by K. T. Webb
Rowan did his best not to look nervous atop the oversized beast he had claimed. He much preferred to walk, but Honor had to arrive with the first wave in order to make her way to the castle before the true battle began. Since Rowan refused to leave her side, he had been given no choice but to ride.
Snow had been falling for days as winter arrived in full force. They were prepared for a frigid and treacherous journey until they reached the border between County O’Hehir and Pallisaide. The snow never stayed long that far south, even when the temperatures dropped below freezing. Until they reached the capitol, they would have to suffer through the wintry forest. The spirits of the Kingdom of Earth, however, flitted all around them, moving and adjusting anything they could to make the journey easier.
Honor loved snow, despite the challenges it created. When all was covered in white, it seemed as though the world was quietly holding its breath in anticipation of what was to come.
By the time they stopped for camp the first night, Honor could not feel her nose. Rowan helped her from her horse and together they set up a small tent. It would not provide much shelter from the wicked winds blowing from the north in gusts that made the trees groan and sway. The others who traveled with them did not bother to start any fires; they simply went into their tents for a brief respite from the wind. Once Honor and Rowan were alone, they laid down on heavy fur pelts and piled the like on top of their shivering bodies. Harcos had gone to hunt. When he was finished, he would join the pair in their tent for added body heat.
“Remind me why we are doing this?” Rowan chattered, pulling her body close to his.
“Because my father is a tyrant and must be stopped once and for all.”
“Right. I may need you to tell me that a few more times over the next week or so.”
Honor laughed and planted a kiss on his cheek. “We will make it. The cold is temporary. It will all be worth it when Legacy has the crown on her head.”
A strange vibration rippled over the ground just as one wall of their tent shot up and flapped violently over their makeshift roof. As they attempted to untangle themselves from the blankets and fix the tent, a creaking sound began to accompany the vibrations.
Honor scanned the darkness in search of threats, only to realize the dryads were shifting their roots, bringing their bodies together, providing a wall to block the wind and blowing snow from their camp. Several others were also restoring their tents, and several cheered and shouted their thanks before fixing the damage done by the last gust of wind then scurrying back into the mediocre protection of their tents.
Once settled back under the blankets, it was not long before Honor and Rowan drifted off to sleep. Honor only woke once before the sun peeked through the cracks in the walls around them; she woke when Harcos curled up between the couple, purring as he too fell asleep.
***
Mornings and nights passed in a blur, each moment bringing them closer to their final destination. When they were closing in on Pallisaide, they began to separate into the factions that would soon begin entering the city. Ash would be somewhere inside the city, hopefully waiting to join their cause, though Honor still doubted his sincerity.
When Pallisaide was in sight, Honor stared in wonder at the walled city within a large circle that seemed never ending. As far as she could see on either side, there stood a gradually sloping wall designed to either keep citizens from coming or going. Just as she had witnessed in other villages, the outer reaches of the city appeared to be less kept and more residential. The further into the circle the eyes traveled, the taller the buildings became, cresting at the center where the castle stood. A series of towers in varying heights and circumferences rose higher than any other structures, the flags atop each spire declared them property of King Junius through his coat of arms.
The number of people entering the city resembled a trickle rather than the flood Honor had expected. This alone gave her reason to worry about the trap they could be walking into. She watched as the first wave ascended the hill leading to the gates.
Her attention shifted to the river running along the boundaries of the wall as though it was put there by design rather than the city being built next to it. A shiver snaked over her skin as Honor remembered the circumstances that led to this day. The original betrayal that led them to the brink of battle they now faced. Her grandfather had murdered his own sister in that water to claim the throne for himself. So many dark acts had been committed in the name of claiming a power that did not belong to any one person.
Honor, Rowan, and Soren along with his battalion followed the first group at a safe distance. They dared not allow them to get too far ahead, but it was also imperative that they not appear to be what they truly were—an army. Gray and his archers led the second wave—the group that would arrive to thwart whatever double-cross Ash may have set into motion. Only the inner circle knew that part of their strategy. Honor insisted they keep it as secretive as possible. It would do no good if the countermeasures for a double-cross were expected. Despite the constant sensation that she was out of her depth, Honor felt their plan was moving along perfectly.
They were welcomed into the city as tourists having left their steeds at the edge of the forest. The canthions had reluctantly agreed to be separated from their human companions for the time being. Harcos led them around the exterior of the city walls, they would climb the stone and enter the city unnoticed by the guards. Once inside, they would seek out their partner and the Gildi would be activated. Honor hoped for as few civilian casualties as possible. If Ash was truly planning to betray them, the Makt would be prepared to slaughter innocent people without batting an eye.
As they passed between the gates, Rowan enfolded her hand in his. If his visions were to come true, they were facing the very real possibility that either he or Eirny, or both, would not make it out of battle alive. Honor had chosen to ignore those possibilities and keep her concerns private. Her work with Harcos had paid off, and she had begun to learn how to build mental blocks around things she needed to keep to herself. That was one such situation.
