If you want to read the first part of Soulfire, here’s the link for The Hidden Glade: Chapter One.
Sonja couldn’t breathe. War. Eraune was at war.
She heard the gasps and cries of dismay from the other villagers, but they all seemed distant somehow. Her fingers were cold and tingling.
“Since we are at war,” General Aleksei announced, “we are going to need as many soldiers as possible.” He raised his voice. “Every able-bodied man is to step forward.”
Immediately the soldiers on either side of the General raised their crossbows and pointed them at the crowd. Sonja flinched backwards, barely stifling a whimper.
“Every able-bodied man is to step forward,” the General repeated in a slower voice.
Someone walked towards the soldiers. It was Hugo. After him, other men started to walk forward as well. They went to stand by the soldiers, clustered together. Hugo’s face was pale but composed.
Aleksei raised a hand and made a swift motion, pointing towards someone. Two soldiers marched towards a young man and grabbed him by the arms. Sonja knew he was about her age - maybe even younger - but they dragged him away despite his frantic struggles and his mother’s screams. He tried to dig his heels in, but it was no use.
“Papa!” a voice cried. “Papa, don’t leave!”
It was Frieda, Hugo’s daughter. She ran forward, tears running down her face. “Please!” she sobbed. “Don’t take him, please!”
Fear flashed across Hugo’s face. He tried to move towards her, but one of the soldiers moved to block him.
General Aleksei moved in front of Frieda and backhanded her across the face. She sprawled to the ground, one hand pressed to her mouth.
Before Sonja knew it, she was rushing forward and kneeling beside Frieda. Something prickled at her skin, and she looked up into General Aleksei’s face.
His eyes were pale and sharp. When she looked deeper into them, she saw a darkness behind them that scared her.
Suddenly, Sonja’s palms began to grow warm again. She instinctively clenched her fists again as she gazed up at Aleksei, but the warmth didn’t go away. It was as if something was lurking beneath her skin, wanting to get out.
General Aleksei narrowed his eyes at her and turned away. “Move out.”
All the villagers could do was watch as the soldiers moved the men away. Several of the men looked back over their shoulders, but the soldiers pushed them on.
Frieda was crying, tears running down her face and blood trickling down her chin. She scrambled to her feet and rushed towards her mother. Margrit put an arm around her shoulders and walked towards their house, shepherding the twins in front of her.
All around were white, stunned faces. Then one woman - the mother of the boy who had been dragged away - broke down weeping. She turned and stumbled away, her sobs tearing through the air.
Eventually, the other villagers turned and walked away, their feet treading softly on the grass. Sonja looked around as everyone drifted back to their own homes, closing the doors behind them and shutting out the world.
“Sonja?”
Rael was standing behind her, face ashen. Sonja hadn’t even known she was there.
“You heard that.”
Rael nodded. She couldn’t seem to look at Sonja. “We should take the fabric back to your house before anything else happens.”
“Yes. We should.” Sonja didn’t know what else to say.
How could this have happened? Why would Eraune and Aleveth be at war with each other? She didn’t understand.
The girls picked up the fabric and walked through the silent village. Although Sonja tried to force herself to look straight ahead, her eyes kept flickering towards every silent house.
“Which one is yours?” Rael asked quietly.
“It’s on the outskirts.”
It didn’t take them long to reach the small house. Sonja held the door open for Rael, silently thanking the Flame that she had cleaned the house before leaving this morning.
She wasn’t sure why that should matter now.
“I’m afraid there’s only one bed,” Sonja said, leaning her fabric against a wall. “But you can have it.”
“Where will you sleep?”
“I’ll make a shakedown bed. There’s plenty of room here for one, and it’s not the first time I’ve slept on the floor.”
She sat down, resting her head in her hands. Why was she even thinking about things like this now?
They still mattered. Even if there was a war, people would still need things like clothes and food.
Tell her.
Sonja opened her eyes.
She needs to know.
Rael was watching her intently. Sonja sighed and slowly got to her feet. If she didn’t tell Rael now, she never would.
“There’s something I have to show you.”