Heir of Shandara (Book 4) (34 page)

“But—”

Sarah cut him off again. “It’s not up for discussion. No one controls my destiny. I will go where I choose, and I choose to fight at your side.”

Aaron was silent for a moment, trying to think of a way he could get her to stay away from the fighting.

“If you die, and I were to live—left alone to raise our baby—how would I explain to them that I stayed idly by while their father died in battle? No. I’m coming, and that’s final.”

Aaron knew that tone. There was little he could say or do at this point to sway her, and the part that irked him most was that she was right. It was unfair of him to ask this of her, but he sure as hell didn’t like it.
 

“Fine,” Aaron said.
 

In his mind he was already planning his next move, and it didn’t involve Sarah fighting at his side. She would be furious that he planned to go off without her, but at least she would be alive to be furious with him. That’s what mattered.

“Gavril has kept us informed of what you’re planning. Don’t even think of charging off without me, Shandarian,” Sarah warned.
 

“The thought never crossed my mind,” Aaron said, but he knew she wasn’t fooled. Instead, she closed the connection, leaving him to imagine her shouting for them to move faster. At some point, she would realize that her travel crystal was missing and trace that back to him as well. He had friends in Hathenwood.

Something Sarah had said stood out in his mind.
Death wasn’t always the answer.
Her words repeated in his mind. It wasn’t the first time she had said something along those lines. Aaron’s thoughts raced away, chasing an elusive idea that remained stubbornly out of reach. He quickened his pace to the command center to meet up with the others.

Aaron entered the command center and found Gavril speaking with a host of others.

“Where did the intel come from?” Gavril asked Tanneth, who looked relieved as Aaron joined them. Gavril followed Tanneth’s gaze to Aaron and frowned. “I see, care to enlighten me?”

“About what exactly?” Aaron asked.

“This new intel that allows us access into the Zekaran computer systems,” Gavril said.

“Do you trust me?”

“Of course,” Gavril answered.

“Then trust that the intel is good, but don’t make it the foundation for our strategic defense or attack. We’re not even sure it’s going to work,” Aaron said.

Gavril frowned. “Can I speak with you privately for a moment?”

Aaron nodded, and they moved off to the side.

“I don’t like being kept in the dark. Especially where it involves our enemy. I can help you if you will let me,” Gavril said.

Aaron didn’t like keeping Gavril in the dark about this, but the less people knew, the more they would be able to concentrate on other things. “Please believe me when I say this, but this isn’t a matter of me not trusting you. We’ve stumbled onto something that we might be able to leverage in the battle with the Zekara.”

“That’s great. Why the secrecy?” Gavril asked.

“Because if it doesn’t work then we’ve lost nothing,” Aaron said.

Gavril looked away for a moment and then turned back to him and saluted with a fist across his heart. “You are our commander,” Gavril said, and let the matter drop.

Aaron reached out to Gavril. “I promise I will tell you everything.”

Gavril nodded, and they rejoined the others.

“What I’m about to say doesn’t leave this room and certainly not on any comms channels. Is that clear?” Aaron asked. The people in the room all nodded. Some faces were familiar, and others Aaron didn’t recognize. Anytime he met with the FNA, he made it a point to get to know the people he was working with when time permitted. “At any moment, the Zekara will attack Shandara. They will bring the full force of their army against us and use every means at their disposal. It’s doubtless you’ve heard rumors about the new intel we have about the enemy. What I’m willing to share with you is that we do have something in the works, but it may be a farce. At this point, we’re not sure yet. Many of you know Tanneth. He’s working on something that may give us an advantage in the next battle with the Zekara. He may come to you with a request in the near future. If this occurs, I need for you to give it your highest priority because it could mean the difference between victory and defeat.”

“How do you know the Zekara will attack?” Braden asked.

“Because I’m going to take a small force and vehemently ask them to,” Aaron said.

Many in the room nodded in approval, but some had their doubts.

