by Callie Kanno
He stared at the map, searching his mind for the best solution.
The tent flap parted once more, admitting Riel into the command room. She was clearly exhausted, but she held herself with grave dignity.
“I have come to tell you that my mistress is growing weak from Cha-sak’s continual attacks, and she fears that she will not be able to hold out much longer. The demon is using his full power against us, and it takes much vyala to defend against it.”
L’iam thanked her and watched the Rashad disappear from sight. He was certain she had returned to Sitara’s side.
Without the Serraf to defend them against Cha-sak, the army would be destroyed. L’iam gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white. He could see no alternative, and he gave the order.
“Send word to the battlefield. We need to retreat.”
***
Adesina’s orders came from a young Rashad named Runa. She was ordered to lead the cavalry to the western front and cover the retreat of the infantry. Ravi was to take the entire Rashad force to the eastern front and cover the retreat of the soldiers there.
Adesina could feel through their Joining that Ravi was not pleased with the idea of being that far from her. He knew that he could not always be at her side in the midst of battle, but he didn’t want to be across the valley from her.
Remember, you can always use what I am seeing and teleport next to me, she reminded him.
Ravi took comfort from her words and raced away, leading the Rashad to the aid of the L’avan and Seharan soldiers to the east.
Adesina raised Falcon in the air and shouted for the cavalry to follow her. She heeled Torith into a gallop, and turned toward the west.
The wind whipped across her face, trying to break her hair loose from the tightly pinned knot at the back of her head. The purple fabric of the half cape that was attached to her ornate breastplate fanned out behind her as she rode across the battlefield.
Adesina tried to appear confident, but her heart felt leaden. She was surrounded by death—she could even smell it in the air—and the weight of her role in all of it was a heavy burden to bear.
Ravi could sense her emotions, and she felt his growing concern for her wellbeing. She tried not to let the depression overcome her and instead focused completely on the battle before her. Even so, she could feel darkness lurking in the back of her mind.
The cavalry approached the western front, and the sounds of battle brought Adesina out of her reverie.
The Seharans were grossly outnumbered by the Shimat force, and it was clear that the inexperienced soldiers were struggling for their lives. Adesina directed Torith into the middle of the fight, breaking through the relentless attacks of the mercenaries.
The soldiers gave a cheer at the appearance of the cavalry, but they were not able to retreat. The Shimat force was pressing too hard, and it was all that Adesina and her soldiers could do to stop the Seharans from being overrun.
Adesina spotted Leander in the middle of the battle, swinging his axe and shouting encouragement to his young men. They were fighting bravely, but the L’avan queen did not believe that they would last much longer.
Adesina mustered her vyala and channeled it all through her Blood Sword. She raised Falcon to point at the Shimat mercenaries before her and shouted, “Fly!”
Power burst from the blade of her sword in the form of a fiery falcon, incinerating all those that stood in its path.
She had only used that attack once before, to defeat the demon she had fought on the Threshold of Zonne. At that time, there had been a reservoir of vyala stored in her Blood Sword, and the majority of the power for the attack had been drawn from there.
Now, there was little vyala stored in Falcon, so the attack drew power from Adesina directly.
She gasped as her vyala drained sharply, and she slumped in her saddle. She felt incredibly weak, as if she had been running all day without stopping for rest or sustenance.
Another cheer rose from the throats of the Seharans as they witnessed the extent of her power. Hundreds of their enemies were suddenly destroyed, and they took heart that they might survive after all.
Ma’eve!
Ravi’s voice came to her mind, keen with concern.
I am alright, she reassured him. I was just caught off guard.
Adesina took a deep breath, using the technique that Ruon had taught her, and her body filled with the energy of the world around her. She repeated the action until she was completely replenished, and then she turned back to the battle.
Even with her help, the Seharans were in a bad position. They were being driven back, and the possibility of retreat was still remote.
How was she going to save them?
She began to gather her vyala into Falcon once more, preparing for a second attack.
Ma’eve, please do not do that.
Adesina was surprised by the intensity of the thought from her guardian.
Why? I can recover from the attack. It just takes a bit more time than I would like.
Ravi became more insistent.
It is not that simple. You may become energized again, but the wear to your body and soul remains. If you use that attack over and over again, you will put yourself in danger.
Adesina’s grip tightened on the handle of her sword.
I have to save them, Ravi. They are losing this fight, and they will die without my help.
You cannot sacrifice your life for them, dear one. You still have much to do.
I am Immortal, Adesina thought stubbornly. I cannot die.
Ravi’s voice in her mind was gentle, but firm.
You know very well that your form of immortality would not prevent your body from being destroyed if you do not take care.
Adesina’s heart was heavy with desperation. “I have to save them,” she whispered.
A disturbance at the back of the Shimat ranks caught Adesina’s attention. She could not see the source, but it seemed to be originating from the west.
Whatever the disturbance was, it was causing the attacking mercenaries to falter. That was just the opportunity that the Seharans needed.
