Warrior of the Moon

22

He woke up to ten people sitting at his bedside.

    The ones who were not already on their feet jumped up and ran to him as he opened his eyes. He looked from one to another, relishing the fact that he was back among his friends and allies.

    Vice and Vex, their violet hair tied back in sleek, high ponytails as if they just came out of a battle - or as if they were preparing to enter one. Birches, looking more exhausted than Tarin had ever seen him, his bow strapped across his back. Theo standing with her father, smiling and winking at Tarin with those amber eyes before whispering words of comfort to the older man. Dallin on her other side, looking the most obviously relieved out of any of the rest of them.

    Iefyr had risen to his feet behind his desk, his fingers digging into the edge of it. Jesmaine and Aymon were moving out from behind it now, toward Tarin, and he assumed that they had been studying maps and plans with the lord. Seeing Aymon alive and well cast a wave of relief through Tarin, knowing that it was more than likely that his troops had arrived with him.

    And there were Princess Auriana and Prince Wayke, sitting on a sofa across the room from Tarin. Auriana had a bandage wrapped around her head and still looked frail from the way she was leaning against her brother, but she still managed to smile at Tarin when he looked their way. Wayke's chin was high as if trying to be strong for his sister, but the nervousness in his eyes was evident. There was good reason to be nervous, Tarin supposed, in a room with so many deadly fighters, though none of them sought to hurt the royal children.

    "How do you feel, Sir?" Jesmaine ventured to ask.

    Tarin tried to move his arms, only managing to twist the leather braces around his forearms before collapsing onto the sofa cushions again. "Like every dredge of magic was sucked out of me. That's what happened, isn't it?"

    Vice and Vex nodded, but Iefyr was the one who spoke. "It's what the twins sensed, yes, but you're likely the one who can tell us exactly what happened. The children here explained everything about this Mistress and her base, as well as what she did to the Eternal king and queen. But they did not seem to fully understand what happened to bring you here."

    Tarin tried once more to sit up and succeeded this time, leaning his head against the back of the sofa and studying the Eternal royals intently. It was hard for him not to compare them to his queen. Both their parents had been taken from them in one way or another, and now their kingdom as well, as a cursed Pevana had given Perpetuum the order to fight with the Infernals.

    Now Celestine had the entire kingdom of Perpetuum, any Infernal exiles she had gathered before gaining their support, and any Fae she had managed to turn on her side.

    Not good.

    When he did not answer right away, Iefyr slammed his hand down on the desk. "Heavens above, Tarin, we need this information--"

    "Oh, boo," interjected a bright voice. Birches grabbed Theo's arm in warning, but it did not stop the Fae girl from rolling her eyes at the lord of Reave.

    "I'll be the one to say it, if none of you super serious warriors can muster up the emotion to. General, everybody in this room was terrified for you, and are very glad to see you back safely. Don't let Lord Iefyr's crankiness or the rest of the hard faces deceive you."

    Iefyr's jaw was dropped at the blatant disrespect Theo showed, and Birches and Dallin had both noticeably paled. Theo, for her part, did not seem concerned at all. She just rose an eyebrow at Iefyr, as if daring him to do what he had a right to do and get her dragged her off for mouthing off at him.