Devan Chronicles Series: Books 1-3 (7 page)

Keverin nodded. Darius had theorised the possibility. “Well reasoned Renard, but what is your solution?”

“We must try to duplicate the effects of their shifts with only five mages. I believe that I may have a way to do that. You may not know my lord, but maintaining an existing ward is much easier than creating one. Each of us has built a ward large enough to cover both towers and the gates in the shape of a straight wall—”

Keverin nodded in understanding. That was an obvious choice as Athione was under siege from only one side. He imagined each ward covering the one behind it completely. Each layer would then strengthen the others at the same time protecting the curtain wall behind.

“—then one of us will maintain all of the wards together,” Renard was saying. “The mage on duty should be able to last three candlemarks before becoming even slightly tired. Another will take his place without dropping the wards, and so on.”

That’s the God be blessed brilliant!

Keverin beamed. “Outstanding Renard! Truly outstanding. If the wards hold long enough, Gylaren and Purcell might reach us in time.”

“Yes my lord,” Renard said beaming his pleasure at the praise. “The one problem I can foresee is that we can only defend, not attack. The wards work both ways. Even if we could find a location to attack from, my brothers will not be able to sustain it
and
our defence at the same time.”

“Hmmm, I see. What of the newcomer?” Keverin said looking around the courtyard, but he couldn’t see an unfamiliar face anywhere.

“Lord?” Renard said puzzled.

“Surely he could handle a credible offence while you handle defence?” He said frowning around the courtyard looking for the man. The mages glanced sidelong at each other. Something was wrong, but none of them wanted to be the one to tell him. “What is it man?” Keverin said addressing himself to Renard. “I know he arrived safely, I heard him in the great hall.”

“Her,” Renard said sadly. “You heard her.”

No! Please don’t let me have killed Darius for nothing!

Keverin looked from one man to the other, and saw the truth. He paled when he realised what it meant. It was all over. Athione would fall without a strong mage to face the sorcerers. He was already outnumbered. A sally was impossible, but doubly so now.

It was all over.

Struggling to keep his thoughts from showing, Keverin nodded. “Ah, I hadn’t heard.” He scanned the courtyard again hoping for inspiration to strike, but the God’s voice was silent. Nothing came to him. “Well. You’re doing a fine job out here Renard, I think we can—”

BOOOM!

Keverin’s world flashed blue as the sound exploded into the courtyard. The wards were shivering and groaning under the impact. The air vibrated and the ground leapt with the shock as the wards rebounded against each other. Even the ground was shaking in sympathy.

Keverin was on the ground. Rolling over he saw Marcus and one or two of the mages getting back up. He did likewise. Marcus was saying something, but he couldn’t hear over the ringing in his ears.

“WHAT?” Keverin yelled. “I CAN’T HEAR YOU, SHOUT IT MAN!”

“IT’S STARTED MY LORD!”

Keverin nodded.
I noticed
.

Gradually his hearing returned and he was able to question Renard. “How are the wards holding?”

“No damage at all. It’s working—it really is!” Renard said shaking his fists in the air.

Keverin couldn’t help grinning at the mage. The man was almost dancing with joy. “Don’t sound so surprised my friend. You’re a master mage, and a damn good one at that! I need to leave for a while and arrange some matters. Can you contact me if something happens?”

“Not directly my lord, but if you take young Mathius with you I can bespeak him. He can pass things along.”

“Good enough. Come along Mathius.”

Keverin started back to the citadel then stopped when he thought of something. “I won’t be long Marcus, but keep an eye on things. If it seems advisable, have the men out of harms way and under cover. We better get the duty mage put somewhere safe to work as well. If he’s injured the wards will come down, and that’ll be the end of us.”

“You can rely on me my lord,” Marcus said snapping off a salute.

“I know I can, Marcus,” Keverin said and entered the citadel with Mathius in tow.

Booom!

The sound came again, but it was muted by the walls of the citadel. Keverin had ducked in reflex, but he straightened immediately when he saw that Mathius was unconcerned.

“The wards are holding my lord.”

