The prospect of losing him, in particular, was too much to bear. She loved him in a way she'd never loved anyone before. She loved him with an almost nauseating ferocity—couldn't even be separated from him without suffering mysterious pains—and after all that had transpired between them, she could no longer doubt that he, too, loved her. It was a complete love, a comfort that she had only begun to take shelter in.
And now, it was possible that Kaleb, too, would be taken from her.
Together, they began a slow stroll for Pandling Grounds, to join Mau. Their job wasn't finished yet; they still had to make sure that the area was secure—lest Kaleb's participation in the spell be for naught. “It won't do much good for me to roll the dice if Torrent and his guys take over Pandling Grounds and Pan before the ritual is over, you know?” he said as they started back through the tree city. “Let's see how many survivors we have and treat the wounded. I can do a quick run overhead, too, and scare off any loiterers still poking around the ruins of the Trading Center. That might give us a little time. What do you think?”
Minx's head was spinning. She could hardly discuss matters like battle tactics or future plans without flinching at the possibility of his death. She followed without a word, bumping into Mau after several minutes of wandering near the borders of Pandling Grounds.
Don't get your hopes up, but... things seem quiet. For the moment, anyhow. The Trading Center is a mess, but the enemy forces haven't pushed through yet. They may come soon—maybe even in the night—but I've been touring the borders and I haven't seen a single Wuff yet. A living one, anyway...
Her wanderings with Kaleb only served to solidify this encouraging report, but recalling how her pristine morning had been transformed into a nightmare by the unexpected rush of the dark army, Minx knew better than to put stock into first impressions. “I think a scouting mission is definitely in order. Maybe we can gather a handful of men—the uninjured—and send them out for reconnaissance. There's no way the First would ever allow you to go,” she added with a sharp glance at Kaleb. “You're too valuable a resource to us now.” It was true that the First would almost certainly forbid Kaleb from engaging in any risky behaviors before the warding spell had been refreshed, but Minx's words were also subtly self-serving. For all she knew, this would be the last of their nights together—forever. She could not bear the thought of losing him in a nighttime sortie on the fringes of Fae territory. No, until the moment came when the Elders were prepared to begin their solemn work, Minx was determined to keep him by her side.
They proceeded to take stock of the well and the wounded, finding amongst the sorry masses a handful of warriors who had been trained as rangers. Four of these were rounded up and tasked with patrolling the region. An additional two were instructed to linger on the periphery of Pan itself in set locations, to act as messengers between the scouts and the Fae officials in the city. With the First currently dealing with the Elders, her father enfeebled and the remainder of the High Council either dead or missing, Minx took the task of administration upon herself. She was the most senior of the surviving warriors and, having just become incorporated into the Silence, considered it her duty.
From time to time, Mau would join the scouts in their solemn patrols, too fidgety to remain idle. The Faelyr, fur constantly bristling at the sight of destruction nearby, was itching for a fight. I wish we could just get this over with. Can't Torrent just rear his head already?
Minx, who remained at Kaleb's side in a peaceful glade near one of the established messenger outposts, knew that things weren't nearly so simple. Even if Torrent is defeated, things aren't going to go back to normal, Mau. The world is forever changed. The kind of life we knew just weeks ago is gone, unfortunately. If we survive this... if we win out, then there will be time to rebuild. She couldn't help but look at Kaleb as she continued. But some things will be lost forever. Not everything that's been destroyed can be replaced.
The scouts tread silently about the smoldering ruins of the Trading Center and fanned out beyond its broken borders, taking stock of movement on the plains. They sometimes glimpsed small groups of roving warriors, but they were careful not to engage them, lest they put themselves at risk. Instead, they watched as stray Wuffs and Krah wandered about the plains, many of them injured. None seemed poised to stage a push further into the lands of the Fae, and as the day progressed into evening, even these distant sightings dwindled. By nightfall, the only evidence of surviving dark warriors came in the form of far-off orange lights issuing from their hasty campfires.
The whole of Pan breathed a sigh at this tenuous peace. The air remained saddled with tension, and the eyes of the scouts remained wide and alert even as the first group was replaced by night-shifters, but a pleasing silence stole over the land and almost seemed to smother the foul memories of the day prior.
As she'd done the night before, Minx remained beside Kaleb, dozing intermittently against his crimson bulk. The comfort afforded by his nearness was incredible—therapeutic, even. Nestled against him, she felt
