say. “Get your things packed and meet me at my house later. I’ll see you then.”
They offer me similar farewells and I walk further into the keep with Nathaniel.
I find Commander Siegfried quickly.
“Yes?” he says when he sees me. “I won’t be able to get you to wait, so let’s get this done.”
“Thank you, Commander,” I reply. “Tygnar tried last night, and I stopped them.”
“Good to hear,” he interrupts.
“I’m going to be leaving. I need you to appoint guards at my mother’s house around the clock. They will be frustrated that their plan didn’t work, and they will certainly try again. I can’t stay here forever.”
“Of course,” he says. “You are a captain. Choose those whom you think are best, and give them the job.”
I nod. “Thank you, Commander.”
“Until we next meet,” he says, saluting.
I copy his gesture and repeat, “Until we next meet.”
As I leave the keep, I stop at the guard bunkrooms and ask which one of them is the best. A couple of them are nominated and I get them to come with me.
They follow Nathaniel and me to Gunther’s house, where I tell them to wait, and we will only be a moment.
Rachel answers the knock.
“Is Gunther in?” I ask.
“He’s not yet left,” she responds. “You came just in time.” Then she lets us in.
“What’s the matter, Kadmus?” Gunther asks.
“We’re leaving,” I say. “We won’t see you again for a long while. We came to say another goodbye.”
He smiles slightly and hugs us each. “I appreciate that,” he says. “I’ll see you later, then.”
“Yes you will,” I assure.
To my surprise Rachel embraces me as well. “Good luck out there,” she says.
“Thank you,” I respond as she pulls away. “You take care of my brother.”
“I do that already,” she giggles.
“Good,” I respond. Then I look at them each and say, “Farewell.” Their farewells sound behind me as Nathaniel shuts the door.
The four guards follow me to Mother’s house, where I position them at every corner of the house and explain to them, “There are to be guards here at all hours of the day and night. You may find replacements and take shifts, but there are always to be guards here. Is that understood?”
“Yes, sir,” they respond in unison.
“Good,” I mutter. Then I enter the house.
My face softens when I see my mother tending to Nicholas, who appears to have scraped his knee. “Hello Kadmus!” she greets.
Ethan is probably outside playing somewhere and Aela sits in a chair staring at the empty fireplace.
“Mom,” I say quietly. “I have finished my business here.”
She looks at me sadly. She does not burst into tears, as she has done before, but her face falls. She has been preparing herself. “Okay,” she says. “When are you leaving?”
“Today,” I say. “As soon as the others join me.”
She nods.
“I have positioned the guards around the house,” I explain. “Don’t be afraid of them. They are here to protect you.”
She nods again. “Thank you,” she says.
Then I turn to Aela, who is gazing at me with her fantastic entrancing eyes. “Did you want to come?” I ask. “We will leave soon.”
“I have little to pack,” she says. “I will be ready in moments.”
Percival, James, and Jericho join us only a minute later. As I stand in the open doorframe, I say to my mother, “It was great to come and see you.”
“I had to see my boys,” she says, hugging us each again. Her eyes are brimming with tears, but she does not let them fall. “My boys…” she says again.
“We will see you again,” I promise.
She nods and says, “I know.” Then we shut the door and start on our way out of the city. I walk at the front with Nathaniel to my side. Percival, James, and Jericho walk behind us. Aela walks in the back, of her own accord.
“I have the strangest feeling,” says Nathaniel quietly, “That this is the last time I will ever see Mother again.”
“Do not listen to it,” I respond. “You can’t let it get inside of you.”
He does not respond.
Moonlight
We make good time down the mountain, southward towards Kera. Jarl Kjunn will likely have gone back to his city, and there we can spend a night and resupply.
We walk with the Fravora to our right for most of the day, and then cross over a bridge to the other side. The road makes its way down the mountain until it runs only just higher than the river.
On the way down, I notice the way the waxing