Todo ran down the hall followed by members of the royal battalion, the sounds of their booted feet blending in with the storm outside. Fear gripped his heart as he turned the corner seeing Prince Hector leaning against the wall, his mighty saber clutched in front of him, supporting him like a walking stick.
“Prince Hector!”
Wishing he had had time to don his armor when the alarm was raised, Todo closed the distance between him and his Lord, his voice echoing down the hall.
“Protect Prince Hector!”
In Todo’s right hand was a sword that dripped blood onto the stone floor, inadvertently marking a bloody trail from where he was, to a corpse further back, the dead assassin lying in a bloody pool. When the alarm had first sounded Todo and his men had rushed to the King's aid, cutting down any that stood in their way, but they were too late, the King’s lifeless body lying in the storm ravaged room met the horrified warriors. Taking a tight grip on his emotions, Todo had barked out commands, his deep voice shaking his men out of their frozen silence. “Prince Hector will be the next target! We must hurry to him now!” From there, the warriors had run the whole way to Prince Hector’s study, killing any assassin that was foolish enough to attack them.
Sprinting ahead of his men Todo counted the number of assassins that stood near Prince Hector, seven… no six, the one clutching his missing hand had fallen, the whiteness of his face telling Todo he was out of the fight.
Pulling deeply at the Aether that filled the vicinity, Todo drew the energy though the Sable Antelope Crest on his shoulder. As power rushed through his Gate of Power his muscles started to swell, propelling him forward like a crazed beast. Arcane Light billowed behind him as he ran, a streak of bright light in the dark hallway. Using the heightened senses that came with drawing power, he assessed the dangers of the assassins, his mind moving effortlessly. Three of the assassins look like the one I just killed, black cloaks and masks covering their entire body. Their eyes look glassy and hollow—they must have taken Devil’s Dew! But the fourth one is different. He must be the leader! The fourth one was mask-less teeth bared in a snarl, his eyes clear and alive, a sign of no drugs. Fresh blood from a wound ran down his chin and onto his clothes disappearing withing the dark fabric.
As their eyes met, the mask-less assassin raised his knives and crouched, a defensive stance that allowed him to attack or retreat in any direction. Arcane Light rippled off him as he tracked Todo with his knives, the point never wavering always aimed at him. He was like a deadly beast ready to devour its prey.
Alumas blind me! Seeing the assassin’s graceful movements Todo knew he was dangerous. Those movements were rarely seen on someone below the rank of an Arcane Lord. None of the guards that were with him could match this man. Even he would have trouble dealing with him.
The clash of steel and violence harmonized with the tempest outside as the two forces met, the sounds of fighting momentarily deafening the roar of the storm. Todo rapidly displayed multiple sword forms as he met the mask-less assassin, trying to overwhelm him with sheer aggression, Boar’s Charge, Winter’s Bite, Moonless Sweep. Swinging his sword from an obscure angel, Todo felt the tip of his sword strike the assassin’s knee, severing the man's balance. The cut was not deep, but it served its purpose. Using his right leg he kicked the man’s chest, creating distance between them. He had to keep fighting at medium range where his longer sword outreached the assassin’s knives.
“Try to keep them alive!” Todo yelled noticing a guard beheading an assassin from the corner of his eye. They needed to know where the attackers had come from, and he wasn’t sure if he could capture his opponent alive. He wasn’t even sure if he could prevent the assassin from killing him.
Turning back to his own fight, Todo disrupted the mask-less assassin’s attempt to close the distance by moving his sword in a tight arc in front of him. He had to keep the distance he had created. Using his advantage of distance control, he started to dictate the pace of the fight, tight thrusts and feints, his sword constantly looking for an opening.
The dance of death the two fought swung back and forth, each trying to outmaneuver the other into a two versus one scenario, the assassins and guards fighting around them constantly cutting into their dance. In a matter of moments Todo and the mask-less assassin had exchanged dozens of blows, each blow causing the assassin to step back.
As the fight went on, Todo knew he had the advantage, the cut to the knee of the mask-less assassin had severely hampered his movements. Each step was causing blood to flow down the man’s leg. If he was able to buy just a couple more minutes, the guards would be able to help him. Gritting his teeth in concentration, Todo focused on the fight. Much sooner than Todo expected, three members of the Royal Battalion rushed over, their opponents subdued.
