by LJ Rivers
“Fall back!” I yelled. “Soldiers of Avalon! Fall—!”
A booming choir of voices emerged from behind us. I spun around, gawking at the sight.
“It’s Commander Yorath,” Galahad shouted. “And my soldiers!”
Yorath sat on a unicorn, the first I had seen that could match my Rhiannon in size. Its skin was rust-coloured, and its spiralling horn shone like the spears on Morgana’s castle. Behind the commander, some flying, some riding smaller unicorns and horses, and some on their feet, marched his army. I counted at least ten banners, all with my M on them. Yorath and his men had made it past Auberon’s soldiers.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when a group of centaurs, all wearing their crimson cloaks, galloped up the flank alongside Yorath’s men. I had feared the centaurs had all been killed when my father stole the throne, just like Anwinar and Aranos.
“Looks like he’s got at least five thousand soldiers left,” Galahad said, ripping me from my thoughts. “Do we still retreat, My Queen?” There was clear hope in his voice.
Before I could reply, someone else bellowed, “They’re not alone! Who’s that with them?”
Over the small curve in the terrain, another wave of banners appeared. The poles waved closer to the ground, both because they were shorter than Yorath’s, but also because the men carrying them were smaller. Leading the horde of Goblins were a trio I never thought I’d see on the battlefield. Gethin and Blodwen sat on horseback, both carrying sickles, while Trys-Tain rode in front with a scythe. A roar issued from behind them, and the horde of Goblins parted in the middle to reveal none other than Goff of Crochan Island. He was coming full speed towards us, waving a two-headed spear in his hands.
“Is he riding … a boar?” I said out loud.
The wild horned pig was pulling a cart loaded with barrels and crates, the contents clinging and bumping as the animal bounced forward. Goff’s face was twisted in a fierce grimace, and in spite of the thundering cacophony of battle noises, his piercing howl cut through the air. The Awarnach Goblins responded with a thundering bellow.
Galahad and Lancelot rode up next to me. “Your Highness?” Galahad said.
“No,” I croaked, then cleared my throat. “No fudging way!” I climbed to my knees in the saddle. “Hold my hand, Char.” She did, supporting me while I got to my feet.
I raised my hands, meaning to release a small cascade of fireballs. Instead, a pillar of fire rose from my palms, three feet wide and twenty tall. For some reason, my magic felt stronger than ever. I could uphold a force field for much longer than before, without weakening my batteries.
For a fleeting moment, the fighting stopped, at least in the area surrounding me. I let go of the flames, which rolled up in a ball before vanishing into the night.
“Soldiers of Morgana,” I repeated, this time with confidence instead of defeat in my voice. “For tomorrow!”
“For tomorrow!” hundreds of voices repeated.
The war cry spread along the ranks.
“For tomorrow!”
It echoed off the Avalen city walls and reached the towering mountain behind Morgana’s castle. My castle.
Yorath and his division caught up with us, and although they carried all the signs of warfare, blood-ridden and tired, they threw themselves into the fray. Pixies and Fae hopped off their horses and took to the skies, raining arrows and spears over Auberon’s soldiers.
The Goblins wasted no time when they arrived, either. Screaming and bellowing, they raised their sickles and scythes. From my elevated vantage point, I watched the short-legged horde slash and hack their way through sections of the enemy’s army like they were born for it.
The momentum was shifting. While Auberon’s army was still twice the size of mine, we were no longer retreating.
Goff leapt off his boar and ran to the cart, returning moments later with his arms full of small, coal-like lumps. The surrounding Goblins followed his example, before throwing themselves into the chaos of flaming staff-branded cloaks.
A cloud of smoke billowed from inside the black sea. Around it, Sorcerers dropped their weapons and threw their hands up to cover their faces. After swaying for a few heartbeats, they started falling, then toppled over like dominoes at a radius of fifty feet from the smoke. Several more smoke clouds appeared, with the same result.
“They’re using their herb magic,” Charlie said.
A Sorcerer, riding a dark brown unicorn, veered out of the chaos, unable to control his animal. The unicorn screamed, which I had never thought it could.
