“I’m surprised you didn’t try it on me,” she remarked in a light tone.
Estella laughed. “It did occur to me. But I think whatever is compelling you to go can’t be ignored. There’s a horse waiting for you, and I’ve sent word ahead for our agents to be watchful. If anything happens, you will have allies – even though you won’t see them.”
Lylinora placed the pack on the floor and gave her friend a fond embrace. “Thank you…for everything.”
“You can thank me by returning to us safely,” Estella told her.
They walked together to a lesser-used exit. After one final embrace, Lylinora mounted her steed and urged it forward.
As she rode, she once again pondered on what was driving her. Whatever it might be, the fact remained that to stay where she was would have driven her insane. The impulse to find Markus was far too great, and it was growing stronger. Strong enough for her to question the source. One word kept repeating in her head as she tried to find an explanation for this...Lumnia. Could it be that Lumnia itself was reaching out to her? If so, how was it happening? She was not an elf. Only elves had that sort of connection.
Pushing these thoughts aside, she focused her mind on the road ahead. It would be no small achievement in itself to thread her way past all the patrols and enter unseen into the city of Noel. And that might well be the easy part. Even if she did make it there, getting into the palace could prove to be impossible.
No, it won’t be, she told herself. If Markus can find a way, so can I.
This final thought was far from convincing.
Chapter Twenty
The continuous days of marching toward yet another battle were beginning to take their toll on the morale of the allied army. Though all of their weary fighters were happy to have Queen Berathis’ army join with them – especially after hearing that Lynial Dragonvein had been placed in direct command of her forces – they were acutely aware that the road ahead was still long and hard. The blood already spilled was only the beginning. The silent ones still awaited them.
In direct contrast, Kat was feeling more hopeful since her dream experience. The camp’s nightmares about her had ceased, and although she could no longer sense Ethan, knowing that she had aided his path through the heart of Lumnia did much to ease her burden. Shinzan might have stripped her of her connection, but he could not take away her growing belief Ethan was now well set to accomplish his task.
The enemy was only ten miles away and tension was high throughout the ranks as she made her way to the command tent. She was late. Not that it mattered. Her role in the fight had already been decided.
The guards snapped to attention upon her arrival, smartly opening the flap for her to pass through. Inside were the dwarf, human, and elf senior commanders, along with her father, King Halvar, Lynial, and Keira. Only the latter two took any particular notice of her entry; Halvar and her father were far too deeply involved in a heated discussion.
After whispering something to Keira, Lynial moved away from the assembly to meet Kat. Bowing low, he offered her his arm.
“Come, My Lady,” he said. “We are not needed here, and I could use a respite from talk of battle strategy.” He grinned with boyish charm. “To be truthful, I know almost nothing of this type of warfare anyway. Mages of my time did not often engage in the conflicts between kingdoms.”
“Are you sure they don’t need you?” Kat asked.
“Absolutely,” he assured her. “Ours will be to rain fire and death down on our foes, not to command soldiers. We are merely a tool in this fight.” He paused. “Unless, of course, you have knowledge on the subject. Forgive me if I assumed otherwise. But you are a mage, after all.”
“No,” she said, smiling up at him. “I’ve never studied war. But I wouldn’t go so far as to call myself a mage either. At least, not one as powerful as you.”
Lynial cocked his head. “You were willing to face Illyrian, so you must be far from a beginner. What’s more, did you not receive instructions from Martok himself?”
“In a way. But not for very long.”
“To receive even a single lesson from one so powerful is to be envied. Also, from the tales I have been told, you have well earned the title. More so than many others I have known.”
“Thank you.” She looked over her shoulder. Her father and Halvar were still debating furiously, while Keira was rubbing the bridge of her nose and shaking her head. “You’re right. They don’t need me,” she continued. “And it would be nice to get to know Ethan’s cousin better.”
After leaving the tent, they walked toward the eastern end of the camp where the bulk of the elves were readying to bed down. Kat enjoyed their songs far more than those of the humans or dwarves, and had lately got into the habit of a nightly walk among them so she could listen to their melodies.
“A strange folk, the elves,” remarked Lynial.
“Why do you say that?”
“So different from us,” he replied. “The way they feel the world around them. It’s hard to imagine what that is like.”
“Ethan tells me that they can sense one another’s presence. Even feel their pain.”
He frowned. “I do not think I would want that. I have always been a solitary person. The company of others makes me often feel awkward.”
“You don’t seem to be like that now.”
Lynial paused to listen to an elf playing a flute near a small fire. He shut his eyes for a moment. “With you, how could I be? It is easy to understand why my cousin loves you.”
The mention of Ethan instantly brought sadness to her heart; the fear that she would never see him again was always close to the surface. “Do you think he’ll be able to kill Shinzan?” she asked.
“Yes.”
His tone told Kat there was more. “Yes, but…?”
“I honestly believe Ethan can, and will, kill Shinzan. However...”
He smiled, then patted her hand lightly. “Take no notice. It doesn’t matter. Come, let us find some wine. You can tell me about Earth. I am quite eager to learn.”
