by B. T. Narro
Fortunately, Darren said something to break the awkward silence.
“I’m glad you haven’t taken things that far yet.” He gave a sigh. “I can’t demand that you wait until a certain age. I can only give you the advice to wait, and I can explain how it is to be done properly. You are both too young to be parents.”
“Gods, father. Please stop.”
“I don’t want to speak about this, either, but you have to know how—”
“I already know everything. Andar and I learned it from the older boys we trained with.”
Darren paused. He looked disappointed.
“It’s not your fault,” Leo told him. “You had to leave Jatn or you would’ve been killed. We don’t blame you. We love you, Father. But please, please, trust me that you don’t need to speak with me about this.”
Darren gave a smile. “Very well. But just tell me one thing.”
“What?” Leo grumbled.
“I do hope that it’s Rygen in there and not some other girl?”
“Of course!”
“Good. I expect to see the two of you dressed and ready for the day within the hour. Some unfortunate news has come that we must prepare for. A decision about your brother must be made.”
“What news?”
“Get dressed and eat. Meet me at the camp as soon as you’re done.”
Leo was stunned as Darren left. It was unlike his father to be vague, but it was like Father to keep things from Leo for his protection. It was likely that this “unfortunate news” was actually something quite terrible.
He opened the door to his room in the palace. Rygen was dressed, a worried look on her face.
“What’s wrong?” Leo asked.
“Well, I could hear you and your father very clearly. At first that scared me because I could imagine everything our neighbors heard.”
Leo felt a moment of fear as he remembered hours of talking and laughing with Rygen when they weren’t kissing and touching each other. But it was easy to let go of that embarrassment when there was something much worse to worry about.
“I think I know what the unfortunate news is,” Rygen said. She waited to give Leo a chance to answer, but his mind was still clouded by the awkward talk with his father.
“What?” Leo asked.
“Your father had scouts watching Jarrel’s army, and now I think they’ve sent word that Jarrel is headed here. He saw the kasigerr attack us. He believes us to be weak.”
Unfortunately, Leo believed Rygen had to be right.
They still hadn’t heard what kind of damage the kasigerr had done to the capital, but the creature had stomped straight through the city. There was no way it hadn’t crushed many people and buildings in its path, and Jarrel probably knew this.
Rygen surprised Leo by moving close for an embrace. He could feel her fear in the way she clutched him.
“I wish we had more time,” she said.
“Me too.”
◆◆◆
After Leo and Rygen had finished their breakfast, Leo noticed something about the rift as he descended the palace hill. Its size was the same as it loomed over the capital, filling the entire lower half of the sky, but it looked unstable now as blue beams of Esitry shot out from it like strikes of lightning. None seemed to make it very far, but there were tears across the surface that raced around, bright enough for Leo to see from a few miles away without a spyglass.
The men and women at the camp were busy building with hammers and wood. There were many structures in the works, though Leo recognized only a few. There were several catapults, all of which were damaged to different degrees. Only one ballista was whole. The others looked too broken for repair. A variety of enlarged weapons, similar to the spear Leo’s father had used, were organized into clusters on the ground. It looked like a few days’ worth of work was needed for everything to be completed, but they probably didn’t have that much time.
He and Rygen found Darren soon enough. They listened as he spoke with Lane and various other officials. The stressful tone shared by all seemed to be infectious.
From what Leo gathered, a large number of troops in the capital had been killed by the kasigerr. They had tried to fight the beast, only for many to perish and most of the massive weapons they’d constructed to be destroyed.
No one seemed to be discussing the change to the great rift, but Leo did hear KRenn’s name come up. Apparently, he and Teyro were resting somewhere within the palace and not in good shape.
Darren had seen Leo and Rygen waiting for a while now, but Leo let his father continue without interruption. Leo was content to listen, even if everything sounded grave.
Eventually, Darren approached Leo. “You heard everything discussed, I hope?”
Leo nodded.
“What you probably don’t know yet is that we received a message by carrier pigeon from our scouts watching Jarrel and Gavval’s troops. Ten thousand are headed here. They will probably arrive sometime tomorrow evening.”
Leo could tell from his father’s ominous tone that these troops were not just coming here to speak.
“How many troops do we have?” Leo asked.
“We have about eight thousand who can fight, but a few hundred of those men are injured. The sight of Jarrel’s army will not be easy to take in, especially in comparison to ours, which is why I’m warning you now that you will feel fear. That is normal. All of us must be brave if we are going to fight them back, and I assure you that we can. We will be prepared.”
He seemed to be waiting for Leo to respond, but he was surprised his father was done.
“I thought you were going to banish me from the fight,” Leo said.
