B0161NEC9Y (F) (27 page)

Cayan blinked a few times through the searing pain. They looked like Shanti.

Hallucinations—they had to be. He had pictured her so completely that now he saw her in life.

“Should I kill them, sir?” Lucius’ voice drifted through Cayan’s consciousness. He had trouble making sense of it. “Sir?”

Cayan focused on his breathing. He tried to push away the pain. Tried to think as he looked up at the blond man moving gracefully toward him. The man’s weapon was even like Shanti’s, delicate and well made, created by a master craftsman. Cayan could make a fortune with work like that, as unique and exotic as it was useful. Nobles all over the north and east would pay dearly for sword wrought in the style of the violet-eyed girl.

“Captain.” Lucius’ face swam into view as the phantoms drifted closer, so perfect in their movements. So deadly.

“Westwood Lands.” The man was close now, his eyes hard and gray, like the skies as a storm blew in.

Cayan blinked up in confusion. The man could’ve been Shanti’s brother, with the high cheekbones and strong jaw. Her face was more delicate; beautiful where this man was ruggedly handsome. But then, Cayan had thought that about Rohnan, too. They all bore a similarity.

“He is taking the Inkna attack,” Lucius said, his arrow pointed at the man’s chest. Only three steps separated them. It would be an instant death. The man didn’t seem to notice.

“Where is the
Chulan
?” the man asked, eyes beating down onto Cayan.

Cayan tried to answer as tears of agony dripped from his eyes. His couldn’t get his jaw loose. Couldn’t take a deep enough breath to do anything but hold on and hope the boys worked faster. He didn’t have much left.

“She’s in the city with Rohnan. We need to get to her,” Lucius answered.

The man’s eyes widened a fraction. “Rohnan is alive?”

“Yes. Are you from her land?” The plea in Lucius’ voice was evident. Or else Cayan was projecting his own plea. It was hard to say.

The man glanced to the side where his countrymen spread out in a semicircle. As he turned back, Cayan could swear his eyes unfocused for a moment.

The fire scorching his insides subsided. The bone-crushing agony slackened. Cayan sucked in a full, sweet breath as the pain reduced to a simmer, easily ignorable after what he’d just endured.

He blinked up at the man, who was looking down at him with calculating eyes. The man said, “Only one in all the land could’ve endured power that strong by herself…”

Shaky, Cayan uncurled. He flexed his fingers, working some blood into them. “Now there is two. If you mean to help, then help.” Cayan felt his
Gift
boil. He ripped down his shields and sent a pulse of power at the Inkna still breathing. The next second he was running, sword in hand.

K
allon stood in awe for a single beat, his
Gift
still tangled with one of the more powerful of the Inkna. He could feel the others in his merge shifting then
slashing
, trying to take out the remaining enemy fighting with their minds. The amount of power was…unreal. He wasn’t even sure if the Chosen could’ve stayed cognizant in the face of that.

“Rumors are true. Chosen is a lucky girl. I wonder if she has learned to share…” Mela laughed, her sword in hand.

“Are we going to drool, or are we going to fight?” Sayas asked, his anticipation coloring the merge.

Kallon glanced at the others, relaying his intentions without needing words. As expected, everyone started jogging, falling into the fighting pattern most suited for this area and the layout of the enemy ahead. He and Mela lead the charge, intending to slice right through.

An Inkna
slashed
at his mind. Kallon retaliated, grabbing the other mind and attempting to beat at it. More Inkna joined in, their enemy merge competing with Kallon’s.

A peal of thunder rocked their mental battle, making Kallon stumble. It rolled and boiled, pounding into the Inkna minds. The Inkna wrestling with Kallon’s merge winked out, a silent scream announcing its defeat. Another man, off to the other side, let out a physical scream. His mind went silent a moment later.

“That makes our job easier,” Sayas said as they gained speed.

What must be the Captain of these men joined his fighters, running into the Graygual like a battering ram. His sword moved almost too fast to keep track of, his movements precise and powerful. He took on two immediately, freeing up a shorter man with harsh and brutal strokes.

“Very lucky,” Kallon heard Mela yell as she sprinted at the Graygual.

