Chapter 7
Talon
In the end, trying to get out of bed to speak to the emperor when I had internal bleeding had proved impossible. I took two steps before crashing into the medic like a falling tree. After a thorough scolding, he made me get back into bed and dosed me with a drug that made me sleep.
My injuries made it difficult at times to tell dreams from reality. Too often, I found myself flying on Neo’s back, headed toward the battlefields in northern Zephyrus. One battle stood out amongst all the others, my mind insisting on reliving it many times.
I dreamed of kneeling on Neo’s back, his powerful wings buffeting hard against the air current, each movement reverberating through me.
The wind rushed past my ears with a roar, tearing at my hair like some wild thing.
We were flying hard and fast back to the battlefields after meeting with the emperor at the palace.
Emperor Altair frequently called me from the battlefields I was supposed to be commanding to ask for my advice.
He did this not because he needed my counsel, but rather because I had become something of a security blanket for him, easing his ever-present anxiety.
Though lately, even I had been unable to stave off his crippling fear of failure.
We had wasted days I didn’t have at the palace, when I should have been launching another offensive march from the Shendayah River Outpost to capture more ground from the Children of Earth.
Slowly but steadily, we were taking over the Mid-Plains and pushing the Children farther south.
Eventually, they would have nowhere left to go.
The wind became more turbulent, and Neo pumped his wings harder in answer.
Muscles in my legs burned as I fought the torrents of wind that threatened to wrench me from his back.
Ropes of tendons stood out in my arms as I held tight to the pommel of the flat piece of horse leather that served as a saddle—though I wouldn’t dare call it that in front of Neo.
In truth, it scarcely shared resemblance to a saddle for ordinary beasts, as it was wide and flat and meant for protecting Neo’s feathers.
We soared higher, finally breaking free of the powerful current, and I released my hold on the pommel.
With the wind no longer roaring in my ears like a monster come to life, I could hear my own heart thundering in my chest as it always did when we soared high above the earth.
Once we reached the Black Forest, we turned to the south and followed the Shendayah River.
After half a day’s flight, we approached our southernmost outpost. With towering walls made of hardwood, the Shendayah River Outpost’s rectangular base held three thousand soldiers with room for fifty Eagle Riders.
We had ten other bases to house our army of thirty thousand.
Even with so many soldiers, we were constantly having to recruit men and women from our conquered lands, as the army was susceptible to the devastating earthquake attacks the Children of Earth unleashed on them.
But as the outpost’s wooden walls came into view, a jolt of surprise went through Neo and traveled through my legs.
What is it? I asked, knowing he could see much farther than I could.
Flying arrows, he said. This outpost is engaged in battle.
My mind raced through scenarios. As I was the one coming with orders to launch an offensive attack, this meant Lieutenant Callum had engaged in battle with the enemy in defense of the outpost.
Let’s get a better view of it, I told Neo.
We soared over the empty outpost as Neo climbed higher and higher, gaining altitude so we could get a full view of the battle. Once Neo was level with the clouds, he glided in circles over the land below.
I took stock of the situation grimly. The first thing I noticed was the enormous fissures in the earth, deep and wide enough to swallow whole platoons of infantry.
Our soldiers stood on one side of the opening in the ground, while the Children of Earth’s cavalry stood on the other.
They outnumbered us by nearly a thousand soldiers.
The armies traded arrows on both sides of the fissure, but for now, it was creating a natural barrier.
The ten Eagle Riders had split into five groups of two and were engaged in battles of their own on the other side of the opening in the earth.
How many earth magic wielders? I asked Neo.
One, he replied after a moment spent scanning the battle below. Through our connection, he sent me what he could see. The earth magic wielder was protected from aerial attacks by a copse of trees and surrounded by a small squad of cavalry.
Already lost a platoon, Neo added, scanning the fissures. Soldiers lay at the bottom, broken and bleeding, if not dead already.
Even with an earth magic wielder present, we should have mounted a superior defense with the outpost’s Eagle Riders. But as we scanned the skies below, we counted only ten. There should have been fifty.
Where is Captain Suna? I demanded.
