Savage Rising: Eternal Forest Saga - Book 1

Chapter 19

In hindsight, it seemed so obvious. Only now, as Zehlyr stood amongst an entire platoon of the balisekt army, his wrists bound behind his back, could he see just how foolish he'd been. Years of surviving in the wilds had taught him to be careful, to be cautious. With all he'd learned over those years about following his senses and trusting his gut, he should have seen the trap long before it caught them.

Why would the largest structure in the marketplace be completely unharmed? Why would its shelves remain full as though nothing had happened that day? Why would the two shopkeepers still be in perfect health when the rest of their kind was bloody corpses lining the dusty marketplace?

Lord Killika didn't need to explain his trap to anyone. They'd left the storehouse standing to draw them in. It offered shelter, food, and water. They'd threatened two surviving dwarves into betraying their Sorceress. It was a perfectly laid, but perfectly obvious plan. Had he not been blinded by foolish hope, and kept his mind focused on the dangers at hand, he may have been able to avoid it.

He should have seen it coming.

As much as he wanted to kick himself for his foolishness, his mind was too preoccupied with worry for Azalea. The balisekts had done something horrible, something sinister, to the southern Wilds below the dwarven marketplace. The plant life had been burned to ash. The land had been scorched and covered in salt. Not only was this land dead, but it would also remain dead for years to come. It would take many seasons before any buds would be able to spring from this soil, if they ever did again.

He wasn't sure why the balisekts had done such a horrible thing, but it was clearly having some kind of effect on Azalea. Ever since she'd stepped onto the blighted soil, she'd been weakened. Her body lay limp on the ground. Her eyelids fluttered as she fought to keep them open. Small moans of exhaustion and confusion barely made it past her lips. She was sick, possibly dying, and he knew neither why or how to stop it.

"At last," Killika said, "I've been searching for you for a very long time."

"Lord...Lord Kill...Killika..." Copper said in a trembling voice. His small knees were knocking violently, causing the old fabric of his trousers to shake. His hands held to each other, as though he were deep in prayer. In his thoughts, he likely was.

The Balisekt Lord looked up from his captured Sorceress to the two dwarves standing fearfully with his soldiers. His long lips snarled like an angry dog. "What is it?" he snapped.

"Lord, we've done what you asked," Copper said. "The Sorceress is yours."

"What of it?" Killika retorted.

"Well, you said that if we gave you the Sorceress, you'd release us," Granite added.

Killika smiled, but there was no warmth or kindness within it. "That I did," he said. Looking up from the two dwarves, he gave a nod to his soldiers. Acting in unison, two of the balisekts behind the dwarves drew their swords and plunged them into their backs. Copper and Granite's eyes went wide as the blades exploded out of their chests.

"No!" Zehlyr shouted. The two dwarves fell limp into the ash that covered the ground.

"You are released," Killika said quietly with a sneer. "Go be with your Lady."

"Why?!" Zehlyr screamed. "They obeyed your commands!"

Killika took several commanding steps forward before striking his scaly hand hard against Zehlyr's face. A trickle of blood ran down the corner of Zehlyr's mouth as he stared back at the Balisekt Lord with rage in his eyes. "It is of no concern to you, human," Killika snapped. "But know this: the fate they suffered was merciful compared to what's in store for the rest of your pitiful tribes."