A Sorrow Fierce and Falling (Kingdom on Fire, Book Three)

by Jessica Cluess

  So I was left with my little army of monsters. I opened my tent, and they surged inside. With a whistle, I directed them to lie low in the shadows of the room, and they obliged at once. They fit so neatly into the corners that it would be terribly easy not to notice them.

  “Go to sleep,” I said, puzzled for anything else to say. As I basked in the quiet of all my monsters, I felt a warm flutter of power. I smiled; I could imagine curling on the floor among my lovely shadows and drifting to sleep while they nestled close. Then in the morning, I would rise and don them like a garment and stride out into the world to burn down whosoever stood in my path.

  I flinched, extricating myself from that idea as quickly as possible. I walked away to free myself from that nightmarish image. I would not become like Rook, or Korozoth.

  But accepting these creatures as my responsibility had perhaps sped me down that path.

  * * *

  —

  THE NEXT MORNING, WE WERE A few days away from the spring equinox, and time was in short supply. Now that we had assembled our armies, all of our time that was not spent sleeping or marching was used in practice. Indeed, the sight of a whole yard filled with magicians, witches, and sorcerers, every one of them trying to out-magic the other, was indescribably bizarre.

  “Sure, you can mix up a potion that makes time go backward. But can you do this?” Wilfred asked a blond witch as I passed by. Reaching inside his mouth, the magician turned himself inside out. His lungs, liver, spleen, and beating heart were all on proud display. The witch made a gagging noise; I felt like joining her.

  The witches had gathered to show off more of their abilities to a group of sorcerers. As it turned out, potion making was not their only gift. They dug their hands into the snow, and we all watched as the great roots of a tree ripped up out of the earth and waved about. When a sorcerer laughed and called it a simple carnival trick, one of the roots knocked him down. Thankfully, the other sorcerers stepped in before their friend lost his temper.

  I left all of them behind and made my way to the queen’s tent. I’d left my little shadows back in my own room, where they would not cause any further trouble, I hoped. Today was when we put together a final plan. The time had come to discuss how we were to get ourselves into Sorrow-Fell and who was to undertake the ultimate mission to the stone circle.

  The queen, Mickelmas, Maria, and I were the officials at the meeting. We’d each selected a few of our allies to join us and offer advice. Fiona was there at Maria’s request, and Magnus at mine. Mickelmas surprised us all by bringing Blackwood, and Blackwood surprised me by attending.

  “Are you certain?” Her Majesty asked Mickelmas pointedly.

  Blackwood merely bowed. “It is my estate, Majesty. Mickelmas believes I can assist in the planning.”

  I wished I’d thought of it. “That’s an excellent idea.”

  “I’m glad it meets with your approval,” Blackwood muttered. He placed a hand on the map, which displayed a charcoal-and-pencil approximation of Sorrow-Fell. It was a simple blueprint, though. Blackwood knew the estate’s secrets in his bones. “R’hlem will expect an assault through the southern woods.” He pointed to the path that we had taken coming to Sorrow-Fell several months earlier. “That’s the only way to launch a broad attack.”

  “We’ve been looking for another way through,” Magnus said.

  “Don’t. We should give R’hlem what he wants: a frontal assault from the sorcerers.”

  “He’ll have several of his Ancients patrolling those woods. It’s suicide.” Mickelmas looked as if he regretted inviting Blackwood. But I knew what Blackwood was getting at.

  “You’re thinking of my shadows.” I placed a hand on that road, alongside Blackwood’s. “I’ve about thirty or forty shadow Familiars that will follow me now…” I swallowed the words I’d been about to speak: now that Rook was dead. “We can use them to hide a large portion of the army.”

  “Not the whole of it?” Maria squinted at the map.

  “R’hlem knows we will attack. If we try to hide entirely, he’ll know we mean to trick him. If we drive at him with ten squadrons, though, he won’t expect twenty more.” I smiled at Mickelmas. “He’s not one for details.”

