“Didn’t you heal three people today with magic?” Ruth arched an eyebrow.
Maxi pressed her lips together. She had, in fact, healedfive people. Ruth was unaware of the additional two because she had done it while he had gone to see Duke Aren. Ruth glared at her before adamantly pointing to the entrance.
“It is customary for one to rest after magic use. Try to rest for half a day.”
“But, Ruth…you tend to the patients…andyou’re looking for a way to break S-Sir Hebaron’s curse. If anyone needs rest, it’s—”
“You need not worry about my health, my lady. I’m already caring for it like a precious jewel.” Ruth scowled as though he found her stubbornness annoying. “You, however, are neglecting yourself. You would indeed be an inconvenience if you were to drag dozens of servants with you everywhere, refusing to lift a finger, but overworking yourself like a slave is no different. I sometimes find it hard to believe you are a daughter of the House of Croyso.”
Stung by his words, Maxi sullenly turned away from him. “I-I understand. I will rest, as you wish.”
“Please do not allow her ladyship out of the tent for the rest of the day,” Ruth instructed Ulyseon.
After throwing Ruth one last glare, Maxi made her way back to Riftan’s tent. She doubted she would be able to rest. Yet, as if putting her assumption to shame, her eyes grew heavy the moment she laid her head on the pillow. She rubbed her throbbing temples for a while before lying on her side and pulling the thin blanket over her head.
She must have fallen into a deep slumber, as the next thing she knew, someone was shaking her awake. It took a moment for her to come to her senses. Just how long had she been asleep? Maxi was blinking vacantly when Ulyseon’s urgent voice penetrated her foggy thoughts.
“My lady! You must get up! We have to get away from here at once.”
“Wh-What?” Maxi groggily looked up at the squire in surprise.
Ulyseon urged her into a sitting position. “There is no time to explain. We must hurry!”
Maxi stumbled out of bed and followed him out of the tent. At that moment, a loud noise pierced her ears.
Her eyes widening, Maxi looked toward the commotion. Armed knights were fighting what looked like large lumps of black mud near the southern gate. Screams rang out all around them as panicked people ran about the camp in confusion. Maxi instinctively took a step back, wide awake with horror. Had the entire world shifted during the short time she had been asleep?
“What on e-earth is happening? Why are there m-monsters inside the castle?”
“Curses! Ghouls sprang up from the ground. The monsters must have created a mass of undead and buried them here,” Ulyseon shouted angrily as he pulled Maxi’s arm.
Maxi’s eyes grew even wider. “B-But when—”
“I’ll explain later, my lady. We must get you to safety first.”
He sprinted through the cluster of tents, and Maxi scampered behind him, panting. Just then, a hand shot up from the ground and grabbed her ankle.
Maxi screamed in terror. The damp, icy hand with protruding black bones latched on to her leg and yanked it backward. Shrieking, Maxi frantically tried to kick free. As the ghoul clawed its way out of the ground, Ulyseon whirled around and cut off its arm. The severed hand, however, remained clamped to Maxi’s ankle.
Her body racking with sobs, she shakily pried off the dismembered hand and flung it away. It was such a terrible sensation that she thought no amount of washing would rid her ofit.
As she feverishly scrubbed where the ghoul had touched her skin, Ulyseon drew her close behind him. “Stay close, my lady!”
Only then did she realize that multiple ghouls were crawling out from the ground. Ulyseon swung his sword at the half-rotten corpses sluggishly digging themselves out of the earth. A bluish glint flashed from his sword, and in an instant, he had lopped off three ghoul heads. Maxi watched in horror as the ghouls fumbled over the ground in search of their severed skulls.
Ulyseon yanked her arm. “This way, my lady! It should be safer atop the ramparts.”
There was nothing she could do but sprint behind the squire. Ulyseon cut down the ghouls as they ran, and they were out of the chaos before they knewit.
He quickly led her up the ramparts. “The undead keep springing up, but you should be safe up here, my lady. If any of them climb the stairs, I will slay them at once.”
Barely managing to reach the watchtower, Maxi clutched the battlement as she tried to catch her breath. Though she felt dizzy, being on the wall gave her an unobstructed view of the unfolding chaos below.
About half of the barracks had collapsed, and agitated horses ran amok through the camp. Armed knights yelled as they stabbed the emerging ghouls with long spears. It was a scene from hell.
“Wh-What about…the others?”
Ulyseon pointed. “Mage Ruth is over there, my lady. You mustn’t worry. Ghouls are not that powerful. There are many accomplished knights here as well as high priests, so it shouldn’t take long to exterminate them.”
