Trial and Glory (4 page)

Elyse rubbed her eyes. A lone candle burned in the otherwise dim room, and a thin trail of smoke lifting from it began to play havoc on her tired eyes. The scentless candle had melted by half since her prayers had begun, yet she felt her time of devotion had not been enough. She had so much to pray for that at times her efforts seemed hopeless. Prayers she thought answered long ago dominated her normal lamentations.

Nareash, whose actions had set her kingdom’s war into motion, had returned. She had thought the man dead—one prayer answered.

But I guess the One Above had other plans.

Elyse tried to maintain an unselfish slant to her prayers, asking for personal aid only after doing so for others. Yet, no matter how many hours she spent on the behalf of others, admittedly above all else, she prayed for the One Above not to take her kingdom.

It’s the only thing I have left now that Kaz and I can never be together.

She bowed her head in shame, feeling guilty for the lingering feelings that remained for him.

One Above, forgive me. He has a wife. I have no business thinking of him that way anymore.

But such emotions were not easy to forget. Though she had always known his memories might return, she foolishly never considered that he might already have someone waiting for him.

A wife I have no right to dislike, but I do anyway because he loves her.

Sets of heavy footsteps clomped past the chapel’s door, jarring her from her thoughts. She noticed the faint sounds of shouting coming through the lone, high window of the space. She rose quickly to her feet, groaning at the stiffness in her legs. A hand went out to steady herself as life returned to her limbs.

After a moment, she went to the door. Lobella waited patiently outside where Elyse had left her.

“What’s happening?” Elyse asked.

“The enemy is advancing again.”

Elyse slammed the door shut in anger and hurried down the hall, toward the stairs. Lobella’s quick steps trailed behind her. Elyse snapped. “Why didn’t you tell me? I told you to let me know when their lines formed.”

“I’m sorry. I was truly about to, but I thought you might need a few more minutes with the One Above.”

Elyse shook her head as they started to climb to the top of the keep. “That’s not for you to decide. I need to be seen by my army as much as I need to see them. I can’t let them think that I’m hiding while they risk their lives.”

Besides, the One Above knows my prayers. At this point, he probably relishes the break.

Chapter 3

Kaz plunged his sword into the chest of a groaning enemy. The man’s hands dropped, and the innards he held in, spilled onto the battlements. They burst apart on impact, black sludge sliding out of pink casing.

He breathed through his mouth to avoid the foul smell and swore in his native tongue, frustrated that the enemy retreated across the valley yet again. They would be back with the sunrise.

With again, no resolution. Another day passes, and I’m still no closer to Lucia.

He scanned the battlements, disappointed that not one of the attackers had been Kifzo. As in the first assault, they continued to act as officers, keeping their distance from the actual fighting.

I don’t understand. It is not the Kifzo way to stand by while others fight. Especially since they know I’m here. I saw the way Guwan looked at me on that first day. And I caught the sneers from others near him. What is keeping them from attacking?

Kaz had made no attempt to contact the Kifzo after the initial assault. Their looks and his growing memories told him that their opinion of him would not match those he commanded for Cadonia.

His best hope of learning what happened to his father, and even his brother, would be to capture one and question him. Only then would he discover why so many of his countrymen fought for Nareash.

Did he manage to manipulate all of them as he did Tobin?

Kaz could not remember exactly how he had gotten to Slum Isle, but he had managed to piece together enough information to know that Nareash had been the catalyst. Though he could not imagine never meeting Jonrell, Hag, Elyse, and the dozens of others that had touched his life, he would have given it all up to still be with his wife.

By now, she must think I’m dead. What if she’s moved on?

He slammed his sword into another body at his feet, slicing the corpse in half at the waist, angry at Nareash for making that scenario possible.

“You can’t kill them twice.”

Kaz glanced up at Crusher.

“You thinking about her again?” the Ghal asked.

“Yes.”

“Well, stop. It’s not going to do you any good. You’re stuck here until this mess is sorted out. No sense in making it worse.”

