Chương 34: 33 – Every Quest in Its Time

With what had happened to the twins, Mom and Uraleka hadn't been willing to leave Hadra and me completely alone, but they'd been kind enough to give us a bit of privacy on the walk back to the bar for the conversation. Somehow, the people at the watchpost already seemed to know it wasn't the time for jokes about soup or stories, and they let us pass without comment. There had been suspicions going around town that Hadra would be whisked away to the castle any day now for months. This was just confirmation.

Mom, though, had been giving me worried glances the entire time. She'd been doing that a lot lately. Hadra and I arrived at the bar just a little behind them. The place was loud, but the noises there had become more cheerful in the days since the attack. Mom was sitting with Uraleka at one of the tables and had been joined by Eparri Patenteer, one of the people staying with us.

"Mera! Hadra!" came a sudden shout, and I smiled as I spotted Reid in the corner at one of the standing tables. I began walking toward him and almost tripped over Normuran. To my amusement, he was curled up in a corner, wrapped in a blanket, lying on featherdown pillows that seemed to have been brought in from every spare nook in Pemolar. He was dead to the world despite the dozens of people in the room. There were a few flowers and some small cookies next to his bedside, waiting for when he awoke.

I really needed to find a way to make Normuran's need bubble. The man was a saint. An asshole, but a saint, all the same. I wished I could get along with him. If he could heal people more effectively, everyone I knew would be safer. On a more selfish note, I wondered how fast I could build bonds with people if I healed them? Omoali had proven that just getting to know people wasn't the only way to form close bonds.

I couldn't just go around saving people's daughters left and right; that was a quick way to get killed. Healing though…? Norman was sour as an unripe apple, but his heart shone through as he healed the wounded from sun-up to sundown, grumbling as Edra set potions and food in front of him. I narrowly avoided the awkward tripping hazard and made my way over to Reid when a snippet of conversation hit my ear.

"–think we might be able to head home in the next week?"

"Home to what? You saw what's become of Mitoras."

"It's still our home, and we can rebuild. We can't just freeload off Pemolar forever!"

"The trolls–!"

"Are dead! There hasn't been an attack in days now!" I frowned. I didn't know how I was going to convince people that going back to Mitoras wasn't safe yet, but I'd have to think of something. That was for another time, though. Hadra and I joined Reid at the table, and he poured us some water from the pitcher there. Reid eyed my shoulder and then looked back at me, guiltily.

"Sorry, I wasn't there," he said.

"No way any of us could've guessed there would be rift monsters down at the beach. Everyone knows they hate water," I said.

"Still. That's twice now you've been hurt when I haven't been there. Your Mom and mine found me, you know." I winced.

"How bad was it?"

"Horrible," he said.

"According to the two of them, I pretty much opened up the beach and let the goblins in, and also personally attacked Eysee and Elsee while I was at it. Never mind that I was actively trying to find them at the time!"

"They blamed you? That's ridiculous! Since when have I needed a knight watching me every moment?" I asked.

"Apparently, since the moment I told you I was interested in you," he replied.

"It seems that suddenly I'm supposed to know where you are at all times and magically appear between you and anything that wants to hurt you." Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

"Well, screw that! I'm a troll-blinding, goblin-killer badass now! Level sixteen, don't you know?! I don't need a babysitter!" He snickered. We calmed down and sipped a little water before I looked at him with a bit more seriousness. I hesitated for just a minute, but I reached out and took his hand. It was warm. He jumped a little, but didn't pull away.

"It would've been good to have you there. I know I'm clearly awesome and killing two goblins is no big thing, but I probably should've come back for you. I would have if it didn't seem like the girls were in real trouble."

"I know that, dummy. I don't blame you," he said, rubbing my hand fondly.

"While I'm really glad you're okay – again – It would be nice to actually be around to protect you when you get in danger next time."

"Consider yourself a permanent party member," I said with a laugh.

"Ooohhh. A party member? Every quest in its time, eh?" Hadra snarked, raising her eyebrows suggestively. Both of us had somehow managed to forget the girl was even there. Our minds in sync, both chose a shoulder and smacked her. Reid scored a direct hit, but I missed, owing to my own injured shoulder. Hadra pointed and laughed like we were all ten again, and I followed suit, sticking my tongue out at her.

"What!? You two bat eyelashes at each other from across the table for half the night, and I'm not even allowed to tease?" She asked, amused.

