Rozmarie & Josiah

Josiah

Gypsy laid in front of me, her snout to the grass at the edge of the water and a deep, rhythmic snore sending waves rippling through it. We'd definitely slept through the middle of the night, possibly into the following morning. I couldn't believe how careless I'd been, leaving us exposed like this. I'd aimed for an hour of shut eye at the most, but the sky had fully darkened and crickets sung their evening choruses in the trees.

It was time to get up.

To get going and head back for the Quantara Realm.

It was time to rescue Micah.

Something rustled behind me. I jumped to my feet, gripping my blade as I scanned the darkened trees. Nothing moved. Nothing made a noise. Perhaps night-time creatures crawled along the winding branches, eager to get home like I was. I glanced at Gypsy who remained asleep. I'd need to wake her but couldn't force myself from the spot. Something wasn't right. I didn't trust moving yet, not until I was certain we were alone. A second snap emitted from far back in the lush fauna camouflage, and I retrieved both swords, wielding them in front of me.

I waited.

Nothing. Just silence and crickets and Gypsy snoring behind me. Maybe I was hearing things. Sleep deprivation causes all kinds of reactions and nothing had attacked us while we slept. But I kept my swords at the ready for another minute before holstering them again. Then I turned toward the lake with a sigh.

And thought of Rozmarie.

Had she forgiven me for leaving?

Did she still want me?

Could I still be-

Gypsy jumped to a stand. I flew around with both blades out as four of the king's finest stepped free of the dark fauna, wielding swords and smiling at one another. They certainly stood outnumbered, but I wished to be closer to Gypsy. I'd placed myself a few feet from her side, but the distance between her and the closest soldier made me uncomfortable.

"Lookie here, guys. It's Josiah-the-Swift," one smiled at me with a cautious step forward. "Told you he'd return," he glanced over my shoulder and scanned the nearby nothing. I was alone. At the edge of the lake. His smile grew. "See you ditched the princess. What? Couldn't handle her?"

I kept my blades up and wielded in the proper position to attack. It was still only four of them, but they might have some information, an update on Micah, perhaps.

"From man to man-I understand. Chicks are good for one thing and one thing only, and once you're done with them, you trash them. But see," he stepped closer," this chick is kind of important. Prince Isaac wants her, and he's paying good money for her safe return."

"He's never touching her again."

"Oh no?" the soldier laughed and raised a brow, then looked back at his buddies for their reactions. All chuckled silently, sharing some inside joke, but they kept their swords raised and ready for an attack. "Funny," he turned to me, "seeing as you're outnumbered and all... it makes the most sense for you to just tell us."

"I'm not outnumbered."

"Oh," he smiled and conjured a swirling red wind between his hands, like a flickering fire had stretched between them. "For the first time, Josiah-the-Swift, I think you are."

Gypsy whinnied and I moved closer to the spooked horse, the soldier not bothering to stop me. He stood confident and with a smirking grin, like I had no idea what I was getting myself into, like I had no idea what was about to happen. Feeling the powerful force pulsate through me, I harnessed it like I'd practiced and my hands enflamed in a blue mist.

The soldier glanced at my shimmering fingers and frowned momentarily. But then he forced a smile, his arrogance returning. "I see you've been touched by the magic also. So few of us have. I mean," he strolled confidently, "we've only just discovered it, but I've already learned much. For instance," he stopped with a hooded grin, "apparently I have the ability to disguise things. Men. Many, in fact, and at the same time."

His words hit me the second before they appeared. All of them-the hundreds of soldiers surrounding me and Gypsy, all the way to the other side of the lake. It was just the five of us a moment ago and now every inch of ground was covered in the military-issued boot. How was it possible? How could he know how to do something like that, to turn them all invisible? Dido said there'd be no limit to our new capabilities. But this?

"Why don't you come with us quietly this time," the soldier grinned. "Nero paid extra for your clean canvas."

I would still fight. I wasn't going out easy, especially not to Nero. I might be outnumbered, but it didn't mean I was giving in.

"Seriously," the soldier laughed as the blue flames grew darker, wilder. He shook his head condescendingly. "There's no use trying. Tell us where Princess Rozmarie is and we'll make the journey for you... as pleasant as possible."

The blue flames wrapped up to my elbows.

"Come on," he taunted, "tell me where she is. Tell me where I can find the little bitch."

Gypsy whinnied as he moved closer. How would I do it? How could I take on a hundred men at a time? And still protect Gypsy?

I raised both swords and then everything happened at once.