A Crumble of Walls (The Kin of Kings Book 4)

by B. T. Narro

  “That’s a very different question than how many there were,” Henry replied. “I could’ve seen a hundred or a thousand, and Terren would still be right. We’re not going after them.” After staring at a confused Abith for a moment, Henry continued. “I didn’t see many, but the night is dark. There’s no way to tell how many wait for us to be lured into a trap.”

  Abith veered back to his group of older troops, who mostly had a nervous look about them.

  Basen wanted to ask his father if he had any experiences with such traps during the many battles at Trentyre, but he was still waiting for Henry to answer his first question.

  “Let’s speak later,” Henry told him. “Tomorrow, I will find you.”

  “All right.”

  Fatigue caught up with Basen as he neared the Academy and saw the two gaping holes in the southern wall. While the excitement of speaking with his father buoyed his spirit, Basen was frustrated they’d shared precious few words in the hours since their reunion.

  He held his cloak closed as he walked around the students, instructors, and all the troops from Tenred and Trentyre. He looked for Alabell among their vast army, all the time wondering how many more troops composed Tauwin’s. Basen didn’t know why he was reluctant to go back to his student home, where his warm bed awaited, but he wasn’t the only one. Everyone paced around aimlessly as if awaiting the next order.

  None came, and eventually Basen caught sight of Effie and Cleve walking away from the wall. He started after them in hopes of talking. It seemed like the only way to get his mind to a better place before attempting to sleep again. But as he walked past his father speaking with Terren and Abith about the broken wall, Basen paused to eavesdrop.

  “We have plenty we can put to work.” Abith’s voice sounded more impatient each time Basen heard him speak, as if he’d become tired of his opinion being ignored. “Get the stonemasons to teach them what to do, and the wall should be rebuilt stronger and higher in the next few days.”

  Basen had seen Abith with other young mages back in Tenred, often looking bored as he waited for them to complete whatever challenge he’d given them. Basen was fortunate he learned quickly, as Abith often told him it was a relief to teach someone with actual talent.

  “Sounds like you want to take control of this,” Terren said. “So have at it. Do whatever you need to get the wall rebuilt in the next few days.”

  “That’s not what I was saying,” Abith argued, but Terren and Henry had walked off.

  Basen quickly turned toward Effie and Cleve and pretended he hadn’t overheard anything. A bristled Abith was not a man Basen knew how to deal with.

  “Basen,” Abith called after him. “Come here.”

  He sighed and marched over.

  “I wanted to tell you that you fought well in the Fjallejon Mountains, but you disappeared before I had the chance.” He smirked.

  Basen was too surprised to speak. Abith only gave compliments when he was in a good mood, which he clearly wasn’t now.

  “If I’d known you had that kind of potential with a sword,” Abith continued, “I would’ve incorporated it into our lessons.”

  “And who taught you to sword fight?”

  “The same person who taught me how to manipulate energy.”

  “Yourself?”

  Abith chuckled. “God’s mercy, no. My father. It’s a shame he died before I was skilled enough to be a real challenge to him. He’s the only man who could’ve beaten me in a duel while I was at my best.” He surprised Basen by putting a hand on his shoulder. “Keep training with both sword and wand. Perhaps one day you’ll be an equal challenge. If not, I at least have a plan for your talent.”

  He was glad when Abith took his hand off and walked away. Basen wasn’t exactly scared of Abith, but there was something about his former instructor that made him nervous.

  He hurried off in the same direction Cleve and Effie had gone. Soon he caught up enough to see them stopped behind a student house and pointing at something on the wall. They didn’t seem to hear him come up on them.

  *****

  Cleve’s breaths were still sharp from the adrenaline of battle. Effie had taken him away from the wall to speak with him privately. He was worrying about the conversation to come when he realized she was leading him toward Alex’s house.

  “Look,” she said as she pointed to the back of the house where someone had carved “We miss you, Alex” into the wood.

  “Did you do this?” Cleve asked.