  “Most of the sorcerers will drive in from the south.” Blackwood took one of Magnus’s wooden pieces and moved it to the eastern woods. “There’s a narrower entry, though, which allows us to unleash another attack from this direction. The trees are ancient, so I’d recommend—”

  “The witches.” Maria twirled a curl of hair around her finger absently—always a sure sign she was thinking. “The trees’ll help us. They’ll listen.”

  An odd sentence, to be sure, but one I believed. “That leaves magicians,” I said.

  “Well, if you’ve the south and the east, I imagine we can take the west.” Mickelmas snapped his fingers, and a wooden figure of his own appeared. This figurine was the shape of a hippopotamus and sported green polka dots. He laid it down, but it wandered away and started munching on a corner of the map. “Apologies. It was too adorable not to bring to life.”

  Blackwood sighed and rubbed his temples. He muttered what sounded like “Magicians.”

  “We’ll be in Sorrow-Fell the day after tomorrow,” Mickelmas said. “The day of the equinox, making our timing quite dramatic.”

  “Have your scouts located the Ancients?” the queen asked Mickelmas. He used his little hippopotamus to show where he’d sent Alice and her brother, Gordon—the red hawk to whom she’d been feeding bacon. They’d passed yesterday as ravens and had winged their way over the trees to Sorrow-Fell. They’d learned that Callax and Zem had been stationed along the southern road—a challenge for our sorcerer squadrons. Nemneris had been spotted near the west, Molochoron to the east, and On-Tez spent her time wheeling along the estate’s perimeter.

  In addition to our spies, we’d used scrying mirrors to look upon the stone circle. R’hlem had put his fanatics to work cleaning the stones. He was making them as perfect as he could.

  “Of course, we can’t win this battle through strength of arms; R’hlem has the advantage there,” Magnus said. “The point of this exercise is to set the place to chaos and draw R’hlem’s attention. Once he’s come to his monsters’ aid, Howel, Mickelmas, and Maria will use Howel’s petticoat to transport into the circle itself.”

  “And once there, we open the circle, draw the Ancients in, trap them, and send them home.” I finished sounding far more confident than I felt. Opening the circle, attracting the Ancients, and shoving them through some portal in the sky was easy to say; far more difficult to make it happen. I’d the bone whistle from Azureus to help, and we would bring the optiaethis just in case…though I didn’t want to use it.

  “So,” the queen said, “Maria and Mickelmas join you—”

  “I shall join them,” Blackwood interrupted.

  Magnus gave him a sidelong glance. “That wasn’t part of the plan.”

  “You need a defense,” Blackwood said. He looked at me. “And in case we should need to beckon the creatures, I have the optiaethis.”

  He might as well have slapped me. “Don’t be bloody ridiculous. I’ve told you what that thing can do. It will kill you.”

  “I am not ridiculous.” He put both hands on the table; all eyes were fixed on him. “If this is the only way to complete the mission, then it stands to reason someone must volunteer.”

  “Blackwood, I know you love envisioning yourself a martyr, but this is a bit much,” Magnus snapped. Blackwood’s smile was cold.

  “Don’t fight over this, you lot. I don’t want to have you thumb-wrestling over who gets to give up their soul.” Mickelmas punctuated his remark by slamming his fist on the map, knocking over all the wooden figures. The hippo kicked its legs helplessly. “Blackwood, you’ll come along and assist. I like the idea of having someone to carry my
bag, and adding a layer of defense is wise. If it comes down to the optiaethis”—he nodded solemnly—“I’ll take care of it.”

  “Sir, that is gallant.” The queen sounded impressed.

  “It is. Perhaps we might discuss the incredible reward I should receive in advance, to compensate my gallantry.”

  The queen regarded him with half-lidded eyes. He didn’t ask again.

  “So. My forces will lead the charge.” Magnus righted the wooden hippo. “You four ride with me as part of the frontal assault—we’ll need Howel’s shadows, like she said. The witches come from the east with everything they have: potions, arrows, the trees themselves, everything. Finally, the magicians ride in from the other side. Once we’ve drawn their attention, you lot can finish the job.”

  “It’s all deceptively simple,” Blackwood said, his arms folded.

  “Perhaps. But with the forces at our disposal, it’s the best we have.”

  “Well, I’m for it.” Maria squeezed my hand.