“It’s blind,” I whispered. “The poor thing.”
As it galloped across the plains, one of its legs caught a hole in the ground. The animal toppled over, boring its horn into the dirt. It fell sideways, locked to the ground by its horn, the neck twisted at an impossible angle. The Sorcerer didn’t fare any better, as he was thrown off and flung twenty yards through the air before crashing headfirst into a rock.
I sat down again and leaned forward, holding my heels out from Rhiannon’s body. “Hang on, Char. This will be a bumpy one.”
“Hit it,” my angel sister said.
I bumped my heels at Rhiannon’s belly. “You heard her, girl. Hit it.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
A sea of wolves covered the plains, battling a mob of black-furred felines. Jaguars. In the midst of the slaughter, Zuwar Gwyll stood atop a hill of dead wolves, howling to the sky. His broad chest was drenched with sweat and smudges of red. A multitude of jaguars surrounded him, snarling as they circled their prey. The surrounding ground was littered with more wolves and giant felines. Though the jaguars were vastly outnumbered, they had already done plenty of damage.
Two of them sprang at Zuwar at the same time. The packmaster roared and every muscle in his body rolled with his motions. He punched one jaguar in the jaw and grabbed the other by its throat, then bit into its neck before flinging it to the ground.
“Come on, you ugly furballs. Show me your fangs,” he bellowed.
A group of Zuwar’s wolves veered away from the ongoing fights to help their packmaster. Together, they faced the jaguars’ ferocious attack on the Alpha.
Growls and snarls collided with the screams and clanging blades all around us. I wanted to stop and help, but we had a plan, and I could see the walls of Avalen city in the distance.
“Where’s Jen?” I shouted.
Charlie twisted in the saddle behind me. “Over there.” She tugged at my left sleeve.
I steered Rhiannon to the side until I spotted her.
In a cloud of dust and dirt and fallen Shifters, a white wolf tore down her latest victim. She canted her head and her two pack members, Jack and Erica, approached. A number of wounds cut through their fur, and Jack’s snout was bleeding.
“Jen!” I said under my breath.
Even through all the noise, she raised her head, and her icy blue eyes fell on me. With what appeared to be some kind of silent command to her pack, the three of them bounded towards us. I manoeuvred Rhiannon in a bend, turning my gaze back on Avalen as the wolves joined us.
“We have to get to the castle.” I kept my voice low, knowing they could hear me.
Galloping forward, with the wolves following close on our heels, I noticed Naheena and Evonny standing back to back, swinging curved blades. I knew we had to hurry, but made Rhiannon slow down nonetheless. The two women were both naked and wounded, though judging by the amount of grime and blood on their bodies, they might as well have been wearing clothes. Naheena turned her head to me for a breath, then released a growl.
“For Morgana!” she screamed, as a jaguar pounced on her. It drove its fangs into her arm, a spray of crimson spurting across her already blood-soaked chest. Evonny spun around in horror, exposing her back to the enemy. Another jaguar went for her. I gripped the reins with one hand and sent a blast of telekinesis out with the other. It caught my target, sending the jaguar flying into the fray of hungry wolves.
Evonny kneeled by her
mate and howled. The agonising sound alone was enough to break my heart.
“We should help them,” I said.
“We help them by winning, Ru.” Charlie patted my thigh. “We have to keep going.”
She only echoed the exact same words I had been telling myself, but deep down I felt horrible for not stopping to help everyone we passed. Still, we had a plan, and the only way to end the bloodshed, to give Avalon a new tomorrow, was to end my father’s reign.
I was about to command Rhiannon into a gallop again, when a giant figure appeared straight ahead, making the hairs on my neck stand on end.
“Halt, girl.”
Rhiannon came to a stop, but my heart was pounding against my chest like her hooves had pounded the ground moments earlier. Striding up a mountain of bodies was Miranar—half man, half wolf—the perfect warrior form. He bared his teeth in a predatory grin, exposing his razor sharp, blood-drenched canines. His lips and chin were smudged in scarlet, and spit dribbled along his elongated mouth.
Jen snarled, a sound repeated by Jack and Erica.