Staying focused was paramount. Knowing that every person who entered Pallisaide from their army was prepared to fight to the death to protect Legacy and Alderwood aided in her ability to focus. It was also a great comfort. She had given strict instructions that she was not the person they were to be concerned with. Honor could take care of herself, her skills would carry her through battle.
As they walked the streets, she was amazed by how accurate her visions of Pallisaide had been. The wild magic created pictures for her that she never could have conjured without seeing the place firsthand. The streets of Pallisaide looked nothing like the streets of Milltown or the other two villages she had visited. Each street was marked with a nameplate; it seemed to have been done out of necessity as the sprawling city grew. The smooth stone buildings became more sophisticated the closer they came to the center of Pallisaide, the crowd also became denser.
Most of the Makt forces would be focused in the main square in order to keep tabs on anyone coming into the city for the Winter Festival. Some of the first wave slowly fanned out from the main road as soon as they were far enough from the main gate to do so without being noticed. Their objective was to find any straggling Makt soldiers and take them out quietly.
Honor and Rowan continued forward, watching the side roads for any sign of attack from the Makt. It was difficult to appear as though they were just in Pallisaide to enjoy the festival when they knew there was danger lurking around every corner.
Honor kept one hand on the dagger hidden just below the heavy cape that kept her warm. Rowan held Eirny close by his side, careful to keep her hidden and protected from any threats. It had been difficult to bring her with them knowing how her life may end.
“Keep it moving! Festival traffic keep right, local business keep left,” one Makt soldier shouted behind Honor, causing her to jump. “Did I scare you, little lady?”
Honor’s skin
crawled as the man placed a hand on her shoulder. She wished they were on one of the side streets so she could make him regret laying a hand on her. In her mind, Honor pictured herself grabbing his hand and twisting him over her shoulder to bring him crashing to the ground. It eased her irritation for the moment, but she would have preferred to perform the act for real. Instead, she turned slightly and offered the sweetest smile she could muster.
“You only startled me a little, sir.” She practically choked the last word out.
He looked down at her in the way one would eye an insect. Honor wanted to believe that not all members of the Makt were terrorists; some had once been decent people, they had to have been. If they could defeat the Makt without having to kill them all, Honor would prefer it over a bloody battle. She knew the reality was many would die on both sides. The Resistance would die fighting for their families and their freedom, the Makt would die for a king who saw them as dispensable. Even as they walked toward the center of Pallisaide, there were Resistance fighters quietly disposing of Makt soldiers along the way.
Honor still wrestled with the idea of taking one life, while so many of her allies faced the decision to do that very thing multiple times. The soldier behind them was lured away by a crash to their left. Rowan and Honor exchanged a tense look, hoping the first wave was not about to be exposed. When no alarm was sounded after a few moments, Honor sighed in relief. Whoever had lured him away must have done so intentionally to remove the threat.
“We are almost to the festival. Mill around, do not draw attention. We will try not to fight until the canthions have arrived,” Honor whispered to Rowan.
As they neared the square set up for the festival, a slight shift in the surrounding energy gave Honor an uneasy feeling. Something did not seem right. Instead of the joy and laughter that should have accompanied the preparations for a festival, there was relative silence. The others around her posing as tourists must have felt it too, they shifted uneasily as though preparing to draw their weapons. Honor took a deep breath. The nervous energy coursed around them, pushing them forward when all they wanted was to run in the other direction. As soon as they flooded into the square, Honor knew she had been right to plan for a double cross.
Makt soldiers stood in perfect menacing lines as though waiting for the Resistance to arrive. Before Honor could mentally catch up to what they faced, the Resistance fighters around her had already sprang into action. Fanning out to cover the most ground seemed futile when comparing the sheer number of Makt to the rag-tag group she had with her. She silently screamed for Harcos to get the canthions to the square as soon as possible; she had no idea if he was close enough to hear. It was a small comfort knowing the scarce battalion she had with her was not all that would be joining their forces. Soon, Gray and his archers would be atop the buildings, picking off unsuspecting soldiers from above. They only had to hold their own until that moment came.
“If you surrender the child of the king, he will go lighter on your punishment,” a man standing apart from the other soldiers announced.
Honor took note that the man only referred to one child. She had counted on the King not knowing there were two children plotting against him. Good. The plan to keep Honor’s relation to Legacy from Ash had worked. If the Makt did not know there were two children, they would not see the finer details of the attack coming.
“If the King surrenders now, there will be no bloodshed between our armies!” Honor shouted in return.
Murmurs rippled through the Makt soldiers but quickly extinguished when their general shouted a command. “Silence! We serve the true King of Alderwood, we will not be swayed by your negotiations. Hand over the child and we will make your deaths quick.”
Honor felt Rowan grip her hand tightly, a warning to stop before she did something she could not come back from. At that point, there was nothing left for her to do. Her words would likely surprise even her own army as it was not common knowledge that she too was the daughter of King Junius; she had no choice but to use the surprise to her advantage. She released Rowan’s hand and took a single step forward.
“I am Honor, daughter of Laurel, and illegitimate child of King Junius.”