Circling the mask-less assassin, Todo frowned. How were the other assassins taken care of so quickly? Were they weaker than what he initially thought? And if so, how were they able to bring Prince Hector into such a state? “Drop your weapons. You are surrounded,” he commanded, his mind racing for an explanation. “Do it now!”
As Todo’s voice rang out, the three members of the Royal Battalion stepped closer as one, weapons raised, their breathing synchronized with each other. It was a tactic taught to them by Todo. By synchronizing their breathing, they could fight as one unit without getting into each other’s way. A tactic that was crucial when fighting in a tight corridor. Dying to a friendly sword was unacceptable.
Hearing Todo’s voice the assassin’s face split into a bloody smile, the scar on his face twisting grotesquely. “We both know that this only ends in one way,” he replied, his left hand reaching into a hidden pocket and taking out a small vial.
Heart skipping a beat, Todo swung the flat of his blade at the vial, his body protesting his sudden acceleration. As his blade cut through the air, the mask-less assassin leaped backwards, the vial touching his lips, Todo’s blade barely an inch from his face.
Sun’s Wrath, Todo cursed helplessly as he watched the assassin down the contents of the vial, the empty vial shattering on the stone floor. Within a couple of heartbeats, the assassin crumpled to the floor, his body lifeless, like a doll’s whose strings had been cut, his face still contorted in a twisted smile.
“Poison!” Todo loudly exclaimed, his head swiveling to the remaining assassins. “Prevent them from taking it!” Quickly scanning the area, he counted two assassins still alive, the rest were either killed or poisoned their own vials of poison! “Search their bodies! Make sure they can’t kill themselves!”
“Sir!”
Ignoring the Royal Battalion for the moment, Todo ran to Prince Hector’s side.
Prince Hector was sitting against the wall, his eyes closed, body shaking as he tried to regulate his breathing. His face was so pale that if Todo did not see him moving, he would have thought him dead. Bending down to examine the prince’s wounds, Todo frowned. The external wounds on Prince Hector's body did not look too grave, but he was acting as if he was standing on the Shores of the Last Sea.
“My Lord,” he whispered, “are you internally injured?”
Hearing Todo’s voice, Prince Hector opened his eyes, his breathing stronger than just a second ago, but his eyes were yellow, almost as if he were a demon.
“There was poison in my tea. Stronger than anything I have ever heard of,” he stammered. “But that can wait for now. Now, I need a report of the situation.”
Dropping to one knee Todo gripped his hands tightly, his mind numb as he reported.
“King Alfred is dead, by the time we reached his bedchamber the assassins had already left the room.” Voice cracking, he tried to keep his voice as steady as possible. “We do not have any word on the princesses so far. As for our guards, they have suffered multiple casualties, there seems to be two to three large groups of assassins as well as a dozen smaller groups moving around our castle, our men are still fighting them.”
Todo watched as Prince Hector shut his eyes tight at the mention of his brother’s death, the King was a foolish ruler that had brought disaster to the kingdom, but Todo knew that Prince Hector still loved him.
“Todo, I need you to take the princess-both of them to Maliri’s place, the castle is compromised,” he gasped, his voice weaker than Todo had ever heard. “The Royal line must continue.”
“My Lord, what of yourself? You need a healer!”
“The healer can wait. The soldiers in the capital still need me to command them. I will do it from here. Without stabilizing my body, the poison will kill me if I move too much. GO NOW!”
Struggling with his emotions Todo wanted to argue but he knew better. The princesses had to survive! Standing up he gave a sharp salute. “Yes, Sir!” Turning to his men he commanded. “I want all of you to protect Prince Hector. I will go secure the princesses.”
“Yes, Sir!” the warriors responded in unison.
Forcing his worried body to start moving, Todo turned and started to run back towards the main keep following the drops of blood that had dripped off his sword. Stepping outside into the storm, he felt like a leaf moving to the selfish demands of the wind, a passenger to the actions of his surroundings. Instantly soaking him, the rain poured down like an angry god, the cold sinking deep into his bones.
Raising his arm just above his eyebrow, Todo tried to keep the rain from his eyes as he made his way through the storm, the action feeling useless in the downpour. There was just too much rain! Alumas protect me, he prayed as he drew a small but steady amount of Aether into himself. Limiting the energy to his eyes, with a little left over to keep his body warm, but not enough to start emitting Arcane Light, he picked up his pace.
