Page 90 of An Honored Vow

Gerarda waved her hand and her shadows disappeared to reveal the open training field. The real Feron smiled at me from his seat, but Dynara was nowhere to be found. “They have come far in a short amount of time.”

Gerarda crossed her arms. “Not far enough.”

“We are better off than when we first saw thewaateyshirin Silstra.” I surveyed the field again. “Where is Dynara?”

A thin gold line appeared in the air next to me. It stretched downward, carving a circle into nothing. I held my breath as the circle closed and a thin watery veil appeared with the golden leaves of Sil’abar glowing on the other side of it.

Dynara stepped through.

“A portal maker,” I said in disbelief.

Dynara smirked, waving her amber glowing fingers. “Not a very offensive gift.” She turned to Gerarda and Feron.

“But a very powerful one,” I said, stretching my arm through the portal. The sunlight warmed my palm even though the day in Myrelinth was overcast and cool. “This changes everything.”

Feron’s smile widened, and he nodded.

Dynara blinked. “You think it’s useful?”

“Yes.” I pulled my hand back. “How many can you make before reaching your limit?”

“A couple dozen or so.” Dynara tucked her hair behind her rounded ear. “Less if I have to close every one.” She raised a glowing fist and punched it through the portal she had just made. The veil froze and then shattered to the ground. “You can use me in battle?” she asked, doubtful.

I smirked. “We can use you to ferry us in and ferry Halflings out. Damien will never know when we’ll attack.”

Dynara’s frown grew into a mischievous smirk.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-FIVE

PIRMIITH FOUND USon the training grounds. His eyes were red with tears and Syrra ran for him. “Is it Uldrath? Noemdra? What is wrong, miikan?”

He took a sip from Syrra’s waterskin. We stood in silence as he wiped his mouth into a frown. “Damien has raided three of the villages. He took all the Halflings.”

I punched the training post beside me. Gerarda’s shadows spooled out of her, lashing along the ground. “It’s not what we’d planned, but we can liberate them when the war is won.”

Pirmiith looked like he was going to be sick.

Gerarda’s confidence dropped with her shoulders.

“No,” Elaran said, tears pooling in her eyes.

Pirmiith nodded his head. “He killed them all. Slew them in the streets. Even the children.”

Gerarda ran from the training ground without a word. Elaran moved to follow her, but I grabbed her arm. “It isn’t safe. Let her drain her magic first.”

I dropped to my knees, but no sobs came.

Riven shook his head. “But how will he pay for his ships and armies if he has no weapons to sell? He must still need Halfling blood.”

Syrra’s neck tensed. “He has an entire city to bleed.”

“Kairn saw Gwyn’s eyes. Damien did too.” I tossed my blade onto the grass. “He must have put together what I can do.”

Vrail’s lip curled in disgust. “He would rather have every Halfling slain than give you the chance to turn them? You would never force that upon a child.”

I shrugged, too exhausted by grief and loss for any more rage. “I don’t know if Damien is capable of believing that. He assumes everyone would make the same choices he would for power and immortality.” I swallowed. It was why I always ended up disappointing him in the games he’d made me play.

We were both willing to be as ruthless as we needed to be. But what we considerednecessaryhad never been the same.

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