Page 7 of The Shadow Fae Rhapsody
He shakes his head.
Sorrow punched a hole in my gut.
“It’s because I’m weak, isn’t it?” I ask him, my mouth dry.
His jaw flexes as his gaze sweeps over me. “I want to show you something.”
I step out of the armory and follow him silently. Rainer whistles at the nearby kennel.
“Uncle, no!” I yell, but it’s too late.
A shadow darts towards us at a frightening speed. I cover my eyes with my hands at the incoming threat.
Rainer gives a light laugh and place a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Rhianelle, it’s all right. It’s just Judge.”
Just Judge?
My uncle’s favorite warhound scares the living daylights out of me. The dog is tall with a wolfish build and silver fur. Rainer once told him to babysit me, and Judge did it obediently. Everyone praised the dog for being a better guard than Oscar, but what people did not know was that the canine had pinned me to the ground with his heavy paws for the entire three hours.
Judge is the worst.
It doesn’t help to know that he hunts fae and dwarves. He killed so many of them that the warriors include his name on the scoreboard.
The dog trots closer to us and I bristle.
My uncle kneels and crouches next to me. “Did you know that when Judge was born, he was the smallest runt in the litter? He was only half the size of my palm.”
I sniffle and peer from behind him to look at the dog. Sunlight gleams on the hound’s polished silver fur, highlighting his battle scars and making him appear more intimidating than usual. “That’s a lie, Uncle.”
“It’s true,” Rainer says earnestly, placing a hand on his chest. “I was sure he would not have lived past winter.”
The dog perks his ear, staring at me with his translucent eyes.
“He’s so big now,” I mutter, drawing my finger to pet him. But it’s too scary and I retreat.
“Exactly,” Rainer says, scratching the dog by the ears. “You will grow, and you will become stronger.”
“What if I don’t?”
“You will,” he says with an absolute certainty. “You’re a Wiolant, you have to.”
Right… I swallow nervously.
I wipe my cheek with the back of my hand. “All right, Uncle. I’ll try.”
Rainer stretches his hand to me. “Would you like to come and inspect the second regiment?”
I nod and take his offered hand.
Rainer brings me to the barracks and camps where the supporting armies from Völundr are stationed temporarily in Elowen before moving on to the frontline. Jessica said their stay is beneficial to Feywildra because it brings more money and wealth to the village. Maybe she’s just happy she gets to meet Oscar.
I recognize some of the faces in the bustling camp, noble sons and daughters of the houses in Völundr, the bronze-skin warriors from Kashran, cousins and distant relatives. They smile and wave when they see me. I see the determination and confidence in their hardened faces because the queen is a great strategist. Her short campaign has won Aelfheim a chunk of the dwarven territory in the past. They believe if anyone can make lightning strike twice, it would be her.
My uncle does his boring task of appraising the knights and their weapon. The warriors line up in an orderly formation upon his arrival. I get tired by the third row. I hate that I was born earlier than I was supposed to. I hate that my lungs are stupid.
Rainer lifts me into his arms and I rest my chin on his shoulder, still sulking. Everywhere we go someone would needhim for something, whether it’s for checking the shipments of weapons or to sign some parchments. I’m small enough to sit on his arm like a parrot, watching everything quietly.
My eyes catch on Lady Deirdre as she packs her medicine bag with the rest of the Hlaryan elves. Her husband and son are coming with her. The boy looks about the same age as me, but he’s allowed to go.