Amid the deafening roars of thunder that seemed to shake the very air, Todo ran, the familiar surroundings no longer feeling safe. Abruptly stopping, he concentrated, his ears perked up as he heard the faint clash of steel. Someone was fighting! No, a group of people were fighting!
Rotating energy to his legs, Todo sprinted towards the sound, his sudden change in speed causing the rainwater in front of his face to slam into him. Making his way around the building, he encountered a group of Salizian guards fighting in the rain, their shouts muffled by the laughter of thunder.
Without slowing down Todo flanked the assassins that were on the verge of overwhelming the guards, his sword held low, almost parallel to the ground. The cold his body felt quickly faded as he drew deeply, rotating the Aether that he drew throughout his whole body, his muscles quivering with power. As Arcane Light started to billow out of his crest, he shouted with all his might, his sword trailing behind him. “FOR THE PHOENIX! FOR SALIZIA!”
Startled by his shout, the closest assassin whirled around, his focus changing from the guards he was fighting to Todo, surprise causing his eyes to widen. But it was too late.
Todo barely felt his sword pierce through the assassin’s abdomen, the soft gasp from the man barely audible to him. Half carrying half lifting the skewered man on his shoulder, he continued the charge, running into a second assassin, causing all three of them to go crashing into the stone floor. The distraction and the removal of two assassins was all the guards needed, by the time Todo had dislodge himself from the pile of legs and arms, the fight was over.
Panting hard, Todo looked at the leader of the guard. “Captain, I need you to split your team in half. Take half of them to Prince Hector’s study. The rest of you follow me. MOVE! NOW!”
“Yes Sir!”
Ignoring the salutes from the men, Todo bent down, pulling his sword free. Slamming his still bloody blade back into his scabbard he started to run, the three men that were hurriedly assigned to him trying to keep up. Glancing back at the men, Todo grit his teeth in frustration. They were young, too young. If he had to guess, they were the fresh recruits that had come only a couple weeks ago. They were better than nothing, but barley.
“You,” he pointed to the youngest of the group. The boy was taller than most, long and gangling, his skinny body not filling his armor, terror wet as rain plastered on his face. “Send a raven to Maliri’s residence. Tell him to round up his guards. I am bringing the princesses to him. After that, go to the stable, tell the stable master to ready a carriage for the princesses.”
“Yes, Sir,” the young guard stammered, holding his spear in a death grip, arms shaking in the rain.
“Now, GO!”
Flinching at the tone of Todo’s voice, the boy veered right, sprinting toward the raven’s tower, disappearing into the dark storm. Gesturing to the remaining two soldiers, Todo entered the main castle, their wet clothes leaving puddles of water on the floor.
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Inside the castle was warmer than outside, but the smell of blood and death lingered everywhere, an iron perfume sprayed on the walls, floors, and even tapestries that lined the hallways.
“Both of you, name and Arcane strength?” Todo hissed; his attention focused on his surroundings. He had to know the strength of this small and inexperienced party.
“Pelton Burns, Arcane Warrior.”
“Floyed Fields, soldier.”
Burns raised his hand showing the crest markings on the back of his hand, confirming his Arcane strength. Inwardly Todo groaned, an Arcane Warrior was someone who had just learned to draw Aether through their Gate of Power, while a soldier was a normal man, someone who could never learn to draw Aether. Considering the average strength of the assassins he had fought, he doubted if the boys could slow down more than one assassin.
“Both of you, concentrate on defense, try to fight together, distraction is just as good as killing them,” Todo commanded, regretting that this was the most he could do for them. I hope they don’t die.
“Stay close and don’t die.”
“Yes, Sir.”
The trio stealthily made their way deeper into the castle, making a beeline for the princesses' chambers, the quiet sounds of Burns and Fields magnified to the sensitive ears of Todo, his nerves pulled tight. The storm outside should keep the assassins from hearing us. The storm outside should keep the assassins from hearing us, he obsessively told himself each time one of the boys made noise, his face tight from stress.
Todo knew he was on edge, but he could not help it, the images of the dead King, and Prince Hector leaning against the wall had shaken him more than he was willing to admit. The closer they got to the princess’s chambers, the more he felt his heart racing, blood pounding in his ears like a drum. Falling into a dead sprint, he started to run down the last hallway, his self-control crumbling. Please be alive! Turning the last corner, he stopped abruptly.
Relief instantly replaced the panic in his mind as he saw the two princesses standing in front of their room, their two maids auguring desperately with them. They were safe! The assassins had not come here yet!
