by Kristen Pham
“You okay, Dad?” Valerie asked.
Oberon gave her a look.
“I had to check,” she said.
“See to your friend,” Oberon said. “I will talk to your brother.”
Valerie nodded and opened the front door. Kanti was pacing in the garden. She had a flower in her hand and was picking off the petals one by one. Valerie winced, glad that Oberon didn’t see her thoughtlessly destroying one of his babies, though he probably sensed it as soon as it was picked.
“Henry found out about the fact that I’ll be spending half the year in Elsinore,” Kanti said abruptly, answering Valerie’s question before she posed it. “Stupid Isabella came to visit and broke the news without asking me.”
“He had to find out sometime,” Valerie offered tentatively.
“But not now! I told my family I couldn’t go home while Henry needed me, but they sent Isabella to drag me back,” Kanti said, tossing the remains of the flower she had mutilated to the ground.
“He could go with you. A change of scene might do him good,” Valerie suggested.
“I suggested that to him. After this battle is over, we could get away,” Kanti said, dropping to her knees in the middle of the garden, as if all of her earlier energy had deserted her. “He kept raving at me, saying that I lied to him and couldn’t be trusted.”
“That sounds crazy,” Valerie said, fear creeping into her mind. “Dasan said Henry’s grief might break him.”
Kanti shook her head. “I don’t think that’s it. I think he’s afraid that if I go back to Elsinore, I’ll be in the middle of all that royal intrigue, courted by hundreds of guys, and a target for assassins.”
“He thinks he’ll lose you,” Valerie said. “Poor Henry. He can’t lose anyone else.”
“He’ll never lose me. How can he not know that?” Kanti said.
“But isn’t half his worry valid? You’re seen as the next queen of Elsinore. Won’t there be people who try to hurt you?” Valerie asked.
Kanti shrugged, and Valerie could see that her friend was considering her words. “Nothing I can’t handle. I’ve got magic now, remember?”
“Even you doubt the effectiveness of flower petals and rainbows against real weapons,” Valerie argued. “You need a bodyguard.”
“I thought that might be Henry,” Kanti said. “Was that arrogant of me?”
“No,” Valerie said with a little smile. “I think he’d be flattered. Give him time, and I’ll talk to him. This is a bump in the road for you two. It only seems like a mountain because it’s happening in the middle of all of his grief.”
“What do I do to get him to forgive me? Send flowers?” Kanti asked, and Valerie was glad to see a little of her friend’s sarcasm had returned.
“I suggest finding out the latest football scores on Earth,” Valerie suggested, only half kidding.
Kanti stood up and hugged her fiercely. “No matter what happens between Henry and me, you’re a sister to me, more than my own.”
“Right back at you,” Valerie said. Then she pulled back, and eyed Kanti closely. “You look like you need a distraction. Want to guess who showed up on my doorstep tonight?”
And for the next twenty minutes, Valerie got to be a normal teenage girl.
“Excellent,” Gideon said, tucking away the prepotent crystal in his pocket after attempting to attack Valerie’s mind for the third time that morning.
Valerie was sweating but triumphant. With her new locus, her mind was safe from attacks, she hoped.
“Do you think Kellen’s dust would still work?” she asked her mentor.
“It may paralyze you, and the dark dust could even kill you, but he will never be able to control you again,” Gideon said. “I think we can adjust our lessons now to focus on battle strategy.”
Valerie bit back a groan. Between Gideon and her father, every waking moment was dedicated to shaping her into a leader.
I do not wish to interrupt. Azra’s gentle presence in Valerie’s mind was a welcome escape from more lessons in war.
“You’re not! How are you feeling?” Valerie asked.
Azra looked as radiant as she had since she becoming pregnant, but Valerie noticed little wrinkles of pain around her eyes.
“Something’s wrong,” Valerie said, instinctively gripping Pathos’s hilt.
Azra smiled, and it was like the sun rising. Something is very right. My little one is coming soon. Summer is already preparing the site where I will give birth.
