To Bind in Blood

Chapter 45

Aelider woke Jurion Calustus with a kick to the base of his cot. "Up, Great Lord."

The man shot upright in an instant, his hand reaching for a weapon. He froze when he saw Aelider, squinting in the dimness of the tent. "How did you get in here?"

"This is my tent," Aelider sniped. He and the Great Lord had needed a place to discuss things after the Great Lady went missing. Marc had denied responsibility for the kidnapping, and Aelider had watched the Great Lord pace nearly all night after being unable to locate his wife, until finally the man collapsed into a spare cot and settled into a restless sleep.

The Great Lord shook his head, like he was trying to reorient himself. He pressed a hand to his chest, wincing, then rubbed his forearm. "What is wrong?"

"Remas. We're surrounded." Aelider was unable to keep the urgency from coloring his tone. His troops, along with the small Quellen force, were rushing out to meet Marc's troops that encircled their camps.

Minutes later they were marching out to where Marc had reportedly planted himself to wait. The Reman emperor was in his battle dress, surrounded by scores of armored guards. His gray cloak fluttered behind him in the breeze, the fabric edged in gold that glinted in the sun. He made a menacing figure, though Aelider would not allow himself to be intimidated.

"What have you done?" Aelider spat as soon as Marc was within hearing range. Soldiers settled into place around them, weapons drawn.

The emperor scoffed. "What have I done? Nothing, at least not yet. Consider this a warning."

"A warning? That you will begin a war and kill us all? The Great Lord told me what you told the Great Lady."

Marc's mouth curled into a sneer. "I have a hard time believing you truly want to avoid war, General Aelider. You only want revenge for your empress's death."

"I have told you that I am sick of it. I want no more to do with you. I only want Cicerus."

"What Cicerus does and where he is is none of my concern. We have parted ways."

"Where is my wife, Marc?" The Great Lord took a step forward, looking ragged with those shadows beneath his eyes.

"Come, now." Marc swung out an arm. "Did I not grant you permission to search my camp, just hours ago? Your wife is not here, Great Lord. If you insist, I will allow you to search again. That is, if you are willing to brave my soldiers who have been ordered to shoot to kill."

Aelider still did not understand how the blood magic worked. The Great Lord said he had a vague sense of the Great Lady, but he could not discern where exactly she was.

Marc placed his hands on his hips, his sword still hanging at his waist. "I will, however, accept complete and total surrender, should you both-"

"Be quiet." The Great Lord flung out an arm, startling Aelider.

"What now?" Aelider said, rubbing his chest from where he'd nearly had the breath smacked out of him. Marc looked miffed at having been interrupted.

The Great Lord's head tilted, his expression distant. Suddenly he bolted in the direction of the Quellen camp with a shout for his soldiers to stay put. Aelider was too perplexed to call after him, watching the fleeing form disappear behind a row of tents. He turned to meet Marc's baffled gaze.

The emperor's face was red with irritation. "Where does he think he . . ."

Aelider shrugged, wondering if the Great Lord's departure was enough to prompt the Remans to attack. "Shall we go see?"

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Blood pounded in his ears, in his veins, calling him onward. To her.