  “No, and that’s the point. We’re not the only ones who hurt because of what Sanya did.”

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  Effie gave him a cold look from the sides of her eyes. “You’ve already closed off your emotions. Don’t, Cleve. You must remember how that turned out when you did the same after your mother and father died.”

  He gritted his teeth. “Don’t tell me how to—”

  “I’m sorry,” she interrupted, then gave a long sigh as she shook her head. “I know I shouldn’t tell you how to feel. I just don’t know how else to explain this to you.”

  “There’s nothing to explain. Everyone who knew Alex misses him.” Cleve gestured at the carving. “I didn’t need to see this to know that.”

  “I didn’t bring you here to speak to you about Alex. I need to know something else.”

  “What?”

  “Why didn’t you do it? Why didn’t you…kill her?”

  Cleve could easily summon the image of Sanya bloody and dying. He often thought of it when trying to sleep, but it never brought him the comfort he sought.

  “Is it only because Reela told you not to?” Effie asked quietly. “I need to know.”

  “Why?”

  “Come on, Cleve. Tell me. Please.”

  “Are you looking for someone to blame for Sanya still being alive?”

  Effie looked down. “Reela told me what happened, and I don’t agree with her.” The mage gazed up into Cleve’s eyes. “I want to know what you plan to do the next time we see her.”

  Cleve couldn’t believe he was about to tell this to Effie. “Killing her won’t accomplish anything, except it will keep her from assisting our side in this war.”

  Effie’s mouth twisted in disappointment. “Why do you still defend Reela even though you two aren’t…?”

  “Aren’t what? What did she tell you?”

  “She didn’t tell me anything, Cleve, but I’m not stupid. I can see what’s going on between you. And what isn’t.”

  The two women told each other everything. Reela had to have said something, even if Effie could figure it out on her own.

  Someone behind them cleared his throat. Cleve turned to find Basen standing close enough to have overheard.

  “Sorry,” Basen said, wearing a guilty look. “I should’ve left or said something earlier, but…I couldn’t.”

  “I’m going to the medical building to visit my sister,” Effie announced, then left without waiting to see if anyone wished to go with her.

  “Is Gabby all right?” Basen asked Cleve.

  “Yes. She’s not hurt, just a chemist helping the injured there.”

  Cleve crossed his arms for warmth as an awkward moment of silence passed.

  “Do you know how many casualties we took?”

  “None were killed,” Cleve said. “And most of the injured came from our group.”

  There was another pause before Cleve asked, “Why did you follow us here?”

  “I apologize for that. I suppose I wanted a moment with friends before retiring to my room for the night.”

  Cleve knew he should force a smile and say something supportive, but it seemed easier to fight another battle than that.

  “Good night, Basen,” he said with a nod.

  Cleve traveled home slowly, not wanting to see Reela. Every time he missed Alex, his thoughts turned to Sanya for a moment of anger before eventually shifting to Reela. It was Reela who made him worry the most, because his strife with Sanya
would end once she was put down like the savage animal she was. With Reela, however, he saw no way to recapture what they’d lost.

  He wondered what Sanya had done to put her mother and Alex to rest somewhere within that black hallway in the castle depths. Cleve got the sense that Sanya had barely escaped with her life, and he wouldn’t have fared any better.

  He was glad he hadn’t killed Sanya while she was weak, for he didn’t want her murder on his conscience. Capturing her would’ve been a good start toward justice, but Reela was right that Kyrro’s Allies would’ve torn her apart as soon as Cleve got her out of the castle.

  None of this changed the fact that he still wanted to see her punished for her crimes. It wasn’t enough that her terrible choices had led her to misery. Repentance wasn’t justice for murder.

  However, Reela did have a point that Sanya has been helping their side in this war. Truly the only reason I didn’t go against Reela and kill Sanya.

  Eventually Cleve arrived back at his student home. He walked down the hallway to find Reela standing in the doorway of the room they’d been sharing. He knew what she wanted.

