150 Battle Oasis (2/2)

I nodded toward the pool at the same time as I drew my falchion from its sheath and pushed its shadowblade into waking.

\”You didn't clean up after yourself,\” I said.

\”Ah, my mistake,\” he said, glancing around to his men. \”I've yet to drill my new soldiers into my style of tactics.\”

He urged his swifthart forward, and following his lead, his men moved to spread out in a loose semi-circle. This served to cover our entire front.

My eyebrow arched when I saw two familiar twins among the soldiers closest to Spellweaver. But while Connor did his very best to pretend like he didn't know me, his brother, Collin, sent me an almost imperceptible nod.

It was a sure sign that he, at least, was still on our side.

I watched his mouth form words I couldn't hear, but I was pretty adept at reading lips. He said, \”Stall for time.\”

Now, I didn't quite trust Connor McCord, but his brother Collin had shown me he was dependable. So I decided to follow his lead for now.

I took slow deliberate steps backward.

\”So… how'd you figure out our route?\” I directed this question toward Ardeen.

\”I asked myself,\” he raised a finger in my direction, \”what would Dean Dapper do?\”

Ardeen's swifthart had brought him to the opposite side of the pool of water now.

\”There was really only one safe route out of that city, but I wondered if you would use a more perilous path to escape.\” Ardeen drew his saber out of its sheath and laid its shadowblade over his right shoulder. \”Based on your previous tactics, I deduced you would indeed try the more dangerous way. After all, you have shown a tendency for recklessness.\”

He flashed me pearly white elven teeth.

I continued to back away and was now close enough to my party's encirclement to feel less like a solo target.

\”I wonder what you found guarding that secret path?\” he asked, his face showing off mild curiosity.

\”Spiders,\” I answered. \”Big ones.\”

\”Ah, I see,\” he responded feigned politeness.

I pointed the tip of my falchion toward the watering hole. \”Who does the blood belong to?\”

Ardeen raised a hand, and after a quick moment, the McCord brothers came forward while carrying something between them. They dropped the dead body of a  fairy I recognized as one of Kairon's underlings who I saw with at the auction earlier this night.

\”I don't suppose you dealt with our Chancellor of the Moon the same way?\” I asked hopefully.

I mean, if someone else offed him, I wouldn't cry tears about it. Sadly, Ardeen Spellweaver shook his head.

\”He was not among his soldiers, although they had deduced the same thing I did and were lying in wait here for you,\” Ardeen explained.

Aura and I shared a glance. Looks like we were right in thinking Kairon had plans of his own. This information needed to get back to the council somehow. It was another reason to stay alive.

\”Pity,\” I replied. \”But I guess I should thank you for dealing with them.\”

\”It was my pleasure,\” he said smiling. \”Well, I supposed you've seen enough danger tonight. I would appreciate it if this did not have to be a fight.\”

At his words, I cocked my head to the side. \”Why not?\”

It took him a few seconds to answer, but when he did, he said something that I didn't expect.

\”I enjoy matching wits with you, Dean Dapper,\” he answered truthfully. \”I would see us do so again on a much larger battlefield.\”

\”But you want Ty,\” I answered quickly. \”And I won't give him to you.\”

\”Dean,\” Ty called from behind. \”If this is the—\”

I stopped him with a shake of my head. Then I glanced back at Ardeen Spellweaver and his men, but I really wanted to see was what Collin was doing.

The brown-haired teen was facing north and staring off into the near distance.

At a guess, I assumed he was looking toward the north because that was where the Eastern Road lay.

I followed his line of sight to a spot on the horizon that seemed to be some kind of growing dust cloud. It took me a long moment to realize that the dust cloud wasn't created naturally. Something was kicking up a storm over there, and if I had to guess, whatever it was on its way to us.

\”I think you've got more problems besides me and my crew, Ardeen,\” I said knowingly.

I pointed toward the north.

\”Get ready, guys. Our chance to escape is coming,\” I whispered. \”Because it looks like we've got more company.\”