Keverin nodded and moved on. In a strange way he felt somewhat relieved now that he knew the newcomer wasn’t going to save Athione. For the last five years he had known his time was running out. Now that it was over he found the worry and tension had suddenly disappeared. He felt a wonderful sense of release. He was more carefree than he’d been in a long time. He would fight hard to take the enemy with him of course, but the fate of the kingdom was no longer his concern.

Keverin kept to an easy pace and found curiosity eating at him in spite of himself. For Darius’ sake he would try hard not to dislike this newcomer—this woman Darius had died to bring.

“What’s the newcomer like, Mathius? Did she say anything?”

Mathius blushed scarlet. “Yes she did my lord. She ordered me to reverse the spell I placed on the boots of your guardsmen.”

Keverin chuckled ruefully. “Sorry, I was busy being mobbed at the time. What did you do?”

Mathius grinned. “I stuck them to the floor my lord! She must have spoken with the guardsmen because as bold as you please she ordered me to give them their boots back.”

Keverin bellowed laughter. It was a sound he’d not heard in ages. It felt good to let it out. “So! A bold one at least. What else can you tell me?”

“She’s only a child my lord, but even so she’s very beautiful. She has green eyes and jet black hair, and she looked amazing in that strange garment she wore.”

A child! How could Darius mistake a child for a sorcerer? Keverin remembered the terrible screaming and knew what had happened. His poor friend. Darius must have snatched her in desperation hoping to get lucky. Keverin prayed the God would understand and not judge Darius too harshly.

“What was strange about her clothes?”

Mathius blushed again. “There wasn’t much of it. I mean it was so... and she was so... I didn’t know where to look my lord! It was never meant to be seen outside of a bedchamber.”

Keverin wasn’t as impressed as Mathius evidently was. This girl with her amazing looks was probably as empty headed as those in the town. Oh, they were nice enough in their way, but he wanted more from a woman than bedroom games. He had always wanted someone with wit as well as good looks, but so far he had not found the one. In a few days, the point would be mute. His father’s choice of bride had influenced him too much, but there it was. Jessica was the most intelligent person he knew, including Darius. His father had confided to him once, that he treasured Jessica for her mind even more than for her great beauty. Kevlarin had told him that no one believed him when he boasted that Jessica’s council was always good.

Keverin was realistic enough to know that he would never find for himself that which his father had enjoyed for so long. It was too late for regrets now anyway. If he survived this war, he could always adopt a child to be his heir. Yes, he would do that. It was time to give up foolish dreams.

I have my duty; I need nothing else.

* * *

Booom!

Julia awoke with a start. Looking around in the dim light, she realised she was still in the castle. “Oh my God, this is not happening. Please let it be a dream.”

Booom!

The noise came again. It was louder than any thunder she had ever heard. It was coming from nearby. She looked toward the door. The noise hadn’t come from there, but she could hear people running by in the corridor outside. She got out of bed and padded across her bed chamber and into her sitting room. All was well there, so she crossed the room to open the door. Julia looked out into the corridor just in time to snag the arm of a young woman who was running past. She appeared to be a servant of some sort. She was wearing a long dark skirt with a white linen blouse fastened with oval buttons made of wood. What worried Julia though, was the look of terror on her face.

Booom!

Dust pattered down as the fortress shook around them. The woman tried to pull away, but Julia held on. “What’s happening?”

Something toppled with a crash nearby and a woman screamed in fright. The girl continued her struggles, but she couldn’t break Julia’s grip.

“They’re trying to destroy the gate,” the girl said. “Please let me go, I have to hide!”

“Who’s trying to break down our gate—where?”

The woman looked at Julia in disbelief as if wondering where she’d been all her life. Julia felt like yelling she didn’t belong here and didn’t know what in hell was going on. Before Julia could say anything else, the woman answered the question.

“The Hasians of course! The sorcerers are hurling fireballs at the west gate!”

The women finally managed to pull her arm free. She fled before Julia could ask anything else. Hasians... sorcerers... she must be hallucinating. It couldn’t be real—it just couldn’t be!

