by B. T. Narro
“It already feels much different here than in Rohaer,” Sondra said.
I lent her my coat as we waited for Remi and Hadley to return. Eventually they came back, Byron with Hadley. Failina and Airinold surprised me when they came out of the darkness to join us.
“What happened?” Airinold asked. “Who is this?”
“This is Sondra,” I said. “She was the only water mage in the whole encampment, but she fell ill to the sickness. I cured her along with someone else who’s now on his way to Drayer, the father of a friend. He was too large for me to carry.”
No one voiced any questions, so I continued.
“While I was there, I burned their storage shed and two of their catapults. Valinox arrived, as expected. He and others tried to put out the fire, but it was too strong by then. So he destroyed the shed and told his people to salvage what they could. I wasn’t able to stick around and see just how much food was left, but I would guess at least half of what they had stored was destroyed. I imagine the catapults are unusable too, at least for a while.”
The night was so cold that most of us shivered even as we stood near the fire, bundled in our furs and cloaks. Byron nodded in my direction. “Good work, Jon. I will inform the king. Sondra, I’ll have you introduced tomorrow. You can sleep with the young ladies in that tent nearby.”
She turned to me and lowered her head in gratitude. “Thank you, healer. You saved my life.”
I gave a nod back.
“I’ll help you get situated in our tent,” Remi said and guided Sondra away.
I put my hand near my face and healed all the damage I had done to myself.
Airinold asked, “Why do you believe we can trust this water mage from Rohaer?”
“Because all of Rohaer’s sick and injured, including her, were left to fend for themselves,” I said. “They’re ignored and barely fed. If they don’t have the strength to eat, then that’s it for them. Sondra never wanted to be there in the first place. She was threatened with death if she did not cooperate, so she went with the army and left her family behind. Tomorrow, she’s going to start her journey back to them in hopes of getting them out safely.”
I still didn’t know much about the territory of our enemies. I didn’t know which city she aimed to get to, or even the names of any of them. However, I didn’t need to know that right now. We could win this war just by stopping Rohaer from getting into Lycast.
“They must not have very many water mages,” Failina said. “Did Valinox know it was you who set fire to their food storage?”
“He did, but he didn’t recognize me.”
I told the tale, skimming over a few details about how I’d killed the guard on watch. I could feel everyone’s pride in me as they grinned my way, except for Failina, who appeared worried.
“Knowing Valinox, he’s going to retaliate in frustration,” she said.
“Do you have a guess as to what he will do?” Byron asked.
Failina glanced at Airinold. Neither seemed sure, judging from their expressions.
“There’s no telling with him,” Failina said.
“We will discuss it more in the morning,” Byron said. “It is too cold. Everyone get to sleep.”
As we dispersed, I took Hadley and pulled her to me. She kissed my cheek and wrapped her arms around me.
“Will you sleep with me?” I asked.
She gasped.
“Beside me, to keep me warm,” I specified. “You’re always as hot as a furnace, even now. I’m sure the other boys will be fine with it, so long as we keep quiet.”
“Yes, I think I can manage to melt away your frost.”
“You always do.”
“Oh? What do you mean by that?” she asked.
“I mean I can rely on you to dissolve whatever’s keeping me down, whether it is something as easy to fix as the cold or as difficult to snap out of like a lackadaze.”
She pulled on my shirt to bring my lips down to hers.
*****
Over the course of the next day, Souriff and Failina watched Rohaer’s camp for signs of movement. I took the time to fly to Drayer to check on Graham’s father. Apparently he had arrived in the morning while most of the townspeople were out and about. He had walked into town in his undergarments, too exhausted and famished to care too much about the many looks he got.
By the time I had arrived, Mister Craw had already spread word across the town about what I had done. A few people came up to me when I was visiting Graham. They asked to be checked for sickness, none with any symptoms to report, just a natural fear. None had it. The sickness didn’t seem to have reached the town again after I had gotten rid of it the first time.
Graham thanked me profusely for saving his father’s life, and so did his mother. They wanted me to stay for a meal, but I explained that I had to get back. I let them know that a water mage by the name of Sondra might come through their town at some point on her way to retrieve her family. I explained her situation, knowing word likely would get around that she might need assistance.
Sondra was already gone from the fort by the time I got back. I wasn’t sure I would see her again. I hoped she and her family would be safe.
A number of changes had been made to the fortress after the events of last night. We no longer allowed camps around the outer wall. That area was to remain clear as we prepared for an attack, setting up a palisade with wooden spikes pointed outward.
We also got to work digging a trench around the palisade. Now that food was probably scarce among Valinox’s army, and we had already proven we could stop them on the road, it seemed likely that they would come right at us or try to get around us by venturing deep into the forest.
I wished I had an idea of Valinox’s thoughts. The other demigods spoke about his rage as if it was legendary. They expressed shock that he had not come yet.
There was little chatter at the camp throughout the day, as our troops trained and worked. We all knew a storm was coming.
Eventually supper came and went. I ate with all my friends in the now-crowded fortress. We had a table to ourselves. That didn’t prevent many other soldiers from approaching us, mostly to talk to the girls in overly flirtatious ways, some of these men a decade older. All were sent away with reproach. This was not the time or place.
