Hal thought about it and realized that he was absolutely right. The battle had been impossible for them to win when they were fighting on a single front. They stood a far better chance with Hal engaging Tessianna in the air, out of easy attack range of Zoria and Cadrian, who would attempt to deal with the remaining valkyries.
Karnas has a strategic mind. Why was I ever worried about his development?
Hal felt a rush of fear as he saw Tessianna’s dragon approaching out of the corner of his eye. Karnas twisted to fly straight upward, blocking a blast of fire breath with his stomach and forcing Hal to hang on even tighter as the wind threatened to strip him loose.
Karnas rolled and twisted, putting distance between himself and their opponent. Night had fallen on the battlefield, and Tessianna stood out against the early stars in her golden runic armor. She held her weapon out to one side as her dragon rushed forward. Hal took up a similar posture, rushing into a head-on collision with his opponent.
It reminded him of a game he and Mauve had played back in Cardvale as children. They would charge at each other on foot, and the first one to flinch away from the inevitable collision was the loser. It was the same here, where the act of changing course would leave one of them open and vulnerable for a strike.
Karnas diverted slightly, as did Tessianna’s dragon, on the first pass. Hal swung his sword and only cut air. He heard Tessianna shout something, but he didn’t really care what, and then Karnas and the other dragon were charging again.
This time, Hal’s sword caught both Tessianna’s armor and slashed into the dragon’s scales. Neither strike was fatal, or even damaging, but it was a proof of concept. Hal’s free arm was wrapped tight around Karnas’s neck, holding on with a grip that made his knuckles turn white. He made the mistake of glancing down at the ground. Zoria and Cadrian were holding up against the valkyries, but they looked tiny, like dots against the freshly thawed ground.
Hal was ready on the third pass, sword pulled back, eyes locked onto Tessianna as a target. He was ready to attack, but not to defend. Instead of pulling her dragon to one side and attempting an attack with her weapon, Tessianna let it collide with Karnas.
Hal only had one arm around Karnas’s neck, and it simply wasn’t enough. He was knocked loose, swinging his sword in a pointless slash as he felt his body being welcomed by the open air. Tessianna had devoted her full attention to hanging on, and now her dragon was doing the same with Karnas, attacking and grappling with him, preventing him from going to Hal’s aid.
Panic took hold of Hal like the shift of a dream into a nightmare. He was falling so fast. There was no time. He could see the ground coming up on him. His muscles and bones were already anticipating the violent impact.
How many times have I almost died from falling, before? This is starting to become a habit.
He forced himself to think, even if he only had time for a single thought before the end of his rapid descent. He was desperate for something, anything, that he could do to change the outcome. He tried to reach into his heartgem, the heartgem he’d lost, though it would have been pointless in a situation like this, anyway.
The speed of the air was making his clothes flap painfully against his shoulder wound. Hal tried to shift it, and then it hit him.
The lift crystal!
With no time to give the idea the full consideration it deserved, Hal pushed his awareness and will into the shard of lift crystal in his shoulder, triggering its magic. He screamed, the pain hitting him before he was aware of what was happening.
His descent had begun to slow, though at the expense of excruciating pain in his shoulder. All of his lift came from the shard, which tore through muscle and stretched the skin of his shoulder at a weird angle. It was the worst pain he’d ever felt, and he almost felt like laughing at how much he appreciated it.
He was alive, and that was what mattered. The battle was still playing out underneath him and between the dragons in the distance. Hal was unsure of what would happen if he toyed with the lift crystal’s magic to try anything to redirect his course.
He watched Karnas wrestling with Tessianna’s dragon, his body a mass of scales and muscle. He was smaller and younger than his opponent, but with that came energy of a kind that the other dragon simply couldn’t match. Hal watched with pride as he saw Karnas raking his claws and teeth across Tessianna’s dragon’s flank.