“Now we’re cooking!” the shorter man yelled, tearing into a Graygual in front of him with redoubled effort.

Kallon lost track of their fight as he approached a Graygual, also running at the fight, coming from the city. The Graygual attacked using a straightforward style and rapid feet. Classic Graygual teaching, unlike the many Kallon had encountered across the land recently.

With almost lazy efforts, Kallon met the sword strike, moved his blade in a circle, carrying the Graygual blade with it, and flicked. The Graygual struggled to hold on to his sword. He stepped forward, putting him off balance. Kallon lunged, sword puncturing the other man before yanking it free.

He kicked the Graygual, knocking him out of the way, before engaging with another. With lesser skill, this Graygual couldn’t keep up. He swung his sword at Kallon, who blocked and struck. Another kick and Kallon was moving forward again.

“What is your plan?” Kallon yelled at the Captain.

The Captain blocked the thrust of one man, stabbed another with a knife, and then stuck his sword through the first’s neck. He was already moving to another man, the Graygual half stumbling backward, not wanting to go up against an obviously superior fighter.

“We must get to Shanti,” the Captain shouted, on to the next.

“They’re bringing men around,” the shorter man yelled. “Did you kill those Inkna?”

“Yes.” The Captain downed two more men as though they were unarmed. The fight was no contest. But then, these men had few or no slashes. They had been sent out there to die.

“Who holds the city?” Kallon asked as they ran toward the looming walls. Solid and stone, the barrier was built with defense in mind, except for one thing. Individuals climbing. The stone was coarse, with cracks not smoothed over, leaving plenty of pockmarks and crevices a skilled climber could navigate.

“The Hunter,” the Captain panted, veering left. “Where are the horses?”

“They fucked off,” the shorter man yelled in something like a growl.

The Captain whistled, a shrill sound.

“Here’s more!” someone shouted as a group of Graygual emerged from a large gate in the distance.

Made up of two large wooden doors, this gate was open on one side. But as they approached, it was already starting to close.

The whistle sounded again. A horse whinnied somewhere to the right. The thundering of hooves announced a large black stallion. The Captain darted to the great horse, climbing on with an innate athleticism. Another horse came running up with it. Shiny and sleek, this animal looked like a fine specimen. The shorter man reached out to it, but it chomped down at his hand and pranced away.

“Damn horse!” the man yelled. The man ran forward. No one else reached out to the animal. “We need to get to that gate.”

“I got it.” The Captain leaned forward with a “Haw!” The horse lurched forward, running straight at the group of approaching Graygual. Thunder rolled, the Captain’s
Gift
sending the enemy staggering and falling, clutching their body or heads.

“Cut ’em down!” the shorter man yelled.

“Very vocal, these men,” Sayas said as he ran with his sword at the ready.

Kallon stabbed a man writhing on the ground as he ran by, seeing the Captain nearly at the gate. The others did the same—not much to do with a
Gift
that strong clearing the way.

“He was not foretold!” Dannon said. He kicked a Graygual’s head, knocking the man out.

“I love surprises.” Mela laughed, running beside them.

The sound of more hooves announced two younger men, one as large as any of Kallon’s despite his age. Both with spatters of blood and pale faces, they reined in to join the larger group.

“Help the Captain,” the shorter man yelled, pointing at the gate.

The larger of the two new arrivals kicked his horse before the command was completed. The other was on the way a moment later.

The Captain reached the gate. He urged his horse forward, probably trying to batter his way through. The horse reared, unwilling. The sleek horse whinnied, battering the black horse out of the way. It reared as well, but for a different reason. Its front hooves clattered at the wood, stopping the closing movement. It turned and kicked out with both feet, clattering at it again.

Someone stood over the wall, arrow at the ready. Kallon
struck,
tearing through the mind like a knife through melon. The man fell away. Another took his place, before succumbing to the same fate.

Another clatter as the horse attempted to force its way in.

“That horse is a strange sort of wild,” Sayas said, out of breath. “I want one.”

“We were foolish to leave ours behind!” Dannon yelled.

The Captain jumped from his horse, dodging the crazed animal, and sprinted at the crack in the gate. He made it through, disappearing inside.