Kaz laughed bitterly. “You make it sound easy. You can’t just stop thinking about a woman like Lucia.”

“You did before.”

“That was different,” Kaz snapped. “Nareash took away my memories.”

Crusher frowned. “Look, I didn’t mean—”

Kaz sighed. “I know. You were just trying to make light. Don’t. Not about her.”

The Ghal nodded.

A flash of movement from above caught Kaz’s eye. Elyse had spun away from the small balcony, back inside the great keep. He looked away as the last of her trailing green dress disappeared.

“You miss her, don’t you?”

“What?”

Crusher held up his free hand in defense. “It’s just a question. I don’t think you would turn your back on Lucia.”

“I do miss her,” he admitted, feeling guilty for saying so. “I love my wife more than anything. But it wasn’t that long ago, that I had strong feelings for Elyse.” He blew out a deep breath. “I still do. Those feelings just don’t go away, no matter how much I try to make them.”

“Have you talked to Elyse about that?”

“Why would I?”

“Because I’m sure she feels the same way.”

“Maybe, but it wouldn’t be fair for me to discuss my feelings with her.” He paused. “We’ve kept our conversations to matters of the army. In the long run, that’s probably for the best.”

“For you or for her?”

“Both. It would be like I was betraying Lucia if I did.”

Crusher cocked his head. “Alright, I won’t press anymore. I just think Elyse is a good woman, and she ain’t got many people to talk to like you.”

“She’s got Lobella.”

He spat over the side of the battlements. “They may be friends, but conversations with Lobella are generally one-sided. You know what I mean?” Crusher slapped Kaz on the arm, quickly changing subjects. “I’m hungry. You?”

Kaz looked at the blood streaking down the Ghal’s breastplate. “How about we clean up first?”

* * *

Krytien closed the door to his quarters, shuffled across to a chair, and plopped down with a heavy sigh. Rubbing his eyes, he lit the candle on the small desk next to him, and found his place in the book he had been reading. All he wanted to do was sleep, but his conversation with Kroke weighed on him heavily.

The latest probe by the enemy ended several hours ago. Much like the others since the initial assault on the fortress, he did not have to stretch himself to aid the soldiers fighting on the outer wall.

But eventually Nareash will come. Then what will I do?

He broke out into a cold sweat just thinking about a battle with the High Mage. Every night he had fallen asleep looking for a way to counter Nareash.

Taking Wiqua’s advice to heart, he had spent much of his time practicing more complicated spells, but only those that would endanger himself. He realized that the old Byzernian had been right. Though some nervousness remained, the pressure had lessened significantly when only his well-being was at risk.

Tonight is the hardest spell of all.

Krytien reread the passage on teleportation once more, and then rose to his feet.

It’s now or never.

He closed his eyes, blocked out all distractions, and focused on the location he wished to teleport to. His body shook as the power he had drawn into himself coursed through his limbs. Light flashed and he smelled the reek of sulphur.

Then it felt as though his body both imploded and exploded simultaneously.

His eyes shot open. He grabbed for the wall some four feet away from where he had been. The room spun, and he fell. Even though the pounding in his skull distracted from the sensation that his stomach might burst, he still vomited.

A few garbled curses passed his lips as he rose. The open book on his desk seemed to mock him. He thought of Amcaro’s warning about teleportation.

“The user might feel a little nausea when performing the spell.”

A wave of sickness struck him, and he retched again.

A little my foot.

* * *

Elyse watched as Jeldor gulped down the wine offered to him. He waited for Lobella to pour another and did the same again. Sweat matted his unruly brown hair. For the first time, she noticed the new creases around the duke’s eyes as well as the prominent patches of gray in the man’s beard.

One Above, this war has not been kind to him. Is that how others see me? Aged and tired?

After the third cup of wine, Jeldor took a breath and waved Lobella away. He eased back into the chair across from Elyse, sipping at the dark liquid.

“I apologize for my manners, Your Majesty. I hadn’t realized I was so thirsty.”

