The Crowned (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga, Book 6) (22 page)

“Attack!”

From atop the wall, arrows and a handful of fireballs lanced
out into the retreating forms of Sigrant’s force. Even Seth’s rat men and women
took to the chase, pouring out of the gap in the wall like the rodents they
were created from. Garret turned to lead the charge when the air was split by
the sound of many, many war horns. The dwarves had arrived. Grinning, Garret
knew that Valdadore would survive. It was time to put an end to Sigrant’s army.

* * * * *

Zorbin led the charge across the plains. They had witnessed
the lightning show and could now see the silhouette of the city against the
backdrop of stars in the daytime sky. Rushing headlong as fast as their mounts
would carry them, the contingent of Dwarven warriors clung to their mounts and
raced across the plains in leaps and bounds. At their current pace they could
reach the city in a quarter of an hour, though it appeared the fighting was
primarily on the opposite side of the city, judging by what they saw in the
flashes of lightning.

Less than half an hour, and they could lend the Valdadorians
aid.

A quarter of an hour passed under the thunderous drumming of
the wolven paws. Without a war counselor at his disposal, Zorbin was in charge,
and as such he thought about how to best approach the city. From opposite the
conflict, they could round the city to either the north or the south, but if
the enemy was concentrated on the western side, they could potentially flank
them from both directions.

Decided, Zorbin shouted his orders to the troops nearest him
and the word spread. Less than five minutes later, with the city looming larger
and larger, the Dwarven warriors broke into two units and turning away from one
another moved to approach the battlefield from both sides. Looking back over
his shoulder Zorbin spied Linaya, trailing nearly a mile behind, her mount
struggling to keep pace with the more agile wolves. From here she had a clear
path to the eastern gate of the city. She no longer had need of his protection.

Pulling the war horn from his belt, he pressed his lips to
the mouthpiece and blew with all his might. A deep blast issued from the
intricately carved horn, which was picked up and repeated by every dwarf
charging into battle. Bouldergate had come to Valdadore’s aid, and now the
humans would know it.

Sara crept towards the man who had made her his captive just
days before. She planned to kill him. She could not wait to hold his heart in
her hand. She even thirsted for his blood, but would not allow herself that
particular indulgence. No. Instead she would pull his heart from his chest and
thrust it down his own throat.

She heard his words. She ignored them. Moving ever forward,
prepared to spring upon him at the slightest sign of a twitch, she continued.

“However could anyone love you again?” he asked her.

The thought had occurred to her. She wondered just how she
could be with Seth when they now lived in virtually two different worlds. She
was so fast and strong, but physically he was fragile and slow. He could not
even understand her words.

“Does your prince love you? After all, he just tried to kill
you,” his words broke through again.

Would Seth really do that to her? No, it had to be a
plan. Right? Seth loved her. He would never hurt her. Would he? He did say that
to save many, a few sacrifices might have to be made. But surely he didn’t mean
her. Did he?

On and on Sigrant went, speaking of things that she all but
ignored, her mind so full of doubt and confusion. But then, once again, his
words caught her attention, stopping her in her tracks.

“We could save the world from war and disease. There would
be no more death.”

There it was. The tree people had spoken of lives and
collisions. Oh, what a collision this must be. Even Seth wanted to stop wars
and death. He would do anything to accomplish it. Was this what it was all
leading to? This moment? Is this what Seth had envisioned? Is this why he had
not yet changed her back into a human? Is this what the tree people foresaw
when they released her? Sara was a mess of emotion. His words were true. She
could feel it. She could see it…

In about a week a huge portion of the human race was changed
into vampires. There were a few other small nations, but they would be no
trouble. Within a few months’ time they could rule every kingdom. They could
change everyone into vampires and no longer would disease be a problem. The
solution was right there. The end to all pain and suffering. The end to all
wars. The end to the gods’ plot to use the races of man to their own agenda.
Sigrant had come to the solution that Seth had sought. Was he a player in the
same game of thwarting the gods? Sara focused through her confusion to listen
some more. Everything he was saying made so much sense.

