by Rosie Scott
“I think they are too, Altan.” I hesitated. “Perhaps this is why the attempts on her life don't have you too concerned.”
Altan chuckled under his breath. “Keep your voice down, woman. Speaking of such things could cost me my position.”
“Ah. So it is true.”
“I don't agree with such methods,” Altan said vaguely, “but whoever is doing it, I understand why. They're just impatient, that's all. The woman's over nine hundred years old, and she's a mage. That clock is already ticking.”
“Yes, but there are ways to make it tick faster.”
I heard the Sentinel stifle a chuckle. “I'll forget you said that if you forget I laughed at it.”
“Deal,” I agreed.
*
The southern plains of Hammerton were spotted with fire and magical light. When a cool breeze blew through, the flames flickered while the other lights stayed stagnant. The small moon of Eran glowed silver overhead. Near the end of the season, the giant moon of Meir would join it. I wished both satellites were visible now, because the skies were open and clear to the north, and the beauty of the rare event would have calmed me.
Our armies were scattered over the grasslands. Canvas tents glowed from the lamps inside them as their occupants read books or just relaxed. The echoes of sexual pleasure rang out from where the Alderi stayed. Nyx and Mirrikh had wandered off there a number of minutes ago, but when the scorpion-kin walked back to sit beside Calder as we ate around a campfire, he was alone.
“Did Nyx leave ya for greener grass?” Maggie pondered aloud, as Mirrikh tugged a thick string of muscle off of the roasted boar Azazel had prepared. He held it in his bare hands as he leaned back to eat.
Mirrikh had been flirtatious when they'd left, but now his depressed personality was prevalent. “No,” he mumbled, hesitating to take a bite of the meat. “She's still over there. Paralyzed.”
“Ah, it finally happened, dinnit?” Maggie wrinkled up her nose and glanced over at me.
“Does she need healing?” I asked.
“There's nothing you can do,” Mirrikh went on, forlorn. “There's never anything anybody can do. It just takes time to come out of. It's a wonder women still want to have sex with me at all.”
Calder reached over to pat him on the back. “Don't be getting like that, Mirrikh. Things always work out for you.”
“Because he's a handsome lil' devil,” Maggie complimented.
Mirrikh looked up from eating. “You think?”
Maggie chuckled. “Absolutely.”
Mirrikh continued to eat, but the beginning of a smile tilted up his lips. Calder gave Maggie a grateful look. Though the two couldn't be more different, Maggie and Mirrikh were at the beginning of an odd friendship. The engineer had more patience dealing with Mirrikh's eccentricity than most, and oftentimes she was nurturing or maternal with him when he fell victim to his weaker personalities. Similarly, the scorpion-kin looked up to Maggie. It probably helped that both of them were extremely intelligent and inquisitive. Mirrikh considered himself a scientist, while Maggie was an engineer. Not only had their titles enabled them to work together often, but I'd seen the two talk at length about their different inventions and theories.
“Good gods!” Nyx's voice caused us all to look up as she returned.
“I'm sorry,” Mirrikh offered, ashamed.
“Don't be,” Nyx replied, collapsing beside her lover of the day. “Though I wasn't finished with you. Now that I'm here, I'm hungry. But you owe me one.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Weren't you paralyzed?”
“Sure was.” Nyx grabbed a dagger from her belt and dug into the boar. “It's really not that bad, Kai. Kind of burns in the veins a little, but not as much as you'd think. Then again, I have a high tolerance for pain. Kind of gave me a rush, to be honest.”
Cerin spoke up to my right, “I won't pretend to be surprised by any of this.”
Nyx snorted a laugh. “You gave me a rush, too, bud.” She wiggled her eyebrows playfully at me. “Did you see? Cerin gave me a high today.”
“I did,” I said, though the memory put an ache in my gut. It was Nyx's spell right afterward that had torn the Galan family apart.
“How's your neck?” Nyx went on to Cerin, oblivious to my reservations.
“Healed. But my armor?” Cerin tugged at the leather until it gaped. “Not so much.”
