Geron

“Are you sure about this, Geron?” Tirille asked, pacing back and forth in the forest clearing.

Geron nodded. “We don’t have a choice. I needed to stay close to Sange so I could help when the knights arrive, so I couldn’t go after them. But now, I don’t need to.”

“And what if you’re wrong?” Tirille asked.

Geron’s eyes fell. “I don’t think I am, but we’ll find out. “

The clearing was smaller than their first camp. Marvin the horse was grazing on the forest grass on the edge of the campsite. On the opposite side, Lady C sat on a log warming her hands by a fire Geron had quickly made upon their arrival. It had taken a bit of prodding to even get a simple initial out of the lady. Even Vetica hadn’t known her name and they’d been in the forest together for a few days before Geron and the others showed up. He still didn’t quite understand their relationship, but Lady C seemed okay enough. She just didn’t talk much. He suspected she’d been through some kind of trauma.

He turned back to Tirille. “Once I capture her, use your powers. Search her memories for an answer. Find out why she came here and what they’re doing with Charlie.”

Tirille hesitated. “Axel told me not to use my powers. Even if I wanted to…what if things go wrong again?”

Geron closed his eyes. Of course, she had reservations. A couple of days after Charlie’s disappearance, Axel revealed something about the fight against the core guardian in Sirra. One moment he’d been fighting, the next he was reliving a memory. Tirille had pulled Axel into his own mind. Geron had tried to protect him, and the creature had sent him flying instead. When he next awoke, the fight was over. Roan had been the only witness left. He said was it was like Axel was having a bad nightmare. The creature bit down on Axel’s shoulder, and he’d screamed. It was like his body reacted to the pain, but his eyes were blank.

In the end, Tirille had saved them. But her powers had also been the reason things almost went wrong. “I know you have reservations, but I believe you can do this. Focus. You saw what happened the day of my outburst. I know how you feel, perhaps more than anyone. But there’s a little boy who needs our help. Your power is crucial here.”

Tirille looked up at him in surprise. “It is?”

Geron nodded. He placed a hand on her shoulder. “If things go wrong and your powers don’t behave correctly, we’ll call it off. But I know you can do this, Tirille.”

That reassured her. She returned to her usual self in an instant. “Alright! I’ll do what I can.” She smiled.

Geron smiled at her. He knew she would be a great warrior one day. “She’ll arrive soon. I should get ready.”

Geron had been fortunate enough to make it back to camp before Vetica had. He didn’t know what was holding her up, but he was grateful. He’d quickly helped Tirille get Lady C and the horse away from there. They decided to set up an ambush at the secondary location they all agreed upon when discussing their plans to infiltrate the city. Vetica would realize they were gone, then come here.

Lady C and Marvin the horse. Vetica was bound to come back for them. She’d stressed the importance of their protection too much to leave them behind now.

While he waited, he had time to think about some things. Geron realized something after his interaction with Merlin. He was likely the same man who had signaled the start of the rebellion. According to some rebels who’d helped them get all the children out of the dungeon, Merlin was the one who had actually created the resistance in the first place. So, Vetica’s ally, and the one who created the signal, had to be the same person.

That first hex had been one of healing. Geron had been in the dungeon for the second signal, but that one was apparently a water elemental hex. When they’d confronted one another, Merlin used void hexes.

Three different hexes. That was unheard of. But Geron was confident this had to be the same man. He wasn’t dealing with any ordinary caster. He knew from speaking with the cafe owner in Sirra that the man Charlie had originally been traveling with also wore a purple cloak. Geron had thought nothing of it when he first ran into Merlin by the gate. It wasn’t like purple was that rare of a color. But if this was the same man and Merlin was powerful enough that he could use three different hexes, why had he allowed himself to get arrested in Sirra? Common guards could never have accomplished that unless he allowed it.

So, what had he been up to? What was his goal?

Geron didn’t believe Merlin was the one to take Charlie from their camp. The fact he was involved with the rebellion meant he wasn’t working with the mayor. He must have come for the same reason Geron, and the others did.

He’d come to retrieve Charlie. Now, Geron wanted to find out why.

Tirille signaled. Geron ducked behind a tree large enough to cover his frame.

Vetica had returned.

She walked into the camp, leading a little girl by the hand.