“Take my hand. Be my bride. Let us save the world together,”
Sigrant concluded, stepping forward with his hands extended.

Then it occurred to Sara. Shaking her head to clear his words,
she focused on him again, realization of his true intentions filling the void
left by his empty promises. The man was afraid of her and was only trying to
gain her trust.

“Fuck you, I’m married!” Sara spat at the invader, and
sprang at him with all the speed she could muster.

* * * * *

Linaya’s mount was no match for the wolves at a dead run. It
simply could not stretch its limbs out the way the wolves could and so could
not cover as much ground in a single bound. Further and further the dwarves
pulled away and Linaya watched them go, simply happy she had brought aid. Not
long ago the ground had shook unnaturally and the sky was filled by magical
lightning. The war was raging and it appeared to already be at the gates of the
city. If Valdadore was besieged, the sooner the dwarves made it to the battle
the better. Who was she to slow them?

Racing along as fast as her Valdadorian warhorse could carry
her comfortably, she aimed directly for the eastern gate of the city. It was
dark for daytime, the eclipse hiding the sun completely, though she could still
see the darkened silhouettes of the moons against the backdrop of stars. Even
so, the stars seemed brighter somehow and she had little trouble picking out a
navigable trail for her mount.

Approaching the gate, she expected the massive thing to open
and permit her entrance, but to no such avail. She screamed out to the
defenders who should inhabit the wall, but no call came back in return. Confused,
she trotted directly up to the gate and pounded her small fist upon the wood. Still
nothing.

With no other options presented to her, besides waiting to
see if someone arrived, she decided to round the city to the next available
gate and present herself there instead. Surely someone had to be manning one of
the gates, who could let her in?

* * * * *

Just as if her move was announced by the horn blasts,
Sigrant watched Sara tense before she sprang at him and, expecting the attack,
he dropped and rolled to the side, barely avoiding the collision that might
have been his last.
Damn, she was fast.

Rising again, he did all he could do. He ran. Sigrant
sprinted just as fast as his legs could take him, little more than a blur of
color to any of the humans on the field of battle. Sara was hot on his heels.

It was a poor conclusion, Sigrant knew, but he no longer had
any options in this battle. He could not simply go home, Sara would follow and
eventually she
would
catch him. The best he could hope for was to
destroy as much as he could while avoiding her wrath. A feat he was not sure he
could accomplish for long. Though she was faster than he, Sigrant knew it to be
both a blessing and a curse. She could outrun him in a straight line, but
because he was slower he could change direction more easily, needing less time
to alter his momentum, whereas she had to take wider turns in order to change
direction. It was that understanding alone that he would use to his advantage,
and began taking a very circuitous course across the battlefield.

Sweeping low as he exited the remains of his camp, he
scooped up a short sword and changed course towards his retreating army.

* * * * *

Garret led the charge on Sigrant’s troops, though slowed to
a stop as the war horns sounded. They had not come from anywhere on the
battlefield which meant that another force had arrived. The dwarves had
arrived. Linaya was home.

Garret looked upon the battlefield as the first mounted
warrior of Bouldergate spilled out from around the northern corner of the city.
Another blast of, horns and he turned to realize that another force came from
the south. Both forces of dwarves were small in comparison to Sigrant’s
remaining army, but even so, they each fanned out to flank the retreating
forces and pen them in. Instead of attacking, however, the dwarves created a
wall to either side of the invading army and dismounted their dire wolves.

It was the wolves who sprang at the enemy first, but then
explosions and popping sounds ensued as Garret realized what was occurring. All
down the line to either side of the enemy, blessed dwarves called on their gods
and charged into the fray. All but one.

Garret turned as he saw the giant dwarf upon a giant wolf
bearing down on him, and turned to greet his closest friend and most trusted
ally.

