I got into a good grove with my sword. Almost mindlessly I kept it moving in a consistent pattern of slashes. It cut once from the left, Silvia dodged by leaning back. Then the blade spun around for a diagonal slash from the right. Silvia parried the blow.
The floating weapon had almost no resistance. My sword spun easily away from hers; rather than try to stop it, I used the momentum to spin the sword up then back down for a vertical slash. Silvia sidestepped, and the pattern started again.
Melinda was surprisingly tame. Mostly she just pushed me around. A few times she thrust a spear past my cheeks. It tested my nerves, but I didn’t think she’d actually hurt me since she hadn’t gotten what she wanted yet. Finally Melinda started drawing on my back with her finger, as she drew she whispered in my ear.
“You’re doing so good, Silv. I want to reward you. I know I promised, but you could blame it on me. Just this once…” She pressed her breasts against my back as her hands slid around to my front then down toward the growing bulge in my pants. “…give in to your desires. I promise, it’ll be worth it.”
My heart raced and my mind went blank.
Silvia leaned back from my horizontal slash, but I forgot to keep attacking. Seizing the opportunity, Silvia struck the blade, knocking it toward the ground. The ring of metal on metal snapped me out of my stupor and I flipped the sword up before it hit the ground.
“That’s enough.” I said. “Lumia’s almost here.” I felt her approach and not a moment too soon either.
I brought Stylnyx back to my hand and slid the blade back into its sheath. Silvia put away her blade as well, giving a congratulatory smile. Fortunately, Melinda was quick to back away from me. If Silvia had seen her touching me like that, I was sure we’d both get a lecture.
“That was fun, but next time I won’t go easy on you.” Melinda giggled.
Rolling my eyes, I shook my head at her, then turned my attention to the northern sky. Lumia was already in sight, descending toward us like a missile.
I thought she was going to plow into me, until she unfolded her wings and started to slow down. Landing softly a few feet away, Lumia shifted to human form and walked over to join me. Her arms were covered in goosebumps and she wore a dour frown.
"What happened?" Silvia asked. “Were you able to find us a path through the plains?”
Lumia nodded, still looking unhappy. “There’s a crude road. It’ll do for travel, but we’ll need to watch out for trolls, and treeants.”
“Is there something else? Why do you look so concerned?” Silvia asked.
“I just…have a bad feeling, I guess. Things seem too easy." Waving away her doubts, Lumia smiled and said, “Maybe I’m just being paranoid.”
Silvia patted Lumia’s shoulder reassuringly and said, "The whole world is uncertain right now, but that doesn’t mean we have to always second guess ourselves or jump at every shadow. I’m sure things will be fine."
Melinda nodded her agreement then the four of us headed back into the camp.
“You three go and get some rest. We’ll set out first thing in the morning and you’ll be our vanguard,” Silvia said as we reached the first line of huts.
The soldiers were stationed in grass huts around the perimeter of the camp. Not far from the northern entrance, there were several larger hills with openings on three of their four sides. These were where the council members were staying. A larger structure, closer to the center of the camp, served as a cafeteria and a meeting place for the elven leaders. Silvia broke from us and headed off towards it.
Lumia, Melinda, and I went to a large hill house marked with twin blades—symbolic of the magical swords wielded by both Vorlin and Silvia. Inside was like a small house. There was an open area at the front with a small table and stacked furs to sit on. All three of the entrances led into this room, and the space was quite large and open.
An arched opening in the back wall led to a small hallway connecting to three additional rooms. Silvia had already decided that she and Mirina would share one, I’d have one to myself and Lumia and Melinda would share the last. I wasn’t sure how that would go, but I agreed it was probably the best option. Even if I had wanted to change the sleeping arrangements, I was certain the only women mom would allow me to sleep beside would be her or my little sister; a room to myself was definitely the better option.
Naelina was seated beside the table when we came in. She had a small stack of papers in front of her and a pen in her hand. It was clear she had been busy, most of the sheets were already covered in writing. I wondered what sort of documents she was preparing, but didn’t ask.
