Guinevere clambered up over the top of the ridge, fully prepared to be thrust into the furor of battle — only to find things eerily quiet. She soon laid eyes on Tobias and Sheena, pressed up against the wall of a red-brick house, motioning for her and Alice to join them in hiding. Guinevere obliged, though even in the short dash from ridge to wall, she noticed further in the town was a plaza where people were being rounded up by metallic card soldiers carrying crossbows.
“What’s the plan?” Guinevere asked, cursing the pounding of her heart.
“Stay near Alice, and keep your distance from the soldiers,” Tobias said. “Sheena and I will prioritize getting rid of their crossbows — that’ll give us all a much fairer chance. Then we dispatch them all and secure the residents.” He looked at Sheena, and they nodded to each other. But before they sprang into action, Tobias looked down at Ava. “Watch over Guinevere, please. Let her know if there are dangers coming from her blind spots.” Ava didn’t seem to clearly respond, but Tobias must have seen something Guinevere couldn’t, because he started off, satisfied.
How can he understand my own dog better than me?
“Let’s not stay right here,” Alice said, eager and unperturbed by the coming violence. “We can’t see what’s going on if we remain hidden!”
“We keep our distance,” Guinevere said, sword in hand. “But, yes. We should find a better vantage point.”
She stepped around the house into a narrow street, which seemed a decent defensive position. Narrow meant that it would be harder for approaching enemies to surround her. Thinking about court fencing’s third form, as Tobias had cautioned, she realized he was right. It was an excellent defensive form, and should serve her well even if she had to contend with multiple foes.
Her new vantage point also served as a perfect place from which to see the action unfolding. There were so many card soldiers, it left Guinevere startled, suddenly far less confident in her skills than she’d been. She couldn’t even see the entire town plaza ahead of her, but what she could see was full of metallic soldiers. A brief, swift count that was surely not perfectly accurate — but close enough — tallied more than forty.
And Tobias, Sheena, and Flynn had charged out against that army by themselves.
Crossbows were leveled, and not all of them aimed at the warriors. Several were pointed at kneeling, tied up civilians, a threat to not come closer.
But Tobias and Sheena both unleashed resonances in whatever octave it was that Tobias had said could paralyze the card soldiers. Guinevere knew how Sheena created such tones, with the various bangles and bells that were part of her Sword Dancer’s ensemble. But Tobias was a mystery. Did music just erupt from his sword by sheer force of will? He didn’t seem to do anything physical to sound notes and harmonics.
They couldn’t paralyze all of the card soldiers. A moment after the ones pointing their crossbows at civilians were suddenly frozen in place, those that weren’t let loose with a volley at Tobias and Sheena. Guinevere’s heart leapt into her throat, stifling the warning cry she instinctively wanted to shout — but she shouldn’t have been so frightened for the pair of them. They’d shown already just how competent they were, and now, against greater odds than Guinevere had ever seen them face before, they were more than up to the challenge.
Sheena danced through the flurry of crossbow bolts with grace and confidence, her azure katana slicing projectiles in half, scattering their remnants harmlessly onto the ground.
Tobias wasn’t as graceful as Sheena, but he had speed, and skill, and a steely intensity to his movements. He sprinted across the battlefield, his obsidian blade a blur as it tore through crossbow bolts. He was fast, astonishingly so, covering a distance of forty yards in what couldn’t have been more than two seconds.
He’d made a beeline straight for the captive civilians, the people in most immediate danger. He leapt over them, tore down the soldiers threatening them, sliced their bonds, and gave them a simple command: “Run!”
Then he raced back into battle.
Sheena had the same priorities, going for the most-endangered civilians first. But as she rescued them, she also made a point to destroy every card soldier’s crossbow as she passed them. She didn’t slay every soldier right away, not if she had more pressing targets, but she made sure to take their advantage of range out of the equation.
And Guinevere stood watching, trying not to gawk like a childish spectator, but that wasn’t such a simple endeavor. It had been one thing seeing them work in Saoirse’s palace against small groups in confined spaces. But here, out in the open, against vastly overwhelming numbers…
They were a force to be reckoned with. A small army didn’t even stand a chance against them.