“Princess we must stay put! Let us wait for the guards!” Rose, one of the maids was pleading.
“I will not hide! Not when we do not know what is going on!” Princess Milina hissed back, her eyes narrowing. Princess Milina stood in front of the group, in her raised right hand she held a lantern illuminating the darkness, the light giving her reddish-brown hair a flame-like glow. In her left hand she held a small saber.
Todo recognized the saber, it was a gift that her brother, the late Prince Perseus had given to her on her eighth birthday, some fifteen years ago. When Milina was young, she was a delicate and shy girl, always hiding behind her brother’s legs, refusing to talk to anyone she did not see as family. When Perseus had gifted her the saber, she was devastated, she had wanted a doll. Todo remembered the tantrum that followed, how he was forced to run to the market and buy her a doll. It had taken Perseus hours even with the doll to calm her down.
Princess Milina’s personality changed when her brother passed away, the once delicate girl had become stiffer, a steel core growing in her spirit, the responsibility of now being the eldest child heavy on her shoulders.
Standing just behind Princess Milina holding onto her nightgown was, Princess Elina. Elina who had just turned sixteen, was the opposite of her half-sister, free spirited and cheerful, always laughing as she ran around the castle, making friends with all the maids and butlers. Even her uncle’s well-known disapproval of her did not change the way she faced the world. Everyone assumed that Prince Hector’s disapproval came from the way she acted, but Todo knew better. The reason Prince Hector did not like Elina was because she did not share the same mother as her siblings. Her mother was a common maid that the king found a fancy in. Adding insult to injury, Elina did not even inherit House Salizia’s Phoenix Crest, the Crest that proved she was of House Salizia. Instead, she was born with the Crest of a Pinto Horse something that must have come from her mother’s side, a Crest with no known history.
“Princess!” Todo could not keep the strain from entering his voice as he hurried over.
“General Todo, what’s going on?” Milina asked, lowering her lantern as he came closer, the shadows around them dancing wildly. “We heard noises and came to check.”
“We are under attack from an unknown force,” Todo quickly reported, closed fist on his chest in a sharp salute. “Your uncle has commanded us to take you to Maliri’s residence.”
“How is father? Is uncle Hector with him?” Milina questioned.
“Price Hector is injured but alive. As for the King, I do not know,” Todo lied, keeping his voice steady. At this moment he did not think the princesses should learn of the King’s death. “Princess, we must hurry. Getting both of you to safety will allow your uncle to concentrate on eradicating the enemy without worrying about you.”
Todo could see the internal struggle that Princess Milina faced, her lips pressed tightly against each other. On one hand, getting Elina and herself to safety was the logical choice, however the desire to help her father and uncle was what her moral code was demanding.
Seeing the conflict, Todo spoke up, trying to persuade her. “Princess, both of you are not trained to fight. As the eldest, you are responsible for your sister's life. Please, let us depart.”
Letting out a grunt of frustration, Milina nodded her head.
“Yes, you are correct General, lead the way.”
Taking a sharp shallow breath, Todo turned to the two boys that followed him. “Burns, Fields. Guard the back. I will lead the way.”
“Sir!”
Leading the group forward in a half run, Todo keeping his eyes peeled, every sound from the group of people following him causing his muscles to tighten. Moving swiftly down corridors and hallways that just hours ago felt secure, he concentrated on looking for moving shadows, every flash of lighting causing him to stop momentarily. The paths seemed clear until… There! Extending from the door on the left! A shadow!
Breaking into a cold sweat, Todo signaled quietly to the group, motioning for the princesses and maids to hug the left wall while waving the two guards forward. When everyone was in position, he started to walk forward, drawing power into himself, his heart beating painfully against his chest. The moment he passed by the open door he jumped backwards, swinging his sword down in a savage cut.
Todo had been correct, a shadow rushed out and into his predicted sword's path, his sword cutting a parallel path along the assassin's spine. The metallic smell of blood instantly filled the passageway as the dead man’s body crashed into Todo, pushing him back into a wall. It was only for a second, but the space created by the dead man was enough for the second assassin who was also waiting in the shadows to dart past Todo, a blur of wet clothing.
