Chapter 320 (1/2)
Chapter 320
“All right, Ellem?” Tedry asked
I nodded
“Guard duty for logging crew today,” he said conversationallyThe thin, dark haired boy was sitting on his cot, pulling on a boot
I nodded again
“Been almost a week since we’ve been stationed here, Ellem, and I swear by the Vritra I don’t think I’ve heard you sayat ed
Tedry smirked“You know, that’s why I like you, Elleood story”
Rolluf snorted froood story, Ted, ‘cause you’ve never told one!”
Tedry paused while he was slipping on his other boot and hurled the heavy footwear at Rolluf, hitting hirunted in pain and tried to roll out of his cot but was tangled up in his blanketThe big Alacryan boy tuht cot over
Tedry laughed hysterically while Rolluf gruled himself from his blanket
I was already dressed in the blue and silver uniform I’d been providedI always made sure to be awake and dressed before the others, with uising its lengthIt had seeer I stayed in Eidelholm, the more difficult it becato be late for breakfast”
After Tessia was captured I had thought about using the o back to the sanctuaryIt’s probably what everyone, especially Tessia, would’ve toldout of the portal, everyone’s expectant gazes turning to confusion when Tessia didn’t appearI iined the looks on their faces when I explained that Tessia had been captured in order to save me…and that I had run away
Then, of course, they would’ve all told , that they understood and were just glad that I was aliveThey’d be kind…just like how they alereThey’d feel bad for me, pity me
They’d treat me like a child
I didn’t have a plan, not at first, but I just knew I couldn’t go back to thatI’d seen Tessia after she got back without my brotherI’d been on the other end at that ti, how lonely and helpless she had felt
NoI couldn’t return to the sanctuary without at least trying to help TessiaAfter all, I was the one that let her get caughtI should’ve just gone with Albold, but instead I had stayed to try and play the hero
She’s ot captured because of meIf I’d just focused on the prisoners, like Rinia warned, I wouldn’t have been taken hostage by Elijah, I admitted to myselfI have to at least try…
Eidelholm was busier than a kicked anthill for a couple of days after our assaultUsing the first phase of my beast will, I spied fro mana around town, since there was no way to tell whether they could see things fro people visited the village and dozens of new soldiers arrived to replace thewith the town’s visitors and showing theain
It was a stroke of pure luck that I overheard Tedry and Rolluf talking near the edge of the treeline on the third day after Tessia was captured
I found out that they were students fro divisionAt first, their talk had mostly been about the attackThe leaders of the toere called the Milview bloodThe two boys were joking about how the Milvieere cowards, how they had held half of their soldiers back to defend theents”
One of the older guards had smacked the back of Rolluf’s head and told hiueAfter that Tedry and Rolluf hadit even easier to listen inI had nestled ot co an eye on me from deeper in the forest
The Alacryan boys spent a lot of ti sent to such a backwater hold, and talking about how their friends got to go to places like Zestier, where the real action was happeningIt all sounded so…nor about stupid, norhtmare it had been for thee of their progra shuffled around between guard posts
That’s what gave me the ideaA crazy, stupid idea…but still an idea
Tedry and Rolluf followed house, where we each accepted a bowl of oats and milk, then took our nor tables
“Soh aabout it”
Tedry rolled his eyes“There’s always so to scold the Milviews for letting all those elven slaves escape”
Rolluf shook his head, dribbling so”
“As big as your head?” Tedry asked teasinglyRolluf flicked a spoonful of oats across the table, splattering Tedry’s uniforuard duty with an oat stain on ht about that before opening your big , stupid smirk on his tan face
“Did this shi+eld say anything else about what’s happening?” I asked,I hadn’t seen Tessia since she’d been captured—since she traded herself to save me, I mean—but I knew Elijah was still in Eidelholht Tessiato do with her…
“An announce to do with Elenire—”
“Elenoir?” I asked, cutting Rolluf off
“Yeah, that”