That was unexpected. Unless…was this girl another reason she was in Sange? Was she hired to retrieve her or something?

Vetica was vigilant of her surroundings. Geron brought his head back behind the tree. Tirille spoke up to catch her attention.

“Vetica! I’ve been waiting for you. I’m glad you’re okay. Who's this?”

“Why did you fall back here? What happened?” Vetica was straight to the point, as always. She hadn’t even answered Tirille’s question.

“I was worried that the knights might run into us if we stayed, so I moved the camp. I think we’ll be fine out here though,” Tirille said.

Geron peeked around the tree again.

The little girl had been staring at Lady C but wasn’t leaving Vetica’s side. She looked up at Vetica, perhaps wondering why she hadn’t introduced her to Tirille yet.

But Vetica was staring at Tirille with a lifted brow. “The knights? How did you hear about them? Has someone else been here?”

“Uh, no. Just me. I saw a signal from town. Samantha’s lightning. I’d thought you would’ve seen it as well.”

Geron pursed his lips. “Come on, Tirille. You’re going to make her paranoid.”

Vetica turned to look back toward the city. “I saw the lightning. But would you guys have a signal for hex knights specifically? I could understand if you’d said she signaled danger or told you to relocate. But a signal for hex knights doesn’t make sense. You aren’t criminals and your guild is in good standing with the kingdom.”

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Geron’s eyes shot open. She was on to them. He hadn’t prepared Tirille well enough. He’d forgotten who they were dealing with.

Vetica was facing away from the woman, so Tirille didn’t see her hand drift toward the knife on her waist.

“No…”

Tirille was caught off guard. She was floundering for an answer. You can’t stumble around an assassin. You can’t leave an opening.

Vetica turned sharply, letting go of the little girl’s hand. Tirille reacted as well, lifting a palm.

Too slow.

But Geron was already moving. He’d stepped around the tree and dug his feet into the ground before pressing himself off in their direction.

Geron was a big man, but that didn’t mean he was a slow. The momentum carried him forward.

Vetica turned slowly. She’d noticed his rapidly approaching presence. Their eyes locked on one another.

And then Vetica did something that surprised him. She turned and pushed Sophia out of the way. He’d been mindful of the girl. He wouldn’t have hit her. But Vetica had no way of knowing that. She’d instinctively saved the girl rather than protect herself.

He’d sort through what that meant later. He couldn’t afford to hold back.

Geron was close now. The moment she was within reach, he grabbed her by the throat, wrapping his fingers tight around her neck and lifting her into the air. Geron took a few more steps and pressed her back against a tree.

Vetica snarled and lifted the hand with her knife in it to stab him.

“Broken Hex Bane,” Geron said.

The knife turned to ash before it reached his face.

Vetica’s eyes shot open. She pried at his large fingers with both of her hands.

She struggled.

“I want answers. Now. What are you doing with these children? What are you doing with Charlie?”

Vetica glared at him, still struggling.

Geron sighed. He didn’t expect her to cooperate. “Tirille—”

“Let her go! She’s a good person!” The little girl protested.

Geron turned to look over his shoulder. Lady C hadn’t responded to any of the commotion. But when the girl spoke, she finally looked up. “Sophia?” she said. Lady C stood and ran over to the little girl, embracing her.

Sophia ignored her. Her attention was on Vetica. Lady C looked up. “What are you doing?” she asked, finally noticing Geron holding Vetica in the air. “That woman saved me.”

“What?” Geron said. Something wrapped around his arm. He turned back to see Vetica had lifted her legs and used them to ensnare him. She twisted, and Geron grunted in pain.

Instinctively, he let go of her.

Vetica ran.

“Tirille!” he called out. Tirille ran toward Lady C and Sophia. Geron had been sure that would be Vetica’s priority. She’d take one as a hostage or try to escape.

But she didn’t.

She ran for the freaking horse.

Geron hurried after her, still nursing his dislocated arm. Vetica untied Marvin and hopped on. As soon as he was untied and she had mounted, Marvin took off into the woods. Something wrapped around Geron’s leg. He looked down to see Sophia lying prone in the dirt, holding onto him with everything she had.

“Tirille! Go!” he called out. She nodded and chased after Vetica. It seemed the assassin was moving toward Sange. She would try to get through the tree line, then rendezvous with her friends. If Tirille didn’t catch her before then, it was over. They couldn’t keep up with a horse on open land.

