Song of Blood and Reign

Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Jai kept close to Lyv's side, but she was the one who was doing everything, though he gave her every bit of magic of his she needed. They went from cot to cot, healing everything from cuts and bruises to broken bones and dislocated limbs. Elia and Dain were there, too, along with Ada, walking through the makeshift infirmary tent and watching Lyv heal every one of the Ceron people who were hurt.

Whenever she was finishing up with the last of those injured and was washing off the blood and dirt from her hands, shouts sounded from outside, along with the beating of dragons' wings and hoofbeats of the horses. Jai left Lyv's side then to go out with Ada, seeing the Dalcaine forces just outside the outskirts of the camp.

"Everything all right?" Gideon asked as he, Thia, Allel, and Kalla jumped off their horses.

Jai nodded, clasping him on the shoulder. "Gyver and Avice are still out of it, but they're healed."

"And Lyv's finishing up with everyone else who was hurt," Ada sighed. She had a new tiredness in her eyes as she swayed slightly on her feet. "Gods, it's been a day. A week, really."

Jai put a hand on her arm, watching her carefully after she had to catch herself on him. "How long has it been since you've slept?"

She shrugged, shaking her head. "Maybe two days? I've lost count of the hours. I was out with the scouts, but stayed up all through the night before that with Gyver and Avice when they took a turn for the worst. I think we all could use some sleep around here, though."

Jai nodded back toward the infirmary tent where Lyv was just coming out, looking around in search of them and seemingly exhausted herself as she toweled off her clean hands. "Go get some rest. We'll make sure everyone is comfortable and the camp's secured. You don't have to worry anymore."

Ada smiled, stretched up to kiss his cheek, and nodded once before she had to stifle a yawn. "Thank you, Jai. So, so much."

They watched as Ada went back toward the infirmary tent, also kissing Lyv on the cheek before she disappeared inside. Lyv stayed put for a moment, watching as the entrance flap closed, before heading over to them. Just like before, she absentmindedly slipped her hand into Jai's, needing him for both support and comfort. Gently, his magic felt around her, noting the slight drain of her own from healing everyone, but it was still stronger than it ever had been before.

"Everything all right?" Lyv asked then, looking around at them all.

Jai was the one to answer first. "I sent Ada inside to get some rest. I figured you'd want to get everything set up before moving her, Gyver, and the children into our tent. We need to make sure everyone's fed and warm and I'll help you where I can in putting extension spells on the rest of the tents to make them more comfortable. Plus, we should put up a protective ward around the camp. Several, actually, and post some guardsmen around just in case."

"We didn't run across any more of the oskurreia on the way here either," Gideon continued. "I talked with those guardsmen who were with Ada before. They said they had been tracking them for days and had to move the camp every few hours. They tried to disguise it as much as they could, but without magic it wasn't doing much. They were trying to get them to follow them instead of going in this direction, especially since they couldn't move some of those injured anymore. It seems like they left when they sensed you near."

Lyv nodded, her eyes darkening for a split second. "We're going to obviously stay with them as we all head toward the city. Like Jai said, let's put a ward up and have around the clock lookouts, just in case, though I don't see us running into anymore. That seemed like a small band left behind to pick off those who had survived the Ceron stronghold attack."