The Witch's Retribution

Chapter 31

The moon was just beginning to rise by the time Liam and Garrett reached the village, their horses past the point of exhaustion. A wary-eyed woman shuffled towards them with a small lantern in her hand as they stopped and dismounted in the center of the village. She looked them up and down, her eyes settling on Mercuri's emblem engraved on the breast of their armor as her lantern moved closer.

"First Railark and now Mercuri. Should I expect a visit from the other kingdoms as well?" She inquired with a raised eyebrow and gravelly voice that almost hurt to hear.

"Railark?" Liam repeated. "So they came through here then. Was there a woman with them?"

Before she could reply, a shadow slipped from one of the small huts. "Liam?" Liam recognized Lily's younger brother with more relief than he thought possible. With any luck, she was still in the village. Basil nodded at the woman with a polite smile. "It's alright. They're friends of mine. This is Kimani, the village elder. This is Mercuri's prince, and one of his knights."

Kimani smiled fondly at Basil. "Aye, I know them. They will be sharing lodgings with you, I suspect?"

"Yes, but we won't be staying. Thanks." Basil gave her a smile and waited until she shuffled away before turning to Liam and Garrett. "We have a problem, and it can't wait."

"Where's Lily?" Liam asked, glancing around the gloom of the village. The wind rattled the lanterns, casting everything in shadows and lighting up the stark white bandages covering Basil's arms. Liam wanted to ask, but Basil interrupted.

"That's the problem." Basil glanced over his shoulder. "You two should probably come inside and rest a bit first."

He took the horses and tied them to a nearby post, leaving out buckets of water and oats, before ushering them inside the painfully bare hut. Only a table and rolled up bed occupied the space, a lantern on the table the only light. Beside the lantern was a small jug of water and a pair of cups which Basil gestured to.

"Help yourselves." He said, picking at a loose thread on his tunic. It had been recently mended by the looks of it, though so well done that Liam barely noticed it at all.

"Are you the only one here?" Garrett asked.

At the same time, Liam repeated his earlier question, "where's Lily?"

Basil pursed his lips, glancing between Liam and Garrett. "We ran into some trouble." He replied slowly. "We lost three of our knights just getting here, and one of them is lying injured in the healer's hut--"

"And Lily?" Liam asked impatiently.

"I'm getting to that!" Basil snapped. "She and three other knights went to the castle. It's not far from here, and they should've been back hours ago."

"Why did you stay behind?"

"There were other things I needed to do."

"Such as?" Liam narrowed his gaze at Basil, wanting to blame the younger prince for Lily's absence.

"Such as, none of your business." Basil growled as the door opened and a Railark knight stepped in. "Look who I've found, Joseph." Basil waved a hand to the two men in front of him. "Seems they've come looking for Lily."

Joseph nodded at them. "Tia and Alfonse have settled in with the village elder, and Percy's injuries are not any worse."

"Please tell me you didn't mention any of this to him. He'll only want to come along." Basil said.

"He knows nothing of this."

Basil turned back to Liam, acting as if Liam's presence was far less important than Joseph's and far less desirable. "I don't know what's happened to my sister or her knights, but we were planning to go in search of her. If you want me to explain the little I do know of the situation, we're going to have to sit down."