“Zorbin, you have returned!” Garret boomed in his blessed
form.

“Indeed, my king, did you have any doubt?”

“I did indeed, Zorbin, where is my lady? Where is Linaya?”

“More dwarves come, my lord, but seeing that you have them
on the run I doubt we’ll need them. Oh, wait… Linaya is at the eastern gate,
Garret. She is safe and well.”

“Good,” Garret said, turning away from the battle. “You take
over here.”

Without further word, Garret turned and ran back the way he
had come. Bounding through the rubble of the collapsed wall, he altered course
slightly, aiming for the nearest stairs to the outer wall. Valdadore’s
defenders had all but cleared them, making to the streets to fight off the
invaders who had made it inside the walls.

Climbing the stairs, he turned and ran across the top of the
immense structure, his eyes on the city below. He was disgusted by what he saw.
All the streets in the city were lit with torches and candles and lanterns, and
from their light he witnessed as Valdadorian soldiers in armor leapt upon
civilians and began to feed upon them. Everywhere was chaos, with people being
assaulted in the streets, people fleeing from the monsters that smashed down
their doors and crept through their windows. It appeared as if the whole of the
city had become monsters like Sara. It had to be the work of his brother.

Angered, he thundered on across the stone wall of the city
the many miles it spanned, and reaching the corner of the wall he peered over
into the darkness, seeking her out. Looking from his end all across the eastern
wall to the opposite corner, he could just make her out in the poor light,
approaching the opposite corner of the city. Finding the gate unmanned, she
must have decided to head to the north gate instead. Deciding to meet his
future bride at the gate, Garret began to run along yet another of the city’s
defensive walls, and kept his eyes on her retreating form in the darkness.

With every passing moment she grew more defined and he grew
nearer. He was gaining on her, but she neared the corner well ahead of him. He
would have to make up the distance upon the north wall. Focused on Linaya,
oblivious to even the chaos in the streets below, Garret was caught completely
unaware when his world was tore apart around him.

* * * * *

Seth watched as the dwarves joined the battle, and although
they seemed equal to the task of killing the humans, it appeared they fought
only the aggressors, sparing those with their backs turned. It was an honorable
way to do battle and Seth envied the dwarves this custom, even though they
were
indeed killing. He turned and watched as Zorbin the dwarf approached Garret,
and still watched as Garret raced off, away from the battle. It was odd to see
Garret behave in such a way, abandoning his own troops.

Instantly, the giant of a blessed dwarf began to issue
orders and blast upon his horn. It was apparent who now was in charge. Seth had
a plan.

Leaping into the air, Borrik joining his side, he sped as
fast as his wings would take him to the apparent commander of the joined armies
of Valdadore and Bouldergate. Landing before the dwarf, Seth bowed courtly.

“Zorbin, it is good to see you returned. I should hope my
brother filled you in on our plan?”

“Kill the invaders?” The dwarf winked.

“Just the opposite, if possible,” Seth responded. “See if
your men can pen them in, and hold them. Let us see how much will they have to remain
in the fight.

“Aye, m’lord,” Zorbin replied and began to series of blasts
upon his horn.

It was an odd sight to see, but Seth watched on happily as
the dwarves fell into powerful lines on either side of the retreating horde,
and from behind the horde was penned in by his rat troops, but the real
surprise was one that none expected. From out of the mass of retreating
soldiers came a wall of bristling fur and fangs. There sprang ahead of the
retreat a wall of growling and snapping wolves, shoring up the only exit
Sigrant’s remaining troops had. Within minutes Sigrant’s troops laid down their
weapons, formally surrendering to the smaller force that was Valdadore and
Bouldergate. Apparently under Sigrant’s rule they had seen enough war.

All that was left was to bring Sigrant to justice and,
watching with his vision of the gods, Seth tracked the foreign king and his own
wife via their bloated auras of power.