Page 55 of Kingdom of Chains

‘Did you see Hodge?’ Hadewaye asked.

Alveye continued towards them. ‘Yes. He informed me that I was going home and offered nothing beyond that.’ He gesturedover his shoulder and lowered his voice. ‘Didwekill those people?’

Tatum shook his head.

Blackmane headed over to Ita, who was inspecting Rabbit’s wound, and crouched beside her. ‘Do you have someone who can take this arrow out?’

Ita nodded. ‘But they’re a long way from here.’

Rabbit was pale and sweating, obviously in a lot of pain.

‘Barbed or non-barbed?’ Hadewaye asked, appearing above them.

Blackmane reached for one of the missed arrows poking out of the ground, pulled it out, and inspected the tip. ‘Non-barbed.’

‘That makes no sense given their enemy doesn’t wear any armour, but’—Hadewaye looked at Rabbit and clapped his hands together—‘it’s good news for you. I can take it out for you.’

Rabbit shook his head. ‘No.’

Ita bit her lip. ‘It might be safer than leaving it in.’

Hadewaye pointed to a nearby tree. ‘Would you look at that? A juggling goat.’

Rabbit looked up, and Hadewaye tugged the arrow out of his leg.

‘Fuck,’ the rebel grunted.

Hadewaye pressed down on the wound and nodded in the direction of his horse. ‘Grab a bandage from my saddlebag, would you?’

‘Goats don’t climb trees,’ Rabbit said, staring at Hadewaye’s bloodied hand.

‘They also don’t juggle,’ Hadewaye replied, ‘but I’ll let that slide, because you look ready to pass out.’

Blackmane returned with supplies, and Hadewaye got to work bandaging the wound. Afterwards, Ita dropped her forehead to Rabbit’s shoulder, then looked up at the defenders. ‘Thank you.’

Hadewaye handed her a clean bandage. ‘You’ll need to change it later. You don’t want it getting infected.’

‘Right, yes. I can do that. Can you… can you help me get him on a horse?’ She looked at her dead friends. ‘And I’d like to take the others with us too.’

Blackmane could hear Isabel’s voice in his head.‘Are you just going to let her travel through the wastelands with an injured friend and two corpses in tow?’

He went to speak with Tatum.

The commander took one look at his face and said, ‘Ah, here we go.’

Blackmane quirked an eyebrow. ‘What does that mean?’

‘You’re about to do that thing.’

‘What thing?’

‘That thing where I’m over here making a plan, and then you show up with another one that’s in complete opposition to mine.’

Blackmane did not deny it. ‘I would like permission to remain behind and escort Ita home.’

Tatum gave Alveye an ‘I told you so’ look. ‘No. Hodge has made his wishes very clear. He wants us gone.’

Alveye cleared his throat. ‘That said, is it safe for a lady to travel through these parts with two dead companions and one barely holding on?’

---