War of the Wilted

by Amber Mitchell

The worst thing I can become is the same as the man that made me a Flower in the first place. I can’t afford to forget that every life is precious.

  I look up and see Clover wiping off her daggers on one of the dead soldiers’ robes. Marin leads the twins toward our newly claimed tower.

  She puts her stunner back at her side. “Well done! That went much smoother than I expected.”

  Calla grits her teeth, an arrow sticking clean out of her right thigh. “I was hoping it would be a little better.”

  “I’ll get you fixed up in no time,” Lily says.

  Lily helps her sister lean against the wall and grips the bloodied arrowhead, preparing to rip it out. Seeing Calla’s wound reminds me of Rayce and my heart squeezes in my chest. Is he okay? With this thought, the distant whirl of a struggle rings out in the air. No one moves. Maybe I imagined it? But Marin catches my gaze, her face echoing back my own confusion. We both run for the inner wall, peering over Imperial City.

  From the south side of the city, the Dongzhi district presses right up against the large outer wall. The Changhe River cuts through the buildings, a ribbon of blue threaded together by red bridges like stitches in the land itself. The poorer district spreads out closest to us, their single-roofed brown houses sprouting out of the green earth like giant squat stones from this angle. These structures quickly give way to the triple or quadruple arch-roofed blue and red houses of the wealthy and the four narrow temples jutting out like pillars holding up the bright blue sky in the distance. The Imperial Palace rises above every other building in the middle of the wealthy temple districts, a bold dark blue gate wrapping around it.

  I pick through the districts near us, knowing Rayce and the other rebels went through the Dongzhi gates. Flashes of silver catch my eye like a beacon in the far distance, and I’d be willing to bet they’re from the Sun soldiers’ armor.

  Marin turns to face me. “It looks like the fighting has started. We need to get this gate open quick.”

  “I was just thinking the same thing.” I start to look around, trying to keep the panic from rising in my stomach. “Do you see anything to raise it?”

  “I haven’t had a chance to look.” She moves away from the edge, diving deeper into the tower. “But we’ll find it.”

  A muffled scream pulls my attention back to the wall. My gaze falls to Lily with a wooden arrow shaft in her blood-soaked hand and Calla sitting next to her, biting down on her sleeve.

  “I’m sorry,” I say. “We’ll get you off of here as soon as we can.”

  Lily nods as Clover pulls out some bandage from her pocket.

  While they focus on patching up Calla, I walk east toward the large gate we’re trying to open to check for any other guards, but I only see a few posted on the other side of the wall. Clearly the emperor trusts his precious gate to keep out the intruders. It’s a mistake he’s about to regret.

  I look out at the plains that frame this side of the wall. Tucked in by the tree line is a large gathering of men, at least a couple hundred walking among tents. Their shiny copper helmets gleam like they’re waving at me, biding time for the gates to be swung wide. A sea of dark red among the green grass like a serpent lying in wait. I just hope they have the venom the rebellion will need to win this fight.

  Hang on a moment longer, Rayce. Reinforcements are almost there.

  “It’s over here,” Marin calls out.

  I spin on my heel, running toward her, and see her clutching a peg on a large wooden contraption like a wagon wheel with a spike embedded in the middle. A thick set of chains, the links nearly the size of my forearm, is suspended from the lever, attached to one of the large doors. Forcing the gate open is going to take all of our effort and even then, I’m not confident our combined strength will win out.

  “We’re going to have to all do this together,” I say, adjusting my grip on one of the handles.

  Clover walks silently up to my side, reaching up for another peg, and Marin stands a little behind her, reaching for the highest one.

  “On three,” I say.

  I sound out the count and we begin to push. My arms shake as I throw all of my weight into pushing forward, my muscles straining against my skin. Beside me, Marin’s face twists in determination. It feels as immobile as the wall we stand on. For a heart-wrenching second, nothing happens.

