The healer absentmindedly waved them away, and Gabriela drug Briahnna from the infirmary.
“You were a very warm child Briahnna,” Gabriela answered her while they walked. “I only wanted to smack you a few times, not every few minutes.”
Briahnna scoffed and smacked Gabriela’s arm then linked hers through it. “I understand why she is frustrating. She hasn’t really had anyone besides her brother and father. And they’ve been absent for over a year, until recently. I had Jerrick.” She looked down. “Do you think he’s okay?”
“Jerrick?” Gabriela asked incredulously.
Briahnna shook her head. “I don’t mean physically. I mean, he can get…I don’t know. With me being taken, I imagine him turning the world upside down. I think we need to find a way to escape.”
Gabriela pursed her lips together in dismay.
Briahnna’s eyes were pleading. “I just feel like he will do things no one will be able to stop. I feel like I need to get back. I feel anxious.”
Gabriela stopped Briahnna and looked at her. “Briahnna. Are these the only reasons you feel like you should find a way back? Do you even miss him?”
Briahnna’s head snapped up. “Of course, I miss him! I think about him every day!”
Gabriela watched Briahnna for a moment then shrugged. “Come. I don’t have very much time, and you need to learn how to fix hair.”
Chapter 30
“Jerrick, can you ensure our troops’ safety?” King Rinald eyes scanned his council of Elders. Every single one of these twelve men had voted against him. Some of them he had trusted with his life. But as he looked around, none would meet his eye, and he was sure it had to do with the boy sitting to his left. Jerrick’s magic scared even the best of men, and to be on the wrong side of such power was not ideal.
“Your Majesty, this has lasted too long,” Jerrick said. “I know you did not anticipate that. Those walls need to come down so that we can finally end this tug of war. Neither of us has gained any ground. You know that the only way for the walls to come down is for me to blast them down. And,” Jerrick continued, “with the amount of force that I will use to blast them down, there will be a few casualties. We’ll keep our troops far away. Hopefully, most casualties will be from Thornhold, but I cannot guarantee the safety of every single one of our soldiers. For that I am sorry, but I believe, along with everyone else at this table, that this is the kind of sacrifice that has to be made for this war to end.”
“Every single life is important, Jerrick. You call them sacrifices, I call them tragedies.” Rinald looked around. “But seeing as I am completely out-voted, how do you intend to do this? What is your plan?”
Jerrick nodded. “First of all, I’m not quite sure how much power it will take to destroy one of those walls. I may lose consciousness after just one. I may be able to take down two. I doubt I will be able to do any more than that.” He grabbed the diagram of the Thornhold walls and began to strategize with the council.
. . .
Jerrick stood on his own watching the walls of Thornhold move closer. They had decided that it would be better for Jerrick to protect himself with his shield of magic and blast down whatever walls he could. The troops of Mageia were to stand a fair distance behind him and wait for the onslaught of mayhem that was soon to befall them after the walls were destroyed. They also had a horseman ready to retrieve Jerrick as soon as he fell from exhaustion.
King Rinald stood behind the troops. Every single able-bodied soldier was there. The tension in the air was palpable as they stood rigid and ready, anxiety swooping in with the wind.
Jerrick’s body glowed bright as he raised his hands to the walls, arrows cascading in an arch around the shield that he provided for himself. With a big push, Jerrick released the spirit element toward the walls. Rinald closed his eyes from the bright flash of light that pulsed from Jerrick’s body and gasped when he opened them and saw the wall explode.
Jerrick collapsed and the horseman speedily recovered him from the field as panic ensued within the walls of Thornhold. Rinald’s troops surged forward with renewed force. Thornhold quickly found its bearing and the soldiers within the walls who were unharmed streamed out of the smoke and haze with fierce retaliation in their eyes.
Rinald signaled for his men to push Thornhold back into their structure, just as they had planned basically making it impossible to escape and hopefully forcing them into submission. But the remaining walls began to close and the Mageian soldiers that had raced inside were about to be trapped.
. . .
Jerrick awoke in the infirmary and looked to see Darian, the crown prince of Mageia, sitting at his bedside.
