by Eric Vall
I lifted my chin and straightened my spine as half a dozen men fanned out in a semi-circle before us. Several of them carried torches while the others held weapons, but there was a man in the center that held neither. He had a shock of wild red hair pulled back into a high ponytail, and he wore a full suit of shining silver armor. His face was stern and pinched, and he marched forward with one hand wrapped around the hilt of the sword at his hip.
The man came to a stop ten feet in front of us. His shrewd and dark eyes scanned over me, then Aurora, before they finally settled on Cayla.
A tense moment passed, and then the man let out a loud snort.
“I shouldn’t be so surprised anymore by your antics,” he grumbled.
I glanced at Cayla and saw her face break out in a wide smile.
“Come now, Norick,” the princess laughed as she took a step forward. “Is that any way to say you missed me?”
“Missed you like a thorn in my side, Your Highness,” the soldier grunted, but his mouth twitched with the beginnings of a smile. “Though I am glad to see you returned in one stubborn piece.”
The princess tipped her head back and laughed, and the other soldiers slowly sheathed their weapons one by one. The tension in the air evaporated like mist, and suddenly the dark shadows seemed cozy instead of imposing.
“As you have so delicately put it, I am too stubborn to return in anything less,” Cayla replied with a grin.
The red-headed man shook his head, but then his discerning eyes clicked back over to me. He ran his gaze from my head to my feet, and he latched on to the revolver at my hip.
I realized right then and there that this man was smart as a whip and was not to be fucked with.
“Who are your friends, princess?” he asked as he met my eyes dead on.
“These are allies I acquired in Illaria,” Cayla responded as she stepped between the soldiers and me. Then she gestured at Aurora first, perhaps to break the staring contest the redhead and I were locked into. “This is Defender Aurora Solana, Ignis Mage of the Order of Elementa.”
A murmur passed through the soldiers, and I saw them cast each other worried glances. I realized we might be the first mages these men had ever encountered. The redhead didn’t miss a beat though.
“It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Defender Solana,” the man murmured as he politely dipped his head.
When he lifted his chin, however, his eyes came straight back to me. Cayla noticed, and she reached out to place a hand on my shoulder in a supportive, friendly gesture.
“This is Defender Mason Flynt,” she said as she squeezed my arm. Then she turned and looked at me. “Mason, this is Captain Norick Mayard, the commander of my father’s royal retinue.”
I met Mayard’s eyes and lifted my chin as I extended my hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“The pleasure is mine, Defender Flynt,” he replied smoothly as he took my hand, but I could tell by the glint in his eye that he didn’t quite trust me.
To his credit though, I was a complete stranger, and I did just ride out of the dark like something from a nightmare astride a monstrous contraption, and I had the princess of Cedis in tow. I’d be wary of me, too.
“We need to speak with my father, Captain,” Cayla cut in as Mayard and I dropped hands. “We have news and information regarding the attacks. I think I have found a way to save our kingdom.”
Mayard glanced back at the princess and dipped his chin in a nod. “Then your father’s sleepless nights will not have been in vain. Come, he should just be sitting down to dinner now.”
Almost on cue, my stomach grumbled loudly, and then Aurora’s gurgled in reply.
Mayard raised an eyebrow at me, and I grinned sheepishly.
“It was a long day’s ride,” I explained with a shrug. “We probably should have packed more provisions when we left Illaria, but I didn’t think the journey would take so long.”
“How long did it take you?” the captain asked as he tilted his head.
“Three days,” I sighed, “though we did get sidetracked along the way.”
Mayard’s eyes went wide, and behind him, the other soldiers gaped at me.
“Did you say three days?” the redhead echoed incredulously. “That’s impossible. The journey from here to Serin should take much longer.”
“Not the way I travel,” I replied with a smirk, and then I jerked a thumb over my shoulder.
The captain’s eyes jumped over to Bobbie’s silhouette, parked in the shadows. “What is that?”
