The Five Realms

Chapter 9 - Royal Welcome

I ended up being way too optimistic about the whole not having a camp fire thing. Before we even unpacked our gear and ate a small dinner I was shivering. Poor Harper was doing everything he could but the thing about being just spirit was that you took on whatever body temperature you touched, and since I was freezing cold, so was he; but the cold didn't bother him like the way it did with me.

I tried to keep my shivers not so noticeable so Nergal wouldn't think I was a whimp since I was technically a warrior for the Demon king, but it was hard. I could tell the others wanted to do something but I told them not to so we wouldn't look suspicious. Apparently demons skins were thick enough to hold out against the cold nights, I wished I had gained that aspect along with the eyes . . .

"Silence yourselves for the night. The territory of Torian lies on the outskirts of the city and is not a pleasant place to rest. His eye is ever watchful and his soldiers are ruthless and bloodthirsty."

I glared at Nergal, thinking he was purposefully trying to frighten us, but Thalion posed a question in my head and made me ask.

"Torian is Demon of the night is he not?"

Nergal seemed surprised by my knowledge and I thanked Thalion since this probably just saved us from suspicion.

"Yes indeed temptress. It is why his territory is not subjected to a stretch of land, but to night itself."

I nodded and lay down on the ground, clenching my teeth together hard to keep them from chattering.

"Should we set up a night watch?" Oren asked, I sat cross legged, figuring I ought to pay attention as long as conversation continued. It was annoying having to pretend to be a leader. Nergal shook his head though to my surprise.

"If Torian has spotted us, running would be pointless. The temptress's status as a warrior of Raum should be enough to stay his hand if we should be so unfortunate to attract his attention."

(Such a happy thought.) I said to Harper as I touched his arm. Harper smiled sympathetically at me and chuckled in his mind.

Oren and Thalion spread their cloaks on the ground, making a show of laying out my bed; and when I finally got to lie down they subtly positioned themselves on either side of me and snuggled into my sides to try and keep me warm. I appreciated this because it helped a little but I could still tell tonight was going to be a tough one for the three of us. Rylien flew down and lay right above my head, leaning against me and trying to keep my head warm, and Harper positioned himself at the bottom of our feet. Figuring if he couldn't help keep me warm he could at least act as a body guard. Now I was completely encased in a body box. I was about as safe as safe as I could be under the circumstances,

but I still shivered pretty violently.

Oren spread the cloak I had been wearing on top of me and offered his arm as a pillow. I accepted, grateful to have a shield against a small wind that had picked up and was blowing underneath my dress. Pooped, I closed my eyes, trying to let my exhaustion overcome my freezing body; thankfully I didn't have to wait all that long.

I was woken up by being nudged in the head. At first I thought it was just Rylien moving around in his sleep, but when I was nudged again I felt a heavy boot. I bolted up right and whipped my head around, not at all liking what I had woken up to...

Oren and Thalion were tied to a couple huge rocks, their swords lying just out of reach and their mouths gagged, they both gave me panicked looks but I reached out with my mind and connected with their consciousness, trying to calm them down. Rylien was bound completely in rope too and was lying at Oren's feet and Harper was backed up against a wall with the tip of a broadsword that looked like Sabnock except darker pressed to the center of his chest.