Was this a test of some sort? “They’re coming from Talmor Desert.”
Surprise set his jaw slack. “How many days until the encounter?”
“I don’t know.”
“How could you not know?”
“Because I haven’t seen them yet.” I wondered how he knew even less than I did but kept it to myself.
This seemed to put him at ease as he let out his breath loudly. “Then you can’t know they’re coming.”
I explained the theory, describing the terrislaks’ pattern of going northwest every twenty-eight years and avoiding the diymas yet crossing through towns.
“So it’s merely a belief that they’re coming.”
“Sound logic makes it nearly a fact.”
“It’s still a belief. I’m not disobeying the king because of the word of one young man. Marteph’s ten thousand could’ve turned north once again to trick you.”
“I can verify whether that’s true at this very moment if that’s what you wish.”
“There are hills and trees in your line of sight. You can’t verify anything.”
“I will right now.” I cleared my throat and announced to the fifteen skeptical men surrounding me, “I fight for the North, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t shoot me when I lift myself into the air. I’m just locating our enemies. I’ll come down right after.”
Now everyone looked at me as if I were a madman. I ignored them and soared into the air with my eyes to the north, the sounds of their shock made and gone in an instant.
I found that Marteph’s army was about a day from where we stood, still marching, still ten thousand strong.
I managed to come down somewhat near where I’d been before. The commander and his officers moved to surround me as I landed, their swords drawn.
“What in the two hells did we just see?”
“Pyforial energy.”
“Illegal mage,” a few called out before I could continue, aggression heavy in the air.
“King Quince hired me himself. Commander Jaymes Jorgan has been working with me every day for weeks to hone my ability. I fight with you, not against you. Our enemies are coming. Fall back to the village with me and we’ll stand against them as well as the terrislaks.”
All let down their swords. “There are ten thousand of them,” the commander mused, “and five thousand of us. What do you know of our troops in Antilith?”
“They went north like you, tricked. As soon as they reach Glaine they’ll come back, but that’ll take too long. These battles are up to us.”
A man approached our cluster. “Sir, we saw him flying into the air. Who is he?”
“Let me speak to my men,” the commander told me.
I gave them time without interruption, hearing none of what they discussed. I did notice them unfold maps, however. Eventually one man approached and asked me exactly where I saw our enemies. I found this to be auspicious.
The feeling slowly faded over the next hour in which I heard nothing more from them. I couldn’t wait patiently any longer and decided to approach.
“Sir?” I questioned.
He gave me an irritated look. “Strategy takes time. Go back and wait.”
Another hour passed before the commander beckoned to me. I hurried over.
“It will take two days just to reach the villages again,” he said. “They could be decimated by terrislaks by the time we get there. We need to stay in the hills.” He pointed south, where they’d walked around the hills naked of trees. “Our archers and mages are strong. We might have a chance against twice our numbers, so that’s what we’ll do.”
“The terrislaks couldn’t reach the villages in two days. I would’ve seen them coming if they were that close. I could reach the villages by midday tomorrow on horse. Have your men come south, and you’ll get my support as well as the villagers’ in addition to the protection of their walls.”
He shook his head as if I didn’t understand something. “There’s no support for us there. One in fifty owns a sword. One in a hundred owns a bow. One in a thousand knows how to use either. Their roofs are made of straw. They’re weakened from hunger and angry at us for the food and lodging we required as we waited for King Quince’s message. They’re on the verge of running out of sustenance because of the rain, many slaughtering their last pig as we speak. Battle would sweep through their land like a hurricane, terrislaks or not. The villages are not where we want to be.”
“I’ll take care of the terrislaks and then help you fight. But I can’t help you unless you come.”
“You might be able to soar like bird, but you’re still only one man. I’m going to march my men back to the hill we crossed, and that’s where we’ll stay.”
“And if Marteph’s men travel around you?”
“Then we’ll let them pass.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Rao and I crossed many miles before the cold night forced us to stop.
By morning, we seemed close enough for me to get a good look at the rural land of these villages. I lifted myself into the air for a glimpse, my cloak whipping behind me in the wind.