  “Good,” I said. “So am I.”

  “If everything’s settled, I imagine we should move on.” The queen dismissed us with a nod. “We’ve ground to cover before the day’s out.”

  We bowed and curtsied, then made our way out of the tent. Mickelmas whispered over the wooden hippo, and it vanished in a puff of smoke. He seemed regretful. “It was quite adorable, but no one should bring anything lovable into battle,” he said.

  Oddly wise words. Blackwood tromped ahead of us, his head down. I called after him, but Magnus took my arm.

  “Let him go. Sometimes a fellow needs to sort his thoughts in private,” he murmured. Perhaps that was true, too, but watching Blackwood walk away hurt. Of course he’d been the one to volunteer as a sacrifice.

  Even surrounded by hundreds of people, he believed he was entirely alone.

  * * *

  —

  MARIA FOLLOWED ME BACK TO MY tent. I’d told her what—or rather, who—awaited us. Her shock had quickly given way to curiosity: she’d wanted to meet her sister. We entered to find my shadows seated on the floor, patient as dogs.

  “Gwen? Where are you?” She stepped forward from the crowd and removed her smoke hood.

  “Mistress?”

  “I want you to meet someone,” I said. Maria held her breath and approached. Extending a tentative hand, she watched as Gwen behaved like a spooked animal; she hopped backward, growling. Then her nostrils flared. Licking her lips with a long black tongue, she crawled forward and sniffed at Maria’s fingers. She was taking the scent.

  “So this is my sister,” Maria said. She put a hand to Gwen’s cheek, and the shadow girl clutched at her wrist. There was no danger, though. Rather, Gwen seemed to purr with contentment.

  “Yes. They thought she was the chosen one at first.”

  Maria sniffed. “Makes more sense how she could give in to R’hlem. If Agrippa treated her as he did women like my mother, I’m sure she’d do anything to escape.”

  “Agrippa.” Gwen whispered the word, then made a low, keening noise.

  Maria had also gone to see her father out of a morbid sense of curiosity. He now spent his days in the medical tent, flat on his back and muttering nonsense. The doctors had examined him and confirmed that there was nothing to be done. He had survived the abuse and torture of R’hlem’s camp only to succumb to a brain fever. He was alive, but not awake. He would never wake again. She’d watched him for thirty seconds before turning on her heel and storming out. She’d done her duty, she said when I followed. That had been enough of her father to last her a lifetime. How would Master Agrippa have felt if he could see this reunion between his two children?

  Perhaps it was a mercy that he was unconscious.

  Gwen came to cuddle against Maria; I suppose it was because she could smell the blood they shared. Maria sat with her elder sister for an hour, then abruptly got up and left the tent. Gwen whimpered, but on my order she went to sit with her fellows.

  Outside, Maria’s left hand was a tight fist. I approached cautiously.

  “I’m all right.” Her eyes shone with unspent tears. “Why did any of this have to happen?” she said at last. That question was far too big for a simple answer.

  Horns sounded, signaling to start packing. We were on the move. Maria gave me a fast hug and kissed my cheek.

  “Take care of her.” With that, she was gone.

  * * *

  —

  IT SEEMED THAT THE SUN BECAME brighter as we rose the next morning. The spring equinox was tomorrow, and though true spring was still weeks off, vitality was fast returning to the country.

  Provided R’hlem didn’t destroy the whole damn thing.

  My Familiars dogged Gumdrop’s heels, much to the poor animal’s chagrin. Magnus always rode at my right-hand side as my most trusted commander. Blackwood came behind, never speaking with me.

  When we camped that night, we knew that the morning would bring us within sight of Sorrow-Fell. We were to arrive before dawn, so as to allow our magician and witch troops time to find their way around the perimeter. If they failed, there might not be enough time or distraction for our small band to complete its mission.

  I couldn’t think of what I had to do. Rather, I busied myself by working with Lilly to peel some carrots for the last bit of stew. I wasn’t nearly as skillful as she. Lilly chatted easily as she peeled and cut and prepared, while I found myself all thumbs. Maria finally joined in, just to pick up some of my slack. But the stew smelled heavenly when we got it bubbling. For some of us, this would be our final meal.

