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The shield I pushed away from my skin protectsme, and extending it to someone I'm touching takes tremendous effort. Pushing it away from me, to cover the entire hill, even for a few seconds, was so drainingit takes everything I have not to collapse on the spot.
"Back to the camp," I order. If I could, I'd take chase, aiming for the monster across the valley the moment he's done, but in my state, he'd kill me without blinking.I make myself spin to Rhea, seeking a distraction. "You did well."
My smile dies on my lips as I watch her tear-streaked face, still riveted on the valley I'm doing my best not to look at.
"So many deaths."
I breathe in and out. "There would have been countless more without you." Tilting her chin, I force her to look away from the corpses and into my eyes. "I'm glad you're stubborn, and spoiled, and can't convince a world where you don't get what you want, darling Rhea. Had you not been here, scarcely a fraction of those we saved would have been spared."
I can tell she does not hear me. She can't. I force her to turn on her heels and drag her away from the valley, back toward the camp."There's nothing you or I can do for them, other than avenge them tomorrow."
After a few stiff steps, she voluntarily follows me. I find myself leaning on her a little, using her for support. She's kind enough to let me.
"You're tired," she states.
"Completely sapped," I echo with a nod. "But I doubt Alev knows that. We won't be followed to camp now that he knows I'm here."
"We won't?" she seems confused.
"Why do you think he sent you, and all those who came before you, to kill me?" I huff. "The man is terrified of facing me himself. He won't mount another full-scale war against us until he's certain I'm out of the way."
"Because of what you did to the riders," she guesses.
I incline my head. "That doesn't take much energy. So long as they're close enough, all I have to do is open a portal into the void, shove them through and close it. I could march through his army and decimate it. I did, when he first attacked us twenty years ago. He had to change stratagems."
"Why are you so tired, if making people disappear is so easy for you?"
I grimace in distaste. "Killing is so much easier than protecting."
We're finally in view of the camp. I rush to the captain's tent, bypassing the strategy board to hear to his bed and sit back with a groan. I need to sleep and recharge. With my enemy so very close, it's hard to let myself, but I'm no good to anyone in this state.
"Sleep," Rhea says, a hint of her power coating her voice. I don't even think she does iton purpose. It's like she senses I need something to take the edge, the worry, and she instinctively provides the soothing encouragement."I won't let anyone come in."
"Succubus." I chuckle. "The demons so selfless they were spit right out of their circle of hell."
She rolls her eyes. "I can't believe you go around calling people demons. Have you met you?"
Feeling the lull of sleep take a hold of me, I start to tell her to wake me when Alrion reach us, but I'm not sure I get the words out before I collapse.
* * *
I wake to low whispers, and find Lark and Vess poring over the map on the war council table as Silver guards the entrance.
Next to me, on the tent floor, her back leaning over the small bed, Rhea’s asleep, snoring soundly. I chuckle. She’s usually so graceful; I’m enjoying seeing her wheeze, as loud and unpolished as any one of us in this unguarded moment.
I stand and bend to scoop her up, setting her back on the bed before I join my general and advisor.
“How long was I out?”
“We arrived three hours ago. Alrion’s been here for longer—he can tell you, exactly. I was about to wake you.” Vess wrinkles his nose. “I’ve seen the mess at the valley. It’s a much bigger scale than the last reported attack.”
I incline my head. I estimate between seven and ten thousand victims. “There are also more riders with the king now. Any ideas?”
“He can use his own army so long as he’s attacking our side of the border. It’s when he’s going for his own land that he sticks to his sycophants.”
“That doesn’t explain how he could corner a battalion and force them to await slaughter like sheep. What did the survivors say?” I didn’t get a chance to question anyone earlier. Tired as I was, sleeping took precedence.
“They came in the night—everyone, guards included, fell asleep and awoke in chains.”
