𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘. 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍.
It's the beginning of a new age when Jaylah Imperatrix seemingly returns from the dead to reclaim her throne. And in perfect timing.
In her absence, evil has be...
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Act 2 Chapter 30 JAYLAH
It felt as though we had walked for days with no end in sight. I supposed in reality, we had. I quickly learned to look forward to the nights, when the group stopped and set up camp for dinner. Each night I slept soundly despite Alexander's distasteful presence. Oh, what I would not give to rest my aching legs now. Ahead, a woman with a swollen stomach treaded slightly behind enough to fall in step with me and I immediately rescinded my complaining. To be living out here while so close to giving birth was not a feat I could compete with.
On my other side, in all his faux friend glory, was Alexander, in conversation with the girls our age. The night we arrived, I could tell they enjoyed the intrigue of newcomers but were too intimidated by me because I did not change my demeanor. So they settled for Alexander, who was more than happy to chatter away with them to pass the time.
"Are there really moose the size of houses in the forests of Navrika?" one girl wanted to know.
"Yes," he answered. "They're much bigger than you originally imagine. Aggressive, too. On a bet, once I saw a man get too bold with a bull and it stabbed him right through the middle with its antlers. I still got my money though, thank Gods."
"How did—" Sonia's eyes went uncertainly to me, as if asking my permission to resume. "How did you two become partners? In the stories, mercenaries normally work alone."
Perhaps it was her hesitation, but I suddenly wanted to have all their attentions. "It is unusual," I said, even dimming the coolness in my voice. "But not unheard of. If you gain enough report for being talented at what you do, patrons are willing to pay the extra amount. And ever since we met through our guild, we have always worked better together." Did mercenaries have guilds? I prayed none of them knew any better.
Alexander gave me a frighteningly good imitation of a fond smile. "Of course you left out the specifics of the way we met."
Where was he going with this? "I figured it was not interesting enough to tell."
"Not interesting, my ass. It's really such a delightful story," he said to the girls as if I was unable to hear. "I'll tell it; Celadine hates storytelling.
"We met when she was getting picked on by the other young initiates. They mocked her ruthlessly—for her odd, unfashionable manner of dressing, her lack of a sense of humor, her awkward mannerisms. Anything cruel they could think of, really. And one day I saw her shaking with the aftermath, poor thing. Anyone would have pitied her and taken her under their wing. I just happened to do it first."
"Somehow, that is not as I remembered it," I said, my tone light but promising murder when we were alone.
"That was so kind of you," Lucie said to Alexander. "It is good to see that rare gallantry exists outside of fairy stories."
