46 Shockingly Evil and Vile (2/2)

I leaned on the wagon's wooden wheel while I sat on the ground. I needed a minute to think.

Aura arrived to kneel beside me, and I felt the warmth of her bracelet as she sent her lifeforce into me to heal me.

I placed a hand on her and shook my head. ”No need for that... I'm fine. Just got winded for a second.”

”Fine, huh,” Edo said coolly. ”Thought for a second there you were about to lose your head, boss.”

”Yeah, well, looks like you're still stuck with me, Edo,” I countered.

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I gazed left and then right. The battle seemed to have ended. The fires had gone out. My troops were taking control of the supply caravan. Also, on the left side of the road, at the rear of the caravan, there was a ten to twelve foot wall that ran from one stretch of the road to the other hillside.

Varda had done her part without needing my help after all. Once again, this proved how effective Ashley was at leading.

On the hillside above me, I saw Qwipps and his archers along with Donar Firemonger leave their hiding spots and make their way down to where we were.

It was over. We won. Now, there was just one mystery left to solve. Thankfully, the pain had subsided enough that I was able to stand up again.

Once more, I glanced over to the wagon behind me.

The screams had died out now. Only the whimpering of soft voices remained.

”I sense something dark here,” Aura said as she too gazed at the wagon. ”It feels like I'm stepping over graves...”

”Like a really sad funeral,” Luca added from Aura's other side.

”Yeah... that's how I feel too,” I answered. ”Let's go see what's got the three of us covered in goosebumps.”

I looked over to Edo.

”Want to lead the way?” I asked. ”Just in case something nasty pops out.”

Edo shook his head. ”Fine brave commander, you are, Dean...”

Despite his taunt, Edo obeyed my command and walked ahead of me, Aura, and Luca while we made our way around the wagon with our weapons ready.

Luca, in particular, looked the most nervous, and I remembered how he hated scary movies that had lots of jump scares in them.

”Do not touch them!” the elf screamed from underneath Shaqs' massive rump. He was awake again. ”Do not defile our offerings with your filfty mudgardian hands!”

”Shaqs, shut him up,” I ordered.

Shaqs launched himself up and crashed hus bum down on the beaten elf commander. There was an audible gasp as the wind got knocked out of him.

In my head I was imagining Azuma in a similar situation the next time we fought. If only he wasn't such a good fighter. I doubt we'd ever be able to catch him in such a compromising situation. Still, the thought of it almost made the chills I felt go away.

”I'm opening the flap now,” Edo said in a hesitant voice that wasn't like him. It seemed he too was sensing something weird.

All was dark inside the wagon when we first peered inside it, but we all heard the shuffling movements within. When the light of the golden moon finally shone down at its contents, the dread in my chest began to squeeze tighter at the sight before me.

I felt Luca scramble away. I heard him puke out his dinner on the ground.

I saw Edo pull away, his glaive raised in defense.

Aura gasped audibly from beside me. Her hand reached out for mine and I took it gratefully.

The first thing we saw was the dead body of a boy younger than Luca. He wore nothing but a dirt-caked loincloth that dripped with the blood pooling underneath his tiny form. But it was his wounds that disturbed me.

There were three. One was a wide gash that opened his gut. Another was a slash that tore his face. These two wounds would have certainly killed him in a slow painful manner but it was the third that most likely finished him off. It was a very deep cut that ripped his upper shoulder open all the way down to his chest.

Tears pooled beneath my eyes as if I felt responsible for this boy's death, and I probably was.

I felt Aura's grip tighten on my hand.

My eyes drifted further back in the room to the several human and fairy children who were all dressed in the same soiled clothes as the boy. They looked back at me, and all I could see in their eyes was abject horror and fear.

Whatever had been done to them, one thing was certain. They had experienced something shockingly evil and vile.