The Rules of Blood

Volume Two ; Chapter 116 (332) - When Hope Falters

“Come on,” Blanc muttered more to himself than to the fainted Velakia as they rushed toward the boat.

It wouldn’t be long now. They’ve come all this way.

He wouldn’t stop now.

Although truth be told, he was too anxious to look back. Still, his head turned as if on its own.

In the distance, the five-hundred-strong lizard riders were maintaining pursuit.

Neither rushing toward them, nor slowing down. Just… there, as if a constant reminder they were never safe.

They were close enough for Blanc and his companions to be under the range of their arrows, but far enough to, at the same time, maintain that damned flicker of hope.

So all he could do was rush toward the boat and figure it out later.

[Translated from Iskahese.]

“Blanc,” Tahreni yelled from the back of Silvia. “How is Velakia?”

“Fainted still,” Blanc yelled back. “Too much blood loss, but it somewhat stopped because of the arrow still in her, so for now she is safe.”

“But she won’t live the voyage over open water,” Tahreni replied. “Not without proper care.”

“I’ve had that type of wound,” Blanc continued. “It is not lethal.”

“But you weren’t pregnant while having it, no?” Tahreni argued. “Even if she leaves, her pregnancy, your unborn child is at risk.”

Blanc’s eyes widened, “So it was true…”

“It is,” Tahreni nodded. “Sorry for hiding it, but Velakia did not want to create more issues for you.”

“Now it’s not the time for explanations, Tahreni,” Blanc clenched his jaw.

“What I am saying is that she cannot leave the Empire in that state, not until she is stable enough,” Tahreni added. “Do we fight and hope we live?”

“No,” Blanc shook his head, gasping for another mouthful of air. “We rush towards the boat and figure it out afterward. I still have a potion that I can give her, and there are enough cities along the Dabune River for healers to properly treat her.”

“But that costs money,” Tahreni muttered.

Blanc could only clench his jaw in frustration.

But with half a mile left toward the boat, when Blanc turned to look at the position of their pursuers, something was going on.

They stopped, watching them rush towards the boat.

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Blanc had a weird feeling rush into his gut.

“Stop,” Blanc commanded, reducing his speed to a stop.

“What?” Sera asked, turning the horse around. “The boat is close, why stop now?”

“Why would they stop, sister?” Blanc frowned. “They’ve played enough with us to know there is a trap.”

“Or perhaps that’s what they want you to believe,” Sera countered. “Look towards the boat, nothing and nobody stands between us.”

The lizard army split in two down the middle, making way for a person to slowly approach Blanc.

“Aidan,” Blanc hissed.

“Blanc, we must go,” Sera said, her voice panicked as she saw Aidan approaching.

Blanc’s mind thought of countless scenarios that would go horribly wrong.

The psychological warfare he was a victim of could now be considered a breathtaking success as Blanc began doubting all that he was seeing.

But one thing was clear as day, behind all the haze inside his mind: the journey had failed.

The question became one of how to best salvage it.

“Take Velakia with you, and go towards the boat,” Blanc muttered, approaching the horse. “I’ll stay and talk to the bastard. If something happens, I will rush to you. But if I fail, leave without me.”

“Blanc!” Sera yelled. “We have not come this far only to leave you here. If it comes to it, we would rather fight and go to the Vita-”

“Sera,” Blanc muttered calmly, interrupting her. “How many battles have you been in?”

“None, but why does it matter?” Sera argued.

Blanc shook his head, his eyes tightly closed, “You are very lucky you haven’t experienced battles yet. But if you want to play war, I strongly advise against it. Go home and play something else.”

“Why do you look down on me? Do you see me as worthless?” Sera muttered, heartbroken.

“I do not, sister, on the contrary,” Blanc looked into her eyes. “But please, be reasonable. Go to the boat and wait for me there.”

“I would rather rush to the boat and try to escape, hold the position until the last of us falls,” Sera clenched her jaw.

“And what position would that be?” Blanc questioned. “This is not a position; this has become a trap. They had more soldiers at one point, which means they are expecting us downriver. You can’t even run away.”

“We fight then,” Sera clenched her jaw, grabbing the knife she used to stab Ali with.

“My dear sister,” Blanc chucked exhausted. “We are stronger than a common soldier, and even the three of us might, by the grace of the Vita, have a chance at winning, but you do not seriously believe we could somehow stop this storm for five minutes!”

“I will not leave-”

“I will join you at the boat,” Blanc hissed through clenched teeth.

Sera stood silent.

But there was no arguing left to be had.

Aidan was almost at their location, and she understood that Blanc was right, despite what her heart cried out to do.

So she nodded gently, tears wanting to escape her eyes.

Blanc nodded as well, grateful.

He then turned to Tahreni, raising Velakia gently towards her.

Once Tahreni placed Velakia horizontally across her legs, Blanc crouched down.

“Take this as well,” Blanc muttered in Iskahese, pulling out the wooden box that now held the last of his potions, “If I do not come to the boat in the next half an hour, leave.”

Tahreni clenched her jaw, “What should I tell Velakia when she wakes up if you do not?”

“Do not worry, Tahreni,” Blanc smiled. “I will see you at the boat shortly.”

With that, he slapped Silvia’s side, making the mare dash toward the boat, leaving Blanc alone with the slowly approaching Aidan.

“A beautiful afternoon to you, Lord Blanc,” Aidan said as he dismounted his black lizard mount. “Not joining your princess and sister on the boat?”

“Lord Aidan, it seems you have really kept this promise. A pity that this was the only one,” Blanc muttered. “And do not fret, I will join them once we are done with this little excuse of a conversation.”

“Is that so?” Aidan asked, grinning.

“That is so,” Blanc nodded, his face devoid of any emotion.