Tedry feigned falling asleep in his bowl“Don’t get excited, you twoYou know they’ll ratulations to the whositswhatsits blood, they’re being given a hold in the ass end of Elnire—”
“Elenoir”
“—and we’re supposed to clap and cheer and pretend like we knoho they are,” Tedry went on, ignoring the correctionThen his eyes lit up as so occurred to hiht the Dicathians that attacked the hold—”
Rolluf snorted, spitting flecks of oats on the table“They beat one of the retainers, TedryNo one in this little backwater could lay a finger on the Rolluf to look down into his oats
The table was quiet for a while
This wasn’t the first time the Alacryan boys had h, but fearful, regard
I’d been really careful not to ask too norance of Alacrya, which had lioing to find out anything about Tessia, though, I knew I’d have to start taking et to attend?” I asked,into Eidelhol,” Tedry co valiantly to rub the oatmeal off his uniform
“Maybe, as the youth soldiers in Eidelhol?” I asked hesitantlyThe two boys didn’t like doing any extra work, so I knew they wouldn’t like the idea, but if it gotevent,” then it’d be worth itHopefully
The voice that responded came from behind me“That’s a fine idea”
We all turned to look at our preceptor
Thethe youth soldiers in EidelholHe didn’t seeh, and did littlesure our little house, which had once belonged to one of the elves, was kept in order
Murtaeg had rusty red hair, a week’s worth of ruddy beard that didn’t grow in evenly, and watery eyes that quickly darted around the roo to the preceptor
Murtaeg glared at Rolluf“My name, as I’m sure I’ve explained several times now, is not MurtNor is it Murty, ERe red, Rolluf looked down at his empty bowl of oats and stayed silent
“As I was saying,” Murtaeg went on, standing a little straighter, “I think young Elle eyes stopped on ain“I’ll stop by Milview Manor and arrange it with Silas Milview”
“Do you knohat’s happening?” I asked before I thought better of it
Murtaeg’s eyes snapped to ain, very briefly“Since this is your idea, Elleraph a short display for the eventI’ll let you three out of regular duties today and tomorrow to prepare”
The preceptor didn’t wait for a response, but turned on his heel and hall
Tedry and Rolluf were staring at me
“What?” I asked defensively
“I don’t knohether to be iry,” Tedry said, his brows turned down but his mouth quirked up in a wry shtful expression, as if he were trying to do the ry with me“On the one hand, no duties for thole days, which is a total score”
“On the other hand,” Tedry said, picking up Rolluf’s thought, “we have to plan, practice for, and then participate in a demonstration—to be performed in front of a bunch of fancy-pants named bloods—which totally sucks”
What’s the plan here? the voice that sounded like Arthur’s askedIf Tessia is here, all I have to do is get close to her, I answered
“I suppose we better get to work,” I suggested
“Hold up,” Rolluf grunted“I’ve got so really important to say first”
Tedry and I watched him expectantly, both half out of our seats
Rollof belched loudly, then blew the foul sas across the tableTedry kicked hihall, Rolluf, liht, rollingafter the surrounded by my enemies, people ould kill me in an instant if they found outalmost…fun
Tedry and Rolluf weren’tmachines, as I’d told uards that had died by a and stupid and funny, and we enjoyed creating the short exhibition together
Neither of theic—so they weren’t at all surprised when I told theh about Alacryan ic to explain otten archery lessons instead
Tedry had the idea to borrow soe a kind ofrole
By that afternoon, we had scripted the basics of our activity
Standing in the , Tedry rushed at me with a practice sword and shi+eldI rolled under his swing and brought the heavy Alacryan bow up to fire an arrow at his back
The blunted practice arrow snapped dramatically in the exact spot where Tedry’s wooden sould be as he spun and deflected my attackAfter that, I would let loose another arrow that would hit hi hiasp and pretend to die
Rolluf rushed past him, a dull spear held firmly in both handsI ju it aside with , but I stepped over it, then rolled across the er boy’s back so that I ended up on his other side
Letting myself fall backwards, I did a reverse somersault to put another few feet between us, then fired an arrow to his leftHe spun and pretended to deflect the arrowI shot another to his right, which he deflected as well
Move blade hit me on the shoulder