Rebellion: Prince of Dawn

Chapter 20.4: What Comes After

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JAIME FONTOYA

I spent the majority of the next day curled up in bed wishing I was dead. Going to sleep to escape the booming headache was to no avail. Every now and then I would get too dizzy from my spinny vision and I'd throw up in a bucket Ilias provided for me.

"It hurts so much," I wailed. "I didn't know hangovers were this bad. They're much worse than I thought."

"Being drunk is the best feeling ever, but the next day is when you suffer the consequences."

"You're hungover too, right? How are you able to move without feeling like you want to vomit? Ugh, saying that word triggers my gag reflex."

"It's your first hangover. Your body doesn't know it yet so it's much worse. Also, I didn't even drink that much." He put on his hat and grabbed his staff. "I'm going to visit Vienna so I can heal her bones."

I did everything to get rid of this hangover. Bread, coffee, more alcohol—everything that was suggested. The best cure I found was closing my eyes and singing to distract myself from the pain.

Most of the alcohol had been flushed out of my system the next day, though it felt like the world was spinning once in a while. I was able to help out with packing our things for our departure tomorrow.

A good amount of time was spent choosing which six horses to take from the stables. Three horses would be in charge, a strong one would carry Montgomery's body and our share of the bandits' loot, and two meek ones for the prisoners.

Permission was given to Florence and Vienna to see which two horses were most comfortable around them. The reason why we wanted meek horses for them was so ours could easily scare theirs into submission if they ever thought about escaping.

Our rations mostly consisted of dried and non-perishable food.

We made a secret agreement to wake up and leave early tomorrow so we didn't have to say any goodbyes to the villagers.

I didn't know why, but I had the urge to visit Messina's grave one last time to pay my respects. I had nothing to gain, but it was like my body wanted me to remember him.

I get it, my soul is letting me know how I'd end up if I lose sight of my goal. Dead and all alone.

My body woke up way ahead of everyone else, so I masked my aura and visited his resting place. For a long while, I just stared at the cross I fashioned from two sticks.

"I didn't take you for an early bird." Ilias approached. "Morning."

"Morning, Ilias."

"You shouldn't have hidden your aura—or you could've at least done it when you were far from me." He joined my side. "It woke me up, and it's a good thing it was me who noticed."

"Sorry."

"So you're the culprit behind Messina's disappearance. It's nice of you to bury him near his brother."

"I know him killing everyone in this village isn't justified, but his reasoning was. I want to kill Scar like Messina did to the murderers of his brother, but what if Scar turns out to be like these farmers? And I'll become just like Messina. I had to bury him because if I ever become like that, I'd want others to do the same."

"You won't turn out like him. You and Messina crossed paths to show you what not to become."

"What if I get blinded by my own quest for justice that I too will be too far gone? When I meet Scar, I want it to be just. I want to be in control—I don't want to be blinded to the point that the only colour I see is red. I don't care if I don't avenge my parents, I don't want that look of vengeance in my eyes."