Page 20 of Oracle of Ruin

“Iamloyal to her, and only her. We both are. She is my queen. I will serve her until my dying breath. We are only with the rebellion for survival and to convince them not to kill her.”

Ruby pulls Torin out from under the former captain. “We have worked up to higher positions. Torin is practically second in command at this point. If we can get in their good books, we can form an alliance and not only stand a chance at killing Ophelus, but saving Vera.”

“If she isn’t dead already,” Blaine spits at the both of them.

Torin pales and I snap my gaze to him. She isn’t dead, she can’t be. Blaine knows this, but that evil presence about him only grows as he watches Torin choke on another sob.

The Nevan man’s hands begin to tremble as he clasps my knees. “She’s not… She can’t be.”

“She isn’t,” I assure him.

“No, we are just being shipped pieces of her from Rowan’s psycho ex.”

“Blaine!”

“What?” Torin sways on his feet when he rises. His eyes form into steel and his knuckles whiten. “What has happened to Verosa.” It isn’t a question anymore, rather a command.

So I speak, explaining the kidnapping and our search, everything to receiving the finger and our search here.

Torin grits his teeth until his jaw pops. His muscles tense beneath his tunic and he listens intently until I stop speaking. “Ruby?” he finally says after a period of silence.

“Yes?”

“Go back and tell the others I will not be back for a while. Inform them of the location Rowan is about to give you. Tell them to meet us there. I will be going with Rowan and Blaine to find Vera.”

“No, I am going with you. She’s going to tell me about Tanja. Torin, I need to know.”

“I will bring her to you eventually, but we need to make sure she is alive first.” Then he adds under his breath, “Or there’s no hope for any of us.”

The woman waits a moment, inhaling deeply before shakily exhaling. She nods and starts off the hill, kissing her ring and crossing two fingers over her heart. Blaine still shakes with rage, but allows the man to stay with us.

Torin silently picks up a long stick and begins to draw in the sand. He marks a circle and a few lines through certain areas when we tell him, then a few more where he has been. “We have occupied these territories in the south, so I can tell you she is not here. That leaves these areas. We can start here, then if she isn’t found, I can deploy spies to search the other location. We have a few trusted members also working as double agents to find the rightful queen. One of them is your mother.” He looks towards Blaine then.

The man’s shoulders fall and he sighs in relief. I feel a twinge of jealousy and sorrow. He makes no note of Aiko and Finneas. I pause and wonder if I should ask, then think better of it as Ruby’s face flashes in my mind. Sometimes it is better to have hope, even if it is false.

“Is she alright?” Blaine’s voice is taut to match the fine lines of his face. Each motion of his is that of a calculating soldier—one who has seen death and did not run.

Torin nods, and he breathes a sigh of relief.

“Earlier, you asked to see our eyes. What was that about?” I ask, desperate to divert the attention away from the topic.

Torin glances over his shoulder as if expecting someone. “We’ve been finding survivors of Kijova attacks with some… interesting side effects.”

“You’re going to have to be more specific than that.” I give him a sideways glance.

Torin runs his hand through his hair, flecks of dried blood streaking the strands. “They’re blind. No pupils are generally the first sign. Trying to rip out your throat is the next.”

Blaine grimaces. “Wonderful.”

Torin nods in agreement. He looks years older, despite it only having been a few months. His bleached hair has grown out at the roots, revealing his natural darker color. “They can be killed, at least. We do our best to cut down their numbers, then give them a proper burial, but sometimes it is too overwhelming. The infection can be spread if you get wounded by them as well.”

“So Ophelus can grow his army without having to do anything.” I pinch my nose between two fingers. When did this all get so complicated?

Torin’s face is grim, but no other words are shared as we begin our trek back into the forest.

The wood surrounding us grows thicker, the canopy above our head allowing even less of the sparse daylight through. We travel silently, listening for the sounds of our death.

Torin is the first to break the silence. “What do you think Mavis wants with her?”

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