Rider (Spirals of Destiny) (26 page)

“I see movement in the towers!” Laurel Whitaker yelled. Majherri saw men pouring out of the two intact towers and onto the catwalks carrying bows. They were wrapped in dark cloaks and bore little resemblance to the regular guardsmen. With the unexpected arrival, they were caught unaware. Majherri need only look at the flaming remains left behind by the previous ambushes to know what awaited the next regular Portal travelers.

Towsend’s wind gusts pushed the heat and smoke into the faces of the archers, buying time for the earth maidens to break an exit point in the wall. Majherri sent a warning through their link, drawing Kayleigh’s attention to another one of the golem-like creatures closing with them. The flaming jet from her hands ceased and he felt more of their magic flowing across the bond. Momentary weakness invaded as a flame snaked around the knife she’d drawn. Kayleigh leveled it and a second later the flame gathered into a white hot fireball that leapt from her blade and slammed in the beast. The monster’s shell darkened and the front legs fused. Already, Kayleigh was creating a second fireball using the tip of her dagger as a focal point.

Majherri was suitably impressed. Even Danella, couldn’t conjure fireballs that quickly. Kayleigh’s lack of control was an asset in this battle.

The archers were firing blindly into the maelstrom of fire and smoke. One bit into his flank and he cried out.

“Where’s that blessed hole!”

“Almost there, Lieutenant. One minute!”

“Work faster! Whitaker! Protect Reese. Temple, you Protect Welsh. I’ll try and shield the rest of us.”

The third year lead rider and her unicorn bolted next to him and he felt the air near them solidify. He maneuvered behind the small area of protection provided by the air maiden while his rider’s second fireball stopped the scorpion in its tracks. Kayleigh looked for the next target, when she didn’t find one, she pointed her sword in the direction of the tower area. She hesitated and he knew she was thinking about the difference between an enchanted rock monster and an actual living being. What he did next was distasteful, but he let her feel some of the pain from the arrow in his side.

With that sudden reminder that the opposing side isn’t engaging in questions of moral values, Kayleigh began tossing random fireballs and forcing the enemies to seek cover.

“The hole’s big enough!” An earth maiden trainee bellowed.

“Get through! Fall back! Welsh take point on the other side. Lead us out of the city.”

Most were already through the gap created in the wall. Lieutenant Townsend’s protective dome rose over Whitaker’s as the older woman said, “Whitaker get out. Reese and I will bring up the rear. Go! Go!”

Majherri always appreciated the human officers in the battalions. Only the best rose to command and Townsend was no shrinking violet. Her unicorn had three arrow injuries and the human sported one sticking out of her thigh along with another in the shoulder.

“Reese! Turn off the flames and go! I’m right behind you.”

The flow of magic through their bond ceased and a sudden wave of exhaustion passed through them both, but their combined adrenaline pushed it away as he bolted through the rough arch created in the wall and onto what was once the streets of a populated city.

A few arrows from the ruined fortress walls chased them into the darkness, but Majherri sped up. He knew this city well. Danella had been stationed here for their final three seasons.
We’re heading the wrong way!

He reared and snorted! Drawing the attention of the other unicorns, before bolting.

“Reese! Get back here with the patrol!”

“It’s Majherri, ma’am! He knows the quickest way out!” His rider shouted. “It’s this way!”

“Alright then, everyone follow Reese. Ride hard and stay low.”

Through the streets, filled with rubble, but devoid of life, Majherri guided himself by memory and instinct. Seeing some campfires near the oasis cluster this city was founded on, he pivoted and skirted that area while hearing the shouts from the people around them. Some came running with bows or spears, but the unicorns were moving too fast. He caught a glimpse of the royal palace. It was a ruined shell. This once proud city wasn’t captured. It had been razed.

The only thing slowing his frantic run was the damaged hoof on his foreleg. The breached walls of the city drew near. He searched for the gap that would lead them to freedom.

