by J. B. Jenn
Zavad
Zavad wandered the halls in deep thought. He had left Balla in bed a few hours ago, not wanting to wake her with his restlessness. Things had taken a turn for the worst. Despite the wytches at the border and more soldiers, demons were still getting through. There was too much to defend. There were holes in their defense and the demons were finding them. Yet, as their king, he felt he should be able to protect Yul. He hoped Hethera was having some luck with King Adair. They needed more soldiers.
Zavad sighed. Growing up, he had never imagined facing such things. Yul was a peaceful kingdom. His father had always been proud of it. He, too, had been proud of what Yul had become. They had been forced to face a situation none of them could have ever dreamed of.
He still didn’t understand how something like this had come upon them. Over the last several days, he had wondered if there had been signs none of them had seen.
One thing was certain. He had no answers. It was part of the problem. Yul prided themselves on being a kingdom of knowledge, but they knew little of what was happening in Hartland. Yes, there were demons. Yet, they had no idea how people were being turned into them. They didn’t even know if it could be reversed. Zavad doubted it. Once humans were possessed by those foul creatures, their bodies took on the shape of the demon. Still… If it was reversible, how many lives could they save?
He stopped in the courtyard. This was where his people were training. None of them had any experience. None of them came from families who had known war. Even after training, they didn’t have the right kind of experience to face what they were being sent against. Even the Cascadian soldiers didn’t have the experience Hartland needed. This was new and terrifying.
Zavad grabbed one of the practice swords and took his place among the men. If they were being forced to learn how to fight, he should be there with them, learning the barbaric method of killing.
“Your Majesty, what are you doing?” Lord Osrin asked.
Zavad shook his head. He’d hoped no one would notice him quite so soon. It was too much to hope for. He towered over most men. He met the old man’s eyes and gave him a nod to continue his lesson. Now that the other men were aware of his presence, they seemed unable to concentrate. They glanced at him as if he stood there to judge them.
“Relax,” Zavad said with an easy laugh. “I don’t know what I’m doing either.”
After two hours of training, Zavad found himself on the other side of a sparring circle. To his surprise, Casman was standing there. He had thought Lord Osrin would want to do the honors himself. The old man hadn’t stopped glowering at him.
“Are you ready, your Majesty?” he asked, giving a respectful, curt bow.
Casman’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. Zavad met his eyes. “Yes.” He took hold of his sword more firmly.
Casman rushed him. Zavad barely had time to block the attacks. When Casman finished the flourish, he paused. Zavad waited for a moment before unleashing his own attack of wild swings and thrusts.
At least, that had been the plan. On his first strike, Casman blocked and sent the sword flying from his hands. Several of the soldiers laughed. Zavad shook his head, giving his own laugh at such an obvious blunder.
“Did you forget everything we taught you, your Majesty?” Casman asked as he stooped to grab the king’s sword.
“Apparently.” Zavad looked to the man and took the sword. “Again.”
Zavad took in a deep breath and mentally went through everything which had happened. When Casman attacked again, Zavad blocked it. It seemed to come easier to him this time. This time, he was more focused. As Casman swung the fourth time, Zavad spun away and swung, stopping inches from Casman’s side.
“Well done!” Casman said. “It seems the king is a quick study.” After just a moment, seriousness settled into the man’s eyes. “There is still much we can teach you, if you’re interested. You only know the basics. In a true battle, you would be dead. Demons show no mercy.”
Zavad looked toward the men who were staring at him, eagerly awaiting his response. Whereas the thought of learning how to use a sword abhorred him to his soul, he knew it was necessary. Zavad knew he needed to know how, so he could defend his wife and the child on the way, if nothing else.
“I would be honored to receive such training from you, Casman. I will stand with the rest of the soldiers.” Zavad gave the man a slight bow.
The men, at first, just stood there. Then, they all broke out in excited talk, realizing their king was no different than they were. Zavad could feel their relief. He wondered how it was people came to view kings and queens as different. Royalty made mistakes. Royalty loved. Royalty hated.
If his men could see him in a new light, he knew it would go a long way in fighting this war. They would fight for a man they knew and could connect to better than they would a man they believed was above them.
None of them had ever thought they would pick up a sword. Zavad looked toward the soldiers, hoping this would all be worth it in the end.
Querra
She had waited for Eiden for a few days now. If he wasn’t here by nightfall, she would speak with King Trester on her own. She wanted Eiden here to give her advice before she did so. Something had delayed him. She wondered if demons had found them and Eiden was wounded somewhere, dying.
“Stop it,” she growled to herself, trying to shut out the gruesome images.
Sitting down on the ground, she tried to think of anything else. She even busied her hands with weaving together long strands of grass. It didn’t help. Her mind still played through the worst scenarios she could imagine. She knew the images wouldn’t rest until she saw him in front of her in one piece, or knew for a certainty he was dead.
When the sun was sinking on the horizon, Querra sighed. He wasn’t going to make it today, which meant she had to do this on her own. She had to visit with King Trester without the support of Eiden and the Relentless. This wasn’t how she had planned it. How was she to show this new king, the Relentless could help him if most of them were nowhere to be seen? Querra sighed again. She would just have to find a way.
