A Kingdom Under Siege

by Jeffrey L. Kohanek

  He stared at her, slack jawed, unsure of what to say. Finally, he sighed. “Give me your hand.”

  “I thought you would never ask.” Quinn’s smile shone in the starlight.

  He sketched a Power rune and closed his eyes. Chaos was there, as always, surrounding him and everything else. He drew in the energy – something that once required great effort but was now easy. Yet, holding the magic still felt as if he had eaten a storm.

  Staring at the symbol on Quinn’s hand, he poured the energy into it, setting the rune aglow with crimson light. The rune pulsed, faded, and Quinn stumbled.

  Brandt caught her. “Easy, Quinn.”

  She nodded and stood upright. “I’m fine now. I forgot how hard it hits you at first.”

  Brandt stuffed both the glowstone and his cloak into his pack. With it clutched to his chest, he nodded. “I’m ready. Let’s jump the wall.”

  Quinn scooped him up, throwing him slightly in the process before catching him in her arms.

  “My, you are light,” Quinn noted with a grin. “Have you been skipping meals?”

  “Why are you suddenly so glib?”

  “Perhaps I’m just happy to be the one in control. Besides, you act this way all the time. How does it feel to be on the receiving end?” Before he could respond, her grin fell away and she lifted her gaze to the wall. “Now, hold on.”

  Quinn took three steps and leaped.

  The acceleration pinned Brandt against her as they sailed over the wall. A burst of butterflies emerged in his stomach, tickling him as they plummeted toward the ground on the other side. When she landed, the force again drove him into her arms. Quinn whooped in surprise when her feet kicked out, slipping in the mud as she tried desperately to right herself, but it was too late. Her back smacked against the ground and drove a grunt from her lungs while mud splattered everywhere. The fall sent Brandt rolling off her and into the slimy muck, it covering half his body. When he sat up, he looked at her and was about to speak until she interrupted him.

  “Don’t say a word, Brandt. Not one word.”

  With his eyes closed, Brandt lay back in the copper tub, enjoying a moment of peace. While it was nice to be back at the Jolted Jackaroo Inn, he knew their stay would be brief. Yarth was far too close to the garrison for them to remain there more than one night.

  The bathwater had cooled considerably but remained warmer than the air in the room. Despite attempts to do otherwise, his thoughts continually drifted back to the events leading to their latest predicament. He decided it was time to alert the Ward.

  Cassie, he closed his eyes and called to her. Cassie. Are you awake?

  He knew it was late, but he had to try.

  Yes, but I’m a bit busy, she replied.

  Sorry. Things have gone badly here, and I thought it best if I let you know.

  What happened? Her concern carried through their bond.

  Quinn and I were discovered by the Archon’s son. We had to desert the Imperial Army. They are bound to come after us, so our true flight has just begun. Would you please wake Delvin and find out which direction we should head?

  Delvin’s gone.

  Gone? Gone where?

  Nobody knows. He left a week ago.

  Brandt frowned, wishing it were otherwise. In that case, please meet with the other leaders first thing in the morning. We will do our best to evade pursuit while we wait for orders.

  I will, but you should know I am considering leaving the ward.

  Why?

  War is coming, and it’s time for the rest of us wardens to do something about it.

  Please don’t do anything stupid.

  Why? Are you afraid I’ll steal your thunder?

  He laughed. Perhaps.

  Be safe, Brandt.

  I’ll do my best, so long as you do the same.

  I will.

  I…I miss you, Cass.

  I miss you as well.

  Opening his eyes, he gathered resolve and climbed out of the tub, the bathwater now tinted brown from the mud that had covered him. He dug out clothing that had been in the pack – the same clothing he had worn on the day he and Quinn had first entered the garrison. Once dressed, he scooped up the pack and his boots and padded out into the hallway.

  The washroom door beside his stood open, the room empty save for a tub of dirty water and a damp towel hanging from the knob. Quinn must already be in our room.