There! There it is!
He leapt another rubble pile and skidded on the stones of the street. Breaking free into the desert he breathed in the cool morning air, knowing that with the rising sun, it wouldn’t last.

Townsend and her unicorn caught up with him. The superior speed of an air maiden and his shoeless hoof made it easy for them. The lieutenant pointed to a cluster of rocks with some mangy scrub brush surrounding it. “We’ll stop at the rocks and tend our wounds.”

Minutes later, the humans were dismounting and Majherri could tell the fear was setting in. The fact the trainees held up for that long was a credit to the instructors at The Academy. They obeyed the orders of their superior and did their job during the crisis. The aftermath might prove more difficult.

Other than the bruises from being thrown off of me at arrival, Kayleigh seems … no wait, her hand is badly burnt again. She just doesn’t know it yet.

The weight on his back was less than when they left Talcosa. Some of the equipment Majherri carried had been lost in the battle. He wondered if they still had enough to leave and, more importantly, if leaving was still an option.

“Hold your hand out. These tears are going to sting a little. You might have overdone it this time. This will probably leave a permanent mark.”

Kayleigh winced as the drops of water hit the reddened and swollen skin on her hand. “I guess this is where you tell me that I still need to learn how to control my fire, isn’t it?”

Annabeth gave a morbid chuckle and said, “Reese, if that’s what you’re like with hardly any control, I really want to see the day you do master your abilities. If I threw as many fireballs as you did back there, I’d be crawling under that rock over there to sleep it off!”

The older rider placed a hand on Kayleigh’s shoulder and continued, “Control or not, you did what you needed to do to survive and we’re not of this yet. If we get attacked again, you just keep doing the same thing. Okay?”

Nodding vigorously, Kayleigh said, “Okay.”

“Here, put some salve over the palm and wrap a bandage around it,” Welsh said while turning to inspect Majherri’s arrow wound. “It’s not too deep. You steady him, while I pull it out. Good thing for us that these aren’t barbed tips, otherwise we’d have to cut them out and that’s never fun.”

“What happened? Why are we here? I’ve never heard of the Portal doing something like that.” Kayleigh’s words echoed those of the other recruits milling around and tending to the injuries. Majherri’s snort told her that she was doing little to calm him down while Welsh removed the projectile from his side.

“Listen up,” Townsend called for attention. “There’s no use dwelling on why this happened. Accept it and move on. We’re in the desert. That means we’ll need water. Edwards, you’re our only water maiden. How much can you conjure?”

The girl meekly answered, “Only a few gallons at a time, but I’ve never tried it in a desert before.”

“Doesn’t matter. You’ll be doing it now. Pull moisture from the air or try the area around the roots of those plants. We’ll need all you can summon. Akers, stone shape a trough or just make a depression in that rock so we can water the mounts. All of you riders will drink from your water flasks, but the unicorns need to stay hydrated or we’re going to be in trouble. Whitaker, don’t take your eyes off those ruins for a second. If they come after us, we’ll need to hit the trail quickly. Let’s get to it.”

Using the same magic that helped break a hole through the wall, one of the earth maidens bored a hole into a rock as the water maiden placed one hand on her unicorn and held the other one over the crudely created area. A small distortion appeared near the girl’s palm and fell, like a thin stream into the hole. The amount Edwards conjured didn’t look promising with nine unicorns needing water.

“Rider Welsh, you ever serve in these kingdoms?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Me neither. Alright ladies, I’ve only got maps for the kingdoms we’re supposed to patrol. We’re going to have to move using the trails and visual landmarks. Unfortunately, there’s an army out there, somewhere – the same army that just destroyed this city. They may already be attacking the towns and cities east of us. We may run smack into their rear elements at some point. I know you’re worried, but you’ve all trained for this. Right now, we’re better off together. If we’re forced to split up, you all need to focus on surviving and making your way east. The news about this has to get back to Talcosa.”