  Rayce down in the middle of a city, encouraging the rebellion to keep fighting, knee deep in the blood of a war he cannot win without our help flashes through my mind. We’re in the capital. They have to be outnumbered four to one. If we don’t succeed, he could die today. He could already be dead. This fleeting thought forces me beyond my limits, until it feels like my shoulder will snap back from the pressure. The wheel squeaks out its protest, but begins to move slowly. Beneath our feet, the floor quakes as the gate we’re standing underneath pulls upward.

  Once we get the momentum going, the wheel spins with less effort, but beads of sweat pop up on my forehead, dripping down my face. Lily runs over to the south side of the wall, looking out toward the plains and our Varshan reinforcements.

  “They see the gate opening and the army is running for it!” Lily shouts, jumping up and down excitedly.

  Her confirmation gives us the strength we need to push through. I breathe in through my nostrils, the muscles in my arms straining, until finally we hear the sound of the gate locking into place. At that blessed sound, I release the crank, taking greedy gulps of air before running to the north side in time to see the first flash of copper reach the gate. Elation flows through me.

  The Varshan army pours into the city, a tidal wave of red bent on helping the rebellion win the day. My sisters and I cheer them on from the top of the giant wall, our portion of the mission complete. Marin hugs me tightly and we lean on each other, sharing in our joy.

  The rebellion is going to succeed and Rayce will finally take his place on the throne as the emperor of Delmar, bringing with him all the knowledge and lessons Oren imparted. There will finally be peace. I touch the parchment secured to my necklace and hear it crinkle under my fingertips.

  This new world on the brink of existence is all I can think about as I watch the soldiers run through the streets like ants, pulling off their red clothes and copper helmets, throwing them down in favor of blue-and-silver armor underneath.

  My knees nearly give out as I watch them all change before my eyes. What were once Varshans morph into Delmarion Sun soldiers. What should have been allies turn quickly into enemies. And what should have been the day Rayce ascends to the throne fades into dust.

  Fear tramples my chest, knocks the wind from my lungs. Those weren’t Varshans at all. Those were Delmarions in disguise. That crate of Varshan armor tucked into a guard tower on the Blue Tower…it was for a trap, one that we rushed into headfirst.

  This isn’t the day the rebellion wins. This is the day they fall. If I don’t find a way to warn them, everything we worked for will shatter at our feet. The Gardener’s face comes unbidden in my mind. He told us about Fa, arranged for us to meet him and told us about the secret gate. Everything he’s done has been for this moment.

  Rayce was right about one thing: this is the day the war will end, but it won’t result in our victory. No. I won’t let this happen. I have to save them. I have to save Rayce before it is too late and we lose everything he’s strived to build.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “It was a trap!” My voice comes out strangled, almost lost to the wind that rips past the wall this high up. “We have to warn Rayce so the rebellion can get out of the city! If we don’t, the soldiers we just let in will box the rebellion in on the other side and cut off an escape route.”

  We can see the struggle just across the Changhe, but it might as well be all the way back at the base for as fast as the fake Varshan army races through the city. My heart seizes in my chest and all I can picture is Rayce getting stabbed by his uncle, my hands sticky trying to keep his blood inside him. This can’t be happening. My world ca
n’t crumble this fast.

  “What? My brother could be down there!” Marin races over to the edge, her gaze following my own. “No! That can’t be possible…Arlo.” She turns quickly to me. “We have to warn them! Now.”

  “We need to get off this wall if we’re going to have a chance,” Lily says.

  “Then go.” Calla grits her teeth, pressing her back into the stone to help herself up. “I’ll stay behind. I’ll only slow you down right now with my injury.”

  A white bandage peeks out of the large hole her sister ripped in her pant leg so that she could treat the wound. She won’t be getting anywhere fast on a hurt leg. I push the stray hair from my face, trying to figure something out. Right now, speed is of the essence. My elbow hits the grappler gun in its holster, giving me an idea, but it’s one only I can carry out.

  I turn to Lily. “Can you and Clover get your sister to the tower we just cleared and down those stairs?”

