The leaves rustled in response.
"Come. Let's return to the others," Ryl ordered. "We'll rest in Tabenville tonight. We move into the Erlyn on the morrow."
Chapter 41
The light of the day had waned by the time Ryl, Andr and Kaep reached Tabenville. Though the hour was getting late, the normally sleepy settlement was bursting at the seams with the added numbers. Likely, never in the history of the work camp, had so many been assembled together.
Tributes—in a development that would have been considered beyond the bounds of possibility merely a week ago—shared the space with guards. The extrinsically opposite pair now coexisted in relative harmony. In only a matter of a few short days the bonds of trust had more than just been formed. The seeds of trust between them had not only been planted but watered in the blood of battle.
Though still only a small percentage of those trained in the ways of war throughout the Kingdom, the guards with them had thrown a millennium of fallacy to the wind, acting on the side of morality. The tributes, for their part, understood the sacrifices the guards who stayed with them under the command of Captain Le'Dral and Lieutenant Moyan had made.
They too were now outcasts.
Traitors to the crown.
Traitors to Damaris.
They had been sentenced to death at the hands of those who they'd served with only days before.
The return trek through the woods was a quiet affair. All had seemingly been lost in thought. Andr's strength had returned rapidly, and his need for support, whether through recovery or stubborn pride, had ended soon after they left the heart of the Erlyn.
They were greeted warmly by the contingent of guard standing watch over the entrance to Tabenville. Dav stopped the party for a brief word, noting that nothing of import had occurred during their absence. His shift on guard was to end shortly, and Soldi would be taking his place with the fresh eyes of a new squad of guards.
The fields lining either side of the hard-packed dirt path were eerily quiet and barren. Ryl had grown accustomed to nearly constant activity among the crops. It was still hard to believe that a little over a cycle earlier, he had been tending the fields with his own hands.
The paddock alongside the stable had been hastily modified, with construction still underway to contain the influx of cavalry that now resided within its confines. Several guards still tended to the horses. Others, off duty, caught what slumber they could on the floor of the interior.
Tents had sprung to life in the central square of Tabenville, providing a temporary respite from the pervasive mists. The storehouse and barracks were occupied by the guards resting before their shift was to begin as well as a score of tributes. The officer’s quarters, housing the majority of the injured and those tributes who had been rescued from the horrors of the facility, was thankfully quiet. Ryl knew that inside Mender Jeffers still labored tirelessly over his charges. His smile grew at the thought of Sarial standing beside him, caring for those in need of assistance.
They were an unlikely pairing. Yet, one which brought him a considerable measure of joy.
A group of guards stood alongside the entrance to the newly established infirmary inside the officer’s quarters. Ryl immediately recognized Le’Dral, Millis and the hulking frame of Moyan lingering before the gate.
Without warning, his mind flashed back to his earlier trips to Tabenville. The hatred emanating from the pack of guards standing around the late sub-master Osir was toxic. It choked the air with a maleficence that paled even the all-encompassing mist from the nearby falls. He turned his head to the side, catching a quick glance of Andr.
His tale could have ended there. His short and tortured life could have ended that night. The guard whom he’d never met prior to that afternoon had fished him from the dredges of the pool, whisking him to safety.
So much had changed since then.
They had been slaves to the Kingdom. Damaris’ cursed, yet coveted, resource.
Now they were free.
Far from being free from danger, yet free they were.
Le’Dral hailed them as they approached. His voice was kind, and there was a sense of relief that was visible in the way he carried his body. He too had experienced reunion over the last few days. Close allies, once thought lost to the travesty of the Kingdom had revealed themselves. Millis and Moyan had not only survived, they’d returned at his time of greatest need.
Kaep caught Ryl as they approached the captain.
“I’ll see to Vox,” she stated quietly. “Then I’ll relieve Ramm’s watch over Elias.” From countless hours of training, he’d grown to understand the subtleties of her moods. The inflection of her words was cold in comparison to her norm. Though likely unnoticeable to most, since her interaction with the Erlyn, she carried herself with a gait that was anything but normal.
Kaep hastened on without another word or waiting for a response.
Ryl followed her with his eyes as her lithe figure retreated up the stairs to the officer’s quarters. He was confused by her newly reticent attitude.
What had the Erlyn provided her behind the veil of leaves?
Her single word answer had broached no further inquiries.
“Understanding,” was all she had said.
Le’Dral cleared his throat, breaking Ryl’s unintentional stare as the door to the officer’s quarters closed silently behind Kaep. A sly grin pulled up on the corners of his lips, though it disappeared as quickly as it had come.
“Will we see more assistance from the woods?" The captain posed the question that was likely on