“I know he thinks he won’t survive,” Kat said, stubbornly not allowing him to change the subject. “I want to know what you think.”
His voice became gentle. “You want hope,” he began. “You want someone to tell you that he will live, and that you will be together again. I would be happy to provide that comfort, but you already know the truth, and I am not that talented a liar.”
He reached out to wipe a tear from her cheek with his finger. “What I can say is this. Were I in Ethan’s place fighting Shinzan, if any possible way of returning to you did exist, I would assuredly find it. Though I do not know him as you do, I have been told enough to know that he is possibly the greatest Dragonvein ever to bear the name. If anyone can find a way, it is he.”
Kat looked deeply into his eyes. They seemed to be sparkling in the light of the campfire; his smile was warm and loving. In a rush of overwhelming emotion, she buried her face into his chest, weeping softly. As her breaths came in shallow little gasps, Lynial gently stroked her hair, silently allowing her to empty out her emotions upon him.
After several minutes she backed away, wiping her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to…”
He held up a hand, his smile never fading. “You need never apologize. As far as I’m concerned, we are family. I’m honored to be of comfort to you.” He leaned in and kissed her brow. “I am always at your service.”
She managed a fragile smile. “It’s hard to imagine why the mages were so feared.”
Lynial raised an eyebrow. “If you had ever seen Lady Lylinora displeased, you would find it quite easy.” This drew a light-hearted laugh from both of them. “And though Ethan is kind and gentle of manner, his father was very intimidating indeed.”
“I actually have seen Lylinora angry,” Kat told him. “It wasn’t pretty.”
They strolled on for a while. Kat recounted stories of how she’d first met Ethan
and Lylinora, also of the time when she had been transported to Earth. Lynial listened with genuine interest. Eventually, they found themselves back at Halvar’s command tent. Keira was sitting outside, oiling her dagger and humming softly.
“You two should be mindful of appearances,” she said without looking up. “Tongues will start to wag. And from what I hear, Queen Berathis would be none too pleased.”
Kat’s smile instantly turned sour. “That bitch can go to hell.”
Lynial clicked his tongue at her. “Now, Lady Katyana. You shouldn’t judge the queen harshly. She has forgone any claim to Ethan. And she was merely trying to ensure the safety of her people.”
Having said that, he turned his attention to Keira. “As for wagging tongues, I will walk with my kin for as long and as often as I choose. Anyone who would wish to contest this can do so directly to me.”
Kat nodded tersely. “Damn right.” A wicked grin then crept upon her lips. “Even so, I wouldn’t mind if she got the wrong idea…you know, just for a little while.”
Lynial chuckled. “I can see that I must be cautious the next time we are all together. A vengeful mage and a jealous queen.” He feigned a shudder. “Too horrible to imagine.”
At that moment, the tent flap opened, and King Halvar exited alongside King Yularian. Both of them looked exhausted. Yularian hugged his daughter and blew out a long breath.
“I almost yearn for battle after that,” he said.
“As do I,” agreed Halvar.
Keira slipped her dagger into her belt and stood. “It might help if the two of you were not the most bull-headed beings in Lumnia.” She glanced over to Kat. “I would swear your father is part dwarf himself.”
“Indeed, he is,” Halvar remarked. “But I think at the end of it, we have finally settled on a good plan.”
Yularian nodded. “That said, if we are to be ready to put it into action, we should get some sleep. I may be stubborn as a dwarf, but I certainly don’t have their stamina.”
They all made their way back to their respective tents. Kat was feeling unusually optimistic as she lay down on her bedroll. Unburdening her emotions to Lynial had been a salve for her heart. She had never had a brother. And with Ethan being under the enormous weight of his responsibilities, she had done her best not to trouble him more than she needed to with her insecurities. Lynial on the other hand was…safe. Like her father, but able to understand her both as a human and as a mage.
This comfort eased her into a peaceful slumber. The troubles of the world and her life could wait a few hours. This time her dreams were not of Ethan’s struggle but of his victory.
Chapter Twenty-One
Kat joined her father near the rear echelon. Lynial was already there, talking quietly with an Al’ Thonean commander. Keira and King Halvar had already left to oversee the battle on the left and right flanks.
“I am not happy about this,” Yularian told her. “I hope you know that.”
She kissed his cheek. “I’ll be fine. I’ll be far out of bow range.”
“I know,” he said. “I just worry. You must promise me that if the enemy does break through, you won’t try to be heroic. I want you to run. Is that clear?”
“They won’t break through,” she replied. “That much I can promise you.”
Lynial approached with a broad smile across his face. “Of course, they won’t. This lot wouldn’t stand a chance, even were we not here.”
Across the field the enemy was just coming to a halt. It was a force meant to die, its sole purpose to slow their march so that the silent ones would be able to reach King Ganix’s kingdom unimpeded. With only scant numbers left behind there to defend the mountain, it would be a slaughter. Of the three dwarf cities, Valmorsa was easily the smallest and most vulnerable. Unlike Elyfoss, its gates were not designed to withstand a determined assault. The entrance to the mountain itself – broad and straight – had been carved during a time of peace, whereas the road to Elyfoss had been created to bottle up an enemy army, making large numbers count for nothing. The silent ones would be able to take Ganix’s home in a matter of hours.
