A KINGDOM OF DEAD HEARTS [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 37: UNDER THE HALF MOON

Airin saw Xander at the edge of the grass clearing having serious deliberation with Dimerion and four other soldiers. They agreed on something pretty quickly. Then she saw Dimerion and one other soldier running away from the grass clearing to the direction of the forest.

"Where is Dimerion going?" she asked when Xander got back closer to her.

"He will lead the defense around the capital. We have received news that six battalions of soldiers and their commanders are ready and loyal to me. He will meet them in the perimeter of the capital."

Airin had no idea whatsoever about battle strategies, but she decided to trust Xander and his judgment about this.

"He is a battle-hardened, experienced soldier. He will do his task well," Xander assured her.

Airin breathed slower, she looked around in the dimmed room. Elisthia kneeled with her eyes closed, trying hard to maintain her connection to Rovan's mind. Lyanna laid sleeping on the floor a few steps from her.

She realized there was a small corridor in the right corner of the room, behind an old wooden cabinet. "Where does that lead to?" she cocked her chin to the corridor.

"This room, where I now live, was the main kitchen in the past. That corridor leads to a staircase to go upstairs. There is a balcony up there where servants used to hang clothes to dry or use the space to dry fruits for winter stock." Xander paused, and spoke again,"I will make sure our defense hold here in the palace and the elegarii. Please believe me when I say I will do all I can to keep you safe, Airin. I will."

Airin just nodded, and Xander's gaze lingered on her for a few seconds as if he wanted to say more but could not find the words to say it. After those few seconds, Xander turned and rushed out of the room to meet his soldiers outside.

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Waiting is excruciating.

Airin could hear commotion, far away at the other side of the evergreen forest that separated Xander's home and the rest of the palace. Those soldiers were getting ready for the coming of Myrana – did they know who Nydda really was? Did Nydda and Rovan give them false information about Myrana to catch them off guard? It would be a war that Halgard would for sure lose unless Xander and those loyal to him, to Halgard, could prevent this tragic loss from happening.

So much at stake.

Airin wanted to cry even as her hands held Elisthia's hands to lend her a bit of strength. The young sorceress had grown weaker but had not given up. Her body shivered as if she was cold and she could not speak.

Lyanna still slept, her thin body curled up just like the letter C, she would groan sometimes, maybe because of bad dreams. Airin had taken a wool blanket earlier and draped it on the little girl.

Leidra in the shape of Nydda would come here, that was for sure. The evil queen was now getting ready and there was no other place for Airin to run away to.

Xander had to stay here, he had to defend elegarii when the time came. Running away was not an option, not at all. She was scared, really really scared. But what could she do? Honestly she did not think she wanted to be anywhere else in Halgard now other than here. With Xander.

When Elisthia let go of her hands, Airin patted her shoulder. Elisthia did not respond and Airin decided not to distract her from her telepathy sorcery to Rovan.

Airin checked on Lyanna, and the girl was still sleeping.

After some minutes, she decided to check out the balcony where the servants used to hang clothes to dry. She followed the dark corridor, and found a stone staircase that curled up.