Scattered within the wide oval of trees ahead appeared to be four distinct villages, each separated by a few rows of pines. Coming from the north, we would be approaching the oval of trees’ long side, meaning the time it took to ride straight for a village on the end rather than in the center would be negligible.
Either by luck or as a sign I was improving, I came down only twenty feet from where I’d left the ground. I told Rao what I saw, then asked him to tell me which village was Maywair so we could go there first, figuring Lord Crall could help me gather everyone to fight.
Maywair turned out to be near the center anyway, though my heart sank with disappointment when I saw it up close. The houses appeared fragile enough for bad weather to take them down, unpainted wood unevenly built with roofs of thatch. Seeing the hungry faces of the inhabitants nearly made me lose hope until I bundled it back together, now tightly holding on.
The exact placement of Lord Crall’s mansion had slipped Rao’s mind. Fortunately its height, being twice that of any other home in the village, made it easy to find. Made of brick and surrounded by a wooden fence painted white, it stood out like a farmer using a hoe made of crystal. It just didn’t belong.
“What would Lord Crall do if he saw you?” I asked the child.
“I can’t say, but I don’t imagine him leaving me alone.”
“Then you should wait here where you won’t be seen.” We’d put several farms between us. “I’ll come back for you.”
“Find out about Brijit.”
“I will.”
A man in his thirties stood in the rain at the mouth of Lord Crall’s fence. He showed me an even stare as I approached.
“I’m Neeko, a mage in King Quince’s army. I need to speak to Lord Crall about an imminent attack.”
After a quick lift of his eyebrows, the guard motioned for me to walk with him. “Who’s attacking?”
“Terrislaks first, possibly an army of ten thousand after that.”
He grabbed my shoulder. “Is this some sort of jape?”
“It’s the truth.”
He had a quick laugh. “Your conversation with Lord Crall should be amusing if nothing else. Let me first take your weapons.”
I handed him my two short swords, then my dagger.
“And your wand. Where is it?”
“I’m not that kind of mage.”
His eyes narrowed. “What kind doesn’t use a wand?”
“I’ll explain everything to Lord Crall. You’re welcome to listen.”
“I’m only letting you in if you don’t mind me staying close.” He pointed his chin at the sword on his belt.
“I’m here to protect this land, just like you.”
He showed me an abashed smile. “I’m here to protect Lord Crall, not this land.”
“Does that mean you and his other guards won’t help me fight?”
“Not unless he gives us the order. Neeko, you said?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Payce.” He deftly wrapped his arm around all three of my weapons to free his hand so we could shake.
“Let me ask you something,” I said as I grasped his strong hand. “Is there a young girl here by the name of Brijit?”
“I can’t tell you that.” He nodded as he spoke.
“Thank you.”
“How many days before the attack?” He pulled a key from his pocket.
“One, maybe less.”
Another swordsman appeared surprised when we stepped inside Lord Crall’s mansion. He pointed at me. “Who’s he?”
“Neeko of the king’s army,” Payce answered. “Needs to speak to Lord Crall about an attack. Fetch him, will you?”
“He’s just about to eat.”
They shared a look that made it clear he couldn’t be bothered.
“There’s no time to wait,” I said.
“I’ll do what I can,” the other man said dubiously.
Soon Payce and I were alone in the entrance room. He gently set my weapons against the wall and put himself between me and them. “This is more for LC’s sake,” he said, sounding even friendlier than when we first met. “I trust you.”
I didn’t feel as if this was just a tactic to keep me behaved. Payce saw something in me that he took to mean I was honest. I found myself able to trust him because of it.
Based on what I saw in the mansion, though, I doubted Crall would show me the same respect. The lord’s opulence appalled me. His estate was ten times the size of anyone else’s around him, the inside of his home covered in sumptuous furniture, the walls adorned with glass cases containing all sorts of prodigal weapons: crossbows lined with silver, daggers with handles too intricate to be held, a shield encrusted with gems. I couldn’t look at them.