  “I don’t see why not,” Lily says. “The stairs will take a little while, but right now it’s our only option.”

  I nod, unhooking the grappler from my side while I pick through the houses nearer to the wall for a good perch. A two-roofed brown building catches my eye, far enough to make a decent slant for the wire. It doesn’t solve what I’m going to use to protect my hands on the ride down, though.

  Spinning on my heel, I head toward one of the downed soldiers. “Marin, you go with them in case they run into trouble.”

  Grabbing my sword, I cut off a large chunk of the leather armor, hoping a few strips of that with the reinforced metal chips will be enough to hold me the entire way down. A hand on mine stays my blade, and I look up to see Marin hovering over me.

  “I know that look,” Marin says. “It’s the same one you get before you attack me in some reckless way while we’re sparring. Whatever you’re up to, I’m coming with you. I have to protect you and I need to see if my brother was with them or captured.”

  Instead of looking at her, I begin to cut several strips of leather from the soldier’s uniform as evenly as my sword will allow. “You can’t. Unless you don’t mind potentially falling from a high distance.” I give a bitter chuckle. “I need you to go with the others and protect them in case they run into trouble. If you really want to help me, I could use two grapplers to make my journey swifter.”

  She doesn’t let go of my sleeve. “You better promise to teach me how to do all of that when we’re safe back at base, okay?”

  I nod, trying to erase fear from my eyes. She can’t see the way my hands shake, the terror I feel at facing a fight without them. But at least if they’re busy trying to get off the wall, they won’t be caught in between both armies. They’ll be safe.

  “That’s a promise.”

  As I stand up, she pulls me to her, wrapping me in a hug. Her arms are warm and comforting. “One we’re both going to keep.”

  Her message is clear in the way she holds onto my shoulders like it might be the last time. I hug her back tightly, getting a face full of her curly hair.

  Don’t worry, Marin, I don’t plan on dying today. I won’t let anyone from the rebellion die.

  She releases me after a second, detaching her grappler. Clover echoes her movement and they both hand them to me. I tuck the pair into my holster, feeling their bulk add weight to my frame.

  “We’ll take care of each other,” Calla says, her arm wrapped around her sister’s shoulder. She looks down at the stone ground. “But we couldn’t have done any of this without you. I know I’ve been difficult lately, but you really have done a good job of keeping us all safe. Even if I don’t always say it, you’re a good leader, Rose.”

  Clover nods, putting herself under Calla’s other arm.

  “No, I’m not.” I busy myself by stacking the leather strips. “I didn’t do anything.”

  Lily frowns. “You did, though, Rose. All of this was your plan. You’ve been leading us from the beginning and you’ve always done your best to watch out for us. That’s the mark of a good leader.”

  “I’d follow you anywhere.” Marin grabs Calla’s stunner and checks the Zarenite in the handle. “I’ve always had faith in you. I just wish you had faith in yourself.”

  My breath catches, hearing them all speak words I didn’t even realize I needed to hear until they are out there. Could what they said really be true? My vision growing blurry, I study each of their faces, the ones that kept me going even in the darkest of nights when we were parted. It has always been their strength that pushed me past what I thought I was capable of. If they believe in me, if even Calla can, then I have to be able to believe in myself.

  The grim line of my mouth twitches into a smile. “Thank you. You have no idea what that means to me.”

  “You’re welcome,” Marin says. “Don’t worry about us. We can handle ourselves. Just be cautious out there, and if you see my brother, please tell him to find me.”

  I meet her gaze. “Of course. I’ll let him know.” I head back toward the wall overlooking the city. “I might need your help securing the grappler to the wall once I shoot it.”

  Marin nods, walking beside me. Slinging the strips around my neck, I pull out my grappler, holding it steady in between both of my hands. I take aim at the wall just underneath the roof and fire, listening to the whirl of the wire rocketing for the building. The tip embeds in the wood and I pull back, making sure it holds. Marin helps me tie my end to one of the large columns, yanking it as tight as we can make it so the wire stays taut.

