FIREFANGED

Chapter 18 (Connections restored)

Dusk had settled in by the time we entered the town of Berykholt. The journey's end raised our spirits and sped our final strides. Our first stop was the recruits' barracks to return Hicks and Gunner and to check in with Masterson. I had vowed to return the recruits in one piece and wanted to get a receipt.

The sergeant crowed, "Well, look who's back! And with all their limbs attached as promised. Recruits, you look like Hell. Please return to your bunks after a long, soap-filled experience in the bathhouse."

"Sergeant, could I brief you later on the events of the past fortnight and the honorable actions of your two recruits?" My uneven tone was proof enough that I was completely spent.

Masterson seemed more than relieved at our survival, and he let me off with only one question, "Who's the dark elf girl?"

"My bodyguard."

We hurried out the door. Yseria stuck to me like glue amid all the unfamiliarity of Berykholt. As we reached the castle gate, we were met by Captain Glenn and Doctor Loeb. They had obviously been waiting just for us.

"Ara, so good to see you back safe and sound," said Glenn.

Loeb was wearing his doctor's hat. "Captain, I highly doubt anything about Ara's trip was safe, and I certainly wouldn't say that he was sound. You can see he's a bit bent, tilted even. He also has a slight limp, and if I'm not mistaken, a tinge of blood on his breath."

I was too tired to confirm or deny the doctor's words.

Yseria answered for me, "Ara just hiked a hundred miles through the Everest range with broken ribs and fresh stitching up the back of his calf. The blood you smell, well, my best guess is that his left lung is also damaged."

"Gentlemen," I wheezed. "My new bodyguard, Yseria Warric." I hoped that satisfied their curiosity. It's all I had for the moment.

"Yseria, I'm Captain Glenn, and this is Doctor Loeb of the Order of the Vigil, attached to Vigil Snow. Pleased to meet you."

I rasped out my priorities, "Doctor, I will be visiting you later tonight. Any idea where Raven might be at the moment?"

It was dinner time at the keep. I didn't want to walk in filthy from the long journey, wearing dried demon's blood, but I was told that Snow was expecting our imminent arrival in the dining hall. It seems that the scouts were keeping an eye out for us and had sent a runner over here as soon as we were sighted on the outskirts of Berykholt.

"Good evening, all," said Glenn, leading us into the dining room. I scanned the room and quickly found Vigil Snow and Lynda. Everyone was dressed in their fine dinner clothes. A beautiful young woman wearing an elegant blue dress stood up next to Lynda. Her eyes were shiny gray as they met mine. Her dark-toned complexion highlighted her deep red lips.

"Rae," I coughed, almost speechless.

Making a real effort not to stumble, I walked around the dining table to reach her. I was wrecked and in pain. Andarion stood next to her. Where had he come from?

"You recovered," I whispered, hating my harsh-sounding voice.

The scent of Rae's exhaustion was gone, replaced with an exotic combination of roses and myrrh. She smelled like a princess. She nodded, tears rolling down her healthy cheeks.

"You—you're beautiful," I stumbled, half-wits be damned.

She blushed.

"I'm sorry," I said. "It's only been two days since I last slept. I have a letter for you from your father." I reached into my travel pack.