Desperately pushing the dead body off him, Todo cursed while giving chase, watching as both Burns and Fields lowered their spears and stood in the assassins’ way. They were both shaking in fear, the point of their spears dancing wildly as their hands shook, their knuckles bone white from how hard they gripped their spears. But they did not retreat. When the assassin was steps away, Fields charged, a high-pitched yell coming out of his terrified throat, mimicked by a quieter scream from Burns as he followed.
Seeing the two boys run at him, a small smile appeared on the assassin's face, a cruel grin reserved for people who liked to inflict harm on people. Fluidly slipping past the spear points like a dancer, the assassin thrust his knife deep into Fields’ stomach, an intoxicating look of joy lighting up his eyes.
Todo knew the wound was fatal before Fields’ agonizing scream reached his ears, the blade only stopping when the knife’s guard hit the poor guards stomach. Judging from the location, it was a type of wound Todo had come across dozens of times on the battlefield, always fatal for someone who was not above the level of an Arcane Warrior. He had been too slow.
What happened next startled everyone. Dropping his spear, Burns tackled both the assassin and Fields, dragging everyone down in a mess of limbs and weapons. Rolling on the ground the boys held onto the assassin with all their might. “Run princess!!”
Before any of them could untangle themselves, Princess Milina made her move, lifting her small saber, she slashed down, lodging her weapon deep into the assassin’s neck. Staring down at the dying assassin, she took a deep breath before glancing up at Todo, “General we must hurry.”
Blinking as if he had seen the Princess for the first time, Todo swallowed, knowing his face reflected the look on everyone else’s face—a mixture of awe, and disbelief. “Yes, princess,” he stammered. He did not expect anything like this to happen, but he was relived, the blood of Salizia was strong in the future queen.
Quickly making his way over, Todo pulled Burns up from the ground checking him for injuries at the same time. The boy was not injured, but he was covered in blood, and shaking like a leaf, the experience clearly overwhelming him. “You’re alright,” Todo lied, as he patted him on the back. If it were up to him, he would have left the boy in a safe place and continued without him, but they did not have the luxury. “We need to keep moving. Can you stand? Look at me boy. Can you stand? Good, now hold your weapon. Good man.” Turning to look at Princess Milina, he gave her a nod. “Let’s go!”
Making their way out of the castle was a blur to Todo, but after what felt like an eternity, and yet strangely like seconds, the party finally made their way outside, the storm still raging. Since the death of Fields, they had not come across any other assassins, but each shadow and flash of lighting caused everyone to freeze in fear. Throughout his life, Todo had fought in numerous battles, but none of them compared to the stress he felt now. Caring for the life of a soldier was nothing like caring for that of princesses; he felt like throwing up.
Get a hold of yourself man! This is not the time to fall apart. Stay on course! This is what you trained your whole life to do! he told himself as he stepped into the storm, his eyes fixed ahead. Wiping rain off his face he turned back, cursing as he realized the princesses were still in their nightgowns. In his haste, he had forgotten to grab cloaks for them. He would have given his own cloak-and that of Burns-to the princesses, but both were covered in blood.
“Princess, we must make our way to the stables, but we don’t have appropriate clothing at the moment,” he stammered before being cut off by Princess Milina. “General, our father may think differently, but we are not made from sugar. We will not melt in the rain. Now let us go before we are caught!”
“Yes, my lady!”
The power of the storm seamed to get stronger and stronger as they made their way the stables, sheets of rain whipped against everybody’s body, stinging any exposed skin raw. Noticing how dazed Burns looked as he moved through the storm, Todo felt regret mixed with guilt sink deep into his stomach. The boy had experience more in the past hour than what most people experience in a lifetime, yet they did not have time to rest. They did not even have the time to pull his friend out from under the assassin that had killed him. They had left him, hugging his own killer.
Keeping his eye on Burns, Todo wished he knew the right words to say, but nothing came to him, so he remained silent. Alumas give him strength, he prayed as he quickened his pace.
Turning the last corner, Todo finally saw the stables, the small but inviting lights from the lanterns giving him new strength. Waving his arm at the group to stop, he rotated Aether to his eyes and ears, the world instantly becoming more real. As his senses sharpened, he took the time to scan the area, looking for any signs of ambush. It was common knowledge among veteran warriors that accidents and ambushes often happen when they are nearing their goal. Noticing nothing out of the ordinary-if not counting the rain-Toto waved the group forward.
