Chapter Seven
Whoever was approaching, I needed to be the first one to talk to them. I was responsible for the safety of my people, and I wouldn’t let anything jeopardize that. Whether they were friend or foe remained to be seen, but I wasn’t afraid of a little conflict.
I just hadn’t expected any conflict this close to the border of Sorreyal.
Was there trouble ahead?
I made a new save point, and then I kicked Goliath in the flanks to urge him forward at a high speed. I galloped alongside the caravan while the carriages and wagons passed by in a blur, and I quickly reached Corvis at the head of the procession. The horse master rode comfortably on the back of his brown mare, and he saluted as I crossed the distance between us.
“Halt the army,” I instructed in a firm tone. “Call back your forward scouts.”
Corvis hesitated for a moment, but I nodded to the signal horn he had, and his eyes widened.
“Yes, sir.” Corvis grabbed the horn that hung around his neck, and he blew on it with gusto three times.
Whoever was meeting us on the border of Sorreyal already knew we were coming, plus it was impossible to disguise the movements of an army this size, and I really didn’t have any reason to.
I’d already vanquished the enemies of the Kotar Desert, and the recently appointed Duke of Edinburg was loyal to the King of Sorreyal.
There shouldn’t be any issues with us passing through his town.
My thoughts were dark as I waited for the scouts to return, and I could soon see the shadowy figures riding toward us from off in the distance. The scrub brush that dotted the landscape fluttered in the light breeze, and the wind brought a welcome relief from the heat of the desert sun, but we stayed motionless at the head of the procession.
Once the scouts returned, I nudged Goliath’s flanks once more, and the white warhorse reared before he tore across the sands. Soon, the foreign riders came into view, but just then, Nameless’ shadow passed overhead, and they halted.
Were they scared of the dragon?
The duke had met him before.
The duke had let us pass peacefully on our way south, so there was no reason for him to block our path this time, but something was up.
I could feel it.
I rode forward with my chin held high and my shoulders straight, and I scanned over the riders as I approached. They both wore black cloaks, and there was a seal on the front, but I wasn’t close enough to make it out.
“Hello,” the rider to my left said, and the voice was masculine and strong. “We are ambassadors for the Duke of Edinburg, and we are here to welcome you to Sorreyal. Please, identify yourself.”
“I am Sir Sebastian, Archduke of Sorreyal, God of Time, and the leader of this army.” I straightened even more in my saddle. “I speak for these people.”
“Your Grace,” they both said as they bowed their heads. “Our apologies.”
“No apologies are necessary,” I assured them. “Who would expect the God of Time to ride out to meet you himself?”
The helmeted men lifted their heads, but then their gazes went to the army halted behind me.
“Our instructions were to have your army make camp outside the city walls,” the man to my left said. “You and your entourage are welcome in the manor, but the city cannot sustain your entire force overnight.”
“My men and I managed to make it here with only a day’s rations left,” I said with a frown. “I cannot ask them to go further without a hot meal. We’ve crossed the southern sands to get here, and we cannot turn back.”
“No one expects you to turn back,” the ambassador assured me quickly, and the two men exchanged a loaded glance.
“We can bring them inside in groups,” the other ambassador suggested. “Supervise them as they take showers and eat in turns.”
“That’s acceptable.” I nodded. “As long as every man and woman gets an opportunity to eat and clean themselves.”
“We will alert His Grace about the change of plans,” the ambassador who offered the deal said, but his companion shook his head in doubt.
“I’m not sure if he will approve, Your Grace,” the first ambassador explained. “But we will pass on your message.”
“I’ll be here,” I said.
“I will alert my lord,” the ambassador promised, and he turned his horse’s head around.
“One more thing,” I said, and they both paused to look back. “Tell the Duke of Edinburg that if he doesn’t support the royal army, then the king will hear of it next.”
The men were quiet for a long moment as they exchanged another loaded glance. I hoped they would make the right decision, but it was up to the Duke of Edinburgh to choose.
“Yes, Your Grace.” The ambassador nodded, and then they clicked their tongues to their horses and rode away.
