by Rachel Ford
Lil nodded. “We need more men, sir. We won’t stop them – not a force like that. Not even the keep can withstand a sustained assault from an army like that.”
“No. We’ll need reinforcements as soon as possible. But at least we can slow them down. If they spin their wheels trying to take the keep…”
She nodded again. “Right. They won’t have a chance to go further.”
“We’ll send a wyvern rider. They’ll make better time than a horseman and can take the straightest path.”
“A rider?” Ragersen frowned. Her great mane of red hair was soot-covered, but her eyes blazed as bright as ever. “We’ve only got eight accounted for, sir. We’ve none to spare.”
I’d been sitting silently, listening in a kind of quiet stupor of disbelief and fear. The idea that this battle would be going on all around me, and I’d be all but useless in it, weighed heavy on me. But I stood now, and Phillip glanced up at my sudden movement. “I’ll go.”
“What?”
“I’ll go, sir. I can ride.”
He frowned. “You, Derel? You’ve no training. And you’re injured.”
“Yessir. But I flew today. Ask the KP.”
He turned questioning eyes to Callaghan, and she nodded reluctantly. “Yes, but that was different, Ana. That was before you were shot.”
“I’m patched up, now. And I survived being shot at in the air, Lil. I can ride cross country.”
Lidek didn’t need more convincing than that, and though she shot me an evil glare, Lil didn’t argue. “Get Derel’s dragon. The sooner she leaves, the better.” Then, he gave me a message to relay, a short, factual accounting of our current situation, and a series of stops to make.
“Yessir. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
He looked me over, head to toe. “You’re sure you’re up for this, Derel? It’s a long ride.”
I nodded, repeating, “Yessir.” I might not be able to fight, but I’d be damned if I was going to sit this one out.
He considered for a long moment. “Alright. But, one thing, before you go…”
“Yessir?”
“You’re not leaving here a squire. You’ve earned your knighthood, Derel. And – in case I’m not here to give it to you when you get back – we’ll do it now.”
Chapter Thirty-Six – Callaghan
The world seemed to be spinning out of control. Cragspoint had been reduced to ashes. An enemy army was at our doorstep.
My world seemed to be spinning out of control, as I watched Derel’s field promotion. I knew that she’d be leaving in minutes. In a way, I was glad – desperately glad. It meant she’d miss what was about to happen. She’d survive.
Because the truth was, I didn’t believe we would. Not with an enemy army approaching. We’d put up a good fight. We’d hold them off for as long as we could.
And we would die.
That was the fate of a border county, in wartime. That was the duty of the Knight of the Shire.
So I was glad Derel would be spared.
But I’d never see her again. And some part of me wasn’t ready for that. Not yet.
Lidek talked on. I heard snippets. In recognition of uncommon valor…duly earned…an honor to present…
And then he was done, and Ana was a KP. We applauded, and she smiled at me. Then, Lidek said, “Alright. Be on your way, Derel. We’re counting on you – we’re all counting on you. Everyone else, let’s move.”
She turned toward her dragon, that same, finicky Southern beast she’d flown earlier. She took a step, and then another. I felt my heart sink. I’ll never see her again, I thought.
I had half a mind to run after her, to make a final goodbye – a proper goodbye. This wasn’t the time or place for it. A knight’s dignity didn’t permit excessive displays of affection.
But I’m going to die. What does it matter? Who did I have left to impress? Whose sanction should I fear? We would be dead in a day or two.
Let them think what they want. I’d just made up my mind to do it, when Ana turned. She seemed to be thinking the same thing, because she ran back to my side.
“Lil.”
“Ana.” I smiled, fighting the urge to cry as I studied that beautiful face I’d never see again.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“I know.”
“There’s something I need you to promise me, before I go.”
“What?”
She kissed me, soft and tenderly on the lips. “Promise me that I’ll come back to something. Promise me you’ll still be here.”
I hesitated. “Ana, I don’t know…”
“Promise me, Lil.”
I blinked at the fire in her eyes. Then I nodded. I was mad. I had no idea how I’d be able to keep my word. But in the moment, gazing into those eyes, so full of tenderness and certainty, I believed I could. “I promise.”
“Good.” She kissed me again. “I’ll see you soon, Lil. Don’t you dare forget that promise.”
“You make sure you come back in one piece yourself,” I countered.
She grinned. “I will.”
And then she turned back to her dragon. I watched her mount up, and fly off into the night, throwing a parting glance over her injured shoulder.
I almost jumped when Phillip’s voice sounded by me. “You think we’ll live to see her again, KP?”
I nodded resolutely. “You better believe we will, Aaronsen. I gave her my word. And the Knight of the Shire keeps her word.”
Thank you for reading!
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About the Author
Rachel Ford is a software engineer by day, and a writer most of the rest of the time. She is a Trekkie, a video-gamer, and a dog parent, owned by a Great Pyrenees named Elim Garak and a mutt of many kinds named Fox (for the inspired reason that he looks like a fox).
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More from the Author
Knight Protector (science fantasy):
Book 1: Squire Derel
Book 2: Mountain Witch
Book 3: High Protector
Sellswords & Spellweavers (fantasy):
Book 1: Bone Traders
Book 2: The Necromancer
The Dragonland Saga (fantasy):
Book 1: Firebird’s Lair
Book 2: Kraken’s Depths
Book 3: Viper’s Nest
Black Flag series (space opera sci-fi):
Book 1: Black Flag
Book 2: Lee Shores
Book 3: Troubled Waters
Book 4: No Quarter releases Spring 2020
The Time Travelling Taxman series (humorous time travel):
Book 1: T-Rexes & Tax Law (ebook, paperback and audiobook)
Book 2: UFOs & Unpaid Taxes (ebook & paperback, and audiobook)
Book 3: MarvelousCon & Tax Cons (ebook & paperback, audiobook)
Book 4: Time Slips & Tax Thieves (ebook & paperback, audiobook)
Book 5: Mob Bosses & Tax Losses … audiobook coming soon!
Book 6: Gullibe’s Travels & Taxing Rabble
Book 7: Underwater & Overtaxed
The Tribari Freedom Chronicles series (dystopian sci-fi):
Book 1: Catalyst (novelette – ebook and audiobook)
Book 2: Uprising (novel – ebook, paperback and audiobook)
Book 3: Liberation (novel – ebook, paperback and audiobook)
Book 4: Absolution (novel – audiobook releases 2020)
Crimson Yuletide (cozy village mystery, Christmas horror) … ebook, paperback and audiobook
Other works available n
ow:
Prison Break (sci-fi space opera novelette, ebook & audiobook)
Flesh Eaters (military sci-fi novella – ebook & audiobook)
