Love & War
Chapter 21

Elliot

What in the world is she looking at when she spaces off like that? If it’s not the air actually being toxic to her, it’s her mind wandering off some place I can’t follow. Though I wish I could.

We ride straight through the night and right into midday. Illiana squirms a little and I bring Lucinda to a stop.

“Do you need to get off for a bit to stretch your legs?”

“I am okay. How much longer until we get there?” She looks up and over her shoulder at me.

“We have another day. Maybe two depending on migration patterns.”

She sighs and slouches against me. That’s clearly not what she wanted to hear. I don’t blame her. I watch her as she looks off into the distance again. Looking at something I can’t see. I look in the same direction. Nothing but barren trees surrounding us.

“What are you looking at, Lia?”

“Nothing.”

She closes her eyes and lays her head back against my chest. “I am going to take a nap if that is okay with you,” she says.

“Go ahead. I’ll wake you in a bit when we stop to eat.”

I hold her close to me and stay on course. Four or five hours pass by slowly. Lia is softly snoring. I’m glad she’s getting some rest. I know she’s tired. I can see it in the bags under her eyes.

It was never my intention to drag you into this mess. I’m so sorry, Lia.

In the distance, I hear a child crying in high pitch shrieks. It sounds too small to be a creeper.

What the hell?

I look around for the source of the sound, but I don’t see anything. The crying is getting louder and louder.

“Prince Elliot, sir?” One of the soldiers behind me spoke up.

She looks new. Green. Her dirt brown hair isn’t braided. She’s unwed, a new soldier, and shows no fear. She’ll be good for the unit.

“Yes?” She doesn’t seem to hear the crying.

Is this a vision?

“The others and I want to know when we will be stopping for a food break?” She doesn’t make eye contact with me.

“What is your name, soldier?”

“Loryn. Loryn Hawthorn, Your Majesty.”

“Well, Loryn, please relay to the others that we will be stopping when my wife wakes up. I will not interrupt her sleep. Are we clear?”

“Crystal, sir.”

Loryn falls back into line and I roll my eyes. They must be hazing the new recruits. Those toadstools know not to bother me about things like that. The crying finally stops as Illiana places a hand on her belly. Another hour passes and Illiana stirs in my arms.

“Elliot? How long did I sleep?” she asks. She rubs her eyes with one hand and puts her other hand on her belly.

“Just a few hours. Are you ready to take a break?”

“Yes, please. My legs are tingling from riding so long.”

I hold my fist up, signaling to the others we will be taking a break. Bringing Lucinda to a stop, I dismount and help Lia off as well. She clings to my arm until she gets her footing.

“Thank you.”

“Are you hungry?” I ask.

“Am I hungry? I am always hungry nowadays,” Lia laughs. I love her laugh.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

I turn to the saddlebag and open it. I get out the tin of apricots and hold them out for her.

“I brought these for you. Ellori said you’re craving these.”

She smiles so brightly, her whole face lights up. “Thank you!”

She stands on her tiptoes and kisses my cheek before taking the tin. I hear a few snickers behind me from some of the men. I turn on my heel and glare.

“Do you wish for an early death? No? Then I suggest you get your childish asses to work. Now.”

The men nod and disperse. Lia groaning beside me catches my attention. She is holding the apricots with one hand and her lower back with the other.

“What’s wrong?”

“Just a little cramp in my back. It’s probably just from riding for so long. No big deal,” she says.

It doesn’t make me feel any better though. I look around and spot a downed tree. Perfect.

“Let’s sit you down, ok? It would make me feel better. Please?”

I know she would stand to spite me if I had just told her to sit down. She nods and I walk with her to the log. She sits down and puts a hand on her belly.

“It passed. See? I told you it was just a cramp. No big deal.”

If it’s no big deal, why does my gut tell me it is? I can’t shake the feeling something isn’t right. I shake my head and sit beside her.

“Eat your apricots, Lia. I don’t know when we’ll be able to stop again. Once night falls, we will be riding straight through again. We can’t risk running into anything in this state.”

“Wha do yu me by anythan?” She tries to speak with her mouth full of apricots.

Adorable.

“By anything, I mean any of the number of creatures in this land. Everything here is a predator, Lia. A predator looking for its next meal,” I say.

She swallows and nods. “I see.”

She looks straight ahead of her toward the others. Her gaze shoots upwards toward the treetops and she freezes.

“What is that?” She whispers pointing toward the tree.

Theos. A Strigien.

The elf-sized bird turns its head completely backward to face us. The slits at the end of its massive beak curl up into a sinister smile. It has our scent.

“Strigien!” I scream and point to the tree above.

My axe is already in my hand and the strigien unfurls its wings. The wings on that thing are cream speckled with ash grey that are at least twice the length of my leg. It opens its beak and its head looks like it splits in two. It lets out a strangled cawing noise then flaps its wings, causing the dust to stir. I step in front of Lia and get into a stance.

“Protect Illiana!”

My soldiers surround her and stare up at the Strigien.

Fuck! How did this happen again? Theos help us.

The Strigien jumps from its branch and dives directly at us.

“Archers! Fire!” I motion toward the creature.

