FOREVER KNIGHTS: #16 To Keep Her

“Essius!” Radix roared.

“Yes, yes, Master.” He scrambled through the stone halls with the eagerness of a hound wishing to please.

“I need you to find the Winter Dread.”

“The one me saw in Mane? She froze Libby and me!”

“Yes find her. I’ve reason to think she might be beyond Midgale City. Further North.”

“Chavias!”

“Yes?” He called from his barred chamber. “You will go with him to the Northern reaches of the Mane coast.”

Radix emerged from his personal chambers to order Chavias. Impatient for Okine to come up and open Chavias’ cell.

“Why would you think the Dread is there?” Chavias queried.

Radix gave him a fast look. “Because the snow is deeper there and has failed to melt despite every warm day. She is in that region. It is the spillover of her power.”

Chavias pressed his face to the bars. Willing it blank.

Radix faced him fully. “Can you track?”

“Not well.”

Never her. Not for you.

“I will make you a deal, Slave. Find her first and I shall spare the next knight I’ve sighted and begun to hunt.”

“Who?”

Radix clucked in his cheek. “Tsk tsk. What would be the fun in telling you that?”

He’s lying. He’d spare none of them. But he’d toy with me to make me think he’s got one in mind.

He wants Acharius. And he’s not given up on that yet.

He wants the artifacts and suspects Acharius has them.

Okine finally arrived and Chavias was let out of his cell and they began the travel toward Northernmost Mane.

“How many days until we get there?” Chavias queried to Okine.

How many days to I have to warn her.

“Nonis check coast now.” Okine gave him a quick look. “They narrow looking.”

Nonis are already at the coast searching for her? Chavias’ gut dropped.

It may be too late! They could’ve gotten to her.

“Where have they checked so far?” Chavias drew closer to Okine.

Too close.

Okine reached back a meaty fist and cuffed him.

Chavias’ fists clenched with the urge to retaliate. I need to focus on warning her.

He tried to relax enough to spirit run to her but stumbled and nearly fell into Okine. Making him round with wild fury and catch him by the hair.

“What wrong with fool?” Okine grunted. “Walk.” He shoved him away. Knowing Chavias had recently been bled and was too weak to be much threat just now. “Walk!”

How can I get her word?

The book.

Sabine completed her chores for the day, minimal now with all the help of the servants. Afternoon found her settling on her bed with a candle to read more. Pulling the journal into her lap and working to smooth the bent pages. Flipping to where she’d left off.

He wrote of worrying over Sabine’s well-being. Describing her as beautiful, strong-willed and free-spirited. And his need to protect her from the dark things hunting her. His fear he’d fail if they were ever to find her. Chavias described his longing to caress the soft tresses of her hair glowing in the firelight. Reminding himself why he couldn’t have her.

I’ll never be able to be there for her when she needs. I’ve nothing to offer her. His words were pained. Harsh.

And Sabine wanted to argue them all.

I can’t even give her myself when I’m owned by Hell. He reminded himself he was never really with her. Only in spirit. He’d written of painful yearning. But out of honor he’d kept his passions silent.

She checked the date.

He’d written it long before knowing she was reading it.

Impulsively flipping to the last page, she found ink just now appearing across it. Words materializing in his dark scrawl. It was Chavias warning her Radix’s minions were seeking her in Mane.

The dark ink stopped mid-sweep.

She swallowed. Hands shaking, she set the journal aside to go to the window and peer out the shutters.

Dark things slinked between the sparse trees. Noses to the ground as they moved over trails she’d recently walked.

She bit her cheek. Closing the shutter and clasping the hook. Rushing downstairs, she locked the front door. Ordering a maid to secure the windows.

Brief tours outside the manor had brought her joy. Frolicking in the leaves and playing in the wind.

But it brought Cimmerii straight to her front door. Chavias knew.