Chapter 386

"The Black Scripture members move quickly… I'm impressed." It wasn't a reluctant admission to make for Neia Baraja. Sitting on top of Olasird'arc's back wasn't necessary given that she had wings of her own. But there was no way the dragon would allow Cenna to ride alone. The frost dragon was particular about that kind of thing.

"They're the best humanity has to offer." Cenna said with pride, his arms were wrapped around the slender waist of the Queen of Frost, her leathery wings were wrapped around her body, and they proved far softer to the touch than the Captain expected. 'They're very tough things, but soft too…' He avoided any metaphorical comparisons and inched himself closer to her.

Neia's tail wrapped around his waist behind her, though there was no real fear that he might fall off, it felt good to do. The way his eyes held even the back of her head, the fearless look, the look free of judgment, fear, disgust… it still felt strange to her, and Neia's heart skipped a beat when he inched closer to her body, her tail tightened its hold a little. A normal person would have been snapped by the force of the hold, but for him it was no more than a tight blanket.

"I'll do my best… I promise." Neia said again as they watched from within the clouds. The hour was close, the forces of Nazarick were ready to deploy. The forces of Demalbion were waiting outside the next known resting place which Cenna revealed, a cluster of Peace Trees that were generally avoided by demihumans in the past since combat was prohibited there. 'How ironic that the humans made our own peace into a weapon against us… before there was a true 'us' at least.' She reflected quietly until she felt Cenna's arms tighten around her and his hot breath on her ear.

"You don't have to say that, I know you will. I know. Whatever happens next is entirely up to them. They can't win, they'll know they can't win, and I'll explain everything to them. If they choose to fight or run after that, you are not to blame." Cenna promised, and Neia's rapid heartbeat calmed a little.

Her anxiety wasn't completely gone, there was little doubt in her mind that her ally in the Allfather had forces that could crush anything the Slane Theocracy could field, but even so… 'The swordsman's chance… even with every bit of intelligence Cenna could give me, what if one of them is holding something back?!'

That prospect filled her with dread, 'I haven't even revealed everything I can do… nothing tide turning… as our first duel showed, but even so, I held it back. To know the hidden things that we keep back to save our lives is more intimate than sex. So he probably doesn't know everything… please… please… if there are any gods at all who love me… please don't let this go wrong. Please. I can't bear to watch his heart rip apart, don't make me kill his friends.'

Neia recalled many great and terrible dangers in her short life, many an ache that would never really go away, and now the only fear she had in her mind was… She released her hold on Olasird'arc, grabbed Cenna's wrist, brought it up to her lips, and kissed the back of his hand without a word.

He said nothing about the unexpected gesture, he just allowed her to make it, and then to place his hand back where it was.

"We can't go the usual route." Quaiesse said point blank when he returned to his friends. "They have towers up that we can't get past. I wouldn't be surprised if they had forts not far from their towns either."

A round of curses went up from the present members of the Black. "So what do we do? We can't abandon the mission. The Captain may not be hurt, but you all know Cenna. He doesn't do well sitting still, he wouldn't survive in captivity." Beaumarchais said and tightened his grip on his enchanted chain weapon.

"There's another way, we take the long way around, but it will carry us toward the Peace Tree campsite. If we get there, we can sleep for a few hours and then hit the palace of the traitor at night." Quaiesse promised, and for good measure, he snapped a twig and began tracing the path over the ground in the grass.

"We still can't be sure he's being held in the castle. It's just that he's seen a lot there under guard." Alain pointed out and put the tip of his sword to the dirt, he began marking places around the castle. "He could also be held in locations close by that he's also been seen going into and out of. He's also been seen in the company of… humans. Two of them. You can guess who."

"The Mad Eyed Archer and his wife." Corwin guessed. The strongest of humans drummed his fingers against his tree-trunk like thighs, "As guards? Or…?"

"Handlers would be my guess." Alain suggested, "From what Thousand League Astrologer said, they're treating him in a very friendly way, downright affectionate to him in public even. She doesn't know how to make heads or tails of it."

"Could they be as strong as the traitoress bitch? Like it or not, she bested Olasird'arc, a living, breathing, frost dragon. No ordinary human could do that." Corwin added the question, and for a moment there was silence.

Demihumans ran the gamut from very weak to monster level strength, their heroes were often stronger than the human counterparts, and though the blood of every Black Scripture member ran hot with a desire to test themselves against the very best, that their captain's life was on the line colored it all. Facing multiple demihumans and possibly humans that may have been on par with themselves while also rescuing one of their own?

It cooled the hot blood a bit.

"No." Alain said at once, "They're impressive, but no more than weaker adamantite heroes, not heroes among heroes. My point is that we want to make sure of where he is before we break in."

"Fine, we take the roundabout path, we scout the area with magic and try to get him out without being seen, I get where you're going with this, Alain. We'll avoid fighting if we can." Corwin, the Strongest Human, said and put his hand over his heart, "I promise."

When the rumble of agreement went up, they began to run again, with their scout at the head, Alain behind, and then each of the others in single file behind them.