Page 71 of Oath of Revenge

He pursed his lips and nodded, tamping down his impatience. “Of course.”

The memory came unbidden, and it took his breath away.

The pain in his chest as death had come closer. The feverish body, the pulsing in the wound in his side that had spelled his doom. The blistering sun beating down on him by the side of the road, the roar of the sea and the coughing of the others the only sounds.

He closed his eyes and awaited death. Then a shadow fell over him and the sea breeze sent a chill down his spine. Elva stood over him, her magical staff glowing with energy.

She leaned over him, a frown on her severe face as she said, “You’re dying.”

He chuckled, ending in a cough. He didn’t bother wiping the blood from his chin. “No shit, woman.”

She’d arched a brow and leaned on her staff. “Don’t sass me, young man. Unless you want to die?”

His vision swam and he closed his eyes. “What other choice do I have but to pray to the gods and wait?”

It was her turn to chuckle. “Well, the gods sent me. I offer a second chance at life, if you’re man enough to take it.”

He blinked, bringing the woman back into focus. “You must be crazy.”

She shrugged. “Wisdom comes in many forms, soldier. It’s up to you to decide to take the chance or not. I will go check on your comrades while you think on the decision. You still have an hour before death claims you.”

He’d thought, fighting through the pain to lift his head and watch her move from litter to litter. They’d all been injured in battle, but the medicine tents were constantly overrun. They had been sent back home to recover.

Or die along the road. Those who had already died had been pushed off the cliffs into the sea below. But the four of them had been left here next to the old ruins while the rest of the convoy had pushed on to Busparia.

Home. Images of his wife and daughter flashed through his mind along with the aching pain in his chest. Was he ready to join his wife?

His eyes fluttered, then the old woman was back.

“Well? What will it be, soldier? Do you want to live or die?”

The tip of her staff glowed green with pulsing magic, and he licked his lips. Sweat beaded his brow. He couldn’t leave yet. There was… something… left to do. What was it?

“What’s the catch?” His voice was rough with pain.

She’d stared at him, her lips pursed. He’d not seen most of her features with the sun behind her. But he’d felt the strength of her presence.

She wasn’t just some crazy old beggar lady. Perhaps she was a goddess in disguise, here to tempt him?

“You’ll gain incredible strength and ancient magic that will knit your body back together. Self-healing will be yours for as long as you live. And you will live for hundreds of years, as only magical weapons will kill you. Man cannot hurt you ever again.”

He closed his eyes. “The catch, woman. I asked what is the catch?”

She chuckled again. “You’re wise to ask. Not many do. But to answer the question, you’ll lose all memories of this life.”

He took a shaky breath, his entire body shivering in pain from his injuries. But it was the pain in his heart that made him nod. No more nightmares of the battlefield or his dead wife’s unblinking eyes.

He blinked and the green smoke settled back into a normal fire. Elva’s golden brown eyes watched him carefully from the other side of the fire.

He licked his lips, the memory of the thirst and pain a dull ache inside him. “I remember,” he said softly.

She tilted her head, but her expression was the same calculating one he’d come to love.

“What do you remember, alpha?”

He took a deep breath and peered into the fire. “I remember being human. The memories from my life before are slowly coming back. From the way Brody talked when he ambushed me, his memories might be back too.”

She arched a gray brow, her tiny braids falling over her shoulder. “I suspected as much. One of the other turned has admitted as such. The magic that binds us all is failing, alpha.”

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