Fate and Destiny (The Fated Series, #2)

Chapter 54 - Rohana - Impossibilities

When I said I missed the good old days, standing for hours outside of a door wasn't one of the moments I was thinking about.

In Thralia, we wouldn't have to worry much about the elemental's lives. Everyone knew you'd either be drowned or choked the second one of them felt you and didn't recognize you. Not to mention that Willa always had wards about the entire castle to stop intruders before they could get any further than a few feet into the grounds. That left time for us to train or rest for whatever trip the elementals had planned.

It was on those trips that our skills would be put to the test. We'd ride out with the Maiestatis in their open-top carriage, Willa sitting inside with them, and the ten of us all on either horseback or foot depending on how far the journey was. The Thralians knew who we were in our black and blue fighting leathers, and when we wore our armor, it meant that we were most likely headed to a lord's manor. The armor was more for formality than anything. I didn't mind the extra protection, and the metal was forged specifically for each of our bodies, that way it fits seamlessly and doesn't interfere with our movements.

We left the mist blue armor in Thralia, and I'd pay a good price to have it here now. The fighting leathers are great and all, but there's still a raver's corpse stinking up the King's Garden, and where there's one, there's a whole pack of them. No one wants to go anywhere near it, and we're too busy watching the Mater to do the job. If there's one of them here, then there's undoubtedly more in the continent and the elementals would be the only ones to feel them. The Mater more so than Darius if they're underground.

Speaking of Thralia, we should get back before Xaxias decides to do something stupid. Thralia's always been his first target, it's likely where he'll start his conquest. Of course, it's convincing Darius to leave that's the problem. We'll need both elementals in order to kick him out of there, and based on the way that Siscilla walks out of the room, her body sulked and weary, I'd say that he's going to be the only elemental in the right mindset to do such things.

We've been standing in this hallway all night, not moving and keeping our eyes peeled and ears straining to hear every critter running through the walls. Tsillah returned late into the night, sometime before one bell rang. I didn't have to say a word before Tanith knocked on my mental wall and relayed the information Tsil discussed with the others in the council room.

The Jade Assassins are sticking to their posts until Aillard has a full count of guards still in town, and depending on their numbers, the Jades will either stay to fill in the empty spots, stick to their posts, or return to the House of Jade. The Lords and Ladies of the court will soon hear of the reclaim of the capital, and likely be here within the cycle, if not in a cycle. This means that we'll need the entire castle staff back as soon as possible. Their numbers are likely to be depleted to a select few as well. The town is near empty. Everyone who was saved likely repaid us by going elsewhere in search of work and money.

Darius doesn't like the idea of calling them servants, so the new name for the people who work here is a debate in the making. Ethan and Gabe already have a list going.

Gaining all of the staff back is a headache in itself. We'd have to spread the word throughout the continent that the castle is once again our own, and then it's a matter of waiting for people to slowly file in. Siscilla said that the healers are bound to Vandaria, so they'll be easy to summon as they would've never left the continent. As of right now, ten healers have already returned overnight. They've been in the tower cleaning the levels and getting back into their own rhythm.

Then there's the obvious topic of discussion: The war undoubtedly to be on the horizon. Xaxias taking Fernweh was meant to scare people and spread his name throughout Ker, he never planned on being trapped within its walls, and definitely not for so long. Whatever plan he has cooked up is going to be moving into action sooner than later.