“Araes,” the lieutenant to his right, Niko, pointed to the turrets in the distance, “it’s change of watch for the sentries, look.”
Dim lanterns flickered along the stone parapet, their holders, dressed in slick black cloaks, nodded to one another before settling into their positions at each turret.
“Make note of the time, Nik,” Araes replied, wiping raindrops from his brow, “and let’s get the fuck out of here.”
The three men, now soaked to the core and caked in muck, slithered through the tall grassy field and back toward the path that led them home. A tall ale and blazing fire awaited Araes upon their arrival, and his joints, desperate to stretch from his crouched position, cracked with each step. The months away from training hadn’t done him well. Although still the best fighter of his unit, he wasn’t nearly as strong or hardened from late nights exposed to the elements. He missed the warmth he found wrapped between Tethys’s arms and the silken touch of her fingertips laced through his.
He shook his head.Lock that shit down. There was no room for wandering thoughts. Especially not now, as they traversed through the rebel sentries’ direct line of sight.
“Keep your head down, no-rank,” he hissed, his voice sharper than daggers. “We aren’t safe yet.”
“Sorry, sir.” Larken swallowed hard, his slender neck bobbing against the command. It wasn’t until they met the tree line did Araes release the tension from his shoulders. The heavy brush offered some safety from the rebels, but he knew better than to trust their shadows. The creatures hiding behind rough bark and sprouted seedlings wereancient and lethal. Every rustle of leaves as the breeze swirled through the canopy felt like a growl. Every crack of a branch, yielding to the weight of a rain soaked bud—a bone snapping.
“Let’s make haste. These woods give me the creeps,” Niko whispered, swinging his lean thigh over a fallen log. Araes nodded and held a thorny branch taut to clear the path for the no-rank behind him.
“So what was it like? Living with our goddess herself,” Niko asked, his voice just above the whisper of the midnight rain.
“It was an adjustment at first,” Araes replied, crossing a small stream. “Believe it or not, I couldn’t sleep for the first few weeks because I was so used to those damned barracks racks.”
Niko scoffed, tossing Araes a pointed look through the darkness. “Don’t lie, Araes, you just missed my lullabies.” Araes grinned at his friend, teeth flashing in the moonlight.
“I had no one to tuck me in with a goodnight kiss,” he mused. The no-rank grunted as he tripped over a root protruding from the waterlogged dirt.
“Eos above, watch your step,” Niko called, not wasting a glance over his shoulder. “But seriously, Araes, it’s good to have you back, brother.”
Araes patted Niko on the back, feeling a heaviness weigh on his chest. There was a time when he’d die for the man spearheading their descent down the wooded path. He still would, but not without pause. Not without weighing the full depth of just what it meant to leave this world behind. Even thoughts of seeing Enyo again didn’t make death any less terrifying. There was too much to lose now.
A stick cracked on the trail a few paces ahead and the three men froze, ears pricked and hands hovering over their sheathed weapons.
“What was that?” the no-rank whispered, his eyes darting between the trees.
“I don’t know, but be on your guard and keep your mouth shut,” Araes replied, guiding the young soldier by the forearm down the trail. The breeze, once licking raindrops from the back of Araes’s neck, halted, as if the entire forest went silent. Leaves no longer bristled against heavy rain drops and nocturnal mice retreated to their dens.
Araes glanced at Niko, his ice blue eyes now iridescent with panic in the starlight. Cold air slithered along the ground, raising a thick, hazy fog in its trail. Whoever or whatever lurked in the distance, awaiting their ignorant steps, wasn’t good.
Araes risked a breath and silently unsheathed his sword. He grimaced. The scratch of steel against leather was a deafening echo over the forest floor. Niko and Larken followed suit.
Muffled voices sent the three soldiers crouching in the dirt. Hidden under darkness and mist, they watched two figures emerge from the shadows, engaged in whispered conversation. One pulled a cart of some kind, its left wheel squeaking and shrill.
Araes lunged behind a massive, rotten log, steadying himself against lichen-covered wood. The earthy scent of decay and dirt filled his lungs as he sucked in a silent breath. Niko dove beside him, pulling Larken down with him.
“As promised,” one of the figures, both men in midnight cloaks Araes realized, said. “I expect you uphold your end of the bargain, Theos.”
Araes blood went cold. Theos? He should slaughter that traitorous bastard here and now for all the death and destruction he’d caused.
“It will be done, my lord,” Theos replied. A strong hand wrapped itself around Araes’s bicep. Niko shot him a knowing look. Whatever the three soldiers had stumbled upon tonight was far more important than vengeance.Araes curled his fingers into fists, fighting against his restraint.
“Good, now get these to the keep. They’ll serve you well against the Venians,” the other voice replied. There was a hint of familiarity in its tone, but Araes couldn’t place it. Whether they were too far in the distance or the rain skewed the voices just enough, he wasn’t sure.
“The 12th and 10th are posted along the border, but we haven’t yet located the 15th. I assume my boys will be out for blood. It won’t take long for them to find us and launch an attack,” Theos replied. The squeak of their cart suggested the men had turned off the trail.
“Well, when they do, you know what must be done,” the other male said, his voice fading into the night.
“We won’t fail you, my lord,” Theos replied, his words dissipating into the mist too. “Venia will be yours for the taking.”
Chapter 64
“We cannot wait any longer, Altair. It’s been weeks and Polaris still delays. She’s dragging us over hot coals,” Tethys cried, pacing the main study. Dimly lit sconces flicked throughout the room, reflecting her unsettled fury with each lick of flame.
