Age of War: Book One - Alliance of Wolves

Chapter Twenty - The Revenge of Roksov

Roksov leaned over the table, peering at a map. He made a few marks on it with a piece of charcoal before writing down a note on the paper before him. He was so deep within his own mind that he didn't hear Eli enter the room.

"Have you eaten yet?"

"Hmm?" He made a few more notes. "What did you say?"

"I'll take that as a no." Eli crossed the room and handed him a bowl of stew. "I'm not leaving until you eat."

"Mother hen." Roksov took the bowl anyways. "Anyone else arrive?" He took a bite, disappointed to find it slightly cold.

"Just a few straggles, no large groups. But according to our scouts the mercenaries from Meterik should be here tomorrow."

"The ones with the Humiles?"

"Yep."

"Finally." It had taken him three weeks to work out a deal with them. Treating with an unofficial group was far more chaotic than an actual war band. "And have any of your pack showed up?"

"Kilner, Shasti, Bek, and Daevy."

Roksov frowned, counting how many healers they had total now. "Only those four? What about Ruden? And Marisha?"

Eli shook his head. "Ruden's mate just had a pup and Marisha broke her leg."

"I had hoped at least ten would've come."

"We're not people of war, Roksov," Eli said softly. "We never have been. You know that better than anyone." Roksov pushed away the ugly, tangled mass of hurt and anger that rose in him, determined to let it go once and for all.

"I know," he muttered. "But after what I did for them... You'd think a few more would've-"

Searing pain shot through Roksov. He dropped to his knees, his whole right arm on fire. The floor swayed beneath him and then it rushed up to meet his head.

He was is a dark place. Not just dark as in lighting, but dark as in corrupted. The air reeked of black magic, blood magic. Every breath was pain, every movement agony.

"It seems someone has figured out a way to escape."

Roksov looked up at the woman's voice. There, at a distance, stood the monster Roksov had made his deal with. She was beautiful, every curve a seductive word and her eyes dark with promise.

Lupa's teeth, how he hated her. But there had been no other option, no other way to ensure victory.

"You said no one could break the blood oath!" Roksov snarled, clutching at his hand.

"I said, no one could break the blood oath without divine intervention. It seems you're not the only one with a god on your side."

"Who was it? Who broke it?"

She smiled, and part of Roksov longed to see that expression on her more often, and the other part, the part that knew she only smiled at suffering, wanted to run away and never look back.

"Let's see," she said, tapping on her chin in mock concentration. "Which two people have been causing so many problems for you recently?"

Roksov awoke with a scream. Another wave of pain washed over him, arching his back sending his vision dancing, and then it all faded away to a dull throb.

"Roksov? What happened? Are you alright?" Eli pulled him upright, conducting a swift search for injuries. He only found one.

Roksov's hand was bleeding. The spot he always cut himself for blood oaths had split open and was dripping too-dark blood.

"Hawthorne- Hawthorne and Green..." Roksov took deep, breath, trying to steady himself and push away the residual pain. "They broke their blood oaths."

"How? I thought it was imposs-"

"Only without divine intervention."

Eli's expression darkened. "If they had help with that..."

"Then what else do they have godly help with? Who knows." They sat in silence for a long moment.

"What are you going to do about them?" Eli whispered, already knowing the answer.

Roksov gripped the edge of the table, leaving a bloody smear, and pulled himself to his feet.

"First, we alert everyone in Praeverk of their betrayal."

"And then?"

"And then, Eli, we kill them." 

Any guesses as to who the woman is???? Do you guys want to see more of Roksov, or are these little glimpses enough? Asking for plotting purposes for- book two. Yeah, it's trilogy guys. Get ready for a whole lot more pain and grief.