I watched them ride away, and I considered reloading to my save point, but I wanted to know how the duke would respond before I made any moves.
Sorreyal had been at peace when I’d left, after I’d hunted down the previous Duke of Edinburg when he’d committed treason against the crown. I’d brought the man to justice, and he had died for his crimes. Surely, the new duke was aware of what happened to people who stood in the God of Time’s way.
What had happened while I was in the Kotar Desert?
Had I been gone for too long?
I shook off my negative thoughts and went into a meditative state as I waited for the return of the ambassadors, but I didn’t have to wait very long. They rode back on their brown horses, and I recognized them from a distance just from the structure of their shoulders beneath their cloaks.
“His Grace accepted your arrangement,” the ambassador reported. “Your army may camp outside the city walls and take turns coming inside.”
“You may send our thanks when you next report to him,” I said with a nod of my head.
We went our separate ways once more, and I met up with the front end of my army procession. Corvis waited for me with a stiff back as he scanned the horizon, and I saw him visibly relax when he spotted me.
I chuckled to myself as I crossed the distance between us. His concern was touching, but I could handle myself in any situation.
Once I crossed the distance to him, we clasped forearms, and he saluted.
“Who waits ahead, sir?” the horse master asked.
“Ambassadors from the home of the Duke of Edinburg,” I explained. “Edinburg Manor. Remember the town around it inside the walls? The army has to stay outside them so as not to scare the residents.”
“The men are weary, sir,” Corvis argued. “We need hot food and showers.”
“And you’ll get them,” I promised. “In small, supervised groups.”
“Supervised, sir?” Corvis frowned. “They don’t trust us?”
“For now, we do as they say.” I shrugged. “Keep your guard up, like always.”
“What about you and the ladies?” Corvis asked as he jerked his chin in the direction of their carriage.
“We’re invited to the manor tonight,” I said. “We’ll ride ahead and make sure the duke follows through on his word.”
“I’ll stay with the army, sir.” Corvis saluted. “‘Til we meet again.”
“I’ll be your alarm clock in the morning,” I said. “Same as yesterday and the day before.”
“What’s an alarm clock?” The horse master cocked his head to the side at the strange words.
“Never mind.” I laughed.
Then I rode Goliath down the procession as it began to slowly move once more, and I quickly reached the carriage where Zenda and Eva were riding. Akina sat astride her black charger beside it, and I jerked my chin in greeting as I approached.
“You’ll want to hear this,” I said. “Come inside before the carriage moves again.”
“Yes, Bash,” Akina said, and she immediately swung her leg over her horse’s mane and slid down.
We were inside the carriage a moment later, and I sat opposite my wife and lover as Akina sat on the bench beside me. They both smiled when I entered, but their expressions became serious quickly when they looked at my face.
“What happened?” Eva asked as a line creased her brow.
“Why did we stop?” Zenda added as she peered out the window of the carriage.
“Riders from Edinburg Manor met with me at a halfway point,” I explained in a hurried voice. “They will allow us to enter the manor, but the army has to stay outside the walls. The guards made it seem like the city isn’t doing too well, so they might not be able to replenish our stores for the rest of the trip home.”
“We can hunt more as we pass more temperate land,” Zenda pointed out. “Or go to Vallenwood for help.”
“We will figure something out,” I said. “In the meantime, this carriage needs to get ahead of the procession. I’ll clear a path for you, but it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”
“Alright,” Akina said. “Then I’ll stay here with the others.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Eva argued. “You can make better time on your horse.”
“This thing is pulled by horses,” I reminded them. “We can have them speed up.”
“The carriage wasn’t designed for that,” Zenda said. “Things could fall apart.”
“Then we will repair them,” I said, and the women both nodded their understanding.
I exited the carriage and remounted Goliath. Then I rode ahead of the carriage, and I guided the driver through the maze that was my army. With the city walls in sight, the men had begun to fan out of formation to pick out good camping spots, so we had to zigzag through the chaos.
“Corvis!” I shouted as we drew near the front.
The horse master met me on his brown mare a moment later, and he bowed his head in greeting.
“There’s men breaking formation back there.” I frowned. “You haven’t called a halt yet, have you?”
