"I'm telling you, you can't try doing shit like that when you're injured," Nela said, frustration boiling out. "It only makes it worse."

  Of all the things that could happen, Captain Takhat getting hurt while sparring with Senby was not what Nela would've expected. Takhat following it up by scraping up the same injured arm while climbing down was just...who even spars on a rooftop anyway? What kind of completely stupid idea was that?

  Either way, Takhat wasn't going to do anything with that arm for a day or two. Of course, if Takhat was anything like Edeline, the woman would try. It wasn't like Nela was able to tie the captain to a chair or something. Even if she was, that still wasn't happening. Nela knew all too well how miserable that felt.

  "What, did you want someone to carry me down?" Takhat retorted.

  "Yes," Nela stated with crossed arms.

  "Sparring on the roof was my idea," Senby spoke up. He'd been sitting in a nearby chair, watching as Nela tended to the captain's arm.

  "Climbing down wasn't," Nela grumbled, then sighed, realizing this was getting them nowhere. "Look, I get how you training him is something that feels normal, keeps you from going crazy. But you can't let it get in the way of doing what you need to do. Especially when everyone's depending on you."

  "I suppose you'd know," Takhat said, glancing over at Jylania.

  She'd been thinking about Ronny, but sure, Nela could work with that. Especially since Takhat so far had not said a word about what might have happened to Ronny or Edeline. At least Hamond was working on finding them now. One way or another, they'd know what happened.

  "Same thing. The lives of people depend on us telling them what to do. Only difference is your work is out there protecting people, and mine is right here keeping you all healthy. Without either of us, it falls apart, so you better listen to me about the whole healthy thing. Got it?"

  "It'll far apart anyway," came the last voice Nela wanted to hear right now. Jisry had entered the room, emerging from the back yet again.

  "Should I put him to sleep again?" Jylania asked without hesitation.

  "Don't," Nela answered, scowling at the older healer. "What do you even want?"

  "Confirming what I already knew." Jisry smiled coldly. "And don't worry. I'll leave you all to your...delusions."

  "What does that mean?" Senby asked.

  "Ask your captain," Jisry shot back as he turned towards the doorway to the back. "See if she stops lying about being able to protect everyone. Men, women, children...babes..."

  With that, Jisry hobbled off. Nela was tempted to run him down and just put him to sleep anyway for that last insult against Takhat. That was assuming Senby didn't grab his spear and run the man through first, which he looked ready to do. Jisry really was a miserable arse who only lived to make everyone else suffer just as much, wasn't he?

  Enough of him though. "Back to the matter of..." Nela trailed off as she saw Takhat's wide-eyed stare. That was no random insult of Jisry's. It was a personal attack, words chosen specifically to make Takhat hurt. Something about babes...Nela found her thoughts echoing Senby's question. Just what had happened?

  Nela shook it off, realizing it wasn't her business to begin with. If the captain wanted to say, she would. If not...it was clear there was an old wound there, but it was one no healer could mend.

  Senby, however, did not seem willing to let it go. "What was he talking about?"

  Nela raised a hand to try and signal for him to shut up. Not that she thought Senby would pay her any heed, but she might as well try.

  "How in the heavens does he know?" Takhat whispered into the air, then turned to them. "Sorry...just an old matter. It's part of why I joined the guard in the first place."

  "Give me the word and I'll boot him out the door," Nela said, half kidding.

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  "Do it," Senby suggested, completely serious. Right, Senby had been forced to put up with Jisry too, back when he was staying here.

  "If only there was someone willing to tolerate him, I would," Takhat said, "The one thing I won't do is exile him to face the creatures out there alone."

  That certainly would lead to a very dead Jisry. As much as it would solve their problems with him, Nela knew better than to wish for that. Alright, maybe she wished for it a little. Seriously, with each day it increasingly seemed Jisry not only wasn't productive, but just got in the way of everyone else.

  "I suppose while I'm here, I might as well ask." Takhat yawned for some reason, stretching before speaking again. "Do you know where your friend Hamond is?"

  Nela wasn't surprised to hear that question. "No idea, really. Haven't seen him since early this morning."

  Falling silent, Takhat looked down at the floor. This had to be about Ronny and Edeline then. Probably some shit about trying to get both of them together before bringing it up. Too late for that though.