  Then again, if we didn’t stop R’hlem tomorrow this would be everyone’s last supper. As I did every night now, I beckoned my shadows and sent them out to stand around the edges of our camp. As one, they secured us from prying eyes. How bizarre to be protected by Familiars.

  “Miss…Henrietta.” Lilly corrected herself. “Was wondering if you’d do me a favor?”

  “What’s that?” We were seated by the fire. Lilly toyed with her spoon.

  “I’m marrying Mr. Dee…that is, I’m marrying Arthur tonight.” She flushed. “Was hoping you’d be a witness.”

  Lilly probably didn’t expect me to cheer so loudly; indeed, Maria spit out her food in surprise. But there was nothing I wanted more in these last few hours than to see a marriage. Whatever hell awaited us tomorrow, it could not have tonight.

  * * *

  —

  “WAS A BIT NERVOUS AT FIRST, him being such a great gentleman and all.” Lilly adjusted her flower crown as Maria and I helped prepare her for the ceremony. We’d borrowed a clean pink gown from one of the magicians—Wilfred had a surprisingly large collection of women’s clothing. I had done up Lilly’s hair, and Maria had begged a few dried flowers and evergreen branches from one of the witches. The roses, dry though they were, brought out the high color in Lilly’s cheeks. The beautiful gleam in her eyes, however, was all her own. “When he told me he’d noticed me in Master Agrippa’s home, I didn’t know what to say. But after his injury…” She paused. It wasn’t my place, but I hoped she wasn’t about to say that she thought of him as a fragile bird to protect. “I never saw such strength in a man,” she continued. “Not even Rook.”

  I had never asked, when we’d all moved to Blackwood’s house together, if she’d still yearned for Rook. She told me now, without being asked.

  “I thought Rook so beautiful, really, and so admirable. And he was.” She turned her eyes to the ground. “But he wasn’t mine.”

  “He wasn’t anyone’s,” I said. “That’s how it should have always been.”

  “I just saw Mickelmas. He gave me this.” Maria came back into the tent, holding something that sparkled. Lilly was white with shock as Maria clasped a diamond pendant about her neck. “A wedding present, he says.”

  As Lilly went on about how kind the magici
an was, I pulled Maria aside. “It’s not stolen, is it?”

  “I’m almost certain it’s not.” She paused. “Almost.”

  Maria and I served as the bridal party, carrying candles to light Lilly’s way up the hill and into Magnus’s tent. Dee was waiting, along with Magnus and a minister. When Dee saw Lilly enter in her bridal gown, the flowers in her hair and the diamond at her throat, he looked as if he might collapse.

  Magnus seemed worried about that, too. “Remember, if you die, I have to do my duty as best man and marry her.” Magnus clapped his friend on the shoulder. “And I am not much of a substitute.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. You might do for someone, somewhere.” I went to stand beside him.

  “You wound me, Howel.” He grinned. “I like it.”

  Together, we watched Dee and Lilly join hands in marriage. The candlelight bathed them in a warm glow, and when a light wind gusted into the tent it carried snowflakes that glittered in the air for a brief instant before melting. Maria sniffled beside me when the minister pronounced them man and wife. “Don’t look at me.” She dabbed at her eyes. “I love weddings.”

  I could imagine Rook watching alongside us, grinning at Lilly’s good fortune. And after the new couple shared a kiss and exited the tent to find an impromptu wedding dance in their honor, with Lambe and Wolff on the violin and cello, I pictured Rook clapping his hands in time to the music.

  For the first time since the day he’d died, it did not hurt to think of him. At least, it did not hurt as much.

  I clapped with the onlookers for the first two numbers. When the boys began to play a waltz, Blackwood approached me from out the crowd.

  “May I have this dance?” He offered his hand. I hesitated, but the way he spoke made me think this was not about our canceled engagement. He escorted me to the floor. Lilly and Dee were dancing—I noticed he did not step on her feet, thank heavens. His dancing had improved since our days at Agrippa’s. Maria had dragged Fiona along, and it was obvious they were each trying to lead.