Morgana’s former prime flared his nostrils, ignoring the warning of my four-legged companions. “The prodigal daughter returns. I was hoping I’d get the chance to fight you.” Miranar stepped over the heap of bodies, revealing another man trailing behind him. His son, Maxim, also in his half form.
I paused. What had Pullhelli said? Miranar had pledged himself to Auberon. But why? Why did he not stay loyal like her other primes? I got not wanting to lose his head, but he was eager to fight. I got my answer the moment a group of copper-masked people followed two wolves over the hill of corpses. There had to be close to fifty of them. Miranar must have lost someone to the fate of the portal. Not only that, but by the looks of things, he was the copper-masks’ leader. It made sense now, why he had silenced the witness after the assassination attempt on Morgana all those weeks ago.
“Darniog Ad-Dalu,” he roared. “Prepare to avenge our families!”
I drew my sword and raised my hand at the same time. “Traitor,” I bit out. “You killed Shay so she couldn’t name you as the Dalu’s leader.”
Miranar’s eyes blazed with a mixture of fury and determination. “Morgana wronged us all,” he snarled. “And this, young queen, is retribution.”
Maxim changed fully into a giant, ash-coloured wolf and bounded ahead of the others. A copper wolf dashed past me, and the two beasts collided mid-air. Jack was much smaller than Maxim, but I couldn’t risk hurting him by using my magic. Before I could act, the grey and black wolf that was Erica came to his aid. I wanted to help, too, but had more pressing concerns.
Flooding past them was a throng of copper-masked people out for revenge. Miranar dropped to all fours, and I steeled myself, ready to blast him with everything I had. While the Dalu were a threat, a part of me didn’t want to hurt them. Though I would if I had to.
“Ru!” Charlie’s hands slid away from my waist and I jerked as Rhiannon sidestepped. A dagger was lodged in the unicorn’s hip. I instinctively reached for it, my healing magic simmering beneath my palm, when a throng of Dalu crashed into her. I slid my feet out of the stirrups and hurled myself away as the unicorn crashed to the ground. Charlie rolled into a crouch next to me.
“Got your wand?” I asked.
She raised it in front of her and gave me a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
I flung my hands out, making the Dalu fly left and right towards the growling packs of wolves behind us. Miranar ducked as one sailed past him. He moved with precision and focus, avoiding the fireballs I released next.
More Dalu entered my line of vision, carrying daggers and small blades. They were everywhere.
I conjured another fireball that fizzled in my palm. My energy was wearing thin again.
“Behind you,” Charlie yelled.
I swung around on my toes and slashed my sword out. The attacking Dalu ducked, then fell back, spasming and jerking from the electrical shock of Charlie’s wand. Someone rammed into me. The air escaped my lungs, and pain reverberated up my arms as I caught myself from banging my face into the dirt. A white blur disturbed my vision, and the weight on my back disappeared. I rolled around.
Rhiannon had her front hooves on Miranar’s chest and lowered her spear at his throat. He snarled and clicked his teeth at her. Blood blended with her brilliant white fur, revealing a deep gash across her belly. She puffed and breathed heavily, then sank her horn into his open maw, skewering him. As the former prime went still, Rhiannon staggered backward, then dropped to the ground.
I looked around, scrambling to my feet. The Dalu had surrounded us. I caught a glimpse of Erica and Jen fighting side by side, but couldn’t spot Jack.
Outnumbered and nearly out of juice, I grabbed Charlie’s hand. “Come on, angel.”
“I’m ready. All for one and whatnot.” Charlie made a grimace that I thought was meant to look menacing, but instead made her look incredibly cute. She raised her wand, and I held my sword out. Whatever happened, at least we were together.
The Dalu circled in on us, and I was about to lunge when they began to fall. One after the other in rapid succession. Arrowheads protruded from all thinkable parts of their bodies. But where were the archers?
“Need me to save you again, sis?” Rowan called from somewhere close by. Above?
I looked up to find him sitting astride a griffin, with Hondo and a group of other griffins flanking him. Brendan, Cynthia, and three other archers rode five of them, while Pullhelli sat on the last of the group. Circling them were three manticores and an equal number of eagles, Taryn and Alun among the winged creatures.
