My night with Lyssrah was passionate. Her cool body was oddly stimulating to me. Despite our efforts, we woke early to the rising of the sun. I kissed my Lover, and we left the room to join the others for breakfast.

  Jenna approached me during the meal. "My Queen, I would like leave to attempt to bring the Loyalists from the Resistance group I was a part of here. It should take me around a week to get there, and hopefully back with the people I believe will come. I'll find them alone in the field, and have each one I meet help with finding the others, so I don't have to risk going into the camp."

  I didn't like it, I REALLY didn't like it. Still, I nodded as I responded. "I suppose you must, but be EXTREMELY cautious! I can't stress this enough, not only with the Resistance group itself, but also to ensure no Lizardman is able to take word of your steel weapons to their compatriots. This mission, though important, isn't worth YOUR safety, let alone the rest of us. If you can use throwing knives, I'd suggest you take some with you, you never know when ranged weapons will be the difference between life and death." She gave a curt nod and a fist over her Chest as a salute.

  "Thank you, My Queen, I will acquire a brace of throwing knives from the armory. I'm not the best with them, but I can hit what I aim at most times. I'll also take one of the travel satchels I noticed, I'll store extra food for the trip, that will help to speed my journey, maybe knock a day off, if I'm lucky."

  I pulled her in for a tight embrace. "You're one of my best friends, don't go dying on me, come back safe!" Letting her go, I spotted the barest twinkle of a tear in her eyes, accompanied by the twitches of her lips trying to smile. She bowed and left on her errand.

  Marta and I, with Lyssrah's help, organized work forces to help with gathering enough firewood, food, and anything else useful for us. My stomach was fluttery with nerves, worried about Jenna. Trust was not the issue, and I knew my fears were largely irrational, but that didn't invalidate the emotion. One of the Lizardwomen found the ancient cold room and nearly frightened herself to death, due to how quickly the cold sapped her strength. She did, however, make enough commotion for one of the Men to notice, and haul her to safety.

  Marta and the healthier human women tore into the task of cleaning all the rotten, or freeze-burned foods out of the cold storage. Lyssrah was confused as to why the discovery of this "evil cold room" was making us so excited. "Because, My Dear, it will keep food fresh for much longer. Even what has rotted in there will be useful in revitalizing the crop fields so we can begin growing crops once we have the seeds from this fall." Now, even if she wouldn't go near that room herself, she at least understood why it was a good thing.

  As the days passed, progress was made steadily on harvesting what foods we could and preparing for the winter months. Even so, my Anxiety grew just as much. I knew Jenna would return, but try convincing my heart about that. The situation was untenable, I knew full well that I couldn't have gone with her, but still felt as if I should have. Lyssrah and I climbed the tallest tower daily in hopes of spotting any movement.

  This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

  It was because of our daily climbs that roughly five days later, we spotted the glint of Bronze on the edge of the grasslands, seemingly heading straight for us, but about to pass into the Jungle out of sight. "Lyssrah, sound the alarm, I'm going to meet them. It may be the group Jenna is bringing, or else a group of Lizardmen following them. Call everyone back in, and close the Portcullis. If our people are being pursued, let them in through the Postern gate, then raise the drawbridge." I kissed her on the cheek, and Leapt from the tower. Her panic at my leap nearly made me regret my action, but I didn't have time for that.

  Running full speed toward where I had spotted that glint of Bronze, I wove in and out through the brush and trees. I leapt over bramble thickets, even as I sped faster. The hours I ran seemed like months in my Anxious Desperation. I would NOT let my friend come to harm!

  The barest sound of combat reached my ears, and I leapt into the branches of a tree, spotting a group of humans in combat with Lizard Filth, and Jenna among them, her steel mace rising and falling in deadly arcs, smashing through the Lizards as if they weren't even there, but it wouldn't be enough, there were far too many of them. I could only assume that the tracks of a large group of humans were enough to draw the filth after them.

  Rage boiling, I drew my sword, and leapt into battle, clearing the entire group of humans, and landing in a whirlwind right in the center of the Lizard Filth, my sword, powered by my rage, and the magic of the combat atire I wore, cut two Lizards deep in a circle around myself, killing roughly twenty-something of them in a single attack. My arrival stunned them long enough that another dozen fell to my blade as I swung it twice more.

  Blood and vicera flew everywhere, and splattered myself, and half the remaining scum. I let out a Primal roar as I charged forward to the cretin wearing the flashiest armor. He desperately attempted to parry my swing, but there was no point, as I cleaved his blade and his chest through the armor he valued so highly. Acting on instinct, I leapt upwards and into a backflip, avoiding several poorly aimed arrows that punctured arms, legs, and tails of their allies. "Merc" One of them tried to speak, to plead for his miserable self, but I brutally split him from crown to tail tip.

  Jenna had not been idle, though clearly her companions had been stunned at the malestrom I had unleashed upon our foe. Only six of them remained, and those were the weakest of what had been here. One of them attempted a spear strike at an unwary man, and I darted in to deflect the attack, then, on my backswing, decapitated the vile monster. Jenna's mace caved in the skull of another, even as I diced two more into bits, leaving only two remaining. Hissing in terror, they vainly attempted to flee. A quick hand flick sent two of Jenna's knives into their backs, dropping them with a hiss of agony from one, the other having died instantly. "You filth should have realized what would happen when you rose against us ages ago, and even before that, when you had the nerve to turn your own women into property. It's a pity I can only kill your filth once, as you'll never suffer enough to repay the debt on your souls!" I stated with vehemence.

  A gore-splattered, but uninjured, and smiling Jenna met my gaze when I turned from ending the pathetic trash that had nearly escaped. "My Queen, I knew you would appear, even as these scum ambushed us!" I didn't let her continue as I crushed her to myself in a hug, surprising everyone in the area.

  "Silly fool, you left a trail so wide, I could nearly spot your footprints in the grasslands myself, before the Bronze of the scum's weapons caught the light. What were you thinking, travelling in a single large group?! If there's ever a next time for this sort of mission, send your group in smaller groups of three or five, walking single file, on different routes, with scheduled meeting points for camp. Always hide your numbers!" Only when I had finished speaking did I release her from my grasp. "I thought I was going to lose you! Don't scare me like that again!"

  Jenna, tearful, clung to me as well. "I will do better, My Queen, no My Friend!"