Chapter 15: Reasons to Win

Felix hadn’t lied. Daylight awaited us at the other end of that tunnel.

He killed Mande. Another boy. Another human.

Elves killed humans. We weren’t supposed to kill each other.

But wasn’t that the purpose of this experiment, as Galen called it? They would take a human and train him to think and fight like an elf, to infiltrate human society, find the pockets of rebellion and root out those the elves deemed traitors to their perfect empire. That Bladeguard would be human on the outside but an elf within.

That fact had existed in my brain before that day, but after seeing Felix push Mande back onto the walkway to be killed by those disgusting lava bugs, the reality of it settled on my heart, my soul.

I had been abducted, given little choice but to participate, and I had justified my decision by committing to use this training to learn my enemy and destroy the Empire from within. I even had an idea of a pithy prophecy to help me with that.

But now it had changed. I could see the danger in what Galen attempted. With Felix, the elves could accomplish the goal, to have a human who thought and killed as an elf. What would happen when a human Bladeguard like that was unleashed upon humanity?

A Bladeguard like Felix could find his way into any city and begin talking about his faith in El, a little at first, just hints, and it might take a few months, but eventually he’d get invited to a meeting. He’d pretend to be interested in the message, in the words, and if he was patient enough, a crazy old man would come to town and the whispers would begin of the legend, the Prophet. Perhaps I knew the flaw of the man, but someone drawn to the teachings of El would be invited.

Trained by the deadliest warriors in the world, he would now be able to kill the Prophet. And his wife Kendra. And his son Earon.

And a little girl named Carys.

Even if both Felix and I died here, Galen would find someone to do his bidding, the command of the Empire. With what I had just seen with Felix and Mande, that was clear.

I no longer had to win to survive, or to kill elves, at least not those reasons alone. Now I needed to win and become the Bladeguard so that the Empire wouldn’t have a weapon like Felix at their disposal.

The air cleared with less sulfur, and it cooled while the white light of day began to give a hint ahead. We emerged from the tunnel. Felix first I followed, squinting and shading my eyes against the sun.

Galen and Iletus stood there, their hair and robes waving in the wind. Neither reacted when we stopped and faced them.

Galen measured us with his stare and addressed Felix. “Mande?”

“He didn’t make it.” Felix said.

Galen nodded. “Very well.”

Without a care that a boy had just died, the elves turned and walked down the mountain path. Felix started after them. I took one last look back at the tunnel into the mountain, and then I walked the path with weakened limbs, burning and painful feet, and a weighted heart.

I bathed down the hall in the slaves’ quarters, the water turning tepid, but I soaked there anyway for a good amount of time. Moving to my room, oils and salves waited for me, reminding me of Landen and how I left my family.

After dressing in a tunic and clean pants, I lay on my bed in the dark. I had just begun to drift off to sleep when there was movement at the blanket across my door.

“The master has asked for you,” the voice said. Lyne.

“Tell the master I’m asleep,” I mumbled with my eyes still closed.