Vuroth's Tear: Even the Gods Cry

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Aven awoke to Jazel entering the hut. He kissed Analda on the forehead and climbed to his feet, "I need to eat something," He whispered to Jazel.

"There's stew ready by the fire," She knelt next to Analda's leg while she still slept, "Dravis was looking for you. He needs to talk to you about something."

Aven nodded as he yawned and walked out into the bright morning sun. Dravis and Donovan were sitting on logs that they had taken from the pile of firewood.

"Dravis, you wanted to talk to me?" Aven asked with a hand up to shield his eyes from the sun while they adjusted to the light.

He finished the mouthful he had before speaking, "Yes, I wanted to tell you that I'm leaving soon. I need to let people know what has happened in Travidon and hopefully, I can find people to fight back," It was then that Aven noticed the look in Dravis' eyes, the look of a man who felt as though he was a failure. He was supposed to protect the king, it was his duty and now, the king was dead.

"You know there was nothing you could have done, Padrok's death isn't your fault," Aven tried to speak respectfully, but it didn't matter.

Dravis put the empty bowl on the ground and stood, "It was my duty to keep him safe or die trying. I made a vow to him. Verik stayed behind, but it should have been me who refused to leave."

Aven shook his head, "If you stayed behind, we wouldn't have been able to find our way through those tunnels and would have never made it out of the city. We would have been found eventually and then Velana, Don and myself would be dead. Not to mention that you would have died in that throne room."

Dravis shouted, "It was my duty to protect him, not Verik's!"

Aven's face grew angrier, "You will not taint the sacrifice that Verik made simply because you weren't the one who made it," He reached down his shirt and pulled out the small amulet with a glowing blue, tear cut gem inside a silver cage of wire, "Your duty now, is to help me get this where it needs to go."

Dravis recognized the trinket and his eyes grew wide, "Vuroth's Tear? Where did you get that?"

"Padrok gave it to me before I went into the passageway. He told me that I need to bring it to a man named Quinn. He told me that I could find him in Chaston." He stuffed the necklace back into his shirt.

"I don't know where Chaston is, but I have heard Padrok speak about Quinn," Dravis stared at Aven, now knowing he had Vuroth's tear, he was shocked that the king would give it to him in such haste, but what choice did Padrok have? Dravis suddenly wondered why he wasn't trusted with the tear, "I remember Padrok saying something about Quinn being very knowledgeable about, well, everything."

Aven grinned, finally, if he could find Quinn, he might be able to get answers that he needed, "Dravis, come with us to find him."

"No, I need to go to Syrdania. I'm sorry, Aven." Dravis shamefully looked at the ground. He wanted to help, but knew what he had to do, and that was find men to fight.

"Then I'll come with you, from there, we can all go to find Chaston," Aven suggested.

Dravis shook his head, No, I will stay in the city and build an army, then we will travel from city to city, building the army until we make it to Travidon. We will take back the city, or die trying." He ended the conversation by walking away from Aven without another word.

"Stubborn prick, "Aven muttered as he picked up the Royal Guard's bowl and scooped some stew.

"He's not wrong, Aven," Donovan paused to sip the broth before continuing, "someone needs to gather an army and at least try to take back the capital. You, me and a few Lycan's can't do that. We barely made it in and out the first time."