“Follow him!” the shorter man urged.

The younger boys reached the gate right after the Captain, jumping from their horses and slipping inside. Another bout of thunder rolled, the sign of the Captain’s
Gift.
The gate started to open as more men appeared over the wall. Kallon shot out with his mind, killing them as he finally reached the gate.

The wild horse barreled through, followed by the other horses. Kallon charged in behind them. An explosion sounded from somewhere to the right. A spray of rocks flew through the air. The Captain was in front of him, battling a line of disposable Graygual as his
Gift
boomed out.

“Shanti is on the other side of the city,” he yelled, stabbing one of the Graygual through before turning to another. “We have to hurry. She’s getting bombarded by Inkna!”

Kallon ran at the surging Graygual, not seeing one officer among them. He attacked, blocking a thrust and stabbing before moving on. A blade caught the sunlight, glinting, before swinging down at Kallon. He knocked it aside, slashing. Dannon appeared to his right and Mela to his left. The others arrived, forming a sort of hollow diamond, cutting through the inexperienced and altogether useless Graygual with ease. With his mind, Kallon reached farther still, cutting those down in front of them, clearing the way.

“Holy shit, you guys make me feel lazy,” the shorter man growled as he ran into their formation. “And bored.” With a great show of strength, he hacked and battered his way through with skill Kallon wouldn’t have thought possible with the coarse and often brutal fighting style.

“Where are the officers?” the Captain asked, taking out two Graygual. He ran back for his horse.

“They will be fighting the
Chulan,
”
Kallon said, feeling that urgency tug at him. “They will be trying to capture her.”

L
ucius grabbed one of the loose and rider-less horses. His body felt stiff and weak. He shook when he moved and felt like an old door with rusty hinges. Whatever those women had given him, it wasn’t natural.

“Ready?” Sterling rode closer, looking bedraggled and in pain.

Lucius glanced ahead to where Shanti’s people were slipping through the gate. They were some fearsome fighters; that was for sure. They were greatly needed.

“Yes.” Lucius climbed on, ignoring the groaning Graygual at his feet.

They rode toward the gate, every movement misery. “I think we were supposed to rest for longer,” Lucius said in a dry tone, raising his voice over the sound of hooves and the distant roar of battle.

Sterling didn’t respond, but he surely felt the same way.

As they came to the gate, Lucius caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned with a wince and raised his bow, fighting the fatigue in his limbs.

“Don’t shoot!” Marc, spattered with blood and wide-eyed, threw his hands in the air. “It’s me!”

“What are you doing out here still?” Sterling demanded. “Why weren’t you with Xavier?”

“That damn horse went crazy. I was working on the Inkna, but the one I was sneaking up on dropped dead. There might be some more to the back…”

“I doubt it,” Lucius said, gesturing Marc forward. “The Hunter will have called them around. It sounds like Shanti is giving the city hell.”

As if to punctuate his words, an explosion sounded within the city.

“Come on.” Lucius motioned at Marc again. “Get on. You aren’t any good on foot.”

Marc climbed on the back of the horse, the weight of two riders slowing the animal considerably. They wouldn’t be able to fight like this. Although Lucius could barely lift a bow—he wouldn’t be able to fight anyway.

As if hearing his thoughts, Sterling said, “Let’s check to make sure all the men are free. We’re no good for anything else.”

“If they aren’t free, you still won’t be any good, right?” Marc asked. “You can barely move…”

“No wonder Shanti beats on you so much,” Lucius said, slowing at the gate’s entrance.

Bodies littered the ground, some of them with no signs of violence. Having mental warfare was excellent against those who didn’t. Unfortunately, it wasn’t so good when his people were the ones without it.

Fighting raged down the street, as the Captain led everyone toward Shanti. Lucius went right, speeding up his horse. They would go around the fighting to the jail cell, making sure the officers were freed.

Horses hooves sounded loudly. Every step sounded like a blast, echoing against the buildings and announcing their presence. But no one came out after them. No Inkna guarded the way. No Graygual came running.

They continued, winding through the outskirts of the city. As they neared the prison, movement caught Lucius’ eye. He stopped, Sterling stopping beside him.