  She gives my hand a final squeeze, her eyes daring me not to keep my promise, and turns on her heel, running after the Flowers who have already started for the tower. I turn back to my task, feeling the weight of being alone settle back around me. At one time, it was a feeling I’d welcome, but I’m not that same person any longer.

  Rayce taught me that you can rely on other people, that it isn’t a weakness to trust in others, but a strength. However, the Gardener has taken advantage of Rayce’s kindness, knew exactly which strings to tug, and because of that, Rayce’s life and everything he and Oren worked for now hangs in the balance.

  Sliding the strips from my neck, I loop them over the wire line the grappler made and allow myself a glance down. From my vantage point, a wooden cart leaning against the wall looks tiny. A fall half this high would easily kill me. Even with my years of training, a tendril of fear curls in my gut, sparking to life something I haven’t felt in a long time: danger.

  But I don’t have time to dwell on it. Slipping through the slit in the wall, the cool breeze caresses my face, throwing the hem of my tunic behind me. My stomach churns while I carefully loop the leather over the wire and grip the ends, causing my knuckles to turn white.

  Rayce’s face comes unbidden into my mind as I consider what I’m going to do, the way his hands run over my skin like I’m something precious, how his lips can bring me back to life. His whispered words from the night before brush over me as sweet as the heat of his embrace. It should have been me saying that to him. I should’ve gone after him. Now, I might never get the chance.

  Fear grips me, spurring me forward. Taking a deep breath, I force myself to push off the ledge. Air reaches out to grab me, my feet instinctively searching for something to wrap onto, but there is no long strip of fabric for me to take comfort in. The leather snaps to a point underneath my weight, shooting me down the thin wire as fast as a green stunner bolt. The ground looks hard and firm below me, all too eager to catch me should I fall.

  Though the wind whips through my ears, the sizzle of leather rubbing lightning fast against the wire fights for dominance. Glancing up, my heart leaps seeing the first layer of leather already burned through and a tiny trail of smoke behind me. I grit my teeth, trying to stay focused on my target even though I’m still only halfway to my mark.

  Please, Oren, whoever is listening, just get me through. Let me make this. Let me save him. Whatever else comes, we can face it together, but for now, don’t let me be too late
.

  I want only for myself at the moment, everything else too big and too scary to even consider. The need to feel Rayce’s breath hot against my skin, to know he will be there to pick me up if I stumble, to always watch my back, sends me almost into a panic. The second leather strap chews through, dropping me lower. But I only have a little farther to go.

  I ready myself to drop onto the lower of the two roofs, looking down at my own feet, knowing I’ll only have a second to get this right. There’s no time for hesitation.

  The roof comes into my view and I let go, the two frayed pieces of leather fluttering to the ground. Sharp pain ripples through my legs as I land, tucking into a roll that pushes me up to the wall of the building. My breathing races to catch up with the pounding in my head, but I don’t dare stop. Running forward, I grab one of the grappling hooks and jump over the alleyway below, onto the ledge of the next house, my back foot barely catching the edge of the roof.

  I survey the low houses I have to work with. Luckily, because this is the poor part of town, they’re all stacked close together, leaning on each other for warmth. I vaguely recall one of Oren’s books detailing the need for building close so they could fit as many people inside the Imperial walls as possible for protection. Right now, I thank whichever distant emperor allowed this and pick my way like a flea from rooftop to rooftop. My legs and feet stretch with the familiar movement like waking after a long rest.

  My brain calculates the easiest pathway through the city, lighting up my way for me like Zarenite veins in stone.

  I’m already so far behind. The Sun soldiers have at least a seven-minute head start on me and the advantage of knowing the city layout. But they have to move around buildings and there are a lot of them, making them slower. There’s nothing to slow me down, especially once my mind begins to carve a path across the rooftops.

  A strong breeze picks up at my back like the world outside wants me to succeed in my task. I don’t question it, running across the bumpy tiles of the first roof to jump the five-foot gap below me onto the next one.