Warlords Rising (20 page)

“No, I hit you because you ask for it.”

Nolan paused and gave her a strange look. “You don’t hit
me.”

“You don’t ask for it.” What was that? Was that a pout on
his face? “Nolan, are you seriously pouting because I don’t hit you?”

He ducked his head to focus more on her legs. “I’m not
pouting.”

It sure looked that way from here. What, did he feel like
her hitting Trev was a sign of closeness or something? That he was being left
out because she didn’t punch him occasionally? Boys were strange creatures
sometimes.

Her muscles stopped cramping under Nolan’s treatment and
with Trev’nor’s help, she slid her way to the ground. Never had the feeling of
dirt under her feet felt so good. “Thank you, gentlemen. Now, we’ve arrived.
What shall we do first?”

“Dinner?” Trev’nor responded, looking at both of them to
gauge their reactions. “Then I think we need to sit down and have a proper
strategy session. We can’t just bank on having a hundred dragons and forging
ahead.”

“I agree.” Nolan looked around them, eyes going semi-blind
as he saw further than their immediate surroundings. “I think I can scrounge up
ingredients for dinner easily enough. Becca, get a fire going? And make sure
the dragons are settled. I’ll be back shortly.”

His was the hardest task, in her opinion. Where was he going
to find food still viable after nearly ten days in a hot desert? But if he
thought he could do it, Becca wasn’t about to stop him.

She looked about her and decided that the first order of
business was unsaddling her own dragon, as the boys had theirs. Then she’d
build a fire and talk with everyone so they knew where to get water. “Everyone,
you’re free to hunt!”

Dragons touched noses, extended their heads to greet her,
sometimes nudge her, then took off in different directions. Becca hoped they
had enough resources on hand to feed a hundred dragons.

When Nolan said he could find food, he wasn’t exaggerating.
Trev’nor was actually impressed with how much he found. Perhaps it was his Life
Mage sense that made him so good at it, but the prince came back with several
jars of pickled meat, fruit, and enough ingredients to make flat bread. Even a
few pans.

Becca had chosen a house that had a large veranda and
courtyard so that their dragon companions could stick their noses inside with
the people if they wanted to. The three borrowed the kitchen and cooked
companionably together, each taking the dish they were most comfortable making,
then sitting down for a late supper. Trev’nor was very glad for solid food to
be in his stomach, as snacking had not really done the trick.

They put off doing dishes, sticking them in the sink to soak
before returning to the table. Trev’nor had found a map of Khobunter in the
house’s study, which he laid out flat so they had something to reference.
“Alright, I now declare this strategy session in order. We have a hundred
dragons at our beck and call, minus the four that will stay here and guard
Rurick. What shall we do first?”

“Rurick is part of the Trexler Warlord’s territory, right?”
Becca nibbled on the edge of a thumb as she studied the map. “He can’t be much
of a warlord if another came in and carted away the whole population.”

“Warlord territories fluctuate,” Nolan stated, frowning.
“Even if this map is, what, two or three years old? It could be inaccurate.
Rurick is between Rowe and Trexler, it gets re-conquered by warlords all of the
time.”

“So it could belong to Rowe.” Trev’nor scratched at the back
of his head. “Well, that’s not confusing. So do you know anything about the warlords
here?”

“Not really, no. I do know that every warlord basically has
a non-aggression treaty in place with its neighboring country. Rowe has one
with Sol, Riyu and Von have one with Libendorf. They mostly suffer from
internal conflict.”

“What you’re saying is, we don’t actually know which warlord’s
city we conquered, and it doesn’t matter to either Sol or Libendorf that we did
so, as long as we don’t take the war to them?” Becca blew out a long stream of
air. “That’s good and bad news.”

“At least we don’t have to worry about one of those countries
sending aid,” Trev’nor observed. “Although I think we should be careful moving
forward so that they don’t get nervous and think we’re going to conquer them
next.”

“That is a very good thought,” Nolan seconded firmly.
“Please, please let’s not do that. For one thing, I don’t want to explain it to
either Da or Granda. Or the Trasdee Evondit Orra, come to think of it.”

“Or Guin,” Trev’nor grimaced. “Or Shad. Or Garth. Especially
not Chatta or Xiaolang.”

