Page 97 of Storms & Sacrifice
“That’s great.” I try to sound sincere and not nervous about what Nylan may inadvertently reveal about how I’ve been spending mytime here.
“As long as they let you out soon, we figure we’ll be on our way in a day or two.” Adam grins, and it’s hard to not smile back.
“Yeah, I guess it’s time to go.” With Murbank dead and his plot out in the open, there’s not any reason for me to stay.
“Rest up, okay?” Corrine says while hugging me again. “We are justsohappy you arealright.”
After Adam and Corrine leave, I expect Liss and Nate to be next. Instead, a sobbing Nylan jumps halfway onto my bed to hug me tightly, Ragnar entering behind him.
“I’m s-so happy y-you’re okay!” he cries into my neck. “You got stabbed a-and then d-died and it w-was all because of me! I w-was so worried you w-weren’t gonna wake up and—”
“Ny, it’s okay. I’m okay.” I hug the half-elf tighter as he chokes up. “I’m gladyou’realright. That’s all I cared about.”
“David, I don’t know how I can thank you,” Ragnar manages to tell me over his crying boy. “If you hadn’t risked your life like that to save him... Just, thank you,so much.”
“I didn’t even think about it.” I release Nylan, now only sniffling instead of sobbing. “I just wanted to protect my friend.”
“The ranger force is in shambles right now.” Ragnar shakes his head. “Almost half of the cult was made up of rangers and officers. Everyone is demoralized and suspicious of everyone else potentially being a traitor. The people in the city are furious with the councilandChief Grandtooth for letting this happen on their watch. Half of them are suspected of being traitors themselves.”
“We apprehended Keenguard hiding in the forest with several of the other cult members. It has been easier than anticipated getting them to talk. What happened in the temple seems to have shaken them,” Khazak adds, leaving out that I’m the thing they’re probably afraid of. “We were able to locate where Murbank had moved the black carriage, which was housing the missingsupplies.”
“Finding out Murbank was a wizard was a surprise. Even to his wife, she claims.” Ragnar sighs. “But at least it explains how he was able to get away with all of this for so long without anyone suspecting. We even found out he and the cult are the ones responsible for all the patches of Ralor’s crown that have been popping up in the forest.”
“We have already started to root out other people in the department.” Khazak sounds more confident. “Considering the small amount of us we know for a fact are not compromised, it will take some time. But with the main issues resolved, you are free to leave the city like we originallyplanned.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” I smile, but inside I feel a stab of regret. I don’t have a reason to stay anymore. In fact, I have a very good reason to go. “Now I just need to try and figure out the rest of this shit.”
“I might be able to help with that.” Nylan blows his nose into a tissue Ragnar hands him. “I have family in Pákannon where the archaeology group came from. Plus, my dadledthe expedition with my mom, so if anyone knows about the temple, it’s him. I wrote letters to both places.”
“I know your friends are already talking about that being your first stop,” Ragnar adds before turning his head when a throat is cleared. “And they are waiting for their turn next. Come on, boy. We’ll be back.” With a smile and another hug, the couple leavesthe room.
Liss and Nate are next. Liss is her normal gruff self, but I can tell she missed me. Even Nate seems happy to see me. Or happy to be out of jail, at least. Next comes Glasha and Arik, and then Hazatin and Stonearm, all of whom look recovered from the ordeal themselves. They’re friendly, but I can’t help but feel like they’re looking at me funny. Like they’re afraid of me too. Khazak’s family is next, even Brull, but I can’t help but notice one glaring omission. One I’m worried toask about.
“Hey, do you mind if me and Khazak talk alone for a bit?” I ask Brull, our conversation having veered into small-talk territory.I need a break.
“Of course! Feel better, pup.” The larger orc gives my thigh a light squeeze. “Make sure you come see me before you leave to say goodbye,alright?”
“I will, I promise.” I nod with a smile ashe exits.
Once Brull’s out of the room and we’re alone, I can relax a little more, and I feel Khazak dothe same.
“I cannot even begin to tell you how scared I was.” Khazak pulls a chair closer to the bed so he can sit, never letting go of the hand he started holding once my friends left the room. “Grief, then anger, and thenshockwhen you were alive again. I thought I had lost you, and I never... I am just so happy that you are still here.”
“I was pretty worried about you, too.” My eyes go to his throat where Redwish held the knife. “I am glad you’re okay too.” I squeeze his hand, my mind lingering on the question I am afraid to ask. “Where’s... Where’s Orim?”
“David, I am so sorry.” Khazak sags in his seat. “Orim and Shaman Bonespirit did not make it out of the forest.”
“No...” It feels like the wind is knocked out of me. “I shouldn’t have let him go off on his own like that. If he had just stayed with us, he might still—”
“You cannot think that way, David.” Khazak moves quickly to swat that thought down. “You arenotthe people who killed him. You are not the reason he is dead. None of this was your fault.”
“He was my friend...” Apparently, I can’t do much more than state the obvious right now, my vision blurring as I tear up. Then, since I’m a glutton for punishment, I ask the other question that scares me. “How... How many people did I kill?”
He hesitates to answer. “David, I amnot sure—”
“Please. Just tell me.” It’s hard to not let my voice crack. “I can still see it. I can hear the screams. I can stillsmellit. So much blood... Don’t... Don’t make me try to count it on my own. Please.”
“...Eleven,” he finallytells me.
