Page 36 of Unseen Lord

At sea, the Water Spirit coils around the rocks it first appeared near, pulling someone out of the water. The warrior raises his hands and rides the water, maneuvering it to his will.

That must be the Water Druid. But on closer inspection, it looks like…

No. It can't be.

Arias, the White Rider, is also the Water Druid?

I'm stunned. Frozen in place. If Arias is here, then Iris must be as well.

At the far end of the shore, some men have made it to the beach and will begin their raiding.

There are likely people here who must be warned.

But I have to capture Arias and find out what happened to Iris.

I look to him, and then inland to where I assume a village would dwell.

I see smoke rising from fires, so I know my assumptions are right.

I must choose which path to take.

Callie told me to seek the truth and not the easy lie. Could my brother be the easy lie right now? What is the truth?

Iris would protect the people.

The hardened part of me would go after my brother and make him pay for nearly killing me twice and kidnapping Iris.

I turn inland and begin to run.

* * *

Duke is moresurefooted than myself as we traverse the tropical forest that separates the village from the ocean. But I hold my own, as my sword slaps against my hip, ready for battle and blood.

I hope it doesn't come to that.

I'm here to fight the Rider, not my sister's men, and not innocent villagers.

As I make my way inland I hear the sounds of life, of people, of children.

Just as I feared.

How did my sister know there would be people to attack? Why would she do this without talking with me first?

I make fast time and arrive at the village before Aya's men.

The village already looks like it's been attacked. Which makes no sense. But huts have been destroyed, people are injured. What's going on here?

A child cries out and points to the sky and I look up just in time to see a giant Manticore landing in the middle of the village, with Iris on his back.

"Iris!" My voice carries over the voices and Iris looks my way, her face beatific as it breaks out in smile.

"Elias!" She slides off Theo and comes running. Some kind of demon dude awkwardly falls off behind her and raises his sword by way of greeting the villagers.

Duke, for his part, gives a happy wag at Iris, but heads straight for Theo, as they play and greet each other.

But my thoughts are completely consumed by only one person as Iris throws herself into my arms and I catch her and hold her tightly. I never want to let go of this woman. Being without her, not knowing how she fared, it nearly broke me.

I bury my face in her shoulder, her hair tickling my nose. She's covered in mud and as wet as everyone else in this storm, and as the rain pelts us I kiss her deeply.