The Seventh Flame

Chapter 5

-Enair-

Enair's eyes drooped, and his shoulders started to hunch forward. Shifting his feet from side to side was the only thing keeping him awake. After seven long hours of standing, he was ready for someone to come switch out for him. There had been no signs of trouble coming their way, and he didn't think there would be anytime soon.

To the outside, Hillwood looked like any small village. Those who lived in it new better. They were not simple peasants, and they were not farmers. They were the Ardere. Hiding in plain sight. Any knights in search of their lost princess would maybe ask if the people had seen anyone suspicious around, but other than that, they would ride right past. For that reason, Enair didn't think two guards were needed to guard one, extremely weakened, girl.

"Open your eyes Fredrick." Kaira grumbled beside Enair, slouching against the wall.

"I just heard you snoring less than five minutes ago." Enair rolled his eyes, stretching his arms over his head, "I let you rest, now why don't you get off my back?"

"I was not resting. Nor was I snoring." She grinned, poking him in the side with the pitchfork she held. Just two farmers standing outside their rundown stable. That's all they were supposed to look like to anyone passing by. It was dumb. Enair felt like he could be doing more. After over a year with the Ardere he thought he'd be doing more than standing post. He wanted to be fighting battles, slaying corrupt kings. He wanted to be part of the reason their kingdom prospered.

Instead, he was standing beside a girl who joined only a month ago. Sure, Kaira was loyal, skilled, and would no doubt move up the ranks fast... Enair just thought he'd be doing bigger things by now.

"Come on, I've been standing here for so long. Let me shut my eyes for a bit."

"I've been standing here for just as long as you, and you don't see me complaining."

"That's because you took a nap." Enair snorted, crossing his arms in slight annoyance. He just wanted to be done for the night. Return to his fake home with the fake family he slept with. Sonia, the fake wife in his household, would've made a nice meal by now. He could only hope their 'children' – who, in reality, weren't much younger than him – hadn't eaten it all. But Sonia was one of their healers, her main priority is to keep everyone safe. She, surely, would set a plate aside for him.

"I did not fall asleep." Kaira snapped, breaking Enair from his thoughts of food.

"Whatever you say." Enair answered in a sign-song voice. Kaira was usually a fairly friendly person who could tolerate his usual teasing, yet he could tell he was starting to grate on her nerves. That's what happened after hours on your feet. Even the best of people turn irritable and frustrated. Enair knew he was. He was annoyed Kaira would not let him close his eyes, even though he knew she was in the right. If Caiden came back and he was sleeping at his post... there would be hell to pay.

Enair liked Caiden. He was one of the best commanders and always had a good joke to crack. However, if you got on his bad side, it was a whole other story. People had left the Ardere simply because they got on the wrong side of Caiden and he made their lives horrid. At the moment, Caiden liked Enair, and so Enair was happy. But he knew if he made the wrong move, he would be no better than the girl they had locked up.

"Did you hear that?" Kaira's back straightened and she no longer leaned against the wall. Enair blinked at her slowly, he had heard nothing, and he had the feeling Kaira was just trying to get back at him for accusing him of sleeping. "Fredrick, open your eyes. There's something out there."

"My eyes are open." He grumbled irritably, looking around. There was not a single movement in the silent night. Either Kaira was hallucinating, or she was just trying to rile him up.