Page 72 of An Archer's Redemption

I met Anabelle here, raised my son here, and planned to see my last sunset painted across the ocean’s shores here. There was no way some outsider would show up and tell me these people,mypeople, weren’t decent and good.

I couldn’t let that happen.

A chill gusted by and pimpled the skin on my arms. I laughed at myself when I realized, in my aimless wandering, I’d walked nearly a half league past the edge of town.

Time to go home. Anabelle’s waitin’ and’ll be madder than a hornet if I’m any later.

I kicked another rock and turned back to head home.

A couple strides later, something rumbled and roared from behind.

I turned and blinked a few times, unable to move.

A massive bear, fur dark as the night, towered over me. It roared and bared its teeth as a head-sized paw flew out of the darkness. Dagger-sharp claws ripped into my chest.

I staggered backward, eyes wide from shock and pain.

I tried to breathe, but fire bloomed and spread throughout my body.

The bear lumbered forward, its eyes never leaving its prey.

As another swipe descended, the one that could sever the arteries in my throat and snuff out my dreams of another sunset, a flicker passed through the bear’s eyes.

A recognition.

An almosthumanunderstanding.

Then the light of the moon and stars fled my eyes.

Chapter 31

Jess

“Your Majesty.” Ethan bowed. “The last of our troops has returned. Of the eighty thousand we assembled, ten thousand bogged down in the mountains and never made it into the theater. Their units were composed of newer recruits and archers. I have posted them at Huntcliff to guard the border and continue their training.”

I strummed my fingers against the arm of my throne, waiting for the bad news.

“Of the remaining seventy thousand, only twenty-two thousand have been accounted for. Of those, six thousand are wounded. We believe others will report over the coming months but expect no more than a few hundred. The rest either died, remained in Melucia, or returned to their homes upon crossing back into the Kingdom.”

“What about machinery? Siege equipment and transports?”

Ethan’s brow rose.

Had he not expected me to ask thoughtful questions? To understand the basic math and mechanics of warfare?

I tried not to be insulted. There was pride in his eyes.

Still, that surprise was hisfirstreaction made my fingers strum harder against the armrest.

“Carts and carriages accompanying the ten thousand at Huntcliff survived with only minor, weather-related damage. Roughly one-fifth of our carts and other transports returned with surviving troops. All our siege engines, heavy ladders, rams, and other machinery were lost.”

“All of them?”

He nodded.

“What about the navy?”

“Our fleet is intact. Few Melucian port towns possessed ballistae, and their ships were a collection of merchant vessels, so we encountered no resistance. I have recalled our ships to their home ports.”

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