And it wasn’t just Tobias and Sheena taking the lead. Flynn was just as courageous, just as swift, just as skillful as Tobias. He darted underneath card soldiers’ legs, knocking their feet out from under them, and then went a step further by snatching crossbows out of their hands and tossing them far away. He was on the same page as the humans, and performing just as admirably. Not only did he disrupt and disarm card soldiers, he also ripped off civilians’ bonds and guided them to safety, scouting out escape routes and hiding places.
Perhaps I… will still have nothing to do.
Guinevere thought she would be disappointed, but instead she was struck by a sudden — and unwanted — sense of relief.
Don’t be frightened! You’ve had the best instruction in the realm. You know you can handle an enemy if you’re given the chance — another chance, considering your first failure. But that was because you let rage rule your actions.
Don’t be afraid! You can fight, if danger comes your way. And you can win!
Ava barked out a warning, and Guinevere’s heart leapt into her throat. She spun around, sword leveled in front of her, and found a card soldier approaching, long scarlet pike raised in readiness.
“I’m counting on you,” Alice said, sounding entirely, annoyingly, unperturbed.
Guinevere barely had a chance to collect her wits, to take up a proper defensive stance, before her opponent lunged. There was no preamble, no salute between sparring partners, no training hall etiquette. This was a real fight, to the death, and her foe wasn’t going to take chances or go easy on her.
Guinevere parried the first blow, then stepped forward to thrust — and stopped herself.
Third form!
She stepped back, raising her sword just in time to parry the next blow from the card soldier’s pike, and though she deflected it ably, it sent a shock down her sword, into her fingers, up her arm. It hurt, even though she’d defended properly, even though she’d blocked expertly, even though she hadn’t been touched at all by her opponent’s weapon.
They’re strong. I should expect that, they’re metallic soldiers, they must have incredible strength beyond human soldiers, but even so!
The card soldier thrust again, and Guinevere parried it, stepping back at the same time to put a bit more distance between her and her foe. This block didn’t hurt her as much, and she wondered about it — and then, on the fourth exchange, she parried again, avoiding the painful shock to her arm once more.
I see. It’s all about the timing, the angle of deflection. I have to be perfect, not just adequate.
Now, then. I can’t just defend all day. And you’re strong, but simpler than I expected.
That’s a shame for you.
The card soldier thrust once more, and Guinevere stepped aside, around the blow, parrying it away from her. That gave her an ample opening to step forward, and finally attack — a thrust straight for the card soldier’s neck, the spot right underneath their helmet. It was the killing blow of choice for both Tobias and Sheena. She’d seen them do it a dozen times already.
It was over.
…What?
Except it wasn’t. The card soldier ducked his head, and Guinevere’s thrust glanced off his helmet, sending a shock up her arm. She was stunned, confused, and then the card soldier didn’t come at her with his pike, but instead stepped forward and shoved her hard, slamming his elbow into her chest. She staggered back, hit a wall, her breath knocked out of her. The soldier raised his lance, readying a thrust. Guinevere gasped for breath, squinted at tears in her eyes, tried to raise her sword…
She was too slow.
But Flynn wasn’t.
The red-brown dog came darting in, barking up a storm. The soldier Guinevere was fighting was startled, raised his pike, but he was too slow to stab the speedy Flynn. Flynn ran in between the soldier’s legs, then spun, knocking the soldier’s legs out from under him. He crashed to the ground, and Flynn barked once, rather pleased with himself…
And then ran off. Back to the fray. No rest, not even for a moment.
Guinevere gasped, staggering forward. She couldn’t waste the opportunity Flynn had given her, not now! The soldier didn’t get up easily — he’d slammed his head back against the street as he’d fallen, which left him quite dazed.
And quite exposed. Guinevere thrust, straight down, into the spot between helmet and breastplate, right into the soldier’s exposed neck. This time, her blow drove home. There was a sudden shriek that set her ears on edge, the soldier convulsed once…
And then went still.
Guinevere, gasping, wincing at pain in her chest, blinking tears out of her eyes, wrenched her sword free. There was no blood on the blade, no oil or mechanical parts, nothing at all. It was a clean “kill,” if it could be called that. Were the card soldiers alive? The question still remained.
