“Good morning!” she chimed as she bounced into the kitchen. Shad sat at his usual place on the window sill, Fiola smiled at her brightly from the hearth where she tended the pan, and Klaus glanced at her from where he leaned against the wall, but it wasn’t any of their voices that answered her.
“Good morning, Guardian Dashul.”
Kaia turned in surprise to see a man regarding her from the rocking chair. He looked exactly the same as when she had last seen him four years ago. He wore the same long black cloak and still kept his gleaming white hair and beard short and neatly trimmed. Only the crow’s feet edging his onyx eyes hinted at his years.
Everard had returned.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Preparations
Everard had arrived before the sun, and Fiola and Klaus had wasted no time in filling him in. He confirmed that a state of abject terror reigned in the wake of Nifras’ recent attempt to break the magi’s yanai barrier, and nodded in approval at their efforts to gather the army at Gyatan, but his unblinking night eyes gave away nothing as they related their revelation of Conrad’s identity.
Suddenly, he slammed his hand against the arm of the chair. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it.” He rose and paced back and forth, cloak sweeping the cobbles as he muttered to himself. “He was always trying to win you. The abduction of Tam and Klaus, Valente’s kindness, and one last desperate ultimatum—an alliance against Ariston or death.” The magus stopped and shook his head. “Make an obstacle an asset or destroy it.” He harrumphed and resumed his pacing. “The man is clever. If not for Tam’s sacrifice, he might have succeeded.”
“But why not send the whole army after her?” Shad interrupted.
“Perhaps he underestimated her. Perhaps that’s all he had to send.” Everard turned his gaze to the Dragon Heir. “We are lucky the bulk of his army is still to the north, or the Heirs may not have survived the night.”
Kaia sat at the table, impatiently tapping the rosy wood with a finger, only one question on her mind. “But what about Jago?”
A long sigh seemed to bend the stiff magus, forcing his head back down. “Unfortunately, despite an exhaustive search, I’ve found no trace of the Time Heir.” He pressed his lips together. “Nor has his pregnant wife seen him since Pryor Brigg’s death.”
The room went still. Even the breeze from the window died. For a long moment, only the popping of the sausage filled the tense kitchen.
The words cracked down on Kaia like a hammer. Jago was dead—smiling, kind, joyful Jago. And he would never meet his child. She could only imagine the oceanic depth of his wife’s sorrow.
Gus nosed her foot beneath the table, looking up at her with big eyes. I am sad with you.
Lost in Everard’s news, Kaia nearly forgot Klaus leaning against the doorway until he spoke. “We will mourn him.” He brushed by Kaia as he moved to sit next to her at the table. “And adapt.”
Sadness glistened in Fiola’s eyes as she crossed her tattooed arms in front of the fire. “How long do we have before Conrad reaches Gyatan?”
“One week,” Everard braced his hands against the table. “We’ll have to leave at once to meet them.” His hard eyes bored into each person in turn. “Then, it is only a matter of time before Nifras breaks the yanai barrier.” He paused and closed his eyes, as if recalling a distant memory. “When he steps foot upon the land, the sky will not grow light again.”
No one spoke as they absorbed Everard’s words.
Klaus was the only one who seemed unperturbed as he grabbed a biscuit from the center bowl. “Sooner than we thought.”
Fiola rose silently to pile eggs and sausage onto plates, setting one before Kaia, and then giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
The magus stroked his neat beard. “Besides the trading town, the region is arid and quite desolate. He paused. It will make the perfect battleground.”
Klaus swallowed a mouthful of biscuit. “How many does Ariston have?”
Folding his hands behind his back, Everard gazed out the window at the mountain peaks. “My ears in the north say two thousand dead and perhaps four hundred deluded villagers,” Everard said in a clipped voice.
Kaia and Klaus exchanged an incredulous glance. Kaia’s mouth fell open as she looked to Klaus. He pressed his lips together and raised his eyebrows at her.
Her head swiveled back to the old magus. “Everard….”
