Page 46 of The Lost Nation

“How are the others?” I asked, knowing there were a few more witches pregnant by drakens, but none had given birth yet.

“Well!” Trego boomed, glowing with the happiness only a good woman and a family could bring you. “I’ve tried to get Domik out to socialize with a few of the witches, but he’s obsessed with building up a respectable library again. Not that I blame him. We will need schools soon for the young ones!”

Trego’s chest puffed out, and I realized he was right. I would have to remember to bring the issue to Ronan for consideration.

It warmed my heart to move through our little draken settlement, which had stretched out towards the witch’s valley with every draken and witch pairing that had occurred. Benedict needed to come down here more often and see howhappyhis people finally were. Perhaps it would help soothe the permanent frown line on his brow.

I kept walking, since the witch village was only a mile or so through the woods. What was once wilderness was now a firmly trod path, and I stifled a laugh as I imagined all the drakens hustling down the way to try and woo a witch. There were about a dozen or so couples now, all choosing to build homes in between the witch and draken villages. I imagined we’d likely all be intermingling soon enough.

“Kieran! Mate to the queen. Welcome.”

Vela straightened from where she was inspecting a new tree sapling. I knew the earth witches had been experimenting with fruit trees, trying to speed their growth with magick in order to produce for the island.

“Vela. How are things? I know you don’t tell Benedict half of it.”

She shot me a look, but then the tension drained from her shoulders. “I suppose I could show you, since the children are gone now anyway. The damage is done, after all.”

I didn’t like the sound of that, and followed her into the heart of the witch village. She tuned back towards me, her eyes fierce. “Don’t enter a home unless asked. Some of the ex-prisoners are still skittish.”

I nodded. The village was much quieter now that the children were gone. Earth witches played with plants, and a trio of water witches were working on a fountain in the center of a larger clearing, trying to get the shape of the water just right. Other witches simply walked about or worked on other projects.

Yet the air was heavy.

I stopped by an air witch who was weaving a rug without actually touching the threads. Her hands danced in the air, and the threads intertwined themselves in a mesmerizing dance. My eyes zeroed in on the nasty burn that showed on her wrist. She winced in pain every time the skin pulled, which was often as she tried to work.

“Excuse me, but are you alright?” I inquired.

The witch jerked, and her weaving cluttered to the ground. She shrugged her hand, and her sleeve fell down to cover the burn. Vela pulled on my arm and jerked me away.

Now that I knew what I was looking for, it was devastatingly obvious. The witches tried to go on as normal, but they wereallinjured. Some limped, a few had hoods covering their faces, and some didn't try to hide at all. Burns, lacerations, scratches...the entire village looked like it had fallen into a fight with the forces of nature and lost.

Vela noticed me staring.“Do not tell Benedict this, but we aregladthe children are gone. We were not managing the situation, yet we feared he would pursue a more...permanentsolution if he knew how bad it was.”

My jaw dropped on Benedict’s behalf.“He wouldneverdo something so cruel!”

Vela’s eyebrow rose. “Oh? Your king isknownfor his cruelty. Was this not the same king who damned the mountain men to obscurity, claiming their mountain kingdom as his own nearly a millenia ago?”

I blanched, and she scoffed. “Do not think the rest of the world has forgotten your king’s choices. He didn't even come by hisqueenfairly!"

It was embarassing, but she was right. We rarely think of the terrible things happening in the world when they don't directly affect us.

The mention of the mountain men got me thinking. Wren had made friends with one of them, hadn't she? A little boy. What was his name? I blushed, ashamed that I couldn't even remember what had happened to him.

I turned back towards Vela.“I will tell Benedictif you don’t mind. Perhaps we can experiment with draken blood and find a healing solution that works.He also wants to know if any of the rescued blood witches would be willing to help with Baila."

Vela nodded, but her lips were pursed. As I flew back towards our treehouse, I couldn’t help but turn her accusations over in my head.

We thought he would pursue a more permanent solution.

Benedict wouldn't have done that, would he?

Georg. The boy’s name was Georg. It came rushing back to me in sudden remembrance. His grandfather had been found in the woods, and brought to our island. He’d accused Benedict of the exact thing Vela had. Stealing the mountain fortress. Denying an entire kingdom their birthright.

At the time, we’d dismissed it mostly as a war-time decision. Hard choices had to be made, didn’t they? The Overlord said we would live in the mountain, and so we did.

And after all, that particular fortress was empty now. The mountain men could reclaim it whenever they wanted—even if itwasawfully close to Thad’s stronghold.

I pushed the guilty thoughts away, even as I resolved to bring it up to Benedict. After I told him about the witches, that is. And after this mess with Thad was sorted out.

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