Not here. This is what happens when you promote someone simply because her father was a great leader, Neo said with an air of disgust.
Skies knew I agreed with him, but this wasn’t the time to point fingers. Then let’s find Lieutenant Callum.
After a moment scanning the ground, Neo’s gaze was drawn by the golden scales of the lieutenant’s breastplate, which caught the light.
The emperor insisted that each and every officer—and palace guard—dressed in full golden armor whenever on duty, which always seemed excessive at best and ridiculous at worst. My own black leather armor was rustic in comparison, consisting of only a breastplate, pauldrons, and greaves atop cotton and wool.
A breeze rushed over me then, rustling the feathers that covered my pauldrons, the ones given to me by Neo himself, designating my rank as an Eagle Rider.
Neo’s great talons scraped across the dirt as he touched down at the back of the platoon.
I slid from his back, landing with a solid thunk of my boots.
It was a long way down—Neo was one of the biggest eagles in our aerial army.
Though I was considered tall myself, I only reached the bottom of his wing.
“Commander Ramses,” Lieutenant Callum said, making his hand into a fist and placing it over his heart in deference to my rank. The squad members who flanked him did the same. “I am relieved and honored to see you, sir.”
“Neo and I were surprised to see you engaged in battle this afternoon, Lieutenant. We came straight from the palace with orders for offensive maneuvers, but it seems like you’re already on the defensive.”
“Yes, Commander. They attacked two hours ago.”
I scanned the battleground before us. “How long ago did the earth magic wielder open the fissure?”
“Forty-five minutes,” Lieutenant Callum said grimly.
My gaze shifted to the copse of trees that hid the earth magic user. “Another earthquake will be coming soon.”
The lieutenant nodded, jaw tense. He knew the Children of Earth took an average of an hour to recharge their ability and unleash another devastating earthquake that ripped apart the ground.
Thankfully we didn’t seem to be dealing with a royal, who could release wave after wave of attacks before finally needing to replenish their magic.
“You’re also light on Eagle Riders.”
“Yes, Commander.”
“Where is Captain Suna?” I asked.
“Captain Suna does not inform me of the aerial cavalry’s movements,” he said stiffly, “though I understand she outranks me.”
“She is still required to keep you apprised of their movements so that you can plan accordingly.”
“I have found they don’t always follow protocol, Commander.”
Captain Suna never had respect for the army soldiers, and now it has cost lives, I said to Neo.
This wasn’t unheard of when it came to many of the Eagle Riders.
The former emperor had made it clear that those who had the ability to bond with eagles were superior to those who couldn’t, and they should be treated as such.
My father’s words about being an Eagle Rider drifted through my mind: There is no greater calling or responsibility than our bond to our eagles, not because we are better than our fellow man, but rather because we must use our strength to protect the empire.
Many Eagle Riders still felt the same as my father, but there were also those who believed they were second only to the Lord of the Skies himself and should be treated as such. Captain Suna was of the latter.
Neo puffed up the feathers of his neck, like a wolf raising its hackles. Then it’s time she answers for it.
Agreed. But first, we must win this battle.
To Lieutenant Callum I said, “I want your platoons working to flank them on the left and right. I will send for reinforcements from Chimney Rock Outpost.”
“Understood, Commander.”
He saluted me, and I gave a terse nod before turning to Neo. After pulling myself into position between his wings, I called down to the lieutenant. “I’m sorry for the loss of your soldiers. You will have the protection guaranteed by the Eagle Riders—even if I have to remove Captain Suna.”
His eyebrows rose slightly, and even his tone was taken aback. “Thank you, Commander.”
Neo spread his massive wings, and Lieutenant Callum and his squad of soldiers hurried out of the way to avoid being buffeted by the wind. Neo launched us into the sky.
Should we fly to the Chimney Rock Outpost? Neo asked.
No, I said, we need to lend assistance to the Eagle Riders under attack here so that we can free up one of the lower-ranking riders to go instead.
Understood, Neo said, already scanning the battlefield.
We flew over the fissure toward the nearest Eagle Rider team, which was currently battling several squads of cavalry.