Inessa kept her eyes closed, but not too tight. She spent all afternoon trying to find the sweet spot between the pain of the hot sun beating down on her or the pounding headache that appeared when she shut her eyes too tight. She didn’t know what they gave her, but it had to be of the devil. Her skin was sensitive, feeling every motion of the carriage, the sun’s rays felt as hot as summer, and every time the carriage went over a bump, Inessa’s head wobbled and hit the floor. It felt as though she had been punched in the head. Certainly, this would kill her. There were already pockets of her vomit from when the pain got too much, and she could smell it all too well.
Things could be a lot worse, Inessa said. They could try to rape me while I’m in this state.
Inessa didn’t even want to think about how much that would hurt.
***
Martin was back in his study after dinner, trying to go through some notes, doing what he could. He hardly ate anything, and he did his best to go back to his normal routine. Adosina had come down to dinner for the first time in days, but it was not the friendly dinner conversation he had been hoping for. Everyone badgered him with questions he couldn’t and wouldn’t answer, and he did his best to dodge them, assuring them with small lies.
He went back to his stack of beseeching letters when there was a knock on the door.
“Come in,” Martin said. He was surprised to see Sara walk in, closing the door behind her. She hadn’t been in his study for weeks. Martin placed his quill back in the ink, ready to dodge more questions. “Sara? What are you-”
“You’re going to leave her to die, aren’t you,” Sara said.
Martin said nothing. Despite the pain he caused his wife these past few months, she was still his wife. A woman who had stood by his side for over forty years.
“It is a matter for the High Elders to deal with.” It was something he often said when she was getting too close to the truth. Or when he needed her to stop probing into things that would only hurt her. The High Elders had way too many of those kinds of secrets.
Sara shook her head, disappointment on her face. “Martin…” He waited for her to finish, but she trailed off, shaking her head again.
“What exactly would you have us do?” Martin asked. “Most of our numbers have gone to stop Kiam from heading straight for Santollia City. They intend to burn this place to the ground.”
“Why didn’t the Kiamese soldiers who kidnap Inessa already do it?” Sara asked. “They know our numbers are few.”
“Again, Sara, this is a matter for the High Elders,” Martin said.
“She shouldn’t be stuck with them,” Sara said, the only kind thing she had ever said about Inessa in Martin’s presence.
“No.” He again remembered the conversation he had with the girl and how he felt like he was the reason why she made the stupid decision to leave the city wall. “No, she shouldn’t. It is the unfortunate casualties of war that we never want to deal with.”
There was another knock on the door. “Come in.”
“Forgive me, Martin. A note from Navir.” Derio placed the note on Martin’s desk.
“Thank you.” He picked up the note and opened it.
Indenuel and Captain Luiz haven’t left yet. Go see what’s keeping them.
Martin sighed, rubbing his forehead before standing and stuffing the note in his pocket. “I must leave on matters of business.”
He headed toward the door when Sara reached out, touching his chest. Martin stopped, looking at her. “Please be careful.” There was a quiet desperation in her tone. Sara was clearly afraid. There were too many things happening. Kiam heading for Santollia City, Inessa’s kidnapping, and Indenuel wishing to stay rather than leave to end this war. If they lost Inessa, Indenuel wouldn’t be focused enough. Martin was again reminded that they had no idea what the Prophet Jaakob saw, and there was a good chance, despite all their preparations around the Warrior, that they might lose this war.
“I will,” Martin said.
Sara kissed him, the first kiss in weeks, before leaving his office quickly. Martin watched her go before he walked out of his office, turning a different way.
***
Inessa was barely conscious when they finally stopped and set up the tent. Fires were being made. They didn’t care to keep themselves secret any longer. They wanted to be found. They set up the tent before men grabbed her and carried her inside. Inessa barely had time to focus. Her headache had turned into a fever. They untied her hands, but she had little power to struggle as they tied her hands once again, now to a pole. She saw Drenai watching the whole thing.
“I… can’t… run,” Inessa whispered.
“No, you can’t. But we need to make it difficult for when Indenuel comes to save you,” Drenai said.
