Chapter 32

The dawn broke with the pale golden light stretching across the sky, casting long shadows over the campsite. Soldiers moved with precision, dismantling tents and gathering supplies

Kaelion stood tall among his men, issuing commands with the authority of a seasoned leader. His armor gleamed under the morning sun, and his expression was a mask of focus. Rhaine stood nearby, her brows furrowed with worry as she watched the preparations unfold.

Another two days passed.

As the soldiers mounted their horses and prepared to march, Kaelion addressed them, his voice carrying over the campsite. "Men! This will be our main camp. Prepare well. Tomorrow, we march toward their village."

The soldiers cheered, their spirits fueled by the prospect of victory.

Rhaine's stomach knotted at the thought of Kaelion charging into danger. As he finished his speech and made his way to his tent to review the terrain, she followed him, her resolve firm.

"I want to come with you," she declared, her voice steady but laced with concern.

Kaelion paused, turning to face her. His sharp eyes softened momentarily. "No. It's too dangerous," he said firmly.

"I can protect you," she insisted, her hand clenching at her side.

A chuckle rumbled from his chest as he stepped closer, taking her hand gently. His lips brushed against her knuckles in a tender kiss. "Yes, but I want you here. That way, I won't be distracted."

She bit her lip, torn between defiance and trust. "Okay," she relented reluctantly, "But be careful."

"I will," he promised, his voice low and reassuring. "I always come back to you."

The next morning, the camp buzzed with activity as Kaelion led a small but formidable army toward the enemy's village. The plan was simple: capture the village and use it as a foothold to infiltrate enemy territory.

As the army disappeared into the horizon, Rhaine's unease gnawed at her. The hours dragged on, turning into an entire day without any word from the soldiers.

By the second day, her anxiety had turned into dread. Why was it taking so long? It was only a small village. Surely they should have returned by now.

The soldiers left behind tried to reassure her. "The general is capable. We must trust his judgment," one soldier said firmly.

But something in her heart told her otherwise. Something had gone wrong.

Determined to find answers, she organized a meeting with the soldiers in command. "I want to go into enemy territory," she stated, her voice unwavering.

A series of protests erupted through the tent.

"Absolutely not!" one commander barked. "It's too dangerous."

"You're not trained for this," another added.

"You must trust the general," a third insisted.

Frustration bubbled within her as she clenched her fists. "I'm not asking for permission. I'm telling you I'm going," she snapped.

Before the argument could escalate further, the sound of approaching hoofbeats shattered the tension.

Thinking it was Kaelion, Rhaine's heart leaped with hope. She rushed out of the tent, her breath catching in her throat.

But her hope was short-lived.

In the distance, a lone horse approached, its rider swaying precariously in the saddle. As the horse drew closer, the rider's condition became clear. Blood stained his armor, and an arrow jutted from his back.

The horse skidded to a halt, and the soldier collapsed onto the ground with a sickening thud. Gasps rippled through the gathered soldiers as they rushed forward.

Rhaine's heart raced as she knelt beside the fallen soldier. Her trembling fingers found the arrow lodged in his back. Attached to it was a folded piece of parchment.

With a sinking feeling, she pulled the letter free and unfolded it.

The message was brief but chilling:

If you want your general back, follow the map. You have two days. Come alone.

At the bottom, the signature sent a chill down her spine: Rhaine.

Her pulse quickened as she noticed another piece of parchment attached to the soldier's back — a crude map, outlining a path deep into enemy territory.

Her breath came in shallow gasps as the weight of the situation sank in. Kaelion was captured. And they wanted her to come for him. Alone.

The decision weighed heavily on Rhaine's shoulders, but hesitation wasn't a luxury she could afford. After a tense meeting with the higher-ranking soldiers, her resolve was set.

"I will go," she declared firmly, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions brewing inside her.

A wave of protests erupted immediately.

"No, Saintess. The general commanded us to protect you," one soldier said urgently. "He will punish us severely if anything happens to you."

"If I don't go," she shot back, her gaze piercing, "Are we just going to leave him to die in their hands."

Silence fell, heavy and suffocating. The soldiers exchanged worried glances, clearly torn between loyalty to their general and their duty to protect her.

Rhaine took a steadying breath, softening her tone. "How about this," she proposed. "You can follow me at a distance. That way, if something goes amiss, you'll be there to protect me."

A flicker of hope sparked in their eyes. They nodded reluctantly. "Yes, Saintess."

"Good." Without wasting another moment, she rose from her seat. "Be ready. I'm leaving now."

The soldiers hurried to prepare her horse as Rhaine gathered her satchel, filled with personal elixirs and powders for injuries and emergencies. The concoctions had been meticulously crafted, each serving a specific purpose — from numbing pain to warding off wild animals.

As the horse was brought to her, she mounted it with practiced ease. The soldiers watched solemnly as she rode off into the dense forest.

The terrain was unforgiving, thick with vegetation and treacherous underfoot. The towering trees cast eerie shadows under the faint moonlight. Rhaine guided her horse carefully, the pace slow but steady as they navigated through dense bushes and crossed small rivers.

She took only brief breaks, relying on one of her powders to ward off mosquitoes and wild creatures with its intoxicating scent, undetectable to humans but repulsive to small animals. The night stretched on, the forest alive with rustling leaves and distant howls.

A day and a half passed before she finally reached the spot marked on the map — a breathtaking waterfall, its cascading water shimmering under the moonlight. The beauty of the scene was overshadowed by the gnawing worry in her heart.

Was she too late?