“There’s a whole list of people we don’t want to explain
that to, so I agree, let’s make sure we don’t land in that pitfall.” Becca
tapped Rurick’s symbol on the map. “We took this place by surprise, so we won
easily. But I think we should practice fighting with the dragons, get used to
coming at a city directly. I think we should start off by taking another,
smaller city first.”

She did have a point. Trev’nor admitted to himself that the
way they’d taken Rurick was more than haphazard, and it likely wouldn’t work to
just charge blindly in on the next city. They’d probably have the element of
surprise on their side for the next city but not after that. So if they were
going to practice fighting together, a smaller city would be a good way to do
it. “In that case, Tiergan.”

Both of them looked at the map, seeing the city he named,
and went ‘Ahhh’ in immediate understanding. Trev’nor hadn’t expected any other
reaction. A student of Shad’s would instantly see the logic behind his choice.
Tiergan was in a unique strategic position. It was next to Q’atal, nearly on
the coast of Saira Channel, and so was protected on two sides from attack. It
was also located near Rurick, almost dead west of it. If their plans went
seriously wrong, then they had two places to retreat to, both of them with
protective wards up: Q’atal and Rurick. It was the perfect choice for testing
their mettle. “No objections?”

“None,” Nolan agreed. “Although it does beg the question of
what to hit after. Sagar? Trexler?”

“Sagar would be nice simply because it’s smaller and doesn’t
have the defenses of Trexler.” Becca circled an idle finger around both cities
as she spoke. “But I’m not sure if it’s viable. I mean, we have to go around
Trexler to get to Sagar.”

“Surely the Trexler Warlord will retaliate after we take
Tiergan?” Nolan followed up his own question by shaking his head. “I don’t
think we have enough information to make a decision on this right now. We don’t
know the strengths or the personalities of the warlords involved. Let’s take
Tiergan first. If we succeed, then we get more information and only after that
point do we sit down and figure out what to tackle next.”

That sounded reasonable to Trev’nor, and frankly, he was
ready to be horizontal for a while. “Let’s wash up dishes and go to bed. We
can’t continue this discussion any further without the dragons being involved,
and they’re still hunting, I think.”

Nolan’s eyes went blind as he checked. “About half of them
are, I think.”

“So let’s continue this in the morning,” Trev’nor concluded.

“Sounds good to me.” Becca stretched her arms above her head
and even from across the table, Trev’nor could hear vertebra pop. “I’m bagged
out. I chose the first bedroom in the hallway, so choose somewhere else to
sleep.”

Trev’nor couldn’t see how assigned bedrooms would matter,
considering they’d be here at most two days, but girls were fussy about things
like that. “Alright. Good night.”

For whatever reason, Nolan was always the first to rise. It
might have been sheer habit by now, as the royal family had to get up early in
order to see to all of their duties. The only times that Trev’nor had seen his
friend sleep in was if he had either been up all night or was dog sick. This
morning was no exception to the rule, as Trev’nor found his friend sitting at
the table, a cup of something hot and steaming sitting at his elbow, a studious
expression on his face as he stared at the map.

“Morning,” he offered as he came in.

“Morning,” Nolan returned, glancing up. “There’s hot
porridge and tea on the stove.”

He knew he was friends with Nol for a reason. Happy to have
breakfast already cooked, he dished out a large bowl, filled up a mug, and
joined the other at the table.

“Becca still sleeping?” Nolan asked, sitting back a little
to take a leisurely sip at his mug.

“She is, and no, I will not wake her up. I’m pretty sure
that the only thing that can safely wake up Becca is a dragon.”

Nolan snickered. “Why, because they’re fire-proof?”

“Exactly. Well, Tail manages it somehow, but I’m pretty sure
he’s lost a few lives in the process. Despite cat reflexes.”

“It’s funny, she doesn’t exactly sleep late, it’s just she’s
really stubborn if some outside influence tries to wake her up. Except for when
she barely sleeps at all.” Nolan pondered this for a brief second before
shrugging and dismissing it. “Changing topics, I’m not sure what to think of
that city named Von.”

Trev’nor paused, spoon hovering in the air, to gauge his
friend’s reaction. “You realize that if there’s a place called ‘Rheben’ and it
was built by an Earth Mage, then….”