“It really should not be a difficult battle,” the magus snapped, turning back to them. “Five hundred seasoned warriors, a magus, and two legendary heirs against villagers with pitchforks and a horde of clumsy corpses that Conrad cannot control.”
“And an Heir killer,” Kaia grumbled as she picked at a plump egg.
She jumped as the magus slammed his palms heavily on the table and fixed his black eyes onto hers. The biting words cut through her skin like an icy wind. “Nifras and his army will be much worse.”
With that, the magus strode out of the room. Kaia blushed scarlet at his sharp reprimand and studied the cherry whorls of the table, remembering why she never liked the magus. He had always been brusque with her, even before she had accidentally set his cloak on fire as a girl.
Fiola glided around the table and rubbed her back with a strong hand. “Don’t you mind that grumpy old magus, dear. His anger is merely a poor attempt to hide the shame he feels at the cowardice of his own kind.” Kaia nodded once, but said nothing. “And he forgot to mention, you’ll have Mackie and me there too! How could we lose?”
Klaus looked up from his plate, his eyebrows raised. “You’re going to be fighting with us, Fiola?”
“And Mackie, too?” Kaia’s eyebrows knitted. “But he’s so young.”
“Well,” Fiola shrugged with a chuckle, “we won’t exactly be fighting. I could handle myself in my younger days, but now my old bones just can’t do it anymore. Medicine, though, I’ve still got. Mackie and I will be on the field to aid the fallen.” She plucked up a sausage, chewing it thoughtfully. “And Mackie says he’s also recruited a different kind of help for you.”
Kaia tried to think of who she could mean. “Who’s that?”
“He says the predators of the wood are willing and able. He’s been out in the forest since Everard returned, sending the animals to Gyatan.”
The Dragon Heir smiled, thinking back to their talk of bravery. Mackie had a good heart.
Klaus slapped the table and turned to face Kaia. “In any case, if we are going to be fighting in a week, we have to make sure that you fill up and get your rest, Firefly. Two thousand Lost is a lot of bodies to torch.” He grabbed her plate and piled it high with eggs, sausages, biscuits, and gravy. “You can start with that.” He slid the mountain of food in front of her with a grin.
She rolled her eyes. “You need to stop telling me what to do.”
She pushed the plate back at him. Her belly felt so tight with unease, she wasn’t sure she could fit food in it. The world was crashing down again, and it was up to them to put it back together. She sighed.
Klaus nudged her with his shoulder. “It’ll be fine! The original Heirs took on ten thousand. You and I can definitely handle two.” His smile widened. “I’ll take on the first nineteen hundred, and I guess I can let you have the stragglers.”
Shaking her head, Kaia let her tense muscles relax. She shouldered him back and picked up her fork. “Oh, my dear Shadow Heir, how I would love to see you try.”
✽✽✽
Everard and the Heirs rode westward on their Dalteek, while Mackie and Fiola followed with a wagon of food and medical supplies. At dusk on the eve of Conrad’s expected arrival, the company descended from the Naerami mountains toward the town of Gyatus, snuggled up against Blackerd’s canyon in the heart of the Gyatan Plain.
As they descended from the mountains, Kaia gaped at the strange landscape from a craggy outcrop. Before them the vast gorge of Blackerd’s canyon split the earth like an ugly scar, dividing the wilderness of west Okarria from the civilized
east. On the eastern edge, the squat dwellings of Gyatus cropped out of the dusty plain like hardy weeds. Squinting, her eyes trailed to the north, where she spied canvas tents flapping on the sea of scrubby golden grass and a camp bustling with men, Dracours, and Maldibor. She exhaled and a tangle in her stomach unraveled. The warriors of Okarria had answered their call and made it in time. The Dracour must have practically flown to reach them. From the camp, she let her eyes continue their crawl northward to scan the blue horizon. Empty. For now.
As they drew closer to the tents, Kaia could smell the musk of the Maldibor and looked for Tekoa as a hail echoed through the field: “The Heirs have arrived!”
A volley of voices of different timbres echoed the call, and the clamor increased tenfold as the warriors dropped what they were doing and rushed to see the honored travelers. Before the Dalteek even reached the first tent, the army had assembled impatiently at the edge of the encampment. As the Heirs trotted closer, three riders—a Dracour, a Maldibor and a man—rode out from the mob to meet them.
