Terry W. Ervin (20 page)

“They are.” Imperial Seer Lochelle opened the door. The flickering hall light played across her lined face. Her lips curled into a grin. “A detractor has been thwarted. Rest, for you will soon be weary.”

She closed the door and I sat in the dark, trying to piece together all that she had said.

It was impossible to tell the time of day from within my room or even the outside hall. The maid was supposed to wake me just before sunrise. After what must have been two hours of lying and pondering, my stomach said it was time to get up. I threw off the covers and used the chamber pot and wash basin before dressing in my armor.

I knew my way around well enough to find the dining hall and kitchen. I felt to make sure Short’s talisman was secure around my neck. A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. I opened it to find Road Toad standing with his hands behind his back and a wide grin across his face.

His face lost some of its mirth. “You did not sleep well?”

“I slept for a few hours until interrupted by a visitor.”

His eyes widened. “Visitor, last night?”

“It appears you slept well,” I said, “and are in a good mood. I was just going to find some breakfast.”

“Visitor?” He held out a small rolled parchment. “I’ll tell you the good news if you tell me of the late visitor who deprived you of sleep.” He looked down the hall. “How hungry are you?”

I recalled the fish soup from last night. “Even a good meal can wait for good news.” I stepped aside and held the door. “If you get the chance, I’d like to learn a bit more about using this sword,” I said, placing my hand on the hilt.

He looked over at my spear. “If we have time. Your news first.”

I told him of the imperial seer’s visit and what she had said. He listened carefully and nodded, impressed.

“I’m pleased to hear your family is alive, Flank Hawk. And the purpose of the talisman. You saved Short Two Blades’ life only to extend it by less than an hour. A shame.” Road Toad pursed his lips and licked his teeth. “He was a good man.”

“So was Pops Weasel,” I added.

Road Toad nodded. “And your cousin, Guzzy.” He shook his head and added, “It seems it shall ever be that good men must die to stem the tide of evil.”

It was my turn to nod. After a few long breaths, I asked, “And your news?”

“Ahhh,” said Road Toad. “Yes. Well, the king has temporarily denied me a commission as a serpent cavalryman.” He held up a hand to stay my question. “Until he is able to consult with Prince Halgadin who is in the field against the enemy.

“However,” he said, holding the rolled parchment, “I’ve been offered the position of personal mercenary guard to Prince Reveron.”

“A bodyguard?” I asked.

He nodded. “Yes. And it seems that our friend, Colonel Brizich, successfully protested your serving as an aft-guard.”

I blinked my eyes and frowned. “Good news?” I regretted saying it. It was good news for Road Toad.

He placed a firm hand on my shoulder. “Strap on your sword and don’t despair,” he said. “Grand Wizard Seelain flies with Prince Reveron on his next mission, and she requested you to remain her personal guard.” He laughed. “I am sure there’s a bit of spite in her decision. Apparently she cares little for Colonel Brizich. But more, I think, she has seen your unflinching courage in battle.”

“I wouldn’t call it that,” I said.

“It doesn’t matter what you call it, Flank Hawk. We’ll ride together for at least one more mission.”

After a breakfast of steamed oats and fruit in the soldier mess hall, a well-dressed servant notified Road Toad and me of our summons to a meeting with Prince Reveron and his advisors.

The servant set a brisk pace through the palace, taking us down several levels. He stopped abruptly, nodded, and pointed down a long hall guarded by two alert soldiers. Road Toad and I walked past the guards. They didn’t even acknowledge us.

Road Toad leaned close. “I’ve been in this meeting hall before. The prince and his advisors will be seated around the table. My place will be behind him. You should find a place to stand along the wall behind Grand Wizard Seelain.”

“What if she isn’t there?” I whispered.

“Oh, I have a feeling she will be.” Our footsteps on the stone floor were louder than our conversation. The hanging tapestries depicting coronations and other ceremonies muffled any echoes. “If it is to be a long meeting, there will be high stools. You’ll be directed to sit after those around the conference table have been seated.” He smiled. “I probably don’t have to remind you not to speak unless first addressed, but if asked to offer an opinion, be honest in your assessment.”