“No, sir.” Corvis nodded curtly. “I’ll fix it.”
I nodded before I continued to lead the carriage driver through the last of the army, and then we were on the open road with nothing ahead except the gate. It opened as we approached, and we rode beneath the walls without seeing a single soul. Then we continued on to the manor, but I stopped to appreciate the beauty of it before I moved forward.
We were greeted in the courtyard of the manor by a parade of guards and servants, but then the Duke of Edinburg emerged. He was a stately man in a brown vest and trousers, and he had dusty-looking brown hair, wire-rimmed glasses, and his back was slumped from too much time spent sitting down.
We’d met before, and I’d received a similar treatment.
“Welcome, Great One,” the diminutive man said as he spread his hands out.
“Thank you, Your Grace.” I inclined my head, but I remained on top of Goliath’s back. “Will my men be met with a similar welcome?”
“They will be guided through the city to the families who volunteered to help us,” the duke explained. “It’s nothing but an image of added safety.”
“As long as you’re sure,” I said, and I dismounted swiftly.
The carriage door opened as I crossed the distance to it, and the three women emerged from inside. Eva, Zenda, and Akina nodded their readiness, and then we turned as a group to speak with the duke.
“You remember my wife and my lover?” I asked as I indicated each woman in turn. “I would like to introduce you to my new woman, Akina.”
“It’s lovely to see all of you,” the duke said, and he gave us a small smile. “I wish it were during more prosperous times.”
“I’m sorry to hear that Edinburg Manor isn’t thriving,” I said and pursed my lips.
“The people followed the Edinburgs religiously.” The duke shook his head. “But that’s my problem, not yours. We each have our territories to think of.”
“I’d be happy to help in whatever ways you need,” I offered. “Just let me know.”
“I appreciate your concern,” the duke responded with another small smile. “You’ll be the first to know if I need help.”
“Thank you.” I nodded.
“Now.” The duke rubbed his hands together. “Let me escort you to the dining room. Unless you’d like to clean up before dinner?”
“The dining room is fine,” I said as I took off my helmet and shook out my hair. “Thank you.”
“Of course, Your Greatness,” the duke said. “Right this way.”
He led us inside the manor, and the guards filed in behind us with their spears held upright. The richly-decorated interior sparkled from a fresh cleaning, and I was once again reminded that the duke had known we were coming.
He wanted to impress me.
But then again, who wouldn’t?
We arrived at the dining hall, and the empty plates were already situated in front of the appropriate number of chairs. I took a seat at the end of the table directly opposite the duke, and my women stepped in to fill the seats on either side.
Once we were all seated, the Duke of Edinburg took his seat at the head of the table, and he nodded to the servant waiting in the corner. The staff leapt into action, and they came bearing platters of food and pitchers of wine. They served each of us quickly, and then they resumed their stance along the wall.
“What brings you to Edinburg Manor?” the Duke of Edinburgh asked as we started eating. “Just on your way home?”
“Yes,” I confirmed. “My work in the Kotar Desert is wrapped up, so I’m on my way back to Bastianville with the army.”
“I’m sure your people will be happy to see you return.” The duke nodded politely. “You’ve been in the southern lands for a while now.”
“Are my movements that well known?” I chuckled. “Not that it was a secret, but I’d hope some things were still left as a surprise.”
“Word spreads,” the duke allowed. “I may have kept an interest in your affairs ever since our last visit. It’s not every day one dines with a god, after all.”
“True.” I smiled softly. “What caused you to take such an interest in me?”
The duke sipped his wine slowly as he thought over his response, but he couldn’t stall forever. I cleared my throat as I picked at the rich spread of food on my plate, but I was much more interested in what he had to say than I was in eating.
“As far as I know,” the duke began. “You’ve only been in Sorreyal a short time. Yet you’ve managed to raise an army and create a vast territory to rule. How does one get so much power so swiftly?”
“I’m a god.” I shrugged. “No other explanation should be needed.”
“You aren’t the only god to grace these lands,” the duke pointed out. “Yet the God of the Purge didn’t amass nearly as much power as you have. What is so different about you?”
