“Temi.” Toryn drew up before them, his arms folded in obvious disapproval.
Without conscious effort, Morghiad’s
hand dropped from his queen’s waist. He gave the other man a polite nod of recognition.
It only seemed to displease him more. “My lady, shouldn’t he be serving his punishment after all the abhorrent things he did to you?”
Artemi gritted her teeth quite visibly. “No, I need him at my side. And I have had enough of this... this idiotic squabbling between the two of you! It means nothing; it achieves nothing! You are both grown men. Father, you will offer the king your hand and your apologies. Morghiad, you will do the same for my father.”
They both looked at each other in surprised silence. Morghiad knew it was worth it to please Artemi, but Toryn spoke before he could raise his hand. “Do you know that this
man never intended to become king? That he schemed for years before you died to have you placed on the throne? Alone.”
She snapped her dark eyes round to him then, searching his features to find the truth.
Morghiad’s stomach twisted over on itself. He’d wronged her yet again. He nodded slowly.
Her reaction was instant: angry and barely contained. She bit down on her lip and then looked back to her father. “And you knew about this too, but never thought to tell me before now?”
Embarrassment filled Toryn’s features as he looked to the floor.
Artemi took a long breath. “I will speak to you both about it later. We have larger problems to deal with. A battle looms that
endangers us all, and the king and I are to be married. Father, I want you to make peace with my future husband.”
Blazes, but he did not deserve any father’s peace or approval! “I have no argument with you, Toryn.” Morghiad held out his hand.
Her father compressed his lips in annoyance, but took his hand and shook it. His grip was very firm. “If you do anything to upset her or get her with child, I will make sure that you suffer for it.”
“Father!” She had daggers in her eyes.
The tone of Toryn’s voice softened almost imperceptibly. “But I wish you happiness together.”
It was as much as he could hope for. “Thank you, Toryn. I would sooner die than fail her again.” After each of his mistakes and botched plans, he’d considered ending his wretched excuse for a life. But his father’s words had remained with him through his selfloathing: never to destroy what you hate, only to save what you love. And the river creature would not hurt her; it desired her, hungered for her, but would never harm her. He would never permit it.
“Hmm.” Toryn released his grip quickly and gazed at the bundle in Morghiad’s arms. “What’s that?”
“Something that can help us against the Hirrahans,” Artemi said. “It’s called the Heart of Glass.”
Toryn’s eyes widened. “From the Torvalen Hunt? That was Tallyn, wasn’t it?”
“Of course.”
Artemi’s father eyed Morghiad with yet more disapproval. He’d clearly added yet another man to his mental list of husbands who were better-suited to his daughter. “MayI see it?”
She smiled weakly. “At the meeting. We should go there now.”
Morghiad felt a haze of fresh guilt settle over him as they ascended the winding stairs. What man could ever forgive himselffor attempting to kill the woman he professed to love? Why had she accepted that blasted dagger? He glanced at her thigh as they walked. The silver hilt glittered in the changing light with each movement of her leg. It seemed to be what she wanted, and he was in no position to deny her anything. Artemi touched his arm and smiled when her father was not
looking; it was a reassuring smile, made to ease his fears. It only made his guilt burn more deeply.
Surprise suffused many of these emotions, however, when they stepped out onto the castle roof. “My lady, do you make a point of holding council meetings in such places?”
“A one-off decision, I promise.”
A large group of people had already gathered. The ten lieutenants of the army were there in their lengthy, dark green tunics, and Beetan’s laugh was audible over everyone else’s. Rahake sat easily in a folding chair, listening to an anxious-looking Silar. His dark blue eyes immediately flicked up to Artemi and her escort as they arrived, and his expression altered to one of mild relief. Lord Cayvil was
there too, clearly having forgotten his wife and family in the south of the country. He did not seem at all angered to see Morghiad free of his sentence, and instead leaned across to whisper something to Chancellor Acron.
The three Kusurus had taken their own seats with Selieni, who was placed very close indeed to Romarr. She appeared to be looking at him with some... appreciation. The Sunidarans huddled behind them, occasionally throwing glances towards Artemi’s thigh. Arrian was talking rapidly; did they already know the significance of the dagger? The other governors of Calidell’s business had arranged themselves in a circle, either side of a central, elaborate chair. Artemi’s chair. Not his.
She looked as if she were about to demand that he took it, but thought better of it
at the last minute. This was no place or time for such disputes. Morghiad found his place standing behind her seat, and rested his free hand on the hilt of his sword for comfort. Toryn plumped for a seat opposite, his arms folded and face grim.
“Very well,” Artemi began, “Let’s start with the numbers of citizens who’ve left.”
Toryn cleared his throat. “Around sixhundred foreigners, tradesmen and visitors exited the gates last night. Only fifty Cadran citizens departed.” He pulled a face. “Even the families won’t leave.”
Morghiad took that to imply the D’Avrohans had refused to vacate the city.
