“Which horse will I be riding?” I blurted anxiously, looking over the camp’s makeshift stables. I hoped for one that didn’t remind me of Cinder, who I had left behind with Captain Armand. My attempts to make amends with her proved futile as it seemed she directly associated me with her injury. I always did have an unfortunate knack for making others bear the consequences of my reckless decisions. Here’s hoping you retire to a lovely farm where you only have to pretend to work…
“Captain Lightbringer…” Captain Corwin began, his tone carrying a note of apology. “It was my sincere intention to allow you to pick the war mount of your choice, however—”
Tetora cut in with a growl, fixing his eyes on me. “We forgave you, but we’re not stupid. No horse for you right now!”
Denied a horse?!
I glanced at the others with the most melancholy face I could conjure, but they weren’t buying it. “Well, how am I supposed to keep up then?” I grumbled in defeat. What’s he going to do, make me run all the way to Chairo on foot? That would be impossible! But I don’t think he knows the meaning of that word.
“We’ve outfitted one of our supply wagons so you may travel comfortably,” Captain Corwin explained lamely, pointing to… another war wagon. It was larger than the last, with higher sides that appeared more defensible.
“Is it… a convertible?” I asked incredulously, looking at how the roof was fastened. At least we could take the top down…
“If we need to protect the horses, the panels can be used to defend their outer flanks.” He pointed to the team of eight horses that pulled it. “In emergencies, of course.”
“Oh…” Even if it could transform, it still sounded like a mobile detention center just for me.
“Don’t worry. Relias and I will ride with you!” Nora advised. “This isn’t meant to be a punishment.”
Just saying that in the first place makes it sound like one!
“We’ll also keep you company,” Aleph promised. “This is about protection as a priority, given that so many now know of your return.”
Vernie, however, holding the reigns of a roan, refused to even look at the wagon, let alone Relias.
“Alright…” I sighed loudly, understanding the rationale but still feeling the sting. “Let’s get going then—oh. If that’s okay with you, Captain Corwin.”
Captain Corwin was gracious enough to nod before giving orders to make ready and move out.
After boarding, our wagon rolled into line with the others as several mounted knights surrounded the sides. Anyone with half a brain would see they favored our particular supply wagon over the others. “Shouldn’t they spread out a little? Make it a little less obvious something of interest is in here?” I complained after pulling away from the window cutout.
“In time, they will,” Aleph replied. “Some of them just want the opportunity to say they traveled with you. Someday, it will be the highlight of conversation for them.”
“I see…”
A few hours into our journey, Tetora and Aleph had their fill of riding in the wagon and abandoned us. The afternoon air was a terrible tease, carrying the smells of a warm, golden summer. I sighed yet again, gazing out the window at the passing green landscape.
“I believe now is a good time to commence our first educational lesson,” Relias announced to Nora and me as he sat up straight on his floor cushion. “Though it will require your undivided attention.”
I tore myself away from the window, seizing the opportunity. “Yes! Alright! So… Raelynn Lightbringer,” I replied excitedly, leaning forward. “What was she like, you know, really? Wait. No, I need to know both. How was she with the church authority? Oh, but not you. Well…” I paused then, knowing I was making little sense. “What I mean is, how would she talk to the council?”
Relias tilted his head, trying to decipher my words. “She would talk to the council with the words in her heart,” he answered cryptically.
“That’s not the kind of answer I’m looking for,” I objected. “They’re causing trouble, and someone needs to rein them in, right?”
“I believe that to be most astute.” Relias nodded.
“So… she’d confront them… yes? But in a professional way. You know, keep her emotions under control…”
“That sounds most reasonable,” he agreed calmly.
“But probably no name-calling right away.” Save that for when they declare their false innocence.
Relias offered a slight smile. “She was rarely vulgar, yes.”
Rarely? How rare is rare?
“But I want to get their attention, so… give me an example of how she might address—”
“I do not think this is a worthy path of study,” Relias interjected. “You are you. Act like you. That’s all that is necessary.”
Wait. He's not reneging on his offer to coach, right?
