The Blood of Amietta

XXV. The Liberation Camp

Evande guides Arabelle and I into the rectangular building. She parts the crowd easily, telling the sorcerers to get back to training as she leads us inside. I struggle to drag Noelani along– she's still unconscious. Deities, she's heavy. Maybe I should have asked for some help.

Arabelle holds the door for me as we enter a different part of the building that Noelani and I stormed out of earlier. This wing of the building is much larger. Instead of a narrow hallway, there's a series of open rooms.

"This is the main center of operations for the Liberation," Evadne explains. "There are a few other camps around Nirasus, but this one is by far the largest. We're considered a safe haven for sorcerers– a place to train while staying undetected by the queen and her Knights."

The four of us enter the largest room. It's filled with lots of comfy couches and little side tables– a common room of sorts. Evadne ushers us towards the back of the room, gesturing for us to take a seat. Arabelle helps me lower Noelani onto a bright purple couch. I squeeze onto the cushion next to the princess, eyeing her worriedly.

"When will she wake up?" I ask anxiously.

"Any minute now," Evande assures me.

Arabelle settles into one of the lounge chairs, following after Evande.

I turn towards my friend as something occurs to me. "Arabelle, where's Cormak?"

She frowns, her eyes finding Evande's as she silently asks the tall woman for help.

"We think Cormak is at the castle," Evande tells me. "He was captured, along with one of our bloodsorcerers, Morla."

"What?" Noelani sputters. She sits up instantly, flying out of her seat. I place a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down– I'm so relieved that she's alright.

"You were supposed to keep him out of trouble," I accuse Arabelle.

"I tried," she snaps, throwing her hands up. "He wouldn't listen to me."

"It's my mistake, not Arabelle's," Evande cuts in, glaring at us like a mother scolding her children. "I let him go on a simple supply run, but they got too close to the capital."

"What will the queen do to them?" I ask.

"Cormak should be fine," she says. "I can't imagine that the queen would harm her own child. It's likely they were captured because of Morla. Reina has the Niraki, and she's looking for a bloodsorcerer to free it from the hitchstone."

I frown. Not another hitchstone. "Why now after all this time?"

Noelani scoffs. "Because she finally has someone to use it on."

"You think the queen knows you're back?" Arabelle asks, putting two and two together.

The princess frowns. "Knowing my mother, I'm sure she does."

"Why would she want to use the Niraki on you?" she asks.

"To remove her magic," I explain when Noelani remains silent.

Noelani simply ignores Arabelle, her eyes meeting mine. I see the hint of fear in them even as she tries to hide it.

"I need to go get him," she says. "He's not safe there."

The slight shake in her voice breaks my heart. She just got her brother back, and now...

I move to grab her hand, but stop myself.

That's not my place, I remind myself firmly.

I turn towards Evadne. "How far is the capital?" I ask.