“My mechanical steed,” I responded as I slipped my hands casually into my pockets. “Your men probably heard her as we approached.”
“That’s what that noise was?” one of the soldiers chimed in, and I turned to see a young man in his twenties with his jaw practically on the ground. “We thought it was some kind of beast!”
Mayard shot the youth a glare for his outburst, and the soldier dropped his head.
“She definitely has the spirit of one,” I chuckled, “but she doesn’t bite.”
“Can you leave her out here?” Mayard asked as he warily eyed the bike.
“I’d prefer not to, given the bandit situation,” I said with a wince, “but if you’re worried about the noise drawing attention, I’d be willing to leave her parked in a stable or something within the city walls.”
The captain pursed his lips but nodded. “There is a stable just inside. Bring your… steed, and then we will go see the king.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I replied with a nod, and then I nudged Aurora’s arm so she would follow me back to Bobbie.
Cayla stayed with her father’s men, but it was a quick affair to start up the bike again and roll her through the city’s gates. The soldiers jumped back out of our way and gaped blatantly as I casually walked Bobbie forward. Even Mayard stared at us with wide eyes and a stiff spine, but Cayla walked calmly beside us with a grin on her face.
Just as Mayard had said, right as we entered the city proper, the smell of manure tickled my nose, and I turned to the left to see a stable of horses. The street was cobblestone beneath Bobbie’s metal-studded wheels, and I sent out a burst of magic to act as a shield between the two. Even though I was pretty drained already, I didn’t want the first thing I did in Eyton to be tearing up the roads.
I coasted Bobbie to the outer wall of the stable, and then I squeezed Aurora’s hip for her to kill the engine. Once the bike had rumbled into silence, the two of us hopped up.
A thought suddenly occurred to me.
“Give me just a second,” I said to the half-elf as she removed her sword from the bike’s frame and moved to join the others that stood ten feet away.
Then I turned back to Bobbie and stooped to open one of her saddlebags. Stan lifted his tiny silver head to look up at me, and I couldn’t help but smile. I was starting to like the little guy.
“Come on,” I whispered to him as I held out my hand. “We’re off to see the king.”
Stan looked at me blankly but didn’t move, so I sent out a little blast of magic while I envisioned him hopping into my palm. A moment later, Stan clambered to follow my instructions, and once he climbed into my hand, I quickly tucked him into my pocket. I also made a mental note to test my newfound power as soon as we got settled tonight. I needed to figure out how to control my creations as soon as possible if I was going to use them against Camus Dred and the mysterious ‘master.’
Once Stan was safely stowed away in my pocket, I stood up straight and loomed over Bobbie as I summoned up one last tendril of magic. The ground beneath her tires vibrated for a moment before the cobblestones broke apart and then began to climb upward. A minute later, a coffin of stone had encased the whole bike.
“A little overprotective, are we?” Aurora asked as she cocked an eyebrow.
“Can’t be too careful,” I replied with a shrug. Then I reached out and patted the stone egg with a warm smile. “Thank you, girl. You did a fine job getting us here. I’ll be back soon to cl
ean you up, and then we’ll talk about some upgrades.”
“Are you ready to go, or should I leave the two of you alone?” Aurora quipped as she placed a hand on her hip.
“I’m ready,” I chuckled, and then I jerked my head toward Cayla and the waiting soldiers. “Do you think one of them peed their pants when we started her up again?”
The half-elf rolled her eyes, but the edge of her lips twitched upward in a smirk. “I do not think their reactions were that extreme, but I did catch a whiff of paralyzing fear.”
Aurora wrinkled her nose at me, and I snorted to suppress my laughter.
“King Davit awaits us, Defenders Solana and Flynt,” Mayard intoned as we joined him. “I have sent a messenger ahead of us, so both the king and some food will be prepared for your arrival.”
“Then lead the way,” I said with a nod.
Mayard nodded back, and then he spun on his heel and began to march deeper into the city. Aurora and I caught up to Cayla as his soldiers fell in step around us.
