Page 34 of The Lies of Lena (The Otacian Chronicles #1)

Chapter Thirty-Three

W hen Mother, Torrin, and I traveled from Otacia to Ames, the journey took us almost two months. How did they expect to travel that long with all these people? To feed us all?

Perhaps they’ll just let us die off.

My heart sank at the thought.

We marched and marched for what seemed like ages, through forests and over hills, taking short breaks in between until the sun was fully set and the moon was bright above us. It had to be around midnight when we finally stopped.

As the Otacian soldiers began to set up their own camp, I heard voices behind me asking each other where we would sleep. We were all huddled together in the dark by the time Silas and his men were relaxing with multiple tents set up, roaring fires, and meats being cooked, the fragrance taunting our own rumbling stomachs. They didn’t care if we were warm or comfortable. To them, we were disposable, lives that would be ending soon anyway.

I couldn’t rest with all the teeth chattering, including my own. I looked at all my people now lying uncomfortably in the moonlight, unable to ignore the silent sobbing coming from many of them.

I had to do something. I was their Supreme, after all.

I struggled to get up on two feet, my legs wobbling from exhaustion. I uneasily started toward the camp, aiming for where Silas was, doing my best to ignore my increasing heart rate.

I slid on mud as I made my way, swaying and thankfully catching myself before I ate shit.

Focus, Lena.

I huffed and staggered up to the camp, and the soldiers rose to their feet, instantly wielding their weapons when I arrived.

I let out a sarcastic chuckle. “You’re scared of me with these on?” I asked as I gestured to my cuffs.

Silas remained sitting and studied me with lowered brows, drinking something out of a mug—presumably alcohol—as the campsite reeked of it.

“What do you want, witch?” The one named Roland sneered. His muscular form strode up to me until he was mere inches away. I craned my neck up and met his hazel stare.

“My people are freezing. We need a fire,” I said plainly. Roland gave me a half smile, looking back at some of his men. I would consider him attractive if he wasn’t such a dick.

“Do you hear that, gentlemen? The witch has demands.” He turned back to me, and I tilted my chin up higher. “Not gonna happen. Although,” he leaned in and whispered in my ear, “I could keep you warm if you’d like.” He moved his head back, and rage overcame me.

“Fuck you,” I spat.

The insufferable asshole just grinned before Silas rose, the men around him freezing. Roland stayed relaxed, interestingly. I studied his face, wanting to punch it for the amusement in his eyes.

“Hendry, Edmund, make a couple of fires,” Silas ordered. “There will be less of them to make a statement of if they freeze to death.”

I stilled and looked over Roland’s shoulder. Silas’s expression was just…blank, emotionless. My eyes traveled back to Roland, and he spit on the ground next to my feet, grunted, and walked back to where he was sitting.

Charming.

I glared at his back in disgust before turning away. The day I would be able to take my revenge on him would be a good day indeed.

Hendry and Edmund began to walk towards my people, wood in their arms, and I trailed behind them. The blond man who showed Elowen kindness must be Edmund, considering I now knew what Hendry looked like.

They both chucked the wood on the ground by my people, about thirty or so feet apart, and squatted down to start the fires. I resisted the urge to let out another humorless laugh. It would take me all of three seconds to light these fires. But instead, I just watched them do it the hard way.

They carved their notches into the wood, then began rolling the spindles they used for their own fires in between their palms until smoke began to form. My people muttered to each other as they observed them, and after a few moments, the fires eventually started .

As the wood began to crackle and the flames rose, I got a better look at Hendry’s illuminated face. His tawny skin was maybe a shade darker than Elowen’s, and his hair was shaved on the sides. On the top, his straight, dark brown hair fell just at his eyebrows. His left eye was nearly black in this lighting, his other one blue. The glow from the flames complimented the sharp angles of his face.

Is everyone here just beautiful?

I crossed my arms.

Beautiful men with rotten souls.

Still, I was grateful for the fires. My people slowly moved close, holding out their cuffed hands as best they could to warm themselves.

“I’m going to grab more wood,” Hendry mumbled, his voice deep and clear.

“Thank you,” I said to him with as much kindness as I could muster, which wasn’t much.

He gave me a nod. “Come on, Edmund,” he called out to the other man. I looked at Edmund, whose skin was as fair as mine. Now that his helmet had been removed, short, blond curls lay softly around his face. They both stalked off.

I made my way over to Elowen, who was staring at Edmund as he went to fetch more wood with Hendry. Mages were now surrounding the fires.

“He’s not like the rest,” she said softly as I approached, her eyes glued to him.

I let out a small laugh. “Are you an empath now, too, El?”

She continued to gaze at the soldier. “He didn’t have to try and comfort me. He almost looked…like he felt bad for what he was doing. ”

“Well, I imagine it’s just like with us Mages,” I replied, basking in the warmth of the fire Edmund had started. “There are bad ones out there, of course, but plenty of good ones. I’m sure some of these soldiers are just following orders, just wanting to protect their homes. I’m sure not all of them are evil killing machines.” My mind went to that teenage boy from earlier.

Poor thing…he was just a kid.

“Well, they’re being led by the Slayer of Witches, so if they aren’t evil killing machines, they’re groomed to be,” she said quietly.

I clenched my jaw and glanced over to Silas, who was still sitting at his campsite, drinking and talking with some of his men. All of them were eating and sipping on mugs as well. His eyes caught mine and lingered briefly before averting to the ground.

