by D. E. Morris
“Which way is north?” she called out, asking no one in particular.
Wessely, standing as the human marker for the salve and oil shop, pointed behind himself. “That way. You are facing southward the way you are currently standing.”
Cailin turned on the spot and looked at Wessely without really seeing him, her brow wrinkled in concentration. In a matter of moments, her head swiveled to the other side of the street, somewhat farther north where Connor stood as another marker. “Where is everyone else standing?” Again, the question was for no one in particular, but it was Killian who answered.
“Elas is on the next street over to your right, Niam, Cavalon, and Jaryn are further back in the market.”
“South of here?”
“Yes.”
Badru looked at her with curiosity as she spun around. “You have thought of something, Cailin. What is it?”
“I'm not sure yet,” she admitted with a frown. “I'm going to have an aerial look. You two stand here.”
“Cailin.” Wessely left his spot to moved closer to her. “Do you think it wise to shift at the moment?”
“Probably not, but that's not going to stop me.”
“It may not be safe.”
Cailin looked up at him with a shrug of her brows. “It's my job, Wessely. This is what I do. It's what Killian does. We put ourselves in danger in order to keep others out of it.” She glanced over her shoulder, knowing they were being watched. “You have to let me do this.” Without another word, she walked past him into a more open area of the market. As her body increased in size and lengthened, wings erupted from her shoulder blades and a tail grew from her spine. Her clothing melted away to be replaced by brown and mossy green scales. She flapped her wings, sending up clouds of dust beneath herself as she leaped into the air. Wessely dutifully returned to his assigned spot as she rose higher, but he kept a careful watch out for any that may look suspicious. Killian, also aware of his surroundings, subtly wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his sword.
Cailin soared into the hazy orange sky, the market shrinking below her. She could see people pointing at her. Though none looked as though they meant any harm, it was hard not to feel at least a small thread of fear. Back when she had been a serving girl at Oceana, to shift into her dragon form would have surely meant death. Gaels did not have scales as hard as those of a full-blooded dragon and were much easier to kill. At the time, the only place a Gael would have been safe from hunters was on Siness. After Tadhg's death, the net of safety expanded greatly. In the past several years, that net had not only shrunken, but seemed to be ever shifting. A Gael could be safe at a certain location for a while, but safety had become a fleeting and temporary thing no matter where they sought refuge.
Reminding herself to focus, she turned in the air to make sure she was facing the right direction, with Wessely at the head to indicate which way was north. Killian and Badru stood right where she'd left them. The others were easily spotted encircling them at different distances away. What she saw, where Niam, Cavalon, and Jaryn were so much farther south, the latter two fairly close together, she knew exactly what she was looking at. With an angry bellow, she snorted sparks and dropped toward the ground. Almost before her taloned feet touched down, she was shifting back into her human form.
“Stay where you are,” she commanded everyone within earshot, waving Killian over. Once he was close enough, she spoke just loud enough for him to hear her. “We need to pull all five kingdoms together in the housing block, in a cellar somewhere if we have to.”
“What about High King Tasarin?”
“We need him, too.”
Worry creased Killian's brow. “What did you see?”
She sighed and put her hands on her hips. “Exactly what I didn't want to see. I think we've been sent a warning.”
It was all he needed to hear. Killian gave her a decisive nod, then hurried off in the opposite direction to round up the others. Within the hour, the high rulers of all five kingdoms were in attendance, with the exception of Luella. Kenayde, Elas, and Wessely joined the group as well. They were all piled into one of the kitchens of the main housing block. There were no windows and the only doors through which to gain entrance or exit were shut and heavily guarded.
“What have you discovered?” Fintan asked, accepting the extended invitation to join the discussion.
Cailin ran a hand over her face and looked around the room. She swept a hand over the butcher block to clear away random utensils and pots. With a quick assessment, she picked up bottles of spices and one small gourd that was placed in the middle of the block. “This is the central explosion. This,” she said, placing a jar of sage to the north west of the gourd, “is the oils merchant. This jar of basil is the weaving shop across the street.” As she placed the other spices, she named each vendor that had been a detonation site. Once her hands were empty, she took a step back, her breathing quickened. “What do you all see?”
People stood on all sides of the block, turning their heads this way and that as they made guesses. It was Wessely and Killian, standing on the same side as Cailin, who figured it out almost at the same time.
“Good heavens,” Wessely gasped. “Everyone, come view it from here.” One by one, they all grouped together beside him. Cailin slid around to the other side to watch the reactions as a quick understanding spread among them.
“It is the Isles,” Kenayde whispered, her blue eyes wide in shock. “Here in the middle is where Mirasean was, and look here...this is where Alybaen is. These spots are where there is a separation in their country between the Nagini and the dwarves.”
Tasarin had a hand over his mouth. “Each of the smaller explosions represents one of the other nations: Ibays, Siness, Braemar, Caedia...even Cieria down here. All six nations were mapped out with lesser blasts, while Mirasean in the middle, already destroyed in real life, was represented by the central area of destruction.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” asked Fionn.