  Exiting the hallway, he passed the taproom where Bula was wiping down the bar while her maid, Jelsie, swept the empty room. Past closing time, Brandt thought. I should get some sleep.

  He hurried up the stairs and stopped at the third door on the right – the same room he had shared with Quinn during their previous stay. The rapping of his knuckles on the door earned him a reply to enter. Quinn was lying in bed, her hair damp, and her clothes on the floor. A dim glowlamp on the nightstand lit the small, familiar room.

  “I’m surprised you took so long,” Quinn said.

  “You were right. The bath was a great idea. I only climbed out because the water was growing cold.” He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. “I reached out to my sister. I thought it best if the Ward knew what has happened.”

  Quinn sat up and leaned on an elbow, the covers falling away to reveal her torso – or at least, the parts her shift didn’t cover. “What did Delvin say?”

  “Nothing. He isn’t there. Cassie says he left over a week ago and nobody knows where he is.”

  A frown crossed her face. “While he leaves often, this is a strange time to do so.”

  “I thought so as well.” He pulled his breeches down and sat on the bed to free his legs. Looking down at the floor with Quinn to his back, he shared something he knew was meant only for him to know. “Cassie told me she left the Ward.”

  “How come?”

  “It sounds as if she is seeking a bit of danger herself. She wishes to help fight the Empire.”

  “I hope she doesn’t drag Everson with her.”

  He shook his head. “That doesn’t sound like Cassie.”

  “Good.” Quinn put her hand on his back. Her palm felt warm and comforting. “Now that Iko knows, he will be driven to capture us. We must be away at first light.”

  Now wearing only his smallclothes, Brandt tossed the breeches aside. “I know.” He slid under the covers and put an arm around her. “Which direction should we go?”

  “I…I don’t know.” Quinn dropped her head to the pillow as he gazed down at her. “The army is to break camp tomorrow and begin a march west.”

  He considered what that meant. “It will take some time to break camp and get everyone organized. Unless the cavalry rides ahead of the infantry, it will take a couple days for the army to reach Hipoint, even at a hard march. Even then, organizing hundreds of horses and riders will take a good hour or so.”

  “Alone, we could ride ahead of them.”

  “True, but we will need a horse.”

  “A horse would be best,” she agreed. “I’d rather not steal one, but it might be necessary in this instance.”

  Brandt grinned. “You wish to break the law?”

  She smiled in return. “Clearly, you are a bad influence, you scoundrel.”

  He reached over to the table, lifted the cloth lying there, and covered the lamp, plunging the room to darkness.

  “I’ll show you a scoundrel,” he said.

  His lips found hers – warm and soft and inviting as was the rest of her. Brandt suddenly felt quite warm and thoughts of sleep fell away.

  23

  A Bold Move

  Everson hummed to himself as he connected an actuator to the linkage. Beside him, Ivy worked quietly. She never complained when he hummed. It was another thing about her he adored. He noticed Ivy’s long dark hair partially obscuring her face as she focused on her own assembly. Happiness bubbled up inside him.

  Ivy finished and her eyes met Everson’s. “Why are you staring at me?”

  “I was just th
inking of how lucky I am to spend time with such an intelligent, pretty, and thoughtful girl.”

  Ivy’s cheeks flushed and she smiled shyly, her eyes looking away in embarrassment. “Everson…that is very sweet of you.”

  He smiled, his heart racing when her gaze again met his.

  “You are certainly getting better,” Ivy said.

  “I am trying.”

  He was truly trying. Ivy had requested that he try to focus more on the feelings of the people around him rather than physics and calculations and his next great discovery. It wasn’t that Everson was insensitive – far from it. He just tended to miss social cues while focusing on other, more pragmatic issues.

  Everson noticed Ivy looking beyond him. He turned and saw Cassie approaching. The expression on her face alarmed him.

  “What happened?”

  Cassie looked around, making sure they were alone.

  “I just spoke with my brother.” Cassie said in a hushed voice. “He and Quinn were discovered and had to flee the Imperial Army last night.”

