Chapter 326 Backlash (1/2)

Chapter 326: Backlash

ELEANOR LEYWIN

I clenchedpain that covered every inch of my body, as Commander Virion addressed everyone present Mom had been pretty stubborn in her efforts to keepThey had been waiting for et better so I could tell them what happened after everyone else teleported back to the sanctuary from Elenoir…and why Tessia had never returned

But now that I was sitting in the City Hall’s ht ure in Dicathen staring holes right through me, I kind of wished I had listened to my mom

I’d already told Virion and Bairon about most of it anyway, but I’d been sort of in and out of consciousness for the last couple days so I didn’t think I’d been very helpful

“—leanor?”

I suddenly realized how long I had stayed quiet “Sorry, what?”

Virion cleared his throat He looked…old Old and tired “Would you like to tell the council about your retted it quickly, and then fell back into my chair “Um, well, you see, I…uh…”

There was a faint pop from just behind me and a chorus of shouts filled the rooht beside me, sucked in a surprised breath Her brother had his sword half out of its sheath before he realized as happening

Lord Bairon was crackling with thunderous energy, but backed dohen I turned and rested my hand on the furry creature that had manifested behind me

“Boo, I said to wait outside You can’t just poof to et a little nervous,” I scolded hith

He grunted in a way that told me he wasn’t sorry, then laid down in front of the arched doorway

“Sorry,” Iat Virion If the old elf was annoyed, he didn’t show it

“Not to worry, Ellie Go on, if you’re ready”

I took a deep, shuddering breath before words started to spill from me I explained my part in our plan to free the elven prisoners froainst the retainer’s brother I told theave my medallion to Albold so that the elves that were left could escape, and how Tessia had finally killed Bilal

The hardest part was describing Elijah’s arrival, but no one interrupted as I staave ot to the part where I pretended to be an Alacryan student-soldier, and even Bairon let out a lohistle, which I thought meant he was impressed

Finally, I told them how Tessia had reappeared at Elijah’s side, and about the attack, and how I’d tried to save the elven slaves…but…

It was too much, and I let the story end with the explosion that ripped me away from Elenoir, then leaned forward to rest my forehead on the cool table

Helen Shard walked around the table to set her hand on my shoulder “No one could have done more, Eleanor What you accomplished…frankly it’s incredible”

Kathyln squeezedin the corners of her eyes Behind her, Curtis was downcast and pale

“How in the world did you escape?” the old soldier, Madaht, I pulled the phoenix wyrm pendant out from underneath my shi+rt It was h, eine how the elven servants had looked at me as I tried and failed to activate Tessia’s medallion and take them all withto die Then the wall of light washed overwent pink

For a few seconds, I could see the world being ripped apart around y conjured by the phoenix wyrm pendant The Alacryans, the elves, the bleachers, the little stage, the mansion…it all vanished in the blink of an eye And then so did I

I had woken up screah the underground sanctuary Boo was there, s I heard was his deep roar filling the cavern before I passed out fro was the explosion?” a tre voice asked It was one of the elves we’d rescued, the man who knew Tessia and Kathyln: Feyrith

Virion and Bairon exchanged a dark look “As soon as Eleanor returned, General Bairon flew straight to the Beast Glades and up toward Elenoir,” Virion said, nodding to the huruffly

“What do you ued

“Well it has” The Lance turned a sharp eye to the elf “Nothing remains between the Beast Glades and the northern coast but a scorched and twisted wasteland”

Kathyln’s breath shuddered as her hands covered her hostly pale, but seeripping the edge of the table An elven woh she’d been at the sanctuary since the beginning, began to sob

Behind esture of support

“But the asuras—” Curtis started to say, his voice low and full of crackling energy

“Were and still are our allies,” Virion said firreater part of the destruction was caused by the asuras’ attack, which was only intended to destroy the Alacryans gathered at Eidelholm”

From the doorway behind me, a soft voice said, “How could you possibly know that?”

Little waves of pain rippled through my entire body as I twisted in uard, was standing fra forht side He’d been badly hurt during the fight against the retainer; I was kind of surprised to see hi for an answer to his question “Ellie saw the asura known as Aldir initiate the attack with her own eyes”

I couldn’t see Virion’s face, but I could hear the lol of anger in his voice “This is a closed council , Albold Return to your post We will discuss this later”

Albold scowled, but turned and ht

I reached down to scratch Boo before sloisting back around to face the others

It’s not just Albold The others aren’t exactly thrilled with Virion’s explanation, either Curtis Glayder was frowning deeply, his gaze leveled at the table instead of Virion The elven wo to cry quietly

Feyrith stood His legs were a little shaky, and he had to support himself with a hand on the table “Commander Virion, if General Bairon is correct, then our homeland…the vast majority of the elven people…” He paused and took a deep breath “Someone has to answer for this atrocity We know the Alacryans are our enemy, but what proof do we have that the asuras are still our allies?”

The anger that had suddenly overtaken Virion at Albold’s intrusion went away just as quickly He waved for Feyrith to sit down “They have been since the beginning, Feyrith Do not forget that they saved us frouided the war effort in the early days, before we knee were up against They tried to end the war before it began”

“That’s a strange way of saying they betrayed us when they attacked the Vritra behind the Council’s back, an act that forced the us entirely and resulted in Dicathen’s fall,” Curtis said Although he kept his voice cal hard at Virion