“Shandara is where this war was meant to be fought. Even in its current state, we stand the best chance at defeating our enemy here than anywhere else. I’m not eager for another battle, but the more time we give the Zekara, the more the advantage swings in their favor. The Forsaken will be a factor in this battle. They caught us off guard at Rexel. We fought in the streets and on the battlefield. We will be better prepared this time. Another reason to attack them is that right now the Zekara have the offensive. They know the taste of victory. We need to hit them back just like we did with the High King. Make no mistake. The Zekara will offer no quarter, and we need to be ready to fight a battle on those terms,” Aaron said.
 

The horrors they faced at Rexel shone on the faces of anyone who had been there. For everyone else there was a heated desire to even the score.

“What if they surrender?” Verona asked.

“If it comes to it, then we let them,” Aaron answered. “We’re not barbarians. We’re better than they are. If they surrender, we disarm them and take them into custody.”

There were many challenging glares in the room, and Aaron met all of their gazes. If they didn’t like that, then it was too damn bad. He would never sanction wholesale murder of a foe who would surrender.

“Are we not men of honor?” Aaron asked, his gaze sweeping around the room.

There were a few moments of silence before a grim-faced officer wearing Rexel’s colors stood. Aaron had seen him before in the company of Prince Cyrus. Wallis was his name. Lines of grief and smoldering anger rolled off the officer in waves. The pristine gray uniform of the Rexellian corps was faded and bloodstained.
 

Wallis lifted his head, and the shadows of grief burned from his gaze. “Honor won’t win us this war,” Wallis said.

“Honor is what will allow us to hold our heads up after the war is over and know that we didn’t sacrifice our own souls for the hollowness of victory,” Aaron said firmly.

“I don’t want honor. I want all the Zekara dead for what they’ve done.”

“I want them to pay for what they’ve done too. Never believe otherwise, but I won’t fight this war without mercy. The order stands. If any of the Zekara surrender, then we take them into custody,” Aaron said.

“What about justice for my family, my prince, our homes…” Wallis said.

Aaron knew all too well the pain that was upon the survivors of Rexel. He too had lost a home and a family. Aaron walked in front of Wallis and spoke softly. “You can never kill enough to fill the void that’s in you now. It will only make it bigger, until the darkness consumes you. Honor their memory with the actions you take. Fight as if they stand at your side watching your every move.”

The fight left Wallis’s eyes, and the good man that he was returned. This would be a constant struggle, and the effects of this war would be felt long after they quit the battlefield. The meeting went on for a short while longer, until Aaron dismissed them. The forces gathered in Shandara had already maintained a state of readiness since the High King had attacked them.

“I’ll make sure our group is ready,” Verona said.

Aaron nodded and approached Tanneth. “Where is Bayen?”

“”He’s down the hall, waiting for you,” Tanneth replied.

Aaron nodded and glanced at Gavril, who stood before several bronze holo displays. “Bring Gavril into this if you need to. Tell him about the AI if it becomes an issue. I don’t know if I would tell him all the details because it sounds crazy.”

Tanneth grinned. “I mean no disrespect when I say this, but crazy and you go hand in hand.”

“It would appear that way,” Aaron said.

“Oh, here, take this,” Tanneth said, and handed Aaron Bayen’s halberd.
 

It was an exquisite weapon that was extremely well balanced. At the end of the haft was a Dragon carving with flames spewing from its mouth that extended into the bladed end. The rest of it was red mixed with gold. The blade was sharp and despite the heavy use the past few days, showed little signs of wear.

“Oh, and this,” Tanneth said, handing Aaron a small metallic sphere.

“What does it do?” Aaron asked.

“It will be quicker to try and access the Zekaran systems with this. It’s a reconnaissance drone. I’ve upgrade it with the information from Bayen’s AI. If it works, then we’ll know that much more about their systems,” Tanneth said.

Aaron nodded and stuffed the small drone into his pocket. A few minutes later, Aaron stood in front of the door to where Bayen was being held. He nodded to the two FNA soldiers that stood guard and went through. Bayen sat on the floor, leaning back against the wall. He looked at Aaron and then at the halberd. Bayen slowly rose to his feet. He looked calmer than he had been yesterday.