Adesina spurred Torith into action, and she began shouting orders in a magically enhanced voice. She led the cavalry forward in a concentrated attack, which allowed the Seharan infantry to begin their slow retreat.
Adesina felt the chaos of the battle as if it were a living thing. It pulsed and writhed, constantly shifting the head of its focus. The young L’avan queen tried to maintain control by drawing the fight to herself.
Her vyala glowed blue, like a force field around her, fending off the weapons of enemy attacks. Her Blood Sword shone with fiery power as it lashed out to strike her opponents. She was literally and figuratively a beacon to those who fought around her.
The ranks of the Shimat mercenaries were growing thin before Adesina. Not only because of her own prowess as a warrior, but also because of the movements of the soldiers. The flanking Shimat force seemed to be shifting to the east, seeking to gain strength from the main body of the army.
Adesina glanced past the enemies before her and saw that the mercenaries near the rear of the force were turning to face an attacker from behind.
That was why the force of the battle had suddenly halted. The Shimat had suddenly found themselves surrounded.
It must be E’nes, she thought excitedly. E’nes has brought help from Charan.
Ravi’s emotions surged through her. Relief.
Good. We need every bit of help that can be found.
Adesina turned her attention back to the fighting in front of her. She found herself facing a Shimat leader, and her face tightened with determination and she moved to meet him.
The Shimat also held a Blood Sword, but his was much more broad than Adesina’s slender blade. He directed his horse with his knees and used both hands to lift the sword into the air.
Adesina would not have had the physical strength to ward off such a powerful blow, but sh
e had her vyala to bolster her defenses. The enemy sword came down and Adesina raised Falcon to meet it. The clash of the metal rang in Adesina’s ears.
Before Adesina had time to make an attack of her own, her opponent lurched forward and crumpled to the ground.
The L’avan queen looked up in confusion and saw a familiar figure pulling the steel braid of his meteor hammer back to him.
A confident smile spread across Kendan’s handsome face.
“Hello again, Adesina.”
She stared at him for a moment, too shocked to know what to say.
Kendan did not remain stationary, though. He gestured to Maizah, who was riding next to him, and the two of them moved on to fight the next enemy that stood in their way. Kendan shouted to the soldiers that followed him.
“Matshi, forward!”
Adesina shook away her surprise and dove back into the battle. There would be time for questions later.
Ma’eve, what is it?
Ravi had clearly noticed her strong and conflicting emotions.
“Oh, nothing,” she growled. “Just an old friend.”
Chapter Thirty-Six: Matshi
Adesina stared blankly at the cooking fire.
Ravi was lying stretched out on the ground behind her, sleeping. She leaned back against him, as if she would have toppled over without him there.
She may have been taught how to revive her energy, but her mind was still exhausted. The last several hours had been very taxing, and it wasn’t going to get easier anytime soon.
The Seharan and L’avan armies had been able to retreat, and now they were traveling north as quickly as they could. The Shimat army—much larger and more cumbersome than their opponents—had sent a harrying force to nip at the heels of the L’avan and Seharan, while the remainder of the army followed at a more controlled pace.
Adesina had led the cavalry to fend off the smaller force while the rest of the L’avan and Seharans had gotten enough distance to make escape possible. However, the mercenaries had pursued them relentlessly until well after the sun had set. They had only just been able to pause to rest for the night.
The young L’avan queen heard footsteps approaching, and she looked up to see Kendan enter the light of her campfire. Maizah followed close behind, her eyes fixed steadily on the ground.
Maizah was formerly a slave of the Shimat organization, and Kendan had taken her with him when he had deserted. Kendan had shown her kindness, and she had become devoted to him. She had rarely left his side during the journey through Zonne, and L’iam had told Adesina that Maizah had chosen to go with Kendan when he had left the L’avan settlement. Maizah was mute, as all Shimat slaves were, but she could communicate well enough, when she chose to do so.
Kendan smiled uncertainly, his intent gaze studying Adesina’s face.
“May we join you?”
She nodded. “Of course.”
He sat on the ground with his legs folded underneath him, moving with the grace that was typical of someone trained by the Shimat organization. Maizah did the same, keeping her gaze lowered in humility. Adesina’s eyes narrowed as she watched Kendan. There was something about his expression that was strange, but she couldn’t quite identify it.
“You have changed since we last saw each other.”
Kendan looked at her, and his eyebrows rose slightly. “Oh?”
Adesina nodded again. “I am not sure what it is, but you are different.”
A smile twitched at the corners of his lips. “Perhaps you are remembering me wrong.”
She chuckled. Such a challenge would have angered her as a teenager, but now she felt only fond amusement. “Well, time has been different for me than it has been for you. I feel I saw you only a couple of months ago, whereas it has been almost a year for you.”
Kendan leaned forward with interest. “Why is that?”
Adesina remembered that Kendan had no knowledge of what happened to her after she had left him in the antechamber of the Threshold of Zonne.
“I passed over the Threshold into another realm, and time passed differently there. I returned to this world in a matter of hours, but I found that many months had passed here.”