Karnas twisted, managing to get underneath his opponent, and closed his jaw on the other dragon’s neck. Even in the dark, Hal could see the spurt of blood as Karnas pulled back. He was grinning like an idiot and had to resist the urge to shout encouragement and give his position away as he saw Tessianna’s dragon descend to the ground in a chaotic death spiral.
Karnas immediately flew to Hal, swooping underneath him. Hal released the magic of the lift crystal and took his place on the dragon’s back, gasping as his shoulder throbbed a reprimand to him over what he’d just put it through.
Hal gestured in the direction of Tessianna and her dragon, and Karnas took off. They found Tessianna partially pinned under the body of her dead mount. She scowled at Hal and shouted something in elven, probably the most profane insult she knew.
Hal urged Karnas on, and the dragon slapped down on the Empress’s daughter with a heavy claw strike. Tessianna’s runic armor shattered, and she let out a scream of pain.
“Take her alive,” said Hal. “Carry her in your claw, if you can.”
“Yes, Hally…” muttered Karnas.
The dragon grabbed her, and then they were flying again, heading back to where the fight was still playing out between Zoria and Cadrian, and the remaining valkyries.
CHAPTER 52
It was a strange reversal of the way the battle had initially broken out. Karnas dipped low, bathing the valkyries in flames. Cadrian and Zoria found their second wind, hurling themselves at the elves until there were only four left, and then three.
Karnas landed on one of those remaining three, and Hal watched his companions each finish off one of the other two. He slid down from Karnas, tapping the dragon on the neck.
“Can you go get Laurel?” he asked. “I don’t want her to be away from us, in case there are more enemies around.”
Karnas nodded and headed off to retrieve her from wherever he’d stashed her, leaving Tessianna behind on the ground. She was scowling and injured, but otherwise aware of her circumstances.
“You ignorant surface savage,” she said. “You will die for this!”
She looked so disheveled compared to the first time Hal had seen her, but still sounded young and immature, even with her tight valkyrie clothing torn and cuts across her face.
“No,” said Hal. “We won’t be the ones dying today. You’ve tried over and over again to kill me, to kill my friends. It’s time for you to pay.”
He unsheathed his sword and moved to stand over her. Tessianna glared at him, but he could see the fear in her expression. Hal was a little surprised and more than a little horrified at how resigned he felt to the idea of killing her.
“I have a better idea,” said Cadrian. “One that will put her to good use.”
“She’s responsible for who knows how many deaths,” said Hal.
Cadrian set a hand on his shoulder, pulling him in close enough to hear a whisper. “The Empress still has hostages. Laurel’s brother, my sister. She’s our leverage.”
Hal frowned, but considered it. He looked toward the sky. It was too dark to make out the Upper Realm in detail, but he could see a black oval where the floating province blocked the light from the stars. It was slowly getting bigger as the Upper Realm continued its descent.
“It’s too dangerous for us to deal with the Empress directly,” said Hal.
“How about indirectly?” Cadrian walked over to where Hal had dropped his pack. She ruffled through it, pulling something out that he’d almost forgotten he had.
The view crystal…
“Give it a try,” said Hal.
“She wo
n’t deal with surface scum!” shouted Tessianna. “You think too much of yourself, bull.”
Hal smiled at Tessianna, amused by how annoyed she seemed with them. Behind him, he heard Karnas land with Laurel on his back. She climbed down and ran over to him. Hal hugged her tight and kissed her, letting his forehead briefly rest against hers.
“Your shoulder…” she said. “It’s bleeding through the bandage now.”
Hal winced. “Yeah, I made it worse. It’s a long story. Probably going to need a healer to look at it once we’re done here.”
Tessianna sat upright as Zoria came around and entered her field of vision, jabbing a finger in her direction.
“Traitor!” shouted Tessianna. “You traitorous bitch. Your family will die for this!”
“She doesn’t really understand the situation she’s in, does she, master?” said Zoria.
Hal grinned and shook his head. Cadrian waved a hand at him, and he came over to stand next to her just as the view crystal brought up a blue, grainy image of Empress Kay of the Upper Realm.
