Chapter Thirty-nine
THEA
A llies. Their allies had arrived, and King Leiko’s hall was a flurry of movement, a hub of activity as King Artos of Harenth and Queen Reyna of Aveum strode forth, their army commanders in tow.
Wilder had rushed off to find Torj, and so Thea stood alone at the edge of the hall, watching as the madness unfolded before her.
Her heart leapt at the sight of Osiris as well. The Guild Master had brought the Guardians of Thezmarr.
But Osiris wasn’t the only familiar face.
Thea’s chest swelled as she spotted Audra, Farissa, Sam and Ida in the throngs of people – and then, someone who couldn’t be missed, even amid the sea of warriors.
Malik, with Dax standing alert at his feet.
Thea had to suppress the urge to run to them, for King Leiko’s herald was ringing a bell from the dais.
‘The King of Tver wishes to make an address,’ he called, his voice expertly projecting to the far reaches of the hall.
The commotion settled as King Leiko took to the platform, his face grave.
‘People of the midrealms,’ he called. ‘Aveum brings word of what we face ahead. Queen Reyna’s scouts report that the enemy forces are preparing to make their move on Notos.
They will be here by nightfall, using the cover of darkness to their advantage…
’ He took a breath. ‘We must be ready. Rulers, Warswords, commanders and masters, if you’ll join me in the war room? ’
The herald was already showing them to a door leading off from the hall. Thea watched as Wilder disappeared with the rest, a strange tug pulling at her chest.
‘The rest of you will await instructions for the siege preparations,’ King Leiko told them, before following his fellow rulers.
Thea found herself with Kipp and Wren almost immediately, their backs to the wall, still looking out over the crowd. ‘Where’s Cal?’ she asked, craning her neck.
‘He’s trying to convince his family to evacuate,’ Kipp said, voice low. ‘I suspect it won’t be long until the word goes out to the outer towns now… It’ll be an order to flee or get to the castle before sundown.’
‘Or what?’ Wren asked.
Thea clenched her fists at her sides. ‘Or they’ll be left to fend for themselves.’
‘You can’t be serious…’ Wren murmured, looking around at their forces in disbelief.
But Kipp grimaced as he spoke. ‘Our forces, though they’re stronger now, can’t defend from both the north and the south. The attack is coming from the south, according to the scouts. They’re aiming directly for the castle.’
‘How do you know this already?’
‘Esyllt told me at the gates. I’m to meet him after their council meeting. We’re to organise the defence of Notos together.’
‘Then shouldn’t you be in there with them?’ Thea pressed.
‘Too many bodies in that room already,’ Kipp replied quietly.
Thea could only imagine the number of arguments that were about to explode within those walls.
Kipp nudged Wren. ‘Farissa was in attendance,’ he told her. ‘I expect you and your fellow alchemists will be needed before long as well.’
Thea frowned. ‘What —’
But Wren fixed her with a challenging stare. ‘You know very well that alchemy has its uses in warfare. Farissa will be advising in that regard and I’ll do whatever I can to help her.’
Thea found herself nodding. Of course she already knew that, and there was no way Wren would leave the alchemists without her assistance. Just as she was about to say as much, her attention snagged on something else.
Vernich the Bloodletter. The older Warsword had appeared from the door the rest had exited through, and he motioned to someone across the hall.
Seb.
Thea’s stomach bottomed out at the sight of the pair.
They were here.
Her hatred for both men ran hot, as did her suspicions. Were they here as spies? Did they mean to destroy the midrealms’ forces from the inside out? Had Vernich found what he was looking for?
Her thoughts must have been plain as day on her face, because Kipp elbowed her. ‘What did you expect? That they’d hang back at Thezmarr by themselves?’
Thea ground her teeth. ‘I don’t like it…’
‘I’d rather them channel their particular brand of cruelty at the enemy than at us,’ Kipp replied. ‘Don’t you agree?’
Thea merely grunted in reply. She had thought long and hard about Vernich the Bloodletter and his pathetic excuse for an apprentice. The only conclusion she came to time and time again was that Vernich was a fallen Warsword and he was using the slimy bastard Seb to do his dark bidding.
But she didn’t verbalise any of this to Kipp and Wren, not when Audra had caught her gaze and was prowling towards her. No matter how much time passed or how many monsters Thea fought and slayed, there was still something utterly terrifying about the librarian.