“That was quite the explosion you caused,” Darian said, watching Jerrick sit up.
“I wasn’t sure how much force I’d need. So I used it all,” Jerrick said.
“Obviously.” Darian looked around the infirmary before turning back to Jerrick. “You’ve been unconscious for over a day.”
“Now I know I should be able to get two walls next time,” Jerrick said confidently.
Darian shook his head. “There won’t be a next time, Jerrick.”
“What are you talking about? It worked didn’t it?”
“Yes,” Darian answered. “Our men drove them inside just as we had planned.”
“What happened?” Jerrick asked.
“They took advantage and closed over two hundred of our men inside. My father ordered everyone else to retreat out as fast as they could. We didn’t realize that they would be able to close any wall together. We thought that after a wall was destroyed that it would take a while to align the remaining walls together. Now they claim to have our men chained to every wall,” Darian told Jerrick, gauging his reaction.
“So if we try again, we risk killing some of our own soldiers?” Jerrick asked.
Darian nodded and Jerrick swore. He was running out of time.
Chapter 31
“Ten pull-ups Ahnna!” Atira exclaimed as they walked back to their rooms. “I knew you were getting better! How do you feel?” Atira asked excitedly.
Briahnna rolled her eyes. “Ten is hardly an accomplishment Atira.”
Atira snorted. “Better than none at all.”
Briahnna smiled to herself. Ten wasn’t very much, but it was ten. She actually did ten pull-ups. She was getting stronger. She felt strong and accomplished, probably because Atira hadn’t forgotten that Briahnna said she would maybe begin training in the evening after about a week, therefore, Briahnna was training twice a day. They had been training together for an entire month. And the entire month Atira had been ignoring her brother. For that Briahnna was actually grateful. Prince Desmond made her nervous. It seemed like he was always criticizing her every move. But as long as Atira kept ignoring him, he stayed away.
As they passed his bedroom door, which happened to be wide open because Liam was there, Atira grabbed Briahnna’s arm and dragged her back. “What are you doing?” Atira asked Desmond in astonishment. He was lifting himself up and down on the pull-up bar.
Desmond let his body down and hopped on one foot to his chair. He grabbed a rag and began wiping the sweat from his face and chest. “What does it look like I’m doing?” he asked grinning at Briahnna studiously looking away from his bare chest. “I’m using the equipment you had brought in for me.”
“But I thought you had it taken away!” Atira said. “I thought you refused to train.”
Desmond shrugged and looked at Liam. “Someone wouldn’t obey orders and remove it, so I figured that I shouldn’t waist it.”
Atira looked around his room and gasped. “That’s amazing!” she said walking toward the wall at the end of the room. Briahnna followed her in awe, feeling Desmond’s eyes on her the entire time.
“You started it,” Desmond said.
“Yes, but you really finished it,” Atira said, admiring the work that the chief builder had done. He had made his wall into a rock wall with platforms for climbing to on
each side. They were staggered so that as Desmond climbed he would have to climb up and over to one side to get to one then up and over to the other side to get to another. And on it went up the entire wall. Then there were rocks that went from the wall to the ceiling, and if one scaled the ceiling they could reach a rope in the middle.
Atira grabbed onto a hold and scaled the wall with ease pausing on a platform near the ceiling so that she could figure out the maneuvers she would need to get to the rope.
“Really, Atira? You didn’t even ask.” Briahnna jumped when she heard Prince Desmond scold his sister. He was standing right next to her. She looked at him, still bare-chested, and blushed. Did he really have to stand around without a shirt?
“I’d rather not have to put something on when I’m feeling hot and sticky. It would be a waste of laundry. Don’t you think?” Desmond asked quietly beside her. Liam laughed. He was standing on the other side of Desmond.
“I didn’t say anything,” Briahnna said quickly.
Desmond grinned. “You didn’t have to. You’re somewhat of an open book.”