“Fascinating,” mused Kendan, resting his chin on his fist. “Entire worlds beyond our own, and all with their own natural laws. Is that where you gained your new allies?”
His eyes flicked toward Sitara and Ruon, who were standing several campfires over, conversing quietly.
Maizah, who had remained still and unresponsive up to that point, shifted uncomfortably at the mention of the Serraf and the Laithur. Her eyes darted in their direction but she quickly looked away, as if she had been forced to look directly into the sun.
Adesina inclined her head. “Yes, there are many races trapped there. They are waiting for the time when they can return to their home realm.”
“Where is their home?” asked Kendan.
The L’avan queen smiled. “This world is their home.”
Kendan’s eyes widened. “You mean to say that when this conflict is over our world will be overrun with returning exiles?”
“I would not say overrun,” amended Adesina. “There are less than eight thousand of them.”
The former Shar seemed to take comfort from that clarification. “Even so, it will not be an easy adjustment for humankind.”
Adesina shrugged. “There are many changes in the future, but they need not happen immediately. Humankind will have plenty of time to ease into the new world.”
Kendan rubbed a finger against his lips and his brow furrowed in thought. “There will be many who will be opposed to any change at all.”
“There always are,” Adesina replied ruefully.
“Tell me more about what happened after you left me in the antechamber,” encouraged Kendan.
Adesina shook her head good-naturedly. “No, I want to hear about you first. Where have you been? And who are your followers?”
Kendan’s dark eyes were filled with amusement. “Would you like to meet them?”
“Certainly,” she replied.
Adesina got to her feet, doing her best not to jostle Ravi’s sleeping form. He was very tired, and he needed the rest.
Kendan and Maizah also stood, and they led the way through the camp. As they walked, Kendan gave an explanation of his activities.
First he told her about the vision he had seen of the truth of Signe and his parents while in the antechamber of the Threshold. Adesina had known that Signe was willing to kill and manipulate in order to achieve her goals, but it was still painful to hear what she had done to Kendan and his family.
“I waited for you to emerge from the room with the Threshold for quite a while,” Kendan went on. “Eventually, L’iam found me and told me that you were gone. He told me what he had seen and the conclusions he had formed about what had happened to you. I traveled back from Zonne with L’iam and the others. They told me about the demon and the danger that the world faced. We arrived back in Sehar, and they immediately began preparing for war. L’iam asked me to stay and help, but I knew there was something that needed my attention first.”
He paused for a moment, and Adesina prompted him.
“What was that?”
Kendan turned his dark eyes to hers. “First I had to face Signe.”
Adesina felt a wave of frustration. “The world is in danger and you went seeking after revenge?”
Kendan’s expression was stony. “Yes.”
Adesina shook her head in exasperation. “I cannot believe you.”
The former Shar was unapologetic. “Signe was a serious threat to any just cause. You may think me selfish, but my actions benefitted you as well.”
Adesina suppressed a sigh. “Did you succeed?”
“By the time I returned to the Shimat fortress, I found that it had been taken over by Cha-sak. Signe had been overthrown, and she had fled with her loyal followers. The demon was in complete control of the Shimat organization, using Basha as a front.
All Shimat were recalled from their positions around the world, and any who did not swear loyalty to the new leadership were executed.”
“How did you escape?” asked Adesina with a frown.
“By keeping my presence hidden,” answered Kendan simply. “I did not move openly from the moment I entered Shimat territory. Maizah waited for me in a nearby forest, and I gathered information through stealth. Once I realized Signe had fled, I went after her. I knew exactly where she would be hiding, because I had helped her to build that safe haven.”
“You confronted her there,” surmised Adesina.
Kendan nodded. “Yes. I told her that I knew the truth of what had happened to my parents, and she did not deny it. I avenged the deaths of my mother and father.”
He sounded so grim and yet so satisfied. Adesina looked at him and realized that she had learned the reason for the change in him. Kendan was different because he was free of the burden that his aunt had placed on him.
It was difficult for Adesina to accept that Signe was dead. The woman had raised Adesina from the time she was a baby until she began her Shimat training. Even after that time, the Sharifal had been a fixed part of Adesina’s life as a student. The knowledge that Signe was gone seemed unnatural.
“What did you do then?” inquired Adesina quietly.
Kendan’s handsome face was filled with determination. “I gathered together the Matshi.”
The young queen gave him a quizzical glance. She had heard him use that term once before, but she had no idea what it meant.
“Who are the Matshi?”
“They are those who have chosen to join me,” was Kendan’s unhelpful reply.
They were approaching their destination at the opposite side of the camp from where Adesina had been resting. Kendan and his followers had set up their tents a short distance from the rest of the army. They seemed to be purposefully keeping themselves separate from the other allies.
As they slowed, Kendan spoke in a low voice.
“I knew the truth about the Shimat from a very young age. Signe was preparing me to be her right hand—the one she could trust in all things. I was going to replace Breyen as second in command as soon as I had enough experience. I suppose eventually I would have been her replacement as Sharifal, but she was always careful not to encourage the wrong kind of ambition in me. She did not want me striving to overthrow her power.”