by K. T. Webb
“I believe our first wave needs to include the Gildi. The canthions and woldigo will surround the city and enter from every angle.” Honor pointed to the map of Pallisaide to illustrate her point. “The humans will enter through the front gate disguised as tourists and merchants.”
Soren spoke next. “I think my team should spread out through the alleys once we enter the village. There will probably be Makt soldiers all along the way. If we can pick them off quietly, we may reduce the number of soldiers we have to face when the battle begins.”
“My archers will make the trek around the village to the other side, we will scale the walls and plan to attack from the rooftops. That way we have soldiers coming from all directions,” Gray suggested.
Honor was pleased with where this was going. She nodded her agreement as they began to mark each point of entry on the map. Harcos and the canthions would enter from the sides without an entrance gates for travelers. The front and rear entries would be covered by foot soldiers and archers. Next, they had to decide when the second wave would arrive.
“Justice, I want you and Agnar to lead the second wave. You will arrive after the battle has begun. Your job is to take out as many Makt as possible, stealth will no longer be an issue,” Honor instructed.
Both men nodded their agreement. “Maris, you will lead the third wave. This is where our additional weapons come in. You will all be posing as traveling merchants until you arrive at Pallisaide. Some of our forces have been building supply carts that will carry additional arrows, swords, and spears to replenish our forces. Rowan and Eirny will travel with you.”
“No!” Rowan barked in response.
Honor raised an eyebrow at him. “We will need the practitioners and impaisos to come after our initial attack. It is going to be bloody and we will likely sustain many injuries. We cannot have those who are meant to heal our soldiers caught in the fray.”
Rowan furrowed his brow in response. “I agree. The practitioners and impaisos will travel with the third wave. But, Eirny and I go with you. We started this together and we will end it together.”
Part of Honor wanted to shoot him down. There was no need for her to lead them into danger when neither had any intention of fighting in the battle. The only thing that stopped her from arguing with him was her own terror at being separated from him again. If Gray and the others had not found her when she was being attacked by the woldigo, she would have died. She did not like the idea of being separated from Rowan should something like that happen again and charging into battle certainly qualified.
“Fine. If you can convince the others to travel without you two, I will relent.” Honor tried to hold back the tiny smile threatening to capture her features when she saw relief spread across Rowan’s face.
Honor turned to Varya. She had a very important role for her and the woldigo pack she brought with her. “Varya, I need you to protect Legacy and Renata. Get them into the city after the third wave. I would prefer to have them wait until the battle is over, but Legacy has made it clear she does not intend to wait that long.”
Legacy nodded her agreement. “I am not useless, Honor. I can fight, too.”
“If you fight, you may die. If you die, you will not become Queen. We all know it is not my destiny to rule, and I have no interest in doing so. I would much rather keep you safe and alive. However, I respect your decision to accompany us and will not fight you further on the matter.”
They had already suffered through countless arguments on the topic. Honor was beginning to see why siblings fought so often. As much as she had grown to love Legacy, she wanted to shake her until she understood Honor’s point of view. Since Legacy would not agree to avoid the battle, Honor was going to do her best to make sure her sister was not in the thick of things until they were ready to infiltrate the castle. There was no need to take unnecessary risks.
“What do you propose for the plan of attack on the castle?” Agnar brought the meeting back to their original focus.
Honor had given this much thought. The strategy for getting into the castle would depend greatly on how the first leg of battle went. She had considered using the battle as a distraction to sneak into the castle, she thought about dividing the Makt causing some to pursue them into the castle while others were forced to focus on the onslaught of Resistance fighters and creatures pouring into Pallisaide. There were too many variables at play to make a solid plan, especially since Honor had never seen the castle in person.
“I think this is the point we bring Ash in. He has been in the castle recently and can give us some guidance on how we may gain entry.” Honor tried to remain diplomatic.
Justice stood and left the gathering. He returned minutes later with Ash trailing behind him. Honor could not help but feel the shift in the room as he entered. Something about him felt wrong. She wondered if it was his allegiance to the Makt that caused his energy to be so negative or if there was something more hiding beneath the surface. Ash had become a mystery to those who had known him most of his life. It was impossible to tell if his soul was marred by joining the Makt, or if it was the darkness within him that led him to seek out the evil forces of the king. Honor tried her best not to dwell on it. Ash took a seat between Soren and Agnar, waiting to be addressed.
“Ash, we need your input. We have determined how we plan to allocate our forces for the initial attack on Pallisaide, but we need to know if there is a weak point in the defenses of the castle itself,” Justice explained.
Honor watched carefully as Ash leaned over the map, studying it as though committing their plans to memory. She made a mental note to make a few adjustments and arrange for surprises to keep his potential betrayal from destroying their plans all together. Harcos grunted in agreement causing everyone to turn and look at him. Honor smiled, relieved for once that he could read her every though. “We need to work on that,” she agreed telepathically.