A servant walked by the doorway ahead of us with a silver tray. It carried an enormous cut of steaming chicken beside a pile of rice large enough to serve a family of four. I waited several long minutes before the man who’d left to fetch Crall came back and told me to follow him.
Payce came with me to the dining room, where Crall glanced up at me and pointed his knife toward an empty chair on the other end of the table. I sat.
“Quince is recruiting young now, I see,” he said with some disdain. “I thought I was done with you annoying army men. You come here, impudent, eat my people’s food, sleep in their houses, all the while taking from my land. As if the endless rain isn’t going to kill my people soon enough.” He stuffed his mouth with meat.
Did he really expect me to believe he was concerned about the people he lorded over when he feasted like that? I kept my annoyance out of my tone, though.
“Your people are in danger. Terrislaks could be here within hours. Help me gather everyone so we can fight.”
His head snapped back. “Terrislaks? I doubt that.”
So I explained the theory as I had done with the unit commander. Crall barely looked at me as I spoke, filling his already gorged belly.
He pushed aside his empty plate by the time I finished. A waiting servant took it away.
Crall belched and pointed at the guard nearest to him whose name I hadn’t learned. “Go see if terrislaks are coming.”
“I won’t be able to see over the trees to the east.”
“So walk there.” Crall’s voice was irritated.
“It’s four miles to the edge,” the man reminded him.
I would take to the air and have a look myself soon enough, but it wasn’t worth the trouble of explaining pyforial energy to this lord. It was easier just to let one of his men confirm the news.
Crall stared at him until the man bowed and excused himself.
I tested Crall’s honesty with a question, “Do you have any children here who’ve been abandoned by their parents?”
Suspicion came into his eyes. He didn’t speak.
I pretended I could read him. “So you do. Will you keep them protected during the battle?”
“How old are you? Seventeen?” His voice carried malice.
“Sixteen.”
“You come onto my land and act like I can’t protect my own daughter. Are you even a mage as you say? You don’t look like one.”
“I apologize, I didn’t mean any insult. I must be leaving to warn the others.”
“Are you even a mage!” he shouted, gesturing with his hand. Payce blocked me from leaving. “I bet you’re not even with the king’s army,” Crall mocked.
I couldn’t contain my frustration any longer. “I’m here to save the people who pay your taxes,
lord
. The people who probably built this mansion for you.”
“Oh how wonderful you are to come save them from pretend monsters so they can live long enough to starve. Quince needs to start the sacrifices again, not send sixteen-year-old boys to my land. If you value your life, you’ll leave my house now.”
Staying would be a waste of time, so I stepped around Payce. He followed me to the door. We nodded at each other in understanding of Crall’s behavior as I gathered my weapons.
“I’ll be returning,” I warned him.
I hurried back to Rao and told him, “I need to lift myself into the sky to see how much time we have. I might need your help warning everyone, so wait here.”
He grabbed my cloak. “What about Brijit?”
“She’s there, though I never saw her.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
“How’s Crall going to protect her during the attack?”
Probably won’t,
I thought, but telling Rao the truth meant losing him to Crall when he went after his friend. “I’ll tell you as soon as I land.”
“Tell me now.” He grabbed my shirt with his other hand.
“I don’t think you want to do that. I’m capable of lifting us both, yet I doubt my shirt and cloak could support your weight for long.”
Biting his lip, he let go. I gathered py beneath my arms and soared.
I spotted the terrislaks immediately. Gray and monstrous, they seeped out of the trees covering the hills to the east. Their speed was slightly faster than a traveling human. Soon, they would reach the pines guarding the easternmost village.
I landed and ran to Rao, his face showing panic as soon as he saw mine. “It’s starting,” I told him. “Stay to the southwest. Run at the sight of terrislaks or an army dressed in black if I don’t return.”
“What about Brijit!”
“She’ll be safe if I can stop the terrislaks. Don’t go inside Crall’s mansion.” I didn’t wait for his response.
On my galloping horse, I shouted to anyone who might hear, “Terrislaks are coming from the west. Bowman and mages are needed!”