Page 123 of Slaying the Shadow Prince
‘What about the reapers?’ Talemir demanded, his speech rough.
‘At least one reaper fled back to the Veil,’ Wilder allowed. ‘We did all we could, but —’
Drue lifted a hand to silence him, realising that some of the Naarvians had stopped what they were doing to listen. ‘We emerged victorious,’ she said, projecting her voice so all could hear. ‘We took terrible odds and turned them in our favour. We persevered, we fought bravely, and now that foul lair is nothing but dust and its inhabitants no longer curse our lands.’
A cheer sounded.
Talemir leant in, his words only audible to her and Wilder. ‘I fear this is not the end of all darkness,’ he said quietly.
Drue let his warning wash over her, but it didn’t dampen her spirit. For she knew that although what he said was true, what they had achieved here today was an unprecedented victory, and she would carry that with her forevermore.
Exhausted but alive, Drue and the others helped tend to the wounded and wrap the bodies of the fallen in shrouds. Her heart bled for their families, for those they had left behind. Baledor was one of the dead. Her father sat by his body, drinking from a small flask.
‘Father.’ Her eyes stung upon approaching, her chest seizing as she looked upon Baledor, a man she’d known her whole life. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she said to her father.
‘Don’t shed tears on behalf of Bal, Drue,’ he replied sadly. ‘He would be pleased, you know… To know that he helped leave the realm a little brighter.’
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
‘You should be proud, daughter.’ Fendran’s voice cracked as he stood and enveloped her in his arms. ‘You led our people to victory. You saw your mother and brothers avenged.’
Drue couldn’t remember the last time her father had held her, but she accepted his embrace without hesitation. ‘Thank you,’ she murmured.
A familiar cry had her gaze snapping up to where Terrence circled close above.
Breaking away from her father, Drue held out her arm, bracing for Terrence’s weight. Sure enough, soon his claws wrapped gently around her forearm and he tucked his wings in, offering her his leg.
There, a scroll was tied.
Drue recognised Adrienne’s messy handwriting at once and unravelled the parchment with trembling hands.
We’re all safe. Mission was successful.
Regroup halfway between camp and field.
Luck be with you. (Though he had a grand old time with me first.)
Drue breathed another sigh of relief and sent Adrienne’s orders down the chain of command. Everyone was tired, but no one wanted to stay amid the ruins any longer.
An hour later, with their wounded cared for and their dead wrapped in shrouds, they rode out to meet their general.
There wasa reason Adrienne had chosen the halfway meeting point. In her eagerness for battle, Drue hadn’t noticed the cottages on the way to the field, but now she spotted several dotted around a patch of woodlands. It wasn’t exactly a village, but a tiny hamlet, perhaps once occupied by a few families, now empty.
Drue swung down from her horse and was nearly bowled over by Adrienne a moment later.
‘You did it,’ her friend exclaimed, almost squeezing the life out of her. ‘You fuckingdid it.’
‘We all did,’ Drue replied, unable to help the grin splitting her face as she glanced across at Talemir, who dismounted in one swift motion. He smiled, the sight making her knees weak.
But she turned back to Adrienne. ‘And you? All is well?’
Adrienne clasped her shoulder, beaming as she pushed Drue towards a small group gathered around a fire. ‘Better than well.’
There were about a dozen people, maybe more, some of whom Drue recognised from the stronghold at Ciraun. Some of them sported wings like Talemir and Gus, while weak shadows rippled off others. They looked tired, but whole —
‘Nice of you to join us at last, Drue Emmerson,’ said a familiar voice.
‘Dratos,’ Drue sighed, stepping forward and shaking the ranger’s hand. ‘It’s good to see you.’
