For a while, they all stood there. Some of the soldiers glanced at each other, and murmurs began moving through the small crowd. There were only a few dozen of them left. Skellig sheathed her sword and turned to face them. “It took great courage for you to do that, to turn against your Colonel who has led you through many battles. I will not lie and say that I know everything about them,” she waved one arm at the Fae. “Or what we will do about the demon army waiting for us. But I promise you, that your lives, and the lives of the good people here in Foothold are my first priority. I cannot, I will not let you die if it’s the last thing I do. I will give my life first. And yes, I would do the same for these people.” She emphasized the last word as she pointed to the Fae.
One of the soldiers, a woman Jak had seen but didn’t know very well, stepped forward.
“Permission to speak, sir?”
“Granted.”
“I think I speak on behalf of everyone who remained here. We fight demons, sir, and these Fae are clearly not the same as the demons we have been trained to fight. If, in the future, we learn that these people are demons of another type, we will fight them. But for now, we will fight with them, and with you. Sir!” She saluted. The rest of the Watchers followed suit. Jak couldn’t believe how happy she was in that moment. There were still good people among the Watchers.
Major Skellig returned the salute with a smile. “I am proud of each of you. But now is a time for action. I want Jax and Petir to scout the demon army, and to report back to Foothold the moment they begin showing any different behavior.”
Two of the soldiers saluted and left the band.
“The rest of you, stand guard here until everyone is ready to go to Foothold. I am riding there myself before Kuldain can get there, to inform the garrison what happened here. Hopefully they will believe us over Kuldain, if he even bothers to show. I’m leaving Naem in charge. Return to Foothold as soon as you’re able.”
Naem perked up at that. But before he could thank the Major, she turned her horse and galloped away towards Foothold.
“My daughter,” a voice came from behind Jak. She turned to see her mother standing beside the other Fae. She must have been watching behind the Bright Fae. Now she stepped nearer.
“Mother,” Jak went to wrap her arms around her. As she did, she noticed Vander standing behind Karlona. “I’m so glad you’re awake and well. Did you see what happened? Kuldain left and Skellig is going to let us into Foothold!”
“We thank you,” Karlona said, “But we will not be going with you.”
Jak wasn’t sure she heard her mother correctly, “I’m sorry?”
“We will be of no help to you here.” Vander said from behind Karlona. “And we have had our fill of humans.”
What were they saying? They were human! Or at least they once had been. Why would they leave?
Karlona saw the confusion on Jak’s face and tried to reach out and embrace her. But Jak moved just out of reach, her confusion turning to hurt.
“You’re just going to let us fight these demons alone? You’re going to let me fight them alone? Your daughter?”
“We are only two, we wouldn’t be of much use. And if we die, the others of our kind will have no warning of what happened here. They must be warned or they might be next.”
“I’ve seen you fight, you’re worth a hundred demons. They only outnumber us twenty to one, which might be enough to wipe out an army in the open, but we’ll be in Foothold. We’ll have a chance there!”
“I’m sorry. We cannot stay.” Both Shadow Fae began to retreat back into the house.
“Mother?”
Karlona stopped in her tracks, silver tears falling from her dark face. “I’m sorry.”
Jak barely noticed anything else going on around her. She all but ignored Naem as he filled the other Watchers in, and introduced them to the Bright Fae. She shrugged him off as he tried to include her in the story. She only watched as her mother and Vander packed some small belongings and left the cottage. Before they had gone far, they vanished from her sight, their powers making them all but impossible to see.
23
It wasn’t long before Naem mobilized the Watchers and the Bright Fae. They collected all they could from the cottage before leaving. Who knew what they would need once in Foothold. Jak was still shaken from seeing her mother leave. She hadn’t expected it, especially after putting her neck on the line to save her mother. She couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t help save the rest of the humans in Foothold in return. But despite her emotions, Jak marched with the rest of the band to Foothold when it was time.
When they arrived at the fortress, Naem and Jak stepped forward to request the portcullis be raised and the entrance lowered. Major Skellig was nowhere to be seen, but neither was Kuldain or his followers. Skellig must have arrived first, for it didn’t take long before someone raised the portcullis, lowered the bridge, and let them in.
Inside, Jak and Naem were greeted by Major Skellig and the commander of the Watchers at Foothold, a portly, balding man named Bennet. Skellig introduced Jak and Naem, though she skipped over Marek who was also standing with them.
“I want the two of you, and any leaders of the Fae to accompany us to the tower,” said Skellig. “We have a good deal of planning to do.”
Captain Bennet kept eyeing the Fae nervously, but Skellig had obviously informed him and the others that they were not a threat. Though that didn’t stop several of the soldiers from fingering their weapons. Jak eyed them carefully, but they seemed to be in control of themselves. Yewin led the Bright Fae as they proceeded to the tower and then accompanied Jak, Naem, and the others as they entered a small room on the first floor. It was the same room they had seen the night before, the one Kuldain and Skellig had run from when they realized that someone had broken into the fortress.
A large table stood in the center of the room and several chairs surrounded it. A large map of Foothold lay on the table.