She wore a regal gown which clung tight to her chest while billowing out around the waist and legs. She looked tired, though that may have been an effect of the view crystal smudging her true appearance.
“Empress Kay,” said Cadrian. “The Heart Holder and I have taken your daughter, Tessianna, as a–”
“Give him the crystal!” snapped the Empress. “I will speak to him and him alone.”
Cadrian furrowed her brow, but she passed the view crystal over to Hal. He stared at the Empress’s visage, smiling and waiting for her to react.
“You sniveling wretch…” she said, in a quiet voice. “You have no idea the pain you’ve earned for yourself.”
“The threats are a waste of time,” said Hal. “Let’s talk about the current situation.”
“I know it was you,” said Empress Kay. “The memory crystal. You found something in it and used the knowledge to undermine my realm. I will offer you one chance to undo whatever you’ve done.”
Her voice had a tone of command in it, but it was undercut with a hint of weakness. A hint of fear. Hal slowly shook his head, knowing that he would never get a better chance to put forth his demands with leverage.
“First of all, it isn’t something that can be undone,” said Hal. “The Upper Realm will return to its old, surface borders. I’m not sure if it will be within the day or within the week, but it’s happening. And you’ll have new neighbors to deal with. Between the humans of Krestia’s Cradle, the maug, and my old homeland, you will have your hands full if you try to push an aggressive agenda.”
“You don’t speak to me like–”
“I’m not finished,” interrupted Hal. “We also have your daughter. Your only daughter, Tessianna.”
Empress Kay stared at Hal, her expression unreadable.
“She knew the risks of leading the attack on the surface,” she said. “You cannot use her as a bargaining chip.”
“I can, and I will,” said Hal. “You will release all of the hostages. Willum, Cadrian’s sister, along with the slaves in the Upper Realm. We’ll give you your daughter back in return.”
“We’re at war,” snapped the Empress. “Do you think I would allow myself to look so weak?”
“The war is over,” said Hal. “Truly, it is. This is your new reality, Empress. You don’t get to dictate what happens moving forward. You’ll have your own civil issues to handle once the Upper Realm touches down, and your people start panicking.”
The Empress of the eklids said nothing. The silence stretched on for so long that Hal thought it might be a problem with the view crystal. Finally, she spoke.
“The slaves will not be released,” said the Empress. “I will give you your hostages back in exchange for my daughter. Nothing more.”
Hal opened his mouth to let the Empress know exactly what he thought of her offer, but before he could speak, Cadrian tugged at his sleeve. Her expression had a touch of desperation to it, along with worry for her little sister.
If I say no, it might put her at risk. Is that worth letting the slavery of thousands of people go ignored?
He owed it to her, regardless of whether it meant sacrificing his ideals.
“Fine,” said Hal. “We accept.”
Empress Kay gave a small nod, and the view crystal feed cut out abruptly. Hal frowned and looked at Cadrian.
“I don’t feel good about this,” he said.
“You don’t have to feel good about it,” said Cadrian. “But I would not suggest you let yourself feel bad about it, either. The changes brought about today will reverberate through history, and perhaps future generations will look back and see this as the first step toward a better world.”
“Maybe,” said Hal. “Hopefully.”
He looked back up at the sky, watching the Upper Realm slowly sink lower, dark against the stars behind it. Laurel was next to him, and she reached down and squeezed his hand.
“Are we done?” asked Laurel. “What happens now?”
“I’ll hold onto the view crystal,” said Cadrian. “Find a place to wait nearby with our hostage, so I can organize an exchange once the Upper Realm touches down.”
“Can you handle that on your own?” asked Hal.
“I’ll stay, too,” said Zoria. “I need to reach my family, anyway.”
She smiled and walked over to Hal. He smiled back at her and was surprised when Zoria rose up on her toes and kissed him on the lips, completely ignoring Laurel’s presence next to him.
“It’s been interesting, master,” she said.
“You’re never going to stop with that, are you?” He smiled at her as she shook her head.
