I could make out their figures, willing Luka to take notice and push through the pain only a moment longer. As he honed in on the swirling mass of darkness in front of him, I pulled the two of them in and used my power to send us back to the hill where the rest of our battalions watched us with bated breath.
Luka and the stranger landed in a heap at my feet, and I threw my hands up once more to lock the barrier in place, watching the fog slam into it. However, this time, I felt no resistance when I pushed my shadows forward. Instead, it simply glided along my shield like the waves in the ocean, allowing itself to be driven back into the forest from whence it came.
Each one of us waited anxiously as the last of it vanished through the trees, and I dropped my shield.
“Gods above,” Luka murmured, watching with wide eyes as we all stared at the destruction it left in its wake. What was once a lush green field was now reduced to nothing. Akin to a barren desert, deep fissures ran along the hardened land from the base of the encampment to the tree line. Corpses were strewn along the ground,
I bent down near a woman, her milky gaze staring up at the unforgiving sun above. Large, purple bruises mottled her skin, which had turned a ghastly pale grey. Around her lips, remnants of foam had crusted over, leaving behind a small line of residue trailing down her sunken, hollow cheeks.
I knew no matter how long I lived, I would never forget the state of her remains. With a sigh and a quick prayer, I reached out and brushed my fingers over her eyes to close them. I didn’t consider myself a religious person; I believed, but rarely practiced. However, after bearing witness to the torment these soldiers had endured, a blessing to the gods was the very least they deserved.
As I stood, an Angorian general stepped up beside me. He was quiet; the two of us unable to speak as we scanned the area. I wasn’t sure how we were going to get everyone out of here, for there was no way I would be able to take a large group like this.
“How did you know where we were?” I asked, dusting my hands off on my breeches.
“King Magnus. He received a raven regarding the pressing situation in Helia. Since we were nearby at an outpost, he told us where to find you, and to ensure you made it back to the queen alive. We are preparing to ride out now,” he said, nodding behind him to where a handful of riders crested the hill with a herd of saddled horses. “We would be happy to take you–”
I shook my head. “My sentries can go with you, but General Eryx and I will make our own way back.” Trystan and Luka walked up to us; their lips drawn in a tight line. “My brother will stay as well. He’ll watch over my men.”
Though he didn’t know what he was agreeing to, Trystan didn’t hesitate. “Absolutely. I can take care of things here.” He looked toward the general. “Have you got any horses to spare?”
“Most likely, given how many have died here today. If not, they can double up,” the general said, nodding his head.
“Thank you,” I said, turning to him. “Not only for this, but for your impeccable timing earlier.”
The general let out a huff. “Don’t thank me. Thank your queen for thinking fast on her feet when she found out this was a diversion.” He clapped Trystan on the shoulder. “Let’s get moving. The war won’t wait for us.”
I watched them walk away, leaving only Luka and I standing together. He held himself up, meeting my gaze with the same resolve he had when he disobeyed my command. “I’m not sorry, and I won’t apologize.”
Thinking back, I hadn’t been angry at Luka for following his instincts. I knew why he did it; he was one of the few people I knew who had a truly good heart. But Iwasangry he’d placed himself in harm’s way, and not only would I have to live with that, but I’d be forced to tell Eva I hadn’t saved our friend.
This wasn’t the time for lectures, though. Shrugging my shoulder, I held out my hand for him to take. “I didn’t ask you to.”
* * *
Within seconds,we landed outside of the council room. I was covered in sweat and blood, but I couldn’t wait a moment longer to see her.
Luka and I took in the commotion happening around us as people ran back and forth with fresh linens and crates of healing tonics and tools. Shouts bounced back and forth, increasing their volume until they were almost screaming. It was absolute chaos.
The council door opened, a commander striding out and brushing past us. But it was just enough time for Eva and I to make eye contact through the narrowing space. Her face dropped, and a choked sound broke free. I was already moving toward the doors, but as I moved to grasp the handle, she was already there and jumping into my arms.
“Matthew,” she whispered, clutching me tightly. “I’ve been so worried. We hadn’t heard any word, and I thought—”
My fingers brushed along her back, savoring the warmth her body provided. It kept me grounded, reminding me that she was still here. “I’m fine, darling. See?” I pulled back, letting her inspect me for herself. Other than a few bruises and scrapes, I’d gotten out relatively unscathed.
Alric came up, clasping his hand on my shoulder. “It’s good to see you, my boy.” He looked over his shoulder toward the council room, where they were talking about casualty rates and predictions for the worst. “How bad was it?” he asked, lowering his voice.
I blew out a breath. “We would not be standing here if Angoria hadn’t shown up when they did. The battalion they brought should be joining us shortly, along with what remains of ours.”
He nodded his head. “Good.”
“How bad is it here?” I asked, nearly echoing the words he’d spoken to me.
His mouth formed a tight line, attention drifting toward the palace door as he spoke. “If we do not receive help from our allies, I fear we will not last the night. Lachlan’s reach has far surpassed anything we imagined. He will not stop until we are all dead or enslaved by his hand.”
“The wards?”
“They will fall within the hour, if not sooner. Cracks have already begun to form and his soldiers have slipped in. What is left has kept the bulk of his soldiers at bay. It has bought us some time, but not as much as we need.”