I stood, and many of my friends glanced up at me. “I'll be back.”
“You okay?” Nyx asked.
“I'm going to fetch Silas.”
Nyx coughed around her food. “Silas? I thought...” Her eyes darted around to the others. “Didn't he retreat?”
As the others explained to Nyx the events she'd missed, I walked through our makeshift camp to find Uriel. I'd asked the healer to capture Silas, but I hadn't gone out of my way to speak to him yet.
I found Uriel in the midst of a hushed conversation with a fiery-haired soldier just outside his tent. When I approached, the soldier didn't leave, but Uriel didn't ask him to. The healer smiled at me and said, “Kai, this is Hakan Ramses. Hakan, you already know Kai.”
My mind connected puzzle pieces, remembering the name from when Uriel had clued me into the identity of his lover. Hakan had beautiful red hair that fell to his chin, and two golden piercings on his face. One was a ball in his left nostril, and the other was a ring around his full bottom lip. In a rarity for fire mages, his eyes were a crystal blue, so clear and light they reminded me of Hasani's.
I stretched out a hand, and Hakan took it. “It's wonderful to meet you, Hakan. You have beautiful hair.”
The soldier chuckled warmly. “As do you,” he complimented me, nodding toward the hair that matched his own.
I wrinkled my nose up playfully at Uriel. “I like him already.”
Uriel smiled at Hakan. “The quickest way to friendship with this goddess here? Feed her ego.” As his lover laughed at that, Uriel asked me, “Do you have need of me?”
My mood fell somber once more. “Where are you keeping Silas?”
“Ah.” Uriel held out a finger for Hakan to wait for him. “Come with me.” As I followed the healer past a couple of tents, he said, “I'm glad you came over. I keep meaning to bring him food. Forgive me, I was distracted.”
“For good reason. That man is crazy about you. I could see it in those beautiful eyes of his.”
Uriel chuckled softly. “I will tell him you said it. He thinks highly of you.” The healer stopped just before a tent that looked like all the rest. A shadow of a single sitting form was all I could see through the glow of its canvas. “I should warn you,” Uriel whispered, “he is not doing well.”
“I wouldn't imagine,” I replied softly.
Uriel nodded and parted the canvas for me. Inside, Silas sat in the corner of the tent, his face puffy from hours of mourning. Rope was tied around his ankles, and his wrists were shackled behind his back. Though he was low on energy from the events of the day, he slowly looked over, his green eyes dull.
“You shackled him?” I questioned.
“Yes,” Uriel replied. “You told me he was a prisoner.”
“Do you have the key?”
“I do.” The healer opened the flap of his military satchel and pulled a key ring from an inside pocket. “Be careful, Kai,” he told me as he handed it over.
“I will be.” I put the key in my own satchel. “Could you bring him food, Uriel? Azazel roasted a boar back near our tents if you need it.”
“Absolutely.” Uriel smiled at me. “I'll be back in a few.”
I crouched down to move into the tent with my former lover. Silas looked away, feigning interest in the corner of the tent as I took a seat only a few feet away from him. When he made no move to say anything, I broke our silence.
“I'm so sorry for everything that happened today.”
“Are you?” Silas's voice was low, pained.
“I never wished any of this on you, Silas. When we separated in Sera, I wanted not
hing but the best for you. I told you that. I learned of your family's fall in political power a few years ago in Eteri. I was heartbroken for you then just as I am heartbroken for you now.”
Silas finally met my gaze. “You were never one to lie, but then again, I don't know who you are anymore.”
“I am the same woman you befriended and fell in love with years ago, Silas. I have just grown. I still care for you. I know we have our disagreements and our differences, but I promise to offer you a place in Chairel. I will do everything in my power to dull the pain this war has caused you.”
“There is no dulling my pain,” Silas argued, his tone weak and depressed. “I have lost everything, Kai. I am the last living member of my bloodline. My family is dead. Celendar is lost to me. I am known as a traitor to my people.”