The momentary shock that rippled through her people was soon interrupted by a clearly recognizable voice. “Liar!”
Ash shoved his way through the ranks of his fellow Makt until he stood beside his general. “She is not the daughter of our king. His daughter is Legacy, the girl they intend to place on the throne. Honor is just an orphan from Milltown.”
“Hello, Ash. I am disappointed that my instinct to distrust you have proven correct. I had so hoped you would surprise me,” Honor stated with disdain.
The general had had enough. He shoved Ash to the side, knocking him into a row of battle-ready soldiers. He walked closer to Honor. She felt the people around her tense as they prepared to attack the threat and protect their leader. Honor held her head high. She was ready for anything that came her way.
“If you are the daughter of the king, you are coming with me. You are hereby under arrest for treason.”
Before she could stop herself, Honor released a hoot of laughter. It took a moment for her to regain control of herself enough to reply. “I am not going anywhere with you.”
At her words, dissention rippled through the Makt soldiers as some began to shift from their rigid stance. Honor watched them with interest. Perhaps all the Makt soldiers were not as committed to their cause as she had once believed. Honor returned her focus to the general who appeared to be fighting some inner battle. Honor decided to try her luck, she wanted to see if she could push any of the soldiers to defect before the battle even began.
“I will not follow this man’s orders. I do not have to do as he says, and neither do you. Now is your chance to walk away from this life and reclaim your future!” Honor rang out.
Multiple things happened at once. The general began shouting orders as men left their spots amongst the Makt, removing the black jacket that signified their status as a member of the Makt. Some of their fellows took the opportunity to strike at the men who had been their comrades just moments before. Honor braced herself for the attack that was coming.
In an instant, the action began. The general lunged for Honor; that was all it took for the Resistance to surge forward. They had bought just enough time for the soldiers who had been taking out the outlying Makt to reach the square. Honor herself drew her dagger and swiped at the man’s arm as she ducked out of his reach. He recovered quickly and drew his sword. Honor spun around prepared to strike a more sensitive location. Before she had the chance, a snarling roar split the air; the canthions and woldigos had arrived.
Harcos pummeled the general to the ground, delivering a deadly blow with a swipe. He looked back at Honor and bowed his head. In her mind, she thanked him for his action. That was all they had time for as the battle picked up around them.
The Gildi was united as canthion warriors rushed to the sides of their human companions. Honor and Harcos whirled together in perfect unison, parrying the blows of the soldiers they fought. Out of the corner of her eye, Honor saw Rowan kneeling next to a fallen canthion as his companion held him close. He shook his head to tell the soldier there was nothing he could do for the creature.
Honor and Harcos were fighting a group of soldiers intent on killing him and capturing her. So many things were happening around her at once that Honor did not know if she was truly prepared to face the fight. She had not yet delivered a fatal blow to a single soldier. Harcos seemed to leap in to finish them off so she would not have to. He felt her confliction; he knew she was terrified of what taking a life would do to her. Deep inside she knew the moment would come when she was not given a choice. She was the one who would kill the king, she could not rely on Harcos to do it for her.
A shout of surprise pulled her attention to where she had last seen Rowan and Eirny healing a wounded Resistance fighter. Ash stood over Rowan, ready to bring his sword down to del
iver a deadly blow. Saige stepped in out of nowhere attempting to dissuade her son from murdering his childhood friend. Ash did not even hesitate, his blade slid through Saige with little resistance. As if in slow motion, Honor watched the woman she had known for years reach forward to touch her sons face one last time. Blood spilled from her mouth. Ash pulled the sword from her abdomen before turning his attention to Rowan once more.
The world went silent as Saige fell to her knees, then onto her stomach. Fresh blood flowed from the wound, tracing the pattern of the cobblestone as it pooled around her. Honor did not think, she only acted. Harcos continued to fight the Makt soldiers threatening to stop Honor from reaching her husband. One of the Resistance fighters rushed Ash, knocking him away from Rowan before Honor could reach them. When Ash saw her, he scrambled to his feet and took off running down a nearby alley.
Despite Harcos calling warnings to her in her mind, Honor continued to chase the coward who had caused grief for so many. She was hot on his trail, but he had spent more time in Pallisaide than Honor and easily avoided her in the narrow alleys. The pursuit led her farther and farther from the fray in the square, and farther from the people she was bound to protect. Honor cursed herself for making such a stupid decision. She had been clouded by her thirst for vengeance and allowed herself to be drawn away from where she needed to be. Honor had to return to the fight before she lost her way in the alleys that all looked the same.
“Stop running you coward!” Honor screamed, her voice echoing from the walls of the alley.
“Oh, you think I am a coward, do you? Is it cowardly to go against what people expect of you and rise to greatness?”
Honor scoffed. “Greatness? You just killed your mother! Do you even know what you have done? It was not enough to destroy her heart, you had to end her life, too?”
“My father destroyed my family before I was even born. He was the coward! He ran from the Makt, he left the brotherhood for what? The moral high ground?” Ash shouted.