Julia closed her door and leaned against it feeling tears threaten. She should have been in the gym by now. The games... she had to... and then there was... Jill would think she’d been kidnapped or something.

“Well I have!”

Julia tried to think of what to do. Looking about in complete bewilderment, she realised it was all true. She could never have imagined all the details of this place. How did she get here? How would she get out of here?

Julia wandered into her bedchamber in a daze. Looking about the room her eyes locked upon the huge wardrobe. First things first. She would get dressed then look for answers. With something to occupy her mind, she felt calm returning.

I can handle this... I think. No, I CAN handle this.

Looking through the selection of gowns, Julia chose a beautiful green dress of silk. It was embroidered all over and fit her perfectly, though it was more suitable for Napoleon’s Josephine than for a five foot nothing gymnast like her. Another time Julia would have enjoyed playing dress up—there were a couple more gowns that had caught her eye, but there was no time for games. Looking in the mirror, Julia gasped in delight. The dress shimmered in emerald splendour as she moved. She had never worn anything so beautiful. The dress hugged her shape tightly before flaring over her hips. The low neckline showed the rounded swell of her breasts, and she frowned at how much was revealed.

Julia shrugged her worry away. When in Rome...

Looking in the bottom of the wardrobe she found the slippers that went with the dress. Thank goodness high heel shoes weren’t in fashion here. The shoes were a bit tight, but she managed. She really needed a half size larger, but they would do for now. Checking herself in the mirror one more time, Julia decided that her short hair didn’t suit the dress, but other than that she looked dressed to kill. It was time to find her victim and get herself some answers.

Leaving her room, Julia tried to retrace the route Elise used yesterday and was soon lost. Julia was sure that she had followed the same turns, but the door with only one handle still hadn’t materialised after what seemed like hours. Was she walking in circles, or was the castle really that big? Stopping for a minute to take stock, Julia looked both ways along the corridor hoping to see someone, but it was deserted. She would need a map just to find her room again! Further along the corridor, Julia could see by the light of the wall lamps a set of large double doors. Having given up on asking someone, Julia decided to see if any of the rooms had windows from which she could get her bearings. Walking up to the carved doors, she automatically knocked and entered.

“Good morning my dear. May I help you?”

Julia stopped on the threshold in embarrassment. “I’m sorry to disturb you. I’m lost and didn’t realise anyone was in here. I don’t want to be a nuisance—I’ll go.”

“No, it’s all right,” the woman said with a gentle smile. “This old pile of stone can be confusing at times. Please, come in and sit down.”

Julia closed the doors and sat in a comfortable armchair opposite the imposing woman. Julia tried to study the noble lady without letting it show. She seemed to be in her sixties, with her grey hair piled high on her head. She was a handsome woman, and Julia decided that she would be kindly. She was wearing a grey velvet—called fustian—dress in similar style to the one Julia had chosen to wear, but it was far less revealing. A lace panel in the front reached up to her chin. A rope of gold was displayed to perfection around her neck where it lay upon the lace, and another golden chain encircled her waist fastened with a brooch. She wore matching pendant earrings that hung from her lobes and sparkled in the light coming through the open windows. She looked like a rich and beloved aunt come for a visit.

“Do I meet with your approval my dear?”

Julia blushed at being so obvious. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me. My name’s Julia Morton. I’m pleased to meet you.”

“Two names? That is strange. I’ve never heard the like before. My name is Jessica. Where do you come from Julia Morton?”

Julia smiled weakly. “I don’t know. I mean I
know
, but I don’t know where it is at the moment... Oh! I don’t know what I mean.”

Suddenly, Julia felt the tears threatening. She tried to hold them back, but as soon as she felt herself under control, they spilled over and she cried. All she could think of was Jill and the games.

Stop it! You’ll get to the games. If you could get here, then the reverse is possible too.

Jessica came over and sat on the arm of her chair. Julia couldn’t help it. She hugged Jessica and cried harder. It was just too much take in. Her parent’s deaths in a car crash, dropping out of college, Robby dumping her... and now this! Her life surely couldn’t get any more messed up.