“Why?” I asked him desperately. “That makes no sense. You did nothing—”
“Because I did not stop you,” Silas answered, breathing heavily with remorse. “Chairel is under the impression I am already dead. Sirius ordered my execution because of the lies I told him to protect you.”
“You only told him you'd bring him Cerin, and Sirius captured him anyway,” I argued.
“Yes, because he was rash in leaving. Sirius's guards watched me go into that inn and watched Cerin run out of it. They put two and two together. I am as good as dead anywhere other than Celendar, and I have been banished from there.”
“So they harbored you,” I deduced.
“Yes. But only because they thought that forcing my family to clean up after the mess might calm Chairel's anger about the ordeal. Celendar delivered news to Sera of my death. It was a lie.” Silas paused and looked up to the tent opening as it parted. Uriel ducked in with a plate full of pork. I thanked the healer and took it. As Uriel's footsteps faded away outside, I glanced between the plate of meat and Silas, realizing my mistake.
“Gods, I'm sorry. I forgot you rarely eat meat.”
“Who hunted that?” Silas questioned.
“A good friend,” I replied. “He also carries mushrooms. I can get something different.”
Silas shrugged off my concerns. “What does it matter? I am doomed regardless. My prayers have never been answered; I can safely assume none of them are heard.”
“If I unshackle you, can you promise me I won't have to defend myself?” I asked him.
Silas sighed. “I couldn't hurt you if I tried. You are much more powerful than I ever was.”
“If you'd like, we can go out to sit with the others. I can introduce you to the others I've met on my journey while you eat.”
“Kai, if I take one look at Nyx I will want to kill her,” Silas said low. “It is best I stay here.”
I exhaled slowly and moved closer to him, pulling him forward so I could reach his shackles. It was odd being this close to someone I'd once shared my bed with, particularly since we were in completely different places now.
“Firth deserved more than that, Kai,” Silas murmured when my face was beside his arm as I unlocked his hands. “He died in agony while knowing he killed our sister. Nyx has always had a questionable moral compass, but the fact that you keep her close to you while she throws such nefarious magic around is disturbing.”
I met Silas's eyes when I pulled back from him, the newly opened shackles in my hands. “I hurt for what happened between Firth and Chameli today, but I implore you not to make judgments of those I keep close to me. It's what caused our falling out to begin with.”
“Your use of necromancy is what parted us,” Silas replied, reaching forward to grab his plate and pull it into his lap. “You have since doubled down.”
“Perhaps many things parted us, Silas. It doesn't matter. It doesn't change that we are here like we are.”
“And why are we here?” Silas asked. “Are you going to ask me to join you?”
“You wouldn't join me if I asked.”
“No,” he agreed.
“I spared you for three reasons,” I said. “Like I told you earlier, I offer you a place in Chairel and restitution for your suffering all these years. Secondly, I seek any intel you may have about Chairel's current military actions. Third, when I take my army to Celendar, I want you to be there. As a guide and mediator.”
“I want no restitution,” Silas replied, pausing to take a bite of pork.
“I will give you a home, then. Far from Celendar so your past does not follow you.”
Silas glanced up at me as he chewed. When he finally swallowed, he asked, “Why are you doing this? I tried to kill you today.”
“Because I care for you. Many have tried to kill me and failed, Silas. You are not special in that regard.”
Despite our situation, Silas seemed to relax at my light-hearted comment. “I wish things were different, Kai.”
“In what way?”
Silas shrugged as he took another bite. After some silence, he went on, “When I saw you on the battlefield today, you didn't look a day older than you were when I saw you last. It made it seem as if things hadn't changed. But then, all around you were tens of thousands of soldiers of all races who were ready to die for you. Things have changed. When we lived in Sera together, I initially fell in love with you because you had such motivation and drive. For years you lived thinking you would die at any moment, but you didn't often let it affect you. You sought purpose. I was so attracted to that. Perhaps because I was royalty and lived by a particular set of rules and expectations. You were royalty and refused to follow the rules. As much as I tried to rein you in to protect you, I was fascinated by that rebellious side of you. Because I didn't understand what it was like. You were my total opposite. And now, here you are, leading an army of necromancers.”