Arrows rain over my head and at the stirigen. Two out of the fifty hit it. The Strigien doesn’t slow in the slightest. Completely unfazed.

“Theos, please. Do something.” I hear Illiana plead in a hushed tone.

“Fire again! Aim for just above the beak!”

Arrows fly toward it again. One arrow hits in the center of its head and the Strigien falls to the ground with a loud THUD! I know better than to think it’s dead.

“Everyone behind me. Do not move. Protect Illiana,” I command without taking my eyes off of the fallen Strigien.

I silently walk around the side of its massive body. Its chest moves only slightly, but I see it. It’s trying to play dead. I raise my axe over my head and swing down. The blade makes contact with the Strigien’s sternum. Blood spews from around the blade as I pry it out of bone. The Strigien screeches and flaps its wings violently just beside my feet.

Did this bird think I would be stupid enough to fall for its trap?

I swing my axe down again and it stops moving. I’ve hit the heart. Blood squirts up my pant leg as I grind my blade into its chest cavity. There is no way I am leaving any chance at all for this thing to get back up.

“Elliot. It is dead. Stop.”

I feel a small hand on my arm. Illiana. I stop and look back at her.

“Illiana? What are you doing over here? I thought you were over there where you’re safe?”

“I am plenty safe here. Come, let us clean you up.”

She holds out her small hand to me. I pull my axe out of the Strigien’s carcass and take her hand. She silently goes to Lucinda and takes out a washcloth and a canteen. She wets the end of the cloth with water and looks at me.

“Come here.”

I do as I’m told and go to her. I bend down and she washes the blood off of my face. I didn’t realize I had any on there.

How is she so calm right now? It seems there’s a lot about her that I don’t know.

“I’m sorry you had to see that, Lia.”

“Don’t be.”

She leans forward and softly kisses my lips. I smile at her.

“Your Majesty?” Loryn approaches.

Way to ruin the moment, Lorryn.

“Yes?” I know she can hear the agitation in my voice.

“The sun is starting to set. What would you like to do?”

“Let’s ride.”

The meeting place comes into view after five straight hours of riding. By some stroke of luck, we don’t encounter any creatures aside from the Strigien. Once the field comes into view, I can see several pastel-colored silk tents on the rapska side.

Theos. They’ve brought their whole army. Yes, we did plan for this, but a small part of me hoped it wouldn’t be the worst-case scenario.

“We’ve made it, My Queen,” I whisper into Lia’s ear.

She shivers and turns her head to face me. “Oh finally!”

I chuckle and bring Lucinda to a stop at the first outpost. Saphira slides down the side of it and lands in front of Lia. Her bright red hair springs up around her in tight tendrils falling from her braid.

“Your Majesties.” She nods toward us.

“Saphira! You know good and damn well there’s no need for honorifics. Lia, this is Saphira. She is the best nedic we have and the second-best archer.”

“I am pleased to meet you,” Illiana says. She looks at Saphira and smiles.

“Saphira, this is my wife, Illiana.”

Saphira grins from ear to ear and chuckles. “Never thought you’d take an arrow to the knee.”

Illiana raises an eyebrow.

I guess she’s never heard that phrase before. It is an elven phrase, so when would she have?

“That means she never thought I’d get married. To be fair, I never thought I would. Until Lia asked me to marry her.”

And it was the best decision I have ever made.

Saphira chuckles. “I’m going to have to hear all about that later. Right now we have a minor issue to tend to.” Her tone changes.

Fuck. What now?

“And the problem is?”

“We’ve spotted Zander. Trey has him chained to a pole in front of his tent. He looks bad. Real bad.” Saphira frowns.

He looks bad? How bad is bad? Is he moving? Is he breathing? This is all my fault. Fuck! If I had been faster that day, this would have been avoided. Stop. You’re spiraling, Elliot. You can’t do this right now. What would Zander say?

Illiana looks just past Saphira at the outpost tower, I think? She nods and turns to the meeting place and the rapska tents.

What was she nodding at? Or to whom?

“I did not realize this many people would be here. Father must be out of his mind!” Illiana groans at the sight of the fae army.

“This is exactly what we anticipated. Promise me that you will keep you and the babies safe.”

I stare at the back of her head. The sun’s rays made her golden locks almost shine. The silver streak woven into her braid made it very easy to know who she is.

I swear to the Gods, I will not let anything happen to you too. I will not lose you. I can’t.

“I promise.”

“I will see the two of you up there.”

Saphira points to the top of the outpost tower. I nod and she takes her leave. I turn to Lia again.

“Who were you nodding at just a second ago?” I ask.

“You would not believe me if I told you.” She doesn’t even look at me.

I frown. “Try me.”

She turns on her heel and looks up into my eyes. “Theos. I was speaking to Theos.”

She looks just beside me again then back to me.

“Pardon?”

“Your deity. Theos. He is standing right there beside you. Can you not feel his presence?”

“No?”

I can’t feel a damn thing. My wife is speaking nonsense. Is the toxicity of the air messing with her mind as well?

She frowns and lowers her gaze.

“I told you. I said you would not believe me. And you do not.”

She’s right. I don’t believe her. Honestly, I believe our gods abandoned us when the curse happened.

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