Briahnna was mortified, but she squared her shoulders and rolled her eyes. “I’m standing here clearly watching your sister scale an amazing piece of rock wall, and you presume I’m thinking of you?” She turned and looked at him from head to toe, noting the hard muscle now lining his chest, and quirked an eyebrow as her gaze met his eyes. He was blushing now but wasn’t about to look away. He had clearly regained some of what he had lost. “Atira,” Briahnna said as she and Desmond stared each other down. “I’m going to go to my room now to get cleaned up.” Atira nodded still concentrating on the ceiling. Briahnna took that as her cue, turned on her heel, and left without another word.
“Do you really want me to ask?” Atira asked from her perch near the ceiling.
“We were just– what?” Desmond asked, looking up at her. Liam silently laughed beside him.
“Like I said,” Liam said, gathering up his things to leave, “She has spunk.” He turned and left Desmond with his sister.
“You want me to ask before I use your wall?” Atira asked, appalled.
Desmond shook his head. “I swear kid, your mind…”
“What about my mind?” Atira shot.
“Of course I want you to ask!” he exclaimed. “This is my room. Hence, this is my wall.”
“But it’s magnificent!” Atira grinned down at him. “I should be able to come here and work with it. I want to get to that rope.”
“You need someone to belay you first.”
“So can I bring Ahnna tomorrow?” she asked sweetly. “I’ve taught her well. She’s great on belay.”
Desmond sighed, frustrated. Ahnna…after today he will probably be seeing a lot more of her.
. . .
The next morning, Desmond jumped when he heard someone pounding on his door. He hobbled to open it.
“Oh good! You’re awake,” Atira said, standing happily in his doorway.
He shook his head, rubbing his hair. “Atira. Do you have any idea what time it is?”
Atira nodded. “It’s dawn! Wakey, wakey!” she sang.
Desmond sighed and closed his eyes. “Where’s your lady’s maid?”
Atira pushed passed him and examined his wall. “She wouldn’t come unless I was positive that you were awake.” She turned and looked at him. “You’re awake, so I’m going to go and grab her.”
“Atira, you woke me up,” Desmond said, exasperated.
“So? You’re awake. Now we can work with your wall.” Atira smiled happily, turned, and walked out of his room.
Desmond grabbed some clothes from his wardrobe and went behind his changing wall. He knew he wouldn’t be quick enough to change before they arrived. It was also obvious how uncomfortable Ahnna was when he didn’t have on a shirt, so he made a point to grab one. He heard his door open while he was changing.
“Atira,” Ahnna berated, “even if you were sure that he was expecting us, you should always knock and wait to be invited in.”
Atira laughed. “He’s my brother!
Desmond heard Ahnna sigh. “It doesn’t matter. He is the crown prince of Thornhold, and you should treat him as such. Even if he is your brother.”
“I agree with the lady’s maid!” Desmond poked his head from behind his changing wall. He smiled when Ahnna jumped in surprise.
Briahnna clenched her teeth together. “And you should let your presence be known.” Desmond raised an eyebrow. “Your highness,” she added as an afterthought.
Desmond snorted and continued changing. He was getting a little quicker at getting his clothes on now that he was getting stronger. His body still hurt like nothing he’d ever experienced, but he was able to ignore the pain and work through it.
He listened to Atira and Ahnna put on their harnesses. He had Liam hook the ropes up to the wall and ceiling in different places, knowing that Atira would want to try different techniques and ways to scale it. When he came out from behind the wall, he looked at Ahnna and how she was belaying his sister and grunted in disgust. He shook his head. “Atira, you told me that you taught Ahnna the proper way to belay.”
Ahnna paused and ordered Atira to stop. Surprisingly Atira stopped and looked down at them slightly ashamed.
“She does well,” Atira insisted. “She’s never dropped me.”
“Have you ever actually fallen?” he asked.
“No. But I’ve had her hold me while I repelled,” she said innocently. “And she was fine.”
“What am I doing wrong?” Briahnna asked Desmond, ignoring Atira altogether.
“Des! I wasn’t going to fall. I never do. She holds me while I repel, and it works fine.”