“You told me that if anyone could do this, it was me,” I said, reminding him of our last conversation in Sera.
“I did. Your motivation—your drive—it is unparalleled. I absolutely believed you could do everything you aimed for, and in many ways, you've far exceeded my expectations. You often spoke of your love of history and strategic warfare, and now you are living what you love. I do not agree with your love of necromancy, and based on what I've heard of your exploits, I don't always agree with your methods. But it doesn't matter what I think. You are living the life you've always wanted, and I envy you.”
“If you'd like to join us, you are welcome.”
Silas shook his head. “This war is beyond me. It brings me no joy. I may or may not eventually take you up on your offer of a home far from Celendar, but I can't imagine being comfortable anywhere. I loathe necromancy, Kai, and now its darkness spreads to every land.”
“Necromancy has not corrupted me,” I told him. “You have little to fear. Death is just another element.”
“Necromancy has corrupted many,” he replied. “But no, you're right. Its influence has not yet affected you. I am surprised by that, which is why I said I wished things were different. You have shown me kindness in your offers. It makes me nostalgic for how things used to be.” Silas sighed sadly and looked away. “This comes many years late, Kai, but I am so sorry for your loss of Bjorn.”
I nodded shakily. “Thank you. And I am so, so sorry for your losses today.”
Silas swallowed hard, his green eyes falling on mine. “Fate is a fickle thing. Many of my siblings died from broken hearts today, but I could not join them.” He held a fist up over his heart. “But my heart was broken, so I wanted to.”
Forty
44th of Red Moon, 428
Under the golden glow of dawn, Hallmar unfolded across the plains in waves of stone buildings and iron gates. The glorious city sat on the tip of a wide inlet that pointed just east of the Chairel border on a map. The majority of the settlement was protected by a huge wall that circled inland from its harbor. Two iron gates served as entry points; one to the southwest that was mostly utilized by Chairel's traders and travelers, and one to the southeast which served as the primary avenue for the rest of Hammerton. We didn't plan on using either
gate today.
Outside of the wall, farms, stables, and orchards were sprinkled over the grasslands, all of them eerily quiet. Like Griswald before it, Hallmar had pulled its people within its walls to protect them from our initial assault. Along with that, fenced-in pastures once used for giant boars were empty, troughs left dirty and abandoned. Within the walls of Hallmar, the dwarves were preparing their cavalry.
Bjorn's words about Hallmar's buildings were correct. Even the most expansive farms stopped short just west of the city's wall. Based on the clear-cut property lines, Chairel's border laid within an hour's walking distance from me. After a decade of war, I was almost home.
In the three weeks since the Battle of the Southern Plains against the Celdic Army, we hadn't come across any other armies from Chairel. Though Silas was our prisoner, he did tell us that he knew the Celdic Army was only one of two, and that they'd been considered the southern force. For now, no armies were visible to the west. Celendar was by far the closest settlement to the Hammerton border, so I prayed that to mean that any further armies were behind schedule as they traveled around the Cel Mountains to get here. The trek was a long one, and whether the forces were coming from Sera or Comercio, such a route with an army in tow would take the better part of a year. Then again, exactly a year ago, we were defending Olympia in its second battle, and the dwarves had time to prepare their forces and send emergency requests for support from Chairel. It was only a matter of time before the next army showed. Not only did the timing make sense, but foreboding anticipation was ripe in the air.
I pointed to the northwest, where the Firn Caps of my home country rose to challenge the sky. Though we were still far from them, I could see that the mountain range was different than most. Parts of it were rocky, but other areas were covered in dense coniferous forests. That surprised me, for I'd never been far enough east in Chairel to get a glimpse of them.
“Those are the Firn Caps,” I said to Azazel, whose superior eyes followed my finger to gaze upon them with me. “They stretch from here to the northern coast. I've never seen them, but they belong to Chairel.”