  Everson gasped. “Are they all right?”

  “Yes. They are both safe…for now.” She frowned. “They stole a horse this morning and are heading west, ahead of the army.”

  “What do you mean ahead of the army?” Ivy asked.

  “The enemy is breaking camp and leaving the garrison to march west. War is coming, sooner than expected.”

  The words sank in, and Everson turned to Ivy with a silent question in his eyes. She replied with a nod.

  Cassie’s brow furrowed. “What is it? Are you two up to something?”

  “Are we that obvious?” Everson asked, worried.

  “To me, yes,” Cassie said. “However, my brother and I were raised by some of the best tutors in the world. They taught us to study others and guess at their intentions – to watch for words unsaid. I sometimes notice things others miss.” Cassie put her hands on the bench and leaned closer. “Now, out with it.”

  Ivy glanced at him before replying, “Everson and I plan to leave the Ward.”

  “What? Why?”

  Everson realized that telling Cassie would be necessary. He needed her help. “We built Colossus for a reason. If the Empire is marching toward us, we intend to stop them.”

  “Alone?”

  “Well, not alone. Kingdom forces are sure to meet the Imperial Army. Jonah, Chuli, Thiron, and Torney are out there somewhere as well. We intend to find them and lend a hand.” Everson put his hand on Cassie’s. “We could use your help.”

  “What?” There was a heat in Ivy’s voice. “Don’t guilt her into coming with us. She doesn’t have to risk her life just because we are willing to do so.”

  He turned toward her. “I’m not asking her to join us. However, we need supplies, and we lack the skill to get them. With my legs, I can’t exactly sneak anywhere. And, you – I adore you, Ivy, but you aren’t exactly athletic or fluid.”

  “The Stealth rune?” Cassie asked and he nodded in reply. The thought struck a chord and gave her something she had been missing. “It would be fun to test it.” She smiled. “I’m in. However, that’s not the end of it.”

  “What do you mean?” Everson asked.

  “I’ll get you your supplies, and then we leave.”

  “You wish to come with us?”

  “Yes.”

  Ivy shook her head. “The leaders won’t like that much.”

  “That’s why sneaking out is the only way.” Cassie grabbed a stool and sat beside the bench. “Now, what’s the plan?”

  “Amazing,” Everson said in awe. “I can’t see you.”

  He stared toward where Cassie had been a moment earlier, but she was invisible despite the glowlamp he held in his hand. A flicker of movement danced at the edge of his vision and was gone.

  Cassie’s voice arose from behind him. “Oddly, everything is brighter, more vivid to my eyes. My steps make no sound, not even to myself.”

  He spun about and looked toward where he thought she might be. “Try the door. See if your augmentation extends to objects you affect.”

  Another flicker in the periphery was followed by the doorknob turning, the door opening to reveal the illuminated hallway. The entire process was silent.

  He shook his head in wonder. “Outstanding. Your discovery is a revelation, Cassie.”

  “The corridor is empty,” Cassie said. “I’m heading to the kitchen. I’ll meet you as planned.”

  “Agreed. Just don’t try anything exotic,” He said. “Get the supplies we need and get out.”

  “Of course. I am not my brother. I actually try to avoid danger when possible.”

  Silence followed and Everson assumed she was gone. He gave his apartment one last long look, recalling various moments of his stay since becoming a warden.

  Similar to his time at FAME, he and Jonah had shared the apartment since the beginning. However, many weeks had passed since Jonah departed on a dangerous mission. Everson wondered how his roommate and the other wardens fared. He missed Jonah and his wry sense of humor. Somehow, their time together had helped Everson grow into a more confident person. The combination of Jonah and Ivy brought out the best in him.

  With a sigh, Everson picked up his and Cassie’s packs and stepped into the hallway. After locking the door, he headed toward the stairwell as quietly as possible, which was still quite noisy – a negative aspect of his mechanical legs. I wonder if I can infuse them with a Stealth augmentation. The concept took hold and stirred excitement. Focused on the thought, he was downstairs and in the Forge before he remembered needing to be cautious.