  "I'd hoped to speak to the two of you about it," the captain finally said, proving Nela right. "But with your friend apparently busy...suppose I can just tell you."

  Nela nodded. Just get it over and done with.

  "First, I wouldn't have sent your companions out with Floire if I'd known she'd threatened Merytuya. I wish you had told me she did that, but I sort of understand you keeping quiet about that. Separate assignments would have been a possibility, although...I don't know. I don't think I could have stopped Floire."

  "Not if we barely survived fighting her, no." Nela hadn't expected to feel sympathetic with Ronny in danger, but there really wasn't much that could be done. The Witch of Wrath did what the Witch of Wrath wanted to do. Any attempt to force the matter would put the people here at risk from the inevitable fight that followed.

  "I wonder if I should have seen in coming," Takhat said, "A few days before you all got here, we had an issue where a family didn't get their food. One of the cooks just forgot, I think. When Floire found out, she somehow broke into the storehouse and grabbed them a lot of extra supplies. Not just food, and far more than they needed or could use."

  "I guess she thought she was making a point," Nela replied, finding herself amused.

  "Told her not to do it again, and her answer was to say that I'd better make sure no one went hungry again." Takhat slumped down in the chair. "Obvious now that it also meant that she'd ignore my orders if she disagreed with any of them."

  "Don't know why anyone would work with her if she's like that all the time," Senby remarked.

  "Because she still gets the job done when it counts, I guess." Nela shrugged. "Look at Jisry. The man's an arse, make no mistake, but he's still a healer. Some people will take nearly any amount of nonsense if it means they get to keep on living as they were."

  "That's stupid."

  "Agreed, but that's how it is," Nela told Senby. "I'm sure the Witch of Wrath did something before fighting the Spellking to earn her reputation. The king or whoever wouldn't have called on her otherwise." Maybe Hamond or Edeline would know more about that. Nela sure didn't.

  "I wouldn't know either," Takhat added, "Of course, I didn't even recognize her, so I'm not the best to ask about it. Maybe you could-"

  "Captain!" One of Takhat's men ran into the room, breathing heavily.

  "What is the problem?" Takhat jumped to her feet, any signs of fatigue gone in an instant. It had to be exhausting, hiding any possibility of perceived weakness like that. With people like Jisry around though, Nela could understand why it was needed.

  "It's men!" the man stammered, still short on breath. "Men...from the south!"

  "What men?" Takhat asked, "Describe them."

  "Armed men...in red tabards...about a hexty of them."

  "That many?" Takhat was stunned.

  So was Nela, but for a very different reason. "The royal knights..." she muttered to herself. There was no chance they'd gotten word and come to aid Lasfont. Either they were here to recruit men for the war, or...the other possibility was far worse.

  Suddenly it was a very good thing Edeline and Ronny had gone missing.

  "What...what do we do?" the guard asked.

  "I will have to meet with them." Takhat was smiling. "If we can get them to work with us, we can expand the perimeter, clear out most of the town...heavens, about time things went our way."

  Nela fought back the urge to disagree. If any of them recognized Ronny when he returned...shit, she'd even gotten to meet a few of those knights herself. If those ones were here, and were in need of healing, explaining any of this would be about as much fun as fleeing the Spellking's gigants.

  Thankfully Captain Takhat wasn't paying attention to Nela. In her eagerness the striding captain was already halfway to the doorway leading outside. The guard stood there for a brief moment of astonishment, then followed.

  "So...what am I supposed to do now?" Senby asked the empty air where Takhat had stood.

  "I don't know," Nela said, trying to hold back her new foul mood. Better to try and stay out of the way of the royal knights for today. They shouldn't have any need for healing aid. In fact, given the number said, it wouldn't be too big a surprise if they brought their own healer. If they had, Nela would happily hand off taking care of Jisry to whoever that healer was.

  "Fine. I'll be in the back then." Nela watched Senby leave, wondering who he was going to bother. He might just be going to that one empty room. As long as he didn't cause problems for Nela, she wasn't going to complain.

  "This is what you warned me about, isn't it?" Jylania's voice was low. "They're here for Edeline."

  "Maybe," Nela answered, "Listen. You need to run to our room. Bring me my crossbow and the bolts. Be quick, and avoid those men if you see them."

  "I hope you won't need it." With that, Jylania darted off, the curtain fluttering behind the girl before settling back into place.

  "I hope I won't either," Nela said to herself.

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