Kaia’s childhood teacher, Cressida, rode out in front of the others. The Dracour matriarch was impossible to miss with her long reptilian body and muscular human torso. Ram horns curled around her head, and she wore her long, gray-streaked hair in the typical Dracourian braid. Covered in shining metal from neck to flanks and bristling with weapons, she glimmered in the sun as she ran toward Kaia, smiling with sharp teeth.
Kaia slowed Sunflash to a walk to give her the traditional Dracour greeting. “We hunt together again.”
The Dracour walked forward to meet her and touched her forehead to hers with the usual reply. “May the killing be swift.” She drew back, and her gaze hardened. “Your father is mourned, Guardian Dashul.”
Kaia inclined her head soberly. “Thank you, Cressida.”
She nudged Sunflash to greet the silver Maldibor in his leather armor. It took Kaia a moment, but she recognized the fierce-faced, straight-backed beast must be Chief Okoni. She reached out to clasp his thick arm. “It is an honor to have you here with us.”
He bared his teeth at her in their way of smiling. “It was an honor to have been invited.”
Finally, she turned to the armored man on the end, who had already dismounted and knelt to pat a wriggling Gus. When he stood and removed his helmet, Kaia almost fell from her Dalteek.
“Bram! What’re you doing here?” She leapt from her horse and barreled into him with a hug. “It’s so good to see you!”
“I’ve been training with you for the last seventeen years, Kaia,” he said, releasing her. “When the Dracour got your letter, I asked Mother if I could come as well.” They turned together to watch Everard and Klaus trot ahead with Cressida and the Maldibor chief.
“But—” Kaia started to protest.
His eyes cut sideways to her. “I’m as old as you are.”
“O-of course.” She tugged her copper braid as she looked him over. He wore his wavy coffee hair shorter than usual, and the armor made him look much larger than she remembered, even though he had always been nearly a full head taller than she. With his helmet on, I thought he was a warrior, she reminded herself, and he’s proven himself against the Lost before.
She grabbed Sunflash’s reins to lead her towards the camp. "How's Mama, Layf, and Eleni?"
Bram walked with measured steps beside her, leading his own dun horse. “Layf was disappointed that you missed his birthday, but they are all safe back in the mountains.”
Kaia winced at that. It had been over a month since she'd seen her family, and she couldn’t foresee a return any time soon.
“We heard about Father,” Bram murmured. Kaia nodded but said nothing. “Eleni and Layf took it hard, but Mother already seemed to know.” He glanced sideways at her. “Now they worry about you.”
“I see.” Kaia exhaled slowly. “They should be worried about you as well. This will be a difficult battle.”
Bram shrugged, and then flashed a cocky smile. “I’m sure they are, but I’m confident.”
Kaia rolled her eyes at him.
“Someone has to avenge Father after all,” he said matter-of-factly. “I mean after you let —”
Before he could finish the sentence, Kaia turned and slapped a hand across his chest, halting him mid-step.
“Don’t. You. Dare.” She hissed through gritted teeth, a storm of buried sadness roiling within her.
His gray eyes turned to steel. “Did it happen differently?”
“You don’t know the first thing about what happened,” she growled, tears welling in her eyes as she mounted Sunflash.
He stood tense, unwavering. “If I had been the Heir—”
“You don’t think I thought that a million times?” A tear trickled down her cheek. “That I wouldn’t gladly have given you the fire if it meant we could get Papa back?” She shook her head. “I wish you Odriel’s wings in the battle tomorrow, but if that’s all you have to say,” she turned and mounted Sunflash, “I don’t want to see you until it’s over.” With that, she spurred Sunflash after the others.
She scrubbed her face and tried to even her breathing before she caught up to Klaus. She watched the chieftains talking earnestly ahead as she rode just behind them, refusing to meet anyone’s eyes and struggling to keep her countenance impassive. Klaus tried to catch her eye as they entered the camp, but the cheer of the crowd pulled his attention away.
