Page 98 of Dark Elves of Ardani

“I wish I had your confidence,” Zara said.

“We’ll get them back,” Crow said. “Don’t worry.”

Naika tapped Zara’s arm rapidly. She pointed down the road to the south. A small group of humans was heading their way. For a moment, Zara feared the Paladins had found them, but none of the people in the group wore armor. They were civilians. And Zara recognized the ra’Hezirati man at the front of the group.

Basira shook Farhana awake, and the girl beamed with excitement. Both of them ran to Tahir and threw their arms around him. And behind Tahir, the other humans stared in shock at the Varai, and the Varai stared back.

The villagers carried packs and bags, like they’d prepared for a long trip. Most were carrying weapons, or in many cases, improvised weapons like farming tools, as if they’d been preparing to fight. Zara saw some of the Varai preparing to draw their own weapons. Their natural inclination would be to hide or attack, but Basira’s reaction had made them hesitate.

“Wait here,”Zara said to the Varai.“For the Goddess’s sake, don’t draw your weapons.”

Tahir was covered in bruises, but he was alive and seemed free of serious injuries. Farhana clung to his leg while Basira kissed him. Zara smiled at him as she approached, but he didn’t smile back. He and all the others were watching the Varai.

“What do they want?” he asked Zara.

Zara looked back at the Varai, trying to see what the villagers saw. Fog swirled around the Varai, partially obscuring them even in the daylight. They looked like wraiths in the eerie weather.

“They’re here to rob us and kill us, of course,” said a nervous-looking woman, looking at Zara. “Isn’t that what they do?”

“No,” Zara said quickly. “We are not here to hurt anyone. We just survived an attack from the Paladins. We just want to find a place to rest.”

Zara watched them process her use of the word ‘we.’ She watched them think about how calm Basira and Naika appeared, and about the fact that the Varai hadn’t attacked them yet. She watched them looking at Crow and her daughter, who Crow had half hidden behind her.

Tahir looked down at Zara, reassured that the Varai were not an immediate threat. “We thought the Paladins might have accidentally killed you in the night and tried to get rid of the evidence,” he said. “That, or the elves killed you.”

“I am quite alive,” Zara said. “I am glad you are all right too.”

“Not for lack of trying on the Paladins’ part,” Basira said, frowning.

“What are you doing here?” Zara asked him. “I thought you were trapped in the village.”

Tahir shook his head. “Some of the other villagers freed me after the Paladins left to hunt the night elves. Some of us took the opportunity to escape while they were gone.”

“And the rest of the villagers?”

“Some of them were afraid to leave. Others still believe the Paladins are in the right, and they wanted to stay.”

“Of course they do,” Basira muttered, shaking her head.

“And you were going to fight your way out if you encountered more Paladins?” Zara asked, eyeing their weaponry. She was impressed by their bravery.

“We were,” Tahir said. “Things have gotten bad.”

Basira turned to the rest of the group. “Listen. The night elves rescued Farhana and I from the Paladins. They offered to take us in when we had nowhere else to go.”

The villagers looked skeptical. Most of them looked like they expected the elves to attack the moment they glanced away.

Crow stepped forward. “We’re on our way to take care of your Paladin infestation,” she said. “It sounds like we have the same goal. If you want your village back, we can help you with that.”

Tahir angled a glance at Basira. “Who’s the human?” he said under his breath.

“The wife of one of the night elves. She’s quite nice. You’ll like her,” Basira replied. She and Crow had been talking on and off since Basira had arrived at the camp. They seemed to have become fast friends.

“They have human wives?” one of the Ardanians said, shocked.

“One of them does.” Basira helped herself to the contents of Tahir’s backpack. She took a waterskin and some food to Inaya.

The villagers begrudgingly allowed Zara to bring a share of their water to the rest of the Varai, though Zara wasn’t sure whether it was out of kindness or fear. They all moved off the road and into cover, where Zara convinced the Varai it would be safe to rest. The humans stayed a careful distance away. Despite their mutual mistrust, everyone was comforted by the fact that they could protect each other from the Paladins, should they come across any.

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