I squirmed in my seat as I thought it over, yet I wasn’t sure what made me determined to get as much power and control as possible. The God of the Purge had been intent on ruling the minds of his followers, but I always gave them a choice. Free will was still a thing, after all, and I wanted people to want to follow me. I didn’t want to force them out of fear.
“We aren’t here to talk about me,” I said after a long silence. “What about you? Why is Edinburg Manor so strained that they cannot house an army for one night?”
“There is unrest in the city,” the duke sighed. “I have no qualms admitting when I’m in trouble, but this is something I need to fix myself, or the people will never respect me.”
“What is causing the root of this problem?” I asked. “Surely, you have a tight grip on your people?”
“Our location,” the duke said. “We are so far south that most of the trading caravans don’t make it to Edinburg Manor. People are having trouble unloading the goods they create. There isn’t a market for them.”
“Have you spoken to the king about this problem?” I pressed. “You can’t rule the territory without his assistance and support.”
“I can, and I will.” The duke cleared his throat as he steepled his fingers. “I was given the leadership of Edinburg Manor, and I will do so as I see fit.”
“So you’re just going to let your people suffer for your mistakes in the meantime?” Akina frowned.
“You are from Kotar?” The duke lifted his eyebrows as he turned his gaze to the former desert dweller, and the warrior woman nodded her head. “Then you understand hardship like we do. Edinburg Manor has always drawn the short stick from the bundle, and now is no different. It is up to me to fix this problem, and I will not beg a god for his help.”
“No one is begging anyone,” I pointed out. “I’m offering to help you because I care about everyone, not just my followers.”
“Talk is cheap.” The duke shook his head. “I cannot ask that of you.”
“Fine.” I pressed my lips into a thin white line. “But I will have to make an honest report to the king when I pass through Vallenwood.”
“You could take an alternative route,” the duke pointed out. “Bypass Vallenwood altogether. It would get you home faster.”
“But I wouldn’t be able to purchase food for my people,” I argued. “I need to get to Vallenwood in order to replenish our supplies.”
“I will give what I can,” the duke promised. “It isn’t a lot, but the manor has put back enough rations to last a year in case of an uprising.”
“It’s that bad?” I lifted both my eyebrows in surprise. “And you’re sure I can’t help?”
“You’ve already helped,” the Duke of Edinburg chuckled. “Just your presence has caused whispers and gossip that has calmed the unrest for the moment. Everyone is excited about getting a glimpse of a god.”
“Maybe a parade would lift morale,” I suggested. “I’ll stroll through town and talk to your people, find out what’s bothering them, and report back to you so you can make the final decisions.”
“You’ll be delaying your trip home,” the duke argued. “I can’t ask that of you.”
It seemed as though his mind was made up, but I considered resetting to my save point to try another angle. I wasn’t one to give up easily, but this wasn’t my territory, and the duke was right. It wasn’t my problem to solve. The former Duke of Edinburg had ruled with an iron fist, and his territory had suffered from his callous grasp for power. It would take some time for the people to bounce back from the years of hardship they’d already endured, but I had hoped the new duke would fix the issues.
“Alright,” I said after a while. “We will continue our trek north as planned, but if you decide you want my help before we leave, you just have to say the word.”
“I appreciate your offer, Great One,” the duke said calmly. “But I must decline for now.”
“It’s up to you,” I said. “I can’t force you to accept my help.”
“Things will be much better the next time you visit,” the duke promised. “You have my word.”
“I’ll hold you to it,” I said.
That night, the four of us spent the evening together in a lavishly-decorated room, and we woke up before dawn the next morning to prepare for our departure. I made my way outside the city walls while the girls followed behind me in the carriage, and I woke up Corvis as the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon.
“Up and at ‘em,” I said as I approached his tent. “It’s time to get this show on the road.”
“You say the strangest things sometimes,” Corvis noted, and he rubbed his eyes while exiting the tent. “I’ll get used to it eventually, I imagine.”
“Don’t get too comfortable with my Earth sayings,” I chuckled. “I like the confused looks a little too much.”
We both laughed, and after we’d calmed down, the horse master laid a hand on my shoulder.
