Chapter 32

Later that day, Nashka came to visit me, accompanied by Manelia. Her frail figure hadn’t changed, and she hesitantly stepped into the room and halted next to me on the sofa. I sighed. It wasn’t fair. She shouldn’t have to go through this, but at least she had someone by her side who would help her.

“Thank you”, she whispered, bowing her head.

“It’s okay”, I smiled.

She seemed to gather her courage, and I saw a flicker of something that reassembled a Queen in her eyes as she announced,

“When the time comes, Manelia will ride with you to Tarnis”

He bowed his head in acknowledgement, and Uruk patted his back.

“It will be an honour to ride with you again, my friend.”

Maybe that was all the pose she could muster, because she slumped her shoulders and said,

“Will you leave soon?”

Her eyes shifted to sorrow as I nodded,

“We have to…”

She turned down her gaze, and I gestured for her.

“Come, keep me company”

She shuffled over and sat next to me.

“I believe in you…”, I whispered.

“You do?”

She looked at me and I nodded. I hoped my words would give her some comfort. I put my arm around her as she lay her head on my shoulder.

“So, where will we go?”, Aki asked, lifting her head from Selene’s lap to look at us.

Karim sighed.

“I had first thought to go South and rally our allies on the way to Eldoria…”

His voice trailed off.

“It’s a good plan”, Manelia nodded. “If the word spreads that Marbug and Akka follow your banner, the rest of the Eastern kingdoms will follow our lead”

“You are right..”, Karim said. “But we found something here, and I fear going ahead without understanding it first”

“What do you suggest?” Manelia asked.

“Turn West and leave for Doria”, Selene said.

“Doria?”

Manelia frowned, and I saw Aki shiver in fear, hearing the name.

“I wouldn’t choose it if I didn’t have to, but Karim is right. It’s the only place that can give us answers”, she sighed.

Manelia nodded and stared into the fire.

“Then be careful, my friends. May Goddess guide your steps.”

The room fell quiet, and I looked at them.

“What is that place?”

“A place older than the temple my kin built on the shores of Lake Niar, believing it was the place where Goddess first arrived after defeating the darkness”, Uruk said.

“That was the temple where we summoned you”, Karim explained, and Selene continued bitterly,

“The Dorians turned away from the world and closed their borders long before we retreated to the South. And our emissaries are turned away no matter how urgent the matter is.”

“It’s worth a try”, I said.

It didn’t seem that bad compared to what they had told me about Marbug. At least there was no civil war or plots, and the worst that would happen was that they would turn us away.

Even if the uneasiness was gone now that the orb was crushed, I still remembered it, and I shivered at the memory. If we could find how the Imperium had done it, and if they had used it as a weapon in Tarnis, I guess it could only be good.

The others began to prepare for our journey. We wouldn’t stay long, and in just a few days, we would set out again.