“I will guard them. You rest. Your journey will be long,” Serena said to Hera and Macrinus, both of whom were standing close to the bodies lying on the earth under the moonlight, shrouded in coral and purple cloth, covered with the dusting of pinecones and needles Serena had placed on them in order to surround them with symbols of nature.

“And you?” Hera asked.

“I may ride,” Serena told her. “I do not know. I am at the calling of my queen.”

Hera studied her.

“I will guard her, Hera,” Serena said low. “I will guard them both.”

Hera continued to study her.

Serena stood still and allowed it.

After a time, the Nadirii warrior turned to Macrinus.

“Let us go, my friend, and prepare for our journey,” Hera urged quietly.

Macrinus didn’t move, not his body or his gaze from the shrouded figure on the ground.

“Mac,” Hera whispered.

“I find I cannot leave her,” Macrinus whispered back.

“You need to pack your things, and hers, so you can be prepared to take care of her,” Hera told him and reached out to touch his forearm, finishing, “So you will be ready to take her home.”

“She should be here, and I should be there,” he replied, dipping his head toward his woman’s body.

“And if she were standing by my side, and you in her place, she would be saying the same thing,” Hera returned.

Slowly, Macrinus turned his gaze Hera’s way.

“There is no more honorable death for a soldier than to die protecting the one you love,” Hera said softly.

“You have lost as much as me this day, how do you—?” Macrinus began.

“We will lie in each other’s arms tonight and remember them. I will weep and you will absorb my tears. That is how. But this cannot happen until we ready their things. So please, Mac, come away. I need you.”

Serena saw that instantly captured him.

He twisted his arm to catch Hera’s hand

Hera closed her fingers around his.

And without a glance at Serena, connected in grief, they moved away.

“We will guard them,” Gal called, coming out of the shadows of the forest beyond, moving with Brix toward Serena.

“I have promised,” Serena told them, then bid, “Find somewhere and rest.”

“We spent our day infiltrating enemy tents, disabling ammunition and cataloguing the names of treacherous gentry,” Brix stated, coming to a halt and crossing his arms on his chest. “You spent your day in more onerous pursuits. You need sleep. Tomorrow will be busy.”

“I have promised,” Serena returned. “I will find rest when it is time to find it.”

Her gnome friends were silent for some time before Gal broke it by saying cautiously, “You don’t have to make up for the reputation you earned all in one day, my warrior.”