But the question was irrelevant. Guinevere — with some assistance — had won. She hurt, more than she’d wished. She’d fought hundreds of sparring matches in the training hall, against numerous foes with genuine skill and strength — but this had been different entirely. It had never hurt like this, never left her reeling, stunned, shocked by the physical brutality of it. Her chest was clearly bruised, and it was still hard to draw a full breath. Her fingers throbbed, and her arm ached. She cursed the tears that kept stinging her eyes, threatening to fall.
But she’d won. And as she turned to check on Ava and Alice, both of them were just fine. Perfectly safe.
“Well done!” Alice said, beaming at her. Not an ounce of snark, not a hint of a tease or a joke or an insult. A pure, joyful bit of praise.
“Thanks,” Guinevere said. She didn’t like how easily her heart soared at the praise. She didn’t like that she’d needed assistance from Flynn, that she’d failed so clumsily in what should have been her killing blow.
Tobias and Sheena made it look so easy. They’ve never failed to drive it home, never been blocked by their helmets.
I’m missing something. But I won’t be so careless next time.
And she had to take some pride in this victory. Half of her hesitation, half of her slow start to the sudden duel, had been fear and panic seizing her. Half of her faltering in the middle had been shock at the pain, the strength and violence of her foe that left her bruised and aching. But now that she’d won…
Now, her heart was less tight, frantic, worried. Now, though she still hurt in her chest and couldn’t take a full breath, she could breathe easier than she had during the fight itself.
Yes. I’ll do much better next time. So! Come and get us, if you can, card soldiers.
Saoirse won’t find a true Queen such an easy target.
“Oh, here comes another one!” Alice said, pointing. Sure enough, another card soldier, pike in hand, rounded the corner, laying eyes — if they had eyes, Guinevere couldn’t actually tell — on Guinevere, Alice, and Ava.
“Perfect,” Guinevere said, this time relishing the challenge. She stood tall, took up her third form defensive stance with practiced poise, and saluted the soldier. “Come on, then. Let’s see what you can do.”
The card soldier came at her. She dodged, parried, watched her foe’s movements. She couldn’t be too quick to go for a killing blow, not after her first failure. There was something she’d missed. Had she been too slow? How did Tobias and Sheena make it look so easy?
Let’s put him off his game, first.
Several clashes of sword and pike still made her wince, made her fingers throb, her arm ache. But she was stronger than the pain, and each successful block, each successful defeat of her foe’s attempts to kill her, gave her courage and confidence. She made an opening for herself, and thrust for the soldier’s neck. Like the first, it ducked its head and stepped back to defend itself.
I’m slower than Tobias and Sheena. That must be it. I’ve never seen them have this kind of trouble.
Fine, then. That’s not the only way to win.
“Ava, careful now!” Guinevere called out. “Give me his back.”
She trusted Ava to understand her. They didn’t have the training Tobias and Flynn had clearly undergone. They’d never fought as a team before. Ava was her cheerleader, her companion, her emotional support, not a fighter.
But they had a bond of trust and understanding forged through ten years together. And Ava was incredibly competent, remarkably intelligent, and far faster than her size suggested. All of her exercise came from play, but she had nearly endless stamina, and stunning speed and reflexes.
Guinevere could count on her.
This is our starting point. I don’t have to fight alone. I know I can trust you. And I’ll ensure that you can trust me, too.
Ava understood Guinevere’s request, and darted past the soldier. At a safe distance, she started barking up a storm, her voice louder and deeper than Flynn’s. The soldier seemed caught off-guard for a moment. Then he shifted his pike and pushed crosswise at Guinevere, trying to knock her off-balance.
Trying to buy himself time to attack Ava, without leaving me free to finish him off.
Guinevere blocked the shoving blow, a bit awkwardly. It sent a shock of pain up her wrist, and she winced, but then stepped back, farther than she needed to.
Fall for it!
The soldier did. Satisfied that Guinevere was off-balance for now, he turned to thrust at Ava. But Ava was at a very safe distance, and wouldn’t be killed so quickly, or so easily.
Guinevere had all the time in the world. She stepped forward, thrust with all her might, and pierced the weak point in the small of the card soldier’s back.
The soldier shrieked, convulsed…
And fell. In a crash of metal, he completely fell to pieces, inert and harmless.
Guinevere gasped for breath, and cradled her sword hand in her other hand, massaging her wrist. No, she hadn’t blocked that shove very cleanly at all. She was going to feel all kinds of pain in the morning.
