Assassin of the Heart: Book Two: The Temple Islands Series

by Richard Parker

  “I have M’lord, but she says the Deutzani King will not be swayed. He has sent nearly all his cavalry ahead to clear the Gap,” Gan added, hoping this bad news would not force Mastoc once more over the edge of reason.

  “He would not want to fight his way through that again,” Rye commented. He secretly agreed with Arsinol’s decision but would not dare to say it aloud. It would not take three armies to bring about the fall of Eno, one would be sufficient with time, and two was already overkill. Once the city walls fell it would take only a minimal amount of troops to contain the inner fortress, though completely taking it would be extremely difficult since it could still be supplied by sea. No, it would be better to take and hold the city and box the Toranado Queen within her fortress prison until the Toranado navy could be destroyed.

  “Eno must fall…completely,” Mastoc finally said. “We must not leave an avenue of hope open to the Toranado people as the fool Arsinol did with the Massi.”

  “The fortress will be…” Rye began.

  “The fortress will fall with time and pressure. All fortresses eventually fall,” Mastoc interrupted.

  Mastoc rubbed his head. “Keep after the fool. See if you can persuade him to turn about before he reaches the Scar Gap,” he said to Gan then began walking to the door.

  “If he can’t be persuaded?” Rye asked.

  Mastoc stopped but spoke without turning. “Then let’s hope he can handle himself. I fear that if the Massi Prince once again comes to power, the people of that land will rise stronger than ever. Vengeance and hate are powerful motivators.”

  With that he left the room quickly, eager to join his girl-queen in her bed.

  ǂ

  They ran up on the Plateau toward the east, watching as the sun slowly emerged from beyond the horizon. Both ran at an easy pace, unlike when they were back on Noble, which seemed so long ago. Vio would undoubtedly be miles ahead of them by now. Gwaynn smiled at the thought and wondered about the friends he’d left behind.

  “Arsinol’s coming,” Gwaynn said normally, his breathing still smooth and easy. They had yet to cover even a mile. “He’ll not let Massi break free of his grip.”

  Krys nodded. “We should hear from Tanner in the next few days.”

  They’d sent Captain Tanner, along with nearly five hundred of their best riders to the Gap. If it was free and open, they were to close it and call for reinforcements. Five hundred tough men would be able to hold the Deutzani army in the narrow pass for weeks at least, that is as long as the enemy did not receive help from Cape or from Prince Arden, who was holed up in Solarii. It surprised Gwaynn even now that Arden remained on the finger and had not moved down toward Lynndon. Solarii was of no real military value. It was exposed and very hard to hold against a determined enemy. Why his forbearers ever chosen it as the seat of Massi power was beyond him.

  “You don’t think the Gap will be open do you?” Krys asked as they increased their speed unconsciously.

  Gwaynn shook his head. “No…I think Arsinol will have sent riders ahead to hold the pass. He’d be a fool to have to fight his way through the mountains a second time.”

  They ran in silence for a while, both watching as the red ball of light to the southeast rose and became a brighter orange, then a bright yellow. It was warm today, unseasonably so, and threatening to become hot, but Gwaynn didn’t mind, thinking it much better than fighting and marching in the cold.

  “I want to make a return trip to Eno,” Gwaynn said finally breaking the silence. “Ramona must be encouraged to remain there, hold out as long as possible. If the Toranado fall quickly, I fear all hope for Massi is lost. We cannot stand against the Knights, Palmerrio and the Deutzani.”

  “How long would we stay?” Krys asked as they skirted close to the Scar. He looked down at the river far below, which flowed easily along with them. Not far up ahead on the opposite side of the river was Lonogan’s. Smoke was already rising from the mill, which was working almost constantly now, not only making planks for buildings but also shafts for spears and arrows. Bock and his crew were amazingly organized and efficient; an attribute Gwaynn was coming to prize in the man.