“Welcome home, princess,” I whispered to the long-legged maiden beside me.
Cayla glanced at me out of the corner of her eye and flashed a weak smile. “Thank you, Mason. I do not deny I am relieved to be behind my city’s walls again, but my only regret is that you do not meet her in a better light.”
“The sun will rise tomorrow,” I teased as I bumped her elbow. “Don’t worry. I’ll catch Eyton at sunrise one of these days.”
“That is not what I meant,” the princess muttered, and then her eyes darted down the road we walked down.
The decidedly dead and empty road.
The cobblestone street was lined by tall houses, all of them made of both stone and dark wood. The structures were three, sometimes four stories tall, and they seemed to loom over the street as they cast their long, black shadows. Several small fires illuminated the path in front of us, some in the forms of torches mounted to house walls and others in the form of stone basins set at the intersections, the bowls stacked with kindling and set to flame.
But the road was deserted. Completely devoid of life. I glanced at the windows we passed, but all the curtains were drawn and dark.
I frowned and faced forward again.
“How long has the curfew been in effect?” I called out to Mayard a few feet in front of us. I spoke at a normal volume, but my voice echoed and ricocheted down the street.
The redheaded captain glanced over his shoulder but did not pause his stride. “One week. That is also when we shut the gate. Now, people must state their intent and purpose before they are granted entrance to the city.”
“If you shut the gates, then why still enact the curfew?” I asked as my brow furrowed.
“Because we still do not know if some of Dred’s men are hiding within our walls,” Mayard grunted as he turned back around and quickened his pace. “For the peoples’ own good, they must stay in their homes once the sun sets. I do not have enough men to protect all of them.”
“I understand,” I said solemnly, but I couldn’t help glancing at the windows again. I did understand completely where Mayard was coming from, but I could only imagine how hard it must be for the people of Eyton, to not feel safe in their own city, maybe not even in their own homes.
I looked over at Cayla and saw that she had her bottom lip trapped between her teeth, and she was biting down so hard I was afraid she would draw blood. Not caring about the soldiers around us, I reached out, slid my hand into hers, and squeezed.
“Everything will be okay,” I said softly when the princess glanced at me. “We’re here now, and after a night’s rest, we’re going to brainstorm the best ways to start kicking ass.”
Cayla released her lower lip, the skin a bright red, and smiled weakly. “I know, and I am eager to begin that portion of our plan but… I just cannot help but feel that I abandoned my people.”
The princess looked out over the deserted street again, and even in the weak torchlight, I could see the tears glistening on her eyelashes.
I opened my mouth to respond, but Aurora actually beat me to it.
“You did the best thing you could do,” the half-elf said gently, and then she took Cayla’s other hand and flashed the princess a fierce grin. “You came and found us, and now Mason and I will not rest until your kingdom is safe. You have my word.”
The frown began to fade from Cayla’s face, so I sidestepped and knocked my hip against hers.
“Besides,” I added with a cocky smile, “once your people see what I can do first hand, they’ll be throwing flowers at your feet.”
Aurora snorted, but a giggle slipped from Cayla’s lips, and it was like music to my ears.
“Well, I do like flowers,” the princess laughed, and then she squeezed my hand back as she looked deep into my eyes. “Thank you, Mason.”
“I am at your service, my lady,” I declared with an overdramatic bow.
Cayla’s smile widened, but then Mayard cleared his throat in front of us.
“We are almost to the castle gate,” the captain announced, and when he glanced at me over his shoulder, his gaze was narrowed and suspicious.
I made a mental note to tone down the flirting with Cayla, at least in the presence of higher up officials. Especially her father.
“Thank you, Captain,” I replied with a nod, and when I looked over at the women beside me, I saw both of them try to duck their heads and hide their smiles.
