kurtherian gambit 23.7 - tales of feisty druid 07

by Michael Anderle

  Selena smiled. “But I’m better. The ocean will bend to me, and it will become their grave. Follow me, and we will have victory. And with Esmerelda, we will have the weapons to make sure no one can ever stand in our way; the world will be ours for the taking.”

  There was a moment of hesitation before cheers erupted and fists rose into the air. Esmerelda sat back, a smile on her face as she felt the excited nervousness rising in her belly, felt the electric tingle of power in the air. She suddenly understood why her late husband loved going to war.

  ***

  Slowly, Arryn’s eyes fluttered open. Only a bit of light shone in through the air vents built into the walls of the mountain. She squinted her eyes as she rolled over to her side, realizing she was lying directly in one of the rays.

  As she sat up, flashes of the night before began to return to her. Faces of the men whose lives she had taken popped into her mind, but then vanished as the faces of the innocent mother and child came back. She ran through the entire night’s events, wondering if she had possibly gone too far.

  But then a familiar anger settled in her belly.

  Those men had killed people. In the Heights. On the road to Arcadia. In villages and on farms. They had stolen cattle, money, and only the Bitch knew what else. Some of those men had even been in the forest and had fought alongside Jerick and Alaric—only having survived because they had fled the fight.

  The Storm Raiders, too, had killed indiscriminately up and down the coast, taking the lives of Brann’s family in the other Daoine village. They came to the Farriage Coast for no other reason than to find weapons that would allow them to kill even more people, take more things, and ruin more lives.

  And now both groups were working together.

  No… she hadn’t gone too far. She hadn’t gone far enough. They had to be stopped before any more children, mothers, fathers, brothers, or sisters died for nothing.

  “I know that look,” Cathillian said as he walked over.

  Arryn looked around, aware for the first time that the cave was full of people. Not only the Daoine; the Storm Callers had been invited inside, as well.

  A lot must have happened while I was asleep.

  “Yeah, I know you do,” she said, responding to his remark.

  “You scared the hell out of us,” he said. All she could do was nod in return. “I don’t think you realize just how bad it was. I saw you burst through an explosion of magic, and I thought you landed terribly. It wasn’t until I read Snow’s thoughts…”

  She nodded again. “I know.”

  He sighed and crouched down, taking her hand in his and kissing the back of it before pressing it to his cheek. His eyes closed as his brows furrowed. After a moment, he sat, still holding her hand.

  “I suppose you’d like an update?” he asked.

  She smiled softly. “It’s funny that even when I go off the deep end, you just warn me about the dangers and let it go. You never yell at me.”

  “Would it be effective?” he asked with amusement in his voice. She shook her head and smiled even brighter. He laughed and said, “It wouldn’t do any good, and I have no reason to make you hate me. The way I see it, if I piss you off, you’re likely to do something even more reckless.”

  “I don’t know why I’m so stubborn, but I’m glad you know me as well as you do.” She sighed and once again looked around the cave. “How about that update?”

  He nodded. “When we found you, your arm was broken in two places, and you had two cracked ribs. You are lucky you didn’t break your neck. We rushed you back to the cave and brought you inside so Corrine and Brann could heal you, but you remained unconscious.”

  Arryn’s brows lifted in surprise. “Brann healed me, too?”

  Cathillian smiled. “You would be proud of Corrine. She has been glued to Brann’s side, teaching him how to embrace his healing talent; she even taught him how to call vines. Well, they had to use seaweed, but it worked the same. If he’s ever in the forest, he will be able to do the spell.”

  At that moment, Arryn felt so much pride. “That’s amazing. It’s incredible to think just how far she’s come in such a short time.”

  He nodded. “It really is. Brann also introduced us to Finn. Interesting story… We can’t talk to the sea mammals—at all. Brann can, though. Well, kind of. I don’t think it’s a power that was taught, like the founder taught my grandfather. I think this is just an evolution in their magic.”

  “That’s crazy. I can’t imagine our magic evolving again. Can you? I mean, what the hell else would we be able to accomplish?” she said with wonder.