Geron was strong. Too strong sometimes. He worried if he tried to pry the little girl’s hands off of him, he might hurt her. “Little girl, please! That woman knows something about a boy I’m looking for. I think he’s in danger. I need to go after her.”

“What boy?” she asked.

Geron sighed. There wasn’t time for this. “A baby named Charlie. I promised I would protect him, but a mage ran off with him. I have to catch them before it’s too late to—”

Sophia looked confused. “Charlie? He’s with Merlin! He’s safe!” she said. Her grip softened.

Geron didn’t try to break free. “Wait, you know Charlie? And Merlin too?”

Sophia nodded. “Merlin is Charlie’s friend. Merlin and Vetica aren’t bad people! We were so late because I kept asking Ms. Vetica to stop and help people we found. We helped so many people. Vetica isn’t bad! They’re Charlie’s friends!”

Geron’s brows furrowed. He’d beaten them to camp because they were…helping people? Vetica? She was an assassin. None of this made sense. He looked up at her mom. “You said she helped you. Did you hire her or something?”

Lady C shook her head. “No, they saved me from a beast in the woods. I told them my Sophia had been taken, and they said they would go and get her for me. They didn’t ask for anything in return.”

Geron was speechless. He shook his head, trying to puzzle it out.

Tirille screamed for him.

His head snapped in her direction. “Sophia, right? I need to go help my friend. She could be in danger.”

“Promise you’ll let Vetica go?” she asked.

“I only care about keeping Tirille safe right now. Please.”

Sophia nodded and let go. He ran. “Stay with your mother. I’ll be right back!” he called out over his shoulder.

Geron crashed through the woods, running into branches and crushing foliage underfoot. He was a like a bear in pursuit of prey. Nothing would stop him from going to Tirille’s aid.

She called out again. “Geron!”

He threw himself through a bush and exploded onto the other side. Leaves flew everywhere. Tirille was standing there on the outskirts of the forest, staring at the city of Sange.

It was a wave of green.

“Geron…do you see this?” Tirille asked without turning back.

Geron squinted. Scalers. Hundreds of them. They were climbing to the tops of buildings. A horde of them. They leapt from rooftop to rooftop, one after the after. They were moving as one.

“What…why are so many of them…” Geron paused. The Scalers had helped after the dungeon collapsed. Admittedly, they’d found it strange, but sometimes beasts acted in weird ways after their connection with the dungeon was severed. But this, this was something else entirely.

“Do you think they’re moving the nest?” Tirille asked.

Geron shook his head. “That should be impossible. If it were just a few scouts, then I’d say, maybe. But the dungeon of Sange had a vast sphere of influence. It’s impossible another dungeon was close enough that they could find a new home within mere hours.”

And yet, they were all moving in the same direction. It dawned on him that it was the same direction Merlin had gone.

“That man, Merlin. He had a pet scaler.”

Tirille looked at him, a puzzled expression on her face. “Seriously?”

Geron nodded. Was it possible that he was controlling all of them? Someone who could command three types of hexes and even beasts themselves… if this was truly Merlin then…

“That man might be one of the most powerful people in Aysela,” Geron said.

Tirille swallowed. “Should we go after them?”

Geron turned to look back through the woods. He couldn’t see them, but Sophia and Lady C’s words were still fresh on his mind. Both of them thought highly of Merlin and Vetica. Perhaps Charlie would be safe with them for now.

“No. The hex knights are active here, almost too active. Which makes me think something happened. They aren’t known for mercy. If something upset them, their response will be extreme and disproportionate. We need to ensure these people have the protection of the might of Gemini. I know Katherine would approve of this course of action.”

“And the guild leader?” Tirille asked.

“Almost certainly not. But Katherine will stand up for us. Go and get Sophia and Lady C. We need to get them behind the walls before the confrontation. I don’t expect fighting. The knights don’t want to start a war with Gemini, but things will probably get…intense.”

Tirille nodded and hurried through the woods.

Geron stared in the direction the scaler horde was moving.

“One day I will find you, Merlin. You will tell me everything I want to know, and if you haven’t kept Charlie safe…” He balled a fist tight. “I’ll put an end to you.”