Finishing off another page, Naelina set it aside and looked up from her work. “Welcome home, highness. I see the scouting mission is done.” She said with flagging enthusiasm. “I suppose that means Lady Silvia has gone to—”
A sharp whistle, like the trilling call of a galgriff, interrupted but also answered her question.
“—I guess that means it’s time for me to go.” Naelina started gathering her papers. “Mirina’s in the back. She’s been pretty quiet, maybe sleeping.” She finished as she stored her papers in a dimension ring. She stood and gave a weak smile before she made for the exit.
“I’m gonna go get some sleep.” Melinda said walking to the back. “Goodnight.”
Lumia sat at the table, I considered joining her, but I thought it was probably best to check on my sister first.
As I drew close to the room I heard soft sobbing and sniffling. Pushing aside a fur pelt that acted as a door, I saw my sister curled up with her arms wrapped tightly around a stuffed unicorn.
The plush toy was a gift from our dad, one she received on her fourth birthday. Seeing it, I realized that her birthday was coming up soon, in about three days if I remembered correctly.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
“Mimi,” I said gently as I sat beside her on the floor. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk about what’s been bothering you?”
She looked at me, but didn’t move or speak.
At this point, I was pretty sure her mood had something to do with our dad being gone. I wasn’t sure how much mom had told her, or how much she had pieced together on her own, but I decided that if she wouldn’t talk, then I would.
“I know you don’t feel like talking much, but I’ve actually been upset too. Do you want to know why?”
She looked up at me, but didn’t speak. Behind her wet eyes I could see curiosity growing with each moment until she sat up and nodded.
“I miss dad, Mimi.”
In a small voice, slightly muffled by the unicorn she said, “me too.”
I scooted just a little closer to her then said, “I thought so. I knew that if I missed him, you definitely would.” I made eye contact with Mirina, then added, “He was a really good dad.”
Mimi shook her head. “He was the best daddy…until he decided to go away.”
“It wasn’t his choice, Mimi. If he could have managed it, I know dad would be here with us now.”
“But you said he went somewhere that he could watch over us.”
I nodded. “That’s true, but he didn’t go because he wanted to. Some things happened…scary things, and dad tried to protect me and my other mom.” I paused as I tried to decide how much I should say. Mirina was watching me closely with an intense focus as if trying to see the thoughts in my head. I continued, “He wasn’t strong enough, and now he’s gone.”
Mirina scooched a little closer to me and placed a hand on my knee. I pulled her into my lap as tears fell from my eyes. We embraced and cried together for some time before my sister fell asleep. Silvia came back soon after that.
Whispering from the door, Silvia asked, “How is she?”
I stood and gently laid my sister on a fur bed. I covered her with the furred side of another pelt then wiped my eyes and turned to face mom. “She’ll be okay, I think. She just misses dad.”
“I think we all do.” Silvia said as she pulled me into a hug.
I held on to her, grateful that I still had her and Mirina. We stayed there only a few moments then I pulled away. Guilt tugged at my heart as I thought of how Vorlin died—why he died.
I couldn’t help but blame myself for Vorlin’s death. If I had listened to my uncle when he tried to warn me, then maybe I could have stopped the attack. If not then instead of worrying about the proving I could have focused on preparing for the invasion. I kept thinking, ‘if I had only been stronger…’
Mom placed a gentle hand on my cheek and smiled at me affectionately. “Silv, it’s okay if you’re not okay.”
“I know mom. I just need some time alone I think.”
She nodded and stepped out of the way. As I left the room she whispered, “I’m proud of you, Silv. We’ll get through this together.”
Her words stung as much as they warmed my heart. My chest felt like fire beneath my skin and sweat dripped down my cheeks. The heat inside made it difficult for me to breathe, but I forced a smile then went to my room and laid down.
----------------------------------------
Shouts rose in every direction, mixing together to form an incomprehensible chorus of panic. The ground rumbled with heavy vibrations as the sound of hooves clopped past the curved wall of my room.
