Amidst The Rising Shadows (Book 3) (13 page)

“Where are they holding prisoners?” Sarah asked.

“They don’t hold prisoners very long, they are either executed or volunteered into the army,” Isaac replied.

“Conscripts,” Braden said grimly, “usually don’t make good soldiers.”

Sarah’s mind raced, a plan already formulating in her mind. “We can’t help the ones in the army, at least not now, but we can help the people in the city. We should focus there.”

“I’m open to suggestions, your Grace,” Isaac said.

“The Hythariam are in preparations to send aid. We go tonight,” Sarah said, looking around. “We need a map.”

Braden brought out his comms device, “I have one, my Lady.”

Sarah smiled, “I thought you didn’t like to use those things?”

“I don’t,” Braden grunted, “but they are damn useful, and Tanneth has been teaching me and Verona about them. Sarik is already well versed in how they work. What do you wish to see?”

“A layout of the city,” Sarah said.

Braden’s beefy fingers tapped in the sequence, and after a few grumbles and suppressed curses, a small map lit up the room in a yellowish hue.

Sarah frowned, “This might be useful if Tanneth or Gavril could follow along, which would help coordinate the efforts from their side.”

Braden’s brow furrowed in thought, and a smile split his square jaw when Tanneth’s voice answered the call.

“Okay, Braden and Sarah,” Tanneth said, “I’ve added Gavril and Verona so they can hear us and see the map.”

“Braden, I’m impressed you managed not only to call, but put up a map of the city,” Verona’s voice chimed in.

Braden glared at the comms device, “That shield of yours won’t protect you from me, Verona.”

“We’ll see, my friend. How are things in Khamearra?” Verona asked, his tone taking a more serious note.

“It’s bad: public executions, and people being rounded up. We need to get them out,” Sarah said.

“How many are left?” Gavril asked.

Sarah glanced at Isaac, who answered, “Thousands of them.”

The silence dragged on until Sarah spoke up, “Are you still there?”

“Yes, my Lady,” Verona answered, “we’re trying to come to grips with this. Who is there with you?”

“The old Elitesman, Isaac,” Braden said.

“Not as old as all that,” Isaac said quickly.

“Where can they go?” Gavril asked.

“The only place available to them. Shandara,” Sarah said. “No buts; they are dying, and they have nowhere else to go.”

“We can’t use the flyers to get out that many. How many could you get out with the travel crystal?” asked Gavril.

“Not nearly enough. The travel crystal can only do maybe ten people at a time if it's fully charged,” Sarah replied.

“Okay, let’s take this one step at a time. Are you able to get the remaining members to converge upon a few key locations in the city? Preferably some of the gates, which would be the weak points along their perimeter?” Gavril asked.

Sarah glanced at Isaac, who shrugged his shoulders.

“Tanneth, can you add Captain Nolan? He was our contact when we first entered the city and may be better able to advise us as to what the Resistance can or can’t do.” Sarah said. “But be discrete; we don’t know who will be around him, and he’s understandably on edge as it is.”

After a few moments they heard Nolan’s voice whispering into his comms device. They brought him up to speed and posed the question of organizing the Resistance to converge upon key locations in the city.

“Which locations?” Nolan asked.

Sarah glanced at the city map, “I’m thinking the gates along the east and southeast part of the city. They are farthest away from the palace and the Citadel, and it would take the armies camped outside the city the most time to muster any type of support.”

“Sir,” Tanneth said, “I think it’s time we try them out. It’s their only shot at getting out of there.”

“I know, I just don’t like it. They need more field testing,” Gavril replied and sighed. “What Tanneth is suggesting is an all-or-nothing plan. If anyone gets left behind they will be on their own because we will only get this chance once. Then the High King will fortify against such a strategy again.”

“Let’s hear it then,” Sarah said.

“We bring a small force and hold the three gates that you’ve suggested. We open a portal at the gates that will take the Resistance directly to Shandara,” Gavril said.

Sarah frowned, “I sense a ‘but’ there. What is it?”

“We’ve been able to create smaller portals that have two uses before they need to be recharged. The thing is we’ve only tested them with small groups, and the portal was never open for very long. So to move the amount of people you are suggesting there is a risk that many could be left behind if the portals fail to remain open.”

Sarah took in Braden’s and Isaac’s grim expressions. This was too risky. If they failed they would effectively be handing the remaining members of the Resistance over to the High King.

“A slim chance is better than no chance at all, but I think the decision on whether they will take that chance should be up to the people we’re trying to help. How soon could you be ready to come?” asked Sarah.

“About four hours’ time,” Gavril answered.

“Nolan, is that enough time to spread the word and get the people to the gates?” Sarah asked.

“Four hours? Barely enough time. They will be able to bring only what they can carry. I will spread the word, but there is another thing to consider. The High King, the guards, and the Elitesmen aren’t going to sit idly by while thousands of people race toward the city gates,” Nolan said.

“You’re right. They won’t, but I think I can keep the High King’s attention for a little while at least,” Sarah said. “Gavril, I’m not an army general, but I’ve listened in on enough of my father’s War Councils to know that if you do this, they will treat it as an act of war. That the Free Nations Army struck first.”

“We are already at war, my Lady,” Verona said. “Armies are assembling throughout the lands. I’d say that the risk is worth it if we can help the remnants of the Resistance get to safety.”

“Verona is right,” Gavril said, “We made a promise of support to any who would stand with us. They’ve done more than their share to aid us, and this will be our chance to return the favor. Also, we can add our own bit of distraction that will draw attention away from where we don’t want their eyes to see.”