Formations had to be practiced, and there were a number of duties that needed to be done, each more unpleasant than the last. Washing, cooking, guarding, transporting, and latrine duty were some of the more common tasks I’d witness from hour to hour. I wasn’t the only one who would rather this ended sooner rather than later, even if it meant an attack led by Valinox himself.
After I had undone all the cuts I had etched into my face, I still looked very different without hair on my head or chin. I had never cut my hair this short. It was often cold where I grew up. The only men showing this much scalp didn’t do it by choice. And although my short and somewhat shaggy beard was more of a recent development, I felt less like myself without it.
Around sunset, Failina and Souriff returned from scouting. They landed within the fort and walked into the king’s tent. I figured I had earned enough clout to walk in and listen, but I decided to wait outside for news with my peers. I could be patient when there was no need to rush, though it was difficult.
A short time later, the demigods came out of the tent. All of our leaders exited behind them and dispersed. Harold Chespar and his son, Trevor, went one way. Kataleya’s brother, Alecott, went another, with Kataleya breaking off from our group and hurrying to catch up to him. Byron and the king approached us as Leon and Jennava seemed to appear out of nowhere. Leon ripped off some bread with his teeth as he casually rested an arm on Michael’s shoulder.
Michael seemed confused by it, but I figured it was Leon’s way of showing endearment.
“The bastard finally on his way?” Leon asked Byron, his voice muffled by bread. I figured he was referring to Valinox. He stepped away from Michael and let his arm hang down.
“Yes, with their remaining siege weapons,” Byron confirmed. “Jon managed to destroy two of the catapults he set fire to, which leaves one catapult and two trebuchets. They might stop short and attempt to draw us out by using them against us, or they might plan to weaken the walls with them before they charge.”
“The ballista could shatter those weapons,” Michael said. He faced Leon. “You should’ve let me practice more.”
“How are you going to practice when every shot is likely to destroy the massive bolt it’s firing? Besides, you have good enough aim already.”
Michael showed an excited smile. “So that means I do get to use it?”
“If you promise to wait for my order to shoot, and aim at the targets I tell you to.”
“I promise.”
“Good. I’ll defend you.”
Michael beamed with joy.
“Don’t get too excited,” Leon said. “This is not a game.”
Michael set his mouth flat.
“What about the rest of us?” Aliana asked.
“You’ll be with the most skilled archers we can fit on the ramparts,” Byron said. “You will use a technique developed by Endell Gesh in coordination with sorcerers.”
I asked, “From when we defeated him in the forest?”
“Yes.”
That battle had occurred after Valinox, while invisible, had stolen four of my peers from the tavern in Koluk. He had held them captive and threatened to kill them if we did not leave the city, but we attacked him instead.
The cousin of Kataleya’s father, Endell Gesh, was Valinox’s leading officer at the time. He had organized a cluster of archers to shoot at us from the center of the small army. Cover for them had been provided by powerful dark mages who’d kept up walls of energy for the archers to shoot over. It had worked very well against us until I chucked one of Hadley’s curse stones into the midst of them.
“Have we confirmed if Valinox has a witch with curse stones?” I asked. The spy had mentioned nothing of witches, but being a basic foot soldier, he probably wouldn’t have been privy to that information.
“We have not been able to confirm that,” Byron said.
The king spoke. “All of you must mentally prepare for a sorcery-stopping curse at any given time, along with many other things. I will now go over what I expect of all of you during each possible scenario. No matter what Rohaer is planning, we will hold them off.”
“That is our goal?” I asked, hoping there could be some way of defeating them here, instead.
“It is all we can hope for right now. They still have nearly double our numbers.”
“Can’t one of the scenarios include us getting around them to close in on them from behind?” I asked. “That way we can kill almost all of them if they try to retreat.”
“We do not have the advantage to press,” the king said. “Trying to maneuver into a position like that is likely to lead to our defeat.”
I felt a stone in my stomach while about to disagree with the king, but I had to voice my opinion. “But we might have success, and it wouldn’t take a lot to be prepared for them to run. I can be ready to take Leon with me, and Souriff and Failina can take one each.”
The king seemed to catch Byron looking at him with raised eyebrows. “It could work in scenarios three and four,” Byron said.
“And it could mean the loss of Jon or our demigods,” Nykal replied. “No, we will not prepare to intercept Rohaer if they retreat. We do not need to risk the lives of our strongest sorcerers because forcing a retreat will be a massive victory on its own. I’m sure we will manage to kill many of them by chasing them down, like before.”
“Then sire…” Byron uttered. “The other thing….”
The king looked at Byron for a long while, almost daring him to speak.
“I will tell them if you don’t,” Byron said. “Punish me if you like, but I can’t let it go unsaid.”
The king scowled and let out a sharp breath. “Fine. I will tell them.” Addressing us, he said, “There is a chance that the Chespars or the Yorns might use the chaos of battle to create an attempt on my life. It is something all of you should be aware of, but I will be guarded by many soldiers, and I will have a callring to signal Failina for help.”