  “Not long,” Gwaynn answered as they passed the mill below. “Only a day. I think I will leave na Gall with…”

  He stopped speaking abruptly, but Krys needed no clue as to why. There was a figure below a little downstream from the mill, moving at the very edge of the water. Without a word they both stopped their run in unison. It was Cyndar Huntley, dressed in nothing but a short nightshirt that barely came to her thighs. She stood perched, one leg on a rock, her hair lose and fluttering about in the weak breeze. The two men watched from above as she bent and cupped water in her hands and then ran it first over her calf then up and over her flawless right thigh. Neither made any move to continue on their way. Both young men just silently watched the woman below.

  “She is a sight,” Krys finally whispered, but got no reaction from Gwaynn. Then suddenly, as if caught in an afterthought, the woman reached up and pulled the nightshirt from her body. Even from a distance her dark nipples stood out starkly against her white skin, as did the black patch of hair below her belly. She stood in the early morning sun for a moment as if gathering her courage, then without further hesitation she moved forward and walked out into the water, which must have been cold but she boldly dove into the deeper section of the river. Her body was still visible in the clear water as she kicked and swam almost leisurely below the surface, then she gracefully arched upward and her face broke free of the water. She rubbed her eyes and shook her head then looked directly up and into Gwaynn’s eyes. His heart skipped a beat at being caught.

  “Oh..” Krys said and stepped back slightly, but Gwaynn remained where he stood. Cyndar smiled up at them then turned and swam back to the far bank. Without pausing she climbed slowly out of the water. She hugged her arms around herself and both men knew her skin was bumping as the cold water evaporated, though they were much too far away to see it. She slipped her shirt back on and without looking back headed in the direction of the mill. It was several moments before the two resumed their run.

  “I don’t suppose we should be telling Samantha about this,” Krys said with a smile.

  “Or Emm,” Gwaynn retorted and chuckled.

  “Their friends…Emm and Cyndar,” Krys added absently. They were running faster now, but neither could have said why.

  “How close?”

  Krys laughed at the suggestion but quickly sobered. “She’s incredible,” he commented as they reached their turn around point. “I can see why Sam’s jealous…hell I’d be jealous.”

  Gwaynn gave him a sideways glance.

  “You know what I mean…maybe you should invite her to Eno,” Krys said, the idea coming to him all at once.

  “Cyndar?”

  “Hell no…I mean Samantha…if you still want to make up with her.”

  Gwaynn toyed with the idea for so long that Krys was afraid he was debating the romantic situation. “I think that’s a great idea...if she will only accept,” he finally answered as they passed the mill once more, both of them looked out and down at the water longingly, but neither made any further comment.

  XIII

  Samantha stood across from Gwaynn, catching his eye briefly before looking away once more. She was still angry with him, but at na Gall’s urging she finally agreed to the trip to Eno. She stubbornly denied the desire to go at first, but deep inside she desperately wished to be included. She wanted to see Eno, a beautiful city on the Inland Sea, but she also wanted to be with Gwaynn. But, as punishment, she tried not to let him know it. Despite her wishes, however, her eyes continued to disobey her will and wander in the Prince’s direction. The eyes of both young people darted about each other like a pair of hummingbirds fighting over a particularly succulent flower. Everyone present was aware of the dance, but no one said anything about it.

  There would only be six of them going this time, Master Sath would be staying behin
d to command the army if anything unexpected happened.

  “I need to keep an eye on things,” the old Weapons Master told them absently.

  Krys would also be Traveling, along with Prince Phillip and his Weapons Master Tabernas.

  As na Gall worked, Gwaynn took one last look at Samantha before closing his eyes and concentrating on the Traveler. After his successful trip during the battle, na Gall was tempted to allow Gwaynn to open the bridge to Eno, but in the end she thought it best to do most of the work herself. Gwaynn, however, did project and move over land with her all the way to the Toranado Capital. That in itself was a very impressive accomplishment, but na Gall took it in stride, she was growing used to impressive accomplishments from her newest student. She moved with him well inside the city walls, and then into the fortress itself before opening the bridge. Gwaynn, who was struggling to hold himself so far from his body, crossed over first and sighed as he rejoined his two halves, shivering with pleasure. The rest of the group followed quickly, Samantha with a bit of apprehension, since she was still not accustomed to Traveling in such a way.