  Glowstone pillars lit the room, as always, in addition to the amber hue of glowing coals in nearby forges. However, all was quiet and nobody was in sight. Everson crossed the room and headed toward the barn doors at the back. He stepped through the utility door beside the larger ones, into the room called the Dock.

  Metal scraps and rods stood along the walls to each side, along with bins of coal. The far wall had an oversized door similar to the one leading from the Dock to the Forge. The center of the room held Colossus, his latest creation. Our latest creation, he corrected himself as Ivy stepped from the machine.

  “It’s about time,” she said as she held the door for him. “My pack is already in here. I checked, and the water tank we added is still full.”

  “Good.” He walked to the machine and slid the two packs through the door. “I feared it might leak.”

  “Did you doubt my skills?”

  “No,” he said hurriedly. “It’s just that things leak all the time.”

  She shrugged. “What took you so long, anyway?”

  “I went over the list of items with Cassie to make sure she gets everything we need. Once I was confident she had it memorized, I watched her perform the augmentation.”

  “And?”’

  Everson grinned and shook his head. “It’s wonderful. I have some ideas on things I would like to test, but I’m confident this discovery is even more important than the Speed rune.”

  A voice arose behind him. “I believe so as well.”

  He jumped with a start and turned toward the voice, but saw nothing. “Did you get the items?”

  “Of course.”

  A grin crossed his face. “I can’t even see what you are carrying. I was hoping the augmentation would extend in that manner.”

  A flash at the edge of his vision preceded her voice coming from inside the machine. “Open the exterior doors, and let’s get out of here.”

  “Right.” Everson turned toward Ivy. “You open the doors while I get it started. After I pull through, close them and we’ll be off.”

  He climbed into the machine and up into the pilot position. Looking through the front window, he waited while Ivy unlocked the doors and pushed one open to reveal the starlit, snow-covered yard behind the Ward, the walls surrounding it too distant to see in the darkness. When she pushed the other door open, he gripped the two drive levers and pushed them forward one
notch. The machine lurched into motion and rolled outside. Once clear of the doors, he stopped Colossus and waited while Ivy closed the doors. Moments later, she climbed back into the machine.

  “Let’s go.”

  “What about the guards outside the gate?” Cassie asked.

  “That’s where you come in,” Everson replied.

  “What do you mean?”

  He pushed the levers into drive. “When we draw close, you will slip out, distract the guards, and we will drive out. Once we are out, this thing is too fast for them to catch, not without a horse. By then, we will be long gone.”

  To remain as quiet as possible, Everson advanced Colossus slowly – the only noise the crunch of frozen gravel beneath the wheels. As they rolled toward the gate, his pulse began to race in anticipation. For months, he had prepared for this venture. It was finally happening. He would test his magic-powered invention against an army backed by fire-powered weapons. I wonder what they will do when they see their own weapons used against them. He only prayed they would arrive in time.

  24

  Awe Striking

  “I am sorry, Hinn,” Quinn said as Brandt tied the boy’s hands behind his back. “If it weren’t a life or death situation, we wouldn’t be doing this.”

  Brandt finished and patted Hinn on the shoulder. “Don’t let Mason give you a hard time about this, either. You’ve seen how dangerous Quinn is with a wooden sword in her hand. Just imagine how she handles the real thing.”

  The boy moaned and said something unintelligible, a result that was expected. After all, that was the purpose of the gag in his mouth. With Hinn bound, Quinn sheathed her blade and considered how he would be treated once discovered.

  “Tell the owner you defended his horse the best you could, but we knocked you out. The cut on your forehead should be enough to sell the story.” Quinn reached out and touched the boy atop the head. “I’m sorry about that as well.”

  She turned to find Brandt climbing on the horse, a chestnut mare with a black mane. He extended his hand, so she gripped it, put her foot in the stirrup, and climbed into the saddle behind him.