The noise, drowned out with the crack of lightning and boom of thunder, tormented my sleep. Perhaps my subconscious was just as paranoid as Lumia. My eyes opened slowly, but the noises of battle didn’t fade. They only became harder to hear as a storm intensified.
Then I heard the clash of swords clearly and it was close—inside the hut. I sprang up, gripping my father’s sword as I rushed to the front room.
A short man with bushy brows and savage hair swung his sword—the blade flickering like fire as it hissed through the air.
Silvia ducked under his sword then struck him in the chin with her elbow. As the man stumbled backward, she stabbed him through the neck. Kicking him off her blade, she turned to me and said, “Get your sister and keep her safe.”
Silently, I nodded.
Lumia and Melinda were in the hall behind me when I turned around. Lumia’s gaze followed, worriedly after my mother, while Melinda stood with a blank expression beside her. Both women appeared tense, like coiled springs ready to release.
Giving voice to my thoughts, Lumia said, "I’ll take Mimi somewhere safe.” Then without waiting for confirmation, she darted off toward the room on the right and reappeared moments later with my sister in her arms.
Mirina was awake, her small body quaking with fear. Lumia pressed my sister’s head against her chest and covered her with a fur blanket.
Silvia had gone through the left most exit. Considering we didn’t know the situation outside, I figured that following her was our best bet. I took the lead, leaving the house with Melinda following behind me, then Lumia.
Outside the house, Lumia handed my sister to me then transformed. Melinda cast a barrier around us while I carefully placed Mimi on Lumia’s back.
Mirina kicked and screamed as she fought to hold on to my shirt. “No, no, Sam!”
I had to force her arms around Lumia’s neck, but Mirina was trembling too much to hold on effectively and she kept her eyes squeezed shut. I locked eyes with Melinda. “Go with them,” I said, “please keep them safe.”
Melinda nodded then hoped on Lumia’s back behind my sister. Mirina was still crying and screaming for me as Lumia took off, her voice cutting clearly through the wind and rain above the noises of clanging metal and visceral screams.
I hated the idea of sending my sister off alone, but she wasn’t really alone. Lumia and Melinda could easily protect her. It was Silvia I was more worried about.
With the growing distance, Melinda’s barrier flickered then faded. The chaos around me, no longer held back, closed in. A bolt whizzed past my cheek then I felt a surge of mana behind me. Instinctively, I spun left, avoiding a blast of lightning.
As soon as I did, a wave of heat washed across me, burning away the chill air and fogging up my vision. Lightning bolts flashed all around me. Some striking nearby grass huts, making them collapse in on themselves. Others zipped dangerously close to me. One shot passed inches above my head; it’s heat, like fire from a blowtorch, washed over me painfully. Another struck a tree trunk a few feet away and sent sparks flying everywhere. With each flash, I saw glimpses of a man with hair like silver fire stepping closer and closer.
Overhead the clouds swirled and churned madly as bolts of lightning cascaded down on the camp. I felt the rumble of thunder, then realized I couldn’t hear anything except a high pitched ringing.
Finally, the silver haired mage was within striking distance and I realized the storm was centered around him.
“Who are you?” I asked.
The man didn’t answer. A wry grin appeared on his face, then he was hurtling toward me, an axe in hand. He raised the weapon overhead with one hand, but I blocked the swing with my sword. Before he could strike again, I drove forward swinging hard into the man's stomach with the my fist. His breath escaped in a whoosh as he doubled over. Without pause, I thrust my sword into his gut, but caught only air.
A crackling boom, like the roar of thunder, on my left alerted me to duck. As I tucked my head, a searing pain passed across my back and shoulder blades. Something hot burned along my spine, sending me tumbling to the ground. I was momentarily paralyzed as electric energy raced throughout my body.
Forcing myself upright, I looked to the source of the shot. It must have been from the man controlling the storm, but the silver haired mage was gone.