Page 129 of Of Shadows and Blood

“Liv? What are you doing out here?” Serene drops the weapon and looks me over, noticing the torn clothing and blood everywhere. “Gods, you’re covered in blood!”

A male emerges from another tree, a vampyr soldier.

“Lieutenant Poe, this is Lady El— Liv, from Demis,” she introduces, gesturing to me in all of my glory. Poe approaches and bows in greeting.

“Serene, what’s going on? Why are you out here?”

“Answer me first. Did you come from Orvynn?” She looks over my shoulder in the distance, knowing the miles I put between me and that hell.

“I fled, yes. Is there an outpost nearby? We need to send a message to the king immediately. There’s no time to waste.” I gesture ahead and begin walking, the two follow behind before Poe takes the lead.

“War has begun,” he says. “Duresden has made movements on both the east and west fronts. All villages and transports have been cut off. We’re sending soldiers to all outposts to guard common border crossings but their tactics are inconsistent.”

“The prince is behind it in some capacity, but I am not yet sure how. His friend, a cess, tried to kill me. They have monsters,” I reply, feeling a slight tremor in my hands. Serene turns to me, mouth gaping. I thought she didn’t like me, but I suppose I was wrong.

Poe turns us right and we begin walking on a country road, reminding me of the trip to Brynnwood. If only I had stayed with Cedric, none of this would have happened. This is my fault. Sawyer planted his manipulation time and time again. Gods, I was so stupid.

So, so blind.

A wagon of soldiers pulls up from behind us. “Lieutenant Poe, is everything all right?” The soldier gestures to us, eyes catching on me in my state.

“No, but we have to act fast. Do you have room for us?”

The soldier motions for a few younger-looking humans to hop off. “Not personal boys, we need the space. Report back to the post within the hour. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” they reply in unison with a soft smile on their faces.

We board the wagon, reminding me of Trentin, a far distant life, and race down the road to Lux’s nearest legion of soldiers. War is here. War that Sawyer has helped to orchestrate. Everything makes sense. His presence in my dream state, trying to turn me against Cedric, his yearning for power.

This was his plan. Remove me, try to remove Cedric, gain Lux.

“Are there men stationed at Krue?” I ask, the wind whipping my hair around my face. A large wooden gate appears in the distance and sentries train their arrows on us, cess flanked on the side ready to wield power.

“Yes, a small company,” Poe replies.

“Under whose leadership?”

“The prince’s…” He trails off, realizing exactly what I suspected.

“Sawyer’s working with Rolan. He’s trying to stage a coup or something,” I breathe. “Duresden has agents in Krue.”

“OPEN THE GATES!” our driver orders. The ground guards motion up top and the twin gates slowly slide open. Our wagon barrels through, the steeds blowing hot steam through their nostrils. Cess lights illuminate the grounds around the fort. While the doors are wooden, steel plates reinforce their backside and the entire perimeter is upheld by stone walls with sentries. The center building has cess running through the front doors, hands ready to spar.

I jump down, scanning the crowd. Avonde weaves through, running towards me. Poe and the driver run to more senior-looking officials while Avonde and I embrace. “What are you doing here? Why aren’t you at Demis?”

“We have plenty of cess there. It’s my duty to get staff to the outposts sometimes and this one being closest to the front…” She pulls back immediately and begins looking over my body. Serene casts a diagnostic spell behind me, checking my health.

“I’m fine, really.”

“You’re covered in blood and dirt and—” She points to my legs in disgust. “What is that black stuff? This looks like the remnants of a cairn.” She smells my body and scrunches her nose.

“Cairn? Whatever, yes, but we need to send a missive immediately to Demis. The castle needs to prepare for an assault. Sawyer is planning a coup with Rolan.”

Avonde brings her hand to her mouth in shock. “No.”

I nod, hardly wanting to believe it myself. “I need to see Cedric. Avonde, I’ve been so blind. I’m a fool. I—” I search for more words, because there is so much I want to say, but nothing finds me. She grabs my hand and squeezes.

“No need, Liv. Please, we will find time to talk but we will send missives immediately. Do you know of any other plans?”