The Fractured Empire: Book Seven of the Disinherited Prince Series

by Guy Antibes

  “They have at least eight thousand in the field, but they are not running to Covial unopposed. The reserves in the south had made it into position when we discovered them massing a few weeks ago. They will still be at Covial’s walls before you.”

  Pol looked at the map. Another table had been set up with a map of Covial and its environs. “How accurate is that?”

  “Accurate enough,” Captain Corior said. “Queen Isa commissioned a re-survey in the early summer.”

  Pol looked at the contours. “The river protects the city, that’s for sure. I suppose the bridges are out?”

  Axe nodded. Pol squinted as he burned the pattern of the map into his head.

  “Isn’t there an island off the map to the east?”

  Kelso Beastwell pointed off the map. “About here.”

  “The river is deeper, but makeshift bridges wouldn’t take very long.”

  “The island is defended.”

  “Are there magicians on the island?”

  Kelso looked down at the map. “No.”

  “A magician can take the island in a single night with mind-control, or even with wards,” Pol said. “We need to make sure our people don’t get twisted. We are fighting in two dimensions, the physical and the magical. The Shinkyans are full of magicians who have been training to take out mind-control.”

  General Axe gazed down. “We can contact Covial to reinforce the island.”

  “Do,” Pol said. “But that is only one possibility. We need to think of more, so we can do the easy things before the sheer weight of the enemy pushes their way to Covial. The sooner we deflect the forces at Covial, the quicker we can turn our sights on the Winnowers farther north.”

  “We think there is a force defending Borstall, and the largest part of their army is heading west,” Kelso said.

  “Figures, and they still have enough soldiers to have ten thousand troops at the South Salvan border.” Pol turned around and looked at the big map of the entire eastern half of Eastril. He still wondered what he might miss, and missing meant more fighting that could not be avoided. He would have to rely on the Shinkyan forces to save South Salvan.

  “Ako, could you get Fanira at the rune book and inform her of what we discuss here?”

  “We should have done it sooner,” she said.

  Pol nodded. “We are all new to this. So we’ll just have to get better as we go,” he said.

  The discussions continued. Servants brought dinner into the war room when the topic turned to logistics.

  “We have enough food for the Shinkyan armies for two months, at least.”

  Pol nodded. “Wagons will continue to come and go from Shinkya while we are here, but the perishable food will have to come from South Salvan.”

  Axe talked about sanitary conditions in a camp. Since they had been communicating on a continuous basis, Pentor, Elder Harona, and General Axe had camps assigned to harvest in fields to free up the home guard. Pol’s subjects had already dug latrines for the soldiers well away from water supplies.

  An hour after dinner, the reports were complete, and a preliminary battle plan for Covial had taken shape.

  “I still have to get back to Little Tishiko,” General Axe said.

  “It’s already too late for me,” Kelso said.

  Then I will retire.” Pol found Pentor’s eyes. “My room is still the same?”

  “All cleaned and ready for you.”

  Pol rubbed his eyes; the ride and the planning had exhausted him. He looked over at Ako, finishing her conversation with the Fanira. Fadden stood with his hand on her shoulder.

  His stepsister Amonna rushed to Captain Corior and brought him over to Pol. “We are glad to see you return, even though it won’t be for long.”

  Pol blinked away fatigue and took his sister’s hand. “I’m glad to see you both well. Are you sure you’ll be safe here?”

  “As safe as anywhere in the Empire. The Daftine army still pushes against Landon’s army and the Zasosians, but someone in his army has been using unconventional tactics, bringing the battle to a standstill,” Amonna said.

  “Akil, most likely,” Pol said, barely smiling and running his hand through his hair. “I demonstrated the advantages of unpredictable attacks in Zasos.”

  Shira grabbed Pol’s elbow. “Redearth’s Supreme Commander is going to keel over soon. I’ll take him to his rooms,” she said. “I’m glad we have come back here.”

  “So am I,” Amonna said. “Goodnight, brother.”