“What’s in store for us today, sir?” Corvis asked with a tilt of his head. “Are we leaving the south behind us?”
“We still have to get across the dry lands of Edinburg’s territory,” I said. “But yes, I need the army ready to move out in an hour.”
“Yes, sir,” Corvis replied with a quick salute.
We were riding away from Edinburg Manor right on time an hour later when I suddenly spotted Nameless swooping through the air. The little dragon flew lower until he was right over my head, and we made eye contact across the distance between us.
Home?
I didn’t know where he was learning these new words from, but I wasn’t going to look a gift dragon in the mouth.
“Yes, home.” I grinned. “Back to Sorena, Mahini, Caelia, and Elissa.”
Nameless let out a happy screech before he rose back into the air and flew out of sight behind the clouds. I was pleased with the interaction between us and the progress he’d made.
I checked on my women every so often, but Akina had chosen to remain in the carriage this time, so her horse was tethered to the outside. Eventually, I added Goliath’s reins to the tie, and I climbed inside. I made a new save point as I closed the door behind me, and the three ladies all greeted me with wide smiles.
“It’s going to be tough to get across the dry lands without a full stock of food,” I said as I took my seat on the bench. “Any ideas?”
“The God of Time is asking for help?” Eva chuckled. “This is new.”
If only she knew how many times her advice had helped me before I reset to my save point.
“Yeah, well, everything happens for a reason.” I grinned. “I was hoping you three could help me.”
“I’d be happy to help,” Akina said. “But I don’t know this area at all. If it was the desert, I’d suggest we go to an oasis to hunt, but we already did that.”
“We can levy the king’s name to collect rations in towns we pass through,” Eva suggested.
“You heard the Duke of Edinburg,” I said. “The whole territory is in dire straits. I’m not sure any of the towns will have the rations we need.”
“So, hunting isn’t an option, and levying the towns isn’t an option…” Zenda tapped a finger against her chin as she thought over our options. “We need help from the king, then.”
“You think that’s the best option?” I asked. “I’d hate to look weak.”
“Asking for help after a long march through the desert isn’t a weakness,” Zenda argued. “Especially when the alternative is letting your men go hungry until we reach your lands.”
“That’s not an option,” I said. “They’ve worked their asses off for me, and I can’t let them starve.”
“Then ask the king to send rations south,” Eva said with a decisive nod. “It’s the only way we’ll make it any further north.”
“Alright,” I sighed. “I don’t like it, but you’re right. We need to resupply before we leave Edinburg’s lands.”
I reset to my save point, and instead of asking for their help, we spent the next couple of hours laughing and joking about our adventures so far. Zenda shared stories about the Zaborial Isles while Eva discussed her childhood in Castle Bullard, but Akina just listened quietly instead of sharing.
Then I wrote a letter to the king asking for help, and I had my fastest runner take the note north to Vallenwood, yet even then, it was three days before I saw the rider return.
To Sir Sebastian, Archduke of Sorreyal, and God of Time,
I have sent a caravan loaded with supplies to your location, and I hope they find you well. Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help you reach your destination. Thank you for the time you spent bringing peace to the south. Trade routes have already opened up, and many merchants are eager for Kotar goods.
Signed,
His Royal Majesty,
King Frederick.
My men were already on half-rations, and we’d managed to make our one-day supply last us for several, but it wouldn’t last for much longer. We still needed an alternative source of food to last us a couple of days until the king’s caravan arrived. We stopped in the next town, and I used my godliness to convince the mayor to help us, and even though they gave all they could, it still wasn’t much.
Still, it got us another two days north, and the caravan sent to resupply us met us there. We were still a long way from my territory, but we’d make it with food in our bellies now.
We passed through Kassar, and then we veered to the west. With the caravan of food sent from Vallenwood, we didn’t need to head to the capital at all, so we were able to go straight to my lands.
It took us another week to reach the edge of my territory while my followers hunted along the way to keep our stores full of meat. Ivywood was our first destination, and I was eager to see how my people were doing as it had been a while since I’d last visited them.
