Sentria: The War for Askeran (Book 3)

Chapter Sixteen: Holding Flames

Princess Ilya and I bathed in their pool room and I changed into a light blue buttoned shirt since my original shirt was stained with blood. Princess Ilya got dressed in a traditional water relic blue-draped blouse and loose trousers, yet somehow she didn't look any less regal. Eldwyn returned to us in the middle of the night. Qual told us that it might not be until morning and to get some sleep, but neither of us could do so until we were certain that Eldwyn was well. He was brought to the dining hall and we all hugged. He looked good as ever without a single cut on him and we were given rooms to stay for the night.

I stayed with Eldwyn and we lied side by side. I couldn't take my eyes off of him, happy that he was no longer injured and still just as fascinated by his beautiful appearance. I kissed him over and over again, gently holding onto lithe hip with my hand as if he still might be hurting and he kissed me back, content in the attention. I wanted him to feel wonderful and making him smile was the greatest reward. We went to sleep and woke up early to lazily kiss again until Princess Ilya knocked upon our door and we got up for breakfast. They had an abundance of laksum berries which made Eldwyn happy, and Ilya ad I had bread.

Qual had the healers gift us with remedies and potions for our travel and we thanked him. I gave him a gnose rock in return, then we left riding upon our bronze steed with the knowledge that we had to maintain the Sacred Sites. Already, I was plotting to ensure victory: the rock relics could maintain the Ark Library, the Water Relics could defend Lake Aksum, the Fire Relics could protect the Great Tree, and the Wind Relics could ensure that the Whitestone Wall holds. Our biggest concern were the wind relics. They had banished Eldwyn from his home and I could tell that this made him anxious. He held onto me tightly as we traveled eastward in the general direction of his village. The nature all around us was brown, yellow, and red as if summer was dying, and our path was bumpy and had lopsided mounds all around us like it was covered in welts. I wanted to ease his fears, and I held one of his hands firmly in mine.

"The wind relics will know your heart, Eldwyn," I said to him, as sure as the day was bright. "They know you and love you. This war changes everything. The rock relics and the water relics have vowed their aid and it will be an act of nobility for them to forgive you and join us in this war."

"I do hope so, knight," he said softly in my ear and it made me sit up straighter, like I wanted to be a wall protect him from all danger.

We kept traveling and Eldwyn pointed the way, listening to the songs on the wind and humming along. I told him that I had followed the wind to find the water relic village when we were lying in bed and he sounded proud of me. It made Princess Ilya laugh.

At midday we stopped to stretch our legs and snack on the bread and berries the water relics had packed for us. We had a few bottles of their spring water and we each took a sip for vitality, not wanting to waste it all.

Princess Ilya spun around a few times, kicking leaves up as the fabric of her new blue clothes caught every shift in the wind. "This reminds me of a song," she said and breathed in deeply before singing:

"Traveling all the day with my heart as my guide,
We walk a well-trod trail,
I should hope that on the morrow our fates should collide,
and that our quest will prevail,
For when—"

I smiled as I looked over at Eldwyn, but his face said that something was wrong. I wondered if he was worried about his wind tribe accepting him when ten Cordathian soldiers upon their horses surrounded us. Not again.

Princess Ilya stopped singing as a copper-clad Cordathian soldier broke from the ranks and walked up to us. He held onto his buckle and wore a long black cape...then I realized who he was, Captain Perry. With a sneered he sang sang: