A Shield of Faith (BOOK 4)

Chapter 7

YUVEN

"He worried about you, you know?" Maria said from behind him as he followed the hippogryph drawn carts full of supplies to stave off death from several fronts, but it blanketed its capital city. Storm Wardens broke off from the train to sweep through buildings and take down any draugr within. At their howls of grief, he bit into his tongue and glared at Neven's stalwart back when he kept his strong, but no less false of a front when they reached one of the many squares full of noble estates. The same one Yuven found himself as if on instinct. Tix'snuv rested his beak against his head with a soft coo, and he raised a hand to pat the other side of it with his other arm snaking around Maria's shoulders for the added comfort when Neven directed Storm Wardens over the square of shattered marble streets.

"He should not be here, Maria," he murmured under his breath and allowed Tix'snuv to take flight in a new area. "He doesn't need to see this destruction." He allowed his thoughts to wander to the permafrost cracking through the streets. "I thought I could shield him for as long as possible from this, but fool me, I suppose." He twisted his tongue through his lips then dragged his fangs backwards at the agony in the air. Death coursed through his feathers, but he frowned when Neven headed to them without a hint of despair in his tight smile.

"These estates will serve us well. Let me take you to where we'll be discussing the area." Without waiting for either of their responses, he pushed past the carts as Wardens released the hippogryphs to join Tix'snuv on their own scope of the area, a bond of trust between them. Yuven let go of Maria to follow in Neven's shadow when he opened a broken gate with ease into the same estate they took solace in, with broken stones crushing the frosty dirt in the garden.

Behind him, Fenrer and Adara caught up, and he scowled at their proximity to each other. Distractions... He frowned when Neven stopped in front of the door, his long gold-spun feathers stilling against the breeze. His gaze drew to the remains of flowers in the planters which hung underneath the curved windows. Pupils shifted into vertical slits with a quick twist of his head, he reached out to the handle of the door and pulled it open. Lamps spluttered to life when Neven sent sapphire-tipped flames into the dying coals. Waved inside, Yuven leaned against the wall as some other Storm Wardens hauled in supplies for long days before a battle. Bedrolls. Blankets. Pillows. Runelights. Neven held out his arms for some of the boxes, carrying them into the main atrium of the villa, where frostvines overflowed past their directed planter. Droplets of water oozed between the cracks and fell into the thin basins which stretched around the conversation pit.

"Neven..." Yuven bit on his tongue when Neven swept off the snowy dust on the cushions of the couch. "Miesero..."

"Yes?" he questioned as Maria squeezed herself through the growing crowd to spread flaming wards through the cardinal corners of the room. "Oh, one second." Neven patted his shoulder. "Warden Dawlsa, I need you to set up the runestones along the fence. Tell me if any circuitry remains intact as you go through. Do the same with the other estates in our base of operations." With Warden Dawlsa wasting no time in departing the warmth of a dead home, Neven returned his attention to him. "What is it, Yuven? We've got a lot to do."

"We'd be doing them had I been put in charge," Yuven mumbled, but deferred nonetheless to his senior Storm Warden. "Neven, whatever you're planning—"

"I will tell you once we have things finalized," Neven interrupted in one fluid tone. "For now, I want you to get as much rest as you can while you can get it." His feathers stretched out when he drew his gaze to the marble tiles below them. "...the song of Irimount still sings, Yuven." He raised both hands to his cheeks, and Yuven quivered in childish terror when Neven's smile relaxed. "I will make this right, this place that was once my home... that failed you when you needed it the most," tears swept through his song instead of his eyes. "I know you think I blame you for this but I don't." He released him, and Yuven flinched when Neven pointed Wardens down the corridors. "Pick a room if you wish," he called out to them. "Make sure they're empty though. It should have everything you need to see you through the cold night."