“What if she’s busy?” I interjected. “I should have a callring connected to one of yours as well.”
“Jon, while your devotion is appreciated, you will only be shouted for if someone in my family suffers a grievous injury that needs healing immediately. I want your full attention on finding a way to slay Rohaer’s metal mage. He has the potential to turn the battle in Rohaer’s favor as much as Valinox does. Davon will be heavily guarded and most likely will end up getting close enough to our archers to melt the tips of their arrows and render many of them useless. He must be stopped as soon as possible. We do not have enough sorcery to hold off Rohaer, even within this fort, if our archers’ weapons are dismantled. A number of arrows are equipped with heads of obsidian, but not enough to hold off the horde.”
“Who’s going to take on Valinox?” Michael asked.
“His siblings, but they may need support.”
“From my ballista,” Michael said.
“No, there aren’t enough bolts to waste on a demigod who can most likely block the strike if he isn’t already moving too quickly to be hit. The ballista is reserved for the siege weapons that dare to get close enough, like flame-throwing weapons of a large scale or an enemy ballista if they have something like that which we haven’t yet discovered.”
I heard Michael mutter something that I couldn’t quite make out, but it sounded like, “We’ll see about that.”
We spent the rest of the evening discussing strategies.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
I stood with our most skilled archers on the ramparts, the blue tabards of Lycast worn by all our comrades. While I would’ve been comfortable with a bow in my hands, I felt even better with just my sword, my armor, and my sorcery at the ready.
It would be up to me, Leon, Jennava, and Eden to keep up walls of energy that would shield us and our archers from incoming fire of all kinds. Michael stood at the ballista with guards of his own, Reuben and Kataleya, and Leon nearby. Remi took her spot in one of the turrets. It gave her a view of both east and south. Byron took position in the same turret as Remi. He and Leon would issue orders to everyone in the vicinity during the battle.
All of our soldiers crowded together within the fort. That included the Yorn and Chespar army of foot soldiers. The king noted to us that he had been in discussions with Harold about where these foot soldiers would be when the battle began. The king would’ve preferred for them to guard the outer walls of the fortress, for there were sure to be breaches without them there, but Harold Chespar had demanded that they stay within and keep our enemies off the walls.
I was a little disappointed that the king didn’t seem to have the power to order this other army into a position of his liking, but Harold had been adamant in this decision, and the king wasn’t about to throw us into a fight against each other as our enemies marched toward us.
All of us waited in near silence. Hadley had already done enough by imbuing a bunch of moonstones with the mana break curse made from the essence of a corrupted soul, but she still insisted on staying near me on the ramparts where she could weaken troublesome sorcerers with curses during the bout. She had a number of ingredients with her, including the blood of Valinox and several feathers of Gourfist. The feathers, huge in size, she had tucked into her belt, which drew many looks from the soldiers around us.
Charlie had not become much braver since the last time he was in combat and stayed off the ramparts, down with many of Harold’s foot soldiers. The king, knowing he could be at risk just about anywhere he put himself, remained in his tent with his family, heavily guarded by men we trusted, including Rick.
There had been some contemplation about bringing his family back to the castle now that Valinox would be
distracted, but that meant Souriff, Failina, and I might not return in time. It was not worth the risk. Besides, the king needed to be here, he said. There was no telling what was going to happen, and he wanted to be in a position where he could lead.
“Valinox is coming,” Souriff warned us.
We looked to the sky. The demigod descended down onto our eastern ramparts in his familiar suit of armor, but this time he did not carry a sword. Instead, he wielded a massive wooden mallet. He crushed one of our archers with his feet as he landed and blasted away a dozen more with dteria. It all happened so fast, I don’t think anyone was ready.
As Valinox started attacking our archers with his mallet, smashing through the leather armor of one and sending the man’s broken body flying over the wall, it was clear to me that he no longer cared about his oath. He looked too pissed off for that.
“Charlie!” Leon called out. “Get beneath him.”
“Got it!” Charlie said as he pushed through Harold’s soldiers moving the opposite way, putting themselves farther from the demigod. Charlie could do nothing about Valinox’s mallet, but he could take away his armor if he was close enough.
Failina and Souriff took to the air. The demigod of dvinia sent a spell at Valinox while Failina unleashed a jet of water. She wouldn’t use fire because of the risk of setting the ramparts aflame.
Valinox countered his sisters by making a wall of energy around him, blocking dvinia, water, and arrows that caught in his thick barrier of dteria.
“They come!” Byron shouted from the turret nearby. A swarm of Rohaer’s sorcerers in black darted out from the trees and into the clearing around our fort. Davon ran with them near the front, a few men with wooden shields surrounding him. Rohaer’s army still had to deal with the trench and the palisade, but they did not charge on horseback. They would get to our fort eventually if we didn’t have the time to stop them. That meant we had to get Valinox out of here so our archers and fire mages could shoot without distraction.
There were too many ally archers between me and the demigod for me to do anything from where I stood on the ramparts. I lifted myself up and hurled myself at him as he continued to block fire, dvinia, and arrows coming at him from nearly every angle. Charlie was one of many people thrown away from him as he cast at everyone nearby.