Neph pushed his way through the crowd and came to a stop near the edge of town. “Bloody hell,” he whispered, though she wasn’t sure if he was actually talking to her or not.
“What? Are they hostile?” she asked, practically breathing the words in his ear to keep from being overheard by the closely gathered people. Neph absolutely despised it when she used a mind link with him. It didn’t seem to bother any of Jala’s other companions, but Neph hated it.
“Worse. They are Arovan. Why are they here now?” Neph grumbled in a disgusted voice as he watched the column shuffle to a halt just outside of town.
“Valor’s knights, I would imagine by the look of them,” Sovann said as he pushed his way through the crowd to stand beside Neph.
“So it would seem,” Neph grumbled.
A woman dismounted from one of the lead horses and handed her reins to her companion before turning to approach them.
“Brings a whole new meaning to breastplate doesn’t it,” Sovann said quietly as the woman drew nearer. Emily snickered quietly while Neph simply glared in response.
The woman was quite favored by the gods if the shape of her armor was any indication of her true form. Though covered with dust from the road the armor was obviously of fine make with intricate details tooled into the polished silver. She removed her helm and shook out long chestnut hair as she drew close. Stopping several feet away she bowed her head in greeting looking between Sovann and Neph as if she was trying to determine who to address.
“Welcome to Merro, Lady knight,” Sovann said, and bowed his head in return.
She smiled and seemed relieved that he had chosen to speak first. “Thank you. I am Bridgette of the Order of the Phoenix here to report to Lord Valor.”
“Sorry, he isn’t here.” Neph said curtly, his eyes scanning the knights lining the road behind her. “From what I understood, he was expecting a thousand knights. Are there more on the road behind you?”
Bridgette blinked, looking first to Sovann then to Neph, and shook her head slightly. “No, I’m afraid this is it. Pardon, but did you say he isn’t here? We were informed that Lord Valor left the city of Sanctuary for this land over a week ago. We set sail the very day the word was received.” She spoke politely, but Emily could hear dismay clearly in her voice.
“I’m afraid he is in hell at the moment. Who is in charge of the knights currently and why aren’t there a thousand?” Neph replied, ignoring her distress as well as the expression that crossed her face with his newest words.
“I suppose I would be in charge at the present time. Most of the division requested reassignment when they learned what our orders were to be and who would be in charge. Given the current state of unrest in Arovan most preferred to remain fighting at home. The three hundred and forty-seven left in this particular division are the less desirable, I’m afraid,” Bridgette explained, looking desperately toward Sovann as if she hoped he would show some sign of superiority over Neph and take control of the conversation.
“Less desirable? Explain.” Neph snapped, his eyes flashing back to her.
“The craven, the lazy, the dishonored. May I ask exactly who you are and what exactly you mean by Lord Valor is in hell?” Bridgette said with a bit of bite to her own voice.
“Oh, this could get good,” Emily whispered to Neph, whose expression darkened further.
“Which are you?” Neph asked, raising an eyebrow and ignoring her questions completely.
“Pardon?” Bridgette replied sharply.
“Craven, lazy, or dishonored? Which are you?” Neph asked, speaking slowly as if to a thick witted child.
“Dishonored I would suppose, I left my position with my own regiment to join this one. I’m afraid my superiors were not pleased and my current rank reflects that displeasure,” Bridgette snapped in response as she shifted her position to rest one slender hand on her hip, her eyes narrowing as she glared at Neph. “Now my answers if you please?” she said in a voice that was close to demand.
“My name is Nephondelvayon. I am currently in control until High Lady Merrodin returns from her quest with Valor in hell,” Neph replied sweetly, then turned his attention back to the knights.
“Of course. A Delvay. That explains it,” Bridgette sighed and relaxed her posture as if there was no point in fighting any longer.
“I’ll ignore that remark,” Neph grumbled, still searching through the knights as if looking for a familiar face. “You say they are mostly culls. Can you name three in that mix that are worth their salt?” Neph asked in an almost conversational voice.
“Savy, that’s the woman holding my horse currently. She is probably the best lance among them all. Noble. That would be the dark haired man just behind her, and Foster, the blond man on the black mare three ranks back,” Bridgette answered without hesitation.
“Why are they in this mix if they are worth their salt? What vices do they have?” Neph asked, his gaze moving from figure to figure as Bridgette spoke.
“Savy was caught trading her personal favors for favors from the Supply officer. Noble has a gambling problem and Foster’s mouth works much better than his ears do,” Bridgette explained with a bit of a smile.
“What’s your vice? Why would you ask for this assignment? Are you craven and wanting escape from the Blights?” Neph asked letting his eyes fall on her once more.
“You are such an ass,” Emily whispered to him as she watched fury flash across the Lady knight’s face. To her credit, though, Bridgette regained her composure quickly. Emily grinned and nodded with approval. Neph hated it when people wouldn’t rise to his remarks.
“My vice is loyalty. If you are asking why I’m here, I owe my armor and knighthood to Valor. I am here to serve him,” Bridgette explained stiffly.