Kayleigh walked around to the other side of Majherri and rifled through the sheaf of parchments in the saddlebag. “Ma’am, I’ve got a map of the area.”

“That’s a lucky break. Bring it here, Reese. You’ll have to hold it for me.”

She opened it and allowed the injured lieutenant to look at it while hoping the woman would be too preoccupied with their current dilemma to ask why Kayleigh had a map of the western kingdoms, along with all the other areas of the blessed continent. Her thoughts flitted back to the letters she’d left.

I can’t think of them now. I’ll worry about them later.

“Okay, any of you ladies from this part of the world.”

Kayleigh watched as everyone shook their heads. The rider who had grown up closest to where they were was from a city over three weeks journey away. Kayleigh said, “Majherri gave me the impression that he knows this area pretty well. He was out here with his last rider for several seasons.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Reese. How’s that water coming?”

Edwards was kneeling next to some of the bushes, the ground trying to pull more water out of the soil. “I’ve got a little over two gallons, ma’am, but that’s about all this place has to offer. If we’re not riding all out, I can fill the flasks while we ride.”

“It’ll have to do. Give your unicorns some water and then get saddled up.”

“We’re almost ready, Lieutenant. I just need to patch your wounds and fix up your unicorn.”

“Okay, Welsh. While we’re riding, I need to know how much we have. Water is critical, but eventually food is going to become a problem. Each trainee was issued a vial of healing tears. Find out how much we have left. Edwards, can you make healing tears? … That’s okay trainee, I didn’t expect that you could.”

Kayleigh was amazed that the officer kept asking questions and giving orders while Annabeth was pulling the arrow out of her shoulder. A short time ago, she’d wanted nothing more than the confidence and swagger of a third year student.

She started to lead Majherri over to get some of the water, but he shook his head and basically told her that the others would already have drank it all.

“There’s a group of riders leaving the city!” Laurel said with a hint of fear in her voice.

“How many, Whitaker?”

“Two dozen, maybe more.”

Kayleigh could see the woman weighing the options. Majherri was ready for another fight, but expected he wouldn’t get a chance.

He was right. “We ride east. We’re too close to their reinforcements. If they try to follow, we’ll find a good spot for an ambush and take them. Reese, take point. Your unicorn should know the way to Jaruciax and he’s our best scout. That’s the direction we’re heading in. Keep your eyes open for the enemy and remember – any spot that looks good for an ambush could already have one set up and waiting for us. Finish up that water and move with a purpose, ladies!”

Kayleigh took a sip from her water flask and poured some into her hand, letting Majherri lap it from her uninjured palm. When he finished, she climbed up into the saddle and patted his neck. He responded with the image of them running free and alone.

Leaning down to his ear, she whispered, “After we get to safety. Let’s get to Jaruciax first.” He could sense her doubts and indecision, but chose to leave the matter alone.

Riding on the island was usually a pleasant affair. The worst experiences involved mud and downpours. Even then, that was a mixed blessing, keeping the unicorns and the riders cool. The desert steppes were an unforgiving mix of vicious heat and wind driven sand. Kayleigh kept her chest piece, but the helmet was replaced with a towel wrapped around her head.

They halted midway through the morning and sought what little shelter was available and hastily improved by the trio of earth maidens manipulating the rock. Her services wouldn’t be needed until nightfall, when the desert rapidly cooled, giving up its heat. Even then, it was doubtful, because they’d be riding after the sun sets. With her Yar knife, she drew lines in the hot sand and watched the overworked Amanda Edwards struggling to summon more water.

“How are you holding up, Kayleigh? Is your hand okay?” Annabeth sat down next to her.

“It’s very tender, but the vial of healing tears worked wonders. I feel like I should be doing something right now.”

“We all do our part, when called on. There’s not a lot for either of us to do at the moment, but if we run into part of that rearguard, you’ll have more than enough to keep you busy. So, stay sharp and be ready. Good thing you had a map for this kingdom.”