Chapter 181: Chapter 181 A Command Without Words
Phoebe’s POV
I had issued the decree, and it worked despite the resistance. Even with countless people arguing they’d rather fight than abandon their homes, they had no choice once they saw my command.
They were told they’d lose their houses, but that didn’t matter to them. What stung was the retreat—the bitter taste of letting enemies penetrate their territory.
I explained that the enemy wouldn’t claim their land because we had a plan. A plan I couldn’t reveal.
Only then did they agree to evacuate.
I also gathered every healer available. We’d need them when battle came—and battle was inevitable.
But healers were scarce here...
"I’m Millie, and this is Katherine, my little sister." A girl around sixteen introduced herself and her younger sibling, barely a year her junior. "It’s an honor to meet you, my queen."
They bowed nervously, clearly intimidated by meeting their sovereign for the first time.
"They’re the only healers we could locate, my queen," Justin said with obvious regret.
[What about the medicine I need?] I gestured for them to rise and showed them my notes.
"Don’t worry, my queen, we have plenty. We’ve been practicing, but since few people need our help, we’ve built up quite a stock."
I nodded at Katherine, who seemed more cheerful than her older sister. The young girl beamed back at me.
[I’ll need your help. Can you tell me what you’ve learned about medicine?] I used one of the rooms to speak with them privately, establishing better communication for later. I couldn’t always write everything down, so we’d use agreed-upon hand signals.
Right now, I wished desperately for my voice to return.
But I was trapped too deep in this mental prison to regain my confidence. It felt like a lock in my mind that I couldn’t open, keeping me silent.
"We’ve learned much from books, but some mixtures are beyond me," Millie admitted. "I’m more confident with healing magic than making potions, but Katherine excels in that area."
I probed deeper into their capabilities and limitations. Knowing their boundaries was crucial—I couldn’t afford to push them beyond their skills when tensions ran high and everything could collapse.
"Are you a healer, my queen?" Katherine asked curiously, earning an elbow from her sister for being presumptuous.
I waved dismissively, showing it was fine, then shook my head. [I’m not a healer, but I studied medicine under the royal healer. I’m quite skilled at it.] The two looked amazed—not everyone could learn from the royal healer.
It was especially remarkable for a shifter to master this knowledge, since our kind typically relied on natural healing abilities.
Of course, they’d heard I was wolfless. They wouldn’t mention that aloud.
Still, they were honored to work alongside their queen.
[I need your help too. Let’s work together.]
"Yes, my queen."
"Of course, my queen."
Samuel and Justin observed our interaction. They felt the vicious rumors about me were false—how could someone so gentle be promiscuous?
After all, not every rumor held truth. The king was proof. He could be brutal, but usually remained rational. He was undeniably a capable ruler.
Though when madness seized him, it was wise to avoid his presence—he became terrifying.
With that settled, we erected a massive tent in the fortress’s inner section. Casualties were inevitable, so we needed healers to keep fighters alive or, better yet, heal them quickly enough to return to battle.
Time was everything. Medicine would boost their natural healing and prevent fatal wounds from claiming lives.
I could play a vital role here.
Once everything was arranged and evacuation proceeded smoothly, alarms blared, signaling the enemy’s approach.
"Enemy attack." Samuel clenched his jaw. He wanted to charge out and join the fight, but his duty was protecting me.
Justin felt the same frustration. They were trained warriors, making it agonizing to stand idle while others received orders to repel enemies.
Yet this was also an honorable assignment.
——
Reginald put Fiona down and let Darius take over, but first they’d rest near a river.
Fiona washed grime from her face and hands. Exhaustion weighed on her despite only being carried on Reginald’s back. Her stomach ached.
She drank deeply, then wiped water around her neck. Darkness had fallen, and they couldn’t risk a fire in case royal warriors lurked nearby.
They’d take turns sleeping to continue tomorrow.
Only five more hours until they reached the meeting point. Almost there.
"I’ll take first watch," Darius said, settling under a tree.