I nodded and swallowed, keeping down the breakfast churning in my stomach. I hoped Colonel Brizich wasn’t there. I heard someone following us down the hall, but I didn’t turn around.

Standing in the large double doorway was Lesser Seer B’down who’d served the prince in his pavilion near the battlefield. Although his gray robes were without creases or folds, his face looked weary with dark circles of fatigue hanging under his milky eyes. He muttered an incantation as we stepped through the doorway and over the etched warding symbols in the floor.

Inside the rectangular room stood an oval wooden table. Around it sat ten chairs, most of which were filled. Four feet behind the chairs, spread along the walls, were eighteen tall stools. Four lanterns hanging from the low ceiling lit the room and revealed additional etched runes inlaid with silver and gold lining the walls.

At the far end of the table, facing the door, sat Prince Reveron. He was leaning to his right, speaking with a serpent cavalryman that I didn’t recognize. The cavalryman was older with a short gray beard and he held his hands in fists as he nodded, talking to the prince.

Next to him was a lanky general who listened intently to the prince’s conversations. I moved to stand along the wall behind Grand Wizard Seelain who sat with her eyes closed. Her long white hair appeared a hazy sky blue below the shoulder where her robe’s color showed through.

Road Toad had taken a position along the wall behind the prince, just to his right. Opposite him on the left sat a stately scribe at a high desk with quill in hand, ready to record.

Beyond the open seat to the prince’s left sat a lady in a very constricting, high collared black dress. She must have been an advisor to King Tobias as she wore a large pendant that bore the emblem of the King of Keesee. It was identical to the one worn by General Riverton, military advisor to King Tobias who I’d met in the imperial seer’s chamber. He was the man she was whispering with. The final three seats were still empty.

I stood silently with my hands held behind my back and tried to look confident with a scowl on my face. I figured it was better than wide-eyed with my jaw hanging. I smiled to myself, picturing it.

Master Wizard Golt, the earth wizard from the battle, entered barefoot, along with a scowling man dressed a step below what most noblemen wore. Wizard Golt stood in the doorway, listening to Lesser Seer B’down, while the scowling man sat next to Wizard Seelain. About a dozen other men and women, mostly soldiers with a few tense servants stood along the walls.

I overheard Wizard Golt say to the seer, “Enchantress Thulease has arrived,” before moving to his seat opposite the prince. He spotted Road Toad and nodded and made eye contact with me after sitting.

Enchantress Thulease, who was incredibly tall and thin, removed a black silk mask and took her seat between Wizard Golt and General Riverton. As soon as she did, all around the table rose followed by the prince. As soon as he was seated the others followed, except for Lesser Seer B’down.

He closed the doors and circled the room, chanting and touching each of the four walls with the fingertips of his right hand and the palm of his left. Finished with his task, Seer B’down, with head bowed, took his seat to the left of the prince.

Prince Reveron looked up and gestured with his hands for the people along the walls to sit as well. “Let us be brief,” he said, nodding to Wizard Golt. “Report.”

Wizard Golt stood, leaned on the table and acknowledged all around it. “I’ve just come from the fortified city of Morthis. It is soon to be under total siege and General Ellis has vowed to hold to the last man.”

He met the prince’s eyes. “It goes hard. The Second M’unicorn Cavalry Regiment was unable to slow the advance, although they inflicted many enemy casualties. But before the panzers reached Morthis, General Ellis ordered the m’unicorn cavalry to evade and disrupt the enemy supply lines, on recommendation of a Crusader advisor. Against the goblin and zombie units that defended the lines, the cavalry was successful. They destroyed wagons bearing flammable liquids that feed the panzers.

“Upon reaching Morthis the panzers stood off and shattered the city walls faster than my fellow earth wizards could repair them. Poison gas artillery was fired into the city, killing some while wearying the air wizards.” He shot a quick glance to Wizard Seelain before returning to the prince. “Even as they fended off the Stukas.