“Just in time.” I wiped my brow.
The griffins touched down, and all but Pullhelli and Rowan jumped to the ground.
“Ready to … what’s the phrase again? Rumble?”
I snorted. “I need to do one thing first.”
“Just hurry. We don’t want to be standing here for too long.”
“Got some food on you?”
“Last piece.” He retrieved a small bun from a pouch on his belt and threw it to me. I caught it in one hand and gobbled it up as I approached Rhiannon.
“Shush, girl,” I said. “I’ll make it better.” After removing the dagger, I placed one hand where it had been and the other on her bleeding belly. I summoned my healing power and allowed it to seep into her.
She blew out a puff of air, and the wounds slowly closed.
“As good as new.”
Reinvigorated, she sprang to her legs and neighed, which I took as a sign of gratitude.
“My pleasure. You’ve been absolutely brilliant. Now, you run back to Em, you hear? Don’t stop for anything.”
The unicorn regarded me for a moment, then pranced and set off at a lightning-fast gallop.
“Red!” Jen’s voice was alarming. Something was wrong.
I turned around. The griffins were waiting patiently, though Rowan and the archers were delivering arrows this way and that, while the others fended off anyone who came too close. Crawling atop the sea of copper-masked corpses was Maxim, all wolf now. He sluggishly dragged himself towards his father, growling and slipping as he went. Once there, he slumped flat on his stomach.
“Over here!” Jen urged.
Past the fallen, Jen was waving her hands in the air, with Charlie and Erica sitting next to her. I took one last look at the former prime and his son, but they weren’t moving, so I dashed cross the field of the dead. A jaguar crossed my path, but was quickly disposed of by one of Cynthia’s arrows.
When I reached my friends, Erica glanced up at me with bloodshot eyes. She trembled and her eyes were puffy. In her arms was a body, because he was no longer breathing. Claw marks bit into his chest, shoulders, and arms, and he had two deep puncture wounds by his heart.
I sank to my knees, and my throat constricted. I was too late. “What happened?”
“Maxim,” Jen bit out. “Erica was helping Jack, but some of the Dalu got involved. Jack w
as too young, too small to go up against that beast on his own. I tried to get to him, but—”
“Ru.” It was Rowan’s voice. I knew why he was calling for me, but I couldn’t move.
Jen wiped her eyes and stood. “He was the best of us, and he does not deserve to lay here among this vermin.” She grabbed Erica by the arm, hoisting her to her feet. “You must take him out of here.”
“Jen, I—”
“Take one of the griffins and have Cynthia guard you. Do it now.”
Erica bowed her head. “Yes, Alpha.” She scooped Jack into her arms and staggered to the closest griffin, where Cynthia helped them onto its back. Grief clamped around my heart as I watched them fly off.
I put a hand on Jen’s shoulder. “Jen.”
She stepped away from me. “They’re waiting for us. We have to move. Jack would have wanted us to finish this.”
“All right,” I said. “Let’s finish this.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Hondo squawked, and I grabbed his fur with both hands. Taryn pointed his beak to the sky as he sailed past me with the two other eagles and the three manticores flanking him. Glancing back, I was relieved to find Charlie, Brendan, Jen, Pullhelli, and Rowan, all flying a griffin each. The sound of howling wolves issued from below, but I didn’t dare look down. I would have liked to see Erica join us, but after Jack, I had no idea where her head was at. Jen had been right to send her away. Jen was undoubtedly devastated herself, but like me, she knew that this battle would not end if we lay down to weep. We couldn’t allow ourselves to feel that pain. Not yet. Though I almost had, had it not been for Jen. She knew what was at stake, and she helped me remember that.
Even so, Jack’s death would haunt me for a long time. I wrapped my sorrows and regrets into a ball and pushed it to the back of my mind. Compartmentalising, using one of Brendan’s mental tricks to keep me going. That was what I had to do to win this. At least, if we won, Jack wouldn’t have died in vain. None of my people who died this day would die for a dream that could never be. Their deaths had to mean something, and it was on me to make it so.