“There is an entrance to the service area over here. It would likely be left unguarded in the event of an attack,” Ash pointed to a spot toward the back of the castle.
“Can you mark possible points of entry on the map for us? It will help if we have multiple plans just in case something goes awry,” Gray suggested.
Ash began marking various spots on the solid circle that outlined where the castle would be. In all, there were three possible entrances aside from knocking down the front door. Gray had been right, if they set all their hopes on infiltrating one door, there was a much higher chance they would fail. She also appreciated that Gray was not willing to jump at whatever Ash suggested. If they followed along with his plans, they made themselves vulnerable to an ambush.
By the time they were done discussing the possible points of entry, Honor was ready to get away from everyone. There were too many thoughts racing through her head, and when added to the thoughts Harcos pushed to her, it was almost more than she could stand.
Rowan seemed to sense her growing malaise. He reached for her hand under the table. Whenever they were together, the golden bands that appeared when they married seemed to give off a gentle tingle. They glowed brighter as though the magic that formed them was rejoicing at their union. Honor had begun to wonder if there were other people who had been bound by the wild magic the way she and Rowan had. None of the other married people they encountered shared the same marking they had on their left hands. As Rowan clasped her left hand in his right, she felt the familiar quiver traveling from the golden circle to her chest. It felt warm and safe. She gave his hand a squeeze to let him know she was okay.
“I think this is enough planning for now. Everything else is going to have to be decided in the heat of battle. We can only make so many plans beforehand,” Honor announced.
The meeting disbursed until Honor and Rowan were the last two in the room. He kept looking at her as though he had something to say but was not quite sure how to say it. Honor finally broke the silence as they finished rolling up the maps that had been sprawled across the table.
“Would you just ask whatever is on your mind?” she insisted.
“Why do you want us to travel separately?”
Honor took a deep, clarifying breath before responding. In her mind, wanting him with her would always lose out to their safety and focus. “Because I do not want you to be a distraction for me. I will be too busy worrying that someone will hurt you to focus on the battle. If you are part of the initial attack, your visions are more likely to come true.”
He took both her hands in his and turned her to face him. “Honor, we cannot fight what fate has in store for us. You know as well as I do, we must fulfill our destinies. Alderwood needs us.”
Honor fought the panic that was constantly hiding just below the surface. “But what will I do if you die? What if Eirny does not choose to sacrifice herself for you? What if she does and I lose you both?”
Rowan shook his head, “Stop. You cannot allow your mind to be so preoccupied by what may happen that you do not focus on what you need to do.”
She knew he was right, but it did not change the fact she was terrified for so many reasons. Once they had finished gathering their items, they headed for their room. They did not make it far when Ash stepped out from a spot near the stairs. Honor instantly felt her body heat rise. She had made it a point to stay away from him, having him near only caused her anger to surface.
“What are you still doing here?” she demanded.
“I wanted to speak with you regarding your plan,” Ash explained.
“I have no interest in elaborating on any of the details. You say you want to help, so we allowed you to be of some help. I do not trust you, Ash.” Honor fought to keep her voice even.
“I know that. I just wanted to let you know that from what I could see, your plan is solid. It is a great idea to keep Legacy from the fray until the moment is right. We would not want something to happen to her.” His tone was more than a little ominous.
“Do not worry, Ash. We will be sure she is well protected,” Honor replied, refusing to acknowledge his attempt at validating her decisions.
“I am sure of that. She is to be the Queen, after all, if the King found out who she was or where you were keeping her before the battle, there is no telling what may happen.”
“Is that a threat?” Rowan stepped up to Ash until they were almost nose to nose.
“You take it however you please, you will anyway. I am simply pointing out the danger you are in already.” Ash held his hands up in a gesture of innocence.
Honor pulled Rowan away from the vile young man who had changed so much. She took a step closer to Ash, prepared to deliver a warning he would hopefully feel in the void where his soul should have been.
“You do not know what we have planned. You have no idea the power of the people of Alderwood or the wild magic that has aligned itself with our cause. Your King thinks he can control it by using the magic for his own power, but he has no idea the fight that is coming his way. We are not going to sit idly by while he murders innocent people and robs others of their destinies. You would do well to be prepared for a reckoning that will change the world as you know it.”
Ash had nothing further to say. He sneered at her as he turned and skulked down the tunnel leading toward the ruins of Kilgore. If they were going to act, they needed to mobilize soon. If Ash took off for Pallisaide to tell of their whereabouts before the planned attack, they would not be prepared to fight. Honor stood staring at the black cavern he had disappeared into. She would not let Ash ruin everything they were working toward.
***
A few days later, Honor found herself staring at the map of Pallisaide wondering what she could do differently to keep the people she loved from sacrificing themselves in the looming battle. She knew some would die, but the insistence of both Rowan and Legacy to put themselves in danger had Honor’s mind running in circles. Deep down, she knew she must admit to herself that her concern for Legacy was partially a fear for herself. It went beyond the fear of losing the sister she had only just gained—it was a fear of being the only one left to rule Alderwood for the Kingdom of Man.
