From Iron and Ruin

Rainy Nights.

Chapter Sixteen: Rainy nights.

' For the attention of Legion-Captain, Mahon Bryant.

Burned skin.

Branded by fire.

We found the slaves in Reline Forest. We also found the Branded One. Three of our soldiers passed away. More were injured, including Seeker Birchwood. We will return to Adotlan straight away.

Your friend, Kohen. '

We reached Adotlan at dawn, witnessing the full splendour of the fortress as it woke. The lake water glimmered in the sunlight. Light spilled over old turrets, with pinks and oranges casting against the dark stone. Kohen and I led the procession of returning Legion soldiers, who had guarded and helped the freed slaves who had come with us.

Matthaeus was staying back in Halirimal to gather more information with the twins, Adrienne and Valine while also helping the freed slaves who didn't come with to find their homes. Most had chosen to come—their farms and homes had been burned to the ground by the Saviours and there was nothing to return to only ash and pestilence.

I had spent much of the journey in the back of a wagon as my leg was being healed, but I couldn't afford to ride into Adotlan injured. I had to present myself as strong and unbroken. Even as every sway and step in the saddle made me wish for a dark room and a cup of hard whiskey. There was a crowd to greet us as we rode through the lower streets of Adotlan. Kohen was silent and had been since Reline, but I didn't push it.

He had pushed me in a hole and triggered an old injury, but he always had his reasons. I would get it from him some day. I just had to be patient. There were workers and healers waiting to tend to the freed slaves, and I saw them off from the saddle of my horse, too afraid to dismount and set weight on my knee.

After that, Kohen and I rode through the inner-bailey, where the inner circle of the Legion was waiting for us expectantly, along with my healer, Beatrice.

"Shiny!" Gwen boomed, loud enough to startle the approaching stable-hands. "Welcome back. I thought you were supposed to be injured?"

"The only injury that would satisfy you would be guts and broken bones, Gwen," I called back tiredly. "I am sorry to disappoint."

Mahon smoothed a hand down Arrow's neck, greeting her warmly. "We expected you to arrive yesterday."

"And yet, we did not." I said sharply. Pain and travel had made me grumpy.

Mahon held out a hand to me, watching coolly as I swung my leg over. I gripped with tightly as I dismounted, hissing through clenched teeth as I unwittingly put weight on it.

"You injured yourself." He said disapprovingly.

"Yes," I hissed at him, reaching down to try to soothe the knee. But doing that only made my healing bruises pulsate. "I purposefully injured myself because I enjoy pain and suffering."

"It would not surprise me," Mahon said, ignoring the dirty look I cast at him.

"We waste your skills as a Captain. You should become a jester."

Kohen approached us, and Mahon swiftly dropped my hand. Gwen and Fyr were close on his heels and the Magister drew me into a quick hug, before pulling back to look over me.

"She didn't injure herself," Kohen hummed. "I pushed her down a hole."

"You did what?" Mahon hissed.