Gods Of Blood And Fire (Book 1)

by A. J. STRICKLER

  K’xarr blew out a big breath of air. Maybe sending Rufio had been a bad idea. It seemed the Dragitan had angered the King more that he thought. “That’s a sizable army, Raven. Can you handle that many?”

  “It matters not what we can or cannot handle, General. We are leaving Turill today.”

  K’xarr was dumbfounded, without the witches’ magic, he knew Turill would have already been lost. He had four thousand men and that was after he had conscripted more inexperienced young men from the city. Even with the wall, that was not enough to hold Havalon back. “You can’t leave,” he shouted. “You said you would help me, you gave me your word.”

  Raven smiled sadly at him. “My poor, poor boy, I have kept my word, we did help, I never said I would win the war for you.”

  “Not all of us agreed to this, General,” Scarlett interjected. She looked at K’xarr, her thick hair hanging down just above her green eyes. He could tell she wanted to say more.

  Raven looked at the red-headed witch with contempt. “My sister speaks out of turn, General, please forgive her, she is young. It is true that we might not all have agreed, but we are all leaving. Farewell, General Strom.

  “Wait, what about…” K’xarr could not bring himself to say it in front of the other witches.

  “What, our lovemaking? Did you think I was going to be your woman, K’xarr? It was just a way to pass the time.” Raven looked amused at his embarrassment.

  K’xarr saw a few of the witches were smiling and he lost his temper. “To hell with you all. I’ll put Raygan on the throne without you. I don’t need your magic or your help.”

  Raven shook her head. “You sound like a child and your anger is very unbecoming.”

  K’xarr reached for his sword but the witch was faster, she raised her hand and crossed two fingers. A wave of force sent him flying through the air to land in a heap several feet away.

  “I will kill you, bitch.” Saliva flew from his mouth as he cursed the powerful witch.

  “Farewell, General,” Raven said, and the witches disappeared one by one.

  Scarlett stayed behind a moment, a pained look on her face. “I’m truly sorry, General.”

  K’xarr went toward her and she folded her hands and vanished, leaving him alone in the room.

  He got to his feet and hurled his sword across the chamber. The blade crashed into an old suit of armor, scattering it across the floor. He calmed himself as best he could. He was acting like a fool. He was mad at himself for letting his temper get the better of him.

  A wine pitcher sat on the huge council table. He didn’t even bother to pour himself a cup. He took a great swallow straight from the pitcher itself. “Damn those witches to hell,” he shouted. His voice echoed in the large room. It would not be the last time he cursed the sorceresses.

  K’xarr called out into the hall for a servant. He told the young man the people he wanted brought to the council chamber. He also told him to tell the Queen that her general humbly requested her presents.

  He sat and brooded until they all came in, the Queen, with Prince Corwin in her arms, and the girl, Isabella. K’xarr noticed that the servant girl was armed with a beautiful long sword. It was delicate, just right for a small woman.

  Bishop Lyfair’s arrival took his attention away from the girl’s sword. Lyfair nodded to K’xarr and smiled. K’xarr didn’t like the holy man at all. The young general hadn’t forgotten who the Bishop supported before the Queen returned. If it wasn’t for the cities religious concerns and the Queen’s delicate sensibilities, K’xarr would have killed Lyfair the day they took the palace.

  Rufio, Endra, and Cromwell all came in together. When they walked into the council room the trio could tell K’xarr was angry. They had seen that look often enough.

  “What is it K’xarr, I mean, General?” Cromwell asked.

  K’xarr looked at him but didn’t answer. He waited for everyone to be seated.

  The young general stood and faced the Queen, who sat at the far end of the table. “The witches have betrayed us, they have left the city. Prince Donovan and Prince Griffyn are leading their armies here as we speak, they will be here in a matter of days. Your Majesty, I can’t hold the city.”

  The room was silent, everyone looked shocked but Bishop Lyfair.

  “I believe I said those evil women could not be trusted when they first arrived. Now they have left us to our fate when things look the grimmest. In the end evil always shows its cowardice,” the Bishop stated smugly.