“But they didn’t press their advantage, and General Ellis guessed why. He launched a counterattack against the immobile enemy, earth elementals crushed the panzers where they sat.” He sighed.

General Riverton cleared his throat before sliding his right hand forward on the table. The prince nodded, giving him permission to speak.

“You speak of General Ellis’ success as if it were grim news.”

“Even as I left not twelve hours ago,” said Wizard Golt, “a formidable enemy force yet remained, including giants who took the place of the panzers, hurling boulders into the city. And serpent cavalry scouts located a line of panzers not three days north of the city. General Ellis expects them to form up and storm the city within the week.”

Prince Reveron asked if there were any other questions. No one had any. Wizard Golt took his seat before the prince nodded to the king’s advisor seated next to General Riverton. “Lady Vigo, report what my father would have this council hear.”

She stood, bowed slightly at the waist to the prince and began, “The Doran Confederacy has been captured, except for pockets of resistance.”

I swallowed hard at the news. No one noticed except Road Toad who met my concerned gaze.

“To the west,” she continued, “the enemy spearheaded straight through the Faxtinian Coalition to its capital, Paris–Imprimis.” She looked down at General Riverton. “The county lords are sending troops in a bid to recapture the city.”

To Grand Wizard Seelain’s left, the heavy infantry general slid his right hand to the center of the table and the prince nodded, “General Pintar.”

General Pintar stood. “It is clear that the Faxtinian Coalition will not be sending us aid, nor will the Doran Confederacy.” He looked at each participant around the table. “The Vinchie Empire, dominated by Fendra Jolain and the healers are unlikely to assist militarily in this war, and the Lesser Kingdoms are too scattered and weak to muster more than a feeble defense of their own borders.” With hands balled into fists, he leaned on the table. “From where came these panzers and Stukas? What strength remains to the enemy, what of his reserves? Can he create more?” Not waiting for an answer, he focused his attention on Lady Vigo and Prince Reveron. “What of the Reunited Kingdom?”

Prince Reveron nodded to the general, waited for him and Lady Vigo to sit. The prince frowned. “Accurate assessments. Valid questions.” He then stood and continued with a quiet, steady voice. “The Crusaders of the Reunited Kingdom have sent us small numbers of soldiers from their outposts and are reportedly probing the enemy. Those of us who have witnessed the enemy’s strength know his new guns and implements of war far surpass what the Crusaders can put in the field. They are with us, but may serve us best as advisors in combating what they call, revived advanced technology.”

The prince nodded to the enchantress before continuing. “I thought it important for all to understand the situation before discussing the objective of this meeting. We need to learn more about the enemy’s military resources and their source.”

The enchantress slid a palm sized crystal to the center of the table. It glowed green and brown as she chanted, and within seconds a mountainous landscape took shape across the table. Each peak reached no higher than my index finger, and even the tallest wasn’t capped with snow.

Prince Reveron took a long wooden stick offered by his seer and pointed. “This view of the terrain is over eighty years old, but this is where we believe the enemy is building his implements of war.”

He then tossed a patch of fabric that bore the hooked cross design that I’d seen painted on the panzers onto the table. Its image flowed up, outlining the low mountains. “This is called a swastika. The ancient archives indicate this emblem was last adopted as the symbol of a maniacally evil empire that strove to dominate the world. Crusader historians confirm our archivists’ findings.”

The prince watched the concerned faces. “It is believed that the enemy has somehow tapped the knowledge of this defeated empire. My father has tasked me with three objectives. The primary two are to determine exactly where the enemy is building panzers and Stukas and to provide an estimate on his ability to build them. The secondary objective is to determine how he has harnessed this ancient knowledge.”

After several long, confusing hours of debate, discussed and dismissed plans and strategies, heated arguments on tactics and units I didn’t understand, I followed Grand Wizard Seelain out of the meeting and down the hall.