If Honor survived and Legacy did not, her destiny would not be fulfilled, and she would have to live out part of Legacy’s destiny. If Legacy lived and Honor died, would Legacy have to be the one to kill their father? Or would someone else take on the task? So many variables played a part in their futures, how could she possibly hope to control them?
“What are you thinking about?” Legacy’s voice startled her from her thoughts.
“I am trying to determine why exactly you and my husband are so desperate to get yourselves killed.”
“Honor, please stop being so dramatic. Neither of us wants to die. I cannot speak for Rowan, but my reason for wanting to join the fray is to help fight for the people I am supposed to lead when this is all said and done. How can I expect them to respect me as a leader if I cannot fight for their freedom?”
Honor had heard it each time they argued about the issue. She knew there was no use in continuing the dispute, so she simply nodded and went back to staring at the maps.
“Is there something I can help with?”
“I thought you were not interested in the details.” Honor raised an eyebrow at her sister.
Legacy laughed. “Fair enough. I am, however, interested in helping shape this battle into something we will be able to look back on knowing we did everything we could to make it happen with the least amount of bloodshed possible.”
Honor shook her head sadly. “I do not think we can plan for that. We are going to suffer losses, maybe even one of us. It is the nature of battle.”
“I was afraid you would say that.”
“No amount of thinking about the battle is going to change it. I am just overthinking as I always do. What do you say we go for a walk instead?” Honor suggested.
Legacy linked her arm through Honor’s, and they made their way to the courtyard. “You know, I was thinking about what it will be like after all this is over,” Legacy mused.
Honor waited for her to continue. It was something she had often dreamed of herself. If they won, life would be different for everyone, but it would be completely foreign to both girls. Honor was already a far different person than she was before she received her mark. Legacy was going to be thrust into the spotlight as she took on the role of Queen. There was no telling where everyone they had grown to love and respect would end up, or if they would even survive the battle, but it actually helped Honor to imagine them all living their lives happily in the aftermath.
Legacy turned to Honor; her expression serious. “Will you live in the castle with me? You, Rowan, Gray, Maris, anyone you want to stay can be there with us. I just cannot bear the thought of losing you now that we are together.”
Honor had not given it much thought; she had been focusing her thoughts on the war they were about to wage rather than where they would end up afterward. Of course, she would stay with Legacy. It would be her job to continue to protect Legacy and lead the Gildi. Her life would be dedicated to the service of Alderwood.
“Yes. I cannot think of anywhere else I would rather be,” Honor agreed.
As the girls embraced, a commotion echoed from the cavern leading toward Kilgore. They broke apart to find one of Agnar’s men running at full speed through the tunnel. When he caught sight of the sisters, he bowed to Legacy, then turned his attention to Honor.
“General, I have been sent to give you news of Ash. He is gone. We only noticed it when we served our evening meal. The men who were guarding him are being treated for head wounds. He took them by surprise. We searched his quarters, all his things are gone.”
Honor looked to her sister for only a moment. “He has gone to alert the Makt. If we wait to leave for another week, we may be too late. Tell everyone to ready themselves for an early morning departure. We will be marching toward Pallisaide before sunrise.”
The young man turned on his heel and rushed back to Kilgore. Honor and L
egacy took to spreading the word to those who had remained in the caverns with them. Thankfully, no one was thrown off by the decision to leave sooner. It was as though everyone had been expecting the double-cross Honor had sensed from the moment she saw Ash in the courtyard.
The next few hours were a blur as everyone made the necessary preparations.
The battle was about to begin.
Chapter 24
They left for Pallisaide early in the day. Some traveled with merchant carts as part of their disguise; others would be arriving as citizens looking to join the throng of celebrants in the city. Honor and Legacy would be arriving separately. There was no reason to draw attention to both of them. According to their information, the King only knew of one child who offered a threat to his throne. Varya and the woldigos accompanied Legacy and Renata for protection. Honor and Rowan traveled as newlyweds, but they were never completely alone. A handful of Gildi soldiers and their canthions maintained a safety circle around their leader. Of course, Harcos would always be by her side during the journey.
The expedition would take the better part of a week. To avoid detection before reaching their destination, the caravan would travel through the remnants of The Ice Forest as it transitioned into Ternion Forest. It would not be an easy journey considering the denser sections of the forest, but it was the only option for the majority of their army.
Those disguised as traveling merchants were able to take the winding roads through the villages along the way. Soren had planned it perfectly. The Resistance’s merchants would arrive after the first wave had infiltrated the city and the first battalion had slain as many Makt soldiers as possible.
Honor rode her horse alongside Rowan. She had elected not to give him a name until she learned it from the horse himself. Honor knew in her gut he had a voice just waiting to come out, but something was holding him back. She patted the neck of the animal that brought her from Frosthaven to Kilgore and would now take her from Kilgore to Pallisaide.