her to be near him. But she hadn't been sure that love was anything he felt.
Tears clouded her eyes as she whispered, "And I love you."
"Then allow me to protect you. Allow me to keep you safe. I could not live with myself if you were killed."
"How? By hiding in a hole somewhere, shaking in fear of the unknown? Should I have another panic attack while I wait to see if someone comes to murder me? Should I cry? Should I break down and fall to my knees?" Elbi took a few steps back and asked, "Is that the woman you love?"
He walked toward her, closing the distance between them once more. "That is not the woman you are anymore."
"Exactly! What you don't realize is that you gave me the greatest gift I could ever ask for. You gave me the ability to fight. You healed the beaten soul inside of me. You made me realize that I can do this." Tears threatened to fall, but Elbi refused to let them. "Please don't take that gift away."
Malachi nodded, looking sad. He then cleared his throat and his expression grew firm. "You will do as I command. You will fight where I say, and stay near me. I am one of the commanders of this army, and you are a soldier. You will follow my commands and never question. It is your duty as a soldier in this army to do so. Do you understand?"
Elbi smiled. "Yes, sir."
Malachi gave her a weak smile in return. "Then let us prepare for battle."
Chapter Thirteen
Can anyone ever be ready for battle? Elbi pondered that question as she stood in position, fingering the heavy bag of throwing knives at her side. Her other side was weighed down by the sword she was forced to carry, even though she hated to do so. Malachi had told her to stand ready by one of the entrances. He told her that once the door was breached, to throw the knives and aim at their eyes. She'd also been instructed to remain behind the protective wall, and not to engage in hand-to-hand unless absolutely necessary. He then kissed her softly and left. Elbi hadn't seen him since, but she had no doubt he was nearby.
She stood there for what felt like an eternity. Waiting. Waiting for Jaden. She looked around and watched the hundreds of soldiers waiting as well, worry obvious on their faces although none would speak of it. With all the soldiers ready for the attack, she could see no sign of Briar or anyone else she knew, but she wasn't going to disobey Malachi and leave her post to go searching.
Sweat trickled down her arm as the blazing sun began to set. Would Jaden wait until nightfall to attack? That seemed the most logical thing, but the waiting game tortured her. She tried to busy her mind and not allow it to go to thoughts of what it would be like to kill someone. How would it feel to throw a knife and actually hit a human's eye? No… those thoughts could not exist right now. Those thoughts led to weakness.
"Elbi," she heard being whispered behind her. She turned quickly to see Briar hunched down with her bow ready. "I wanted to tell you that I'll be in the tower behind you." Elbi looked over Briar's shoulder at the tower looming over them. "I will shoot anyone who tries to get near you."
She nodded, not sure what to say. The fear of what was happening began to weigh her down.
"I love you, Elbi. You're going to be just fine. You can do this," Briar assured her. She then turned and quickly made her way to her post, leaving Elbi as she struggled with her internal demons and fought back the fear that made her want to run and search for Malachi.
Just as the shadows were taking over, the calls of war pierced the air. Shouts, screams, commands… even the first groans of death. What was once a stagnant silence became wave after wave of chaos.
Elbi held her hand on the hilt of her sword and palmed a knife with the other. She waited with the sounds of war all around the outside of the encampment. She waited for the doors to be opened as fear threatened to paralyze her body. So far, the walls of Casen were holding Jaden back. No
Tears clouded her eyes as she whispered, "And I love you."
"Then allow me to protect you. Allow me to keep you safe. I could not live with myself if you were killed."
"How? By hiding in a hole somewhere, shaking in fear of the unknown? Should I have another panic attack while I wait to see if someone comes to murder me? Should I cry? Should I break down and fall to my knees?" Elbi took a few steps back and asked, "Is that the woman you love?"
He walked toward her, closing the distance between them once more. "That is not the woman you are anymore."
"Exactly! What you don't realize is that you gave me the greatest gift I could ever ask for. You gave me the ability to fight. You healed the beaten soul inside of me. You made me realize that I can do this." Tears threatened to fall, but Elbi refused to let them. "Please don't take that gift away."
Malachi nodded, looking sad. He then cleared his throat and his expression grew firm. "You will do as I command. You will fight where I say, and stay near me. I am one of the commanders of this army, and you are a soldier. You will follow my commands and never question. It is your duty as a soldier in this army to do so. Do you understand?"
Elbi smiled. "Yes, sir."
Malachi gave her a weak smile in return. "Then let us prepare for battle."
Chapter Thirteen
Can anyone ever be ready for battle? Elbi pondered that question as she stood in position, fingering the heavy bag of throwing knives at her side. Her other side was weighed down by the sword she was forced to carry, even though she hated to do so. Malachi had told her to stand ready by one of the entrances. He told her that once the door was breached, to throw the knives and aim at their eyes. She'd also been instructed to remain behind the protective wall, and not to engage in hand-to-hand unless absolutely necessary. He then kissed her softly and left. Elbi hadn't seen him since, but she had no doubt he was nearby.
She stood there for what felt like an eternity. Waiting. Waiting for Jaden. She looked around and watched the hundreds of soldiers waiting as well, worry obvious on their faces although none would speak of it. With all the soldiers ready for the attack, she could see no sign of Briar or anyone else she knew, but she wasn't going to disobey Malachi and leave her post to go searching.
Sweat trickled down her arm as the blazing sun began to set. Would Jaden wait until nightfall to attack? That seemed the most logical thing, but the waiting game tortured her. She tried to busy her mind and not allow it to go to thoughts of what it would be like to kill someone. How would it feel to throw a knife and actually hit a human's eye? No… those thoughts could not exist right now. Those thoughts led to weakness.
"Elbi," she heard being whispered behind her. She turned quickly to see Briar hunched down with her bow ready. "I wanted to tell you that I'll be in the tower behind you." Elbi looked over Briar's shoulder at the tower looming over them. "I will shoot anyone who tries to get near you."
She nodded, not sure what to say. The fear of what was happening began to weigh her down.
"I love you, Elbi. You're going to be just fine. You can do this," Briar assured her. She then turned and quickly made her way to her post, leaving Elbi as she struggled with her internal demons and fought back the fear that made her want to run and search for Malachi.
Just as the shadows were taking over, the calls of war pierced the air. Shouts, screams, commands… even the first groans of death. What was once a stagnant silence became wave after wave of chaos.
Elbi held her hand on the hilt of her sword and palmed a knife with the other. She waited with the sounds of war all around the outside of the encampment. She waited for the doors to be opened as fear threatened to paralyze her body. So far, the walls of Casen were holding Jaden back. No
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