I refused to say goodbye to Caliza, the action feeling uncomfortably final, and instead simply hugged her as hard as I could.
Then Ericen, Kiva, Estrel, Res, and I left.
Elaris was less than a day’s ride from Aris, a trip that Res and I could have made even faster. Instead, he napped in the back of an open wagon. Conserving his strength would be key to this fight; as the battle in the wood had proven, his magic was limited. He hadn’t complained.
The rest of us rode horses as we passed through the Kessel Woods, though we kept pace with the marching army, not wanting to tire the beasts. Many of the horses had come through Trendell from Jindae, but with our reliance on the crows, Rhodaire had never fielded a large cavalry, and many of our recent additions hadn’t been training for more than six months.
We passed out of the wood’s dense foliage by late afternoon, the trail winding through valleys of long-fingered grass and patches of broad-leafed trees. Only a few weeks ago, I’d made this same trip, a prisoner in Ericen’s carriage, all too aware of what waited for me at the end. This time, I enjoyed the familiar scenery, the feel of the waning afternoon sun and the gentle wind, and the company of my friends, even knowing what we rode toward.
Until we rose from a deep valley and reached the crest of a hill, Elaris spread out before us in the next basin, and my heart stopped.
The city was already under attack.
* * *
The clang of distant metal merged with the screams of the dying.
Row upon row of Illucian soldiers stretched out toward the northern border, pinning Elaris between Lesiar Lake and a tide of soldiers in blue. Arrows flew at the wall from a small force that had broken off from the larger army, protected from easy return fire by a small, broad-topped tower on wheels.
Ericen had spoken of the top towers. Larger versions of them reached up from the Illucian ranks every few yards, providing canopy-like protection from the skies. The top towers were a favorite defense of Illucia against the crows, allowing them to create pockets of archers that could fire and then quickly retreat below protection. They were incredibly effective against battle crows, and while less so against Res, it would take a lot of magic for him to destroy all of them, and it would make him an easy target.
A narrow stone bridge connected the shore and the back entrance to the city, and it was for it that we rode with all haste.
Res shot awake in the back of his wagon, but I warned him to keep down and lifted the hood of my cloak to hide my face. Estrel, Ericen, and Kiva did the same. Razel likely had scouts looking to report when the crow arrived, and I’d rather them think we were just another contingent of ground reinforcements.
The soldiers at the back gate let us through, and we rode through ranks of Trendellan and Rhodairen forces to the front of the city.
Our horse’s hooves clattered across the cobblestones as we entered a broad courtyard. Lady Kerova met us at the base of the wall. A lithe, graceful warrior, she had Auma’s calm bearing and Kiva’s fierce gaze, and it showed as she dealt out orders to passing soldiers.
I dismounted, making for her. “Status report?” I asked.
“Your Highness,” she greeted with a swift bob of her head. “This is the third strike Razel’s forces have made in as many hours. So far, they’ve only been testing our defenses, but based on your intelligence regarding the Sellas in her employ, I fear they may only be a distraction to lull us into a sense of security with a false pattern. When their true attack comes, it won’t be led by archers.”
A Rhodairen soldier descended a nearby set of steps and saluted Lady Kerova. “The enemy has retreated. We have two wounded to report and seven confirmed dead on the Illucian side. Also, there’s a disturbance in the Illucian forces. It appears someone is making their way to the front lines from the command tents.”
“Show us,” Estrel ordered.
We followed the soldier to the top of the wall. I stilled at the edge of the battlement as the true scope of the army’s size unfurled before me. Hearing troop numbers from Caliza was one thing. Facing them spread along the basin, knowing each of them was here to kill Res, to kill my friends and my family, was something else entirely.
The rows broke about two-thirds of the way back to make room for a line of royal-blue tents. It was from there that a ripple of motion rolled through the army, soldiers separating to allow through a group of four hooded figures on foot.
The Sellas had come.
“Razel must have decided against waiting for additional troops,” Ericen said. “She probably thinks the Sellas are enough to turn the tide.”
“I only see four,” I said. “There were six in the glade.” Where were the other two?
“What do we do with these ones?” Kiva’s hand curled around Sinvarra.
Lady Kerova looked suddenly uneasy. “The Ambriellan and Jin reinforcements aren’t set to reach us until near nightfall. Somehow, we must last until then.”
Ericen stepped up to the wall, surveying the ranks below. A dark swath of earth cut a line between the wall and the soldiers beyond, the ground uneven and loose to impede the cavalry’s approach. “They’ll start by trying to create an opening in this wall, probably hoping to draw Res out into those archers in the meantime,” the prince said. “Then they’ll use cavalry to overpower your infantry that rushes to plug the gaps.”
“And they have an earth Sella that can tear holes in it like paper.” I watched the approaching group with rising dread. Questioning beats pulsed down the line from Res.
Not yet, I sent back.
“If this wall falls, the city will fall,” Lady Kerova said. “We don’t have the numbers to match them without the Jin and Ambriellan forces for long.”