“Earlier, you said I wasn’t fooling anyone!” I flared defensively. “How am I—”
“It’s not Raelynn you don’t know, it’s demons.” He shrugged, seemingly unaffected by my irritation. “This is where we need to devote focus to.”
Nora immediately pulled out her journal and turned to an empty page, pen poised to the ready. At least I wouldn’t have to take notes!
“Okay, so let’s talk about… uh… Oliver.” Finally, I’d get some accurate, helpful information. Maybe how to avoid him, even.
“I believe…” Relias covered his face, though not before I saw the rage he tried to mask. “To fully comprehend the nature of all demons, we must first examine the intrinsic nature of Epiales before diving into the loathsome legacies he left behind.”
Nora’s eyes sparkled in excitement even as I suppressed a multitude of objections. Epiales is dead. I’m not worried about him at the moment. Let’s talk about the very real, very alive one that I keep finding myself dreaming about!
“Fine…” I practically hissed.
Relias took a deep breath, twisting and turning in his makeshift seat. “Epiales. Epiales… he…” He paused again, clenching his fists. “I…”
Nora and I exchanged a long, questioning glance, all while trying to pretend not to notice his internal struggle. Wasn't it his suggestion to start with him in the first place?
“He killed Raela,” Nora offered as a starting flashpoint.
What happened to tact?!
“He committed atrocities far beyond mere murder!” Relias jumped from his seat, his face crimson with rage. “He sundered her soul! He obliterated all that was sacred—Paradise, our communion with the Goddess! He stripped us of our sanctity, corrupted our essence!” His shrill shouts caused the knights to peer into the wagon with faces full of concern. Nothing to see here!
“Relias..!” I started to stand, but he waved me off.
“I confess,” he hissed through clenched teeth, turning away from the both of us. “I am not the most adept at elucidating such personal matters... Yet, there are essential truths that you must be acquainted with. I beg your pardon, but it may be more beneficial for you to peruse the written accounts rather than for me to attempt to articulate them.” With that, he frantically dug into his pack, pulling out an ornate gold and silver bible that depicted Euphridia’s star on the front cover.
I tried my best to give Nora a chastising look, but she skillfully avoided eye contact.
“A copy for each…” he mumbled, still trembling, as he turned to a page near the front. Two small parchments appeared abruptly before Nora and I, summoned by a golden light.
“If you would graciously pardon me…” he apologized, gathering his belongings in a rush. “I am confident that I can address any inquiries you may have at a later juncture once I have regained my composure.”
I glanced at my now mandatory homework. “Why don’t you find Aleph?” I offered, figuring he would be the best source of comfort. “We can catch up later, for sure.”
“Yes, I should check on the others…” he mumbled absently as he carefully jumped from the moving wagon.
“Did you really have to start there?” I admonished once I was sure he was far enough away.
Nora nodded. “It cut through a lot of nonsense.”
“So you did it on purpose!”
“Of course,” Nora said with a shrug. “He might be mad at me for a while, but at least we got his perception of past events and not some crafted sermon.”
We should be trying to get along!” I retorted. “We need him!”
Nora locked eyes with me for a few moments. “If that's all it takes for him to write me off, then it's best for us to know that now.”
"You're... testing him?" I felt a scowl cross my face. “I thought I made it clear earlier that we needed to work together as a team!”
“He wasn't in the party then.” Nora folded her arms. “And I haven't yet consented to him joining the party. Right now, he's a guest. However…” She tilted her head as a thoughtful look crossed her face. “I'll admit, he's passing so far.”
While I wanted to yell more about the whole idea of practically hazing him, my curiosity got the better of me. “What criteria do you base that on?”
“Well, he told you to be you. I was afraid he was going to start directing you on how to act. Also, just now, I think that was the real Relias. He showed his ugly side, and it was refreshing, to be honest. I was worried he was just flowery speeches and good looks. But he's messy, just like everyone else!”
“Don't... don't do that again,” I concluded lamely, vacillating between relief he passed and the fact she did it in the first place. “It's not nice!”
“Alright. I won't,” she agreed too quickly, grabbing the parchment before her. “Let's finish this before he comes back.”
“I'm holding you to that,” I grumpily reminded her as I prepared for some heavy reading.
Comments (0)
See all