  They were delivered into the midst of chaos.

  The city was alive with activity and it took them several moments to realize it was also flush with panic. Phillip and Tabernas led them quickly to the parapet were Captain Kearse was managing the defense of the city. Soldiers were rushing in and out of the area, some recognizing their Prince, but most passed without even seeing him. Phillip hurried on ahead of the others despite a leg wound he’d taken during the ride from the fire in Manse. During the panic, his horse swung too close to a post, and his right hip was slammed against it and then ripped open by a bent nail. The wound was not life threatening but did require several dozen stitches. Phillip immediately spotted his mother. She was leaning out over the wall and looking to the east of the city.

  “Mother!” he shouted as the others joined him on the balcony.

  Ramona turned with Kearse, both surprised by the new arrivals. Captain Kearse secretly hoped the young Prince had an army with him.

  “Why are you here?” the Queen barked before turning back to stare off in the distance.

  “His ide…” Phillip started, but was interrupted by Kearse who yelled at a runner. “Tell them to fall back to the Fowler. They must hold there. We need time to pull back from the west.

  “What’s happened?” Tabernas asked moving to the edge and looking out over the city, but he could see nothing from this vantage point.

  “The eastern wall is breached,” Kearse said.

  “Already!” Phillip gasped. “How?”

  Kearse shrugged. “We don’t know, but the city cannot hold. It will fall. We need time to allow those on the southern and western walls to pull back or they will be cut off and butchered.”

  “Where?” Tabernas asked.

  “Fowler’s creek. I’m sending up the reserves. We have to hold the four bridges there for…at least an hour to allow the rest to reach the docks or the fortress.”

  Tabernas immediately turned to Gwaynn and Krys. “Will you fight for us?” he asked intensely.

  “Lead the way,” Gwaynn said without hesitation, then he turned to Samantha and looked directly into her eyes; something he’d been unable to do until now.

  “Stay with na Gall and the Queen,” he said but she just set her jaw and adjusted her bow on her shoulder.

  “Not likely,” she answered, ready to go whether he approved or not. She waited for an angry retort but instead he surprised her by stepping forward and planting a hot long kiss directly on her mouth. He held her and the kiss for a long time before he felt her soften against him, then he pulled back and opened his eyes.

  “I’d not go to battle with you angry with me,” he whispered, mouth still within an inch of hers.

  “Well done then,” she whispered back, a little breathlessly.

  “It’s good to see you are not all about war,” Ramona said to Gwaynn with a wry smile, as the two young lovers broke reluctantly away from each other.

  Gwaynn smiled at the Queen then turned to Tabernas. “Let’s go.”

  The Toranado Weapons Master turned to his own Prince. “We go to the Hobble Bridge,” he said and the five of them took off at a run. Phillip made to follow but Ramona stopped her only son.

  “You’re hurt?” she asked finally noticing his limp, her face contorted with worry.

  “I’m alright.”

  “Kali wound?”

  Phillip smiled at her. “Nail,” he answered with a laugh and then moved off after the others. When he was gone, Ramona turned to Kearse.

  “I want a dozen of your best around him,” she said and Kearse nodded then left to see her will carried out.

  Gwaynn and Sam ran side by side after Krys and Tabernas. The Weapons Masters set a quick pace and collected men on the way, like a magnet over steel filings. By the time they reached the western bank of Fowler’s creek they had nearly two hundred soldiers and archers following behind.

  The creek did not run through the center of the walled city but instead separated only the eastern most third from the rest. No less than eight bridges crossed it, two on the extreme southern end, and four near the heart of the city and another two up north near the dock works. Tabernas led them toward the four bridges near the center of the city, guiding them along the winding roads and to a slightly elevated market place from where three of the four bridges were visible. The fighting had already started for control of the creek, though presently the Toranado soldiers seemed to be holding both sides of the bridges that were in sight. Gwaynn immediately noticed that Toranado archers were placed along the tops of the nearby buildings as well as along a fence line just west of the bank.

