Chapter 21

With Snow and Lia gone, there was nothing for Titus to do except claim that the necromancer had indeed seen through his deception and escaped into the night. He didn’t mention Lia. When Axl had asked about her, he claimed she perished under her collar. It wasn’t hard to believe considering her stature. When they asked about the collar, he told them Snow destroyed the vile thing.

Axl had wanted to take off after them, but Titus claimed to know where they were going. He named a little grain town in the north and suggested they make their way there quietly; that it might give them a chance to sneak up on him again. In truth, Titus had no idea where Snow was going and hoped it was in the complete opposite direction. He was sure that sooner or later they’ll hear a rumor saying he’s somewhere else, and Titus will swear he must have changed course to throw them off the trail.

However, as the three of them set out in the sunny dawn, Titus wasn’t fully sure why he wasn’t cutting his ties right then and there. It wouldn’t be all that hard to pull his horse to the side at the next fork and wish the men well on their hunt – explaining that he still wished to go home and check on family. Axl would understand and his disturbingly mute companion would likely give him that same stoney gaze he’d had since last night.

Titus didn’t need to continue this charade, but each time he thought of riding away, he saw the men running into Snow. And the vision would not stop there.

He saw Snow standing his ground, dropping Saviors left and right with a plunge of his sword only to command them back up on their feet to fight for him. The macabre melee would widen until someone got the drop on Snow from behind and managed to latch a collar around him. The silver wouldn’t burn him like it did Lia, but he doubted the Saviors would treat him any better than any other monster. They certainly would never let him go.

The thought made Titus’s grip tighten on the reins. He couldn’t let that happen, even if there was only a remote chance of stopping it. Snow was not a monster or a villain. The resurrectionist was chilly and jaded, but perhaps that’s just what happens when everyone sees you as a monster.

“So.”

Titus looked up as the other Savior, a man by the name of Kern, started talking to him.

“What was your plan anyways?”

“Plan?” Titus repeated only to have that stoney face turn towards him as they road at a slower pace to give their horses a break along the sunny stretch of road.

“How were you going to get the drop on that monster if none of us knew you were there?” Kern prodded with a suspicious look.

Titus shrugged. “I thought an opportunity would come up. I didn’t really have time get a message out when I saw he was hiring.”

“You thought on your feet,” Axl added in a complimenting tone before giving the two of them a glance from over his shoulder. “And now you can tell us more about him. Does he have any weaknesses?”

Titus paused. He looked between Axl and Kern trying to quickly decide if it’s better to lie or tell the truth.

“Obviously, silver doesn’t harm him, but he does have an aversion to tin.”

“Tin?” Kern repeated in disbelief.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“He can’t stand the stuff. He says it saps his energy away.”

“That’s a useful bit,” Axl replied. “What else?”

“He doesn’t like to make a scene,” Titus added. “You could walk right up to him and have a talk with him if it’s in a public place. … I still believe we might get somewhere talking to him.”

Kern scoffed.

Axl looked back at Titus again with a critical gaze. “Why would he listen to us?”

“He thinks of himself as a kind of merchant. Explain to him that it’s in his best interest to help and he just might.” It was the best outcome Titus could hope for. Axl had a big enough influence with the council to make introductions and possibly even spur some real change.

Titus tried to picture Snow with the council, helping them understand which monsters were true threats and which were better left alone. But the thought was quickly run through by Kern’s dark chuckle.

“It’s in his best interest to die.”

To Titus’s relief, Axl shot the man a sharp glare before looking back at Titus.

“We need him. He doesn’t have a choice in the matter. We can’t risk someone else getting their hands on him.”

“Have they figured out who that is yet?” Titus nudged his horse to ride up alongside Axl. “Maybe this whole thing is nothing more than a rumor? Something to stir people up.”

Axl gave Titus a long side glance. “I doubt the council would act without just cause.”

But new doubts had crept into Titus.

When he had joined, Titus had thought the council was this noble group of wise warriors who had served the Highest long before a new fervor had swelled across the provinces. It was just a year ago that he had thought himself part a new golden age liken to when the Saviors first rose to defend against the dragons and old, dark gods. He didn’t want to believe there was anything more to that story, and that this darker chapter would only be a momentary lapse – one quickly remedied with fresh knowledge.

Now those idealistic thoughts were starting to sour against the possibility that this cruelty and blind loyalty was a symptom of something else.

“What about Waldron? Are you sure he acted alone? He had an extra collar with him, and I doubt he could have taken a vampire without someone’s knowledge.”

Axl shrugged. “They didn’t ask me to interrogate the ranks, simply to haul Waldron’s ass back before the council if possible.”

“He could do magic. Someone had to have given him something or put some kind of spell on him. He wasn’t a magician,” Titus continued to prod.

Axl suddenly pulled his horse to a stop, forcing Titus to do so as well. The captain turned in the saddle to stare into him with fresh suspicion. Titus could hear Kern riding up along his other side so the three of them sat shoulder to shoulder across the road.

“What are you suggesting, Titus? You’re not one to start new rumors after traveling with the enemy,” Axl replied in a chilly tone.

Titus was keenly aware that Kern was right beside him and likely sitting with his hand on his pommel. With Titus half-turned in the saddle to face Axl, Kern could get the drop on him easily. Titus briefly wondered if he could kick his horse into a gallop before any blade plunges through his back.

“I’m merely wondering how a simple hunter got his hands on one of our prisoners and some dark magic. If I were you, Axl, I’d ask a few more questions.”

All around them the world was a beautiful sunny day. The birds continued to sing in the branches above and the horses stamped impatiently to keep walking. The heat of day was beginning to warm them, and the blue sky promised fair riding. But the three stood in deathly silence for another few seconds while Titus counted each one like petals being pulled from a flower.

I’m a dead man… Maybe I’m not… I’m a dead man… Maybe he’s just thinking it over.

Finally, Axl replied. “Maybe I will.” The man looked forward again and nudged his horse forward. Kern did as well, but not without a long, cold look.

Titus then quietly let out a breath he had been holding for too long.