  “I don’t think they left because they were afraid, I think they never planned on staying in the first place. What they truly wanted is anyone’s guess.” K’xarr paused and walked behind his chair, unconsciously using it as a shield between him and the rest of the room. “What we must do now is act, we have little time.”

  The Queen looked down at her child, then at K’xarr. “What must we do, General?”

  K’xarr found her calm demeanor refreshing. He was expecting a tantrum. K’xarr thought given time Raygan might grow into a true Queen, there was just no way he could give her that time. He only had one choice now.

  “First, Your Majesty, we must get you, your court, and staff out of the city while we still can. Where is the safest place in southern Bandara that you could go?”

  “That’s easy, Braxton Bluff; my father-in-law’s castle is a fortress. It is where Braxton Blackthorn and the Phoenix Queen made their famous stand. The city is quaint and the people friendly. Since William Blackthorn is not there, I would be willing go.”

  K’xarr nodded. “Rufio, you will take a thousand of our best men and see the Queen and the others safely to Braxton Bluff.”

  Rufio slowly stood. “General, I would be of more use at your side, not being shepherd to the royal court, no offence, Majesty.”

  “None taken, Captain Rufio,” the Queen said.

  K’xarr walked over to the Dragitan and put his hand on Rufio’s shoulder. “There are few I would rather have with me than you, Rufio, but I need you with the Queen. Havalon will come for her sooner or later. If you can hold out until Ansellus comes back, you may still have a chance.”

  Rufio said nothing, but he sat back down in his seat without any further argument. K’xarr could tell he had hurt the Dragitan’s pride, but he trusted Rufio and knew the man would do as he was ordered.

  “Cromwell and I will hold the city as long as we can.”

  Endra stood. “I will stay as well, General.”

  K’xarr raised his hand. “You have children to tend to.”

  “I ask the Queen now if she will watch after them for me.”

  The Queen looked at her, surprised by the request. “I would be pleased to watch your children, but what about the one you carry in your belly now.”

  Endra gave the Queen a hard look. “That was a private matter, Majesty.”

  “My general should have all the information he can get to make the right decision.” The Queen gave K’xarr a knowing glance.

  Endra whipped around to look at K’xarr, her dark hair flipping down across her face, giving her beauty a wild look.

  K’xarr knew she would never take no for an answer.

  K’xarr looked the warrior woman up and down. “If you wish to stay, I will not order you away.”

  The Queen shook her head in disgust. K’xarr knew Raygan had wanted Endra sent to the Bluff because she was pregnant. If she was any other woman, K’xarr would order her away. The Queen didn’t understand, Endra usually didn’t follow his or anyone else’s orders anyway. If he ordered her to leave, she would most likely not listen and then he would have to bind her and throw her over a horse to get her out of the city. He just didn’t have the time to be bothered with these women and their problems. He would think of some other way to get Endra to leave before the city fell.

  “Everyone knows what to do. Rufio, I want the Queen out tomorrow before enough Abberdonians arrive to surround the city. I will talk with everyone individually later.”

  The group
all filed out of the room in silence, only Cromwell stayed behind.

  K’xarr stopped Endra before she got out the door. “I would like a word.” They waited a moment until everyone had left the room. Cromwell walked over across the room and poured himself a cup of wine.

  K’xarr looked at Endra’s belly, he couldn’t tell anything from the chainmail shirt she wore, but he knew the Queen was not lying. “I didn’t know about the baby, I wish it could be a better situation for you.”

  Endra tried to smile. “I do too, but the world is what it is, I just wish Kian was here.”

  “That’s what I wanted to talk with you about,” K’xarr said.

  Endra eyed K’xarr curiously. “I thought you didn’t want anyone going after him? I know it’s because you think he is dead.”

  K’xarr put his hands behind his back. “He might be, Cromwell thinks he lives, of course, he thinks Kian is Tor Ironclaw reborn.”

  Cromwell held his cup up in a mock toast.

