“Damion’s here you know, he’s alive,” I say. I am too far away to make out his face.
I turn my back on the baker’s boy and my feet thud against the dried dirt as I hurry towards my sister.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Thoren calls a meeting early the next morning. He stands on his porch, not that he needs the extra height, and looks down over the crowd of Tarrin and Avlym’s villagers. The council of elders line up in his shadow, nodding along with every word that their leader says. Last night’s threat was clearly substantial to obtain their support. Only Arthur is absent from their ranks, his hut had already been emptied by the time we arrived last night. Thoren’s voice easily commands silence as he reveals our plans to the masses below.
The meeting doesn’t take long at all, Thoren clearly isn’t one for prolonged speeches. The reactions from the villagers had been mixed. Some wildly pump their fists in the air in support, others heatedly mutter among themselves, the majority nervously turn to their neighbours. Arthur was right to get the support of the council, without them, even Thoren might have been challenged.
Groups are assigned with the council members manoeuvring through the crowd taking long lists of names. The first names taken are those who need to take refuge in the mountain, either because they are unable or unwilling to fight. Thankfully, Thoren’s speech has included several pointed notions about a sense of duty and honour. Furthermore, the councillors are forceful as they approach each member of the community. As a result, many who would rather cower before the coming conflict and hide among the young and frail are coerced into agreeing to fight.
I stand off to one side with Robyn. Ida has already collected Alice off me to go and give their names. The decision had been difficult, my conscience wrestles with reason as I second guess my choice. No, this is right. As much as I want to, I know I can’t stay with Alice whilst the others go to war. Undoubtedly Orrian would respect my decision to remain with my sister, but I know I can’t leave him now. Besides, I need to ensure my mother’s safety, and I can’t do that if I’m not there myself.
As for Damaris, she has already left for the forest, helping Tharrin’s hunters to get the provisions ready for when the other villages arrive. Of course, she had struggled again with leaving her king surrounded by these new people. Orrian had assured her that with Thoren at his side no one will try anything and so she had set off into the woodland, I just hope he’s right.
As the elders reach the last few people, the crowd finally begins to disperse as various groups head off into their different directions. Harvey gives us a sheepish look as he signs his name to head to the mountain before disappearing with a group to carve spears and gather weapons, causing Robyn to smirk a little next to me. He’s always been a bit of a rodent but I’m not sure I can hold his decision against him. Everyone knows that he’s not a fighter, whilst his signature may be taken for cowardice, there’s no denying that he would be more of a liability than an aid on the battlefield. I certainly wouldn’t bet on him to survive the fight. Even far away at the mountain he may be of some use, if things go wrong at the colony then the mountain will need some able bodies to restructure.
Robyn says farewell upon seeing her parents beckoning and goes off to join them. I watch as she weaves her way through the crowd towards them and bury the slight envy that burns in my chest as they walk off together. Thankfully, I am not left to my own thoughts for too long before Orrian fills Robyn’s place.
“Come with me,” he says as the council members convene on the porch.
Orrian leads me down the street and away from Tarrin’s heart. We continue past the remainder of the buildings before taking a sharp turn into the forest. The clearing we emerge into is mostly hidden by a few trees at the outer reaches of the woodland. By chance, it is in the closest hut that Randall resides. The shack should block us from view from any passing along the main road.
Orrian tells me to wait as he crosses the small patch of grass and bends down at a fallen tree. He reaches inside its hollow body and pulls out our swords from the colony.
“You need to learn how to fight,” Orrian says.
“I can fight,” I say weakly. I feel ridiculous as soon as I’ve said it as I remember who I’m talking to.
“You can handle yourself,” Orrian admits, “but not well enough. To everyone else you need to be the Akanian. That means being more capable than the rest of them.”
I grit my teeth as I glower at the forest king. I’m eager to finally have the opportunity to properly train but not if it’s so that I can continue being a pretender.
Orrian throws the swords behind him, he now stands directly between me and them.
“Pick up a sword,” he says. The statement is clearly a challenge as he settles into a combative stance.
I throw myself forwards. As he moves to intercept, I change my direction at the last moment before contact hoping to sidestep around him. His body is too far off to the other side to get in my way, but he managed to get an arm around my stomach. Orrian catches me and pulls me into a hug from behind, as hard as I try, I cannot break free from his grip. He lifts me off my feet and grunts as he sends me sprawling over one shoulder, I’m back to where I started.
“Again,” he says.
I pant catching my breath, I should have known he’d be too
