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“Aye, she did.” Kormac braced himself to harangue the fellow if he turned it into an insult, only Peter smiled.
“That was amazing. I thought for sure those beasts were gonna freeze us in place and then she was like pow, pow.” He mimed tossing lightning and Bruun, the bigger fellow, nodded.
“Ma and Pa always said the only good witch was a dead witch but if it wasn’t for her, we would be dead.” Bruun’s lowly delivered praise.
Perhaps his people were capable of accepting Fionna as she was. Not just an envoy, but a magic tossing, too brave for her own good witch.
Of course, Peter and Bruun weren’t all his men, but he didn’t hear that grumbling until later.
For the moment, he had an unconscious lady in his bed. Someone fetched the doctor, the old one who’d been the first to suggest he ask the witch queen for aid. The only one he trusted with Fionna.
Doctor Keen examined her under Kormac’s watchful eye, not a long process, before declaring, “She’s fine, just tired. Let her sleep.”
“How can you be sure?”
The doctor raised a bushy brow. “I heard what she did. Single-handedly took down four dragons.”
“Three. I killed the fourth.” He couldn’t have said why he felt a need to point that out, especially since she’d been fighting it up until that moment.
“She used an intense amount of magic which took a toll on her body. A bit of rest is all she needs.”
The verdict pleased and didn’t. He wanted her awake now.
So he could yell at her for being insane.
And brave.
And foolish.
And incredible.
Rather than do any of those things, he headed down to check on his people. The bodies of the dragons had not yet been removed. He emerged to find the one that he’d killed lying limp on the cobblestones, leaking blood, surrounded by soldiers, some staring shell-shocked, others pointing and talking excitedly.
As he headed over to look at it more closely, he overheard conversations. No surprise much of it centered on Fionna.
“We didn’t have dragons until she came here,” several people muttered.
Another observation was, “I thought witches only hexed men’s dicks. No one ever said they could fight.”
But the most chilling… “Airiok was right to ban witches. They’re trouble.”
A ban long since repealed as too often those accused had nothing to do with magic. Still, centuries of mistrust remained. He’d have to address it. The sooner the better.
He climbed atop the carcass of the dragon he’d killed and pulled his sword free. It felt right in his grip and, even better, when he needed it, had flown farther and truer than he could have hoped.
As he held it aloft, one of his men shouted, “Hail the warlord, the mighty dragon slayer.”
The soldiers below cheered for him who’d killed one and yet spoke poorly of the one who took down three. Never mind a few weeks ago he might have muttered with them. He’d seen things to make him realize the world was more complex than all witches were bad. Today, a witch had done somethingincredible, and it was time people recognized action versus ingrained hatred.
“Today we were lucky. Lucky to have the envoy of Acca with us. Without her, this battle with these monsters of legends would have ended poorly.” He waved the tip of his sword in the direction of the soldiers frozen in place. “We owe our thanks to the envoy and her magic. Thanks, not misguided hatred. Respect, not rude commentary.” He let his gaze slide over the men present listening. “I will not tolerate anything less. Understood?”
“Yes, Warlord,” they shouted while thumping their chests.
There would still be some who would complain and spout, but he couldn’t expect ingrained attitudes to change with one battle. Maybe once a few lost their heads, though…
Orders were given to dispose of the dragons, which included giving some of the meat to the chefs who wanted to see if it was palatable. Kormac agreed but only after getting them to promise to test the meat first. The last thing he needed was for people to get sick as food poisoning would most likely be blamed on Fionna.
With his men all busy with tasks, he headed into the citadel to check on Fionna. She remained asleep in his bed, a tiny figure with so much might. Knowing witches could fight and seeing it? Two different things. What other surprises did she have hidden within?