"You're supposed to be supportive and give your friends privacy!" I hissed.

"Eh, if I did that, you two would never get together, and I'm on a time limit now," she said. My mood plummeted at the reminder.

"Hmm?" Reid asked, "What do you mean?"

"Hadra has some big news," I said.

"She… well…" I gestured to the girl, unsure if I could tell Reid she was leaving without sounding bitter. This should've been a great experience for her, and I was ruining it.

"Oh?" He asked, before turning to Hadra.

"Do tell!" Hadra flushed, predictably, but there was a core of pride in her as she spoke.

"Uhm. The Duchess has called me into her service. I'm going to Denarla."

"You…" He paused, taking in her expression.

"You don't sound excited! Denarla! The Duchess, really? That's incredible Had–!"

"In three days," she finished flatly.

"O-oh!" He stammered.

"So… so soon?" She nodded.

"I am excited! I am! It's just… I feel guilty. I'm leaving while everyone will be stuck here worrying about rift breaks and the harvest."

"How… wait a minute. Who summoned you? I'm confused," he said. I chuckled.

"There's a small platoon of city guards camped on the Denarlan Road, here to escort Hadra back. Dobretin conned the guard captain into protecting the northern watch camp for three days while Hadra says her goodbyes," I said with a laugh.

"Really wish I knew how he does that." Reid frowned.

"Don't get me wrong, Hadra. I'm happy for you. Really. I know you've been working for this your whole life… but if the Duchess has guards to send to escort you back to the city, why aren't they out here fighting the rift monsters?" Both of us blinked. It did seem a little stupid for the Duchess to be worried about clothes when her Duchy was being invaded.

"Is this really the time for the city guard to be fetching a Weaver?" he asked, his voice turning bitter.

"People have died, and the Duchess is thinking about clothes?"

"Take care with that sort of talk," I cautioned. Reid bristled.

"Or what? Is the Duchess going to come haul me off?" he joked.

"Just because it hasn't happened here doesn't mean it's impossible," I said.

"But this is horseshit!" he spat.

"Mitoras… doesn't she care how many people have died already? Why does Dobretin have to con these guards into protecting us! Shouldn't she be sending an army?"

"It sounds pretty bad," I agreed.

"But let's talk to someone who knows more about it before we suddenly decide to hate the Duchess." He frowned.

"So… I feel like crap now. I didn't really even think of that," Hadra said somberly. Reid blinked, a guilty look crossing his features.

"No. I'm sorry. It is great for you, Hadra. Really. It's just… You weren't up there when they attacked. I saw Chasen die. To think that we're out here fighting for our lives, while the Duchess is worried about… It just rubs me wrong."

"You think it doesn't bother me?" she asked.

"I'm already feeling terrible leaving you all behind!" I put a hand on Hadra's shoulder.

"For what it's worth, I don't think they'd really take you saying no very well."

"That makes it even worse, doesn't it!?" Reid shouted. We were attracting the attention of other patrons now, and not in a way that I preferred.

"Reid. Our friend is leaving, possibly forever, in three days. Is this really what you want to be doing with them?" He frowned, but then relented.

"No. No, it isn't. Sorry, again, Haddy," he said.

"No need to be sorry," she said.

"Now that you've pointed it out, I'm pretty mad too. Why is the duchess worried about clothes?"

"Do we really care?" I asked.

"To me, it just means one more friend is safe. I feel like we can thank the Duchess for that." Reid blinked at me before laughing ruefully.

"You always see the best in every situation, Mera."

"Naively so," Hadra said.

"I do!" I agreed, sticking my tongue out at my best friend, before turning back to Reid.

"Hadra has the opportunity of a lifetime here. We should be happy for her. If the rift break hadn't happened, we'd all be dancing in excitement right now. Haddy's gonna live in a castle!" Without warning, a sudden horn cry pierced the air. The bar went silent.

"What was that?" I asked.

"It didn't sound like the horn signalling–" I was cut off as the horn blared again. Mom stood up from the table she and Uraleka had been occupying, along with a few other townsfolk who were resting from a hard day in the fields.

"It's not an attack," she called.

"That isn't one of the watch posts' horns."

"She's right," Lupkep agreed, popping in from the door behind the bar that led to his brewery.

"I'd know that sound anywhere, though. That horn is from the rift front. It's the Tacurian Army!" I blinked.

"Huh. Well. Maybe the Duchess doesn't just care about clothes?" I asked. Reid flushed.