A trumpet blared four times.
“This time they wish a parlay,” remarked Yularian.
Across the field, three riders bearing the standard of the Empire came forth.
“You think they want to surrender?” asked Lynial, clearly joking.
“If our luck holds….no.”
Yularian called for his mount and started toward the vanguard. Once there, he waited until both King Halvar and Keira had joined him. The three leaders then rode together toward their counterparts in the center of the field. Kat and Lynial followed until reaching the front line. From there, both cast a spell to enable them to hear what was being said.
“Unless you have come to offer your surrender, we have nothing to discuss,” said Halvar.
“I offer you the chance to withdraw,” the enemy commander replied. “We have been ordered to defend this ground to the last man, and that is exactly what we will do.”
“You have been left to die,” Keira told him. “You must realize this. Why throw your lives needlessly away?”
“That may be,” the commander agreed. “But to defy our Emperor would leave us to a fate far worse than anything you can threaten. We will ensure that your army pays dearly. Even if you win the day, it will be your final victory. There will not be enough of you left to fight on. The army of the silent ones will crush you like insects.”
Halvar sighed. “Then if you will not surrender, not even to your own good sense, you leave us no choice.”
After giving one another respectful bows, each group rode back to their lines.
“That went as expected,” Lynial said, when Yularian reached their position.
“Their fear of Shinzan outweighs their fear of death in battle,” the king told him. “Without the silent ones, they cannot hope for victory. Even if we did not have the two of you fighting with us, they are still outnumbered.”
“Then why do you looked so worried?” asked Kat.
“Because he was right,” her father replied darkly. “Unless Ethan succeeds, this will indeed be our final victory.”
“He will succeed,” she assured him.
“Then I hope it is soon.” With these final words, Yularian spurred his horse forward.
As she watched him ride off, Lynial touched her on the shoulder. “We should get into position. I doubt the enemy will wait for us.”
Kat nodded sharply and hurried toward the left rear flank. With no higher ground behind their lines, she was given a mount so that she could get a better overall view of the field. Two soldiers attended her to guide the horse along, freeing her hands and enabling her to concentrate solely on her task. Bright smiles and cheers greeted her as she passed by. Clearly the soldiers were happy to have her magic on their side.
She directed the soldiers to move her to the very outer edge. Along the way, she went over in her mind one final time the spells she intended to use, at the same time wondering what terrors Lynial would rain down on the enemy. Whatever he was planning, it would probably be far more powerful than anything she could accomplish. The story of how he had defended Jar’ Malifica’s city walls from an entire army almost single-handedly was already becoming a tale of legendary proportions.
All at once, the two armies became eerily silent. The creaking of leather and the fluttering of banners only served to punctuate the moment. A trumpet sounded from the center, its call quickly answered by three blasts from either end. The Imperial army only a few hundred yards away looked puny to Kat when compared with the vast ocean of steel and flesh that the combined dwarf/human/elf force presented. She knew the enemy must be feeling a sense of impending doom. It was difficult to comprehend that the Empire possessed a force even greater than their own. But they did. The silent ones were an army built over five hundred years and stored away until the time was ripe to unleash their evil upon Lumnia. Unless Ethan succeeded, their own forces wo
uld be facing them soon enough and experiencing that very same sense of impending doom themselves.
“I wish he would hurry too,” she whispered, recalling her father’s words.
The left and right flanks lurched forward at double the pace of the center. The Imperials did not move to meet them, seemingly intent simply on defending.
Kat took a deep breath and spread her arms. “Mon Alevi. Mons Pirisio.”
A great tower of fire sprang up beneath the last row of enemy soldiers. Those caught were consumed instantly, while the rest of them were herded toward the center. Even above the thunder of boots and ringing of steel, Kat could clearly hear the screams of the dying. In the distance, like a reply to the inferno she had created, came the earsplitting cracks and resounding booms from Lynial’s assaults. This was the signal. Bellowing cries of war and fury, the army charged full tilt.
A torrent of arrows from elf bows and deadly blasts from dwarf rods heralded their coming. The Imperial bowmen answered in kind, but both Kat and Lynial had already send gale force winds skyward to deflect many of these missiles before they could find their targets.
For several hours, the pair of them continued to rain down fire, lightning, and other forms of lethal magic. The enemy commander was clever, though. With a series of skillful commands, he maneuvered his much smaller force to make things as difficult as possible for the attackers, refusing to be bunched together or surrounded, while at the same time remaining in close enough contact to prevent the mages from unleashing more widespread and devastating attacks.
It was around midday when Kat caught sight of her father riding up, a dire expression etched deeply into his face.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
“Yes. But this battle should have been over by now.” He slipped from the saddle and retrieved a flask from his saddlebag. “That Imperial commander is a sly one. A pity he is not with us.” He took a long drink. “If they had numbers on their side, things could go badly.”
Dragonvein Book Five Page 26