  Cathillian shrugged. “I don’t know about that. Corrine worked with Brann on talking to the dolphin, though. While she was unable to directly show him how to communicate with Finn, she said she was able to teach him what you taught her. He was a quick study. Picked it right up.”

  Arryn smiled. “I’m so proud of her. She’s eight; think of what she’ll be like in another ten years! She’ll be even stronger than me. Maybe even as strong as that Hannah girl.”

  Cathillian nodded. “It’s amazing what you can do with good people around you. Speaking of which…” His hand motioned out toward the crowd of people gathered in the cave, planning a war.

  “Well, I guess the update has good things and bad things. Let’s have it,” she said.

  “Bast and Cleo are outside right now with Dante and Snow. They are watching out for any movement. Last night, Corrine and Brann healed you. After a few hours, I healed you. This morning, the kids healed you again, and I’m about to do another round. You’re going to need all the energy you can get.”

  “What about all of you?” she asked. “You’re gonna need your strength, too.”

  He smiled. “Bast and Cleo slept. Sam slept. Don’t worry about all of us. We feel just fine. You, however, went on a deadly solo mission, and nearly got yourself killed. So how do you feel?”

  “Better than ever, actually. Very well rested, thank you. I’m definitely ready to get up and get this over with. These people need peace.” Cathillian helped her to her feet.

  “Me too. I’d have to say they are well on their way,” he said.

  Arryn nodded. “I have no doubt about that. We have to be ready. Because they will come fully armed, and I’m the only one here who knows how to create a magical shield.”

  “Don’t worry,” he said, placing his hands on her shoulders and lightly rubbing them. “We can’t fail, not with the team we have.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Arryn, Cathillian, and Corrine all stayed hidden in the trees on the ledge of the mountain, and the tigers were far away, high in another tree. Bast and Cleo stayed on the ground, their eyes closed as they felt the vibrations in the earth for any changes.

  The sun was at its peak when Arryn saw Bast look pointedly up at her, her eyes glowing blue.

  Do we have incoming? Arryn sent.

  Roughly two hundred. They are so close to one another that it’s hard to tell, Bast replied.

  Arryn shifted in the tree to get a better look. Off in the distance, she saw exactly what Bast had felt through the vibrations in the ground. An army approached, and behind that army were two figures on horseback. She was almost certain who one of the two were, but the other was a mystery.

  Send word to Lorelei and Mariana that we have company, Arryn sent. Bast quickly climbed on a nearby horse and rode for the Daoine waiting in the sea.

  As usual, Corrine was left in the trees as Arryn and Cathillian went to the ground. They ran to the edge of the mountain and jumped down onto a small ledge that she, Bast, and Cleo had created. There was a path of them leading all the way down the wall, allowing them a safe journey to the ground without using more magic than necessary.

  When Arryn finally hit sand, she ran toward the front line with Cleo.

  “Lorelei and Mariana are in the water, ready to go. Bast should be back in no time,” Cleo said.

  Before Cleo had even finished her sentence,
Bast was returning on horseback, jumping off and slapping the horse’s rear to send her running somewhere safe.

  “Lorelei and her group are ready. If we get overwhelmed, we throw them toward the ocean. Her group will take them down. Mariana will call a storm if needed, but she is anticipating Selena running away. If that happens, she said she has to cut and run,” Bast reported.

  Arryn nodded. “I wouldn’t expect anything less. She is here for Selena and her crew. We will do our best to keep them here, but if Selena tears ass out of here, Mariana has every right to go.”

  Cleo nodded, her entire body vibrating in anticipation.

  “Are you okay?” Arryn asked.

  “I’m not sure if I’m excited or scared to death,” Cleo said.

  Arryn smiled. “Both. And that’s fine. You’ve never taken on an opponent this large before. In the Dark Forest, it was much different; we had an army of druids on our side. Speaking of people on our side, has anyone seen Samuel?”

  Bast and Cleo looked at one another, obviously clueless. Arryn turned to Cathillian, who only shrugged his shoulders.

