Page 74 of Swords of Soul and Shadow (Gate Chronicles #3)

Jove’s legs went weak. He’d prayed for this, to a deity he hadn’t believed in, but he’d written it off almost within the same breath. Did that mean Clara was alive? Or was the god simply vengeful, wanting Jove to suffer even more?

The man smiled again. “Took some time to assemble the right team and tools, but the Stradat Lord Kapitan will be pleased. When we didn’t find your bodies with the others, we were worried.

” He fiddled with the edge of his dirty uniform.

“We also believed you, Lady Shackley, perished in the initial attack.”

“Harlan?” Les choked. “Harlan organized this?”

“The Stradat Lord Kapitan would’ve been down here himself if it hadn’t been for the flyovers this morning.

” He gave a small smile. “That trial really changed him, I think. He’s been very involved in the recovery effort.

Say what you want, but he’s a dedicated leader.

” He held up the gas lantern and looked back the other way and shouted for his team to hurry.

He turned back to Jove and Les, his face drawn and wan in the light from his gas lantern.

“The Cerls hit us hard a few days ago. The cave-ins caused large holes and exposed our hiding place. Lost many good people in the days since, and then another cave-in exposed some Yalvar fuel. It’s been a mess.

Was glad that we were able to find a medic to help us.

Granted, he’s more of an herbalist from the Nardens, but he was willing to help when the others were needed in the ward this morning. ”

Jove swiped at his face again and gestured back toward the crystal chamber. “We have two others with us. One is unconscious.”

Seconds later, a man with a little girth around his waist and a balding head of red hair appeared, a satchel at his shoulder.

He looked worse than the other man, and that was saying something.

Jove had a sinking suspicion he’d been attending to the other bodies of those who hadn’t fared as well as Jove, his mother, and Kainadr. The expression on the man’s face confirmed it.

Closed and tight, a little red around the eyes.

“I’m Stowe,” the man said, opening his satchel. He eyed Jove’s hand. “Allow me to put some salve on that. It’ll keep the bleeding down and numb the pain until we can patch it up real nice in the ward. We’ll want to do that soon, because I can’t clean it too good right now.”

“Jove Shackley. This is my mother, Lady Celeste.” He held out his damaged hand.

Stowe prodded the nasty-looking cut with a clean cloth he’d pulled from his satchel.

He wasn’t sure how much an herbalist could do right then—especially if Kainadr could use that dust to patch it right up—but the man had come all the way down with the crew, so the least Jove could do was play along.

“You Kase’s family?” The man paused in his inspection of Jove’s hand. “They didn’t tell me who we were going down for.”

Jove was unsure if he wanted to answer in the positive. What if the man was one who’d lost his family in the fire and would take it out on Jove and his mother now?

His mother made the decision for him. “Yes. Do you know my youngest son?”

Stowe layered some sort of goop onto Jove’s palm with the cloth, and the relief was almost instant.

He sagged a little. The man gave a small chuckle despite the grim circumstances they’d found themselves in.

“He’s the reason I’m here in Kyvena.” He paused for a second, as if deciding something.

“Saved my life, actually. Glad I can repay the favor in a small way now.”

His mother swayed a little, and Jove caught her with his good hand as she asked, “Is he all right? Where is he? Do you know?”

“Right as rain, far’s I know.” The medic gave Les a once-over. “You have any injuries, Lady Shackley?”

She gestured back toward the crystal chamber. “No, the kind Yalven man took care of the worst of them. Just rather hungry and in desperate need of a change of clothes.” She grabbed Stowe’s arm. “Where is my Kase?”

“He’s here…well, above us, that is.” Stowe wound a bandage around Jove’s hand, tying it off with a quick knot. “He’s the one who singlehandedly saved the rest of the tunnels from the bombing a few days ago.”

Jove grabbed his mother to keep her from falling again. Kase was alive. Kase was here. Jove was unsure how he felt about it, but the good news was almost too much for his mother.

Jove cleared his throat. “Thank you. Stowe, was it?”

“Not sure I did all that much, but you’re welcome all the same.” He put away some of his tools and nodded to where Jove had pointed earlier. “There’s two more, you say?”

“Yes,” Jove answered, leading him toward where Kainadr and Anderson waited.

“I know it’s a long shot, but would you happen to have run across a woman named Clara Shackley?

She’s about this tall,” Jove pointed to his shoulder, “and usually wears her hair in braids. And she’d have a little boy with her. A baby. Newborn.”

Stowe stopped and smiled. “They’re fine. Made friends with my wife. Very cute baby, too.”

He caught Jove as he took his turn falling to his knees. They were okay. They were fine. Jove’s eyes filled with tears again. He couldn’t believe it.

He needed to get out of this stars-blasted hole. When he had his feet under him again, he hugged his mother and turned back to Stowe. “Thank you.”

Everything was going to be okay. Kase was here. Clara and Samuel were fine. They were being rescued.

Though the circumstances were still quite grim, for the first time in months, Jove could see the light. It was small and dim, but it was there. He just needed to keep trudging toward it.