Ashlynn shook her head. “Isn't it obvious? It's a warning. At best, it's a gloat. Mirasean was the first of the seven nations among us targeted and fully destroyed, thus the bigger blast area. It's a way of boasting, reminding us of what has been done. Marking out all of the other remaining countries can only mean that we are still being watched and that our enemy has not forgotten us.”
“Could this have been a result of the speech the other day and have nothing to do with Merrik at all?” Cavalon wondered. “All that cheering was mostly because of Niam. I got the distinct feeling that not everyone was all on board with the peace and love mindset.”
Tasarin admitted looked over the spices representing their respective nations. “Was any one of the smaller sites bigger than the rest?” For that, each person who had been standing in as a marker had to compare with one another, but no one could truly be certain without going out to measure for themselves.
“Merrik is smart,” Elas said at length. “I'm with Cavalon that this is more about dragons and Gaels than Merrik and his evil plan. He's not going to warn us about who he's going to target next by making one bomb just a little bigger than the rest.”
“That is exactly what he did with the one representing Mirasean, though,” Kenayde argued. “I agree, Merrik is smart, but he is also extremely prideful and arrogant. After all, he showed up in Ashlynn's own room the very day Mirasean was destroyed. He thinks himself untouchable, and we all lived through Tadhg's reign; we know how reckless a man can be when he thinks himself so high above others.”
“He gets careless,” Ashlynn agreed.
They all fell silent, looking at the crude map before them, each wondering what the implications of the day and its events would be. Merrik was an easy blame simply because of the nature with which so much destruction and injury had occurred. None of them had ever seen anything with such explosive power before that fated day on Mirasean. Though he had not been there in person, his own subordinate was at the head of the annihilation of nearly an entire race
. Because of the way it appeared on the outside, dragons and Gaels were the ones to blame. The truth, however, was far from the way things appeared. When it came down to it, none of them had any better clue as to the true meaning of the attack, or who may be behind it.
“In all the years since the destruction of Mirasean,” said Cailin, shattering the quiet, “we still have not figured out why they were Merrik's first target.”
Jaryn shrugged, crossing his arms. “Because they were easy. It was a small island in comparison to the bigger land masses, therefore much easier to attack. Their army had no time to prepare, and they already had an easy enemy to place the blame on.”
“That is not how war works,” Killian objected. “In order to establish power, often the strongest opponent is the first target. In securing a victory over them, you show the rest of those that would come against you just how superior you and your forces are. That initial success is what makes the rest bow much easier under foot. In attacking the elves on Mirasean, Merrik may not have taken out his weakest enemy, but certainly the race with the fewest numbers. That says little more than that he is a bully and just as much of a tyrant as Tadhg was. It has succeeded in turning us against one another, yes, but in the end, I doubt it very little that the animosity between the elves and the Gaels would not be put aside if the defeat of Merrik was dependent upon the two coming together.”
“Agreed,” said Tasarin with a nod. “I have spoken to many of my people this week. Though their wounds are still deep and will likely remain so for years to come, most know that Merrik is the true enemy.”
Elas looked around the room. “So, what do we do now? We've learned nothing from or about this attack aside from the fact that we are vulnerable no matter where we are.”
“Which is not without its value,” Jaryn pointed out. “These past five years have been quiet, relatively speaking. I know there are far more dragon and Gael deaths than there have been in quite some time, but I wonder if we grew too complacent even in that.”
Kenayde tucked herself under Elas' arm, her gaze on the butcher block. “We should go home. It isn't safe for all of us to be together like this for very long...not anymore.”
Looking to Tasarin, Ashlynn asked, “How is Luella?”
For the first time since entering the room, his wrinkled brow smoothed and a tiny smile turned up the corners of his lips. “We have another boy.”
The heaviness in the room broke as cheers and congratulations went up around the kitchen. “Misuzu's little Nagisa is still the only girl among the lot,” Nuala pointed out. “What did you name him?”
“Owyn.” The elf's smile grew, but it only succeeded in making him look tired. “His delivery was not as easy as Tiyal's, but both he and Luella are well and resting.”
“When can we meet him?” Jaryn asked.
“Tomorrow, I should say.” Tasarin's lips pursed. “I agree with Kenayde in that we should not all stay together here for much longer, but I cannot see moving Luella for at least a day or two.”
“There are still many injured here as well,” Killian pointed out.
“I will stay,” Badru offered. “Most of you have kingdoms to which you must return, people who will be seeking your guidance. My families are safe where they are and I may yet be of assistance.”
Eager, Kenayde looked up at her husband. “I would like to stay as well. If you want to go back-”
“I'm not leaving you here,” he growled, protective. “If you stay, I stay.”
There was a commotion outside the kitchen doors, yelling and harsh words that made everyone turn as though they could see through the thick wood. As one unit, Killian, Cailin, and Fintan advanced forward, hands on their weapons and ready for whatever may be on the other side. Using only eye movements to communicate with one another, Cailin and Fintan drew their swords. Killian grasped the bar keeping the doors from swinging inward or out. Once it was placed gently against the wall, he nodded to the other two. The doors were kicked outward. Those on the other side scurried away in a clatter of armor and female shrieks.