  “Seriously? No one knows where Samuel is?” Arryn asked with worry creasing her brows.

  “He said he had something to do, and I haven’t seen him since,” Cathillian said. “He’s a big boy, so I figured he could handle it, whatever it was.”

  Arryn sighed heavily. “Except we are heading into war. They could have caught his short, grumpy little ass and strung him from a tree by now.”

  “Uh, I’m worried about the little shit, too, but our guests have arrived, and they are heavily armed. Maybe we should focus on the here and now,” Cleo said.

  Arryn turned to see that the enemy had quickly descended upon them. Only a quarter-mile remained between the two forces. She could sense the energy radiating from the amphorald crystals.

  She nodded. “Cleo is right. We don’t have time. We’ll have to find him after.”

  “Tell me again how we plan to stop a wall of magitech weapons?” Bast said.

  Arryn smiled as her eyes flashed white. Now, she sent telepathically to the trees. “Oh, we have that covered. Someone was a little too persistent in wanting to help.”

  As Arryn finished speaking, half a dozen vines shot out of the trees on the ledge of the mountain. They spiraled down, grabbing weapons and yanking them back into trees before new vines repeated the process.

  “Is that Corrine?” Cleo asked.

  Arryn nodded. “Yep. And if they get too close to the water, Brann can do the same with seaweed—though not as strongly.”

  With a nod, Cleo said, “Then I guess that’s our cue. Bast, let’s go give the kids some backup.”

  The twins’ eyes flashed blue as they jumped high in the air, one heading toward the base of the mountain, the other toward the edge of the ocean.

  “Are you ready?” Arryn asked Cathillian.

  “Are you kidding? Of course I am.”

  Arryn could feel the apprehension rolling off him, but she decided not to call him on it. Mostly because she felt it, too.

  “Good. Then let’s go,” she said.

  Snow and Dante arrived, and Arryn and Cathillian each climbed on one’s back. Both of the big cats lurched forward, their riders equipped with bows. Cathillian’s had been crafted just that morning.

  As they rushed forward, Arryn saw the twins moving in tandem as the oncoming guards ran in either direction toward them. A wave of sand lifted from the beach and was thrust toward the enemy. Just as in the previous instance the twins had done so, the men and women began to cry out.

  Arryn and Cathillian took their bows from their shoulders, nocked arrows, and fired into the distracted crowd as Corrine continued to snatch weapons out of their hands.

  Snow and Dante ran in a zigzag pattern, crossing one another’s paths. Arryn and Cathillian continued to fire arrows, slowly picking off the enemy one at a time, as the twins continued to distract them.

  Soon the Daoine rushed forward from the sea, their eyes glowing aquamarine as their hands began to move. Around the edges of the crowd closest to the ocean, the Daoine used their magic to surround the guards’ and Raiders’ heads in water.

  The men and women flailed, struggling and unable to see as they drowned on dry land. As others in the crowd began to catch on to what was happening, they turned toward the Daoine, but the ocean dwellers were quick to retreat into the water to protect themselves.

  Two shadows emerged overhead as Arryn and Cathillian continued to shoot arrows into the crowd. It wasn’t a volley of arrows, but it was still effective while the enemy scurried about, trying to regain their vision. Most importantly, their method of attack didn’t require magic.

  The twins landed only a few feet away from Arryn, and Snow skidded to a halt. “How are you feeling? You didn’t use too much magic, did you?” Arryn asked.

  Cleo smiled. “Sand is much lighter and easier to work with than earth. We feel great, but they sure as shit don’t. They’re pissed off and stumbling this way. We only have a few minutes.”

  “Did somebody say ‘it’d be great ta have a rearick’?”

  Arryn turned to see Samuel running up, battle axe in hand. “Nope. No one said that, but it sure as hell is. Where were you?”

  “Yeah, Arryn thought your short, grumpy little ass was strung up in a tree somewhere,” Cathillian said.