  “Sir,” a large man with long gray hair said and stepped forward to offer his hand. Tabernas took it with a grim smile.

  “Captain Hullar, what’s the present situation?” Tabernas asked, his voice high pitched, betraying his excitement.

  Hullar took a brief second to size up Krys, Gwaynn and Samantha. His eyes skimmed over the two young men. His expression told them that though he was not impressed, they were welcome, but when his eyes landed on the bow the girl was sporting, they lit up.

  “Can you use that?” he asked Samantha bluntly.

  She smiled. “Well enough.”

  “This is Prince Gwaynn Massi, his Weapons Master Logan and the Prince’s…friend,” Tabernas added. Hullar’s eyes widened slightly then he bowed.

  “We currently hold both sides of all the center bridges, of those to the north or south, I do not know.”

  “We have to hold as long as possible…at least an hour,” Tabernas instructed.

  “An hour!” Hullar’s eyes grew larger. “We need more men, already the bastards are pushing us and more arrive every minute.”

  “Fire the bridges,” Gwaynn spoke up, learning from the Deutzani.

  Hullar glared at him. “We have men on the far side.”

  Gwaynn nodded back. “I’ll soon be one of them. Fire the bridges, the creek will be easier to hold once they’re down.”

  Hullar looked to Tabernas, who took a moment to assess the situation. Prince Phillip rounded a corner and limped toward them, a few dozen more soldiers in his wake.

  “M’lord,” Hullar said with a far lower bow than the one he bestowed on Tabernas. “Should we fire the bridges?”

  Phillip looked immediately to Gwaynn and smiled. “Immediately,” he said to Hullar’s surprise.

  “Join the archers,” Gwaynn said speaking softly and touching Samantha’s arm, surprised that he did not feel the nervous excitement as powerfully as when the battle plan rested on his shoulders alone. He was relieved when Samantha did not argue.

  She gave him one last look and then moved off toward the fencerow near the bank and close to the heaviest fighting.

  Gwaynn then turned to Tabernas but he was already by his side and waiting. They took off at a run, with Krys alongside, all of them oblivious to the fact that Phillip would no
t be able to follow at that speed. It mattered little, for the Toranado Prince took the rest of the men toward the center bridge to the south and grouped them with the others guarding the western bank.

  Gwaynn and the others struggled to make their way across one of the center footbridges, which was packed with soldiers going both directions. Those moving to the fortress side of the creek did so with a degree of calm, though most jostled their way past with little regard for the wounded also heading to the relative safety of the western bank.

  When they finally managed to reach the far side of the bridge and into the melee, Gwaynn and Tabernas broke for an opening to the south, while Krys went to the north. The effect of having two Weapons Masters plus Gwaynn join the fighting was dramatic. The Palmerrio were thus far without the support of archers, which was a great detriment to them but a blessing for the Toranado foot soldiers, especially since the Toranado bowmen were already entrenched on the battlefield. It also left Gwaynn, Krys and Tabernas free to move about without the worry of being arrow shot.

  Gwaynn fought as he always fought, loosely without thought of injury or death, and with the skill of someone who’d studied under a legend. Tabernas, who was a very skilled swordsman, fought hard but sometimes struggled to down a particularly talented opponent. But he was keenly aware of the Massi Prince killing men at an astounding rate. They fell about him like leaves in fall and because of their combined skill, the closest Palmerrio soldiers were soon scrambling to avoid the area. There were brief moments when Tabernas was free enough to observe Gwaynn as he fought and killed those foolish enough to challenge him. The Toranado Weapons Master watched in awe. All men who are confident in their own skill feel a profound shock when they’re confronted with another’s ability which so completely outmatches their own. To a skilled, confident man, such a thing is not only impossible, it is unthinkable, at least until the knowledge is forced upon them and then it’s a complete rape of their worldview. Tabernas experienced such a change while watching Gwaynn. The Toranado Weapons Master fancied himself an exceptional swordsman, perhaps one of the ten best in all of the Inland Sea, but now he realized, while he may be good, he was very far from the best in the land. It was a daunting experience to go through in the middle of a battle.