The town was ghostly quiet when we arrived, and I had the army halt on the edge of the walls while I took a team inside to investigate. All the stores were closed, and no one walked the streets.
“Weird,” I observed as I rode Goliath down the vacant street. “I would have expected them to come out to greet us.”
“It doesn’t look like anyone is even in town,” Corvis noted. “Look, the shops have all been boarded up.”
I sent men door to door, but there were no responses at any of the homes or businesses, so we reconvened outside the walls to discuss what had happened.
“Not a single soul left in town, sir,” Corvis reported. “My men swept over every inch of the place.”
“Where could they have gone?” I asked as a sinking feeling formed in my gut.
Had the God of the Plague arrived and wiped my people out?
Where were the bodies, then?
I didn’t want to think the worst, but it looked like something had caused everyone to leave, and that was unusual.
“I don’t know, sir.” Corvis gave me a sympathetic look. “What are my orders, sir?”
“Take the army back to Bastianville,” I instructed. “I will take a group of soldiers to my other holdings to make sure they’re okay first.”
It had been a while since I’d blipped back to town, and I had the desire to do so now. Unfortunately, I couldn’t fast travel to Carleone or Wyndvale. I’d have to go in person first. It would extend my trip by several days, but I was responsible for the well-being of my people, and I needed to figure out what had happened to the people of Ivywood.
The small lumber town shared its resources with Carleone, Wyndvale, and Bastianville as well as the rest of the kingdom, so if there was any news, I’d find it in my other holdings.
“‘Til we meet again, sir.” Corvis saluted before he left to go about moving the army to the west.
I met up with the women, and I had the carriage driver pull their ride out of the line. Then I climbed inside with a grim look on my face.
“Ivywood is deserted,” I reported. “Something has happened to make the people leave.”
The girls remained silent, but their eyes all widened at my words.
“I’m going to the north to check on Carleone and Wyndvale,” I said. “You’re welcome to join me or continue moving with the army toward Bastianville.”
“We go with you,” Eva said without hesitation. “We need to find out what’s happened to your people.”
“I’m staying, too.” Zenda lifted her chin to a determined angle. “They may not have been my people for very long, but I still care about them. Let’s find out what happened together.”
“I could use all the help I can get,” I said. “But the army has been marching for Bastianville, and there will be unrest if we change directions again.”
“So, we ride to your other holdings.” Akina nodded. “I’ll saddle my horse.”
“I have a man doing that already,” I said. “The carriage will take too long. We’ll all have to ride on horseback.”
“What about me?” Eva frowned. “I fear I’m too far along to ride.”
“I hate to say this, my love,” I said cautiously. “But it might be best for you to stay with the army and head to Bastianville. If something’s happened there… Well, you’d be the best person for the job.”
“I don’t want to leave your side,” Eva argued with a shake of her head.
“We put our people first,” I said in a firm tone. “You know that.”
“Fine,” she sighed. “I’ll remain with the army.”
“Good.” I reached across the distance between us to squeeze her hand. “Our people come first, but our baby is also of high importance to me. If something happened to you… I don’t know how I could live with that.”
“Nothing is going to happen,” Eva assured me. “I just wish I didn’t have to miss out on the adventure.”
“I’ll fill you in on all the details when we meet up again,” I promised.
A few hours later, I took Goliath to the north of the procession as my chosen followers gathered around me. Akina and Zenda rode doubled-up on her sleek black charger, but everyone else was on foot. It would take us a day to reach Carleone, and then hopefully we’d get the answers we needed.
We headed to the north a short while later, and the women sang songs in time to their horses’ steps. The Battle of the Monsters was sung, as well as some other songs they’d picked up from the desert dwellers. It helped to pass the time, so I joined in on the tune.
Unfortunately, Carleone was also a ghost town when we arrived, and my breath caught in my throat as I glanced around at the boarded-up houses and businesses.
Where was Uncle Carl, Carleone’s mayor and my wife’s adopted uncle?
What the fuck was going on?
We walked down the street with a tight grip on our weapons, but there were no signs of a struggle. I instructed my women to break into the homes to see what was left behind, and it looked like everything had been abandoned. Food was still left in cabinets, clothes in drawers. Everything was in pristine condition, and I had a feeling the people had intended on returning.
