My soles ached from the drop and my shoulder could not move, because it broke the fall.

Sore me, it hurts.

Corona laid against a tree. She had a worse drop leaving shivering apples around her disheveled body. She breathed raspy with her eyes glossed over and some part of me enjoyed seeing her like that.

I stumbled over the discolored leaves, young yellow apples, and twigs towards her.

The sword, I took it up. I stooped before her and placed it at her neck. Then she laughed, this arrogant fool.

“Something funny?” I asked.

“You are just like what we feared you would become.”

I blinked and circulated my jaw stopping myself from retorting prematurely.

She continued, “I can't stop you. I just cannot win.”

“If I remember correctly I am the child of a God.”

Corona's head leaned up off the bark. “Stow your conceit; was it not them who made the hells and heavens to frighten us into obedience? You had to die. To protect the greatness they created. Why she wants you to live, I cannot fathom.”

“My mother never ordered that?”

“No, she just wanted your body. Only that.”

I sighed, hating every minute of this. “Reasons?”

Laughter came out then those somber words. “Not sure.” She flinched and made a hissing sound as she slumped lower. “I am not that high in the order to know her thoughts, even now she changes her mind. She wants you to live.”

Why was I surrounded by self-centered people who only thought of themselves?

“You do not deserve it.” Her voice ringed in my ears when I looked up at the leaf sprinkled sky covered by thin trees in circles around us. “You deserve only death. Be—” She got breathless. “Because of you, I lost everything. Why would she cherish you, a cockroach?”

My fingernails bit into the handle. I kept it steady as my eyes blurred with fury staring at her face. I replied, “I have her blood.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Blood does not matter, only skill, usefulness, if you are useless, you should be killed on the spot. That is the Elam creed. I worked so hard to get to my position and I lost it to you.” She spat at me, but it was weak and volleyed under my chin. “You.”

I shook my head and licked my lips. Breathe, calm down, I stilled my arm and stared in those eyes, they shouted resolution, purpose, melancholy.

What was I doing? I was better than this, above all those fools and petty battles over paltry gains, titles, and traditions. As my fingers loosened on the pommel, I resolved that if I was to die. I had to die on my terms.

Yes, that was what I sought, her blood on my hands carried me to no peace in the afterlife. I breathed out and let the sword fell.

Getting up, I looked at her, and nothing resonated for her, yet gloom consumed me. I was sure, so I nodded at her. “Have life.”

She scowled and asked, “What?”

“I have life. Take care Corona, come to kill me again sometimes.”

I walked off only to hear. “You don't deserve it.”

Turning, I said, “I never wanted it in the first place, but I will take it for now.”

I tried to find the exodine and gave up. The pain I was saddled with now, the exodine wore too thin, it did not work like back in the past.

Forget it; growling low I thought it was better I wore armor like those knights. Using that with the shield would work great, so Valor needed to help me with that.

I made my way back to the castle and it was a lonely climb. Such an empty existence, it made me sad.

Deep, it was deep within my chest. The angst of fear, I hated it. I stopped on the edge of a platform. Taking the stairs to the high ground made sense to me in the spur of the moment. Ahead of me was a shattered bridge in the shimmering light, yet all around me was a deep darkness.

Something gripped my wrist and pulled me. I whipped my head around and almost pushed Janilla away from me. She was surprised as was I.

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“Lady?”

I groaned. “Don’t scare me like that.”

Janilla grinned and slapped her thighs with her arms. “I am glad you are safe.”

Me too, I just needed to stay safe. I looked back over the bridge. The distance between either broken section was not that far apart.

My arms hung lax, the energy to move was lacking. Why was I so drowsy? “I left Valor. I need.” I hesitated.

“I am sorry,” she said. I turned, Janilla averted her eyes and her lips quivered in anxiety. Tears flowed, she continued, “I did not do enough. I wish I cou—”

“Speak any more of that foolishness and I will slap you.”

Janilla could not help with war, but that was not why I loved her. My soul and hers were connected deeper than blood. I could not tell why, yet my instinct drove me to protect her as if it was myself.

She looked up at me. I said further, “It is fine.”

I wiped the teardrop from under her eyes and held her chin. “You are precious to me either way.”

She nodded and started sniffling. I lifted my hand to my forehead and sighed. “We need to—” I wanted to say I would go back for Valor, but I could not, I lost my gun and my mother and her goons were all over that room.

