Eliona's War 2: Veiled Healer

Chapter 86

Time Elapsed: 03:49:41

The second his vision cleared, Severance pulled away from Batin. "What was that for? Jack's not an enemy!"

"I didn't say he was," Batin said evenly. He didn't even react visibly to Severance's ire. Instead, he simply glanced towards the House, a not-so-subtle indicator that he wished for them to go inside.

Severance ignored it. "But you acted like he was!"

Maybe that was exaggerating a bit, but he wasn't blind or deaf. He knew hostility when he saw it. And he was getting tired of seeing his friends on the receiving side, even if it was caused by their own attitude.

"Severance." Batin's calm tone was like a bucket of ice water. It instantly quenched the fire and left Severance shivering. "How well do you know that Outsider?"

Technically, Severance didn't know Jack very well. They'd only met a handful of times. But since that particular discussion, something had been forged between them. A trust, an understanding that could only exist between people stuck in similar situations.

Jack knew what Severance knew. And although the tank clearly disagreed with him, not once had he tried to stop Severance from doing what he wanted. Through his actions, Jack spoke as loudly and clearly as he did with his voice.

But Severance couldn't exactly explain that to Batin. Not without potentially creating trouble for Jack.

He met the clansman's eyes. "Jack's my friend," he said firmly. "So leave him alone."

Batin blinked once. "You trust him, then?"

"Yes."

"Very well, I will not interfere. But I will be watching."

Severance sighed. "That's not necessary, really."

Instead of responding to that, Batin simply waved a hand towards the House. "Come, they are waiting."

The non-answer was not lost on Severance, but there wasn't much he could do. Getting Batin to agree with anything was a pretty big win on its own.

"Who's waiting?" He wondered.

Batin didn't answer. He merely headed inside, leaving it up to Severance to follow.

As it turned out, it was a clan meeting with Agadhi and all the Leaders. They'd gathered around one of the long tables in the dining room with a map and a few scrolls of unintelligible writing laying between them. A discussion was going on, but it quickly ground to a halt once Batin and Severance entered.

"Ah, you found him," Maun said, his customary good humor evident.

Batin took the nearest empty seat, which left Severance standing awkwardly just inside the doorway with everyone staring at him.

He rubbed the side of his neck. "What's going on?"

Olen was the one to answer. "Severance. Something came up that we'll need your help with. Now please, if you would close the door and join us...?"

"All right."

Now very curious, and perhaps a little apprehensive, Severance went to do just that. He reached for the heavy wooden door when a silver blur shot through the doorway and slammed into him.

Next thing he knew, he was flat on his back with a massive weight threatening to splinter his ribs. A rough tongue smeared his entire face with stinky slobber.

"Ugh," he groaned.

A happy huff blasted hot doggy breath into his face. It was absolutely nasty. What had this creature been eating? Putrefying skunk burgers?