“Let’s take a walk,” Aaron said.

He went through the door first, and Bayen followed. The FNA soldiers waited for a few moments and followed as well. They left the command center through the elevator that would take them to the grove. Aaron led him to the remains of the white tree and leaned the halberd against it. Bayen kept looking around, failing to keep the awe from his face. When Bayen noticed Aaron watching him, he closed his mouth and waited.

“I’ve been watching you since you joined us,” Aaron said. “I’ve seen you fight alongside the rest of us. Saved lives, been helpful, and shown kindness…” Aaron paused and smiled slightly. “Well, to most of us.”

A slight smile tugged at the edges of Bayen’s lips. “Does this mean you believe me?”

“I’m not sure,” Aaron said. “I believe that you did what you believed to be right. Just because our paths crossed doesn’t mean there was malicious intent. But I didn’t bring you here to talk about whether I believe you or not.”

“Why did you bring me here?”

Aaron extended the halberd toward Bayen. “I brought you here to ask for your help in the coming battle.”

Bayen’s mouth fell open. He slowly reached for the halberd. “You never asked for my help before. You always commanded.”

Aaron suppressed a shudder. The thought of becoming so cold frightened him. He didn’t want to become the hardened man that Bayen had known. He saw some familiarities in Bayen’s mannerisms that reminded Aaron of himself and Sarah, but he wondered if they only appeared because now he was looking for them. Despite all his doubts, Aaron found himself believing what Bayen had told them. With a story like that you couldn’t pick and choose the parts you wanted to believe. Verona was right: it was a leap of faith.

“Let’s see if we can change fate,” Aaron said.

Bayen’s chin trembled, and he looked away. “I tried so hard to hate you. I did hate you. I even thought about killing you to avoid what is to come.”

“What stopped you?”

“The AI said it wouldn’t stop the Ryakul virus from spreading and I… couldn’t.”

Aaron watched Bayen for a moment.
His son?
 

“You were different than what I remembered. So young. This place was gone, with only whispers to mark its passing,” Bayen said.

“We’re still here. The future is not set. There is still time,” Aaron said.

Bayen winced and collapsed to his knees, clutching his chest.

“Warning. Temporal matrix is at 15 percent,” the AI said.

Aaron tried to help Bayen back up, but he collapsed again.

“It hurts,” Bayen cried.

Aaron seized the energy and extended it toward him. Bayen’s lifebeat rippled before him as if it were out of focus. Aaron had never seen anything like it. It was like some unseen force was tearing Bayen’s lifebeat away. Aaron reached out and found the pattern beneath the ripple. He extended the energy across, saturating Bayen’s lifebeat, bringing it into alignment, and the rippling diminished. Bayen sighed, his breathing returning to normal.

“I don’t know what you did, but thank you,” Bayen said.

“I just tried to reinforce the pattern that was already there,” Aaron said.

“I don’t have much time. I’m not sure what you intend to do, but I will help however I can,” Bayen said.

“Thank you,” Aaron said. “Let’s get to it. Verona and the others are waiting for us.”

“What about Halcylon?” Bayen asked.

Aaron pressed his lips together in thought. “We’ll try to take him alive if we can. That’s the best I can offer.”

Fifty-five percent probability wasn’t conclusive as far as Aaron was concerned, but at the same time he wouldn’t put it past the ruthless general to unleash something horrible in the event of his death. As he turned to head toward Verona and the rest of the men, Aaron noticed Thraw’s cold green eyes watching him. The maul-cat kept close because he believed that Aaron was his best chance for putting him near Halcylon. He hoped the recon drone that Tanneth gave him worked. Aaron glanced at Bayen as they walked. It was hard to believe that this was his son. Bayen was only a few years younger than Aaron was now. He decided not to dwell on it. They caught up with Verona and the rest of their forces. Interspersed throughout them were armored domes that had a small protrusion.