19. Chapter 19

Chapter nineteen

I screamed and cried for what felt like hours. So much, in fact, by the time I was found my throat felt dry and my voice barely audible. I could tell how swollen my face was from crying as well. The sounds of battle had died down a little while ago. I still don't believe Corvu tricked me.

I was brought before the King, who listened without word to what I told him had happened. No one would give me any information about why the Orc army retreated. Gecko stood amongst the small crowd that tried desperately to convince me that the Trickster ran off with the amulet and that I needed to find a way home before they invaded. After moments where I didn't speak, J'san was asked to direct me back to my room with Sandy by his side.

The guards remained at the door as I watch Sandy and J'san exchange a nod, and it becomes just her and I standing in this wide empty room. My eyes are sore . Sandy clears her throat, and ushers me to stand closer to the window where the noise from outside would cover her words.

" They were lies ." She whispers.

"What?" I ask.

"Corvu rushed into us after he locked you in the dungeon. He said that you gave him the amulet but he had to make you believe he betrayed you so that you wouldn't come after him." Now my eyes are just shaking.

"What?" I repeat myself.

"Listen! Corvu knows that if Cutlass kills him while wearing the amulet, it will lose all of its power. If Cutlass can't torture it out of you, he will just kill you. Corvu didn't want that for you so he surrendered himself in your place."

"You're telling me he's chosen suicide over pretty much any other alternative?"

"To protect you? Why wouldn't he?" I want to respond to that but I don't have the luxury of believing something that's probably just another lie.

"You're saying that to make me feel better." I state.

"No! I'm telling you because Corvu begged the King and Prince to keep the lie." Something feels dead inside. The words should make me happy, but I feel nothing.

"She's telling the truth." Gecko's voice makes me spin around, he's been on the balcony this whole time?

"When did you get here?" I ask him.

"I left before the meet ended and came here to wait for you." He says, approaching me with concern spread across his forehead.

"I just…I don't trust it." He looks up at me, eyes wide, teary.

"You trust me, don't you? I told Corvu not to do it, I told him you hate lies. But he said he didn't want you to die!" Gecko states, whilst asking a heavy question. "I left my family and I found you instead." He continues, "I found that stupid Trickster too, and he saved me, he saved you!"

"Full trust was needed to keep the amulets power, Gecko." I sigh, sitting down at the edge of the bed, rubbing my forehead – I wonder if they have medication for migraines here. "He made me trust him so that he could take the amulet to Cutlass. Didn't you think it was strange he disappeared so often? The army was never far behind – he randomly appeared with bandages out of nowhere for crying out loud! I was so stupid to think he thought of me as anything other than a mule."

"Then you are stupid." Gecko mumbles, though I heard him perfectly, "Because if he didn't hurt you, what would you be doing right now?"

"Probably something just as stupid like going after him." Gecko walks back to the balcony and comes back with something – a sword, and a slingshot. Corvu's.

"He gave these to me and told me to look after it from now on, and to protect you with them if I could, because he won't need them anymore." Gecko looks me straight in the eyes, a wrenching feeling taking place of the emptiness. " Trust me, Tia. Please!"

"I need to find him." The words come out faster than I could think of them.

"J'san tells me their army is northwest of here. Probably not more than an hour's ride." Sandy smiles, exhaling. My heart races at this news. Searching through the bags in my room, I make sure to grab as much gear as I can effortlessly carry, including the blessed dagger Sophii had given me. Sandy watches as I race around the room, continuing to talk to me, "He begged the King, the Prince, and your friend Gecko to keep quiet, so you'd stay safe. Are you sure about this? It's not what he wanted."

"That's baloney ." Gecko responds, "Did I get that right?" He asks me, I smile but don't respond. I didn't even know he heard that conversation.

I walk up to Gecko and hold my hand out for Corvu's sword. I need something to defend myself or at least give to Corvu when I see him. I expect to either die by Orc or by accidental self-impalement.

With the guards probably not going to let me leave, there's only one method of escape. I need to pull a runaway trick, and Sandy and Gecko have to pretend I'm still in my room. Pulling apart all the sheets and dresses from the bed and wardrobe, I tie them together and throw them out the balcony window. It's enough that I can jump down the rest of the way. After only four minutes of hesitation, I make the descent. Luckily, the makeshift rope doesn't snap, and the drop at the bottom isn't as high as I thought.

Running to the nearby stables, I struggle to find my horse, so I grab the saddle of one nearby. This is the first time I successfully saddle up a horse without any assistance, and Corvu isn't here to see it or poke fun at me.

I have to rescue him.

Even though the guards question it, my comment about wanting to leave town isn't argued against, and I'm allowed to exit through the main gates. Taking off in a northwestern direction, I try not to dwell on the possibility of being too late to save Corvu. After everything he's done to save me, I owe him everything, including my life about five times over. As the horse's stride carries me further, I start to smell smoke—lots of it.

