The Azimar Archives Book One- The Book of Death

Silvana

Silvana kept her back to Ajax as he left her in the reeds by the Knife. The night air was frigid, and her fingertips were numb. She wanted to be home, in bed, with Hasani next to her.

Instead, she was stuck out in the cold, unable to return to the warm life in Etritia that she had known for so many years. And she hated Ajax for every moment of it.

She was beginning to wonder if perhaps he had lied to her, if he had decided to flee on his own, when she saw him emerge from the shadows just beyond the circle of light cast by the Knights and their lanterns. He seemed small then, unarmored and frail against the men he stood before. Silvana felt a moment of regret at thinking ill of her brother, but she brushed the feeling aside, steeping herself in the pain of Hasani's death.

Ajax was the reason Hasani wasn't there beside her. And she could never forgive him for that.

Four of the five men left their horses and began circling around Ajax. One lunged at him prematurely, and Ajax cut him down with ease. Silvana's stomach churned at the sight, grateful there was enough distance between her and the fighting that she could not easily see any blood.

It was Hasani's decision, even Dars said as much, part of Silvana reasoned.

"No," Silvana whispered, her breath steaming the air. "It was Ajax that stole the egg. It was Ajax that led us from the castle. We were his responsibility. He is to blame."

Why? Because he loved a woman, and she gave him the knowledge he needed to try to stop Mothlenor from destroying her people?

Silvana considered for a moment. She brought her hands to her mouth, breathing on them to keep the frost from biting at them.

Hasani would have died anyway. Mothlenor said he wanted Hasani to help Ferrand find the Coven, but it was a lie. Ferrand would have cut him down as soon as they were out of sight of the castle walls, her inner voice continued to argue. Just as Areanath was killed.

Ajax was being assaulted from all sides now. Silvana could hardly see what was happening, but she could hear the shouts and the clanging of metal on metal. She watched as Ajax sunk his sword deep into one man's ribs, then lost sight of him for a moment. She shifted her position, searching for him. He was locked together with one of the men, struggling for the upper hand. Silvana held her breath in apprehension, hoping he could strike the man down. Suddenly, another man rushed at him from behind. She wanted to shout a warning, but her throat caught. She watched as the man charged in, his sword raised, her heart beating wildly. But Ajax ducked and rolled away, unscathed. She flinched in horror as the man's sword lodged itself deep into the shoulder of his comrade. At least it wasn't Ajax.

"Besides, Hasani might still be alive." And Silvana desperately wanted to believe it. She wanted to hope that her husband would still meet her in the Free Cities. Dars had said that Mothlenor's demons had not returned, perhaps that was a good sign.

Ajax was running, heading for one of the horses. He leapt into the saddle and dashed off, riding towards the farmlands. The man still on horseback rode after him, shouting to the surviving fighter to follow. The last man sheathed his sword, jumped back into his horse's saddle, and followed the pursuit.

Silvana waited a moment, making sure no one else was around, before picking up her bag and ambling towards the Bridge. She gave the three dead men a wide berth, trying to keep from looking down at their bodies. There were puddles of wet earth, and when one of the horses shifted nervously, the light that crossed over the damp ground showed the grass stained red. She took a few deep breaths, trying to ignore the metallic stink of blood in the air, and continued on. The smell of so much blood reminded her of Ajax's sacrifice in the darkness of the tunnels beneath the castles.