But she’d won, twice in a row.
And she hadn’t done it alone.
“Thank you, sweet girl,” Guinevere said, dropping to one knee. Ava padded up to her, tail wagging. She licked Guinevere’s injured wrist tenderly, then slipped inside Guinevere’s arms and headbutted her softly in the stomach. Guinevere laughed. “Yes, you were excellent. And we’ll do even better in the future, won’t we?” Ava stepped back, tail wagging, and then did a little trot around her and Alice.
Back to patrolling. Back to looking out for danger.
Guinevere stood, steadying her breathing. Her chest didn’t hurt so much now, and she could breathe more deeply. That was a relief — no serious damage to her bones or lungs, then. Just a bruise, and bruises healed. Her wrist wasn’t broken, either, though likely sprained.
She turned back, checking on the progress of the greater battle in the town’s plaza. Dozens of card soldiers lay unmoving, in pieces, utterly defeated.
But dozens more were still active, fighting with all their might against the two swordsmen and courageous canine that battled against them. Akko must be out there somewhere, too, Guinevere knew, but he was so small, and so swift, she wasn’t surprised she couldn’t spot him.
The card soldiers, for their part, were being quite cruel. Several charged unarmed, defenseless civilians with clear intent to kill. And for what? What could possibly be the purpose of this senseless slaughter?
Thank goodness for Tobias, Sheena, and Flynn. Not a single civilian had come to serious harm, not a single one had been killed so far. There were a few minor injuries and wounds, but they were able to walk, able even to run, and the few who couldn’t escaped with the aid of their fellow townsfolk.
But the card soldiers were noticing that the townsfolk were taking refuge in their houses, bolting the doors, shuttering the windows. And the card soldiers were none too pleased with that.
So they were taking a different approach. Some of them had lit torches, and were moving to set fire to the homes!
“Should we do something?” Alice asked, watching.
“If we go out there, we’re far too exposed,” Guinevere said. “I won’t be able to protect you.” She hesitated, for a moment, considering going out there despite that. But she acutely felt the pain in her arm, in her chest, in her wrist. Fighting just two card soldiers, one at a time, had been such an ordeal. Racing out there to defend homes against fire from numerous soldiers?
No. As much as it burned her to do nothing, this wasn’t a mission for Guinevere.
And a moment later, Tobias was running, him and Flynn charging in to prevent the fires. But Guinevere saw something in his eyes, something new. Was he… frightened? He was too far away for her to be sure.
But he made it in time. The soldiers bearing torches were dropped by Flynn, slain by Tobias. No houses would burn today.
But not all of the townsfolk had made it to safety. Sheena was fighting to protect a half-dozen children who had been surrounded by soldiers. And on the opposite side of the plaza…
Guinevere’s eyes went wide. One soldier was holding a boy, perhaps fifteen years old, pinning his arms behind his back. And across from them, two other soldiers had the boy’s parents on their knees. Pikes were raised, ready to kill the parents right in front of their son.
“No!”
Guinevere’s heart leapt into her chest. She’d been about to cry out, but that hadn’t been her voice.
It had been Tobias’.
He was running, as fast as he could, and she saw the panic in his eyes, heard the desperation in his voice. But he wasn’t going to make it in time!
——
Tobias had barely started to breathe a sigh of relief at having prevented the fires when he turned and saw something worse. A boy, no more than fifteen years old, was pinned, helpless to do more than watch as two soldiers readied to murder his parents.
“No!” Tobias screamed, desperation and terror welling up inside him.
He was running, a mad, desperate sprint, sword in hand, Flynn right alongside him. But while he fixed his eyes ahead, raced to save the boy and his parents in front of him…
He was seeing the past. Ten years ago, surrounded by fire, choked by smoke, and in front of him…
In front of him…
I won’t let it happen again!
He leapt, screaming, slashing, hoping…!
He felled two card soldiers. Flynn toppled the one pinning the boy, and the boy was free, running to his parents.
His parents…
Tobias stared at them, heart pounding in his chest. For a moment, he didn’t know, he couldn’t be sure, and terror seized him.
But then…
They were embracing their son. Both of them, unbloodied, unharmed. Alive.
Alive!
