Chương 52: 052

Dominicus rested a hand on his sword, gaze narrowing.

"Do we get an explanation for your sudden appearance?" Time barely spared him a glance, shrugging.

"I am a companion who will be joining your journey to undo the king's wrong. Is that not enough?" Dominicus's expression darkened. I winced internally. That was painfully vague. Evidently, Dominicus agreed. He squared his shoulders and turned to me.

"Do you have an actual answer?" Time shot me a warning look. I sighed.

"He's my companion… another Chosen of Karma." I mean, she'd chosen him as her husband, right? That counted…

"Sorry for not mentioning him earlier. He's not exactly a front-line fighter, so we planned to introduce him once we were safely out. We sent him ahead to meet Dura." Close to the truth, but not nearly the whole story. Dura raised an eyebrow, but mercifully stayed silent. Thankfully, it satisfied Dominicus. His hand fell from his sword as he glanced at the unconscious guard on the floor.

"As you say. Are there any others?" I shook my head.

"Not that I'm aware of. But we should focus on leaving. Henry, what's the plan now that the king is dead?" Henry stepped closer, holding Maya securely on his hip, her face pressed into his neck.

"Now that we've found Maya, I'll order my forces to storm the castle. Everyone inside will be questioned to determine loyalty." Promising. Still, I couldn't ignore the memory of the report I'd seen earlier.

"When I was going through king bast-." Henry cleared his throat, giving me a sharp look. I frowned, confused, until he nodded to his shoulder. Maya peeked out, wide-eyed and curious. I bit back a laugh. Right. Watch my mouth around the small one.

"My bad. When I was checking the king's desk, I found a report, probably from his general. It mentioned a town recently occupied, with soldiers stationed there. With the king gone…" Henry's jaw tightened.

"The people will be in danger." Grief flitted across his face as he glanced down at Maya. If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

"You know the town?" I asked. He nodded.

"Dawnmoor. Our home." Time froze, expression cracking for just a moment before settling back into impassivity.

"That is quite the distance," he said, clipped.

"Nearly the entire way across Nexus. Perhaps, Nikolas, we should leave this to the resistance leader. Other matters demand our attention." I raised an eyebrow, snorting.

"You're suggesting we leave those people? I thought the plan was to free the oppressed. And if one of Silas's generals is there, I'd like to stomp their as–" Henry hastily covered Maya's ears. I coughed, amending, "stomp their butts into next week. What's changed?" Time's scowl deepened, still avoiding my gaze.

"Before, I did not know the town was Dawnmoor. The distance is impractical." His tone was neutral, devoid of any emotions, but I felt it again. That itch at the back of my mind. He was lying. I didn't push— not here. Henry's frown lingered as he studied Time, while Dominicus's expression shifted between reluctant agreement and wary skepticism. Finally, Dominicus broke the silence.

"While our quest is critical, we can manage both. Dawnmoor is as good a direction as any. We can gather intelligence and help others along the way." Henry's tension eased.

"I agree. There's no reason we can't pursue both goals." Time drew a sharp breath, clearly bracing for an argument. I stepped between him and the others, forcing a smile.

"I need to talk to my companion before making a decision. But if there's a way to help people while fulfilling Karma's will, I'll do it." That seemed to satisfy them. Dominicus gestured toward the adjacent cells.

"We'll leave at first light. You have until then to decide. Meet us at the main gate if you're coming." He disappeared into the next room, Henry trailing behind. The resistance leader offered me a small, uncertain smile.

"I hope you'll join us. Either way, thank you for what you've done for Nexus." Before I could reply, he left, leaving me alone with Time and Dura. Dura glanced between us, noting the tension in the air.

"I'm just going to… go over there." She pointed to the far end of the cells, lingering for a beat.

"Though if you could let me know the plan after your little chat, I'd appreciate it." I nodded, grateful. Once she moved away, I faced Time. His expression was unreadable, but every line radiated tension.

"We should move on," he said abruptly, brushing past me toward the exit, as if he hadn't just suggested leaving an entire town of captives behind. They would have Henry to help, even if we didn't intervene. But earlier, he'd wanted to save them. What changed? Confusion and frustration simmered as I grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"We need to talk." His lips thinned.

"Not here. There are too many listening ears. The king's office should suffice, it is likely soundproofed." I released him and glanced at Dura, who was watching us with sharp eyes, head tilted in curiosity.

"We'll be back soon," I said. She nodded. I followed Time, bracing for the explanation he owed me. Unless he had one, there was no way I'd abandon those people.