Henri
It was chaos in the sewers with the sounds of gunshots ricocheting through the watery chambers in a deafening percussion. Imperium soldiers hit the ground to avoid being shot while others took advantage of the chaos and attempted to flee. I protected your felled body from being trampled while trying to inspect your wound. The body armor had lessened the spear’s impact, but the point of it was lodged firmly in your gut, deep enough to have punctured vital organs. I didn’t relish the task, but the weapon needed to be removed from your abdominal cavity as quickly as possible in order for your tissues to heal properly.
“Sedate him,” I barked at the medic, for I surely didn’t want you to regain consciousness during this bit of nastiness. Thankfully, my time on the battlefield had prepared me well. Once I was sure there was no risk of rousing you, I cut away at the armor, placed one hand flat against your rib cage and, gripping the metal with my other hand, gave the spear a vicious tug. It came out cleanly, fresh blood gushing from the wound.
“Warborn reinforcements are on their way to secure the compound, but we need to move,” Hyas said while I worked with the medic to staunch the bleeding, then disinfect and wrap your midsection. The seaborn had secured cots to transport both the cyclops and Xavier back to where our ship was waiting in the harbor. The cyclops had enough bullets in him to put him out for a couple of days at least, but I certainly didn’t want you anywhere near him when he woke. There was a third cot for you, but I’d rather carry you myself in case there was an ambush.
“Go on ahead of us,” I said to Hyas. “We’ll be along shortly.” Hyas gave the order, and the train of prisoners began moving. Still, he lingered. “Why are you still here?” I asked with impatience.
“I’m not leaving the Parousia unguarded.”
“He’s not unguarded. I’m with him.”
“He wasn’t supposed to enter the compound at all.”
I shot him a look that I hope expressed the full extent of my displeasure. “Then perhaps you shouldn’t have given him a canister of sleeping gas.”
Hyas nodded contritely. “My mistake.”
Your eyelids fluttered and you gave a drowsy smile before going under again. Hopefully the sedative would last until we were out of the sewers. Your chest was bare, bandages wrapped tightly around your torso. Both of our masks had been discarded, as I wanted to monitor your vitals closely. That I’d left you vulnerable to the cyclops’s attack infuriated me, but I also hadn’t expected you to throw yourself in front of his weapon. At least Xavier was safe, thanks to your quick thinking. Still, I should have anticipated an assault. Well, I’d have ample time to berate myself later. For now, my most immediate concern was getting you back to our lands before the Imperium had the opportunity to retaliate.
I scooped you into my arms, cradling you against me as I had when you were a child. Hyas fell in step beside me and remained there, weapons drawn, while we made our way through the maze of sewers.
“Is this his first skirmish?” Hyas said.
“Yes.” First and only, if I got my way.
“He seems to have quite an affinity for humans. He sacrificed himself for his father and would have let Caedmar kill him before he did the same.”
I assumed Caedmar was the warborn challenger I’d slain.
“He was raised as a human. And death isn’t something you should get used to.”
“But we must,” Hyas said as though invoking our warrior code. I didn’t have much of an argument. I’d certainly gotten used to it myself. Hyas was quiet for a blessed few moments before starting up again. “I heard a rumor about the two of you.”
“Wonderful,” I said dryly.
“That you knew him in his past life. When he was human.”
“That’s true.” I didn’t see any use in denying it.
“And you sacrificed him to Azrael to keep him from your mother.”
“She was going to claim him as a fate demon.” You would have been just another captive soul in her macabre collection, degenerating with every resurrection until you were weak as a dybbuk and just as lost.
“Isn’t it strange how allegiances shift?” Hyas mused.
Ever since your rebirth, I’d served you, and I would do so until we parted realms. “My allegiance will always be to Vincent.” I hoped that was the end to my conversation with the warborn but no. A few minutes later, he started up again.
“So, you’ve known him in this life since he was a child?”
“Yes.”
“And you’ve claimed him as your own?”
“I have made my desires known, though Vincent is free to choose otherwise.”
“Don’t you think it unfair to him? I mean, he doesn’t know anything else, does he?”
