Endure - Sara B. Larson Page 0,94
he let it go. But before I turned away, I stretched up and quickly kissed his cheek.
“Thank you,” I whispered against his ear.
“Go,” was all he said.
I gazed at him for a moment longer, and then I hurried over to Nia, remounted, and, wheeling her around, kicked her sides and rushed to where Rylan had told me Damian waited for me, leaving him standing there, staring after me.
It took two hours to cross the valley, make our way through the streets of the city, and then finally pass the gate into the courtyard of King Osgand’s castle. Damian rode his stallion, a dark black horse that was at least a couple of feet taller than my small mare, but he kept me at his side the whole time, followed by Deron — now General D’agnen — and some of Damian’s personal guard. He’d ordered Rylan to come, as well as Jerrod, Asher, and Mateo. But the rest had stayed behind to help move everyone to higher ground and prepare for battle. Everyone knew about our engagement now, apparently, as many people congratulated us and bowed to both the king and me, though I noticed more than one person’s eyes straying to the scars on my face before they bent their heads.
As we made our way through the city streets, I glanced over my shoulder to see the endless tent city completely disassembled and a sea of men, horses, and even women surging toward the mountains behind us. The city was already empty of women who did not wish to fight, children, and the elderly. They’d all been sent a week ago to the southwestern cities, far from where King Osgand anticipated the battle to take place, Damian explained as we rode through the valley. He’d also sent the women, children, and elderly of Antion — including Lisbet and Jax — to the southwestern reaches of Blevon, hoping to keep them safe. He also told me how many of the men and boys who had chosen to return to their homes at the end of the last war had changed their minds, volunteering to stay with him and fight. They’d actually all arrived only a day before me, which was why he’d still been in the tent when I’d found him the night before.
It amazed me how close he’d come to having his people massacred by Armando. If he’d waited even a day or two more to abandon his palace and take his people to Blevon, Armando might have caught them and slaughtered them.
Once we went through the gate and saw King Osgand waiting for us, flanked by ten men on either side of him in full armor, I had to grip the reins harder to keep my hands from trembling.
“Welcome, King Damian. And, Alexa, I’m very happy to see you here as well. My informants tell me that you’ve endured quite an ordeal. But it sounds as if we are in your debt — yet again.” King Osgand strode over to take my hand and assist me as I dismounted.
“Thank you, Your Majesty, but I don’t know how you could possibly be in my debt,” I disagreed.
King Osgand’s dark eyes flickered to Damian, who watched us intently from his stallion, then back to me. “I was told that you are now responsible for killing not only the black sorcerer who did this to you” — he gestured to my cheek and neck — “but also the two men who King Armando called Manu de Reich os Deos and El Evocon.”
“El Ecovon?” Damian repeated, his expression inscrutable in the bright sunlight as his eyes met mine.
“The Summoner,” I translated, the memories of that horrible night surging once more. “Yes, I did kill them both.” But how could King Osgand have found out about The Summoner?
When I didn’t say any more, King Osgand inclined his head slightly. “The Rén Zhsas were told of his passing. A great evil has been removed from this world, and we are all indebted to you for that.” And then he turned, gesturing for me to follow him. “Come, we have much to do and very little time to do it. Armando and his army of abominations could be here by the middle of this night if he marches through the darkness as well as the day.”
I stared after him, wondering who had told the three powerful sorcerers who lived in the temple. Had it been the Unseen Power? Damian quickly dismounted and handed the reins of