chapter Fifteen
Taken
Eramus kicked at the ground, sending a cloud of dust into the air. His eyes were heavy, but he suspected he wouldn't sleep even if he went home. The night had been long. Hours crept by, and every snapping twig or rustle of leaves sent his heart racing. The mercenaries could attack at any moment, or they may not attack at all. The uncertainty unsettled him, and he wished they would make a move so he could deal with the situation.
The sun had barely peeked over the mountains, slowly chasing away the shadows of night. From where he sat on a fallen tree, he could not see the village or any of the other volunteers who agreed to stand as watchmen. Kieran's plan was simple. He'd positioned half a dozen men around the outskirts of their village. The moment one of them spotted the mercenaries, they were to alert everyone. That's when Eramus would step in. With his abilities, he could take them out before the thugs did any damage. He hoped to chase them off, to scare them into retreating without having to use excessive force. After all, his brief use of magic in the village had scared many of his people, and that was without trying to do so.
With any luck, these men would take one look at his power and run back from whence they came. The last thing he wanted was for his people to sustain injury, nor did he have any desire to hurt the invaders, even if they were here to cause chaos and destruction.
His mind wandered to Evree and his mother. How were they holding up? He imagined Inara pacing the floor, and Evree attempting to calm her. That she had taken it upon herself to offer his mother comfort warmed his soul and only deepened his ever-growing affection for her. He still hadn't determined whether to leave, and the decision grew harder with each passing day…with each moment he spent in her company.
Eramus's heart ached at the idea of never seeing her again. For all his strength and magical power, he wasn't certain he was strong enough to leave Evree behind.
A small, brown squirrel jumped onto the log next to him and wiggled its nose, sniffing the air. The creature held a tiny acorn in its hands and eyed Eramus with curiosity.
"What do you think? Should I stay here, or should I leave?"
The squirrel gave no response beyond a furious flick of its tail. "I know the selfless thing to do is leave," he continued. "But I fear my heart would remain here. Putting my people in danger is selfish, but how does one abandon love? Abandon the potential for happiness? I know Evree cares for me."
He paused, watching the animal scratch at the weathered bark. "Perhaps I should ask her to come with me?"
He'd considered the idea so many times. Evree agreeing to accompany him to Verascene would make his decision easy, but it would also require him to ask for her hand. Eramus knew Evree would accept an offer from him, but how Kieran would respond was another thing entirely. Granting his blessing would mean Evree may never see her father again, a difficult thing for any parent to accept.
A series of loud chirps and squeaks filled the area as the squirrel scratched and shifted manically along the log. After several moments, it darted across the little clearing and clambered up a tall pine, still squeaking loudly.
Did he just get chided by a squirrel? The creature certainly had much to say about the situation, and it was a shame Eramus didn't speak the language. An unbiased opinion could have proved useful. Inara was no help, as she wanted nothing more than to keep him safe, even if it meant never seeing him again, and Evree desperately wanted him to stay. Her kisses alone were nearly enough to make him consider abandoning the idea of leaving altogether.
His mouth lifted without permission. Kissing Evree seemed a pleasant way to spend the evening when all of this was over.
The sound of a snapping branch jerked him out of his thoughts. Eramus stood, watching the forest for any sign of movement as his heart pounded out of control. The rustle of leaves grew closer. In seconds, a familiar figure emerged from two large bushes.
"Eramus," said Cavell between heavy gasps. He bent over, placing his hands on his knees, his chest heaving with his sharp breaths. "You must come back immediately. The mercenaries…they broke through. They attacked the village."
His blood ran cold. Eramus didn't bother to wait for an explanation, bolting towards the village without hesitation. His heart hammered. What would he find when he reached his home? How much damage could the mercenaries have caused before Cavell reached him? Were Evree and his mother safe? He ran faster, branches scratching his skin as he trudged through the thick briers and shrubs. They were all right; they had to be.
Eramus's heart sank into his stomach the moment he left the confines of the forest. Smoke billowed from several cottages, and he could hear cries of anguish echoing in the distance. He ran down the dirt path until he came to a large crowd. Tears streamed across fear-stricken faces. Children clung to their sobbing mothers, and several people lay on the ground with blood-stained clothes.
Ordin leaned against an overturned cart, holding a cloth against his head. Eramus rushed to his side and crouched beside him. "Ordin, are you all right? What happened?"
The man shook his head, refusing to look at him. "They jumped me. Didn't even hear them coming. It was so dark, and there were too many of them to take on by myself." He turned towards Eramus, his eyes glazed. "It's my fault. I didn't get the chance to warn anyone. They knocked me unconscious."
Eramus glanced at the cloth Ordin pressed to the right side of his skull. Blood soaked the piece, and more red liquid dripped past his ear. Ordin’s gaze grew distant. His head dipped to one side, and his hand fell to his side. Eramus grabbed Ordin’s face, his body trembling. “Ordin! No…Ordin, wake up. Please, wake up!”
A hand touched his shoulder. Aldeth crouched beside them and placed his palm on Ordin's injury. The incantation flowed from his mouth like a melody, and green light surrounded his hand. Ordin's wound became nothing more than a scar.
"He's going to be fine," said Aldeth calmly. "He'll just need some rest."
Eramus stared at him. He was grateful Aldeth stepped in to help Ordin, but the act would have consequences. His eyes darted to the crowd that encompassed them, surprised to find a lack of shocked expressions. Why were the people not in complete panic?
"Aldeth," Eramus said in a whisper. "You shouldn't use your magic in front of everyone. They—"
“Have already seen,” interrupted Aldeth, returning his hand to Eramus’s shoulder. “When we heard the commotion, Yelene and I didn’t wait for an invitation to offer assistance. The mercenaries caused some damage before we arrived, but we chased them off with little effort. Didn’t seem too keen to stick around after I gave one of them a face full of boils.”
Eramus grimaced. He couldn't blame anyone for that.
"They saved us," came Ordin's low, muttered voice. He opened his eyes and offered them a weak smile. "So, there are more oddballs like you. Good to know. Perhaps I can convince them to work the mill too."
Eramus chuckled. "I'm afraid they aren't here to stay, but that is a discussion for another time. You need to rest." He turned to Aldeth. "Where is Yelene?"
