Page 42 of Oaths & Vengeance
He nodded approvingly. “Very well. Spend the rest of the morning organizing for an extended stay at Tradain. I have already sent word to expect you there early this afternoon.”
That soon? I was barely going to have time to pack my things and prepare my garden for my absence, never mind my lack of sleep. It took all my control to rein in my panic. “Thank you, uncle.”
I finished my breakfast quickly and hurried back to my room. First, I needed to preserve the flowers I’d managed to save the night before so they didn’t wilt further before I saw my sister.
Next, I’d have to rush to the garden. The regular spring rains would be enough to keep everything sufficiently watered, so I just needed to feed my carnivorous plants from my insect traps to hold them for a while. I could return periodically for a few hours to tend them while at Tradain. I’d also ensure safe passage for Rynn so she could check on them in between. Most of my plants had shown affection for my younger cousin anyway and wouldn’t hurt her.
I’d barely left the dining room before Ulmar caught up to me. “You better train well, Aella.”
I didn’t like the sound of his menacing voice. “I am planning on it, but why do you care?”
“We need strong alliances.” He gave me a look that made my skin crawl. “It’s up to that pretty face of yours to help us build them, so do whatever it takes to win over that chief.”
It wasn’t easy, but I managed to resist punching him. “Why aren’t you marrying anyone then? You’re over twenty years older than me and a firstborn son, so it makes even more sense for you.”
“Oh, you’re not the only one, but unlike you, the king approved my betrothal. We are merely waiting until later this summer to announce it as a few matters are sorted out,” he said, giving me a smug grin.
I felt sorry for whoever he’d marry. “Good. I’ll look forward to meeting her.”
With that, I hurried away from him.
Chapter 18
Aella
Leaving the dining hall after dinner, I headed back to the barracks. I’d only practiced for a few hours since I didn’t arrive at Tradain until after one in the afternoon, but I already felt sore from all the sword and knife drills. It would get worse before it would get better.
I entered through the main entrance and turned to my right. The barracks were two floors, but I was lucky they assigned me a ground-level room. I opened the door, passing through the ward I’d already put in place to keep people out. The space was tiny and narrow. It only had a small bed, a chest sitting at the foot of it, and a nightstand. The empty floor space was a mere two by six feet, which didn’t encourage guests.
I liked having the room to keep my things, but I rarely slept in the barracks, preferring to spend the night in Cam’s roomier officer quarters instead. He knew better than to expect me this evening, though. I’d told him I had plans to see my sister and wouldn’t return until late, so I’d come to his place after training tomorrow.
Opening the chest, I grabbed the cloth-wrapped flower buds. A brief assessment confirmed that the preservation spell I had placed on them had held so far. I looked yearningly at my bed. It would be another long night without much sleep, but it couldn’t be helped. Not only did I need to see my sister, but I could also use one of the sebeskas in her village to send a message to Darrow without anyone knowing. I’d promised to update him on anything affecting our agreement, and he certainly needed to know about the latest developments with the Andalagar.
No one questioned me when I left Tradain and walked a half mile toward the portal ring. Two male guards dressed in the Therressian army’sbrown and forest green uniforms stood next to it, alert and watchful. They nodded when I approached but didn’t question me. Most soldiers could recognize me from my channeling them to and from battlefields.
I pulled my stash of holmium from my pocket. My uncle had given me extra in case he needed me to open portals while I was at Tradain, and I’d combined that with what Darrow provided. Drawing in the necessary elements, I pushed my power into sequencing the runes on the ring. Seconds later, blue light shimmered before me. Giving the guards a wave, I stepped into it.
Though the portal had to transport me from south-central Therress across the narrow Carsiyan Sea and onto the southwestern coast of Alavaar, the distance was still shorter than going to Siggaya, where Darrow and I made our deal. I estimated that about eight seconds passed.
When I stepped out, I found myself in barren woods devoid of wildlife. Despite the warm day, goosebumps ran up my arms, and waves of melancholy and emptiness swept over me, clawing at my mental energy. A few trees in the distance had a smattering of brown leaves that would fall soon, but most stood barren of any foliage. It was one of the areas worst hit by the blight in Alavaar. I hated walking through these pockets of death where even the scents of decay burned my nostrils.
All the races of Paxia took energy from the environment to perform magic, but the planet struggled to reabsorb the waste produced by spells. The fountain helped act as a filter and generator, but the longer it was gone, the worse things became. I’d heard other worlds didn’t need one, but ours couldn’t survive for too long without it for reasons lost to time.
We hadn’t realized how deleterious the effects would be during the first few centuries because they were subtle. Mostly, there were small pockets of land where the environment felt off or wrong. In the last two hundred years or so, the issue began to intensify as fertility rates dropped for fae and animals, and the land began to die. It worried me to think of how much worse it might get. In times past, couples would produce six or more children, but they now averaged half that number, with even fewer surviving to adulthood due to faebor fever.
The darkness pushing at my mind grew worse, urging me to run from this place.
I quickly began my trek west, following a barely discernible trail through the dried vegetation. It took about ten minutes before I escaped the barren land. Relief filled me as healthier trees and brush surrounded me, and birds tweeted beautiful songs. I eagerly breathed in the floral and pine scents.
The line I’d crossed was where the druids concentrated on renewing the land to prevent the spread of decay, but they could only do so much. Keeping populated areas safe was their top priority. After a few more minutes, I finally spotted the first thatched houses. It was a small village of about 570 people, and they spaced their homes widely apart to allow room for gardens and workshops.
In the distance, the trees opened to reveal the coastline with waves crashing at the shore. The fresh scent of salt filled the air, invigorating after my walk through the woods. I stopped to ask about my sister, and an older woman hanging laundry told me Priyya was up at the ridge. That didn’t surprise me.
I weaved between homes, heading south into vibrant woods filled with bright green leaves and blue pine. Small, furry animals scurried through the brush almost everywhere I looked. A brown spurmel poked its head around a nearby tree and chirped at me. They were small creatures with fluffy fur, long tails, and cute little faces. Most were shy, but some could be domesticated and even kept as pets if one didn’t mind a little chaos in their home. They had a great deal of energy due to the amount of time they typically spent in the wild hunting for the fruits and berries that made up their diet.
As for other nearby creatures, I didn’t worry about them posing a threat while I walked. Alavaar had little dangerous wildlife due to the dragons eating or scaring them away from most areas. Even hazardous plants had been cleared from the vicinity of population centers and well-traveled roads. Aside from the dead zone pockets, I always felt safe and at peace while visiting, unlike in Zadrya, where I always had to stay on my guard.
Fifteen minutes after leaving the village, I made my way over a bridge with a river’s rushing water beneath it. Past that, the land opened to averdant field covered in blue-green grass and tiny purple flowers called mayzies. Green and yellow striped bees flitted between them, performing nature’s hypnotic dance as they sought pollen. The warmth of the sun was welcome as it heated my skin.