“Atira! It’s cheating. You’re being lazy. Just hold still and don’t climb for a second.” Desmond made his way to Briahnna and stood behind her, circling his arms around her. Briahnna froze. “Relax,” Desmond said unnecessarily running his hands down her arms to where the rope was. Briahnna shivered from the sudden sensation of butterflies dancing in her stomach. “You need to place your left hand here and your right hand here,” Desmond said, placing her hands on the rope properly. “As she climbs, you pull the slack, and after you pull the slack with your right hand, place your left under your right and hold as your right slides back up the rope to the harness.” Desmond looked up at Atira and told her to start climbing slowly. He helped Briahnna place her hands where they needed to be as Atira slowly ascended the wall. When Briahnna got the hang of it, he placed his hands on her waist and waited for Atira to ascend the rest of the wall.
Atira made it to the ceiling and began maneuvering her way to the rope in the middle of the ceiling. Briahnna was very conscious of Desmond standing directly behind her, his hands lingering on her hips. Suddenly Atira didn’t make a grip and Briahnna instantly stepped back shifting her weight slightly while pulling down on the rope with her right hand. Desmond immediately lost his balance and fell onto the floor with a grunt.
“Oh!” Briahnna exclaimed, looking behind her. “Are you okay?”
Desmond smiled slightly. “Nice save.”
Briahnna blushed all too aware of the warmth that had vanished when he fell. “Do you need help? Do you need your cane?”
Desmond cocked his head to the side and grinned. “Are you planning on getting it for me?” he asked sarcastically.
“I would if I could,” she said smiling slightly and gesturing to the rope and harness secured to her. He had remarkable eyes. They changed with his moods. She wanted to know what mood made his eyes such a deep dark blue.
“Um… Are you going to let me down or do I get to dangle here? Not that this isn’t fun or anything, but my legs are going numb.” Atira yelled down at Briahnna.
Startled back to reality, Briahnna turned around quickly. “Right,” she said. She gave the rope some slack and let Atira down slowly.
Chapter 32
Desmond sat in his study reading over Thornhold’s current standing at the battl
efront. A wall had been blasted apart and they had lost hundreds of men. Others injured beyond healing, waiting in agony to die. One more tragedy caused by Jerrick of Tristeil the boy who almost killed him, the boy who made him an invalid, the boy who needed to die. Thankfully King Estrod, Desmond’s father, had captured hundreds of Mageians during the attack, making King Rinald hold his most powerful weapon at bay. How long would they be able to keep Jerrick from wreaking more havoc? Desmond knew it couldn’t last forever, and Mageia would have no other choice but to release the magik again.
He stood, took his cane, and left his study turning down the corridor to the kitchens. This morning Ahnna had walked into the kitchens after taking Atira to school, not that he was paying attention that closely. He just wanted a distraction because he hated being stuck wondering, waiting for the worst. He was useless and Ahnna could distract an entire fleet with a flip of her hair. Was he really so desperate?
. . .
Briahnna had finished helping in the kitchens. She still hadn’t figured out how she was going to steal and store food. Not that she had tried very hard. She was learning how to cook. For some reason she felt accomplished when she could make a dish worthy of Nester’s praise. When she had walked into Nester’s kitchen a few weeks ago, he took it upon himself to teach her “the art of culinary perfection.” She smiled remembering the proud look of self-appreciation. He was eager to teach her because he said nobody else had the sense to listen. From what she had learned, however, it seemed that everybody else thought that she didn’t have the sense to run when he began talking. Briahnna only laughed. She enjoyed his lessons. He was very thorough, and she had learned a lot.
She shook her head as she walked down the long corridor from the kitchen. She should be planning her escape. She should be pining after Jerrick. What was she doing? The only times she thought about him was when she worried over the rumors she had heard from injured soldiers in the infirmary where she also helped on occasion, keeping herself occupied when Atira was in school. Apparently, Jerrick had returned to the battlefront bringing with him unspoken fear. No one would admit that they feared him. They would talk quietly, hoping that their whispers wouldn’t be carried further than the infirmary where they healed. And they wondered to each other what the powerful boy, who had almost killed their most fearsome warrior, would do next.
Spirit (Legend of the Dragons Book 1) Page 20
