“Who?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Oh yes it does. I almost got killed today over it so I think I’ve just earned the right to know whose life is more important than mine.”
“Would you stop it? It was an accident. I didn’t mean for you to get hurt.”
“So? I did get hurt. Was you hurting this other guy also an accident? I can’t imagine you doing something on purpose.”
“Thanks.”
Eric wasn’t used to hearing sarcasm from Ryan. That was his domain. But when the knight didn’t answer the question, he repeated it.
Ryan sighed irritably and admitted over his shoulder, “Yes.”
“Okay great. Now we’re getting somewhere. So it was an accident. Why don’t you forgive yourself and forget about it? And get on with your life. And stop letting it cause other accidents?”
“Well what right do I have to get on with my life if he can’t get on with his?” Ryan snapped. He didn’t mention that there was no forgetting about it, not with a daily reminder, but he didn’t want to let on too much. He didn’t think he could stand them knowing the truth. It was better to let them wonder at his preoccupations – even if they thought less of him for it – than to see their knowing eyes on him all the time.
“Why, is he dead?” Eric asked.
“No, he’s not dead,” Ryan answered in annoyance.
“Then what? Paraly–” Eric stopped in mid word. It made all the sense in the world and he didn’t know why he hadn’t realized it before.
Ryan had stiffened and silence hung heavy in the air. Suddenly the rogue realized that everyone was listening to their conversation.
“Was it Daniel?” Eric asked quietly. Ryan turned his head away again, fists and jaw clenched. In the silence, Eric asked more pointedly, “Did you paralyze Daniel?”
He didn’t mean it to sound like an accusation, but Ryan now whirled around, his face turning red with fury. He visibly struggled for words before finally responding.
“Yes!” he shouted. “It was Daniel, all right? I paralyzed my brother, God damn it. Is that what you wanted to know? Does that make you happy? I’m the one who put him in that fucking wheelchair for the rest of his life. I was the one who was fucking around and knocked him off the trampoline. It was me, God damn it!”
Eric was suddenly aware of Ryan’s size, having seen big, angry men take out trained martial artists before. If he’d known his questions would lead to this revelation, he’d have gone about it differently. Now he tried to defuse the situation. “It was an accident,” he started.
“So? What difference does that make? He’s still paralyzed.”
“Intent matters, and you know it does. It’s why I’m not mad at you for healing the ogre desp–”
“Oh really? You sure sounded mad a minute ago. Don’t you fucking pity me, God damn it. I don’t need that shit from you.”
Eric opened his mouth to reply but Anna’s hand on his arm stopped him.
“Ryan,” she started quietly.
He glanced at her. “Oh what do you want?”
She bit her lip. “To see you happy.”
He seemed to swallow a retort before thinking of something else to say. “Good, then you can learn how to heal by magic or whatever it is, and when we get back home you can fix Daniel. That will make me happy, and nothing else.”
Politely, she responded, “You know I’m going to try for your sake as much as your brother’s, but you should prepare for the possibility that it won’t work and find a way to accept what’s happened. Otherwise you’ll be miserable for the rest of your life. Is that really what you want?”
“As a matter of fact, it is,” he said snidely. “Why do I deserve to be happy when Daniel isn’t?”
“Why are you so sure he’s unhappy?”
“How can he not be?” Ryan interrupted incredulously.
“He’s moved on with his life, adapted to the injury, and found a purpose, just like everyone else does with their lives. He finished college, got a job, and has a life, but you quit school, won’t work, and you won’t do anything with your life so you’re available to him all the time. That’s great in spirit, but he doesn’t need or even want that. He wants you to live your life, too, but you’re the one who’s held back by what happened.”
He glared at her, wanting this conversation to end. “Well you’re going to fix that by healing him, and since you’re all so determined to help, I expect to see everyone doing just that.”
Chapter 13 – A Ruin Alive
The dark silhouette of a castle stood out against the night sky, a handful of lights twinkling in its black windows like stars. The moonlight showed no details of it or the surrounding mountains, but the path to it had been easy enough to follow. Below, the dark tree tops of the forest swayed in the night breeze, hiding whatever lay underneath and suggesting the forest teemed with activity. The rustling leaves were audible all the way up here and gave them the creeps.
As Cirion’s mercenaries watched the castle, a sight they weren’t expecting caught their eyes. Another silhouette, this time of two giant wings attached to a thick body with four legs and a long tail, rose up from within. With powerful strokes, the dragon soared into a nearby cloud to disappear. Relaxing, they realized now might be a good time to get through the gate before it came back.
The winding road into the mountains had hidden them from the castle’s inhabitants, since trees had claimed what Darlonon abandoned. Likely knowing nothing of fortifications and keeping lines of sight open, the cult members, hired mercenaries, and a handful of ogres, had unknowingly allowed Cirion’s mercenaries to get up here without resistance, but they weren’t the only ones here.
A young wizard leaned against a boulder to save his strength, not at all happy with how much he’d been relied upon to get past the