  “So, what do you want me to do?” Endra asked, smiling at Cromwell’s light heartedness, in spite of herself.

  “There is no reason to stay here now. Find him and bring him back, if he still lives you seem to have a knack for locating him.”

  K’xarr knew the answer the woman would give before he had asked the question.

  “I will leave tonight. Will you send my children to Braxton Bluff with the Queen?”

  K’xarr clapped her on the shoulder. “Of course, the cook can see to them, and if it’s not too much trouble, Endra, see if you can find my wayward healer too.”

  Endra reached up and squeezed his hand. K’xarr could tell by the look in her eyes she didn’t think she would ever see him again. “I will, General, and thank you for everything.” She waved to Cromwell and smiled. Endra stopped at the door and took one more look at the two men then walked out.

  The Toran walked slowly over to where K’xarr stood looking at the door. “Why send her? You told me yourself if the Church has Kian he was dead.”

  K’xarr spoke, still staring at the door. “I know what I said and I believe it, even Kian can’t fight his way out of a company of Church knights, beside Endra and the Queen both thought the wizard did something to him before he brought them back to Turill. He’s dead, Cromwell, and Rhys as well. It’s a damn shame, they were good men.”

  “Then why in the hell did you send Endra after him?” Cromwell asked.

  “Would you rather she stay here and die with us? If she is away from here, she will have a chance to survive. By the time she gives up looking for the Half Elf, the war will be over.”

  Cromwell gave K’xarr a friendly shove. “Kian is not the only one getting soft.” K’xarr grinned but said nothing.

  The Toran took a big drink from his tankard. “It’s a good thing she’s leaving. I would have hated to see that beautiful wench die.”

  “Aye, my friend, me too,” K’xarr said softly.

  ***

  Cain was sweating, even though the day was cool. The weather was breaking even in the north. If it stayed like this, the snow would be gone in another week. Spring would come early this year and the young King would be glad to see it. He was tired of being cold.

  Talorn walked towards him. His general’s armor was splashed with Abberdonian blood and he was carrying his great helm under his arm. “Majesty, the Abberdonians are in retreat, what’s left of them anyway. The siege is over.”

  Cain wiped the blood from his own sword and placed it back in its scabbard, he had fought well today. Talorn had been right, jousting was nothing like war.

  The self-proclaimed King kicked the partly melted snow from his boots. He hated getting his feet wet, it made him that much colder. “Why do you think Griffyn and Donovan left? They took almost all their men and headed south.”

  Talorn shook the sweat from his famed blonde hair. “The only answer I can think of, Majesty, is your sister is giving Havalon a hard way to go and he needed the men. They left this token force to hold us as long as it could. I would say there is a big battle coming if Havalon has summoned his sons. He plans to attack the capital in force. ”

  Cain nodded his agreement. “How many do we number now, Talorn?”

  The Commander of the Bandaran army shook his head. “Just under eight thousand men, Majesty. Not enough to take Havalon on. We should wait until he attacks Turill though, I hate the idea but he will be weakest then. If we have any chance at all, that would be the time. Raygan will be safe enough, Havalon wouldn’t dare harm her. He knows he would have to answer to the Church for killing a Princess of the realm.”

  “What if Raygan defeats Havalon Talorn, what then? I will look like a failure and she will be the savior of the realm.”

  Talorn’s jaw tightened, he hated when Cain talked like that. It was clear he had no interest in his sister’s safety. “Majesty, I am talking about saving the Kingdom, not politics. There is no way she can win. I don’t know how many her army numbers, but if what father told me is true, she can’t have enough left to keep the Abberdonians out.”

  Cain stroked his neatly trimmed beard. “What about the sorceresses your father said she was using?”

  Talorn ran his hand through his long blonde hair and shook his head. “Havalon and the Abberdonians are too strong. Magic can’t stop them, even if she is using these witches it will avail her nothing. No one has the power to stop an army.”

  Cain walked over and began to stroke the warhorse’s neck. “I hope you’re right, Talorn. Gather the men and we will take our time heading back south. Send a few riders to find out what is happening in Turill, we need the information.”