One good thing was Corona would not be on good terms with my mother anymore after this. Which side should I choose if it came to it? The mother, I never trusted her. I trusted Corona, but only to see my bleeding corpse on the floor. Bad options were the only things in my stead. I said, “Let’s keep moving.”

Janilla and I jumped the bridge, which was mostly difficult for her. We spun our stride into a revolving stairway. Where it led, we could only guess.

It led upward though and I think I needed a vantage point more than anything. We stepped onto a wide stone ledge, the arms of which divided into the fractured column cracking at the seams and center.

The orifice laid ahead filled with dust spewing into it like a waterfall. This would collapse, I needed to move, yet a sight caught my interest.

Across the distance on another section of the mound were people, among them a certain face caught my fancy. That slithering snake Acomn was moving under a door stump.

The wind whistled as the sound of a crack permeated with my stance. I looked around. Right, I knew where I was. Let me see.

Five?

Yes

Where are you? I inquired.

I am in the keep. Should I go for Valor? I am close. Your mother oversees him.

Can you pick up on Acomn and guide me?

Yes.

The terrible odds I placed myself in sometimes. Life was meant to be lived and I thrived at that. I pulled back from the ledge and with Janilla following, we weaved through the empty and eerie halls.

Five warned me, so my hand pushed into Janilla. “Stay here.” I kept walking, hoping she would not follow. Her ears provided her the chance to run.

No fear held me back when I rounded the corner and appeared before him. Acomn stopped first and glared at me, wide eyes. The six knights next to him slowed, stopped, glanced at their King before facing me. Hands close to their weapons, for they were not fools.

Tall windows laid near me and there was a good distance between us. I positioned my right hand behind me, got to sell this. The knights moved further in front making sure there were bodies between the King and I.

I smirked that they made my goal easier to attain.

“You have a lot of nerve coming here and spreading this madness!” he barked.

“If you and your men want to live I suggest you do not shout at me. There is no one around. No one will hear you scream. I am sure you want to live, no?” I said.

Acomn’s face flexed into a nasty scowl, yet he said nothing. Okay, he was buying the bluff. The time came to make my proposal. “I want you to do something for me. Do that and I will be gone.”

“You are in no—”

“What I tell you about shouting?”

He growled low.

I continued, “Erot is here you know. I wonder what Benedict thinks of that.”

His eyes lit up and the fury alleviated off his face. “Erot.” Five appeared stalking slow and steady to the back of Acomn.

“Your face looks so—nice. Ain’t that right Five?”

Five cut down the knights in the back.

Acomn turned and was instantly grasped in Five's death hold. The soldiers stiffened in fear, their drawn swords poised for action, but stilled by the threat of Five’s resolve.

Acomn bellowed, “Let me go, cretin!” Five spun Acomn and with a downward elbow to the back of the head sent Acomn straight to the ground. The soldiers rushed Five, but it was not even a second. Blood sprayed out. Their gurgling chokes unsettled me and sent a shiver through my neck to my arms. They both fell under the smooth movement of his sword hand.

“Was it necessary to knock him out? Now we harmed a monarch.”

Five nodded his head. “Sorry, I noted a lifeform in the vicinity. I decided to make your goal easier.”

“Our, our goal and as you should. Thank you Five. Just make sure to tell me the why from time to time.”

Five nodded his head.

“Lady Carmine? Can I come now?” I turned to Janilla’s voice.

“No, I am coming.” I did not want her to see the slit throats of these men. Five lifted Acomn and carried him in tow. We reached around the corner.

Janilla smiled saying, “Well met Five.”

Five grunted favorably. I said, “Janilla I am going to meet my mother. I cannot carry you with me.”

“Wha, but—”

“Facing up to my mother will be dangerous and I do not know how that gamble will turn out. She has Valor and I am not leaving him as long as he lives. Five will tell you where to go in your mind. If you do not hear me and Five’s voice after a while assume us dead and run, run and never look back.”

Janilla opened her mouth, it flapped with no words forthcoming. I understood her pain, but the responsibility was on my shoulders.

She shook her head. Her voice became meek. “Okay.” Tears flowed down her rosy cheeks. I grabbed her clasped hands into mine and we shared the warmth that never became words.

I never had to say it, but I would come back alive. If it was the last thing I did.