Chapter 14

"Out of the way." Guards yelled, shuffling the crowd back to the sides of the street as a troop of knights made their way back into town with their wounded soldiers, including one laid out face down in a cart.

"Is that the leader of the royal knights?"

"No, it can't be him!"

"This wound wouldn't end him."

"There's so much blood!"

"Did they get rid of the monsters? Do we need to hide?"

"Please move back. We need to get them to a doctor." The guards struggled to wrangle the crowd.

"Did you hear that?" Rika tugged on Dryden's hand. "Are they talking about Wolfe? He went out to fight demons, didn't he?"

Dryden's mouth went dry as he inched them forward in the crowd, his eyes on the cart coming closer. "Yeah, it's him. Something must've gone seriously wrong."

More screams erupted as part of a nearby building crashed.

"A demon made it in!" screamed a townsperson, and they ran the other way, causing a flood of people to do the same.

In the opposite direction, another group of knights on horses were headed their way.

Dryden pulled her off to the side, hiding her in his arms as he waited for things to settle.

"Is that Ferran?" Rika asked, pointing at the person leading the knights, his green cloak flapping in the wind.

"They must've thought he was needed." Dryden's jaw tightened. "I should get you back to the palace."

"Wait, what if I can help?" Rika looked in the direction of the demon.

"I know you're powerful, Rika, but I don't think you're ready to fight that yet, especially not if it injured Wolfe that badly."

"He's right."

Rika jolted, recognizing the voice, and pulled her hood down more.

"You..." Dryden narrowed his eyes, and his grip on her tightened.

"Yes, me." Kael smiled at them. "Here to save the day and make sure my bunny is safe." As he approached, Dryden ushered her behind his back, his hand on the hilt of his sword. "If you're after me, you better think again." Kael put his hand on the hilt of Dryden's sword, stopping him from drawing it.

"Tch." Dryden's hand twitched as he stared straight into Kael's red eyes, and he swallowed hard.

"And if you're after the demon, then you're just better off leaving it to me. Get her back to safety. Now." Kael dashed towards the demon with cracked stone skin, long claws, and glowing red eyes, as it leaped from one building to the next.

"What the hell is that?" Rika asked as he tried to usher her away.

"A gravelok demon with skin as hard as stone. Come on; we have to get away from here."

"But if swords don't work, they might need my magic to help." She pushed towards it. Although Kael was able to suppress my magic, so maybe he has some of his own.

"Ferran is going; they'll be fine."

"But—"

Dryden grabbed her shoulders and leaned down to stare into her eyes. "Rika, I know it sucks to hear, but you're not ready to fight that yet. Trust Ferran can fight it off and return to the palace, where I'm sure we'll both get into trouble."

"What am I even here for if not in these moments?"

"I'm sorry, Rika, but you're not ready yet–and you're leaving me no choice."

Rika frowned. "What do you mean? Oh!" she gasped as he leaned down and pulled her over his shoulder. "What are you doing?" She gripped the back of his cloak, worried she'd fall.

"Getting you home safely." Dryden took off running towards the palace.

"Did it have to be like this?" Geez, this is humiliating. I'm glad I have this hood to hide. She hung onto it, pulling it over to cover her face.

"You refused to return otherwise, so yes. Rika, I'll do what's necessary to keep you safe, even if you don't like it."

"Ugh..." I keep forgetting I don't have real freedom here.

Another crash of bricks falling from a roof vibrated through the ground.

But can I really blame him? I might be able to help, but I also might get myself killed... Rika went silent, clinging to her hood as he rushed back, careful not to hurt her in the crowd.

The guard at the back entrance raised an eyebrow as Dryden greeted him with Rika still on his shoulder, but he let them through.

"Guy gets all the fun," the guard muttered.

Dryden kept his hold on her and headed for the door to the palace.

In the distance, Rika could see a bunch of knights and a few carts rolling in with blood on the sides. "Wait, please." She patted his back. "Set me down."

"Not until we're back at your room."

