Tales of the Vangen: The Siege of Middengard (Book 2)

Chapter 28: Phantom

{Uncle says the rebels are acting up again down in the shanties, no doubt because of the siege keeping everyone's attention. So far the damage has been minimal: A few raided storerooms, some stolen equipment. Nothing substantial. Still, even from atop Ferrus Keep I can see the fires blazing down below and I wonder just how safe I truly am.}

-An excerpt from the personal journals of Brand Golbeggar, heir to house Golbeggar

"Shit."

Libro barged through the door, half carrying, half dragging Elba with him. The entire left side of his body burned with the effort, his hips, his ass, even his damnable leg a pricky, painful mess. The place was abandoned luckily, looking as if it hadn't been inhabited for centuries, walls covered head to toe in spider webs with a floor little more than dry, packed dirt.

"Shit, shit, shit."

With a groan Libro slammed the door shut and threw the bar down for good measure before the muscles in his legs finally gave out. He slithered onto the ground, careful in keeping Elba upright, the sight of her broken arm putting ice water in his guts. Damn but it looked bad. The bone in her elbow jutted out all wrong, not a sharp break through the skin luckily, but enough to make Libro question whether she'd be swinging her sword for a while.

"Where are we?" Elba croaked, eyelids fluttering as she tried to stay conscious. "I...Sigismund...he..."

"It's okay," Libro assured her. "We're safe. We're—," A loud commotion cut him off. Footsteps, loud clanking ones followed closely by the pitter patter of stamping feet and rattling chains.

"After him! Find him! After him!" An Iron Knight grated out, a host of slaves scrambling after it like dogs on the leash. Libro pressed his back against the door, slapped a hand over his mouth, nearly breaking his nose in the process. He felt the familiar chill of fear creep into him, through him, snatching at his breath, stealing every rational thought till it was almost unbearable. He wanted to run, wanted to leave Elba behind like he'd done to Elena in the past. Run, the voice in his head screamed. Run! Run! Run!

A hand pressed against his cheek. Libro flinched, had to bite his tongue not to cry out. Elba was looking up at him, eyes glittering in a sudden rush of clarity.

"It's okay," she said, mouthing out the words silently in order to keep quiet. "It's okay. It's okay." Libro took her hand in his own, giving it a gentle squeeze before pulling her in close, squeezing his eyes shut as if by some childish notion he could simply banish the monsters if he no longer saw them.

He still heard them though. The thump and patter of feet drew closer, window panes rattling with every heavy step, the house moaning and creaking as the wood settled. For a long, terrible moment, the world was nothing but sound.

Thump. Patter. Rattle. Thump. Patter. Rattle.

A shadow passed over the window, swallowing Libro in darkness. He sat there motionless, as still as a dormouse, jaw clenched tight, silent tears streaking down his cheeks. He didn't dare open eyes, instead imagining himself as a statue or a piece of furniture, anything that wasn't a living, breathing, waste of life.

The shadow passed. Slowly, almost painfully so, the sound of Libro's pursuers began to fade until only silence remained. With some effort he peeled his eyes open, the corners sore and wet from crying. Elba had gone deathly quiet, her body rigid, breath slow and steady, as if any movement would usher in a new spasm of agony.

How had it come to this, Libro thought. How had everything gone so wrong so quickly? The answer was obvious, really. He was a failure, and a colossal one at that. Twice now he'd charged into a melee thinking that bravery and courage alone could win the day and twice now it was Elba who'd pulled his ass out of the fire. Now they both were paying the price. She should have let him die the first time. It would have been easier that way. Better than having someone else suffer for his actions. It had happened to Dux, and Magus, and now Elba. He was a fool to think he'd be a good Captain.