Page 60 of The Lost Guard's Healer

“Some people think I’m hardheaded,” he begins, “and an oaf.”

“I can’t imagine why they think that,” I reply with a touch of humor.

“Well, it is true,” Bohan shrugs. “But I also know when to admit I was wrong. I was wrong about you, outsider. You’re a good man. And you have the experience we need with us. I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

“So do I.” I give him a respectful nod. He returns the nod. “I had the wrong impression of you, also,” I say. “I know you want to help your people and do what’s best for them.”

“I will fight beside you. We will do what’s right. Even if that means we are helping the Kingdom.”

“I don’t like the idea of helping them any more than you,” I say ruefully. But we both know why we’re doing this. If the Kingdom falls, the rest of the world will follow. This is more about stopping Thanek’s re-forged army than saving the Kingdom. And none of us can let innocents die doing nothing to help.

It’s been over two years since I was last at the Kingdom, and even then I hadn’t entered the city gates. We had stolen grain from a storehouse and left with no one knowing. That feels like a lifetime ago.

The one among us who can fly, the girl named Delis, takes to the blood-red sky and swoops around. She had chosen to walk with us rather than fly ahead, but I get a sense of restlessness from her and the need to be in the air. If I could fly, maybe I would prefer being up there to being down here, too.

I notice the strained grimace on Freddick nearby. He looks to be on the verge of tears, or the end of quiet sobs. He notices me watching him and doesn’t hide his emotions.

“We’re not all coming back, are we?” He asks, his voice quivering.

“Battle is brutal,” I say. “There will be blood. And death. On both sides. That cannot be helped. But I promise I will do everything I can to protect you all. We must protect each other.”

Freddick’s bottom lip trembles. He gives me a shaky nod. “I want to be strong. Father would have wanted me to fight. He always fought for those weaker, or less able to help themselves. I know I’m doing the right thing. I just…” He looks up at me with shimmering eyes. “I just don’t want to die.”

“Dying in battle is an honor,” Bohan says stiffly.

I place a hand on Freddick’s shoulder. “If we are all doomed to die, we will spend our last moments doing something good. That’s more than many people do in their entire lives.”

“That’s better than what I said,” Bohan shakes his head. “Ignore my last comment.”

Freddick nods and smiles at us. He looks to be in better spirits.

We continue through the hills and valleys and reach the southern farmsteads before the last of the light fades from the sky. Dozens of horses are grazing on the land.

We have no time to ask for permission or search out the family of farmers, so we will have to seek forgiveness later. If we manage to save the world and return.

I give brief instructions to all on how to mount and ride a horse, as few Shanti People have riding experience. It takes a frustrating amount of time to get everyone mounted. There aren’t enough horses for us all, so several of them carry two people.

Delis now flies freely as the rest of us ride the horses. I note how the act of flying doesn’t seem to fatigue her. We make slower progress than I’d like, as the villagers need time to acclimatize to the horses, and many of them lack the confidence to push harder. It isn’t ideal to ride without a saddle, but we only need to cover the distance to the Kingdom. And now is not the time for comfort.

We stop on one occasion when someone falls off their horse. I begin to wonder if I need to race ahead and leave the villagers behind, although I want to keep us all together.

I shout out instructions and advice for horse riding as we go. Then we somehow start making swift progress. The horses speed up and the villagers no longer seem so out of control. Soon, we are all racing onward at a surprisingly fast pace, the horses swift and strong.

I have no explanation for this, and the villagers look just as bewildered as I am, but we are making good time, so I don’t question it.

Then I see a strained, tortured look on Wini’s face. The young girl is low on her horse, her brows creased and mouth twisted into a pained grimace.

“Stop this,” her brother Wills calls to her. “Wini. That’s enough.”

“No,” she says through her teeth. “I can do this.”

I realize what she’s doing. She is connecting to the minds of the horses.

“They need to know how important our task is.” Wini’s eyes are squeezed shut. “They want to help us.”

The horses pick up their pace even more and race faster than any I’ve ever known. Faster than the greatest horses of the Oathlands. I wonder if Wini is also imbuing them with extra strength.

“How are you doing this?” Wills asks her uncertainly.

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