Go

After their escape, Silosyil was ready to find a place to rest and hide, staying out of the way as this war was fought would be the wisest thing for anyone. And having seen Malav and his army up close she was ready to try being wise for once. When the old man, Zius, had started to talk about Lallareth and trusting the Light Bringers there to keep them safe, she couldn’t believe her ears.

“I am not going near that place.” Silosyil was adamant. “Light Bringers do more harm than good, I have no interest in begging for their protection.” She was opening her mouth to say more but she was cut off dismissively.

“Go your own way then.” Lutius’ look made it clear what he thought of her and her objections and she didn’t bother to argue. She was as relieved to be dismissed as she was annoyed.

Go my own way, she snorted. She had no interest in spending any more time than she had to with any one who resembled that walking nightmare grandfather had gotten her away from. And looking to Light Bringers for safety was like looking to a Sial to protect you in the forest. Stupid and more likely to get you killed.

The refugees from Gaelel had little with them and thieves were raiding their own nearby caches to try and create shelter and provide a bit of food for those they had managed to save. Rough hewn lean-tos were being built and even something like community kitchens were being established for the camps that were forming.

It wasn’t hard to melt into the mix of strangers. Silosyil was helping to hunt down saplings to cobble together more of the lean-tos when she nearly ran into grandfather. He seemed to be just standing in the woods staring blankly.

“G-grandfather?” His oddly expressionless face made her nervous. “Are you-is everything-”

His rheumy eyes fell on her and the wounded, incredulous look that swept over his face made her take a half step back. “Stole a Prince and lost it. Deaf ears. Dull wits. A brother’s not his brother.”

The words cut her to her core. “I-but,” she shook her head. “They wanted to go to Lallareth, to meet up with Light Bringers. I told them not to but they wouldn’t listen, I was-I just-”

He leaned on his staff as he turned and waved her away.

“Please don’t. Please, grandfather.” Silosyil tried to move in front of him to plead but a group of women approached encircling him and pushing her forcibly back. She blinked back her tears furiously as she looked at the one directly in front of her. But before she could open her mouth the woman began to speak.

“I don’t expect you to know a priestess of Ayil on sight, but I expect you to listen when I speak.” The woman glared at her as she nodded. “You were given a task and your refusal of it has given Malav an advantage. Ayred needed to be won over. He was needed to help defend Iskus’ shrine on the Oryr road. Because you abandoned him he may die and the shrine may fall into Malav’s hands. Iskus will be at Malies’ mercy.”

Silosyil sank to the ground as it seemed to tilt under her feet. The woman bent and looked at her as if she had betrayed grandfather on purpose. “Have you nothing to say?”

Blinking and taking a deep breath Silosyil blurted out, “Lallareth.”

The woman straightened and pointed imperiously and Silosyil was on her feet and running before she realized it. She wasn’t sure how she knew she was going in the right direction but she stopped only when her body screamed at her to do so. She pushed herself and almost jumped for joy when she finally saw the tower fortress looming above her.

Once she reached it, however, the heaps of dead and ash told her she was already too late. Ayred might already be dead. She slammed through the battered and unlatchable door and sucked in enough breath to call out, “Ayred?!”

She ducked into what might have once been a kitchen and saw his guards, Ayred stepped out from behind the old man who had traveled with them, “Ayred!” Silosyil had never been so glad to see anyone in her life. She couldn’t keep herself from hugging him in her relief.