From Ashes and Snow

Greydon

Unedited.

Chapter 21: Greydon

Almost immediately, I could tell that the Captain's mood was foul. He was staunch and unmoving as we entered the room. We weren't late and I was sure I didn't reek of alcohol, but the man's anger was static in the air.  Kohen was sitting on the back of the chair as he always did, his tail swinging.

His pensive expression did not soothe my aching mind.

"I hope you have recovered from last night, Miss Birchwood." The Captain said bitingly. "Your singing was well commented on this morning when the soldiers were training."

I braced myself against the table. From my casting earlier, my palms had still not settled. Under the long sleeves of my tunic, my veins were a faint and pulsing silver. Fyr pulled up a chair and pinched her brow. "Mahon, please. I have had a long night and a frustrating morning."

"It is not my fault that the three of you drank and gossiped like three old women before singing, dancing and drinking until everyone left the tavern."

"Playing Fyr's idea of a 'drinking' game did not help." I pointed out.

Kohen's ears slicked back. "I lost very badly."

"There were no winners." I surveyed the map, lingering over the small cluster of towns we had already pulled from the Nirani's clutches. A tiny blip if I considered the entirety of the Empire. The Legion was inconsequential when we only lingered along the borders of the Elven lands. Venturing in the human villages along the border meant little. They were poor and destitute people; that wasn't worth the concern of the great Emperor.

Captain Bryant's mouth tightened. "Headaches or not, we have a pressing issue. A letter arrived from Shaldorn this morning."

I looked up. "Greydon?"

"No." The grim expression on the Captain's face unsettled me. "Commander Vossen requests a meeting with you. In Shaldorn."

"Oh."  The Captain's wariness unsettled me. I took the note he handed me without complaint and peered down at the elegant cursive.

'Captain Bryant,

The honest work of the Legion has been brought to my attention in recent weeks. As Commander of the Paladin forces in Cadelith Empire, it is my duty to help ensure the safety of the people. The Paladins have failed in their duty since the tragic death of Janae Whitley.  I wish to thank you.

However, some reports of the Legion worry me.  A Half-Blood attending meetings to decide the actions of this 'Legion'. Captain Bryant, I do not need to tell you how poor of a decision that it. There are rumours that this Half-Blood bears a strange magic from the attack at Dratlan. I wish to meet with them and discuss their plans to tackle the hordes of un-natural darkness flooding our lands.

Paladin Commander Janae Whitely.'

My jaw tensed. "He sounds like a prick."

"He is a prick." Captain Bryant grumbled. "He is an insufferable man but ignoring this invite would be detrimental to us. We are too weak to ignore a helping hand."

I followed the penned line that was the road on the map. It stretched out beyond the borders, curling like a snake through low hills called Greymere. It would be a long journey before we would reach the fortress that served as the Paladins base where it was nestled at the foothold of a mountain of Amevyalt. It was drawn like a jagged tooth on the thick parchment map.

"When should I leave?"  I looked up to the three of them. "This length of journey requires preparation."

The line of the Captain's shoulders eased. "Lieutenant Greydon should reach Haaling by the end of the week. He will accompany you and a small number of soldiers to Shaldorn."