  Arryn slapped him in the chest. “I said he might be. Anyway, we don’t have time to fight amongst ourselves. We kinda have other engagements, in case you’ve forgotten.”

  Battle cries erupted out from behind Arryn—back from the way they had come. Confused, she turned to see nearly a hundred rearick rushing forward with excitement, their beards blowing in the breeze.

  “Sam, I’m sorry I doubted you,” she said.

  He chuckled and nodded. “Ye sure as hell should be. These bastards were anxious ta get a taste o’ revenge fer what those arseholes on the beach tried ta do in the Heights. They were happy ta come along. Ol’ Tavich was right happy ta participate. We even took a shortcut. Glad we did.”

  Arryn nodded. “I’m glad you did, too; this wouldn’t have been nearly as fun without you.”

  After clapping him on the back, Arryn turned to run toward the crowd, but was stopped by five explosions of magic.

  Five men emerged from each one, teleported from somewhere unaffected by the sandstorm.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Arryn’s eyes flashed black, and she quickly deflected the first round of fireballs. The army of rearick quickly descended upon the new attackers. Another round of fireballs went out, and several rearick got hit as she, Cathillian, Samuel, and the twins rushed forward.

  They made their way around the guards. The battlefield was more congested than Arryn had ever experienced, and she was forced to take advantage of whatever position she could find.

  As she neared one of the guards who had been distracted by the wall of smaller, stout warriors, she pulled a ram’s horn blade from the sheath on her hip and thrust it into the man’s side. He quickly rounded on her as she pulled her knife free, and Samuel struck him from behind.

  “Thanks, Sam!” she said.

  “Don’t mention it. Ye might wanna get the one behind ye, though,” he replied as he pointed behind her.

  Arryn turned and narrowly missed a sword thrust. She quickly dodged to the side, her movements clumsy as she kicked at his arm to keep the sword from hitting Samuel. She then ducked down, punched him in the stomach, grabbed his arm, and flung him over her back. A moment after she disarmed him, the crowd of rearick trampled him.

  Within seconds, the group of attacking magicians were dead on the ground, and Arryn had found her way to the front line. She stalked forward, leading the army behind her as their enemies ran toward them.

  Stay back, she sent to Corrine.

  Arryn felt Corrine’s annoyance through the mental link they shared, but she did as Arryn had asked.

  Picking up her pace, Arryn charged for the firs
t men in line. Knives in hand, she ducked down at the last second, plunging one into a guard’s right side before sinking the other into his chest.

  As he fell to the ground, three more turned on her. She thrust her foot hard into the knee of the first one before throwing an elbow into the face of the one coming up behind her. As the third approached, she dodged his swinging knife and planted her foot directly on his chest. The man stumbled back, and she quickly threw her knife.

  Her bad posture and impatience caused the handle of the knife to hit her target, rather than the blade.

  Her eyes widened. “Well, that’s new.”

  “And a big fucking mistake,” came a threatening voice to her left—the man whose knee she had attempted to take out.

  “Yeah, not in the mood to die today. But thanks,” she replied quickly.

  Leaping into the air, she planted her left foot into his chest and pushed off, throwing her into the man whose nose she had broken. Caught off guard, the man fell to the ground, and she quickly punched him in the throat. The way he coughed, she knew she had successfully crushed the larynx. He wouldn’t be a problem anymore.

  Before she was able to celebrate, strong hands gripped both of her arms and pulled her to a standing position, holding her back flat against a man’s chest.

  The guard she had tried to kill with the terrible knife throw stood in front of her—ram’s horn blade in-hand.

  Her eyes faintly began to cloud over as she allowed the briefest of his thoughts to wash over her. With all the carnage and mayhem happening around them, he didn’t seem to notice. When she had what she wanted, she decided to push him. He was irrational, and that would be his downfall.

  She smiled. “Ah! Ya found it. Thanks so much. I tried to stab some ugly asshole, and I must’ve dropped it. Clumsy me!” His eyes narrowed as he growled in response to her comment. Feigned shock crossed her face. “Oh, Bitch. I’m so sorry. Was that you?”