Page 72 of Oath of War
As I carried my sleeping woman into the fortress, I noticed the increased number of civilians and just how many wore dark mourning clothes.
‘Where is Tomma?’ I asked a passing sergeant. My Nivale was dead to the world and didn’t even stir as I spoke.
‘With the herbalist, my lord,’ he answered. ‘They’re tending to the wounded.’
‘Good. Find him and tell him to meet me in my office with the report on Zalesie. And tell a maid to get Lady Annika’s room ready.’
As the man bolted to fulfil my orders, I adjusted my arms to make Ani more comfortable, wishing I could ease the frown on her face and erase the dark circles under her eyes. When we eventually made it to her room, she murmured something in her sleep, grasping my riding cloak so hard that rather than prise it from her grasp, I simply slipped it off, using the fabric to cover her as I lay her on the bed.
She looked so peaceful, yet so fragile. I smiled sadly as I bent to remove her boots before I sat next to her, unbraiding her tight plait.
She was the miracle this world didn’t deserve, a woman of immense power with a heart full of scars. I didn’t know how she was still willing to fight for what she believed was right, but I would forever be grateful I could be there to help her.
‘I love you, Nivale,’ I whispered, brushing the chestnut hair from her forehead. ‘Please don’t push me away because you are hurting. I’m not a dragon, but a simple soldier who yearns to give solace to your soul.’
‘My lord!’ Tomma stormed in, and I had never been so close to killing a subordinate.
‘Shh... sleep, sweetheart,’ I cooed when Ani inhaled sharply, gesturing for my second-in-command to get out before I took the head off his shoulders. Unfortunately, the damn man just stood in the doorway, a relieved smile on his face, as if my presence was some divine intervention he had long prayed for.
I stalked toward him, grinding my teeth, but as soon as I reached him, my anger abated. Tomma was injured. His left hand hung limply at his side, and deep gashes ran down hisneck, disappearing under a shirt that couldn’t hide the thick bandages.
‘Commander, is Master Alaric with you?’ he asked, wincing as his lifeless arm swung against the door. ‘We have many wounded, some gravely.’
‘No, Alaric left for Katrass. Let’s talk in my office. Annika has to rest, and we need to get ready to host an army. Did you know we lost Roan Fortress? Everyone was killed in a massacre a few days ago—’
He audibly gasped, and I paused, giving him a few moments to process the information.
‘I’ve heard nothing, my lord,’ he said. ‘Though, a couple of days after you left, the attacks began. Initially, small groups of the usual monsters were targeting villages and forest settlements. It scarcely warranted any attention—a squad of soldiers or a dragon or two to deal with them—but last week was different. The monsters became more organised, and we noticed they were acting with purpose.’
I frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Draugrs2 were in command, sir. They still looked like the fae nobles they once were, dressed in gilded armour, even if their desiccated skin was more like tree bark. But when we approached, their eyes shone with otherworldly violet light, and wherever the draugrs pointed, the monsters attacked. One even got me with its sword and almost severed my arm.’
‘Fuck, that must be how the Lich King controls them,’ I said, opening the door to my office. My adjutant jumped to his feet, dropping a stack of papers on the floor, but I only nodded without paying too much attention. ‘Tell me if we have any survivors from Zalesie. I saw the funeral pyre ...’
‘We evacuated most of the families when the attack started. It was Katja who convinced them to move to Varta Fortress, butsome men were just too stubborn, convinced they could defend their homes.’
Steeling himself, Tomma continued, ‘I was there for the last stand. We tried to take them, but there was just a few of us—a regular patrol group—when the attack started. The men who stayed behind were gathered in the middle, fighting with whatever weapons they could find. We were swarmed by spectrae and couldn’t help much, but they fought with bravery rarely seen amongst the common folks. In the end, we could only burn some bodies from above before the spectrae chased us away.’
‘Annika, she wanted to go ... I couldn’t refuse her.’ I sighed. ‘That town meant so much to her. She buried what was left of it. Someone will have to tell the survivors there is nothing to return to.’
‘Do you want me to talk to them, sir?’ Tomma’s question dragged me out of my brooding.
‘No, I’ll do it tomorrow. Your task is to establish regular communication with Dagome’s army,’ I said, shaking my head as a delayed wave of tiredness blurred my vision. ‘Use the junior riders. Send the first message at dawn. Reynard should be leading the troops along the river. That’s what I’d do. Tell them to try to find him—he must be briefed on what’s happening here. And call Katja. Ani will feel better having her around.’
‘Katja is with the wounded,’ he snapped before lowering his gaze under my scrutiny. ‘I’m sure she can find a moment for our lady, but I can’t force her to abandon her patients.’
The protectiveness in his tone made me smile. Before all this mess, I knew Tomma had hoped Katja would choose him. From the few interactions I’d observed between them, I’d guessed that if anyone had a chance with the no-nonsense herbalist, it was him.
‘How did she take it?’ The attack on Zalesie?’ I asked.
‘She is working herself to death,’ he said. ‘Katja eats and sleeps in the hospital. I’m worried, but she won’t listen to me. Still, if not for her, I would have lost my arm.’
I nodded. ‘Well, if she finds time, tell her to come to the castle. If not, just make sure she knows Annika is back, and tell that blacksmith, Bryna, too. Veles’ pit, why do I feel the best way for them all to cope would be locking them in the tavern’s basement with access to all of Ian’s spirits? Fuck, at this point, I’d happily join them.’
‘If you decide to do it, sir, count me in.’ Tomma nodded, a half-smile momentarily tugging at his lips. With a quick military salute, he turned and left. I looked at my adjutant, who had been silently trying to pick up the scattered documents from the floor, as I contemplated what to do next.
Annika had started opening up to me, and I didn’t want to jeopardise it by sleeping in her bed uninvited. That just meant I had to busy myself tonight, as I was sure I wouldn’t be able to sleep.