“Your foal is coming today?” Valerie said, simultaneously thrilled and terrified. The battle with the Fractus could start at any minute, and the last thing she wanted was Azra and her baby anywhere near it.
The birth of a unicorn does not happen in a day. Almost like your friend Thai, it is a separation process that happens over time. But now that it has begun, I must retreat to a place of safety.
Valerie let out a breath of relief, and she saw that Gideon had relaxed slightly as well.
“When will I see you again?” Valerie asked.
Very soon. Azra gently nudged Valerie’s shoulder with her nose. Only a trusted few know where they can find me, and I wish you to number among them.
“I’m so honored,” Valerie said. “I hope you’ll let me help in any way I can.”
You are creating a better world for my child. What more could I ask?
Gideon started to move away, but Azra nodded to him, her silver horn glinting.
You also number among those I trust, Gideon. You will both find me if you follow the silver path that leads away from the Lake of Knowledge.
“I’ve never seen a silver path there,” Valerie said, trying to remember the layout of the forest around the lake.
That is because it is hidden with powerful magic. It is a short trail that will lead you to a remote part of the mountains of Messina.
“Messina? But no magic is allowed there, and besides, it’s an island. Don’t you need a boat to get there?” Valerie asked.
Gideon and Azra exchanged glances that hinted at laughter, and Valerie smiled, as well.
“Right, powerful magic. Got it,” she said.
“A safe choice,” Gideon said. “The Fractus are not as interested in conquering Messina because its people eschew magic. You and your foal will be safe for a time.”
That is my dearest hope. Azra’s mane fluttered in the breeze, reminding Valerie of a rainbow. When her voice chimed in Valerie’s mind again, it held an element of sadness.
Know this, Valerie. If I could shoulder the burden of this war for you, I would. Failing this, there is naught that could stop me from fighting by your side other than my own incapacity. My faith travels with you, though I cannot. I have seen many wars begin, but when I see the battles ahead of you, I see light, not death. You will lead us to a better world, a brighter future.
An urgent tingling in Valerie’s pocket that could not be ignored made Valerie tear her eyes away from Azra’s. She pulled out the seed, and saw that a single green shoot had emerged. When she looked up, Azra and Gideon were also staring at it.
The front door of her house opened, and Valerie saw that Henry and Oberon were both emerging.
“There is a new bud in my garden,” Oberon said, eyeing Valerie sharply.
“I felt a burst of magic,” Henry said. “Is it time?”
Valerie held out her hand. Before her eyes, the tiny shoot seemed to grow a fraction.
“Send up the signal, Dad,” Valerie said. She thought she’d be terrified when it was finally time to fight the Fractus, but instead, the tangles in her mind unraveled, leaving her strangely calm.
Oberon held his fist to the sky. A spear of energy shot from his hand, and Valerie saw the image of a white flower, lit up in blinding detail.
“The white poppy is an ancient symbol of peace,” Oberon explained. “If you were a flower, that is what you would be, my daughter.”
Valerie stared at the poppy, letting the reality of what was about to begin wash over her
.
“Let this day be full of more beginnings than endings,” Valerie whispered, her words a wish to herself.
No matter the outcome, today is a beginning. You are our beginning. My blessings are upon you. Azra’s last words echoed in Valerie’s mind long after she vanished.
Chapter 31
Valerie expected to find pandemonium when she reached The Horseshoe, but instead, the Knights who had defected from the Guild to stand against the Fractus were keeping everyone organized as they traveled to the rendezvous point.
After Rastelli had escaped from the Justice Guild, Valerie had quietly instructed the Knights to move the location of where they would meet from the Lake of Knowledge to the tree in the woods that led to Arbor Aurum. She told them not to reveal the location to her army until the day that the seed began to grow, in case there were any Fractus spies in her ranks.
Valerie had no illusions that the Fractus would have any trouble finding them at the new location, but she hoped that they wouldn’t be lying in wait for them to arrive. Reaper wouldn’t hesitate to slaughter them if they weren’t prepared.