“Von would mean that someone from my family built that city,
yes. That’s highly probable. For that matter, I find Sha to be very suspicious
as well. That’s a family name for a magical line too. How much of Khobunter was
built by Chahiran magicians?”

“Apparently at least some of it. How that history was so
easily lost, that’s the next question. Have they deliberately altered the
history books?”

“They must have.” Nolan shook his head sadly. “Abuse of
power always brings such sorrow.”

Unfortunately true. And to think, all of it started because
the magical council in Chahir had gotten it in their heads to limit the power
of a mage. If they hadn’t been afraid of their own mages, the world wouldn’t
have turned upside down and taken so many lives in the process.

“Well, I’ve slept on it. I still feel like Tiergan is our
best bet. You?”

“I haven’t changed my mind. I spoke briefly to our dragons
this morning and they assured me that the four who are going to stay here in
Rurick have already been decided.”

Trev’nor did appreciate how the dragons were divvying
themselves up without making their human mages decide. It made his life much
easier.

Becca wandered out of her room, a hand up to cover a yawn,
bed hair going in every direction. “Do I smell breakfast?”

“On the stove,” Nolan answered.

“Bless you.” She shuffled that direction, humming
soundlessly in a happy note. Apparently she was glad not to need to cook
breakfast either.

Trev’nor turned sideways in his chair and gave her a quick
study. “You’re oddly tired this morning.”

“It’s the fatigue of traveling, I think,” she answered as
she ladled porridge into a bowl. “I’m not used to it like you are. Nolan, this
smells wonderful. Are those figs?”

“They are. I found them stored in the pantry here.”

“Perfect, I was craving fruit.” Becca settled at the table
with her breakfast, coming a bit more alive with every bite. “So what are we
talking about?”

“Battle plans.” A sudden thought struck Trev’nor and he
slowed down so he could talk. “You know, Becca, I think I’ve only seen you
actually fight with your magic twice.”

“Here in Rurick, you mean?”

“Yup, just then. I mean, I saw you practice sometimes, but
never actually fight.”

Nolan glanced between them. “Come to think of it, Trev and I
have fought together multiple times but never once with you. Before we go talk
to the dragons we’d better get it straight first on what we can use to fight
with that isn’t going to clash with someone else’s magic.”

That was an amazingly good idea and Trev’nor whole-heartedly
approved of it. He did not want to be accidentally zapped by lightning.

“I think, for the first several battles at least, that I
need to fight in dragon-mode,” Nolan stated. “That way it’s easier for me to
communicate with our dragons and show them where they need to go. Since that’s
the case, it’s really a matter of knowing what you two will plan.”

Trev’nor tapped the symbol of Tiergan with a forefinger.
“From what I can feel from here, this is basically all flat land, with a few
ravines and some sloping toward the coastline. Lots of loose ground to work
with, I think. I can box people in with quick walls, bury them up to their
necks, block off entrances and exits, sink buildings, throw rocks at troops,
and of course lob large boulders to destroy buildings. If you want rock armor,
I can do it, but that takes more time as it takes control.”

Becca took a large swallow of tea before asking, “How many
can you bury at a time?”

“Basically what I can see, so about twenty. And before you
ask, I can do very large quick walls at a time, but only if I have the vantage
to see exactly what I’m doing.”

“Which you will on a dragon’s back.” Nolan quirked a brow.
“That isn’t all you can do, though.”

“For group tactics like this, that’s my main strengths. The
rest of it comes down to individual fighting.”

Nolan’s open palm conceded the point. “And you, Becca?”

“You’ve seen my lightning strikes, right? I can also do
mini-tornadoes, although those are more destructive and harder to control, so
I’d rather not do it on a populated city. I can use very strong winds as well, to
force people different directions. I can also do misdirection, with blinding
rain, or mists, to confuse the enemy with.” She popped a bite into her mouth,
chewing as she thought. “For group tactics, that’s about it. Theoretically, I
can also heat the air to the boiling point, but that’s hard to keep to a
certain location, and I risk hitting allies as well as enemies, so I’d rather
not use it. There’s a few other things that I can do that can cover whole
areas, but I don’t see how it would help to fight with, not really.”