The Guardians

Chapter 32

Will did what he could for the newly freed Guardians, but he feared that many of them wouldn't see the dawn of the next morning. One man seemed to have been completely broken, both body and soul. He crouched several paces away from his brothers, hugging himself. He refused any help offered by Will. He wouldn't even allow the Druid to touch him. Even Aiden, Neve, and Orin were run off. All four of them feared for his life. Another seemed to have lost his mind. He spoke to no one and stared off into the distance. Many more were sick and hopeless from their ordeal. Will administered to those that would allow his aid. His salves were applied to wounds, his herbs applied to compresses in an effort to break fevers. But Will knew that wasn't enough for many of them. They needed Lyra's intervention, but his fellow spellcaster had worn herself down during their rescue and retreat. He approached Neve, who was planted firmly next to Saren holding his hand.

He crouched next to him. "How is he faring?"

"I haven't seen a change in him. His flesh still burns."

Will prepared a compress with his salve and pressed it to Saren's forehead. "I'm not a healer but I can make potent healing salves. It should help keep him cool as he fights."

She nodded. The Druid stood to go check on the non-injured Guardians.

"Will." He turned back to Neve. "Thank you. I was wrong to doubt you coming along. I thought you were just a child wanting an adventure like the ones in the bards' tales."

"Those are just tales," he said with a small smile. "I wanted to come so I could help you and your kin. What Lyra lacks in spells, I have. We all have something to contribute to this war. I only hope we all survive to see the end."

As Will walked away, Saren suddenly squeezed Neve's hand.

"Saren?"

"You need to know that Arlan has spellcasters doing his dirty work," he whispered. His eyes were closed, too weak to keep them open. "You must be wary of their spells."

"How many?"

"I'm not sure. One I know is powerful enough to be a threat to us."

"Do you know if Grace, Kara, and Lex escaped?"

"I never saw them when we were captured. They either escaped or were killed." He squeezed her hand again, weaker than before. "I didn't want this life for you or Jean. I wanted you two to live normal lives."

"We would never have been happy living normal lives. And neither would you."

"Jean would still be alive. And you wouldn't be the last of us."

"You're not dead, Saren. Stop talking like that."

"I don't have long, Neve." His voice was beginning to grow weaker. "I want you to know that I love you, little sister."

"Don't." Saren fell limp, having slipped into unconsciousness. "Don't leave me, big brother," she whispered, fighting her grief. "I need you."

~~~

Arlan was pleased with himself. He had the people turning against the Guardians of Veloce and Sari. That foolish move of hers to attack his forces had been in his favor. The people were beginning to see that he was the stronger of the two. When he finally killed Sari and the throne was his, he would punish those who had dared stand against him. They would see his might and bend to his will. And no one would ever dare to stand against him or his heirs. Not even that sorceress that many spoke of in fear. When he had the throne, he would either force her to join him or destroy her. But first, he had to wipe out the Guardians completely. He didn't believe that stupid legend that Veloce's fate was directly tied to the Guardians. The Guardians were criminals; cutpurses and cutthroats given a second chance to redeem themselves as warriors for Veloce. What crock. There were no second chances in life. You either served your betters or you died. It was all peasants were good for. Serving their betters. He would not be soft like his nephew had been. Had he been harder on his subjects he would never have been assassinated by his own knight. He suddenly frowned. He'd forgotten about the Paladins. The order of warriors cleansed the kingdom of those spellcasters. He needed them to serve him. That was what they would be good for. They claimed to serve no one but he would force them to serve him if their commander valued the lives of his men. He took a parchment and began to draft a missive to the First Knight.