  Pol raised his arm in a half-hearted salute as Captain Corior dragged her over to General Axe.

  “Come on,” Shira said, guiding him out of the room and up the large stairway leading to the second floor.

  She threw open the double doors, but Pol pulled on her waist and flung her back into the corridor. An arrow struck him in the leg before he had a chance to get his shields up. A dozen more arrows whizzed into his shields. Pol pulled out the packet of splinters that he always carried. These were all Demron steel.

  He left his sword in his rooms, so he flung the splinters into eight archers before putting another five to sleep. Shira looked at the bodies and screamed for help.

  “How did they get in here?” Pol said. He now had no problem keeping his eyes open.

  “They are ours,” General Axe said, “not wearing uniforms.”

  Pol knelt down by the sleeping soldiers and saw wards on their bodies and in their brains. He removed them, frustrated that the enemy tainted his own forces.

  “The enemy has infiltrated Redearth. Perhaps that’s why they left my domain alone,” Pol said, gritting his teeth as he finally felt the pain of the arrow still stuck in his thigh. “Lodestones on all soldiers. It only takes one magician to cause this havoc.”

  Ako removed the arrowhead. A gush of blood soiled the blankets Pol lay upon. She worked on him while Pol dealt with the burning of her magical healing.

  “I’m done for now. Be—”

  Pol stopped her mid-sentence. “I know.” He patted her arm. “Thank you.”

  “I’ve barred the windows,” Pentor said. “The men came in through the kitchen. The cook let them in.”

  “A dozen men?”

  “Thirteen.”

  “We can do better than that, can’t we Pentor?” Pol said.

  “I am sorry, Duke Pol. It won’t happen again.”

  Pol managed a smile. “See, we are all learning new things.” He winced as he rose. “As for me, I didn’t detect anyone in my bedroom, like I did in my living room. Shira flung the doors open before I fully realized there were men in my room.”

  “Saving my life, again,” she said.

  “We can’t let that happen again,” Pol said. “There is only one way to stop these assassination attempts.”

  “Grostin,” Amonna said, standing at the door, chewing on a knuckle.

  “Among others.” Pol gingerly touched his thigh. “Namion Threshell and Grimwell. They think they are safe in Borstall. That won’t be the case for long.” He rubbed his eyes. “I still need to get some sleep.”

  The Cook brought up a pitcher of fruit juice. Pol checked her for mind-control. “I don’t blame you,” he said. “How could you have known?”

  “They were unarmed when they came through the kitchen.”

  “Weapons will fit through the bars covering an open window,” Pentor said.

  Pol nodded. “We can talk about it tomorrow.”

  Shira put her arm around Pol’s waist. “It’s time someone put you to bed, and I’m just the person to do it.”

  She looked at the crowded sitting room and at Pentor rolling up the bloody blankets. Nothing had seeped through.

  “I’ll remove my Demron splinters from the bodies in the morning,” Pol said. “It’s time to carry magnetic ones.”

  “Enough of that,” Shira said, as she led Pol into the bedroom and shut the door behind her. She turned to Pol and hugged him, burying her face in his shoulder. “I thought you were going to die.”

>   “From an arrow in my leg? I’m made of tougher stuff than that.”

  “No, from the flurry of arrows. You moved so fast, you put me to shame.”

  Pol hugged her back. “If I had been more awake, I would have located the men sooner, but…”

  “We live in a dangerous world,” Shira said. She kissed him on the lips. “I will stay the night with you.”

  “Not yet,” Pol said.

  She lightly patted his cheek. “Of course, not yet, but I won’t leave your side until morning. I can protect you.”

  Pol managed a chuckle. “I know you can.” His eyelids felt weighted. “We have nothing to worry about tonight.”

  He let go of her and collapsed on the bed. Shira took off his shoes. Pol remembered nothing more.

  ~

  A shake woke Pol. He looked up at Shira, who had changed into a dress.

  “I have some fruit juice for you.”

  Pol looked outside at the gathering dawn. His manor looked bathed in blue. “Not going to let me sleep in?”