Jak thought she saw Marek outside, having not been invited in, glancing at her but eventually leaving. That was too bad. He was always much better suited for this sort of thing than she was. Back when they had played games as children, he had always been the one to plan and strategize. She just followed along. Should she invite him? Maybe if she asked Skellig.
But right then, Major Skellig began to speak. “Okay Captain, let’s begin.”
Captain Bennet nodded, “Our immediate problem is an army of demons a few miles out from us, holding steady. They number approximately four-thousand. We thought they were somehow under the command of these...ah...what do you call yourselves?” he said to Yewin.
“Bright Fae will do. To distinguish us from the Shadow Fae you held captive here.”
“Ah yes,” the Captain looked embarrassed. “And where are these Shadow Fae now?”
Jak answered, “They...won’t be coming back.”
Captain Bennet nodded, “Understandable given the way Kuldain treated them here. I wasn’t surprised to learn that Major Skellig had relieved him of command, though I’m sure High Command will want a full investiga…”
“Let’s get back to the point, Captain,” Skellig said through thin lips.
“Ah, yes of course,” Bennet said. “Well, as I said, we thought these demons were controlled by the Bright Fae, but it would seem we were incorrect in that assumption. So we now have no idea why the demons are simply waiting.”
“Why they’re waiting is irrelevant,” Skellig said. “We must assume that they will attack at any moment, and we need to be prepared. So, what are our assets?”
“Well, I have a hundred men under my command,” the Captain said. “How many did you bring back?”
“Just under fifty,” Skellig said.
Jak frowned. That was far less than she thought was stationed here. She had expected at least fifty more.
“So that’s one hundred and fifty against four thousand demons.” Bennet tapped one finger on the table. “I don’t like those odds.”
“It will not be easy,” Naem spoke for the first time. “But one Watcher is easily worth ten demons. With this fortress, we could be worth twenty or more. We still have a chance.”
Skellig was nodding, “I agree. With enough archers and some boiling oil, we’ll be able to take out most of the demons before they even manage to climb the wall.”
“Ah...climb?” Bennet asked.
“Yes, Captain, demons are capable of climbing stone. They dig their claws into the wall until their fingers bleed, but they don’t stop. Demons never stop until they are dead.”
“Except something is stopping them right now.” Jak spoke for the first time. All heads turned to stare at her. “I mean, they’re out there now. They’re not moving. Something is stopping them. Something is guiding them.”
“You mean to say that you think these demons are somehow being led.”
“Yes,” Jak said. “You said it yourself that you thought the Fae were leading them.”
“But if it’s not the Fae, than who?”
“I think I might have an idea,” Jak said.
Then she told them of her encounter with the large demon down in the wine cellar. It had been more intelligent, more ruthless than the other demons she had fought. She told them how she had escaped and caused the roof to collapse in on itself.
“That was you!” Bennet said, suddenly angry. “We lost three men in that collapse. Kuldain was the only survivor.”
“Actually, they died before the cave in. The demon I told you about, it killed them. I didn’t see Kuldain anywhere before I brought down the ceiling.”
The Captain stroked his chin. “So what are you saying?”
Jak took a deep breath. This was going to be harder to sell. “I used to think that Kuldain was just a bitter and angry human being. But now I think there might be more to it. I think Kuldain is somehow connected to this demon. I don’t know how. Perhaps he became the demon, perhaps he summoned it. I never got a good look.”
Bennet turned to Skellig, “And you’re saying you trust this girl? Those are some serious accusations she’s levelling at the Colonel.”
“I don’t know about being a demon, but he definitely is unfit for command. He tried to kill some of his own men, and this girl too. Not to mention the Fae. It’s one thing to hate the Fae, but it’s another thing entirely to attack them without provocation.”
Bennet rubbed his balding head. “I don’t know, Major, there are just too many variables here. We don’t know enough to have an effective strategy.”
“I agree,” said Skellig. “But those demons wouldn’t be there if they weren’t going to attack eventually. We have to assume the worst if we want to be prepared.”
“So what do you propose?”
Skellig then began a series of strategies. None of them were particularly ground-breaking, but Jak listened in carefully. She had never really listened to a true strategist suggest a plan for battle. She almost jumped when Skellig mentioned her name. What surprised her more was what Skellig said next.
“I think she would make a good commander, given our limited resources. And since she probably understands the Fae better than anyone, they can be part of her ranks.”
“Wait, what? I’m no commander!” Why would anyone want to put her in charge? Naem was looking at her with a half smile on his face. He obviously approved.
“You’ll do fine, child.”
“But what about Naem? Or, or Marek?”
“Naem will be commanding his own group, and as for your friend, he was recruited at the same time as you, correct? I see no reason why he’s any more suited for this than you. Besides, you understand the Fae better than anyone else here. All you need to do is watch for our commands and make sure the Fae do their part.”
“I’m curious to know what exactly that would entail,” said Yewin. He had remained silent for most of the conversation, but leaned in now. His light cast shimmering shadows across the room.
