For Love of a Scolding Voice: A Project Wardens Short Story

Tycho took the longest breath of his life as his body touched the warm light of the descending sun, free from the clouds of dust, rubble, and fear that swarmed and suffocated him in the cave. After a stressful crisis, tasting the fresh air with his wife and fellow Champion cradled in his arms, safe from the dangers that nearly slaughtered them both, was a blessing.

But even with nothing left to fear, Tycho could still feel Minette’s shoulders ruffling against his forearms and wedging into his elbows. Perhaps it was anxiety wiggling out of her system—unlikely, perhaps, but being one of two against a force of ultimately fifty could shake even the steeliest of wills. Even their backup was minced by the ambush before anyone could even sprout an idea as to what was upon them.

More than likely, it was her left leg, cut up and mangled after an acrobatic leap was caught by an unseen blade. Not in all their years had he ever seen her caught so surprised. Never did he ever hear her shriek so despairingly as she fell to the ground, wailing in pain the whole way down. Never before did Tycho feel such a force blast through his body, his heart beating like thunder while his massive blade flung through the air like mad lightning. No swing so severe nor blow so brutal could have sated him, not with the bandit’s lives so easily brought to death.

But a Champion’s strength had limits—no doubt even Violet’s new toy would have been cut to pieces against a half-century of highwaymen in the cramped musk of a cavern ambush. Even Tycho, a “self-righteous mouth-runner” in the words of Minette, couldn’t hope to stand against them—not on their own turf, at the very least. At his beloved’s behest, Tycho cut the battle short before it could be turned into a massacre.

By the sound of her wild tirade as he scooped her up and ran, bringing the cave down upon itself was probably not what she had in mind, but it was the first thought in his mind, and loathe would Tycho be to let his wife die before coming up with a second. So, he rattled his blade about the cavern walls and supports before running off with Minette, entrusting the falling rocks with the fate of his foes.

Perhaps that’s what she was really mad about—the fact that he would meet one risk with another without a second thought. Ultimately, it hardly mattered. He couldn’t afford to let it. By either unwitting strategic marvel or dumb luck, they were alive, and judging by the clogging pile of stones behind him, the bandits of Valleybound Route were dealt with.

But while Minette would wear a frown the whole way home, Tycho would hide his relieved smile. Let her voice and vent her anger, he thought to himself. Let her fume to Anarch Bors or little baby Belky about how his recklessness nearly doomed them. A lifetime of chastising would be worth it if it meant it was her voice.