Oberon, Gideon, and Henry all traveled with her, and Kanti, Thai, and Cyrus silently joined them in The Horseshoe.
“Cyrus brought me up to speed on the plan,” Thai said as he walked next to her. “I have a suggestion. You shouldn’t be with the wave of Conjurors on the ground level. You should be in the trees, in Arbor Aurum.”
“Why, so I’ll be safer?” Valerie asked, unable to hide her annoyance.
But Thai only grinned. “No. I’m not stupid enough to suggest that. It’s so that you’ll have a better view of how the battle is unfolding. You’ll be able to direct it better from that vantage point.”
“You will also be more protected, which is not a sign of your weakness,” Oberon added. “Do you think your army will find it motivational to see you wounded, or worse, to fall?”
An uncomfortable heat made Valerie remove the light jacket she wore. Her instincts told her that Thai and her dad were right, but the idea of being removed from the front lines of battle led to an almost overpowering guilt.
“Separate yourself from the decision,” Gideon said quietly, so only she could hear him. “Imagine that Henry were directing the battle. How would you advise him?”
“I take your points,” Valerie said, pushing her discomfort aside. “I will begin the battle in the trees, but will come down if the ground fighters of the Fist need to be rallied. If I’m a symbol, as you say, Dad, then my army needs to see me fighting.”
“They need to see you winning,” Oberon corrected her. “But your strategy is sound.”
They reached the large tree that led to Arbor Aurum, and Valerie’s eyes widened as she took in the crowd of Conjurors who had gathered there.
“It’s more than two hundred, isn’t it?” she asked no one in particular.
“It’s two hundred and fifty on the ground, and we’ll send up another fifty to the trees, in case the Fractus break through our ranks. I’ll start sending them up as soon as the seal around the cities breaks,” Dulcea said. Her curly hair was pulled back in a severe bun, and even with a smudge on her cheek, she was more businesslike than Valerie had ever seen her. Jack was by her side, helping her organize.
“This is excellent,” Valerie said to her friend, who beamed in response.
Skye galloped through the trees, and the Grand Masters who had opposed Oleander followed him, visibly relaxing as they noticed the turnout.
Skye approached Valerie and gave her a low nod before speaking.
“We will spread out to the battle stations we discussed,” Skye said, speaking for the group.
Valerie had met with Skye and Calibro twice in the past few days to discuss the powers that each of the Grand Masters possessed. Valerie then carefully integrated the knowledge with her strategy to ensure that they would be located in the places where they would have the most impact during battle.
“As the battle progresses, please tell the Grand Masters to realign as needs emerge according to their own judgment,” Valerie said. She shook his hand, and he immediately turned to pass on her orders.
“Before the Fractus arrive, you must speak with your army. The Fist needs to hear from its leader,” Gideon said and handed her a mint to amplify her voice.
Valerie took a deep breath and planted her feet, hoping that would make her sound more confident. She cleared her throat experimentally, and a hush fell over the Conjurors who had gathered. The sight of their expectant faces made Valerie’s heart squeeze. How many would die today?
She forced those morbid thoughts from her mind, knowing that they needed a rallying cry.
“Friends, your presence here today marks a new beginning for the Globe and Earth. We come here not to end lives or destroy Reaper and the Fractus, but to turn to a path of peace and light.
“I hope that, if not today or tomorrow, someday soon, the threat of the Fractus will be defeated, and we will come together to discuss a new future for our world. Those thoughts bring me hope, and my heart peace. It is with that hope that I stand with you today, and will stand with you always.”
Unlike her speech to the Knights, there was no hesitation in the response to her words this time. Everyone burst into cheers. Oberon and Gideon wore identical expressions of pride on their faces, and even Henry smiled at her. The fact that he could be proud of her in the midst of his pain almost made tears come to her eyes, but Valerie fought them back. She doubted anyone wanted to see their leader cry before a major battle.
“Everyone to their stations!” Juniper shouted after the cheering had died down. He’d taken easily to his role of organizing the Knights, as Valerie had known he would.