“No…” Too many thoughts went through her fever addled brain. Indenuel couldn’t possibly save her. He needed to leave. But she knew Indenuel was indeed as stupid as Kiam hoped.
“Take comfort in the knowledge that I will kill your Warrior as quickly as possible,” Drenai said before backhanding her. The residue of the corrupted liquid was still there. The simple backhand she could have taken, but with the enhanced pain, it knocked her out.
***
Indenuel felt like his arms were going to fall off. The sun had long since set, the lonely son appeared, waiting for his stalwart sister to come before he began his journey across the sky. Tolomon moved enough for Indenuel to now be pinned to the floor, so he wasn’t standing so much. Tolomon still had his iron tight grip, Indenuel hardly able to struggle. He continued to glare at the floor as servants walked by. Captain Luiz waited in a chair, reading a book. Every so often Indenuel tried to break out of Tolomon’s insane grip.
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Pablo walked to the front of the door, moving around Indenuel and Tolomon to do it. “Forgive me, sirs,” Pablo said before he opened it and gave a bow. “High Elder Martin, an honor, certainly.”
“Pablo, right?” Martin asked.
“An honor you remember, sir.”
“Oh enough, Pablo. Martin is a fine title.” He walked in before stopping in his tracks to see Tolomon and Indenuel on the floor. “Care to explain why you’re not on your way to save Santollia City?”
Indenuel looked up, glaring at Martin. He sighed, then focused on Captain Luiz. “How long have they been like this?”
Captain Luiz stood, bowing as he closed his book. “All afternoon, sir.”
Martin rubbed the bridge of his nose before motioning Tolomon off. He did, carefully, keeping his eyes on Indenuel. He struggled to his feet, feeling the effect of not moving all afternoon. Martin took his arm, helping him to his feet and feeding both healing and calming power into him.
“Santollia needs you to go. If you will not listen to Captain Luiz, you must listen to me,” Martin said.
“I’m waiting for you to ask me to lead an army to get Inessa back,” Indenuel said.
“We have no such army for you. The High Elders will continue to do what we can from here, but the best course of action is for you to leave,” Martin said.
Indenuel glared at Martin. “Are you going to save her? Or are you going to leave her to die?”
“You need to understand-”
“It’s a simple yes or no question.” His tone got more dangerous.
“It is not a simple yes or no question,” Martin said.
“Which means you are going to leave her for dead,” Indenuel said.
“We are at war. We cannot spare the troops to rescue her. Kiam is gathering in numbers, the main army headed here, gathering more numbers the closer they get to Santollia City. I am sorry, but every soldier knows the incredibly difficult decision of sacrificing the one to save the many.”
Indenuel glared at Martin, the frustrations of the day coming to a dangerous head. “I never wanted to be a soldier. I never wanted any of this. I don’t want to fight a war; I just wanted the abuse to end and to be left alone!”
“You are the Warrior. You possess all four gifts. If you don’t use them, it will be Kiam who rules us. It will be Kiam who doesn’t leave you alone,” Martin said. “The High Elders and the Monarchy agree. We cannot risk saving Inessa. You must go with Captain Luiz tonight.”
“And what happens when I do leave? What happens when the one hundred and fifty Kiamese soldiers realizes I didn’t take the bait? What if they come straight here and start the besiegement of the city?” Indenuel asked.
“The men remaining can help,” Captain Luiz said. “The city is well protected by the wall, and Kiam wouldn’t dare try to attack without a stronger army.”
“Believe me, we’ve thought out every possibility,” Martin said. “There is danger in everything, but we need you in the battle. Do not question those of higher rank who’ve fought battles before.”
“Sometimes it feels like those in a higher rank simply don’t care,” Indenuel said.
Martin’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
Indenuel glared back. “What if it was Sara? Would you risk everything then?” He waited, watched as Martin’s impossibly neutral face gave nothing away.
“As much as it would pain me, no. War is ugly for this reason, and we must stop it at all costs. This will be difficult for you to accept, but-”
“And Adosina?” Indenuel asked, probing more. “I hear you two aren’t on speaking terms. Would that make it easier if she were in the hands of Kiamese soldiers?”
