Chapter 12
IBROS
While following Sonah and Lerek hadn’t been difficult, Daris was frustrated by how often he’d seemed on the verge of catching up to them only to have just missed them.
A fortnight after they’d left Arestia Castle, Daris found their camp in the woods south of Thuria. Sticking to the uncommon trails and woods, Daris and his men managed to evade Heylisian soldiers, though not before spying a large encampment a day’s ride from the border to Lakonia. Athanasi’s host had proved a convenient distraction from their watchful eyes.
“Looks like we missed them by mere hours. Again,” Jason fumed, kicking at the remnants of their campfire.
“They weren’t alone this time,” Daris said, scowling at the clearing.
“Commander,” Alexi called out as Michael crouched down, pushing aside some debris on the ground.
Daris stalked over, crouching beside Michael to see what he’d discovered.
Drops of blood.
Daris rose and surveyed the area. There were signs of a struggle. A few feet away, more blood. He moved forward and saw multiple hoof prints further away and swore.
“They weren’t alone,” Michael confirmed, and Daris spared him a look.
“No,” Daris murmured, his eye scanning the clearing. “At least ten men here. He looked up at Jason. “Take Alexi and Perikles and search the woods thoroughly.”
Jason strode over. “We have to go after them. Now!”
Daris pursed his lips. “Aye. But we do not need to rush into a battle without knowing who it is we’ll fight. It could be brigands as easily as Heylisians.”
A hawk’s keening caught his attention, and Daris lifted his head to the sky, watching as the bird soared in circles before dropping to settle on Theodoros’s arm.
He frowned down at the bird’s ankle and the attached missive. Carefully pulling the paper from the hawk, he unfurled it and read.
“What is it?” Jason asked as he went to stand before Daris.
“Duke Ovenno left Sparta. He found out Sonah wasn’t ill after all.”
“Bound to happen eventually,” Theodoros muttered as he stroked a finger along the hawk’s back. “Took him long enough to figure it out.”
“Commander Antonius!” Michael jogged over, one hand on the hilt of his sword. He clutched something in his left hand, holding it out to Daris with a scowl.
Daris reached for it in silence, staring at the dirty cloth a few seconds before cursing soundly.
Motioning to Theodoros, Daris turned the king’s message over in his hand and quickly scrawled a reply, rolling up the parchment and securing the leather tie to the hawk perched on the Liodari’s arm. When he finished, Theodoros launched the hawk, carrying his message to King Altos.
“These are Heylisia’s colors,” Daris said, holding up the blood stained fabric Michael had found. He shoved it behind his breastplate and turned to eye his men. “Whether Sonah and the prince went willingly with Heylisian soldiers is unclear, but we know this camp was attacked.”
“We should be able to catch them if we ride hard,” Jason said, his voice clipped.
Daris noted the Liodari’s stiff posture and hardened features and gave a quick nod. “Aye, but there are two sets of tracks,” he said.
Walking away, he gestured to the frost covered grass and leaves, disturbed by whatever had happened there. “The one on foot is alone and looks to lead west. I don’t believe whoever it is is going to Sparta, so we have to assume it’ll be Messene, but we won’t know until we get closer. As for the other set,” he motioned, stepping carefully so as not to disturb the trail, “multiple hoof prints heading north.”
“If they were camped here with Heylisian soldiers, who attacked them?”
Daris looked to Michael, whose uncanny investigative abilities had helped them track Sonah and Lerek’s progress thus far.
The man gripped the collar of his breastplate as he walked to the edge of the clearing. He slowed, stopping near a tree, and stared at the ground. Dropping to his haunches, he felt around the ground, then turned, his gaze catching Daris as he lifted something in his hands. Daris stalked to his side, grabbing the item he held up.
Frayed rope.