“We’ll see each other again,” said Zoria. “I don’t plain on keeping my family in Zelnata, now that it doesn’t have such an expansive view. Maybe we’ll look into building a homestead of our own?”
Hearing her say that made Hal think of Fool’s Valley, but also of what awaited both him and Laurel on their return. He’d been avoiding thinking about that, as much as he could. Maxim Cedric might already be dead, and crushing responsibilities and limitations could be awaiting Laurel as soon as she returned to Meldence.
“Thank you,” said Hal. “None of this would have been possible without you, Zoria. You risked your life to help me, and I will always appreciate it.”
“So sentimental,” purred Zoria. “I’m sure you could think of ways to make it up to me, if you were so inclined.”
Laurel cleared her throat. Zoria gave Hal one more quick kiss on the cheek, and then headed over to watch Tessianna.
Cadrian pulled something out of her pocket as she walked over to Hal. Her lips pulled up into a rare smile as she passed it to him.
“You dropped this,” she said.
The heartgem felt warm as Cadrian pressed it into Hal’s palm. He’d have to get a new cord for it, but he could worry about that another time. It was good to have it back, even if a part of him hoped he’d never have need for its magic again.
“Thank you,” said Hal. It felt odd, both to be thanking her and to have her give him the object that had originally set both of their fates into motion.
“You’ve done more for me than I think you know,” she said. “More than I deserve from you, all things considered.”
Hal nodded at that, but was surprised to find that his emotions concerning all that had happened between them were only an echo of what they used to be. He reached his hand out and clasped his old master’s hand, squeezing it tightly.
“Goodbye, Cadrian,” he said.
“Goodbye, Halrin,” said Cadrian. “Take the pack with the tent with you. Zoria and I will be able to scavenge another from the supplies of the elves.”
Hal did just that, gathering what they’d need for the trip back while Laurel said her own goodbyes. Karnas was waiting for him at the edge of the camp, and Hal pet him as he nuzzled his head down against his shoulder.
“Are you feeling strong enough to carry
two riders, Karnas?”
The dragon gave an enthusiastic nod. “Going… home?”
“Yeah,” said Hal. “Home.”
CHAPTER 53
Hal and Laurel rode on Karnas’s back for most of the night, heading south across Krestia’s Cradle. They were both tired, and when they finally found a campsite in a small clearing south of what had once been the province’s frost line, Hal was almost too tired to set up the tent.
“Let’s rest here for a while,” said Laurel, as soon as they were settled into their sleeping bags. “We don’t have to rush back to Meldence, now that things have slowed down.”
“Alright,” said Hal. He hugged her, feeling the warmth of her body even though they were sleeping on separate bedrolls. Other than re-bandaging his wound, they’d only taken the time to eat a quick meal before turning in for what was left of the night.
They both slept through until midday. Hal felt all of his aches and pains as he opened his eyes, but still had a smile on his face. He could hear Laurel humming a familiar tune outside the tent, one he’d heard her play on her flute many times before in front of the homestead’s hearth.
“Good morning,” he said, pushing his way out into the sun. The weather was warm, almost unseasonably so, and it made Hal wonder if the Pale Lady’s cold influence had also extended some distance south into Krestia’s Cradle.
“Good morning.” Laurel had changed back into the outfit she’d left Meldence in, her tunic and black leggings. Her cheeks were rosy, and her dimples popped into view as she smiled at him. “Are you hungry?”
“I am,” said Hal. “But I think I’d rather eat a warm meal, rather than more traveling bread. Why don’t I build a fire, and then we can eat?”
Laurel nodded. Hal was glad she’d suggested taking a day to just rest. They’d spent so much time on the road, pushing through the forest and snow, where every choice they made had to do with survival. It felt nice to decide to do nothing, once in a while.
“There are plenty of loose branches to the west of here,” said Laurel. “Along with a river. I washed up already.”
Eternal Palace (Sexcraft Chronicles Book 4) Page 28