  “Have you been waiting long?” he asked.

  “Yes, but it’s fine.”

  It didn’t sound fine by the tone of her voice. Not wanting to risk brushing against her, Cleve waited until she stepped aside to enter the room. He could move everything out of here in a minute, as all he had were a heavy weapons chest and clothing.

  He was too tired to lift the chest and dragged it into the hallway instead. As he got to the door of his old room, however, Micklin opened it from the other side.

  “I heard you fought with Hiller’s men!” the boy gushed. “Oh, do you need this room? I could share.”

  Cleve grumbled. “Why’d you come here?”

  The boy’s face fell. “I wanted to stay in your house. I finally got a chance to ask Terren after the battle and he said there was an open room here. I hope that’s all right. Can you tell me what happened when you went past the wall? Did you kill anyone?”

  Cleve grumbled again. He was too exhausted for this. He walked around to the other side of his weapons chest and pushed it toward Effie’s room. She could share a bed with Reela tonight and move her belongings into Reela’s room tomorrow.

  “Don’t mind him,” Reela told Micklin. “He’s just tired. You should get to sleep because it’ll be a busy day for you tomorrow.”

  “You don’t have to mother me,” he told Reela somewhat coldly, to Cleve’s surprise, then shut the door. Perhaps Cleve’s lack of a response had angered him.

  Had Reela heard something about Terren’s plan for civilians like Micklin who were unable to fight? Cleve hadn’t seen anyone Micklin’s age yet, but there had to be more orphaned by the war. Unless they went back with Stanmar last night.

  “What do you mean it’ll be a busy day for him?” Cleve asked her.

  “I don’t know what he’s going to do,” Reela whispered, “but I’m sure he’ll have a job like everyone else.”

  A job, not sword fighting. Good. Cleve didn’t have time to worry about Micklin. He needed to keep a close eye on Abith’s men during the next battle.

  “Good night,” he muttered to Reela.

  “Cleve, wait.” She backed into her room and gestured for him to follow.

  His pulse quickened. He missed touching her and realized this now with such ferocity that he momentarily forgot why they were fighting.

  She pointed at the bed. He yearned to see the look of love in her eyes, craving it more than sleep and food.

  But she gave him the dead-eyed stare he’d grown to hate.

  “You forgot your pillow.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Basen’s first morning back at the Academy started off as delightful as he’d anticipated it would be during his time away. Breakfast hours had been extended to give everyone ample time to sleep, and he’d rested well after the short battle. It was a new day, the air fresh and the sun bright in the cloudless sky.

  Basen was determined to come up with a solid plan for Fatholl today, no matter if he missed battle training. He’d promised to return to the Elf in a week and had only a few days left. He wasn’t about to go without knowing what to expect. Fortunately, he had Annah walking with him to the dining hall. She probably knew more about Krepps and Elves than he could hope to learn in a day.

  She appeared not to have slept as well as him, her blue eyes red and swollen as she continued to glance south as if expecting Tauwin’s army to come rushing through the broken wall at any moment.

  “They’ll be back soon,” she said. “If you leave, you won’t be here to help us defend the Academy.”

  Last night, she’d begged to know every detail of the battle with the catapult, and he’d made the mistake of telling her that he and Cleve had managed to catch it on fire. Now she had the impression the Academy would lose the next battle if he left to fulfill his promise to Fatholl.

  It was sad to see someone as smart and powerful as Annah so easily frightened. He figured it had to do with the years she’d spent fixing her fear with psyche instead of learning to accept it for the harmless feeling it was.

  “I overheard Terren speaking with Abith and my father,” Basen said, “right after Stanmar recruited our people and left. Terren believes Stanmar will come back today and attempt to recruit more. It means battle won’t happen for a while, especially considering that their only catapult is now a pile of ash outside the southern wall.”

  “Terren doesn’t know any of that for certain. They could have more catapults.”

