The Heroes of The Elemental Academies Book 3 The Tides of War

Chapter 33 Aftermath

Rylee

   The battle ended quickly after Orion died. Although the demons fought savagely,
Rylee later found out from her captains that Lady Malcovitch's arrival all but ended the fight. The demons retreated north and west fleeing like night before the dawn. Rylee stayed with Seth the whole time but she could tell what's as happening from the horn blows she heard coming from outside the throne room. When the door blew open and a very angry Katie Malcovitch stormed in with almost twenty agents behind her she hardly looks up. She had formed a pad of white cloth out of light and pressed it against the slim stab wound in Seth's side.
  The rest of the night seemed to pass in a blur. She met with her captains and they were told by the now free Durindal King Astol that they could rest in the city. A feast was held that night to celebrate. Even as carts of steaming beef and buttery bread were wheeled out into the courtyard of the castle, for there was no room inside, her mind was focused on Seth. He had been rushed from the throne room on Katie's order she had brought several surgeons with her just in case. They were now using the castle infirmary for their wounded. The courtyard had been light by
Over a hundred torches. Though, the stars and the full moon would've provided ample light. Almost eighty agents from her own army had been wounded and nearly twenty had perished in the fighting. The thought of the many house visits she would have to make upon return sobered her somewhat.
   She took a bite of the greasy but tender steak. She chewed and then downed a swallow of diluted red wine. The warm food roused her from her mood for a moment as she enjoyed the food.  
  Still she couldn't help but play the moment she had kissed Seth over and over again in her mind. Why had she done that? She had just begun to love Seth but she hadn't quite figured out if she loved him like family... or something else. She shook her head violently as if shaking would dislodge the answer for her. She knew this would create complications for her and Seth.
   If she was willing to except Seth what did that say about her love for Joseph it had only been three years since his death. Then again his letter had said that Seth would bring her happiness. But was that what it meant? On top of all of this he still had no idea if Seth would survive his injuries.
    True at first look she had thought the wounds weren't bad but when she had caught sight of one of the surgeons pale faces when they had carted him off she had begun to worry that she had missed something. Or maybe she just didn't know enough about healing.
  She heard the sound of someone calling her name and she came out of her reverie. One of the surgeons still in full white was walking briskly down the stairs of the courtyard swinging his head back and forth clearly looking for her. She stood abruptly her meal forgotten and raced over to him.
  "How is he?" She asked quickly. The surgeon flashed her a broad smile before he quickly sobered up.
  "He'll be fine but you should hear the tally of his wounds he won't be on his feet for weeks if he is to heal properly. I don't know how he was standing final tally was ten stab wounds from some kind of bar there was rust in the wound so we had to clean them oil throughly. Several smaller laceration all over his body. The skin of wrists and ankles were scabbing I assume that they strung him up for days. Rylee felt every wound the doctor mentioned as a hammer blow. It had been her fault, she was the one who had sent him out there on his own. She had wanted to test him, and it had almost cost him his life.
"Can I see him," she asked tentatively looking towards the keep doors. The doctor clearly didn't like it, his eyes flicked nervously and he shifted from one foot to the other without looking her in the eyes.
Ma'am he really should rest, he's hurt very bad." Rylee looked the doctor in the eyes. She needed to see him to apologize she knew she wouldn't be able to rest until she did so.
"I'll be quick doctor I promise," she said letting a pleading tone enter her voice. The doctor's eyes softened considerably.
"He's at the end of the hall on the right in the infirmary," he said quickly as he stepped away to receive food. Rylee paid him no mind and headed inside. She located the room quickly enough a line of orderlies were coming to and from a white washed room. She went in ignoring the looks as she looked for Seth. She found him at the back of the room his bed cordoned off by white cloth walls. His face was pale and his eyes were closed.
She reached out and touched his face. He stirred almost immediately. His eyes fluttered and opened. He immediately squinted at the bright light. For a moment neither of them said anything.