  “More news awaits you downstairs. I didn’t let them wake you until now,” Shira said.

  “I’m not invulnerable, am I?” Pol said.

  “You saved my life, and you are still alive to receive my thanks,” Shira said.

  “I should have looked into my room, but we were both tired.”

  “You did, and your performance was masterful. I’m sure you wanted another scar to add to your collection.”

  “A scar? Ako is better than that.”

  “She left a reminder. It’s not ugly. It will always remind me of last night, our first night sleeping together in your manor.”

  Pol snorted. “Nothing happened. We’ve slept together in our clothes often enough,” Pol said.

  Shira frowned. “Taking away my fantasy?”

  “Reality intrudes, for a bit anyway,” Pol said. “When will General Fanira arrive?

  “Tonight, late. I sent instructions on where they can stop, closer to Little Tishiko.”

  “Let’s make sure we have a hot meal ready for them.”

  “You are generous.”

  “Shinkya is generous. I had to use the Great Ancestor thing to get them here.”

  “You are the Great Ancestor, and regardless of your intent, you are fulfilling the prophecy.”

  Pol took Shira’s hand and kissed it. “The Great Ancestor likes Princess Shira.”

  “And Princess Shira likes the Great Ancestor. Does that make us even?”

  Pol laughed. “In a sense.” He drank the juice and got up from the bed. “I need a bath, so if you will leave me, I will join you in the war room looking less disheveled.”

  ~

  Paki rode at Pol’s side. He carried rune books in his saddlebags at the front of the Shinkyan herd.

  “I feel more useful now that I discovered I have enough magical power to activate runes. It’s been a little hard with Nirano being a Sister and me not able to do much more than push pennies.”

  “Magic isn’t the only thing a woman looks for in a man,” Pol said.

  “Thank goodness,” Paki said. He grinned at Pol. “It’s funny, huh?”

  “What’s funny?”

  “There’s Shira and you, Ako and Fadden, and me and Nirano. Who would have thought?”

  “As Shinkyans become more open in the Empire, there might be more mixed relationships, but it won’t become common. I hope not. The Shinkyans have a unique society that needs to be preserved, not just folded into the Empire. That’s why they will become allies, not subjects.”

  “The crossing is ahead,” a messenger told Pol.

  Redearth was on the northern side of the river that formed Covial’s northern edge. The Winnowers controlled the lands farther east. Queen Isa and Shira had built temporary bridges that could be slung across the water to move Redearth troops to Covial in just this scenario. The bridges were not wide, so it would take a full day to cross. They would take the bridges with them and leave them at the ferry which Pol and Shira had used when they fled with Queen Isa, escaping the clutches of King Astor.

  Pol had reinforced Redearth with two thousand of his Shinkyan forces. Once they turned the Winnowers away at Covial, Pol could employ them to converge on the northern side. He had a lot of confidence that Kelso Beastwell, Darrol Netherfield, and Captain Corior could keep his duchy in a state of readiness.

  He observed the Shinkyans crossing the bridges. Wearing his pointed hat, he shouted Shinkyan words of encouragement as they passed.

  “Keeping spirits high?” Shira said.

  “As high as I can. We are in a race to see if the Winnowers will breach Covial’s walls before we arrive.”

  “Is that a possibility?”

  Pol nodded. “It’s war. Anything can happen and usually does. I don’t know if the Winnowers know we have arrived. I don’t know exactly how many troops the Winnowers have and where they are posted. We could use some spies.”

  “Sisters are spies,” Shira said. “Most of us know Eastrilian well enough to listen in.”

  Pol raised his eyebrow. “Are you volunteering?”

  She nodded. “I am. Poor intelligence can cost many lives, on both sides. You are an expert at cutting battles short, but that takes a good understanding of the pattern. You are uncomfortable because it isn’t clear enough, aren’t you?”

