Ranger of Path

23. A Broken Wish

A mother may pray for a daughter

When she has only sons

But if she's a headstrong woman

Then beware the girl to come

—Lupanne Elkrun

Steaming vegetables cool next to a full inkwell and an empty house mug. Ishkur paces behind his soft chair, the letter to his elftree father still sitting half-finished.

He flicks his quill off the table and says under his breath, "If all the demigods are gone, we aren't worth fearing. Who would humor me paying to deliver and read this to a tree, without knowing Lord Icarus looks after my interests?"

People yell outside. He frowns at the wall in their direction.

What?

The shouting simmers down. He shrugs, picking up the quill.

Maybe writing is waste of time, but I've got to finish something.

"Sir!" Ella stumbles through the bedroom door as the noise outside picks up again. "There's an emergency!"

Ishkur growls, dropping the ink-whetted feather. "What?"

"A walking tree monster thing!" Eyes wide, the bushy-browed maiden scrapes her fingers across her scalp. "It's got Wish!"

He rolls his eyes and motions with his hands to calm her. "The walking tree is Toto, her ever-loyal troll."

"Oh." Tension drains from her, replaced with head-tilting confusion. "Well, Elder Hoyne wants to torch the ... troll, but Jorkin threatened to kill him, and Sallai—"

"Sergeant Sallai."

"Um, Sergeant Sallai has it surrounded with the practice squad." She scrunches her thick brow. "They're afraid to get close, especially the new recruits."

Ishkur smirks. "I thought she might try something like this."

"She's waiting for your orders, Sir."

"Not the sergeant, the girl." He redips his feather. "Whisana Elkrun, Little Miss Wish, probably having a tantrum because I told her family to support the brownie queen instead of her as protector for this place when I leave. It's a small betrayal to keep their girl safe, and they can still support her becoming a druid."

Ella nods and hops from foot to foot like a girl waiting to use the toilet.

"Look," says Ishkur. "Don't reward Wish's bullying with the confrontation she wants or get between her dad and Hoyne's macho match. Tell Sergeant Sallai to ignore and avoid."

He flattens his curling letter with his fist and scratches out a bit of his swirling script.

No more rewrites.

Ella clears her throat. "S-sorry, but—"

"If you've the time, keep an eye on the family drama, and tell me if they get destructive."

"Sir. Little Wish, she wasn't moving. I think ... she might be dead."

"Oh."

Some kind of trick, or can she actually be dead?

Ishkur hops up, slipping out of his robe. "Lay out my linens."

"Yes, Sir."

Missing digits hamper his rush, and the young woman helps him layer up.

"Thank you, Ella." He clips on his belt and checks his dagger. "You know your grandmother tripped and died quick, right? I didn't go near her."

"Yes, Sir."