“The people of Gialdin were the same,” Koviere remarked.
“This
will not be another Gialdin!”
Artemi hissed. Her hands were gripping the arms of her chair. “Besides, we have some considerable expertise assembled here... and something else. Morghiad?”
He could still feel the Heart thumping within its coat wrappings. Morghiad stepped forward and placed the object on the table before the queen. He unravelled it slowly, carefully avoiding contact with its glossy surface.
Tallyn leaned forward with a broad grin. “You kept it safe all these years.”
“Several banks and vaults did.”
In his usual fashion, Silar understood immediately. “You intend to consume the Hirrahans with the grasses, the trees and the earth?”
The queen nodded. “It ought to give
them a fright, if nothing else.”
Tallyn nodded to Morghiad. “He cannot use this. It ought to be one of us. Let me do it.”
“No, I have the greater experience with it and more power to use. It should be me,” Artemi stated.
“And then who will your country have to lead it?”
“Well, its king, of course.”
Morghiad felt the eyes of the group settle on him; he did his best to ignore them. “Artemi, is using this thing going to hurt you? If so, I’d rather Tallyn did it.”
The Kusuru nodded in agreement. “He’s right.”
“It won’t hurt me... it just leaves its user... tired.”
Tallyn grunted. “It leaves them immobile for three days if they really push themselves.”
“That is my decision and it is final.” Her voice had all the command of an experienced field general. “I have another mission for you three.” She looked pointedly at the assassins. “There are hundreds of Blaze tools in the vaults of this castle-” Artemi broke off as a ringing sounded in the city, echoing as more bells took up the noise. It was a peal Morghiad knew very well.
Everyone stood from their chairs, and Artemi was the first to sprint toward the nearest of the towers. Morghiad chased her closely, aware that most of the group were following behind. They swirled up and around the curved steps of the spindle-like tower rapidly, black
&nbs
p; stone brushing against elbows and hands, wind crashing through narrow openings. He found himself short of breath by the time he’d reached the viewing room at the very top. Artemi stood motionless before the eastern window. “They’re already here. How is that possible?”
Morghiad peered out of the northern window. Beyond the great city walls, across the vast plains, two curved lines of men proceeded from the woodland edge. More emerged behind them. All wore the Hirrahan red.
He moved to the southern window. Four lines of men walked from the woodland, with more at their rear. Artemi met him at the western window. More soldiers.
He watched as she filled herselfwith Blaze, and reached out to touch her bare hand.
“There are more than thirty-thousand men out there,” she whispered. “A hundred-thousand, maybe two.”
Sweat was beading on her skin as she ran through the city, checking that the vast gates were locked-down and closed safely. Many of the citizens had taken to the streets to find out what was happening. Some had even emerged brandishing picks and hammers.
Morghiad had remained resolutely at her side throughout, though she was increasingly convinced he’d done so out of fears for her safety rather than to exert any kind of authority.
“That’s it. We cannot do any more out here,” she wheezed between breaths, “The Hirrahans clearly hope to scare us by waiting outside rather than attacking. We need to meet everyone back at the castle and plan.” She’d seen these tactics many times before; an army would lay siege to a city, starving it and cowing it with very little effort or loss of life. But those numbers – even the Heart could not defeat that many!
Morghiad nodded in agreement, his black hair wet with perspiration. His face seemed to have reverted to unreadable implacability, though she wished she could read his thoughts at that moment. Calidell needed just his brand of leadership for this situation, and so did she.
The castle was a bustling warren of activity when they returned hot and weary to its cool tunnels. Most of the morning meeting’s attendees were milling around waiting for them in the Malachite Hall, hoping for answers and useful planning. Silar had a very grim look upon his youthful features, so grim it aged him another hundred years. “What news?” she asked.
“We’ve had a message from their king, who is among them for a change,” Silar began. “It seems they are rather angry about the loss of their kahriss. They want Morghiad as repayment. If we give him to them, they promise to leave Calidell untouched.”
Artemi made her thoughts known immediately. “What? It wasn’t even his fault! Not a chance!”
Morghiad shook his head. “I must go.”
“No! We have no way of knowing if they’ll even honour such an agreement.”
The king looked towards his general. “Silar?”
He nodded. “They will do as they say.”
She felt as if she were about to explode with anger. How could he even think of sacrificing himselfwhen he was so needed? “They will execute him!”
Silar pulled his mouth to one side, and nodded.
“Why can’t she and I just blast them to all to ashes?” Selieni asked.
Romarr spoke in a soft, cooing voice to her. “Because the Hirrahan wielders would spot you and tear you apart if you tried to do something so vast and time-consuming. The form wouldn’t even have left your body before they knew what you were doing.”
“Artemi.” Morghiad spoke softly, and with sadness in his vibrant green eyes. “It is just one life against a city of lives - to avoid a battle we cannot win, to keep you safe.” He brushed her cheek lightly, causing flames to rocket through her body. “It is the only course that makes sense.”
