Elven Legacy

Chapter 129

Imxi

The carriage jostled to a stop one mile's distance from the city's western gate. The empress leapt off and staggered past the two horses that had pulled it. She had a hand pressed to her chest, each inhale of brisk morning air costing her more energy than it should as she stared in numb shock at her defeated wielders.

At least half of them lay injured or worse, sprawled across the dirt road and grass. The other half knelt or stood, tottering, confused, bereaved – despondent. The scene would've appeared senseless to an outsider's eye. After all, the Chyulin warriors still greatly outnumbered their foe. Yet there was no victory to be found.

"My lady, it might not be safe," her guard warned – the only one who'd been swift enough to hop on the carriage with her. But his voice rang as numb as she felt. He'd had a demon, she knew. Now lost. Like hers – like everyone else's.

It had happened so dreadfully fast.

Imxi had run after Arakili, but she was too late. Far too late. Imxi had seen the unnatural gate – some sort of monstrous tear in the fabric of the atmosphere. She'd witnessed it helplessly from the carriage window as she screamed out Singhi's name. The panther had raced straight into that opening, without looking back. Against all logic, Imxi nearly threw herself out the carriage to run after her. But the horses were at full gallop, and her guard held her firmly in place.

After it swallowed Singhi and all the other demons, a cacophony jarred the air like smashed mirrors, and the horrid door folded in on itself before Imxi's teary eyes, reminding her of a lamprey's mouth as it shrank into ever smaller circles. Then it vanished out of existence, stealing away part of Imxi's heart forever.

I can't believe she . . . how could she . . . betray me like this?

Imxi couldn't have said whether she meant Arakili or Singhi, in that moment.

Now, the aftermath hovered, eerie, stock-still, save for the wind keening from the hills to the north. Some voiced their shock and denial through mutterings, cursing or weeping, yet even that was subdued.

As she teetered forward along the road, she realized her ears were still ringing dully from that awful smashed-glass sound. When she sniffed, the wind smelled like smoke, with a sickening backdrop of blood and human waste. She swallowed hard against a surge of bile in her throat.

She stopped, her hand still pressed to her chest. Her guard came closer, but Imxi raised her other hand. He got the hint, and respectfully gave the empress some space.

Undreen proved easy to find through the warren of aggrieved warriors that spread out before her. Her gaze caught the flash of white-blond hair combed back by the wind – Undreen was among the few who stood tall and strong despite their harrowing loss. Though he stood only a few paces away, he hadn't seen Imxi yet. Viper was sat next to him, on her knees. Crying, from the look of it. Imxi's eyes filled with fresh tears.

Holding up the side of her skirt with one hand, she trudged over to Undreen and Viper with desperate determination. She couldn't bear to be alone any longer.

Undreen saw her mere seconds before she reached them. The look on his face swayed toward calm resignation, but couldn't fully conceal his disappointment. It ripped her heart to shreds all over again. She collapsed into him, closing her tear-spilling eyes against his chest whilst he wrapped his arms around her. She shivered, grateful for his warmth, yet she realized that nothing, not even him, could chase away the icy dread.

They stayed like this a long moment, and she could feel Undreen sighing and relaxing somewhat as she held him. His hand ventured up to lovingly stroke her tangled locks.