“Perhaps he’s not one either…” I whispered, holding on to the small hope that Quill was still who he was. That the man I loved was still here.

Elowen furrowed her brows, and then a voice behind me began to speak.

“Is that why you protected him?” Viola snarled. She marched over and stood next to Elowen with her arms crossed. Elowen shot her wide eyes before gaping at me.

“What does she mean, you “protected” him?”

I felt a frisson of dread as my mind tried to conjure an excuse.

“Exactly what I said,” Viola continued. “I would’ve had the Prince’s head ripped from his body had Lena not jumped in front of him and used her forcefield to protect him.” She inched closer to me. “Why? Why did you do it? ”

“Because…” I took a deep breath. “Because there was no chance of any of us making it out alive if you had done that, Viola.”

She curled her lip. “We could have stopped them all.”

“The sound for surrender went off seconds after that happened,” I stated sternly. “And even if we had killed all of them in this battle, King Ulric would have unleashed his wrath on us in retaliation, and we don’t have the numbers to have survived that. We would’ve been slaughtered.”

I was amazed I came up with all that, though it wasn’t entirely untruthful. Killing Silas wouldn’t have saved us.

“That…makes sense,” Elowen whispered while looking at her feet.

“As opposed to what?” Viola glared at me with contempt. “At least we would have had a fighting chance. With no magic, we will be slaughtered.”

Just as I began to respond to her, a voice interrupted. “Excuse me, Supreme?”

I turned to see a couple with a little girl standing beside me. Xaro, Iliera, and Sari were their names. The nice thing about Ames being so small is everyone knew each other, but I actually knew them from Otacia. They were the couple that had been banished that morning I was with Silas. I was so happy when I discovered they made it to Ames, too, and that they finally were able to have the child they dreamed of.

I focused on Sari and began to feel my anger all over again. Her lip quivered as she clung to her mother’s dress, her teeny hands cuffed like everyone else. She was just a little girl…now permanently traumatized. Just like the handful of other children here. It was unacceptable .

“Sari is hungry, and I know plenty of others are, too,” Xaro, her father, said awkwardly. “We were wondering if you could see when we were getting food. I assume they don’t wish to starve us, right?”

I bit the inside of my cheek. Silas said we wouldn’t be able to make a statement if we froze to death. Surely dying of starvation would cause the same problem?

I glanced back over to the Otacian campsite. They all appeared to have plenty of food, considering the decent amounts they were indulging on. But enough to feed nearly a hundred Mages? Doubtful.

But I had to ask.

“I will see what I can do,” I smiled softly, and Xaro nodded before leading his family closer to the fire.

I sighed internally, and as I went to make my way yet again, Hendry and Edmund walked up with another pile of wood, throwing them into the fires and making them larger. I only made it a few steps before Elowen approached Edmund.

“Excuse me,” she asked. He met her eyes as he dusted his hands on his pants. “Are we going to be given any food?”

Elowen’s voice was so soft and sweet. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone mean to her except for Merrick. Though I suppose that’s what siblings do.

Speaking of Merrick, he strode over to us just as Edmund responded. “Prisoners don’t get food until the third day,” he replied gently, empathy washing over his features. He looked down at the little girl and clenched his jaw before looking back at Elowen. “I’m sorry.”

Elowen's shoulders sagged in disappointment, and Merrick let out a chuckle, though it was clear he found nothing funny. “You’re sorry ? ”

Edmund tensed, then frowned. “Yes. I wish we had enough for everyone.”

“What is the point of feeding pigs that are being sent to slaughter?” Merrick spat bitterly. “Unless you plan to eat us, too?”

Edmund didn’t respond. He just glared at Merrick with a deepening frown.

“Please…don’t fight,” Elowen whispered, her eyes now looking downwards.

Edmund’s anger washed away as he looked back at my friend. Hendry quickly advanced toward Edmund, grabbing his arm and whispering, “Let’s go,” before they stalked off.

“What the fuck, Elowen?” Merrick exclaimed.

“I-I just—”

“Just what? Think one of those fucks is capable of empathy? He probably just wants to claim your body before he hangs you.”

“Shut up!” she cried, whipping her head up, revealing the tears pouring down her face before storming off.

“Real nice, Merrick.” Viola shook her head before following behind her.

Merrick and I stood in silence for a moment, his eyes glued to the fire, the flames before us reflecting in his eyes.

“I know you’re just looking out for her,” I consoled.

“You think he will stop to save her before she’s hung?” he strained. “Ask to take her place?”

I blinked.

“No,” he continued while clenching his fists. “He will offer her a small bit of kindness so he can sleep somewhat better at night or not feel as awful for aiding in the slaughter of our people. Fuck him,” he muttered before walking off.

I stood there alone. All I wanted to do was curl up into a ball and cry. How was I supposed to save our people when I couldn’t even manage the conflict between my own friends?

I stepped forward and held my hands above the fire before me. Families were lying all around now in an attempt to get some sleep. Thankfully, the fires had gotten rather large, but there would unfortunately be plenty of people who still felt cold.

I decided it would be best for me to try and get some rest. As I went to sleep at the back of the masses of bodies, my body lying on its side on the cold ground beside Mother, I looked over to see Silas staring in my direction. Even though there was distance between us, I could swear we met eyes.

Are you still in there, Quill?