The neutral look on Martin’s face dropped, and the tiniest twitch of an eye meant a small victory for Indenuel. The look Tolomon gave him was scolding, but he didn’t back down. “You mustn’t gather tree gossip, Indenuel. It is beneath you,” Martin said.
Indenuel shook his head, leaning against the wall, trying not to get angry. They wanted him to leave, but how could he? How could he just leave her to die?
“It’s getting late. Maybe you and Captain Luiz can plan on leaving tomorrow. Try and make up whatever travel you have missed today,” Martin said.
“Don’t play those games with me, Martin. I’m not impressed,” Indenuel said.
“What games?”
“That you care. I know you don’t. You never have. You’re just trying to act like it, so I don’t feel as bad leaving her to die,” Indenuel said.
Martin sighed, rubbing his forehead before placing a hand on Indenuel’s shoulder. “This is a hopeless mission, but don’t think for a moment that I am not deeply concerned for her wellbeing.”
“We traveled an entire month together, and you never spoke of her once. Every time I visit your house, you ignore her or ask her questions to humiliate her. You rarely bring her up, and if you do, it’s always out of necessity. So pardon, Martin, if I’m starting to think you’re using this as an opportunity to finally be rid of her.”
The anger finally appeared in Martin’s face. Indenuel had broken through the fake layer and got into the real High Elder. “You clearly had an emotional day, and I would suggest having a calming tea before bed.”
Captain Luiz inched closer to Martin as Indenuel continued to glare. “She’s going to die, and you don’t care! Who knows what those men are doing to her right at this moment! You could have gotten her back, but you didn’t! This will be a mark on your soul just as much as it is those Kiamese murderers!”
Martin clenched his fists. “I do not love Inessa like I do Sara, but that does not mean I don’t care about her. She is a member of my household and under my stewardship.”
“And you’re doing a great job if she left in tears!” Indenuel said.
Martin was obviously trying to hide something. “I know you love her, Indenuel. Far more than I ever could. But I need you to understand this love is dangerous. You need to focus on your duties as a Warrior. She cannot be a distraction.”
Indenuel folded his arms. “Some might say this is my duty as a Warrior. Protecting those you choose to forget about.”
Martin frowned. “What are you talking about.”
“Inessa, the Oraminians, Dengria, Zimoro, they’re all simply pieces of your power. Pieces you use.”
“Have you ever thought that this plays into the prophecy?” Martin asked quietly. Indenuel felt a muscle twitch, the familiar anger burning in his chest. “It said you suffer great loss. Maybe… maybe Inessa is that great loss.”
Indenuel continued to glare at Martin, feeling something building inside him. The anger was getting dangerous. It was the same thing Tolomon said to him, but it still made him just as angry. Tolomon stood in front of Martin, holding out a hand to block whatever punch Indenuel clearly wanted to give him.
“Stand down, Indenuel. If you punch Martin, you’ll spend the night in the dungeon,” Tolomon said.
Indenuel glared at Tolomon as he stifled the anger enough to make sure it didn’t build to pain. These men would be able to sense it.
Martin patted Tolomon on the back before moving him enough to face Indenuel again. “Get some rest, Indenuel. You have a long day ahead of you, and the militia is depending on you. You cannot throw that all away for Inessa.”
Indenuel stared at Martin, refusing to look at Tolomon. The High Elders were going to do nothing. Absolutely nothing. Indenuel understood why. He, the mythical Warrior had come to save all of Santollia, not just one woman. Of course, there were losses, but he had to really think about it. Did he want to die saving Santollia? Or die saving Inessa?
He gave his half-hearted plan all but a moment’s thought before he sprinted toward the front door. Tolomon reacted immediately, heading straight for him. His bodyguard would catch up fast, but Indenuel just had to get out the front door.
Indenuel threw himself at the doors, stumbling a little before the branch was there, wrapped around his wrist and carrying him high above the trees, feeling Tolomon’s fingers inches from his feet. Indenuel made it up into the tree and to the next one.
“You are a stubborn ass!” Tolomon shouted from the ground.
Indenuel didn’t answer. He let another tree branch wrap around his arm and move him to the next one as he soared through his gardens and toward the wall.