Eliona's War 1: Hesitant Healer

Chapter 40

They were on the way back to the trenches when a woman stepped in their way.

She wore a knee-length coat that had once been light beige, but now was stained with dirt and suspicious reddish-brown smears. The coat's sleeves had been torn off to show her muscled arms. She had short dark hair threaded in gray, and definite crow's feet that deepened when she set eyes on Orion.

"Well, well," she crooned. "I was wondering what the stench was. Turns out it was just you, Orion."

"Subella," Orion evenly returned. He tried to go around her, but she maneuvered to block him. His eyes narrowed. "I see you survived the battle. A pity."

She noticed Severance standing awkwardly to the side and one side of her lips lifted into a sneer. "You sleazy windbag of a flea. No wonder you're looking so refreshed. You've got an Outsider doing all your work."

What's even happening? Going by the name over her head, Overseer Subella, Severance could see that she was Orion's coworker. Yet this wasn't how coworkers treated each other. At least, he didn't think so, going by his one day of job experience.

Orion arched a brow. "Some of us are intelligent enough to know when to delegate. Work too hard and you start to look like a hag. But I suppose that's something you would be intimately familiar with, Subella."

"Ha!" Subella barked a laugh. "Does using all of those big words make you feel smart? Your mama must be so proud. Oh wait, you don't have one. Poor man, no wonder you turned out so miserable."

Orion drew in a long breath from between his teeth, a low hiss of sound. Even Severance could see that Mount Orion was about to erupt.

Okay, this is getting ridiculous!

"Hey," Severance raised his hand. "Maybe—"

Subella chuckled, a low sound that made Severance instinctively back away. She was like a purring tigress that just spotted her next meal.

She sauntered over to Orion and placed a hand flat on his chest.

Orion's eyes narrowed further, but he didn't move. He just turned his head and gave her a cold stare out of the side of his eyes.

"This isn't the time, Subella."

"It's always the time," she hissed. Then she leaned in and—

Oh gross!

Severance immediately whirled. What the heck? He pressed both palms against the sides of his face. This was too much. One second the two were spitting fire at each other, and the next they were doing something very different.

"Subella," Orion murmured behind him.

"Shhh."

Severance shuddered. Nope. That wasn't part of his duties in 'aiding Orion'. He hurried on, giving them a wide berth, and slid into the trench. It was crowded with warriors who had just returned from the battle, most of them looking like they'd gone through the grinder.

He paused. They'd been healed already outside, but just to be on the safe side, he waved his staff. "Radiant Dome."

There were a few surprised murmurs when the transparent dome fell over them, but Severance didn't linger. He slipped deeper into the trench, looking for a quieter section. He found it near the food supplies. Sacks of grain were piled up against the dirt wall, and he sank onto them with a grateful sigh.

Finally. Finally, he could have some peace and quiet to—

"Seeeeeev! Where are you? I'm here!"

He groaned and buried his face in his hands. Awesome Dude had the worst timing in the entire history of humankind.