“Have him report to me immediately,” Yulen ordered. The man saluted and disappeared. Sighing, the battle lord wiped the perspiration from his wife’s face with a rag, then pressed a kiss to her temple. “Fight it, beloved. Fight like you’ve never fought before in your life. Johna, thank you for that observation. Lucien, I want you and Johna to remain here. You, too, Iain. I’m going to need your thoughts on my next course of action, which will depend heavily on what Grimsy has to tell us.”
Lucien didn’t question his father’s request. He was aware of Johna scooting closer to him, unobtrusively slipping her hand into his and squeezing his fingers. If his father noticed the gesture, the man didn’t remark upon it as they waited for the captain to arrive.
Chapter Thirty
Inconsistencies
Captain Grimsy threw back the tent flap and entered without announcement. From the look on his face, it was evident the news wasn’t going to be to anyone’s liking. Lucien also got the impression the man had some very important details to reveal.
Yulen pointed to an empty spot on a mat, and the soldier dropped down upon it. “Water?”
“No, thanks. I’m good.”
“Tell us what you found.”
The captain raised a knee and propped an arm on it. He was sweat-stained and covered in grime, but Lucien saw no blood, meaning he hadn’t been in a skirmish. “Total devastation. Schutz Ridge is just a shell of tumbled rocks. The compound’s been torched.”
“Torched?”
“About a mile from here, the terrain goes barren. All rock and shrubs. No forest whatsoever to give cover. Schutz Ridge sits near the edge of huge bluff. There’s no way around the compound except to pass on the south side, and in full view. Once you get to the top of that last hill, you can see down into what’s left of it.”
“Go on,” Yulen urged.
“They built their walls with rocks. Those are still standing, mostly, although you can see sections where it was breached. The doors are completely gone. The buildings are made of mud bricks or rock, or a combination of both. They’re empty, and from the looks of it, long deserted. There’s not a single piece of wood in that place that doesn’t show signs of char,” Grimsy remarked.
“That doesn’t quite fit into Pechard’s description,” Lucien remarked.
“I was thinking the same,” Yulen said. “Any smoke or evidence of how long ago the place was burned?”
“Ages ago,” the captain answered. “Months. Maybe a year or more. But it hasn’t been recent. I’d swear by that.”
“How about bodies?” Johna spoke up.
The soldier shook his head. “No bodies. No skeletons or bones. Not even animal carcasses or remains like that. I tell you, D’Jacques, that compound was destroyed a long time ago.”
“If it was overrun, and the inhabitants killed months before, the wildlife would have had plenty of time to dispose of any remains,” Iain commented.
“That’s not all,” Grimsy added. “You can see where some of the hardier plants have begun to grow in between the rocks and cracks. It’s even evident from the road that the place is ghosted. Has been for quite some time.”
“Any reasonable possibility that the compound can be rebuilt and restored?” Yulen inquired.
“My honest opinion? It’ll take a massive effort. Best it’s left to the elements like Bearinger.”
The battle lord bowed his head in thought. Lucien could tell the captain wanted to ask about Atty’s health, but held himself in check. The man could see for himself how ill she was.
“Thank you, Grimsy. Fine job. Congratulate your men for me. You may go now. Get some food and rest.”
As soon as the captain left, Yulen threw a question out to his son. “Luc, you were there when Pechard told us about what he and his men went through to get to us, right?”
“Right. And I tell you, it doesn’t quite jive with what Grimsy says.”
“How does it differ?” Iain questioned.
“Pechard said when they managed to reach Schutz Ridge, it had already fallen,” the battle lord explained. “Now, if you were to pass by a compound that’s in the state of decay the way the captain described it, would you refer to it as ‘already fallen’?”
“Not only that,” Lucien added, “but the emissary claims that he and the two soldiers with him are Normals, and that they hadn’t suffered the virus. He said that they’d managed to escape because they were among the few left who were healthy enough to try and seek help.”
“What are you thinking?”
Lucien shrugged. “I don’t know, but it sounds off. I can’t explain why.”
Yulen pointed to Johna. “When Pechard was here earlier, did you happen to notice if the man had had the virus?”
“I didn’t check,” she admitted.
“Luc, take her over to where the emissary is being kept under watch and have her study him. Come right back and let me know what you find out.”
Johna raised a hand. “May I say something else? Actually, it’s a question.”
“What is it?” Yulen queried.
“Well, maybe it’s nothing, but you said the emissary claimed not to have had the virus, correct?”
“Correct.”
“Yet he came barging in here. He saw the battle lady. You know he must have overheard the gossip in the camp about her being ill. You haven’t tried to hide that fact from your men. If he hasn’t had the maddening disease, why would he deliberately choose to come inside this tent, in close contact with her, and risk becoming infected?”
“He even said he wouldn’t leave until he got an answer from you,” Lucien emphasized. “Does that sound like a person who’s trying to avoid getting sick?”
“Another inconsistency.” Yulen ran a hand over his head, threading his finger through his hair. It was a habit the man had when he was thinking. “You’re right, Johna. I haven’t hidden the fact from my men that Atty is deathly ill. Neither have I ordered them not to talk about it. Pechard’s actions were deliberate.” He scratched his stubble. “All right. After you and Johna check out the emissary and his men, have Cole and Warren report to me on your way back. Now go. Hurry.”
Lucien wanted to ask his father what he was planning, but chose not to. He knew Yulen would confide in him if his hunch bore fruit or not.
Before he and Johna exited the tent, Yulen spoke again. “Oh, and tell Turenski to have his men place the emissary and his men in holding. If Pechard protests, have the captain explain that it’s for their own protection.” The battle lord added a lopsided grin. “Let our guests know that, because of Atty’s illness, and because they confessed they haven’t had the virus, that Dr. MaGrath wants to place them under twenty-four hour watch until it’s determined whether or not they’ve become infected.”
“And if Pechard continues to protest?”
“Have him bound…for his own protection. He’s not to leave his tent until we get some solid answers as to what’s going on.”
Giving a quick nod, Lucien left his parents’ tent. He kept his pace slower than usual to allow Johna to keep up with him without overexerting herself. Once they were clear of the structure, she placed a fist to her mouth and coughed. When the coughing increased, he stopped and held her as she bent over to hack up the phlegm.
“It’s getting worse,” he remarked. “Do you want to rest a bit before we go on?”