  "I'm sorry," Rylee muttered. She probably would've said more but just the the curtain was pushed aside as Jaden Caaro came over. He was dressed in the white robe of the orderlies. His face had grown tired and drawn and their were dark circles underneath his eyes. She had made him stay back with the doctors during the fights and he'd probably seen his share of death of late. He had came along to see if their cause had been worth fighting for.
"Is their something I can do for you Mr. Caaro?" She asked briskly. His eyes flitted from her face to Seth's pain pinched one. His eyes were wild. Instinctively, Rylee willed a dagger to appear in her hand.
"Why did you do it!? I mean why do you do it?" He blurted taking a half step back. Rylee wanted him to go away and would've sent him away but she sensed Seth's hand on her arm. The touch light but firm.
"Please explain your question," Seth croaked.
This whole thing, this whole war," he waved his hands gesturing around the room. I heard this war is pretty much endless. And that every a hundred years or so you have to fight wars like this to keep death at bay. That you also go into our world and protect, fight and root out demons." He talked quickly like he was afraid someone was going to stop him. He seemed near tears from all he had seen.
"And no one even knows about you!" He exclaimed. Then his eyes got somber.
"I'm sorry to bother you but I must know..." he paused staring at Seth as if waiting for permission.
Seth glanced at Rylee a bemused look on his face. Rylee knew the look was mirrored in her own face.
"Someone has got to do it, mister Caaro and we've been equipped with he tools so we might as well. What else would we do with our gifts, be super heroes," he added the last part with a scoff. Rylee tried to push the image of Seth flying around in tights away from her mind. Still she smiled in spite of herself. Jaden nodded as if pondering the answer.
"Was there anything else?" Rylee asked. The man looked up and shook his head. He had understood her intentions. He nodded once, " sorry to bother you,"he said and quickly left.
Rylee turned back to Seth who still had a half smile on his face.
She stared a hard at him. "I have a question for you too," she stated he looked up at her.
"When you had been surrounded, why didn't you use the gem." Seth winced like he had expected ti question. He scrunched up his face in thought.
"All I can say is someone told me not to," Rylee felt her eyebrows rise at that.
"What do you mean someone told you not to." Seth gaze seems to be faraway in though.
"A voice in my mind," he said finally after a pause.
"It said go with them and learn. And to not fear for I am with you." He grinned at her incredulous look.
Then she shook her head, such things were not uncommon. Sometimes God spoke to them directly if he had Seth had been bound to obey. Then a thought struck her.
"But that doesn't explain why you didn't use it when you fought Orion." Seth grinned at her sheepishly.
"Part of that was I didn't think I'd have the energy.." he paused a apprehensive look on his face. "And also because I wanted to beat him with out it." Without thought Rylee cuffed him on the head.
"Ow!" he complained. "How are you about to hit a cripple. You are heart less!" He cried in a mocking tone. The way he thrust out his bottom lip was decidedly cute. She smiled.
"Why are you smiling. You can't just..." he stopped as abruptly Rylee found herself leaning over and kissing Seth lightly on the lips. When she pulled back Seth's shocked face almost made her laugh.
"Was that an apology or... because I like you apologies if that's what it was," Rylee stifled a laugh.
"You are just going to have to figure it out for yourself," she told him before she got up and left the room. Her head was light and a mixture of joy and worry and confusing thoughts swirled around in her brain.
"Well," she though wryly. "He can't figure out what that means because I don't know what that means." Her life would certainly be interesting from here on out. Despite the invasion they face and the hard battle they had just fought she was feeling extremely grateful. Even in the darkest times God granted them with hope.  Other thought came to her, all this time they hadn't managed to find another Elemental gem," the idea momentarily stopped her smile. If they couldn't locate them they were doomed. The thought crossed her mind that this whole battle could've been a distraction but she dismissed it. Orion's plan was something that had needed to be stopped at all costs and they had completed that mission. She smiled at that. What had Seth said?  Someone's got to do it. With that thought in mind she returned to the courtyard a feeling of hopefulness spreading a smile across her face. Well, time to get back to it." She told herself. Then she pushed the door open and walked out into the waking dawn.    The End.