Slowing the horse to a trot, I veer off from sight. Dismounting, I give the horse a smack to send it back to the Kingdom. I've heard horses know how to find their way home, but I'll have to confirm that sometime. A part of me thinks I should have kept the horse so Corvu and I could escape easier, but I'm not optimistic about how this will go. Staying close to the trees, I hear voices nearby and know I'm getting close. The fire burns brightly in the midst of a large gathering of Orcs, who are roughhousing and cheering. Nearby, a collection of rocks and boulders provides the perfect vantage point to observe without being seen. My stomach churns. I climb the boulder just in time to witness them strike Corvu to the ground with a massive hammer. Blood splatters from his mouth upon impact. I restrain myself from crying out as the Orc sets the hammer down beside him. With so many Orcs distracted, I might be able to get closer.

As I make my way down the boulder and around behind a tent facing inward of the forest, I overhear someone speak as the crowded cheer dies down.

"My kin, we're but moments away from making our day in history." As the last word is spoken, many begin to cheer once more. Lifting a piece of the back of the tent up, I notice there is no one inside, so sneaking under I am able to hide and see what was going on. Now that I have a closer look, I can see the Orc that was speaking. His skin was a much darker purple than the others, and through the sparks from the fire I could see that he was heavily tattooed with black ink. Unlike many of the Orcs that had long hair and beards, he was completely bald, which made the scars around his neck and face highly visible. "The amulet, foretold to give us the power to overthrow the King, is within our grasp."

"Well," a cocky tone comes into play. Leaning down, I can see through the widespread legs of the Orcs in front of me. Corvu is doing his best to sit up, ignoring the excruciating pain he must be in. "You still have to convince me to let you have it. At this rate, I'd rather die." My face scrunches as I hear him say this. It should be me in this position, not him.

"You will give it to me, boy," the Orc snarls. I notice that unlike the other Orcs, he actually has an assortment of weapons still strapped around him, including a cutlass. Perhaps a trademark of his name? I had to assume since he was calling the shots.

"Nah. Just kill me." Corvu, what are you doing? The idea that he was so willing to die makes me feel sickly inside. Cutlass smirks, his gnarly teeth baring in the moonlight.

"Is that what you would prefer, Trickster? For such a miserable life to end? Why protect those humans? What have they ever done for you? Beat you? Bully you? Fight alongside us, taste victory!" Throwing his hands up into the air, he's met with applause and cheer from the other Orcs. I don't think there are any female ones about, but who can really say. "We can't siege the castle walls and win without it. Don't be a fool."

"Sorry." Corvu shrugs, sitting with his legs crossed and watching the fire. "Say what you will about the humans, they don't deserve to die or be forced into your idea of slavery."

Cutlass chuckles wickedly. "Ah. Have one you're fond of, do you?" I'm curious about his answer, but Corvu says nothing. What am I supposed to do amongst hundreds of Orcs? I can't fight them; they're twice my size. "In that case, nothing I can say will ever convince you to give me that amulet, not without finding that one human amongst the thousands?"

Corvu looks at him now, folding his arms. "Nothing."

The Orc grunts and steps back for a moment, only to grab the hammer he had placed on the ground moments ago. I hadn't noticed, but the hammer itself actually has spikes coming out of the ends like a savage meat grinder.

"You're willing to die for a human? For what? A fleeting infatuation? They are weak, insignificant."

Corvu remains defiant, his voice unwavering. "She's not insignificant to me. She's worth more than this amulet, more than my life."

Cutlass growls, frustration clear in his eyes. "Give me the amulet, and I'll spare your life. We can use its power to overthrow the King, to change the world. Think about it, Trickster. Your death here achieves nothing. "

Corvu smirks, blood staining his teeth. "Nice try. But I'm not handing it over. Ever."

The Orc steps closer, his eyes narrowing. "You're a fool. Do you really think this human cares about you as much as you do for her?"

Corvu meets his gaze, unflinching. "I don't care what you think. My feelings for her are real, and I'll protect her with my last breath."

Cutlass sneers, lifting the hammer menacingly. "Then prepare to meet your end, Trickster. Your stubbornness will be your downfall."

Corvu's eyes lock onto the Orc's, a mix of determination and resignation. "Do your worst. I won't give you what you want."

"Last words, boy?" He asks, lifting the hammer above his shoulder. My heart sank. I didn't have time to come up with any kind of plan. Corvu simply stands up slowly and faces the Orc.

"Last words? How about a warning for your ugly face before you hit it with your own mallet: you swing like a drunk ogre!" He smirks. The Orc chuckles but only for a moment. This time he pulls back and takes a grip on the hammer, readying himself to strike. My feet are moving, but I don't know what I'm doing, not really. Corvu has closed his eyes to ready himself for the strike, and yet here I was preparing to push him out of the way and potentially taking the blow myself.

I'm completely willing.

As my feet swiftly take me through the short crowd in front of me, no one is really alerted to my presence until after I've passed them. I suppose they were distracted by Cutlass about to smack down on Corvu. As he begins to thrust the hammer downward, I let my feet push me forward, leaping into Corvu. I shut my eyes as I do so. I didn't want to see anything, I just hope it will be quick.

As I said, this is a story about how I meet my end.