When she reached them, Audra peered over her spectacles. ‘Kristopher, I believe your presence is required in the war room,’ she said to Kipp, waiting expectantly.
Kipp was no fool, at least not in this moment. He sprang into action, giving Thea and Wren a pitying grimace before he raced from the hall.
‘Did you find anything of note in Delmira, Althea?’ Audra asked quietly, her gaze darting from Thea and Wren to the horde of people around them.
‘Only more monsters and ruins,’ Thea replied. ‘Do you know much more about what’s happening?’ she asked, a chill rushing over her skin.
‘Some. I suppose you’ll hear it soon enough,’ Audra allowed. ‘It is as we feared before you left Thezmarr… It is not simply an army of monsters, but of men too. Men from this realm and others, who long for power and darkness.’
‘The half-wraiths?’ Thea pressed.
But Audra frowned. ‘I don’t know of half-wraiths. These are men, rallied together by a united hatred of all things good.’ She pushed her glasses up to the bridge of her nose. ‘It would seem now, more than ever, the line between man and monster has blurred.’
Thea opened her mouth to ask more, only to see Esyllt and Kipp emerge from the side door and take to the dais.
‘We ready the castle for siege at once,’ Esyllt barked.
‘We need to reinforce all gates and castle walls. We need as many arrows and long-range weapons as possible. The catapults need to be stationed and readied as well. Less experienced soldiers will be assigned to tending the fires, hot oil and boiling water. Look to your assigned commander for direct orders.’ Esyllt took a heavy breath.
‘We’ve sent word to the villages. They are to flee Notos or seek refuge within the castle walls.
Gates are to close by sundown, no exceptions. ’
Thea tensed. Kipp had been right. They were to leave those who couldn’t get to the castle undefended against the monsters, ready for slaughter, or worse.
Esyllt’s mere mention of the weapons and tactics they were to use against the enemy had her stomach churning.
She had read of battle and war; she had fought the monsters herself.
But these were men they were fighting as well.
Thea found herself swept up in the wave of the crowd as orders were shouted out across the ranks.
She was separated from Wren and Audra, but up ahead she could see Kipp and Esyllt leading the way towards the war camp, and so she followed.
As she did, she was struck by the memory of the mock battle they’d practised with Torj back in Thezmarr.
How they had spattered their enemy with paint, not blood, how they’d laughed afterwards…
Torj’s warning came back to her. ‘When you’re out on a real battlefield, it will not be so luxurious. Start taking this seriously. Their paint means death. Do you want to die today?’
No, Thea didn’t want to die today, nor would she. The fates had made it so. But many would die – that much was obvious from the pale faces around her and the gruesome tactics they were preparing.
More of Torj’s speech echoed in her mind.
‘ A true warrior of Thezmarr is brutal, yes, but efficient – quick, merciful. We do not draw out the suffering of our fellow man… ’ Thea bit the inside of her cheek.
That was not the case for this battle. There would be much suffering.
Hot oil, boiling water… Fire… All of it designed to maim and agonise.
The castle was bustling with movement as she passed through its corridors, watching the Tverrian guards run quivers full of arrows up to the walls.
Thea could still make out the top of Kipp’s head at the front of the throng, and she followed him and Esyllt all the way from the castle grounds to the war camp beyond, where the forces were adding fletching to arrows and treating sword blades with a fire accelerant.
Carts were being loaded with supplies to be taken back to the castle.
She spotted Malik moving huge timber logs onto a wagon, the back of his shirt drenched with sweat.
‘We’ll use those to fortify the main castle gates,’ Esyllt said, as though checking something off a mental list, while Kipp nodded enthusiastically at his side.
Malik didn’t acknowledge them; the gentle giant simply carried on lifting. Esyllt seemed to prefer it that way.
But that didn’t stop Thea approaching her friend. ‘Hello, Shieldbreaker,’ she said quietly, careful not to startle Malik.
The former Warsword kept working, but his expression softened as he heard her voice.
‘I didn’t expect to see you here,’ she told him, lifting some smaller freshly cut planks of timber and placing them in the cart. ‘Must have been a long journey for you.’
Thea glanced around in search of Dax, finding the enormous dog lying on his belly, panting in the shade of a nearby tree.
‘He’s got the right idea…’ she murmured, and Malik made a sound that could have been a laugh.