Chapter 17

Since the night of the goblin attack, General Parlar had dismantled all the changes Leyla made to the army camp. The priests once again began trying to recruit Altans to their religion and soldiers began taking advantage of the weak.

The Altan army wasn’t happy about it either but the General kept them in line.

The militia was a whole other issue. They watched and seethed.

It would bubble up into violence, eventually. The only reason they held back was because of the threat from the kobolds and the goblins.

The latter threat was a big one. As the night of the attack showed, the monsters were no fodder.

The Inimi used them badly because if they fought like they had during the ambush, the Coalition would have had real trouble in Alta.

At least Leyla was comfortable. Madam Grace had lent her a room in the brothel and access to the VIP room. She no longer had access to the tents, none of her soldiers did. The kobolds had launched a massive attack after their conflict with the goblins driving them into an already crowded city.

All the bad news piling on her one after the other left her drained.

A knocking on the door didn’t help. “Come in.”

The elf, Alvina, entered. Leyla saw her in negotiations with the Ridgehill council. Another woman was with her. A well put together woman often seen with General Parlar. Leyla assumed she was his mistress.

“We have come to talk to you about the goblin attacks. Vix is innocent and so are the rest of the goblins,” said Alvina. She pointed to the other woman. “This is Yurisa.” Yurisa curtsied slightly. “She is in a relationship with General Parlar.”

Leyla sighed. “I might as well hear you out. Not like I have anything better to do with an army of kobolds at the gates.”

Yurisa slid in beside her, getting too close. “General Parlar is trying to make a name for himself as one of the leaders of Alta. Because of this, during the attack on the camps by the kobolds Parlar was busy gathering support up in Alka and not leading the army.”

“He told me he was leading a patrol.”

“He lied. He does that. After that, his position plummeted, and he became desperate to again look like the future of Alta. So, he concocted a plan with the help of several discontented members of your army.”

Leyla’s stomach churned; she knew who Yurisa spoke of. “Vera and Hewet.”

“Yes. Vera led a force of General Parlar’s guard to attack the goblins. They wore Coalition uniforms supplied by Hewet.”

It didn’t take much thinking to understand their motives. Vera wanted revenge against the goblins and Hewet wanted to destroy the idea that humans and monsters could work together and they succeeded.

It only cost them the entire army. Without the goblins, the kobolds would destroy their armies along with the civilian population of Ridgehill.

Still, Leyla needed more proof, and they knew it. “I have a way to dispel your doubts,” Alvina said.

“How could you possibly do that? You are telling me my girlfriend betrayed me and her country. I’m not in a trusting mood. There is no solid proof to your words.”

“Come with us.”

“Where?”

Alvina turned back as she exited the room. “We’re going to prison.”

Vix brooded in his cell in the cramped prison. He had the small cell all to himself, the guards preferring to stuff the previous occupants into another cell for their own safety. The black rusted bars wouldn’t be too hard to break if he really tried but his heart wasn’t in it.

All his plans had shattered after the attack. Krack had died trying to get revenge, and the armies were likely hunting his goblins. It was all his fault.

He should have known the hatred of humans would boil over. This was his punishment for foolishness. He would sit in a dim and dank cell until they led him out for a public execution.

The lean, leather-armored woman called Dara came to him. “You have a visitor.”

The form of Alvina appeared soon after. “Hello, Vix.”

His eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Are you responsible for this?”

“No, I have to ask for another favor. Do you know what is going on right now?”

“I’m hungry and cold, that’s what.”

“Kobolds have surrounded Ridgehill. They are going to break through by the end of the day.”

He should not care but he had no wish to see the humans wiped out. Vix held no love for them but they were not responsible for his plight, only a few hateful humans.

“Mulch.”

“Yes, sir.”

Alvina jumped as Mulch popped out from nowhere. Even Vix was surprised by the goblin’s ability to hide in his pink dress.

“Lead a charge at the kobold’s flanks.”

“Yes, sir.”

It was good to know his goblins were still loyal.

Alvina smiled. “See, I told you so.”

“What did you tell me?”

“Not you. Them.”

Two women came into view. One he didn’t recognize. The other he knew to be Leyla.

“What is this?” Vix said.

“Proof of your character,” Leyla said. “I wouldn’t have done the same.”

“I’ve been here since his imprisonment. I didn’t know that other goblins were hiding around, but no others visited him. He clearly could have escaped and didn’t plan this show of good faith,” Dara.

“Release him,” Leyla said.

Dara got her keys and opened Vix’s cell.

“Thanks, but even if you tell others the truth, nobody will believe it.”

“Don’t be so sure,” Dara said. “I have protected the most important people in town. My credibility will be of use.”

“And the armies? They are the ones you really need to convince.”

Leyla smiled. “I have a plan for that.”

Thanks to the debris and the soft cover of moss on the ground and ceiling of the dungeon, the trio managed to survive the ogre’s attack. Using the debris as cover they slunk away, defeated. The ogre made no attempt to search for them.

What made matters worse was the horde of monsters that came spewing out after the collapse. Man-shaped soldiers made of moss and vine followed the ogre as it moved through the floors of the dungeon destroying any party of worshipers as they watched helplessly.

Because of the need to stay hidden and lick their wounds, they could lend no aid to the other worshipers. Passing the bodies of worshipers who had helped them made Axel wince. But his allies had good sense, fleeing as soon as they laid eyes on the ogre.

When they finally made their way back to camp, they found it wrecked. The chairs and tables at the entrance were scattered, tents were flattened, and smears of blood marked the ground.

“We have to find Mari,” Rayner said, lifting a tent to see if she were under it.

While Rayner searched, Axel found a drink of devil’s water and let it flow down his throat. He’d wanted a drink since killing those Coalition worshipers. If only he could find a barrel of the liquid.

Rayner ran over to him and knocked the cup out of his hand. “Help me look.”

“For what? A body? I have not seen one yet. Even the bodies of Erik’s party were gone when we passed by the location of the fight.”