The Chronicles of Onyx: Book 1

Chapter Nine

Rok rode alongside Oldren, while Onyx confidently took the lead, or Lyra as she was now referred to. But beneath the surface, Rok's mind was plagued by suspicions about Oldren. He couldn't shake the feeling that the dwarf's intentions might not be as sincere as they seemed. Oldren had been quick to offer his help—too quick for Rok's comfort. It left him with constant doubts, questioning his own judgment for trusting the dwarf so readily.

"Maybe it's a trap, perhaps an ambush awaits us in the northern village," Rok pondered heavily, his thoughts filled with anger directed at himself for not being more cautious.

Oldren noticed Rok's silence and gave him a gruff look. "What's with ya? Yer been quiet," the dwarf regarded him with suspicion.

But Oldren's question only fueled Rok's anger farther. With a sudden burst of rage, he swung his steed around to face Oldren, pulling back hard on the reins, bringing his steed to a sudden stop. The act blocked the path for Oldren, as Rok's emotions threatened to boil over.

Rok's sudden outburst surprised both Oldren and Onyx. The horses snorted in protest as his steed came to a jarring stop, causing Oldren's mount to rear back slightly. Onyx reined in her horse and turned to face the tense situation unfolding before her.

"What's gotten into you?" Onyx asked, concern lacing her voice. She could see the anger in his eyes, and she knew that something had triggered him.

Oldren, too, looked bewildered by Rok's sudden display of aggression. "Easy now, lad," the dwarf said, trying to remain calm despite the tense atmosphere. "There's no need for this."

But Rok was not easily appeased. His emotions were running high, and he couldn't ignore the doubts and suspicions that had been festering within him. "Why did you help us?" Rok demanded, his voice edged with anger. "Why are you so eager to be part of this journey?"

Oldren raised an eyebrow, his gruff demeanor returning. "Ye be questioning my intentions, lad?" he retorted. "I joined this journey to lend me axe and find some adventure. Ain't that what we're all after?"

Rok's grip on the reins tightened, his jaw clenched in frustration. "I don't believe you," he said, his voice low and menacing.

Oldren's gaze hardened, and for a moment, it seemed like a clash was inevitable. "Ya claim to be after the actions of the Queen, yet ye question mine?"

"Easy, both of you," Onyx tried to interject, but her words seemed futile in the face of the escalating tension. And Rok wasn't backing down. "So, should I be concerned about your intentions, Dwarf?" he shot back, seeking any weakness in Oldren's story.

But Oldren's response surprised Rok. "I know who you are, Commander Rok," the dwarf spat out. Rok shifted his body weight, uncertain how to process his name being spat out like poison, by a stranger.

"I have contacts that spied on the Queen for years, and I have known ya for a long time," Oldren glared angrily at Rok, a hardened look about him. "I know what ya have done for the Queen. Yer were her favorite puppet, carrying out every command without question or thought. Ya killed disloyal subjects—only to become one yourself."

Oldren gestured towards Onyx. "As for her, my men never figured her out, but I know that whoever she is, she's awfully important to the Queen," he grumbled. "And I don't want to find out, and like ya, me want nothing more than to weaken her," he finished.

Rok's anger simmered, but confusion replaced it. "Why are you telling me this now?" Rok asked, his voice tinged with disbelief, slightly, his gruff exterior giving way to a glimpse of vulnerability.

Oldren's gaze softened "Because she might be important to the Queen, but she's also important to you, isn't she?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"So it is true that you don't know who she is?" Rok asked, his suspicions subsiding for the moment.

"Hell, lad, I don't even know her real name," Oldren admitted with a gruff shrug.

"Onyx, that is my name Onyx," Onyx called out from behind them, her arms crossed with an expression that clearly read, 'Are you finished yet?'

Onyx's interruption brought a momentary silence to the tense standoff. Rok and Oldren turned their attention to her, both slightly taken aback by her assertive demeanor.

"Enough with this bickering," Onyx said firmly, her eyes locking onto Oldren and then shifting to Rok. "We're on the same side, remember? Now if you're done squabbling—we need to move on".