Wars and Wealth - Bargains with Exiled Fae

Chapter 11

In one of the of the alcoves, David found a desk with a single sheet of ancient paper set out as if on display.

“The way is closed. The brothers passed through, the way I will guard. The caves could not sustain us, so they made the ultimate sacrifice, to guard from within the forest of night. May the new fortress stand the test of time.”

Damn. This ancient order must have abandoned this cave and opted to live within the fae lands, establishing a foothold there. If they could survive there, they would slowly become like the fae, bound by the same laws, but also subject to the harshest conditions.

David quickly looked through the rest of the alcoves for anything useful. In one, he found a shelf with a thick well-preserved tome. He tucked it into his pack and then grabbed a few boards that made up what was left of a bed.

He hurried back to the women and found Nyx hovering over Hailey.

“You didn’t kill them?” he asked in surprise as he perceived their breath, faint as it was in the still air.

“I owe you at least two favors and more than a few souls. A taste of my blood, that was already flowing will preserve them for up to a week, but with their injuries, it can only preserve them. I cannot restore them.”

“That was uncharacteristic of you. You are not turning them into fae by giving them blood?”

“I am not one of your vampires, half dead and desiring of a brood of simpleton sycophant followers. My bargain is with you, and you seem to attach some importance to life. Even we fae revere life, even in the taking of it. Besides, the Aranea’s tail is poisoned. They wouldn’t have time if I didn’t.”

“I see. What is our bargain then, to see them out of this cave alive?” David asked.

“A favor repaid, each, and a soul reclaimed, each.”

“Bargain struck.” David said without hesitation. Nyx owed him far more, so it was an easy choice.

They began making a stretcher so they could haul the women up out of the cave without moving them too much.

David’s collarbone screamed at him each time he tried to move that arm, forcing him to made several trips back to the cult sleeping rooms for supplies, only taking what he could carry with one hand. he slowly made each of the women a stretcher before beginning the strenuous process of hauling them out of the cave system.

Injured as he was, it took all of his concentration to block out the pain as he pulled them along. Near the second level, Nyx recovered enough to at least help keep the women stable and maneuver them through some of the tight spaces.

Nyx still needed help ascending each level and didn’t have much strength left, but even a little help leveraging the two women made the work easier.

When they finally saw daylight, David nearly collapsed in relief. As they exited the cave into the woods around the waterfall, his phone dinged as service returned.

David pulled out his phone and dialed.

“Hello?”

David took a moment before saying, “I am activating the Huntsmen. I need a medical evac to my location, yesterday. Make it happen.”

“Please standby… Location locked. Team inbound to the nearest entry point. Those woods are too thick for direct extraction. ETA one hour. The Huntsmen will be notified to meet you.”

There was a pause before the voice asked, “Is it bad?”

“Two civilians near death, and an Aranea.”

There was a sharp inhale before the other end of the line replied, “Understood. I will dispatch a cleanup crew. Any witnesses?”

“No. Its deep underground. The cleaners will need caving gear. Issac will want samples.” David replied simply.

“I will see to it. Be safe, General Tyr.”

David sighed as he hung up and glanced at the path out of the deep forest. Nyx wouldn’t be able to help him after they got to the top of the waterfall but at least the rest was downhill.

Nyx got them to the top of the trail before turning to him, “I will hide in the caves and heal. Don’t worry, your men will never see me or even know I was there. After I am healed, I can blend better.”

After she disappeared back down into the valley, David began the trek back to the road, dragging both stretchers by himself.

Thankfully several hikers met up with them on their way out and quickly joined in to help get the two women out.

At the trail head, a local medical helicopter was touching down, with a pair of flight medics rushing to assess the women.

“We got them, sir. Do you need medical attention as well?”

“No, I will be fine. See to the women,” David would never admit that he was injured to civilians. His collarbone likely showed through his shirt and his chest was likely bruised with internal bleeding, but he would never go to a civilian hospital.

Besides, the Huntsmen would be here within the day. He needed to get back to Nyx and heal in his own way.