Page 38 of Whispers of Ruin
“We’ve been paid well for our assistance. We’re here to make the potion that counteracts the ophidians’ poison, and we set protective spells around the areas where camps are established.”
“They’ve been a big help,” Ryker stated, “and were also a part of the war against the ghouls in Tempest.”
“Do you know that the Lord destroyed Verdan?” Kaylia asked Allegra.
The woman’s lips parted. “What?”
“He unleashed his dragons on it. Some parts still stand, but much of the realm was destroyed.”
Tears brimmed in Allegra’s eyes. “I didn’t know. How many died?”
“Too many.”
“If you need to return….” Ryker said.
Allegra wiped away the tears rolling down her cheeks. “No. I will see this through. Some may wish to return to find their loved ones, but I’ll remain.”
Brokk was a little surprised by this response but didn’t say anything. It wasn’t his place to judge her choices.
“If you’ll excuse me, I must inform the others,” Allegra whispered.
“Of course,” Ryker said.
After the witch left the hut, Brokk focused on Ryker again. “I never knew a war was going on between the amsirah and ghouls.”
“Our war was small compared to the one the Lord waged against the human realm and anyone who stood in his way. The realms are vast, mysterious places, but now that we know each other’s plights, we can work together to save our rulers.”
Brokk smiled at the man’s confidence. “If you get us to that crudue vine, you’ll have all the help you need.”
Ryker grinned. “Good.”
“Will we open a portal to get there?” Kaylia asked.
“No,” Ryker answered. “You may not have been here long enough to realize this, but Doomed Valley is constantly changing. What was in one place today may not be there tomorrow, or it will have changed somehow. Portals are useless for traveling in this realm.”
“Then how will you get us the vine?”
“It doesn’t change so much that we can’t travel there on foot. It may not be in the exact same spot as when we were last there, but it will be close. And the vine is guaranteed to have changed. It’s been different every time we’ve seen it.”
“How often have you found it?” Brokk asked.
“Four times, and I have no doubt I can find it again; it’s just going to have to be the hard way.”
“Why don’t you camp closer to it?”
“We have to move around here constantly. We’ve been trying to advance on the ophidians’ pyramid, but we keep getting pushed back, or the ophidians find and ambush us… as they did tonight while we were hunting. I wish we could bring more men here to help us rescue Leo, but we must leave most of our soldiers behind to protect Tempest in case the ghouls decide to attack again.”
“Then we’ll do it the hard way.”
“Good. Now, I think it’s time for a drink. It’s been a long day, and we’ll start our journey tomorrow. Would you care to join me in a glass of wine?”
Brokk wasn’t going to say no to that.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-EIGHT
The drape settledinto place with a swish as the guard vanished from the small hut she’d escorted Brokk and Kaylia to. On the way to the hut, Kaylia had seen Allegra and the witches huddled together and crying while consoling each other.
None of them had left… at least, not yet. She’d much prefer their help for the journey to the crudue vine, but that was a problem for tomorrow.