“No need to apologize, my lord. The men under your command fought well again today,” she said truthfully, having watched the latest attack from the keep’s upper balcony.

“Thank you. The men may be tired, but they have heart. None are willing to lie down without a fight.” He narrowed his eyes. “But I take it you have other matters to discuss?”

“Yes. What news have you received lately from your lands?”

Jeldor blinked. “My lands? Why, very little.” He chuckled. “I’ve been a little preoccupied here to concern myself too much about what’s going on back home.”

“Of course. But when was the last time you heard anything from Ithanthul?”

“Several months, come to think of it.”

“And you left your wife in charge, correct?”

“Yes.” He narrowed his eyes. “Is there something I should be concerned about?”

“It has come to my attention that new edicts have been passed, and land has even been redistributed.”

Jeldor leaned forward.

“When I sent Arine and her family back to Lucartias I requested her uncle send messengers each week with updates. It’s been several weeks since I last heard from anyone, including Arine who first brought the then rumors up to me after the battle with Conroy.”

He rubbed at his beard. “Who did you leave to handle your affairs in Lyrosene?”

“Gauge.”

“And do you trust him?”

“I did.”

Jeldor raised an eyebrow. “But not anymore?”

Any new edict would have to come from him. No one else has the power to push something like that through the council. And no one had that power besides me before I gave it to him.
She didn’t want to believe that Gauge would take so much liberty.
Passing law was not part of the rights I gave him.

She thought about Jonrell’s and Kaz’s dislike of Gauge along with her own poor judgment in previously considering Illyan’s loyalty. “I think it would be an error for me to trust anyone completely, my lord. However, I won’t pass final judgment yet. Not until I know more about what’s going on.”

Jeldor nodded. “What do we do?”

“Well, obviously our priority is still here. If the High Pass falls, everything else is moot. However, it would be careless for me to ignore the rest of the kingdom. I’m sending half a dozen riders out to learn the truth. I’d like you to do the same. Make sure they each have different orders and know nothing about each other. I worry that someone is intercepting the messages. The more men we send out, the more likely someone will get through.”

Jeldor drained his wine and stood. “Right away, Your Majesty.”

When the door shut behind the duke, Elyse began to undress. Lobella quickly came up to help her.

“I beg your pardon, Elyse, but do you really think that Gauge is doing these things. That seems so unlike him.”

Elyse sighed. “It does. However, killing half a castle is so unlike anything a High Mage would do, yet one did.”

“Yes, but Nareash was never known as a kind person. Gauge has always been that, especially to you.”

“It seems like something is on your mind?”

“I’m sorry. I hope I’m not overstepping myself, it’s just that . . . could it be possible that you’ve been distracted by your relationship with Kaz. Perhaps you aren’t thinking clearly. I mean Gauge would feel wounded if he thought you suspected him of doing anything like what you’re suggesting.”

“I’m sure that he would, but I also think that Gauge understands that the kingdom is more important than his feelings.”

She slipped out of her dress while trying to judge Lobella’s reaction. Her friend seemed tense as she helped Elyse into her nightgown.

Elyse touched her hand. “I appreciate your concern, but know that when it comes to matters of the kingdom I’ve learned to block the distractions out.”

“Yes, of course. I’m sorry I brought it up.”

“No. I appreciate your honesty.” She paused. “Maybe we should both pray that there is a reasonable explanation for everything.”

Lobella looked up, wearing a tight smile. “If you think that’s best.”

* * *

Someone on third watch bumped into Drake as he ran past. The thick stew Drake carried in one hand sloshed over the side of the bowl, scalding his thumb.

“Sorry,” the soldier called without looking back.

Drake moved on. Given the size of the army stationed at the High Pass, some soldiers had been forced to bunk outside on the inner wall. He maneuvered his way around those prone forms, through the loud snores that filled the night air.

Crossing the first catwalk to the middle wall, he spotted Raker leading a game of dice in the corner. The engineer had given up cards on account of his lost hand, but still pushed his luck with a pair of die.