Hustling through the open door and out into the room, Natalia looked to the stairwell she’d descended. Orcs and soldiers funneled out into the room. Cursing, she ran with her elven speed toward the doublewide doors, exiting into the hall. More orcs waited there. She charged past them, their meaty hands ripping at her cloak as she slipped narrowly by and turned down the stairs to the main floor. Seeing all hallways crowded with orcs and soldiers, Natalia realized they hadn’t just returned to the courtyard, they had spread out throughout the entire castle. She was blocked from returning to the third floor.
Sprinting to the main entrance, she kicked open the door and ran out into the courtyard. She dashed like a madwoman with Solomon slung over her shoulder as she sliced and hacked her way through to the passageway in the outer wall. Once inside, she called on her mental map to lead her the short distance to the door they’d entered. Escaping through it, she carried Solomon out into the street, running as fast as her legs could carry her.
She lost track of Solomon’s breathing as she charged through the streets. She followed her memory of the city layout from the third-story window. She ran toward the sounds of fighting. Thickets of orcs and men clashed in the streets. Natalia slowed, searching for a way through them. She needed to get old Sol to safety so she could try to heal him. As she hesitated, a cluster of orcs spotted her and charged with weapons drawn. She turned and ran.
Not knowing exactly where she was going, Natalia now rushed blindly through the streets of the capital. She had to break through the fighting, it was the only way out. Holding Solomon tightly, she found the front line. Natalia clawed at the backs of orcs and men as she carved a hole to pass through. Seeing Lumbapi faces beyond the mottled orcs’ heads, Natalia shouted to them. Recognizing her, the Lumbapi focused on driving through to where she boldly defended herself. In a blur of activity, she felt herself wrapped into the protection of friendly soldiers.
Clearing past them, Natalia ran. She ran far from the fighting and back to the city wall, stopping only when she had passed through the gates and found herself among the trees. She slowed, placing Solomon gently on the ground. His ragged breathing sounded of liquid. She placed her hand on his chest and summoned her magic. As she felt her energy draining trying to repair the damage to his lungs, she began to slip from consciousness. Then she felt a hand lift hers away from his body. She opened her eyes as she felt some of her strength returning.
Solomon’s eyes met hers and he smiled, “My injuries are beyond your skills.” He paused, coughing as blood filled his lungs.
As the wise man gasped for air, she shook her head, “I have to try.”
Solomon stilled her hand, “I’ve lived a full life, more than most in my noble line.”
Natalia thought to his comments earlier and the portrait in the castle, “You were King once, weren’t you?”
He nodded, wiping the blood from his chin, “I was Kaufen’s uncle. I didn’t have it in me to lead the nation. My nephew was much more suited for it than I.”
“You abdicated?” she asked, and Solomon nodded, coughing up more blood, bright red this time. “That’s why you got involved in the war, that’s why you’ve dedicated yourself to the cause.”
“Listen, I don’t have much time,” Solomon said, his breathing becoming shallower. “You should know why the people here call you the,” he coughed again.
“The ‘veiled huntress?’” she asked.
“It was your mother,” he coughed again. “You look just like her.”
“But the Prophecy, it says the daughter of the veiled huntress would come on the back of a dragon,” Natalia said, desperately. The old wise man’s response stayed with him. Natalia stared at him, willing him to breathe again, but he didn’t. She placed her hand on his chest, but there was no heartbeat. She wept for the old man she’d become fond of and the great sacrifice he had made for the countries he had once declined to lead.
Chapter 66
The Resistance
“Do you think those red streaks will ever go away?” Bo asked.
Shrugging, Kirsten answered, “Don’t know. Maybe? Anders might know something we don’t.”
“If you do have Anders try to heal them, you should keep the marks as a tattoo,” Britt suggested as she kept pace walking behind Kirsten.
Kirsten looked down at her arm, “You know I don’t mind the look of it, I just wish I could take this necklace off. This heavy thing is starting to rub my neck raw.”
“I don’t get it,” Britt said.
“What do you mean?” Kirsten asked.
“I don’t know how these things work. That one just staves off magical infections and this one,” she lifted the blue-hued crystal from her pocket and continued, “shoots rays, but only if you use it. When I try to use, it doesn’t do anything. See?” Britt wielded the crystal as she tried to produce some kind of reaction.
“That’s a good point,” Max said. “Maybe it’s time we hand that back over to the person who can wield it with a somewhat desired effect.”
Kirsten turned to see Max walk past Britt and take the crystal from her as she stopped waving the crystal like a magic wand.
“I don’t know why it works for me,” Kirsten said, accepting it from Max and meeting his eyes. She held his gaze for a moment.
“But it does,” he said, breaking their eye contact and looking back to Britt.
“How much farther are we going? Kirsten might need a rest,” Thomas asked from behind.
“I’ve been telling you for days now, Thomas. I’m fine. We had more than a few days’ rest at Max and Bo’s,” Kirsten said.
“I’m just looking out for you, Sis,” Thomas said. “How long did you say?”
“Just a few more hours,” Bo said, leading the group and pointing ahead.
“You said that this morning when we left,” Kirsten said, playfully hitting him on the shoulder.
Turning to her, he smiled, “And I’ll keep on saying that until we get there.”
“Well look who’s the funny brother now,” Kirsten said, looking over her shoulder at Max. She saw his hand slide from Britt’s as he fell in line behind her again.
“I’m flattered, truly,” Bo said.
When Kirsten looked back to Bo, he avoided eye contact and spun back around to lead the way through the wooded Riverlands.
What’s wrong with me? Kirsten wondered. Why can’t I just go for the one who’s paying attention to me? What’s changed since the Bareback Plains? She pondered as she chewed on her lower lip.
“Rune said the Resistance had a camp near the base of the Frozentip Mountains, northeast of Brookside. My guess is that they’ll find us before we find them,” Max said to Thomas, but loud enough for the whole group to hear.
“So when we get there, we’ll just wander around until they pick us up?” Thomas asked.
