flared out of her. The clouds rolled with the wind, lightning crackling in their center. The heavens rumbled, and freezing rain began to fall. It covered the grass, taking only seconds before turning to ice. Harruq crossed his arms and shivered, glad they’d been spared the brunt of the weather. When the rain reached the troops, Aurelia slowly relaxed and let her hands fall to her sides. Harruq trudged up the hill toward her, Haern trailing.
“They’ll find the going miserable in the cold and ice,” Aurelia said. “The rain will follow them for only an hour, but they’ll need to build fires to banish the chill, as well as remove the ice from their armor and supplies.”
She tottered a little, but Harruq caught her in his arms. The elf pressed her fingers to her temples and patiently breathed in and out.
“You going to be all right?” he asked her.
“I’m fine,” she said. “Just get us into the air. We’ll find someplace further away to rest, then figure out just what Sir Kull will run into when he flees north.”
Harruq helped her atop Seleven, then sat behind her. Haern curled his cloaks about himself and leaped atop the horse’s back.
“Be glad when this damn winter is over,” he muttered.
They flew low to the ground, following the flat spaces between the hills, which Aurelia felt a likely guide for Sir Kull’s movements. As they travelled north, the hint of smoke lined the horizon.
“An army?” Harruq asked.
Aurelia shook her head, her face grim.
“I fear worse,” she said, though she didn’t explain what.
Seleven beat his mighty wings, and toward the smoke they flew. A heavy knot was twisting in Harruq’s stomach as the hills rolled past. They saw no army, but instead the remains of a large village. Without a word, they landed on the outskirts, dismounted, and surveyed the wreckage.
“They burned everything,” Haern said, shaking his head. “Just… everything.”
Over a hundred homes lay crumpled, broken boards and smoldering ash all that remained. The odor of smoke and blood hung in the air as Harruq wandered toward the village center, his hands trembling. Flies swarmed about, blanketing pools of blood and entrails that lay scattered about the streets. Despite the carnage, he saw no bodies.
“Where are they?” he asked. “Where are the dead?”
“Here,” Haern shouted. Harruq followed his voice. On the other side of the village was a giant pit, and Harruq nearly vomited at the sight. Thousands of bones were piled within. An army of crows hopped among them, feasting. When Aurelia saw it, she immediately turned away and covered her mouth.
“What happened?” Harruq asked, dreading the answer. He felt distant memories crushing in upon him.
“Man-flesh,” Aurelia said, her face pale. “They butchered everything, Harruq. The goats, the pigs, the cows… and the rest.”
Harruq turned and fled. His swords were in his hands, yet he never remembered drawing them. He struck broken boards and nearly collapsed walls. Gray sky hung above him, but in his mind it was filled with stars. The village was empty, but in his mind it was full of fleeing men and women. This village had no name he knew, but the one of memory was called Cornrows. In years past, while still serving Velixar, he and Qurrah had destroyed the entire village, leaving not a single survivor.
Harruq stumbled over a broken sword and fell to one knee. He knelt there, his vision blurred. Aurelia called out to him, but he didn’t hear. He didn’t want to hear. The weight of a hundred murders crushed his shoulders and choked the breath from his lungs. Harruq dropped his swords. Amid his red vision he found a cornhusk doll, half of it burned away. When he picked it up, he felt tears well in his eyes.
“Harruq?”
The half-orc looked up. He felt naked and confused. A slender hand touched his shoulder, and he flinched as if struck. Another looped around his neck, and then Aurelia’s hair fell across his face, and within its privacy Harruq sobbed.
“No better,” he said when he could to speak. “I’m no better. How could I have done something like this? How could I… how could…?”
“Shush,” Aurelia whispered, but Harruq would not listen.
“I’m a monster,” he said. “Just a monster.”
Haern approached. his sabers swing at his hip.
“The orcs went west,” he said quietly. “They must have attacked here on the way. Wouldn’t be surprised if they had run low on supplies. When Sir Kull and Lord Sully arrive, they’ll have to be men of stone to ignore this carnage.”
“Thank you, Haern,” Aurelia said, still clutching her husband. “Please, go to Seleven. We’ll be with you soon.”
Haern nodded and left. Harruq’s sobs had turned to soft, shuddering breaths. He seemed almost embarrassed by his outburst. Aurelia used her fingers to wipe his face, and when he looked to her, she smiled.
“What?” he asked.
In response, she kissed his forehead.
“Not a monster,” she told him. “Maybe once, but not now. And not ever again. Do you remember when Aullienna was born? You tried to flee me, flee her. Do you remember?”
Harruq nodded.
“You were scared out of your mind,” Aurelia said, and she smiled again. “But you stayed. You changed. Don’t punish yourself over what you’ve done. No matter what, I love you. And no matter what Qurrah does, I’ll love you. And no matter what happens to this whole blasted world, I’m still going to love you.”
Harruq chuckled, embarrassed and ashamed and tired. He held her tight, his hands lost in her hair, his wet cheeks pressed against her neck.
“I think that’ll be enough,” he said. “Just don’t leave me, all right?”
“How could I leave such a mopey half-orc?” Aurelia said, kissing him once more. “Now let’s go. We need to make sure those two stupid lords and knights get the right message out of here.”
They returned to Haern, who stood waiting by Seleven. He watched the south, and when they neared, he pointed.
“I believe that’s Sir Kull,” he said. “They’re moving like someone’s lashing their backs with whips, so Lord Sully must not be too far behind.”
“Are they heading this way?” Harruq asked.
“Looks like it,” Haern said. “The smoke has drawn their attention.”
“Let’s wait for them,” Aurelia said. “But away from here. The smell turns my stomach.”
They rode Seleven a quarter mile south and waited. When Sir Kull’s army neared, the three Eschaton expected their customary greeting. They weren’t disappointed. Soldiers surrounded them, weapons drawn.
“You’ve led us on a merry chase,” Sir Kull said once he arrived. “Lord Sully stalks us even now, and the northern hills are still days away. And what of the smoke in the distance? Do you play games with us, elf?”
Aurelia shook her head, clearly having no patience for such banter.
“You’ll see it with your own eyes,” she said. “Your land is in dire peril. But my words will mean nothing. Go see. Ride ahead on a horse if you must.”
“I will not flee into an ambush,” the knight said.
“Then bring the whole army,” Harruq said. “Hope they have strong stomachs.”
Sir Kull glared but did not respond.
“Come with us,” he said. “Let us see what game you play.”
Aurelia glanced to the others, who merely shrugged.
“Very well,” she said. “Lead on.”
They traveled in relative silence, talking only when asked a question pertaining to what they knew of Lord Sully and his movements. Seleven trotted behind them, and Harruq figured the horse glad to stretch his legs instead of his wings. All around them, soldiers in armor huffed and puffed, their eyes drooping and their faces ragged. If it came to battle, he doubted they’d be up for a fight. Slowly the smoke cloud neared, until those in the front could see its source.
“Auchby’s been attacked!” shouted one of the soldiers. The cry traveled through the army.
“Auchby?” they shouted. “Auchby burns!”
