Chapter 28 My Attendant?
“And then the dragon attacked!” Calder says dramatically, his face animated and his eyes wide. “It blew fire straight at us! It was all, like, whoosh, and it was so hot!” Crouched by the fire, his hands move with flair as he mimics the flapping of the dragon’s wings. Around us, the provisions are being readied for us before we continue up the mountain.
Calder leaps to his feet, screeching in an eerie copy of the dragon before she attacked. “I didn’t see much after that. Anara saved my life and sheltered me from the blaze, but I could feel the heat from the fire even after the avalanche started coming down all around us. It was so loud, guys, all I could hear was the dragon’s roar, the crackling of flames, and the thunder of snow as it nearly buried us alive!”
Alric scruffs the kid's hair and messes it all up as he passes by. “If you don’t grow up to be a slayer, kid, you’ll have one hell of a chance at being the best storyteller in Amaranthine.” He looks at me and winks, making Zaries stiffen beside me.
Zaries hasn’t left my side since I woke up. Thankfully, I woke up alone. Questions from the night need not to be answered. The relief that flushed through me was tangible.
“I don’t think anything can faze that kid.” Oberon huffs a laugh as he settles on my other side and sits cross-legged on the ground. He leans over and hands me a small cotton-wrapped package. “Eat, you’ll need your strength.”
“They’re making stew as we speak. Are you so gluttonous that you cannot wait to be served?” Zaries barks at him.
Silently, I unwrap the package, doing my best to ignore them both. Inside is a chunk of bread and a wedge of fresh cheese. I suppress a moan as the first morsel passes by my lips.
“They’re boiling dried meat in melted snow using a soldier’s helmet to cook it all. Excuse me if that doesn’t sound appetizing. Besides, it is not a crime to plan ahead.” Oberon chuckles. “What a shame that you didn’t.”
I covertly elbow Oberon in the side at the same time as I feel Zaries start to bristle. Oberon doesn’t need to antagonize the prince before we’re on the perilous edge of an unstable mountain again.
Oberon flinches, but only laughs louder.
“Obsidian Reach scum, the both of you,” Zaries whispers.
Embarrassment burns up my spine, pain settling into my heart. Is that what he really thinks, or is he just mad?
“When I woke up, you had this ‘scum’ wrapped in your arms,” Oberon growls, standing slowly and facing off with the prince. “So what does that say about you, my prince? Zaries prefers lowly scum to the princess who was offered?”
“You do not dare to mention the princess in my presence!” Zaries roars, shoving Oberon hard in the chest.
“What? The prince who let her die to save himself holds regret? My cousin is dead and yet here you stand, hovering over her handmaid like you own her!”
“Oberon, no! Stop!” I beg, shooting to my feet and standing between them. I place one hand on each man’s chest and hold them as far apart as I can.
“Silence!” Thorne’s voice booms in the cave, echoing off the walls at volumes that shouldn’t be possible. Everyone ducks, covering their ears and wincing as Thorne and Alric walk inside from the mouth of the cave, their coats dusted with fresh snow.
“It was just starting to get entertaining,” Silas mutters, stepping out of the little cabin and scowling.
“We have a long path ahead of us. Having the slayer trainees at each other’s throats is going to make the hike more treacherous than it needs to be,” Thorne adds, the volume in his voice slowly acclimating to a normal tone.
“Indeed, you need to wait until we’re in the fortress. Then, in training, you can kill each other.” Silas cackles, brushing past us and walking between Oberon and Zaries. Then, under his breath toward his nephew, “Oberon was sleeping with her last night as well, curled around her back…”
Zaries’ hand darts for his sword at his hip, but Oberon just stands there grinning ear to ear, pride dripping from his every pore. Pride that he slept with me in his arms, the pride that he stands with me now, the pride that he’s feeding me while the prince bickers with him.
I nearly choke on the bite of food I’m eating when Oberon throws his arm over my shoulder.
“Gather your attendants, prepare your donkeys,” Thorne barks, then points a finger at Malachi. “Do not forget that you allowed your donkey and attendant to be killed by that blasted dragon. Hopefully, someone takes mercy on you and shares supplies. Only the people here now would ever dare to do so. The slayers above? They will let you die. Remember that. These are the only people you can rely on.”
Malachi grimaces, and as if he can feel my gaze, his angry eyes turn to me. “As if I could have done anything to keep a dragon from eating someone!” he roars at me like it’s me scolding him and not Thorne.
I duck out from under Oberon’s arm and make myself scarce. I don’t want any of these men looking at me right now. I seek out the solace of my donkey, my calm, unspeaking, non-judgmental donkey.
When I reach the creature, I find it’s already loaded up and ready to head out. Not only that, it’s munching happily on a carrot.
Your attendant is a good kid, do not waste his talents. He may be of use to you at a later time.
Well, the voice is still here…
I sigh and lean my forehead against the animal’s warm neck.
I will never leave, Anara.
Right, because you’re in my mind.
I am not your mind. I am not a sign of you losing grip on reality. I am your guardian, your protector. I am here to keep you safe, Anara. That is what I am.
I scoff as I tangle my fingers in the donkey’s mane. If the voice is here to protect me, why didn’t he tell me about the dragon coming to burn me alive?
I am not a god, I am not all-knowing!
“You were all-knowing in the maze!” I grumble, startling the donkey.
“What about the maze?”
I startle, looking around for who spoke. My gaze drops to Calder’s head, a good foot below mine, as he grins up at me.
“I got you all ready to go before anyone else woke up.” He beams brightly. “You’re so amazing, Anara! I’m so glad I get to be your attendant.”
I smile, I can’t help it. Calder’s positivity in the light of everything that’s happened is contagious.
“You and Alric are going to be the best dragon slayers ever, I just know it,” he says as he checks the straps on the donkey. “Well, the best until I become a dragon slayer. Then you’ll be second best…maybe third!”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I chuckle, watching the young man work.
I like him. We should keep him.
I sigh and run my fingers through my hair, realizing I need to brush it out and tie it better. I know we can’t keep the kid like he’s a puppy, until today I was a servant myself.