“KRenn told me how you faced no less than twenty cavaliers, almost entirely on your own. And I saw firsthand what you did when the kasigerr threatened your life. You are a warrior, down to your heart. I fear not for you but for the foolish men that dare stand before you, my son.” He put his hand on Leo’s shoulder, filling him with pride.
“That brings me to the other warrior of our family,” Darren said as he removed his hand. “Have you heard anything from your brother through your stalwart link?”
“I haven’t,” Leo said. He’d focused during breakfast but had come up with nothing.
“When is the absolute earliest time he might be at the location for you to bring him back?”
“He could be there right now, but I doubt it. Andar would’ve walked toward the rift if it was within sight when he first arrived. So the rift must be miles away. I do imagine he and Siki are rushing back to the original location, though.”
“Perhaps we should attempt to bring him back this evening. But before we decide, tell me how many testing stones you have.”
“I only have two left after using one yesterday, but I might fail to make a portal large enough. I’ve only done it once before.”
“Then let’s bring him back tomorrow at noon. That will hopefully ensure he is at the location, and it will give him enough time to rest before the battle.”
Leo nodded. His father turned his attention to Rygen. “Dear, I know you have been training with Erisena, but she tells me you are not yet ready to fight. Would you agree?”
Rygen had a nervous look as she glanced at Leo. Then she nodded fearfully to Darren.
“It’s all right,” Leo told her. “I’ve been training for years.”
“This battle will be different than anything you’ve trained for,” Darren said to Leo’s shock. “There is much we have to go over. The rest of these troops are accustomed to battle formations and are aware of our plans.”
Leo looked around and was surprised that no one was waiting to speak to Darren. “You’re not too busy to teach me yourself?”
“Of course not!” Darren sounded offended. “You are my son. I will make sure you are safe.” He put his heavy hand on Leo’s shoulder again. “I hope you realize I wouldn’t even think about allowing you to fight if this battle was any less important.”
; “You don’t need to say more, Father. I know just how much this matters.”
Darren nodded, then turned his attention to Rygen. “I know that FLip and his followers could use help with their many tasks. I could have someone bring you to the capital so you may join them.”
“What tasks?” Rygen asked.
“Prepping meals, washing clothes, tending to the animals. That sort of thing.”
Rygen looked as if she tasted something sour.
“Or you could stay here and learn our plans with Leo,” Darren suggested.
“Yes, thank you!”
“Very well, but you must promise me you are going to stay out of combat.”
“I promise.”
“That includes sending your summoned creature into the fray. If you do so, it might be too hard for you to let him fight without you, especially if you see him injured.”
That gave Rygen pause. Eventually she answered, “I won’t bring Jin out.”
Leo was glad to hear her say it.
◆◆◆
By nightfall, Darren had finished going over everything Leo needed to know, and now it was just a matter of waiting for the inevitable. Leo was pleased when Rygen asked him if she could stay with him again.
“Of course!” he answered with probably too much enthusiasm, though she didn’t seem to mind as she grinned at him.
Eager to feel her lips again, he was taken aback when she finished getting ready for bed and lay beside him with concern in her sharp gray eyes.
“Something’s been bothering me,” she said as she put her hand on his bare stomach.
“What?”
“Your father said we are not ready to be parents.”
“Do you want to be?” Leo asked with fear catching in his throat.
“Your face, Leo!” she said with a laugh. “No, of course I don’t yet. I just don’t understand how it is that you can be ready to fight in a battle but you are not ready to be a father. I mean, some girls become mothers at my age. You’ve seen them in Jatn, remember?”
“I do.”
Leo thought for a moment. Rygen’s logic was sound. However, Leo did feel ready to fight, and he was not ready to be a parent. Why was that?
The answer came quickly.
“I spent the last four and a half years training to fight. I’m sure if I hadn’t, my father never would’ve let me join the battle. We have no training at being parents, though. The young women in Jatn who are mothers at fourteen probably learned how to be one from their own mothers.”
“You’re right.” Rygen grumbled. “It’s not fair that you’re so smart.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean look at you!” She traced around the muscles on his stomach. “You are handsome, talented, and you are smart as well.” She nestled her head against his shoulder. “And you are kind, and brave, and so many other things.”
He didn’t think that highly of himself, but he was happy to hear that Rygen thought that way about him. Why did that bother her, though?
She added, “There must’ve been many girls interested in you while you trained in the capital.”
Oh, that’s why.
Leo was about to tell her that there weren’t, but he didn’t want to lie to Rygen. It was true that there weren’t any girls interested in him from his training program. They were all a few years older. He did meet some young women, however, when he was out during his days off with his brother. They’d shown interest in his conversation, but that always changed when they found out how young he was.
Leo had caught glances from a few girls his age, but most were out with their guardians when they walked about the city. He had yet to meet a girl, however, who elicited the same feelings in him as Rygen did.
He wanted her not to worry, but honesty was what their friendship was built upon.
