Page 52 of The Nightmare Queen

She gives me a pointed look, “I am not a child. I can walk a few fucking feet. Besides now I’m all fixed up. See, your kingdom is worth a damn for something.”

The briefing tent was just as chaotic as earlier, only this time the smell of death and disappointment hangs over everyone. All of us are still bearing most of the blood from earlier too. Whether it’s more our own or others I am not sure.

“What I want to know is how the hell they retaliated so quickly.” Will barks sparking arguments to break out all around the room. Accusations are thrown Eveera’s way by one of my captains who questions her on why killing General Thornbirk didn’t buy us more time.

“It didn’t work because none of you listened to a damn word I said. Itoldyou they would retaliate quickly. Never mind my battle knowledge or my military’s. Never mind the fact they’ve bested you guys almost every time. Of course they launched an attack.” She snaps.

I rest a hand on her shoulder. “According to Queen Eveera they have some newfangled weaponry. Ballistas…and others I need to look into. Baelor is…resourceful we all know that already.” I wouldn’t be surprised if Baelor were just sitting back accumulating soldiers. What he lacks in a Wield he wants to make up for in brute force and numbers and now apparently in ammunition.

A voice I don’t recognize takes a turn, the boy it came from looks around nervously, “maybe this is all a lost cause.” He says quietly. He wears captain’s colors on his armor but they look too big for him. Mentally, I count my captains noticing one missing and then my eyes fallto the kid. Regret blooms in my chest, realization dawning that the kid probably just got promoted thanks to his commanding officer dying.

“Snap out of those thoughts Captain or you’ll end up dead or wishing that you were.” Bennett orders.

Nobody talks for awhile until I hear a slight gasp from Eveera. “Oh gods.” She says quietly. “How did I not realize?”

“Realize what?” I ask low into her ear.

She looks up at me, her hand smoothing across her bandaged stomach. The motion sends a twinge of guilt through me. Ezra’s right,I am also a reason that she ended up the way she did today.

“We have a leak.” She answers.

“What do you mean?” Another captain of mine asks.

She falls forward, bracing her hands on the edge of the wooden table. Her face is twisted in pain as she finishes her thought. “Imean, yesterday, I saw someone. Someone in a very noticeably gold armored uniform.”

Will sputters, “and you didn’t think to mention that yesterday?” His answer is the swish of the tent flap as she walks away from the conversation. “Great. Off she goes, again.” He grits. The captains begin arguing, trying to work out a plan so I signal for Bennett and Will to take over, while I step outside after her.

Following her has become a recurring theme, you realize that right?The voice inside my head chastises as cool air hits my cheeks. “Eveera!” She stops and slowly turns back around. “Hey, where are you going?”

“Ugh, why are all of the men in my life so needy." She pouts as I frown down at her. "I’m going to go handle our leak.”

I’m stunned for a moment, shocked that she feels healed enough to do whatever it is she’s about to. “Do uh- do you even know who it is?”

She smiles, walking her fingers up my arm and then patting my cheek with as much condescension she can muster, “of course I don’t. That’s the fun part. I get to figure it out, and then I get to play.”

Oh good. My base camp is going to become Eveera’s little shop of horrors. Perfect.

Rorin

“What does she mean she gets to play?” Will whispers in my ear.

Eveera demanded that I line up the remainder of our men for questioning. I didn’t know exactly what was up her sleeve, but I could guess the culprit won’t survive whatever she has planned.

Looking over the formation of soldiers all I see is exhausted and confused men and women. Already beaten, bloodied, and bruised. Eveera’s pacing in front of them, clad in nothing but the bandages wrapping her torso and a pair of leather pants. Her sword tip drags along the ground while she scrutinizes them.

She stops and slowly her tendrils begin leaking from her. I search for who she’s zeroed in on but her eyes are at their feet not their faces.

“There.” She points and a blood curdling scream rings out. “Him.”

Her moves are lithe, winding through the crowd to crouch before the soldier. She takes the collar of his undershirt and drags him out of formation. We leave the rest of the soldiers to stay still - waiting for a dismissal that won’t come until we have the answers we need.

The man kicks and screams while her tendrils bind around him, dragging him along. The way her magic manipulates and moves between both material and non is strange even for a Wield, she looks more like a demon reaping the earth than a human queen.

With a flick of her wrist her tendrils secure the man to the back of her horse. “She’s going to pull him behind her? Aren’t you going to do something?!” Will shrieks.

I shake my head. “If he’s the leak then he’s part of the problem. There’s nothing I want to do for him.”

Will’s mouth drops like I’ve struck him. “S-so you’re just going to let her—”

---