around his waist. “Where does our path take us now?”
“To the nearest tree out of sight of all these people,” he growled softly. “And if any of them happen upon us, their own lesson they will learn.”
“And so we will continue the Kothan tradition of always learning and improving.” Mouth hot, she licked his neck. “What will you teach them? How to fuck your wife against a tree? How to make her scream?”
“That, too.” Though that was not all that he would do. “I will show them how to love her, unrestrained.”
“Oh, Aerax.” She kissed him full. “They see that in everything you do.”
CHAPTER 30
LIZZAN
Do you finally return home, then?” Lizzan called out as Saxen came her direction, leading his mount. A bedroll was tied to the saddle, along with new furs from his hunts with Aerax and Caeb. His arm had full healed, though not by Nemek—they had offered, but Saxen had not allowed even their touch.
“It is time,” he said. “My father’s warlords are no better than he. If I delay longer, there will be no Lith to return to.”
“And the arrival soon of Krimathean warriors must have little to do with it.”
He gave a rusty laugh. “You found redemption through courage and truth. I do not hope to find the same, but I have much to do before I let any Krimathean kill me.”
As one sought him out now to do. Lizzan bit her lip. She’d not said anything of Laina to him, though that warrior hunted him now. Before, there’d seemed little point when they might not even survive the demon.
His eyes narrowed. “What is it?”
“I know a little of your path ahead.”
“Then do not tell me. It has been many years since I could strike my own path. So let me discover for myself what lies upon it.”
Lizzan nodded. “But I would ask two favors of you.”
“Then I will do two favors for you.”
She hoped it would be done as easily as he’d answered. “When we have defeated the Destroyer, there will be so many of his soldiers who will have no home to return to. I ask that you give them a place to come, for you may be one of the few who can understand how desperately they will need someone to take them in.”
His throat worked for a moment before he nodded. “And the second favor?”
“You return home by the crossroads at Oana?”
“I do.”
“Before heading east, go south to the river where a fisherwoman waits by a ferry. There tell her your story, and where you are headed, so that she knows that a son who once followed the Destroyer might one day stand against him.”
“You speak of Ilris’s mother?”
In the rush from Radreh to Koth, never had she time to share the story. “You’ve heard of her?”
“It is one of the few stories told over and over in the camp. That and the story of Lizzan of Lightgale.”
Lizzan grinned at him, pleased. “I expect to soon hear fine stories of you.”
“They can only be finer than the ones already told,” he said before continuing on. “Safe journey, Lizzan of Lightgale.”
She could not hope it would be fully safe. Not with the Destroyer still coming. Above the lake, the sun was setting in brilliant colors at the edge of the yellow sky. More snows had come, and already much of Koth had joined the rivers of refugees flowing south. Yet she and Aerax would soon head in the opposite direction, accompanying the alliance to the northlands, where they hoped to add the broken clans to the number who would stand against the Destroyer.
“Lizzan!”
She turned to see Mevida coming toward her, with Lady Junica at her side. The caravan had arrived at a wholly different Koth than they’d expected to find, and though their wagons could not support an entire realm, the supplies they’d shared had eased the camp’s burden while everyone decided where they would go.
But she was surprised to see Lady Junica with her. “Did you not leave already for Radreh?”
Where the monastery might provide shelter for many. The royal family had already begun the journey. Mevida was soon returning there, too, and Lizzan’s mother and brothers were joining their group.
“I have delayed to travel with your family instead of with the king,” said Lady Junica. “He has tasked me to form a council to oversee the rebuilding of Koth. Obviously not much can be done until after the Destroyer comes, but that also means we have much time to plan