“There were a few older girls. But—”
Rygen interrupted with a gasp. “Did you kiss them?”
Leo fell silent.
“How many?” Rygen asked.
“How many boys have you kissed?” he countered, figuring there had to be many.
“One,” she said. “You.”
“Oh.” He tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry. “I guess there were two others,” he said shyly.
“Two!” She sat up. “Did you have a relationship with any?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
He took her hand. “Because none of them was you.”
She looked at him as if she didn’t believe him.
“Rygen,” he said. “You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.”
Her gaze softened as she gazed into his eyes. “You say that like you mean it.”
“I’m never going to lie to you,” he said. “You really are.”
She seemed confused. He didn’t understand why. But the wrinkles in her forehead dissipated as she appeared to truly believe him. She lay down again and settled her head on his shoulder.
“I’m so lucky you really think that,” she said. “I’ve missed you.”
He sat up over her, eyeing her lips. He wanted to show her just how much he’d missed her too.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Leo had grown antsy waiting for the afternoon to come, but the time to bring Andar back had finally arrived. Leo had spent the day with Rygen, assisting their army however possible to prepare for battle. The stress of the looming fight felt like a giant knot in his chest, though he knew he’d feel somewhat better when Andar was safely standing beside him.
But when Leo stepped into the sealed room, alone, the pressure to succeed caused his breathing to quicken. Through discussions with Rygen and his father, all had agreed that ideally Leo would keep both testing stones with him in case he was sucked into the portal and ended up in the same place as Andar. That way Leo would have a chance to make a portal to lead them back. But Leo did not trust himself to withdraw Taesitry from only one stone without pulling some out from another. He had to keep the other testing stone far from him.
That meant that Andar’s testing stone was the only one Leo could use if he was sucked into the portal. If Leo failed to make a portal back with Andar’s stone, that might make it impossible for them to ever return, depending on how far away his brother was. It was for this reason that Leo decided to keep the door open to the room so he could escape if the portal was too powerful.
Rygen and his father watched from a few steps outside, with a weakened KRenn beside them. The mage looked sickly pale, but Leo couldn’t worry about him right now. It would take all of his focus to do everything that KRenn had helped him with the first time this portal was made, and it would be even more difficult without the room sealed.
Leo spent the better part of an hour gathering all the Artistry he could. He drew it toward him from deep within the palace until he felt a dense cloud of it around him. He then pushed the Artistry hard into one corner of the room, where he kept even pressure on it so most of it would stay there while some drifted out of the room. He took the testing stone from his pocket and held it out in front of him.
With a jerk of his mind, he ripped the Taesitry free from the stone and held the golden-hued energy in a sparkling cluster in front of him. Leo could feel both energies trying to bond with one another. Their attraction was so strong that he spent more effort restraining them than trying to fuse them together.
He held the Taesitry still, allowing only a thin stream of Artistry to enter the cluster. As more Artistry combined with the Taesitry, the Taesitry’s pressure on Leo’s mind grew until he felt that both his mind and the energy were about to burst. This was when it had exploded and created the portals last time.
He slammed the rest of the Artistry into the Taesitry. The cluster of Taesitry held for just a moment before it burst with a flash of light. Leo counted eight rifts that formed, each as large as his body. One blocked Leo from reaching the door. He wanted to step back as wind pulled at him, but he was already against a wall.
He
knew that everything in the vicinity was linked, including his clothes to the robes of everyone in the hall. They knew not to move, and Leo wouldn’t either. Leo focused on holding the rifts open, but he soon found out that he didn’t need to. There was no more Taesitry in the room. Leo could feel an immense amount of Artistry flowing in and out of the portals as they appeared to be inhaling and exhaling. He knew there to be Esitry as well, though he couldn’t sense any of it.
He didn’t feel anything unstable. In fact, the portals seemed so secure that Leo doubted he could disrupt them by pulling on the Artistry going in and out of them.
As his moment of panic passed, Leo could focus on the rifts themselves. A disaster had happened last time when two of them merged together. There was one pair, again, that were just a few feet away from each other, and they were pulling closer together.
Come on, Andar!
The rifts would soon join. Leo would make a run for the door in a moment, hoping he could pass around the rift in his way and the wall on his other side without being sucked in.
Leo suddenly felt his brother’s presence. No, it wasn’t only that. He felt his brother recognizing him!
Leo searched between the rifts and eventually saw the blurred outline of Andar running toward Leo from within. He was small but quickly growing larger. Siki was right behind him. Andar stopped for her to go ahead, but she stopped as well and gestured at the rift.
There was a quick conversation between them. Soon they separated, and Leo could no longer find his brother. But the image of Andar quickly appeared within another rift. He looked to his side, as did Siki. They seemed to be saying something to one another. Then they jumped at the same time.