They spent the next few minutes outlining the plan. It was rough and quickly thrown together, but they were desperate. If Sarah hadn’t seen the flyer-class SPTs for herself, she wouldn’t have believed they would make the trip. Tanneth and Sarik would pilot the Hythariam ships and give support from the air. Given that the airships in Khamearra could do little more than provide target practice, she was confident they would be relatively safe. It was the portals that worried her. Too many things could go wrong. There were so many things that could fail to come together, but people were being killed in droves. Sarah believed that the people who made up the heart of the Resistance would jump at the chance to get to safety; she just hoped that they wouldn’t be meeting their own demise.

Braden put the comms device away, and Isaac eyed him.

“Are you able to jump great distances?” Isaac asked.

Braden shook his head.

Isaac frowned, “But you can draw in the energy and enhance your strength?”

Braden nodded.

“Well then, you can land at least if you drop in from a high place, like some alcove somewhere. Just something to keep in mind,” Isaac said.

“Perhaps,” Braden said, his brow furrowed in thought.

Isaac turned to Sarah, “You’ve been teaching them?”

“I have, but Aaron was the one who was able to show them their connection for the first time,” Sarah answered.

Isaac nodded, “Your Grace, I will spread word to those of us that are left of the Old Order of the Elite. Something for you to consider is that there are some, many, that would see the return of the Faergrace rulership as good for Khamearra.”

Sarah met the old Elitesman’s gaze, “Would they follow a queen?”

“No, not just any queen, but they might follow you,” Isaac said and took his leave of them.

After a few moments Braden broke the silence, “I find that Elitesman infuriating, but he might have a point.”

Sarah had hoped to bring her father around, but there seemed to be little chance of that happening. Her mind wandered to her mother’s family sigil they had found painted throughout the city. Perhaps that was the people’s way of reaching out to her. A war of succession was a bloody thing, and that didn’t tempt her at all. What drew her in to even consider the thought was to help the people of Khamearra get out from under the power of the Elitesmen, and her father.
 

Sarah and Braden stayed in the attic, laying out some plans and mostly waiting to hear back from Nolan or Nicholas about the status of the Resistance. They moved unseen through the palace, collecting little bits of information about the readiness of the High King’s army, but what troubled Sarah was all the talk of secrecy. Something big was being planned. Something that would change how wars were fought on Safanar, and she needed to find out what that was.

Try as she might, Sarah couldn’t get it out of her head that her actions were providing the spark that would take all of Safanar into war. The histories in all the great libraries glossed over these points. The dates and battles were cold and factual, but provided little insight into the worries and fears of the people who fought them. Were they doing the right thing? Beck had often told her that doing what is necessary is never a bad thing. Perhaps Verona was right, and they were already at war, and the good people of Safanar were caught in the middle. Would future generations look upon her actions as the catalyst that changed their world or led it into one of the darkest times of their history? Is that how they would view Aaron?

“My Lady,” Braden whispered. “Nolan sent word. Whoever would leave Khamearra will be at the designated gates. They are going to start assembling now in the surrounding buildings and wait for the signal. They will be ready to go at the beginning of the nighttime meal. That is a few hours after Gavril said they could be ready, but I think that will be fine.”

Sarah nodded.

“What is it?”

“When I first became involved with the Resistance, we would achieve specific goals. We worked against corrupt district captains or shipments bound for the Citadel. I never knew they were part of the De’anjard, but now it makes sense. Then they banded together in force, to aid Aaron, and now they are fighting for their lives.”

Braden nodded in understanding, “They’ve always been fighting for their lives. A wise man told me that the tyrants of this world will use the blood of innocents to sap the will of any who would oppose them. Fear and brutality are their primary weapons. There is a time to survive and endure, and then there is a time to fight. This is a time to fight, my Lady.”

Sarah smiled sadly, “A truly wise leader would have found a way not to fight at all.”

Braden shrugged his shoulders, “We didn’t make this world.”

They rested for a time, both of them silent in their thoughts.
 

“I think we should be going now,” Sarah said.

Braden frowned, “This is my least favorite part of the plan. I can’t protect you if you go in alone.”

“We’ve been over this, Braden. They will kill you on sight. I have the travel crystal if I get into trouble, and failing that, you will be there to rescue me,” Sarah said.

“This is no joking matter. Verona told me what the Elitesmen did to them when they were captured.”
 

“I know,” Sarah said, grimly. “They won’t harm me, and if it looks like you won’t be able to get to me, then get yourself out of the palace the way we discussed earlier.”

Braden shook his head, “I’ll be able to get to you, my Lady.”

“Yes, but just in case.”

“I will get to you, my Lady,” Braden said, and the determined look in his eyes left little room to argue.
 

They left the recesses of the palace and headed toward the Great Hall, where her father would be hosting the evening meal. There was no way to know who would be in attendance, but Sarah knew the Elitesmen would be present. She could feel their presence throughout the palace. She left Braden in an alcove with access to a catwalk that the servants would use to polish the chandeliers that hung above the Great Hall. This would give him the best vantage point.

Sarah made her way down to another level, where she used to observe her father’s court. It was in this room where she had last seen her brother, Primus, before he stabbed her in the back at Shandara. She remembered slipping into unconsciousness and then Aaron calling out to her from the dark recesses.

Sarah shook off the bittersweet memories and focused on the Great Hall. Her father's hulking presence resided at the head table with Rordan at his side. Rordan didn’t touch his food but kept scanning the room. She wondered whether Rordan had told father of their little meeting, but in the end she decided it didn’t matter.