“Giving up on me so soon?” she heard a voice say from behind her as she started toward the ruins.
When she spun, Eiden was standing behind her. There was blood on his leather armor, but he was intact. Querra rushed into his arms and pulled him into a tight hug. For several moments, she remained there.
“You’re late.”
Eiden leaned back, studying her. “The man you sent wouldn’t explain anything to me. All he said was I and the other Relentless were needed. What’s going on?”
Seriousness came over her. “The new ruling member finally showed up.”
“Who is it?”
“Trester.”
“The son who was banished?”
“Yes. From what I’ve been able to gather, he’s the only surviving member of the family. The good news is if he isn’t what Cascade needs, he has no actual claim on the throne. If we have to, we can rightfully remove him.”
Eiden said nothing for several moments. He looked to Querra, smiling lightly. “You still haven’t told me why you’ve gathered us here.”
“Where are the rest?” she asked, searching the woods. “I only see a few of you.”
“They’re a few days behind me.” He studied her for a few more moments. “Are you going to tell me why we’re here or are you going to make me guess?”
“We’re going to become part of the Cascadian army, permanently.”
Eiden laughed, making her frown. “He’ll never go for it.”
“You don’t know that. He’s not his father. He has a striking resemblance to King Delane Stone, but King Trester is a different man. He was banished by his father. We should try to use it to our advantage. We have good men and women here. Cascade can’t be so archaic in its thinking to not allow women to fight. We have a chance to change how Hartland views women. We can fight. You know it. I certainly know it.”
“You needed us here for that?”
“Yes. King Trester needs to see our strength.” Eiden said nothing, surprising her. “Do you have nothing to say?”
“No. You’re going to do this regardless of what anyone thinks or says.” Querra started to argue, but his gentle laugh stopped her mid-word. “I happen to agree with you on this, Querra. Cascade needs our help. The Relentless can demonstrate to the world men and women can work and fight together. I think this is a good thing you’re trying to do.” He stroked her cheek gently. “I just don’t want you to get your hopes broken by this man. Just admit there is a chance he’ll reject you, just like his father did.”
“I know there’s a chance,” she whispered. Determination captured her yellowy-orange eyes. “He’ll accept it. The man’s desperate. The only thing I need is to get an audience with him.”
“I missed you,” Eiden whispered, resting his forehead on hers. “I thought you might have gotten yourself killed when you didn’t come back in the time you had said, or when you didn’t send word.”
Querra remained silent for several moments. She took in a deep breath. “I’m sorry I made you worry.” She pulled away from him. “Come on. We have things to do.”
Trester
Galtrand treated him differently, knowing he had demon blood running through him. He kept his distance from him. Part of Trester wondered if it was for another reason. He wondered if it was because Galtrand felt Janessa should be the one here and not him. Trester sighed. He wanted Janessa here, too. Being king had never been part of his plans.
He picked up one of the books he had borrowed from the Desert’s library, planning to distract himself. It was the same one he’d been reading whenever he had the chance: The Demon Within. Since he had arrived, he had barely touched it.
As he stared at the simple cover, he wondered if it would actually give him all the answers he needed. It had already told him his blood had demon blood running through it. From the test he had conducted, it indicated he was a powerful wytch. He didn’t know what to make of it just yet. He had a feeling it had something to do with the reason De’Nae had attempted to kill him. Still, he had no idea why she hadn’t killed him when they had been alone. It would have been easy. Too easy. It was what troubled him.
“Your Majesty?” Galtrand called from the doorway.
Trester looked up, frowning. Since he had come back to Kenokel, it felt as if he hadn’t gotten any peace. There was always someone wanting to see him, wanting answers. It was as if with his arrival, no one was capable of doing anything on their own anymore. Watching perfectly intelligent and capable people suddenly forget how to live just because someone with the title of king had arrived was frustrating He wondered if his father had ever felt this irritated with people.
“What is it?” Trester asked.
Galtrand closed the door behind him, wearing a deep frown. Trester stared at him, waiting for a response. The prolonged silence annoyed him.
“Well?” Trester asked impatiently.
“There is someone here who would like an audience with you. She’s in charge of a mercenary group your father was aware of. It’s grown dramatically since Kenokel was destroyed. They’ve been defending Cascade from the demons Urian had brought with him.”
“Mercenaries?” Trester’s brow shot up with interest.
“Yes.” Trester watched Galtrand clench his jaw for a moment. “You should know your father was trying to rid Cascade of them. He didn’t like what they stood for. Soldiers looking for money to help people.”
“It’s not all that different from you.” Galtrand furrowed his brow. “Did you not receive money for your services?”
Galtrand clenched his jaw. “Point taken.”
“Why didn’t my father succeed in banishing them from Cascade?”
“He made the mistake of only banishing them from Kenokel, not Cascade. Since he hadn’t seen them, he forgot about them.”
