Chapter 8 8
Denary's POV:
We arrived at the southern grounds nearly three hours ago. My men were scattered about the clearing, some wounded, others tending to the wounded, and a few setting up tents. The air was filled with the scent of iron and ash as smoke drifted from a dozen small fires while they prepared food.
I walked slowly among them, my boots sinking into the damp earth.
For the first time since I had taken command, I could see just how few of my men were left.
To my right stood a row of carriages but my eyes fell on one single carriage where the corpses of the fallen had been carefully wrapped and placed. I had ordered long ago that every man who died under my command be given a proper burial. No one served me and left their bones to rot in foreign soil. They would be taken home, and their families would be compensated in gold and dignity.
Still, the sight of that carriage twisted something in me.
I had always been known as the ruthless, and undefeated Denary of the Blood Moon. I went to battle with a thousand men and returned with a thousand, that was my legend.
But not this time.
This time, almost a hundred of my men lay lifeless because of one foolish, audacious woman who thought it wise to draw her bow at me and in doing so, led Killian’s hounds straight into my camp. I would find her. And when I did, I would have her head.
A familiar voice broke my thoughts. “So this is where you are.”
I turned to find Jasper approaching, his bare chest wrapped in white linen from shoulder to side.
“Did you rest?” I asked quietly.
He nodded. “Well enough.” Then, after a pause. “Has the spy returned with word on who the woman was?”
“Not yet.” I replied calmly, but my patience was thinning.
Jasper folded his arms, wincing faintly. “And
what have you been doing all this while, since you insisted that I rest?”
I glanced toward the horizon where the smoke of our fires blurred into the sky. “Walking.” I said. “And looking at the wreckage left by one foolish woman.”
He chuckled under his breath. “If anything, she was actually brave. Brave enough to stand up to you, the great Alpha Denary.”
I turned my eyes sharply on him. “Now is not the time to praise someone who cost us over a hundred lives.”
He raised his hands. “I’m not praising her, I’m only giving her the accolades she deserves. She was brave, stupid, yes, but brave. I truly want to know who she was.”
I looked away. “So do I. So that I can cut off her head and present it before my father.”
Jasper raised a brow. “You’re in a pleasant mood today.”
I didn’t answer and for a long while, neither of us spoke. Then Jasper broke the silence again.
“You remember what I said last night.” He began. “About there being a spy among us?”
I sighed. “Yes, and I also remember dismissing it.”
“Well.” He said, stepping closer. “I don’t think you should have.”
I turned my gaze on him again, and this time there was no amusement in it. “Go on.”
“This was a high-profile plan, Denary.” Jasper said. “No one outside our circle should have known of it and yet Killian and that unknown woman somehow found out and staged an attack at precisely the right moment to divide our forces.”
I clenched my gloved hand. “You believe one of our own betrayed us?”
“I do.”
“I don’t.” I said flatly. “We built these men ourselves, Jasper. We found them, trained them, molded them and they swore loyalty with blood. So, I will not believe they betrayed me.”
“Even loyalty can be bought.” Jasper murmured.
I said nothing. Instead, my gaze followed the healer stepping out from one of the tents. A young woman, whose apron was stained with blood.
“Are they all right?” I asked.
She bowed slightly. “Yes, my lord. Most are resting. A few may not last till morning, but we’re doing all we can.”
I nodded once. “Good.”
Then Jasper and I entered the tent to see about 6 men on the cots, some sleeping, others awake and silent, their faces pale under the flickering lamplight.
They greeted me with a nod when I passed as I asked each one if they were well, and they nodded, murmuring thanks. Then my eyes fell on one young soldier lying near the far end, his chest rising weakly, with his bandages soaked through and I felt an unfamiliar ache in my chest because he was barely twenty.
After offering them what reassurance I could, Jasper and I stepped back out and almost immediately, one of my men came running toward us, breathless.
Jasper straightened. “What is it?”
Before the soldier could answer, I spoke. “This is the man I told to keep watch for when our spy from the MoonVeil Pack returned with word.”
Then I turned to him fully. “Has the spy arrived?”
The soldier nodded quickly. “Yes, my lord. He’s waiting in the east tent.”
“Lead the way.”
We followed him through the camp to a smaller tent set apart from the others. Inside, a single figure stood with his face veiled. At the sight of me, he dropped to his knees and bowed deeply.
“Rise.” I said curtly. “Did you find out who the woman in the portrait I gave you was?”
“Yes, my lord.” The spy said, lifting his head. “She is Amelia, the daughter of Alpha Gerald, the Alpha of the Moon Veil Pack.”
"Amelia, huh?"
Jasper let out a whistle. “So, the daughter of the very pack we were about to infiltrate.”
The spy nodded.
“We have reason to believe she might have been working with Alpha Killian of Red Shadow Pack.” Jasper continued. “ Did you find anything connecting them?”
The spy hesitated before answering. “There is something connecting them, my lord, though I doubt they were working together.”
I narrowed my eyes. “And what connects them?”
He swallowed. “While the Moon Veil Pack celebrates her for forcing your retreat, I discovered that she was once betrothed to Alpha Killian. Their marriage, however, did not take place, which is why I doubt they were allies.”
“That.” I said quietly. “Is not a good enough reason to dismiss their cooperation.” I took a step toward him. “Killian is my sworn enemy, and Amelia's father was my next target. It would make perfect sense for them to set aside their grievances and unite against me.”
Jasper crossed his arms. “Besides, we don’t know if the broken engagement was part of their plan. Perhaps they called off the marriage because they discovered your infiltration and wanted to act quickly before you struck. Maybe they’ll resume it now, while celebrating their little victory.”
The spy said nothing while I looked down at the faint smear of dried blood across my knuckles and clenched it until my nails dug into my palm.
“Killian.” I muttered. “And Amelia, will both pay.”
Jasper began. “Denary…”
“No.” I met his gaze, and my voice hardened. “I will have both their heads, no matter what it takes.”