It was a weakness, but I’d use it to my advantage.
“Yes, so I suggest you keep that from happening.” It wasn't very likely with the numbers we faced, but I’d enjoy watching her try.
She glared at me. “Fine. Release the damned boulders. The more time I have to work, the better.”
“That’s my girl,” I said proudly.
Aella kicked me in the leg. It hardly hurt, so I ignored it and released two dozen boulders near the top of the mountain.
They were approximately twelve to fifteen feet in diameter, evenly spaced along the ridge.
All the trees in this area had narrow trunks, so once the massive projectiles picked up speed, no vegetation survived being struck.
Loud cracks sounded all across the area in front of us. I would have hated to destroy them, but we needed extra firewood for the winter with so many refugees coming into Veronna. Those that broke would provide excellent kindling for the land.