Tobias gasped, barely able to take a full breath. Flynn barked once at him, and he got the message, crossing to where the soldier that had held the boy had fallen and finishing him off, barely glancing at him.
He looked again at the boy in his parents’ arms, at the terror giving way to relief, at the love that had been rescued. He heard their thanks, but barely registered it.
His heart was heavy.
He walked past them, gazing out across the plaza, all around them. Sheena was just finishing off a few more card soldiers. The rest were slain, now just scrap metal scattered in heaps all around the town.
There wasn’t a single dead townsperson. There was blood, and there were wounded, but no one had died.
No one except the girl in the glen, who’d carried the desperate plea to save her town, to save her parents.
“Tobias?”
Tobias looked up. It was Sheena, looking at him with concern.
“I’m… fine,” he said. His voice sounded distant. Everything sounded distant. He turned away, taking slow, steady breaths. But he just couldn’t calm himself. What was it going to —
A soft bump against his leg. Tobias looked down, saw Flynn headbutt him and then look up, wagging his tail. Tobias knelt, and Flynn put his paws up on his knee, and Tobias hugged him, hiding his face in his fur.
That’s what helped. That’s what he needed. Sound rushed back to him, the calm quiet of a battle’s aftermath, of a town saved. Doors opening, people walking out, wondering what to make of all of this.
“Well done, Tobias,” said Alice. Tobias looked up and saw her standing right in front of him, smiling at him. But there was something in her eyes, something… more.
Something like understanding.
“Let’s double-check everyone,” Tobias said. “Make sure all are accounted for. And… we should find the girl’s parents. Let them know about their daughter.”
He looked over and saw the boy and his parents again. His heart caught in his throat. He swallowed, hard, then started in another direction.
Ultimately, all were accounted for save the girl who had died carrying her plea for help. Her parents were inconsolable, and there was little any could do for them — but Sheena stayed with them for a while, while Tobias, Guinevere, and Alice went around to check on everyone else. So many were grateful, and offered all sorts of rewards and prizes for being rescued. But Tobias was focused on investigating.
“What brought this on?” he asked. “Why were you attacked?”
“Why does our Queen do anything?” one man asked, and there was a surprising lack of venom in his voice, in his expression. “Her ways are above our ways, her thoughts above our thoughts.”
“Stop it!” another man said, slapping him on the shoulder. “Honestly. We all need to snap out of it. Like we’ve been in a dream, it’s been. A fog over our thoughts. It’s absurd. This kind of senseless violence… and we’re only safe thanks to you, good Knight, and you, noble swordswoman.”
“He wanted answers,” a lady said, washing blood off her hands. It wasn’t hers — she’d been nursing the wounded. She fixed her steady gaze on Tobias. “The Fourth’s been failing to meet its production quota for months, now. We’ve been given numerous warnings and threats. But we haven’t been able to meet the increasing quotas, no matter how we’re threatened. The factory’s falling apart, and we haven’t had the tools or expertise to fix it. Only so much you can do with machines that only work half the time, and half of the time they don’t work they’re not inert but actively dangerous. My husband lost three fingers, and he’s not the only one.”
“Production quotas?” Guinevere asked. “What kinds of things does Saoirse have you producing?”
“Weapons,” the lady said. “Armor. Parts for the card soldiers, parts for the trains. We’re each of us just another cog in the machine of war the Queen’s been ramping up for years, now. Readying for a big push into new territory, most like. But we can’t keep up. Got a cousin in the Ninth who’s dealing with the same problems. They’re pushed to the brink producing parts and cannons for ships. It’s all too much, for everyone.”
“Do you have a working post station?” Tobias asked. “I need to get a message to Ars Moran.”
“You’re in luck,” the lady said. She turned aside. “Nils! Can you help our hero get a message out to Albia?”
“Sure thing, ma!” said an older teen. He was also covered in other people’s blood — he’d been helping his mother nurse the wounded. Yet he smiled, a broad, amicable grin, as if the danger had never happened at all. “Come on, then, sir Knight. Our factory may be the pits, but our post station is one of the best in the realm!”
