Page 188 of Upon Buried Embers
“I don’t, but I’m keeping her.”
“What about—”
“Finally,” Olaf says with a strained smile on his face. “Breakfast is done.”
“I’ll leave you to it,” Kaldar says quietly, squeezing my shoulder before walking off with Olaf, the tension between them noticeable.
I walk through my clan’s tents, people rising with the morning sun, rubbing eyes and beginning to light fires.
I say my morning greetings, directing people with what needs to be done.
I would rather be back in my bed, tongue-fucking my woman, but duty calls.
Reaching the hill and the four shadowy figures at the top, I stand next to Sigrid and eye her like she’s eyeing me.
She gives me a small nod, and I wonder if Elf was right. Can she be trusted? She did make sure Darcia was gone.
“What happened?” I ask, because we don’t usually call meetings at The Glade like this.
“Varan saw someone entering The Glade this morning,” Sigrid says, and I tense. “He followed but lost him.”
“Who was it?”
“I don’t know,” Varan says, “but I’m certain the king’s sigil was on his cloak.”
“What?” I bark, turning to face them.
“Are you sure?” Durruk asks him, and he nods.
“Why?” Karag says, arms crossed. “The Games begin soon, what is the purpose?”
We’re silent, because we never fucking know what the purpose is, only that the king keeps putting us all in danger.
“Let’s search The Glade,” I say.
“It’s close to the Blessing day, we could get torn to shreds,” Sigrid says, running a hand down her face.
“We have no choice.”
“He’s right,” Karag says, surprising me. “He could be in there, there may be more, we have to protect The Glade.”
“The dragons haven’t alerted us though,” Varan says.
“They can’t if Nighturn is used,” I say grimly.
“Fuck,” Sigrid curses.
“Let’s grab some people and then we’ll search until mid-afternoon, I don’t think we can push it any longer than that,” I suggest.
“Agreed.”
We part ways and I head back to my Elf, because if whoever went in there is causing any harm, she will be the only one who can feel it.
Forty Four
Elf
Entering The Glade this time, I don’t feel wonder and excitement like before, I feel… strange.
