The Wielder and the Source

Chapter 25

The Queen's glare faded into a delicate scowl. "Listen. The scouts reported that the masked invaders came from the east. I need to know if they're in cahoots with those backland degenerates."

Aldeheid could see from the curl of Kitaya's lip that she was about to argue. "As you wish," he said, hoping to diffuse the would-be fight.

"Good." Eriani sat back in her throne-like chair and crossed one leg over the other. "Things are growing dire. Our research teams were working overnight to figure out what those people were up to. They've theorized that those masked freaks were trying to create a thin space."

"What?" He and Kitaya said in unison.

Lady Hiroh sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "It seems the more we learn, the more this is turning into a losing battle."

"I can't disagree with you there." Eriani drummed her fingers on the table. "I've doubled the patrols along the border in case they decide to return. And I have Kemah in active communication with our allies."

Aldeheid, looked down his plate of food, his appetite fleeing him. "Perhaps we should stay," he said to Kitaya. "We can always find Mellidius, but we're more needed here."

"No, you are not. You will go to the backlands, get me the information I need and find Mellidius. The rest of us will take care of things here." The Queen said it as though she were speaking the words into law, and Aldeheid dared not argue.

Instead, he focused on picking away at his food as the meeting wore on. Are we going to war? He wondered silently. If they were, he wasn't ready. Last night was a testament to his incompetence in battle.

Last night had proven that he was out of his element. When they'd crossed the plains to the eastern borders, he'd been apprehensive. But when the fighting began, he became a boy lost at sea crippled by fear as the storm of battle descended on him.

The booms of spells had mixed with the cracks of clashing weapons and the howling of a thousand orders being barked at him at once. The tides of conflict tossed and turned him, swallowed him whole.

Kitaya had once again been his lifeline – there to pull him up and out of danger.

"Angel eyes."

As he snapped out of his reverie, he looked up at Kitaya, who was gathering up a platter with a little of everything.

"We have another short meeting. Then we can make preparations to depart." They excused themselves from the table and she led him out of the dining hall. Into the eastern wing of the castle they ventured, up plain hallways with bare walls and floors and down corridors decorated with tapestries and indoor plants.

They finally reached their destination, and Kitaya rapped on the door with her knuckles before opening it. "I brought breakfast."

Aldeheid followed her in but stopped as soon as he saw who they were visiting. Jayer was laid out in the room's lone bed, dwarfed by the pillows and bedding surrounding him. His skin was nigh the same colour as the white sheets he lied on. Jetei lay asleep beside his magician, half in a chair, half on the bed.

Aldeheid stayed by the door while Kitaya laid the food out on the bedside table, and opened the curtains to let some morning sunshine in.

"You shouldn't have," Jayer said with a smile as weak as his thin, raspy voice.

"It's the least I can do after you looked out for us last night. How are you feeling? Any pain?" she asked.

"Nothing I cannot bear, and it's no trouble at all. I'm sure you wouldn't done the same had our roles been reversed." His eyes moved to Aldeheid. "Aldeheid."