“I think that’s just conjecture there. If my father wanted them out of Cascade, I’m certain he would have banished them from the kingdom.” Galtrand sighed at him. “What do these people want with me?”
“They call themselves the Relentless and I have no idea, your Majesty.”
“The Relentless?” Trester echoed.
“Should I send the leader in?”
Trester nodded, highly curious what these Relentless could offer them. Galtrand rose and left, unhappy with his response.
Moments later, Galtrand returned, still wearing the serious, yet annoyed, look. Trester watched eagerly to see the person who led the mercenaries. It wasn’t what he had expected in the least. The moment the tall, broad shouldered woman entered, Trester blinked. Her black hair was short and streaked with red. Across her nose was a gruesome scar. Her face was long and narrow, and home to the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. They were a yellowy orange color and intelligent.
The moment she met his eyes, she smiled at him and sat down in the chair in front of him. Galtrand cleared his throat, expecting her to formerly greet the king. She did no such thing, which only intrigued Trester more.
“Let’s get straight to business,” she said in a husky voice.
Trester looked to her, ignoring Galtrand’s raised brow and snort at her disrespect. “Yes, let’s. Galtrand, excuse yourself.”
“Your Majesty, that…”
“Excuse yourself, Galtrand,” Trester said more firmly. When he left, Trester turned his gaze back to the woman. “I am highly curious as to what you think you can offer me.”
The woman’s deep laugh amused Trester. “Protection of course! Sword arms. Do you think the people here can actually protect you against demons?”
“Demons? What do you know of demons?”
“My men and I have been fighting demons since this disaster began. We didn’t know what they were called until our run in with the Tharroh.” Trester frowned. As much as he wanted to ask her about the Tharroh, he sat there, letting her continue. “We are the ones who’ve protected Cascade against further destruction. It wasn’t your soldiers or your father’s soldiers.” The woman leaned back, studying him silently. “Of course, I’m not blaming you. You were handed a mess. I’m blaming you for not coming sooner. The people here needed a leader during the time no one was here, and you’re looking at that person. I banded everyone together, including Cascade soldiers who remained behind. It hasn’t been easy.”
Trester stared at her, finding he enjoyed her arrogance. It was refreshing from the others he had encountered here. The people he had deemed fools. The people who needed him to tell them what to do.
“My question for you,” he paused, realizing he didn’t know her name, “is what makes you think I need protection? Surely, you’ve heard the rumors about me.”
The woman smirked, placing her black boots upon the table, next to his books. Trester stared at the caked on mud for a few moments in dismay before moving the books, and meeting her eyes.
“I have heard the rumors about you. You’re a coldblooded murderer who can’t control his magic. But we both know I wasn’t talking about you. I am talking about Cascade and the people who still live here.” She paused, studying him. “I know you aren’t aware of the Relentless as you haven’t lived in Cascade for a long time. Hell, you aren’t even supposed to be here. You have no real claim on the throne either because of it.”
Querra met his eyes. “Know we are vast enough to have a unit stationed at nearly every town across the kingdom, plus units patrolling Cascade. We’ve been protecting everyone. Some of the Relentless are former soldiers who survived the attack and wanted to do their duty. They couldn’t because there was no royalty here to guide them. They still wanted to protect the people, so we absorbed them. I come here offering my services to you.”
Trester studied her. Her threat didn’t go unnoticed. As he watched her, hoped to read her real intentions. All he could see was arrogance though. When she removed her feet from the table, he knew she was growing impatient with hi
s silence.
“There isn’t a way to pay you for these services you’re offering,” Trester stated. “Cascade has no gold and the only ally we have is the Desert who has also seen great losses.”
She leaned forward. Her short black hair splayed across her face. An amused smile twisted her lips. “Whoever said anything about payment? My price is something entirely different from gold. You help me, I help you.”
Trester knew he was going to regret asking, but he couldn’t help it. “What is it?”
“A place for my soldiers, men and women, in Cascade forever. They are good people, trying to do what is right. Your father and I never saw eye to eye. If he had, perhaps we could have helped save more people. The city would have still been destroyed, but so many lives might not have been lost. I hope for your sake, we can see eye to eye.”
Trester continued to study her for several moments. “Whereas your offer is generous and we are in need of people who can fight, I must decline your offer.”
She was on her feet in an instant. Her face was red as she leaned across the table, meeting him face to face. “You’re a fool, just like your father. You’re making a mistake.”
Trester met her glare calmly. “Prove me wrong then.”
The woman left him sitting there. She slammed the door behind her. Trester didn’t flinch. Instead, he stared at the door in deep thought, wondering if she would stay and prove him wrong or leave and rally against him. He couldn’t read the woman like he wanted to. She was too guarded.
When Galtrand entered again, the man wore a grim look. “I’m assuming it could have gone better?”
“We’ll see.” Trester hoped the woman would stay. Cascade needed the Relentless. He also didn’t need anyone trying to remove him from the throne. He met Galtrand’s inquisitive gaze. “What’s the woman’s name? She never told me.”
“Querra Guard.”
“I want you to keep an eye on them. Inform me of anything which seems odd.”