"You plan on carrying me like this in the palace? I thought we had decorum to uphold or something."

"You're not wrong, but—"

"Please, Dryden."

He stopped and sighed.

"Then at least take me to the medical ward instead," Rika said, her voice firm. I need to help.

He finally set her down. "Sorry about the manhandling and all that, but why would you want to go to the medical ward?"

Rika's brows furrowed. "Shouldn't it be obvious? I want to help the wounded. You may keep me from a fight, but should you keep me from them? They need my help, especially since Ferran is busy fighting the demon right now. Besides, Wolfe was injured badly enough they had to cart him back to the palace."

Dryden sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Okay." He nodded. "But are you sure you're ready to face it? These wounds... they're not like scratches and bruises. They're not for the faint of heart."

Rika swallowed hard, gripping her hands in front of her. "I'm sure. I might get overwhelmed, but I want to help rather than stand around doing nothing." And being nothing more than a showpiece.

"Okay, but I'll stay by your side, and lean on me if you need to." Dryden held his hand out to her. "Please don't faint."

"I won't."

Hand-in-hand, Dryden escorted her to the medical ward full of injured men on the ground and staff working as hard as they could to help the knights.

"Duke Dryden, what brings you here?" the guard asked, bracing the door as another bloodied knight was rushed inside.

"We're here to help," Dryden replied. "We figured you'd need it."

"Sir." He saluted and held the door open for them, his eyes lingering on Rika as she passed by.

Don't know if he knows who I am yet, but he's definitely watching me closely.

"Let's find Wolfe first." Dryden tightened his grip on her hand and led her through the medical ward past wounded knights, with the thick scent of copper and sweat, and sounds of groans filling the air.

Geez, this is a bit much. What in the world was that demon to hurt so many? Or was it a group of them?

"There he is." Dryden spotted Wolfe in the back with a doctor and a healer desperately working to stop the bleeding.

Damn. Rika stared at the giant slash in his back, his armour off to the side in pieces.

"Stay back, please. We're trying to save his life," the doctor said, ushering them away.

Rika glanced at Dryden, who nodded at her.

"Go for it, Rika; I know you can do it," Dryden said, his hand on the small of her back as he gently pushed her forward.

"I'm a healer," Rika said, reaching out for Wolfe's hand.

"What? We have a healer working—"

"Let her try," a familiar voice came from behind them.

"Your Highness!" The doctor and healer stepped aside, bowing.

"Your Highness." Dryden bowed to him.

"Rika, please help him," Alric said, his blue eyes piercing into hers.

She nodded and took a deep breath, closing her eyes to focus. Let's do this, Rika. You're the saint; you can heal anything that's still living... She imagined her magic flowing into him and the wound closing.

A bright light shone off Wolfe's back, and he gasped, his eyes shooting open. He groaned as he turned onto his side and looked at Rika, still holding his hand. "You..." His eyes widened.

Geez, I heal him and that's his reaction? She went to pull her hand away, and his grip tightened.

"Thanks." He muttered, the rose over his head glowing as he released her hand.

Whispers filled the air.

"What was that bright light?"

"Did you see what she did?"

"Since when can healers work that fast?"

"Since when can healers heal a wound that bad?"

I may have drawn too much attention to myself... Rika glanced at the others who had stopped working.

"Can you help over here?" one of the doctors called out to her. "I don't have a healer right now, and they desperately need it."

"Oh, okay." Rika rushed over to help them, and Dryden followed her along, keeping a close eye on her so she wouldn't overexert herself.

"Wolfe, are you okay now?" Alric asked. "What happened?"

"There were more than I thought, and I was too careless. I suppose I owe her now; my back feels fine, and so does the rest of me, for that matter. Her powers are truly magnificent. It's no wonder the previous saint ended up under palace protection."

Alric nodded, his jaw tight. "But I'm not sure she's so easily detained." He watched her move from one patient to the next, using her powers to heal them. "We'll have to keep looking into how to return her home after she's helped us."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. She deserves the ability to choose her life."