“This is now the main Temple of the Lost God,” he said. “The City’s temple is gone. It was blown up—thankfully while no one was there, and we were able to get everyone out of the dorms and scatter them around the countryside. The South End is destroyed. They marched in from there.”
“That makes sense,” Aiko said. “Nillaston and Vasily are in charge of the south lands, and they are loyalists down to their hair.”
Roran whirled on him. “What makes you think I can trust a single word that you utter, vampire? Your king killed two of our masters without a thought. He’s razed our cities, destroyed our temple, and ruined our way of life! Giving me names—”
“Roran,stop,” I snapped. “Stop it right now. Aiko has done everything he can to protect me. He would not give us false information.”
“How do you know? How do you—”
“He’s lost people to Savion as well. This is not a contest. Aiko came with me because we need him. He knows how to use guns well. He, General Odom, and General Kane helped me get away from the king. They arranged the boat and the provisions and hundreds of guns. He knows how Savion operates. We need what’s in his head.”
Roran stared at me. “What’s going on?”
“No,” I shook my head. “Tell me what’s happened here. We need to have West S’Kir safe before anything else.”
His eyes were darting everywhere. To me, to Aiko, to the walls and decorations. He finally nodded.
“After you offered to stay, the guards dragged us out and marched us through the Arch of Life. That was fun. We were almost literally pulled behind horses through the hinterlands of East S’Kir for a good few hours.” Roran’s shoulders slumped as he continued. “Once they were sure that the stronghold couldn’t keep sight of us, the entire demeanor of the guard changed. They became apologetic. Contrite, helpful. They offered our swords back, gave us a wagon full of guns and ammunition. At the Chasm, they begged us to hurry and help them. They couldn’t deal with Savion much longer.”
Roran took a few steps away from me. “I apologize, Lord Aiko. I did not mean to accuse you of being anything but a good man. If Kimber says you are, then I believe her. The help your fellow soldiers gave us to escape back to our own people supports the report that Savion isn’t only attacking us, but his own people as well.”
Aiko nodded. “For three thousand years, Master Roran. We are tired.”
He watched Aiko as he continued his story. “They let us pass through the Chasm to the city, and we brought with us all they had for us.
“Rilen was another two days back from North Landing, and Dorian and I were learning how to use the guns. Staviz is… a blessing. He’s far more intelligent about fighting and war than we’d hoped, and everyone’s taken to calling him general. I wish people had listened to him sooner. He predicted the attack from the south. He knew the vampires would come that way. No one wanted to listen to him, including me. And it cost us hundreds of druids in the South End. It cost us the Temple.”
My heart pounded against my breastbone. “What happened to Dorian?”
“After we were able to get everyone out of the dorms, we reestablished the capital up here, and Dorian and Rilen refused to move because they swore you were going to come through the Chasm.
“About four days ago, a vampire stumbled through and told us what had happened in the Stronghold. That Savion had ripped your throat out. She couldn’t tell us if you were dead or alive and something… something broke inside Dorian. He grabbed his sword and a pistol and marched away. I tried to stop him, but Rilen didn’t. Rilen watched him go without a word.”
Roran was having trouble swallowing through the thickness that crowded his throat.
“I understood. The rage I felt could have consumed me completely. We didn’t know if you were alive or dead. But neither of them had been there when you stepped forward and saved the rest of the company. You knew what you were doing, and I trusted”—he tapped his chest right above his heart—“that you knew what you were doing. That Savion wouldn’t kill you. He needed you.”
He choked a bit on the words.
“Rilen is angry with me. And with Dorian. I’m also angry with Dorian. But we couldn’t do anything about it, not with the gap in the magic there. So Rilen dismissed me, to here to set up a capital for West S’Kir. He’s still down in the city trying to save what he can.”
I wrapped my arms around Roran’s thick chest and pressed my cheek to his shoulder.
My twins, the inseparable males I loved, were fighting. Over me, over Dorian. Over their mates.
“Who else is here?”
Roran glanced at the door to the hallway. “Ophelia, Bebbenel, Neves, Tymon, Sona. Maurielle and Vitas are still in the city.”
I pursed my lips. “Vitas?”
“He was catatonic for most of our return. Once Carolee was on the pyre, he went… nuts, I guess. He has his faculties, but he doesn’t give a crap that he’s still alive. Maurielle and Rilen are trying to keep him safe while he does stupid things.”
I lifted my head to stare into Roran’s eyes. “We have to go back to the city.”
“Not right now, we don’t,” he said. “You need rest. You both need rest.”
I started to protest. “I slept for eighteen hours yesterday.”