Inside the sables was dry, a stark contrast to the storm outside. Dripping water onto the straw covered floor, Todo turned to study everyone. Everyone looked miserable, nightgowns, uniforms, and wet hair plastered to their shivering bodies, the blood and sweat on Burns’ armor washed away by the heavy rain. If they had time, Todo would have insisted everyone find dry clothing but that was just wishful thinking.
“General, over here!!”
Turning towards the voice that called to him, Todo saw the tall soldier he had sent to the stables earlier, his long arms madly waving at him. Next to him was the royal carriage, the horses hooked up and ready to go.
“I sent the message like you said! Oh, and the Stable Master is bringing over two more saddled horses, the other two horses are over here. Where’s Floyed?” The tall soldier sounded exited, his words tumbling out of his mouth in a rush.
“Princess, take your sister and the maids and get in the carriage. Burns, go help the stable master,” Todo ordered, walking over to the gangly soldier, his heart heavy. “Soldier Fields died bravely, protecting the princesses,” he told the tall soldier. “When this is all over, he will be buried with full honors.”
The pale and nervous look on the tall soldier’s face deepened as disbelief and sadness added to the mix, his shoulders dropping.
“Oh…”
“Saddle up, we still have a mission to do. Mourn him later.” Turning towards the horse, Todo wishing he could do more, but they did not have the time-or that’s what he told himself. As he mounted his horse, the sense of urgency seemed to grow, every second counted.
“Everyone, mount up!”
By the time Burns and the stable master returned, everyone was mounted or in the carriage, ready to move at any second. “Stable master, you will drive the carriage. Burns, lead the extra horse in case we need it,” Todo commanded, his surprisingly steady hands keeping his horse in check. “Let's go!”
By the time they reached the city of Salizia which was built below the castle, they had been attacked twice more, both times Todo was easily able to defeat the assassins without much trouble. Wiping the rain out of his eyes, he guessed that the assassins he had fought in the castle were the elites of the group, sent to take care of the royalty, while the assassins they had just fought were the lookout.
Racing past houses, shops, and alleyways, Todo looked up at the beautiful red roofed building that loomed on both sides, the crowded building causing him to feel trapped, a contrast to the usual quaint feeling he had when he visited the city. While they fled for their lives, the city quietly slept, their houses shielding them from the rain and chaos happening in the castle.
Rotating energy into his eyes, Todo forced the world to once again become more real, the dark shadows melting away as his vision improved. Straining his eyes, he looked down alleyway, and streets, his spirit rising as he noticed two familiar faces walking out of a pub: Cam and San.
“Stable master! Go towards that pub!” he commanded, kicking his horse forward. Both Cam and San were guards working for the merchant Maliri, the Merchant that they were escaping to.
“Cam! San!” Todo yelled, startling the pair.
“Todo?” San called out, trying to look past the rain and darkness, “What are you doing?”
San was well built but slim, his shoulder long dirty blond hair, framing his square jaw. Strapped to his side was a longsword, hidden under the large cloak that was keeping the rain away.
Behind him, still under the eaves of the pub, stood Cam. Cam was a little under the average height, bald as an egg but with an impressive beard. He was known to be a man with little words, but deadly with the short wide blade and buckler at his side.
Dropping his voice while scanning the area for unwanted ears, Todo whispered. “We are in need of assistance, Castle Salizia is under attack. We are escorting the two princesses to the Maliri residence. We managed to shake our pursuers, but they will come after us!”
Todo could see shock appear on both of their faces; they were not expecting anything of the sort. Fortunately, both guards were Arcane Knights, used to dealing with extreme and violent situations.
“We will help.”
“Thank you.”
Whipping his head around to look at the tall young soldier whose name he had learned was Miller, Todo opened his mouth. “Miller, sit next to the stable master and keep him safe, give your horse to San. Cam, you can take the extra horse. We need to move now!”
“Yes sir!”
During the hurried horse exchange, Todo went to the carriage window.
“Princess, two members of the Maliri Diamond Guard have joined us, they will help us reach our destination.”
Todo could see the relief in Princess Milina’s eyes. Hugging Elina beside her, she gave him a warm smile.
“Please thank them for me on the behalf of House Salizia.”
“Todo, we need to go!” Todo looked up, hearing the urgency in San’s voice. The man sat comfortably on his horse looking as if he was born to ride, “With the rain and darkness, it will take hours more to get there.”
Nodding in acknowledgment, Todo rode in front of the carriage, the carriage flanked by Cam and San, Burns bringing up the rear.