When, though, was the question.
“What do we do?” Akina asked as she pulled her charger up alongside Goliath. “Everything is empty.”
“Yeah, there’s nobody here.” I frowned. “Where did they go?”
“There’s no notes or signs left to tell us that,” Zenda said. “It appears as though they planned to return, yet it’s hard to tell how long they’ve been gone for.”
“Wyndvale is a day’s ride to the north,” I said. “If we hurry, we can make it by sundown.”
“Do you think the same thing happened to Bastianville?” Zenda asked in a worried tone.
“We will find out,” I promised. “But first, we need to check on the people of Wyndvale. There’s nothing here for us to see, but there might be a clue there.”
We made it to the sleepy mountain town just as the sun sank below the horizon, so I summoned a flame to my hand to illuminate the town. It was just as ghostly empty as the previous two we’d visited, and all the same signs were left behind. Businesses had been boarded up, and supplies had been left behind.
My heart thudded against my chest as I searched every house and business personally, and my companions waited anxiously for me in the middle of the road.
There had to be some clue.
Something I could work with.
The coals in the fireplaces were all cold, so they’d left long enough ago for the fires to go out, that is if they hadn’t made sure they were out before they left. It didn’t look like they’d left in a hurry, because things were in place and not knocked over, but that was the only clue I could gather.
“We’ll fast travel to Bastianville from here,” I said as I rejoined my group in the street.
“Can you carry everyone and the horses?” Akina’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “That’s a lot.”
“I’ve got this.” I grinned.
Everyone joined hands, and the women laid their hands on the horses’ backs so they were also included in the group. Then I performed the ritual that activated my fast travel amulets, and I blipped us all back to Bastianville.
The street was empty, and I looked around for the other half of my fast travel amulets, but I didn’t see it anywhere.
Not a good sign.
I tried to calm my racing heartbeat as the worst-possible scenarios ran through my head. The God of the Plague could have come to my territory and wiped everyone out, but that wouldn’t explain why the amulet wasn’t around Mahini’s neck.
My daughter’s face flashed through my mind’s eye, and my chest filled with an urgency to make sure she was okay.
“Bash!” a familiar voice called out my name, and I swiveled around to face it.
It was Ako, the shapeshifting cat-man from Arginold Hold, and my friend. He wore the other half of the fast travel amulet around his neck, but when my eyes flicked to it, he pulled it over his head and handed it to me.
“Ako, what’s going on?” I asked as I tried to hide the desperation in my voice.
“You’ll find out soon enough,” Ako said mysteriously. “I’d get to the castle if I were you.”
I eyed him for a long moment as I worked over the clues, or lack thereof, in my head. If Ako was here, he wouldn’t have let anything bad happen to my wives or my daughter. They had to be okay, but that was just one question.
Where were all my people?
“Let’s go to the castle,” I suggested as I moved down the street toward my home. “And pray that everyone is okay.”
“Yes, Bash,” came the unified response from my women.
“Right behind you,” Ako said.
The air was eerily quiet as we crossed the distance to the castle, and there were no lights shining through the windows.
Another oddity.
Where were my wives and my daughter?
If a single hair on their heads had been harmed, the world would see how horrible my vengeance could be. The God of Time would become the God of Death once more, and anyone standing in my way would meet their fates.
My thoughts were dark as we approached the steps, and my followers remained quiet as they walked in my wake.
I placed my foot on the bottom step, and I gestured for them to hurry up before I rushed inside.
A light suddenly appeared to my left, and then more illuminated the foyer. I blinked as I looked around me to regain my bearings, and what I saw made my breath catch in my throat.
It was crowded with people.
There was Elissa holding our daughter as she stood beside Mahini, Eva standing with a hand on her stomach, and the mayors of my other holdings were right behind them. I spotted Riondale, Corvis, Jax and Torya, everyone. All my people rushed forward as one, and I was hoisted onto their shoulders like a star quarterback after winning the game.
“Surprise!” everyone cheered.
It was a fucking surprise party.
The God of Time had been fooled by his own people.