“No!” She remembered the dream she’d had in her prison. That terrible and impossible imagining. It couldn’t be real... except... a part of it had almost come to pass. And, if that was possible, then so was the other part. She looked around at the assembled men
and women. So many looked at her with sickening pity. The Kusurus were the worst. They understood love and loss better than anyone. She looked to Silar. “There has to be another way.”
The sickly sound of compassion touched even his voice. “If I knew it, I would tell you.”
That dream... it had to be helpful to her somehow!
Silar’s face rapidly drew into a frown. “Who are those three people?”
That was it! “None of your business.” Artemi turned her eyes back to her king, who had not moved his gaze from her. “Speak to me a moment.”
They withdrew to a darkened corner of the Hall, where she drew him close enough to
whisper. “You cannot die, Morghiad. Not yet.”
“I don’t have much of a choice.”
She gripped his arms tightly. “Listen to me. WhenI was in that cell, I had a dream, a foretelling dream. I’ve had enough of them before to know that it couldn’t have been anything else. I saw Cadra collapse to rubble, I saw it destroyed. ButI saw something else. I saw you. You held a baby in your arms, and you told me that the child was our youngest that we’d had two more. And they were my children, mine and yours. So you have to live. Or they will not.”
He looked at the floor only briefly. “I would not allow that – for you to die three times? What sort of father would allow his children to grow up without their mother? Blazes knows I fear Toryn’s wrath more than
the Hirrahans’.”
“No. I don’t die. I live.”
“That’s not... between a wielder and kanaala? They’d have to be daughters.” A broad smile bloomed on his face then. “We have three daughters?”
Artemi could not quell the grin that grew upon her face. “A son, then a daughter and another son.”
He looked very confused then. “Triplets?”
“No. Just one at a time, thankfully.”
“Artemi...” He ran a hand through her hair. “Even if I didn’t have to leave... the chances of that...”
“It’s whatI saw,” she said defiantly. “And Medea survived, didn’t she? I don’t know if it’s somethingI did to her, or if it’s
something about Gialdin... or just your
family.”
Morghiad looked thoughtful for a moment, and continued to play with her hair. “It is a wonderful dream Artemi. But that must be all it was. A dream.” He sighed. “What were their names?”
“I don’t know the first two. But the youngest was Kalad.”
His expression changed completely then. Some connection had been forged in his mind. “Then you must have named the eldest son,” he said, and became quiet. He met her eyes in silence.
Artemi had to convince him now; he was near to a change of heart. “Calidell cannot lose you. And what future will there really be in the long-term? When an army can turn up, demand a king and leave with him,
unthreatened – how long before another country does the same? How long before we are beset by Wilrea or Forda or Kemen? Our army will still be weak, and no one will fear us. If you stay - even if the city walls fall now, Cadra’s people can still live, and fight.”
He blinked then, and squeezed her at the shoulders; some other thoughts had come together. “Perhaps there is a way. Come.” Morghiad led her back to the group, where Silar was giving them both very odd looks. That man was coming close to mind-reading with his ability, which was slightly unnerving.
Morghiad stood before the other men as a king: his shoulders were set and his jaw determined. Morghiad had a plan. “We destroy Cadra,” he said.
“What?” Tallyn’s mouth dropped.
“Tem, what’ve you said to him?”
“WhatI needed to hear,” he said with a squeeze of her hand, “We do a Ghuronda.”
Artemi felt a chill go through her veins.
Vestuna merely spluttered, “Ghuronda was a small castle, and with no more than fivehundred people! Cadra has over three-hundred thousand! Do you really think... ?” He stopped as he considered his words.
Artemi had felt a tug at his pronouncement.
Maybe it could be done.
Beetan folded his arms and frowned. “What mindpiss is this? What happened to Ghuronda?”
“It was a castle in what is now Tegra,” Artemi recited. “When a large army laid siege to it, the inhabitants invited their enemy in – piece-by-piece, and obliterated them by
collapsing sections of the castle. It was a ruin, but every Ghurondan escaped with their life.”
Her father did not waste any time in disparaging her king’s reasoning. “And you would carry out this ridiculous plan to save your own sorry backside? What is wrong with you?”
“I’m not doing this for my own benefit. Silar, if I gave myselfup to the Hirrahans, what do you see for this country in five years. In ten?”
Silar’s face flooded with lines of concern as he considered the prospects. He mumbled something about Wilrea and folded his arms defensively.
Morghiad pressed him further, “But if we try to pile this city on top of them, could it work?”
He was looking extremely uncomfortable. “Where will we put all the citizens?”
“We evacuate them,” Artemi said, “The escape tunnel is clear now, and the exit is five miles from here – well out of sight of the army. We’ll tell them to take all the food they can carry. How long will it take?”
The Fireblade Array: 4-Book Bundle Page 91