  Talorn saluted his King and walked away. Cain hoped his general was right, he could not live with Raygan as the Hero Queen of Bandara. The truth was he could not live with her as Queen at all.

  He turned to find William Blackthorn looking at him, hands on hips, smile on his face. “Do you need something, Duke Blackthorn?”

  The older man walked closer to the King, his cape billowing behind him as the breeze picked up. “I just wanted to congratulate you on another victory, Majesty.”

  “It was not much of a fight, the Abberdonians left only a handful of men and they were definitely not their best troops.”

  “A victory is still a victory, Majesty. May I ask, is there any word from Turill?”

  “Not much, mostly just what we have heard from you. I have sent men to find out what the state of affairs are in Turill.” Cain could see the old man knew something he didn’t and the duke couldn’t wait to share it. “Was there something else, Duke Blackthorn?”

  “I have news, Majesty, my men that stayed behind in Turill are waiting for us just to the south of here under the command of one of my best men, Captain Greyson Kyle. They number eight thousand. There were a few losses getting out of Turill, but Captain Kyle got out with the majority of the force intact.”

  The King could not hide his surprise. “How did that happen? I was told they were fighting for my sister in Turill.”

  The duke looked smug, Cain hated that look. “I sent word for them to head north and join with us at the first opportunity. When your sister sent them out to do battle with the Abberdonians, they simply rode away.”

  Though the news of more troops was heartening Cain felt a touch of shame, his sister had been betrayed by Duke Blackthorn and his soldiers, Bandaran soldiers. “So they committed treason to come and help us,” he said softly.

  “Treason? It’s your sister that has committed treason, Majesty, it is her that stole your throne, let’s not forget that,” the duke said hotly.

  “It is just unseemly for Bandaran soldiers to act in that fashion.”

  Blackthorn stepped closer to the King. “Majesty, let me speak bluntly, your sister has stolen your throne and the Church has declared her the rightful ruler of Bandara. From what I have heard, she has no intention of handing the Kingdom back to you no matter what happens.”

  “When I return I shall simply take the crow
n from her, she will have no choice. I am the true heir.”

  “She had been blessed by the Church as the rightful ruler of Bandara. Lyfair put the crown on her himself. You can’t just take it from her now.”

  Cain was shocked, he had not heard any of this this. “How do you know that?”

  “I have spies in Turill, the same as you, my King. To get your throne back now and avoid civil war, your sister will have to die. Hopefully Havalon will take care of that for us, but if not we will have to see to it ourselves.”

  Cain said nothing, he was still shocked that the Church had taken the throne from him and had given it to Raygan.

  The duke went on. “My son does not need to know any of this, he loves the girl and would never stand for any harm to come to her, but you know as well as I there can be no other way now, unless you plan on serving her?”

  Cain shook his head, no words would come. She had taken his throne. Raygan had wronged him again, now she had manipulated the Church into helping her do it. “I understand what must be done, Duke Blackthorn, when the city is ours, we will kill my sister, if that is what must be done to get back what she has stolen.”

  The duke nodded and walked away.

  William felt he had done very well in convincing the King his sister had to die. Then after the little Queen was dead, the King himself would have an unfortunate accident and Talorn would become regent and his grandchild would be the rightful ruler of Bandara and he would rule through them. It wasn’t over yet, there were a few more problems, but they might yet work themselves out. The Blackthorn family would get what it had always deserved, Bandara.

  The duke was very pleased with himself and he felt the need to celebrate. Maybe they would stop at a village or town on the track back to Turill. Perhaps he could find a sweet peasant girl to spend a few minutes with, it wasn’t likely but there was always a chance.

  ***

  Lord Justice Milara walked into the pavilion, he dismissed the guards that were watching the monster. He was no fool, when he was charged with this mission he and the Holy Father both knew they were dealing with a magically altered half-breed. This Bishop Lyfair had reported that the creature was incredibly dangerous and by what they had seen that was an understatement. What they hadn’t known was the creature had the blood of the Beast flowing through its veins.