Tobias followed him, telling Flynn to stay with the others and help where he could. The post station was beyond the plaza, beyond where all the fighting had taken place, a prominent building with three domed towers and a tall, arched entranceway flanked by spiraling pillars. Inside, there were three message kiosks, with telephones, telegraphs, and other messaging equipment powered by synchronization crystals. Tobias assured Nils he was comfortable with all of this equipment, chose a kiosk, and sent off a telegraph for Ars Moran, to the citadel of Ars Lirica, care of Elliot Pherae. He added on his Knightly credentials to ensure the message was given the highest priority.
He hadn’t intended to go that far before today. But he hadn’t known the situation was this dire.
Elliot, I hope you’re there to receive this. And I hope you come quickly.
These people need help, as soon as possible.
Again fire flashed through his mind. Again a boy about to watch his parents be murdered flashed through his thoughts.
He breathed a heavy sigh.
When he exited the post station, he thanked Nils and Nils’ mother, whose name was Maria, and rejoined the others. Sheena was wrapping Guinevere’s sword hand, and he asked after her health — which only annoyed her.
“I’m quite all right,” she said quickly. “I defeated two card soldiers. No serious injuries. Don’t worry about me.” When Sheena finished with her hand, she held it up, flexing her fingers, and frowned. “How long will I need to keep this on?”
“Two or three days, ideally,” Sheena said. “You can still fight with it. I can help you understand your current limits this evening, if you wish. It’s important to set your expectations appropriately.”
“Thank you,” Guinevere said. She took a breath, and winced, but then composed herself. She turned a fiery glare on Tobias. “Are you still resigned to escape? We protected them once, but this kind of wickedness is unforgivable. We cannot let this stand!”
“We won’t,” Tobias said. “I’ve sent a message to Ars Lirica, highest priority. Help should arrive within a day, if I know Elliot. And I do.” Beside him, Flynn barked once, happily, his tail wagging.
“It seems you’re not the only one confident in this course of action,” Guinevere said, eyeing Flynn. She was silent a long time, warring with herself. “Fine.” She stood up, flexing her fingers once more, testing the range of motion in her injured hand. “Then I presume we continue our escape?”
“It seems the most prudent course of action,” Sheena said.
“You’re leaving already?” Maria asked.
“Us staying will only cause more trouble for you,” Tobias said. “Help is on the way, though. As fast as it can come. You won’t suffer much longer. I promise.”
“You’re a Knight Jouerve, aren’t you?” Maria asked. She smiled. “If you promise help is coming soon, then I believe you. Thank you, and please — stay safe. These lands are perilous.”
“I know,” Tobias said.
Better than most. Or I thought I did. But it’s become so much worse in the three years since my first visit. All of this military build-up, this expansion…
Is it… my fault?
“Tobias?” Alice asked, gazing up at him.
“Let’s get moving,” Tobias said.
They camped that night far from the Fourth, a little ways past the Eighth. Despite their long stop to save a town, they’d kept up the pace Tobias had hoped for in their trek outside of Saoirse’s lands. Tobias took some time to do exercises with Flynn… but his heart wasn’t quite in it.
It was hard to get over the events of the day. A girl was dead, parents bereft. Everyone else was alive, healthy, but…
But what had almost happened weighed heavily on Tobias’ heart.
Flynn picked up on that. Of course. Tobias sat in the grass, and Flynn situated himself in his lap, leaning into him affectionately.
“Some things hit too close to home,” Tobias murmured, stroking Flynn’s ears. “Are you all right?” Flynn’s ears did a little circle, and he let out a soft breath. “So even you get shaken up by these things, huh?” He fell back, lying in the grass, and Flynn happily placed his front paws on Tobias’ chest, giving him a few kisses on the nose. Tobias managed a slight smile, then breathed a sigh. “We should head back, shouldn’t we?” Flynn shifted his position, placing his paws on Tobias’ stomach, and Tobias grunted softly. “Yeah, just rub it in, huh? You’re hungry, too, don’t single me out.” Flynn’s little tail-flick response finally got a chuckle out of him. “All right, let’s go.”
Back at the camp, Alice and Sheena had teamed up to cook dinner, and were just setting things out when the boys returned. “Perfect timing!” Alice said, smiling. “Will you join us?”
Tobias fed Flynn first, then joined the others — including Guinevere, who was adjusting well to her wrapped wrist and hand. Dinner was excellent, a Haruo recipe Tobias recognized, rice and veggies and meat roasted with a delightful mix of spices.