Connor unsheathed his sword with lightning speed. He jumped in front of Rowan as though to protect her. Niam stood with his back against the far wall, hands raised and eyes wide. The guards who had been stationed there appeared from behind the doors that Killian had inadvertently smashed open into their faces.
“What in the bloody blazes in going on here?” Cailin demanded, stepping into the hall.
“They wouldn't let us in!” Rowan seethed from behind her brother.
“Of course not,” hissed Killian. “They were told not to.”
“Well I need Ashlynn. Or Badru. Or someone.”
Hearing her name, Ashlynn moved out into the hall with evident irritation. “What are any of you even doing here? Were you not given enough to do?”
“Mairead needs help,” Rowan put in. She reached out to feel where Connor's shoulder was so she could step around him. “I think she's in a lot of pain but she won't say anything.”
Badru pushed his way out into the hallway as well. “Was she not given anything when her wounds were redressed?”
“Not that I saw,” Niam offered.
The darker man frowned. “Her burns were fairly severe. She should have the numbing elixir every other hour. I will go find some for her.”
“Connor said he knows where it is,” Rowan grumbled, “but he wouldn't take me to get it.”
“Because I needed to talk to all of you.”
Niam looked at Rowan. “I know where to get it.”
Ashlynn scowled at the trio. “Fine. Niam, take Rowan. Connor, get in here.” She practically pulled him into the room by his tunic before turning to the guards. “Anyone else comes down here, send them away. Unless something else has exploded, someone has died, or one of our sons is bleeding, no more interruptions.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
As the doors were shut and the board lowered back into place in its rest, all eyes fell to Connor. “So,” Ashlynn said expectantly, “what was so urgent?”
“You didn't include me.” Confused faces looked back at him, only making him angry. “I'm as much a part of this as any of you are. I should have been included.”
“You are not a high king,” Fionn reminded coldly.
Connor scowled at his brother-in-law. “Neither is Elas. Neither are Wessely, Killian or Fintan, and yet they're here. I have just as much right to be in on this meeting as they do. I am, after all, a representative for the Keepers as Gianara's proxy.” He raised his hands toward Killian and Cailin. “With all due respect to you two, of course. I only meant that I have the freedom to travel while you two stay at Altaine. Because of that very fact alone, I should be let in on what you have figured out and be able to contribute my own thoughts on the matter.”
It was a hard point to argue. When no one appeared able to find anything to say against his impassioned statement, Connor practically beamed with self-importance. “Right then, what have I missed?”
“We should organize fleets,” stated Killian. He moved back to the block and spoke as though there had been no interruption. “The port towns are sure to be overrun with able-bodied people trying to get home and will likely clog the docks for some time. If we can manage to get the injured aboard their own ships, that would prevent us from having to leave anyone behind for too long, at least here in the competitor’s village.” He frowned down at the crude map before him. “We need to determine how many are staying in contrast to those leaving and how many ships that will involve. Then we can divvy up the guardsmen by country accordingly.”
Cailin nodded. “I agree. Sheriff Fintan and I were able to gather enough estimates from guards and others we spoke to after the initial wave of panic departures took place to have a rough idea of who is here now and who will leave with the wounded. I don't have the numbers with me, but...”
“It's all right,” Jaryn told her. “I think for now we should do our best to find our own countrymen, perhaps even send so
me of our men into the towns to help organize them and prevent chaos from turning into brawling. I'm certain it will if it hasn't already. Kenayde and Elas, would you mind taking the Alybaenian tribes?”
“Of course.”
“Connor, I'll have you and Niam round up the Cierians.”
“Okay!”
The young man's enthusiasm should have been encouraging, but for some reason it only annoyed everyone. His energy was much too light for the seriousness of the situation. “These next few hours are going to feel much longer than they really are,” Jaryn warned, looking around the room. “No one likes to feel like they are cattle being herded, but that is exactly what must be done. In order to expedite the process of clearing out the village, we need to keep our own people organized and going in the right directions so that no one is lost or overlooked.”
“How will we inform the people of our plan?” asked Nuala.
Jaryn shrugged. “Who has the loudest voice among us?”
Slowly but surely, all attention fell on Connor. He looked back at everyone for a moment, confused, before understanding brought a grin to his face. “I'll make the announcement! Most everyone is either in the housing block or by the market ruins. I'll do it at both places, then I'll ride through the rest of the village on horseback and let anyone else I see know what we're doing.”
“Brilliant,” Jaryn commended with a nod. “Let's try to get this started before the sun goes down, yeah?”
With mutterings of agreement, the doors were opened once more and everyone began filing out to get to work. “I think I'll go check on Mairead and Vala before I join you,” Ashlynn told her husband as they walked. “I'll be quick.”
“I'm going to go check on the boys while Connor does his job.” Jaryn gave a heavy sigh. “I know they're safe and they're with people who will protect them no matter the cost, but I'll feel better if I can see them.”
Ashlynn smiled softly and linked her fingers with his. “It's odd to feel this way right now, especially given what is happening all around us, but there were many times this week that I was struck by how blessed we are by Tiyal and especially Lucien. Lochlainn may be our only son by blood, but it often feels like we have two more.”