We passed the rest of the walk in relative silence, and I took the opportunity to study Eyton a little more closely. Since the town itself was built on a knoll, the entire journey from gate to castle had been uphill. I hadn’t noticed it much as it was mostly a gentle incline, but as we neared the apex, my calves began to burn. The castle loomed before us, an imposing shadow cut out against the darker night sky. A spire rose from its center and pierced the heavens, and the rest of the castle’s architecture seemed similarly angular and sharp. The castle in Serin, home of King Temin, was rounder and more irregularly shaped since it was cut into the mountain. Eyton’s castle looked like it would cut me if I touched it.
When the castle gate rose up in front of us, and Mayard quickened his stride to call up to his men, I chanced a glance over my shoulder, and the air left my lungs in a great whoosh.
Eyton spread out below me, and from this angle, I couldn’t tell that anything was wrong. I couldn’t pick out the barren streets, or the loose cobblestones I had spotted, or the rotting corners of wooden houses. From this height, the city was beautiful and charming under the light of the moon, and the small torch lights looked like fireflies dancing through the darkness.
“Mason, come on,” Aurora muttered as she tugged at my elbow.
I turned back around to find that the Ignis Mage and I were alone. Cayla and the other soldiers had already reached the castle gates.
“Sorry,” I replied with a quick smile. “Just taking it all in.”
“We will have time for that later,” the half-elf said as she pulled at my arm again. “Everyone is waiting on us now.”
“Yes, dear,” I teased, but I followed the blue-haired maiden to the castle all the same.
Once we were inside the castle proper, several more guards joined our parade. They fell easily into line behind us, and I could feel their eyes glued to the back of my neck, especially when Cayla slowed down to join Aurora and me again.
“We are meeting my father in his private banquet hall,” the princess relayed to us, and I would have thought she would be excited at the prospect, but her face had creased in a frown once more.
“Is that a bad thing?” I asked as I tilted my head.
“It is when I am wearing this,” Cayla grumbled as she reached down and tugged at the fabric of her incredibly tight outfit. “Father told me to wear something that no one would recognize me in. He didn’t exactly see what I chose before I departed.”
I winced and took a half step away from the princess to put some proper distance between us. “I’ll keep my hands
to myself and my eyes above chin level. I don’t want your dad to get the wrong idea.”
“The wrong idea?” Cayla echoed as she raised an eyebrow, and then her gaze slid over me slowly and sensually.
“Or the right one,” I corrected with another cringe. “I’d offer you my shirt, but I think we’d only run into a similar problem.”
“Thank you for the offer,” Cayla replied with a sigh, but then she lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. “Well, there is nothing to be done now. My father needs the information we have, so he will simply have to deal with a little impropriety.”
She nodded with finality, but when we arrived at a set of great, mahogany doors, some of that bravado melted off her shoulders. I wanted to reach out and squeeze her hand again, but Mayard didn’t give me the chance as he waved to a pair of guards on either side of the doors, and the pair of them jumped to open the way for us.
We entered a vast room that had to be nearly thirty yards long. Along the far left wall roared a great fire, and the flames cast their orange light and warmth across the rest of the room. Bright tapestries of multiple colors hung on the walls, and there were some end tables pushed into the corners, but there was no other furniture in the hall save a long table that sat in the center and ran the length of the room. My eyes traveled down the dark wooden table until they snagged on a man who sat in the farthest chair to the right, at the head of the table. The man stood as we entered, green robes flashing around him, and I got my first look at the king of Cedis.
I could immediately tell where Cayla got her height and long legs from. King Davit was a tall man, probably a few inches taller than me, but that was where the similarities between him and his daughter ended. The king had long blonde hair plaited in a braid down the middle of his back, I could see it swing as he walked toward us, and when he finally came to a stop several feet away, I saw that his eyes were a light brown, like the color of fine aged whiskey.
Those whiskey eyes went first to his daughter, and I felt Cayla tense beside me, but the king’s face betrayed nothing as his gaze skipped next to Aurora and then finally settled on me.