Page 4 of Oath of War
‘I swear I’ll kill you,’ I whispered. ‘Even if it ends me,I swearto the gods above and below I will be your death.’ With deliberate precision, I pressed my bleeding thumb to my chest and drew the bloody sigil of an unbreakable oath on my skin.
I was the last living conduit mage in the kingdom, and with fury in my heart and vengeance in my soul, I bound myself to an Oath of War.
1.Latawiec(s.)/latawce(pl.)/pron:Lata-vi-etc/—shapeshifting demons. They flew in the wind currents. Their physical bodies were similar to large birds, with sharp claws and colourful feathers, but they had human heads.
‘Ugh ... What the fuck is ...? What’s that smell?’ I groaned, confused and still half-dazed. I lifted my hand to wipe my eyes, but something cold and solid halted my movement.
The metallic clatter of chains shattered the fog clouding my mind, the frighteningly familiar sound jolting me fully awake. A quick glance confirmed where I was—the garrison’s smithy.
Why the hell am I here?
I tried to stand, but the sharp bite of iron around my wrists and ankles held me down. Looking closer, I saw the crude iron shackles digging into my skin.
And why the fuck am I chained up like some wild beast?
‘Which idiot locked me up in here?’ I shouted, yanking at the restraints.
The chains groaned under the force before one gave way, snapping with a loudcrack.
‘Gods, it’s starting again. Get the mage!’
Panicked voices erupted around me. One soldier bolted, his footsteps fading rapidly. Another stood frozen, sword half-raised, the blade trembling in his grasp.
‘Sir, please—my lord, stop! You need to control yourself!’ His voice cracked as he spoke, his throat working visibly. The sword wavered, his fear more palpable than the steel in his hand.
Anger warred with caution as I struggled to piece together what had happened. The last clear memory I had was of finding a barely conscious Alaric in our bedroom and no sign of Annika.
‘Fuck!’ I roared, swinging my fist, breaking the other chain in the process. Panic surged in my chest, feeding the relentless urgency pounding in my head.
I have to find her. Now.
‘Good, you’re conscious,’ Alaric gasped as he burst into the forge. ‘Orm, stay with me. Everybody else ... Get out, now!’ His voice snapped like a whip, scattering the onlookers.
He grabbed my face, his hands firm but grounding, pulling me from the storm raging inside. His touch was steady, and my heart thudded slower as I met his gaze, the swirling gold in his eyes drawing me in.
‘That’s it,’ he murmured, his hand sliding down to rest on my bare chest, just over my heart. ‘Stay with me, Orm. Listen to my voice. I can’t lose you to the berserker. Not again.’
‘Why am I here?’ I demanded, my voice rough but calmer.
‘You lost . . .’ Ari hesitated, his breath catching as he pulled back, but I stopped him, placing my hand on his. He frowned briefly before continuing, ‘You lost control of your wild magic after learning about . . .’ He paused, his jaw tightening. ‘When Tomma told you Ani was gone, you ... snapped. You destroyed the room trying to rush after her. Gods, Orm, you nearly tore through a solid stone wall. Several men were injured trying to stop you. If it wasn’t for Vahin and that half-orc blacksmith stepping in ...’ He shook his head, his voice trailing off.
The memory hit me like a tidal wave. I remembered reaching for Annika’s bond, only to find nothing but bleak, suffocating emptiness. The shock had torn my world apart, and everything else was lost in a pure, unbridled rage.
I locked eyes with Alaric, and in that moment, I knew—everything had changed. My life had always been consumed by duty: serving a country teetering on the edge of chaos, protecting a king whose fear had led us here. And for what? To lose the one piece of happiness I had?No.This was the end.
I tried to speak, but the words stuck in my throat, scorched away by grief. Still, I forced them out.
‘I can’t feel her ... her soul. I can’t feel Ani anymore.’ My voice was raw, barely a rasp, as the pain cleaved through my chest. Alaric nodded solemnly.
‘I know. Vahin said that too, but Orm—’
‘Is she dead?’ I interrupted, desperation surging. ‘Did you find her body? We need to find her. I need to hold her one last time. I can’t let her go behind the Veil alone, and without the rites. She hated sleeping alone, Ari!Fuck, why—?’ My voice broke, the words fracturing under the weight of despair. ‘It’s my fault. I failed her. And now she’s dead.’
The realisation clawed at me, a merciless ache. I would never see that teasing glint in Ani’s eyes again. As if it knew, the mindless void opened its maw, beckoning me back into sweet oblivion.
‘She’s not dead, Orm!’ Alaric’s voice cut through the darkness. ‘Listen to me. She isn’t dead. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. Ani is alive.’
‘What?’ I froze, my heart pounding. ‘But ... why can’t I feel her Anchor?’