  “Annah, I’ll only be gone a couple of days. I don’t want to go, but we can’t have the Elves siding against us.” Or sending someone to kill me. “They did give us the Krepps in armor, after all. Even though the Krepps have been nothing but trouble so far, I’m sure they will be worth the effort in the end. Now I need your help to figure out what Fatholl will make me do. It must be a portal he wants, but for what purpose?”

  “I don’t know. I can’t think right now.” She let her head hang. “I didn’t sleep well last night.”

  Basen held back a grumble. He decided to wait until she’d put food in her stomach before pressing her again.

  After she took a few bites of hot, generously buttered bread and grinned, he figured the time was right. “If you remember, I was also able to make a portal at the center of the village in Merejic, not just in Fatholl’s quarters.”

  It was from there that he’d transported hundreds of Krepps into the kitchen of Tenred castle while the Elves watched. Now, he wanted to teleport back to the village at night, when he might have a chance to skulk around before Fatholl knew he’d arrived.

  “In order to create a portal there, energy had to have been gathered in that area many times before. It was Fatholl who brought me to that spot after I explained the requirements of a portal. He must’ve known something else happened there, probably more than just a repetitive use of psyche. Do you know what it was?”

  “It’s likely to be where Doe and Haemon stood while destroying the Elves and their village. Though, Doe and Haemon weren’t standing, I suppose. They slithered. You do know what they were, right?”

  “I haven’t been living in a cave.” Of course Basen had heard of the two monstrous Slugari who had gone against their own kind with an army of Kreppen supporters. What he hadn’t heard, however, was that they’d helped destroy the Elven village, causing the Elves to flee to Merejic. He told this to Annah.

  “So you don’t know about Vithos,” she said. It wasn’t a question.

  “I know he’s Reela’s half-brother.”

  “About his past.”

  “He grew up with the Krepps. What does he have to do with Fatholl?”

  “Did you ever think about why he grew up with Krepps?”

  “I figured they found or took him when he was young—oh, he was in the village when Doe and Haemon attacked with the Krepps.”

  “Exactly. His history is what you’re really
asking me about. There was a battle there when he was a baby. It must be why you can make a portal in the center of the village and why Fatholl knew the spot. His ancestors are the Elves who escaped.”

  One thing was now clear to Basen. The Elves and Krepps shouldn’t be getting along as well as it seemed. Perhaps Fatholl wanted to use Basen to get rid of the lizard creatures.

  “Do you know if Yeso was with the Elves who attacked us last night?” Annah asked. “He looks similar to Fatholl, from what I’ve gathered.”

  No doubt Annah had socialized with the citizens from Oakshen and the capital who’d fled to the Academy. Basen could easily imagine her questioning everyone she came in contact with, pumping them for information about their enemies. He appreciated her efforts but wished she knew how to relax. She seemed more tense each time they spoke.

  “I didn’t get a good look at any of them,” he told her. “I assume Yeso is the one who led the Elves here from Greenedge?”

  “Actually, I believe a Takary named Ulric is the one who led the new army here from Greenedge. But it’s Yeso who commands the Elves, at least that’s what I’m told. They might be here for other reasons than fighting, however. If you’re searching for something to use against Fatholl, you might want to find out more about them. Ask Cleve or Reela. They went to Greenedge after the war, you know.” She took a few quick bites of food. “Are you going now? I could come with you.”

  Basen leaned back in his chair, making an effort to relax. “Thank you, Annah, but I plan to finish my breakfast first. Then I’ll find Cleve.” Basen knew him better than the half-Elven psychic and also knew where Cleve was most likely to be.

  By the time Basen had cleaned the last morsel from his plate, it was time for battle training, meaning Annah couldn’t go with him. Before they separated, she made him promise to come to her with his plan before he left. He agreed, especially considering that his rudimentary plot involved her.

  He wasn’t sure if the new recruits would be joining the Academy’s soldiers in training yet, or if at all. He would find out later. Annah went to join her fellow psychics while he made his way to Warrior’s Field.