The tree that led to Arbor Aurum released a gasp of magic that was so powerful it blew everyone’s hair back. The air sparkled for a moment as the magic expanded outward in a giant wave.
“The seal is broken,” Gideon said, staring up at the branches of the trees.
Valerie pulled the seed out of her pocket and saw that it had bloomed into a yellow rose that looked a lot like the Byway.
“I thought it would take longer to bloom,” Cyrus said.
“We’ll find out what happened soon,” Valerie said.
She climbed up the tree to Arbor Aurum, along with her father, Henry, Kanti, Cyrus, and Thai. Gideon remained on the ground to help Juniper organize the forces there.
At the top, Elden was waiting for her. He met her expectant glance with a worried frown.
“The People of the Woods have voted to keep the Byway alive, but protected,” he said.
Valerie made her face blank. “That will make this fight harder. The Fractus won’t stop coming until they get the Byway. Otherwise, we’d only have to fend them off until you figured out how to destroy it. This is exactly what Reaper was hoping for.”
“My People are aware. They stand by to fight,” Elden said, his back straight. She sensed he was delivering news that he didn’t agree with again, and she knew that there would be no debate.
“It will mean a more decisive, long-term victory,” Oberon said, and his words broke the tension of the moment. “We will fight our enemy until they are truly crippled beyond recovery.”
“The People of the Woods have lookouts near Dunsinane who sent word that the Fractus are close,” Elden said. “We rushed the voting because we wanted to be ready when they arrive.”
“How close?” Valerie asked.
Elden glanced down and waved one arm slowly over the foliage that hid the ground from their view. At his gesture, the leaves vanished, allowing Valerie to see for a mile in almost every direction.
“Neat trick,” Cyrus said, as he began handing weapons to the People of the Woods who had gathered nearby.
They were dressed in tough brown battle gear, and Valerie saw many bows and arrows, a few swords, and some weapons that she didn’t have names for.
She saw that Leo was also distributing weapons that glowed with light to the force
s on the ground.
“We didn’t have time to give everyone a weapon from the People of the Woods that is infused with light,” Cyrus said. “But even the regular weapons have light woven in their structures.”
“You did all this to hundreds of weapons in the past few days?” Valerie asked, staring into Cyrus’s eyes with amazement.
“Elden sent some of his People with lightweaver powers to help,” Cyrus said, trying and failing to appear humble. “I directed them. But I personally infused light into the weapons of all of your generals.”
Valerie’s eyes were scanning the trees as Cyrus spoke, and she saw movement at a distance. From so far away, the Fractus looked like ants scurrying through the woods.
Even though she was in the trees, she unsheathed Pathos.
“The Fractus have arrived,” she said. “Stand ready to fight.”
Before the Fractus reached Valerie’s army, she saw her people begin to fall. The Fractus who formed the front lines of the charge were invisible.
“Dad, kick up some dust,” Valerie said, and Oberon raised his arms. Wind blasted through the trees, and particles blew through the air.
The Fist had been warned of the invisible Fractus, and as the enemy became slightly more visible covered in dirt, they raised their weapons and fought back. The next few minutes were filled with the sounds of the grunts of Valerie’s army and the crunch of glass meeting steel.
Too soon, the second wave of Fractus was upon her army, as well. This group included Knights Valerie recognized from her Guild, a few Fractus who could throw electricity, and an assortment of others Valerie didn’t recognize. She assumed they were from other countries around the Globe.
Her eyes scanned the battle to identify patterns. At first, it all seemed random, like the Fractus were trying to charge through her lines with brute force. Then she noticed that specific individuals were being targeted.
“They’re going after the Grand Masters who are on the ground,” Valerie said. “We need to make sure that they have extra protection.”
She moved to Henry’s side, where he stood with Dasan, Elle, Will, and the rest of the Empaths. They were focusing on disorienting the enemy’s minds, but when Valerie told her brother and Dasan what she’d noticed, they diverted their attention to use their telepathy to send messages to specific Conjurors to protect the Grand Masters.