With another roar, the men, Maldibor, and Dracours rolled up to them in a large wave. Many had known her father and wanted to give their condolences. Others just wanted to cross arms and express their gratitude for her protection. Snatches of conversation floated around her.
What an honor it will be to fight with you! Now we’ll see some real yanaa!
She looks skinny—can she even swing a sword?
I thought there were supposed to be three Heirs.
I didn’t realize the new Dragon Heir is a girl.
She greeted each and every warrior, but as soon as the crowd cleared, she excused herself and trotted off for the edge of camp. There, she dismounted near a small scrubby tree a short way from the rest of the tents. She leaned her saddle against its trunk to claim it and fed Sunflash a handful of dried periapple before leading her back to the nearest trough.
The warriors of the camp clamored around Everard and Klaus as they explained their strategy for the following day, but Kaia sat in the dirt and hugged Gus, enjoying the momentary quiet. A pressure pulsed in her forehead from pent up tears, but even now she refused to release them. This was not the time for tears, even if her twin brother was a brute.
“Still spoiling my doe?” a voice called from behind her.
“Tekoa!” Kaia jumped up and turned around.
The burnt umber beast bared his teeth, and his green eyes glinted cheerfully. He wore a hulking broadsword across his back, but other than that, he looked exactly as she had first seen him. She rushed into his big furry arms, trying to hold her breath as she did so. “How are you?”
“I’m well, my lady, and you?” His voice reverberated in Kaia’s chest, resonating with an empathy that soothed her skinned heart.
She pulled away with a wistful smile. “Sunflash and I are well enough.” Almost as though adding her agreement, Sunflash turned to nuzzle the great Maldibor. “There’s a boy in camp that can speak to animals, and he assures me Sunflash is contented.”
Tekoa stroked Sunflash’s thick mane with a huge paw. “I can see that.”
A thought brightened Kaia’s face. “Oh! And she even saved my life.”
His paw moved to scratch her between the twisting antlers. “Did she now? She was always a clever fawn.”
Kaia patted Sunflash’s flank. “She’s skilled in the art of killing the Lost.”
“As are you, it is said,” rumbled Tekoa with a fond glance.
She winced. Kaia had already gathered that the camp warriors expected the Heirs to end the battle in minutes. “I suppose we’ll find out tomorrow.”
; “Do not worry, young Kaia,” Tekoa said as he fed Sunflash a crust of bread from his pocket. “You are a strong girl, and victory is in your blood. You’ll see.”
Kaia looked away. That was easy to say when the lives of all these brave people and her friends—her only friends—didn’t depend on him. To make it worse, her brother had just reminded her that she had already suffered a wretched defeat.
Tekoa put a hand to her back. “Come.” He gently guided her towards the center of the camp. “They’ll worry if you don’t join them for dinner.”
For the second time that summer, Tekoa passed her a heaping plate of food as they sat around the fire. Kaia smiled grimly to herself—she’d rather walk through Carceroc a dozen times than face tomorrow’s battle. There would be no drinking or dancing this night, just the sharpening of blades and the oiling of armor.
She ate mechanically as Mackie regaled the others of Klaus and Kaia’s adventures with the griegals and the recent ambush. His enthusiasm was so misplaced in the tense atmosphere that it was hard not to grin. He turned to the Heirs now and then for details, and they would just shake their heads with a smile. When he told of Kaia’s rescue from the Conrads, she looked to Klaus at her right elbow and blushed when his steady eyes met her gaze.
Kaia glanced around the fire. Everard and Fiola sat close together, Mackie gamely told stories with the round-faced Felix on his shoulder, and Gus lay at her feet. She saw Cressida, Tekoa, and other smiling faces milling about the camp. Even Shad sat nearby, flicking his tail back and forth.
She was surrounded by friends, but in her heart, she felt a hole.
Tomorrow, they wouldn’t be able to help her. Tomorrow, in the heat of battle, the eyes of the army would be on Kaia—looking for hope and strength. If the Heirs won, it would be everyone’s victory, but if they lost, the failure would be theirs alone.
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