  “I have to admit you are right. Let us talk with Fanira when we camp tonight. I don’t think everyone will be across the river before dark, anyway.”

  ~~~

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  ~

  “W e can afford ten Sisters,” the Blue General said. “That includes Shira, Ako, and Nirano.”

  “I’ll be going, as well,” Pol said.

  “It’s too great a risk,” Fadden said.

  Pol raised his hand to stop any further objections. “The reason they are going is to get information for me. I cannot let them go on their own. I need to get a feel for what is happening. If we spread out among the army, we can return with multiple perspectives, but I still need to walk among them and listen to the inflection of their words and sense what their emotional state is.” Pol looked at the ex-Seeker. “You know the strategies better than I to save South Salvan in case something happens. I’ll be fully shielded and invisible.” Pol chuckled. “I may be safer there than sleeping in my tent, attacked by assassins.”

  Fadden reddened. “I understand.”

  Pol put his hand on Fadden’s shoulder. “You represent my duchy, and Fanira represents Shinkya until I return.”

  After a hasty meal, the eleven spies assembled at the bridge. The traffic thinned enough to let them cross, going in the opposite direction. All the spies rode Shinkyan horses and carried linked rune books.

  “No matter what happens, we don’t write in these until we see the enemy, and we erase our observations as soon as the receipt is acknowledged. I don’t want any captured, and I don’t want their owners captured,” Pol said once they reached the other side. “We can get all the information we need by staying on the periphery of the camps. If you have to freeze a sentry, get a few dollops of information and return to camp.” He gave them maps. “From what we can determine, the closest units to us are located within the circles. I have circled your assigned areas in red. Get in, get some information and get out. Understood?”

  They all nodded and spent time memorizing the maps before they remounted and took off, leaving Shira and Pol standing next to each other in the early morning darkness. The Shinkyan army had just finished crossing, and now the supply wagons trundled over the makeshift bridge.

  Shira looked at Pol. “That’s good advice. Are you going to follow it?”

  Pol twisted his lips. “Invisibility has its own unique advantage. I want Demeron continually talking to the other Shinkyan horses as another way to know how we are all doing. The Winnower army is large enough that we shouldn’t be running into each other.”

  “I noticed you didn’t give me a map.”

  “T
hat’s because we are going together. We’re a good team,” Pol said.

  “Let’s get going.”

  Their target was closer to the river than the others were, but it wasn’t the closest to them. They rode together in the darkness.

  “We should keep our voices down from here on out,” Shira said.

  “Unless we whisper,” Pol said faintly, and then he laughed. “Demeron and I can both locate, so we’ll let you know when we get close to someone.”

  Or some horse, Demeron said. I’ll make sure I talk to you both.

  Pol leaned over and patted Demeron’s neck. “Please do.

  Pol located a pair of sentries. “Two sentries a few miles ahead,” Pol said.

  He looked at the sky. Dawn had not begun to insinuate itself yet, and the dim light would hold up during their foray.

  As they traveled, Pol’s thigh began to ache after a long day on Demeron. He probably could have used another day or two of rest, but he did not have the luxury of doing so.

  “It’s time to take care of the sentries,” Pol said.

  They rode a little farther, and then Pol stopped and dismounted. “We will put them to sleep and interrogate one of them with a truth spell,” Pol said.

  Pol saw the sentries begin to move apart. He ran through the woods and put the first one to sleep.

  The other sentry turned around to walk back, but then stopped. Pol jumped up, winced at his protesting thigh, and hobbled over to Shira, who stood above a slumbering guard. He leaned down and went over the sentry’s body. He wore a protection ward, which Pol left in place. The man also had the mental ward that operated somewhere between mind-control and full compulsion.

  Shira woke him up. Pol looked down at the sentry while he applied a truth spell.

  “What army do you fight for?”

  “North Salvan,” the sentry said.

  “Where did you join?”

  The man looked helplessly from Pol to Shira. “Tarida.”

  “Does the army intend to attack Covial soon?” Shira said.

  The sentry nodded.

  “How many soldiers are in the North Salvan army?”

  “Five thousand.”

  “What?” Shira said, furrowing her brow, but Pol touched her wrist and shook his head.