“I actually have an idea about that,” said Jak. Naem smiled further. Jak ignored him and continued to tell them her plan. It wasn’t much of an idea, but Yewin liked it, and the others agreed it might give them an edge.
They spent the next few hours finalizing their plans. Even Jak got pulled into the conversation after her ideas were so readily accepted. Perhaps she did have something to offer these people, even without her mother or the rest of the Shadow Fae.
They eventually settled on a three-pronged defense plan, where Skellig, Bennet, and Naem would each take a quarter of the troops still left in Foothold. Jak would take the last quarter, including the Bright Fae, and aid where the fighting was worst.
Once they had finished, they each dispersed to begin spreading the plan to their respective squads. They needed to get the word out quickly to the entire fortress, just in case the demons attacked immediately.
But after several days, the demons still did not attack. Perhaps that should have relieved Jak, but in fact it did the opposite. What could the demons possibly be waiting for? She suspected that Kuldain had something to do with the demons, but he was gone. With him out of the way, what point was there to wait? Were the demons simply playing with them?
Jak spent most of her days now pacing back and forth, when she wasn’t out training with Naem. He had begun training her again on their first day in Foothold. He trained the Bright Fae and as many of the villagers as wanted to participate too. When the demons attacked, and Jak was sure it would happen eventually, they needed as much help as they could get.
Most of the Bright Fae were enjoying their training, and the attention. As more soldiers and villagers got to know them, they began to open up and trust each other. It soon became apparent, to the Watchers especially, that the Bright Fae were no demons. They could barely hold a spear properly, despite Naem’s best efforts. And while there were still plenty who distrusted the Fae, the overall change was positive, and it showed in the Bright Fae’s temperament.
In addition to Naem’s training, Skellig hosted regular drills, making sure that everyone knew their place once the demons started attacking. This kept all the soldiers on their toes, and gave Jak some much-needed time to rehearse her own part in the battle. Of course, part of her realized that the real battle would not follow a script as closely as they did, but it made everyone feel more secure about what they were doing. Even the villagers felt encouraged watching the military display. Jak caught a few of them waving or smiling as the soldiers fell into line along the walls.
Only Marek seemed to be in even worse spirits than before. He spent most of his time polishing weapons and making sure that all their equipment was ready for the impending attack. Mostly he kept to himself, though he spent a lot of time with the local blacksmith as they readied the weapons.
Jak felt bad for him, but honestly wasn’t finding much time to spend with her old friend. When she wasn’t training, she spent most of her free time with Naem. After that first kiss, they had taken to spending multiple nights staring at the stars and talking...and also kissing a bit more. Okay, maybe they kissed more than they talked, but Jak didn’t care much at this point. She liked being around Naem. With her mother gone, he was the only person she really cared about now. And her experience giving Naem his extra brands had created an additional connection between them. And as the days rolled by, her worries began to fade. Perhaps they would be okay after all.
But Marek certainly didn’t seem to think so. He kept hard at work each day, carefully avoiding Jak’s gaze when she looked at him. He was clearly uncomfortable with her relationship with Naem. While she loved Marek like a brother, she had never really felt that way about him. Or...maybe she had at some point, but in a childish-crush kind of way. Had she misjudged him all this time?
On their fourth day inside the stronghold, she decided to ask him about it.
They were in the courtyard, Naem was training the Fae and a few others in the spear, when Jak saw Marek move across the courtyard into the armory, probably going to check
and polish the inventory. She quickly left the square and trotted over to talk to him.
He saw her approach but looked back down at his work. He had a handful of old weapons laid across the table and he was doing his best to clean them with oil.
“Hey,” she said as she drew near.
“Hey,” he responded, but kept looking down at his work.
Jak thought about beating around the bush a bit more, but decided against it. They didn’t have time to dawdle. “Listen, I know you’ve been avoiding me, and I want to know why.”
Marek stopped what he was doing, but still didn’t look at her. “I’m not even sure I know, Jak. I...right now I wish I had never joined the Watchers, and never left Riverbrook. Have you ever thought about our home recently? There’s probably no one left. Maybe it’s overrun with demons or thieves. It’s just a ghost town. And you...you lost your parents, but I didn’t. I chose to leave them. I chose that! I’ve forgotten why. And now you and Naem…” he broke off.
Jak didn’t stir. So he had been thinking about her. “I see,” she said finally.
“Look, I don’t want things to be weird. You can make your own decisions, that’s fine. I just wish we could spend more time together. Like the old days.”
Jak hung her head. “I’m sorry. You’re right, I’ve been insensitive.”
“Oh, it hasn’t been just you,” Marek said, turning back to his work. “It’s everyone here. You’ve managed to make a name for yourself, and I’m not jealous, don’t get me wrong. But I do wish I could help out more. They’re barely even letting me fight.”
“What? But you’re one of the Watchers.”
“They don’t care. I have almost no combat experience, and I have little training as a Telekinetic. I can barely even activate it, much less trap a demon with it. I only managed to live past the battle with the Shadow Fae by pure luck. Even Skellig seems to think that I’m not worth anything.”
Out of Shadow: An Epic YA Fantasy Adventure (Roots of Creation Book 1) Page 20