“Flynn was marvelous, wasn’t he?” Alice asked, smiling with delight as Flynn came trotting over to her, eagerly accepting pets. “Yes, you and Tobias make a splendid team.”
“A team born of trust is always the best team,” Sheena said. Akko, perched on her shoulder, nuzzled against her face.
“Trust is the key, isn’t it?” Alice asked. She looked across at Tobias. “You have such trust in Flynn. But you don’t seem to build trust so easily with the rest of us. You’re quite closed off. Guarded. We aren’t your enemies, you know.”
“Will you stop trying to get everyone to open up to you?” Guinevere asked. “We’re all essentially still strangers; we’ve barely spent two days together. Bonds of trust are formed over long periods of time.”
“That’s one way to live, certainly,” Alice said, sighing. “But we’ve been through an awful lot in two days. These are the fires that forge fast friendships!”
“Trust comes easier for some than others,” Tobias said. He could tell where this was going, and knowing Alice, she wasn’t going to let him get away with complete evasions. Besides…
They can know at least that much. After today… I can’t keep hiding everything.
He’d shown his fears, his pains, in that one desperate scream, that one desperate dash to rescue the boy and his parents. Of course Alice’s curiosity would be raised.
“So there is a reason for your guardedness,” Alice said, leaning forward, eyeing him closely, her big blue eyes full of curiosity.
“I have tasted deep betrayal,” Tobias said, keeping the emotions out of his voice. “Twice.”
“Betrayal?” Alice asked.
“By those close to you?” Guinevere asked, showing surprising interest.
Tobias hesitated.
You don’t have to give all of the details. But you can trust them with at least part of the truth.
“The closest,” he said.
“Do you have a tragic backstory?” Alice asked, leaning even closer, eyes wide. “Ooh, are you an orphan? Were your parents viciously murdered right before your eyes?”
“Alice!” Guinevere said, glaring at her.
“What?” Alice asked. “You can’t tell me you aren’t interested, too!”
“Yes,” Tobias said, and all eyes turned to him. “They were.” In the silence that followed, Flynn came over to him and curled up beside him, resting his head in Tobias’ lap.
Alice’s eyes glittered with wonder. “Do tell,” she said breathlessly.
“You can’t possibly be taking delight in someone’s suffering and trauma!” Guinevere said, staring at the girl like she was a disgusting monster.
“It isn’t delight,” Alice said. She looked at Tobias, and he saw that look again, beneath the wonder, beneath the childlike mischief. A look that said she understood, in some way, to some extent. Her interest in his story, in his tragedy… did that come from a similar experience of her own?
She has Mister Carroll to look after her, a vast mansion all to herself. Anything materially she could want… but no parents. Not that I’m aware of. I don’t know much about her, but it does seem the only person she’s had in the world, for a long time, has been Mister Carroll.
You act like your own story is so simple, so uninteresting, that you’re just a child who hasn’t lived enough to have a story.
The truth is far different, isn’t it?
“Perhaps we should leave things at that, for now,” Sheena said softly, sympathetically.
“Yes, for now,” Alice said, sitting back. “Those small truths reveal a great deal.” Even as she said that, she was still speaking with a light tone.
“I’m… sorry,” Guinevere said in a small voice. “But, I just… how long ago did this happen?” Alice darted a glance at her, eyebrows lifting.
“A long time ago,” Tobias said. He remained silent, hoping that she’d leave it at that.
“I see,” Guinevere said. She bowed her head, and didn’t pursue the subject further.
A while later, as they were all going to sleep, Tobias lay on his side, sword in reach, Flynn curled up against him.
His heart was a storm. He’d tried so many things to calm it, but all he could do was manage its severity, not dispel the storm entirely.
Things are so much worse than the last time we were here. Saoirse has become so much more viciously aggressive. To attempt to completely slaughter an entire town’s population…
Elliot will be here soon. He’ll bring a full battalion. Everything will be set right.
But…
But after ten years, after so many triumphs, after so much change and growth and healing…
He couldn’t cast the horrors of the past from his mind. His worst days were as fresh, as painful, as if they’d happened yesterday.
With a heavy sigh, he hugged Flynn a little closer, and closed his eyes, willing sleep to take him.