The Last Wizard of Eneri Clare (55 page)

As soon as they were out of earshot, Rel whirled on her Defense Minister. “Do you see, General, that you have squandered three valuable, fully equipped and provisioned ships, lost a fine officer with a bright future and a young family, and endangered many other lives. And all for what? To prove a point? The enemy fleet is unharmed and headed right this way, while we stand here discussing things. Tvrdik!” she called toward the door.

“Here, my lady.” he had been waiting for her just outside in the hall.

“Tvrdik, Drogue’s ships are headed this way. Thirteen. They are using some sort of very potent sorcerer’s fire. We don’t have much time. This is it. Are you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be, my lady.”

“Thank you.” It was more than a courtesy she was expressing with those words. She turned back to Boone. “General, I would be sore tempted to relieve you of your command after what you have done, except for the fact that I still need you. And despite everything, I still think you are the best man for the job. But, listen well. From here on in, you will follow my orders exactly, to the letter. You will not initiate any major actions on your own, without clearing them with me first, unless I am cold and dead. You will do all this despite any personal opinions you might entertain on whatever you are asked to do. Is that clear?”

“Very clear, my lady.”

“And can you assure me that I can expect your cooperation in this, Minister Boone?”

“You will have it, my lady.”

“Good. Then, please tell me if there is any word of an attack from the landward side.”

“None, my lady. I believe Drogue is confident that he is taking us by surprise. He is sure he can conquer Theriole from the sea, with little resistance.”

“Well, he has misjudged us by a long shot, then. He’ll not have this kingdom without a fight. Alright, then, General: I want you to send riders and heralds out immediately, with the message that we are under attack, and everyone in the near vicinity should close shop and either shutter themselves in their homes, or come within Theriole’s walls for sanctuary. Pull everyone who does business just outside the walls within – their beasts too – and have all the main gates shut as soon as possible, with guards posted. Get everyone from the beach back behind the sea wall, and deploy your men all around the perimeter of the palace. Position the greatest concentration high up on the parapets, and along the seashore, the sea wall, and the delta. They are to keep their eyes peeled, and be prepared for combat
in case
our first line of defense fails, and Drogue’s men should break through, or storm the walls. Set up buckets and basins of sand against the sorcerers’ fire in the event they try to use it again on the new section of wall we just built where the gate stood. Your troops are to stay put, alert and ready, awaiting my command, is that clear?”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Oh, and it is imperative that we impose a strict noise curfew within the palace walls. We need as close to silence as we can get – no talking aloud, beasts and babes as muffled as possible – I cannot stress the importance of this enough.”

“But, my lady, we
must
sail out to stop those ships. You would let them right in at our back door. We will be sitting ducks.”

“Not on my watch, sir. I have something else in mind. Will you work with me, or be replaced?”

Boone bowed “I am yours to command, my lady, and pray the gods that you know indeed what you are doing.” He hastened past her to carry out the tasks she had set him.

“Well done, Jorelial Rey.” Tvrdik spoke near her ear, “We will triumph, do not fear.”

“I hope so, Tvrdik. My neck is already stretched out about as far as it could be. What do we do now?”

“Show me how to get to that center alcove up there in the sea wall, where we were before. Then ask Tashroth to come and sit in one of the adjoining ones – it’s big enough for him to be comfortable, and I’ll need his strength to help hold my focus. Tell Delphine to find Ondine and signal her that the time is now – that enemy ships approach from the sea. Send the birds back to the gaming fields with word about what is going on; the Legions will be anxious, and awaiting news. Ask the healers, the unicorns, and the dragons to come here and assist, and everyone else to barricade themselves in, either at home or inside Theriole’s walls. They should be safe in the city, and the outlying farms. We aren’t going to let anyone past these buildings. I am hoping they will not even make landfall. But tell the Legions to be prepared for further alerts, wherever they are. Let’s see…I think that’s it.”

“Bless you, Tvrdik. You’re sure we can do this?”

“No time for doubts now. If we all pull together, I believe we can.”

“That will have to be good enough. Let’s get started.”

On the way out of Boone’s offices, they met Delphine, Mark, and Bargarelle, all awaiting instructions. They were each given assignments from Tvrdik’s list, and hurried off. Jorelial Rey conducted the mage through a series of little-used halls and passageways at the back of the palace, and in a short while they emerged in the center alcove, rusty cauldrons and a giant crossbow in disrepair filling some of the space. Tvrdik strode through all the ancient equipment to the ledge overlooking the beach, the delta, and the sea. Far in the distance, a sharp eye could make out dark spots that could be ships – the approaching enemy. The day was fair, the sea blue-green and calm. They could already see civilians crowding in behind the walls, and Boone’s soldiers taking up positions to secure the perimeter. Tvrdik stretched, rolled his shoulders and head a few times, then planted his feet in a wide comfortable stance, and his trusty oak staff firmly on the stone floor.

“This will do just fine,” he said, “I’ll have to begin right away, before they see us clearly. Tell Tash to jump in as soon as he can. I’ll know when he comes in.”

“Do you need anything?”

“I have all I need.” He looked down at her white face, eyebrows knitted in concern, and smiled, “I’ll be fine. I’ve been practicing.” Then, in answer to her unspoken question, he added, “I will give you my very best, as I always promised you. And you will handle the rest like someone born to lead. See in your mind what you wish to transpire, Jorelial Rey. Believe it…trust it…create it. All of these are very powerful. It will be enough.”

“Gods willing, I will see you on the other side of this, and we will toast our success!”

“Count on it.” He smiled again, and she nodded and disappeared back through the old weaponry and out the door. Tvrdik shook out his muscles one more time, took up his stance in the opening, gripped his staff, closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing…

Out at sea, thirteen warships sailed in formation, approaching the spot where the River Maygrew flowed into Mother Ocean, the beating heart of Eneri Clare. Lord Drogue was not on any of them. Not fond of sea travel himself, he had sent his new fleet off under the command of one of his loyal supporters, a neighboring lord named Neritz. Neritz’s family had some long-standing, unsatisfied quarrel with the Crown which went back several generations. He admired Drogue’s pro-active philosophies of self-advancement, and was happy to attach himself to a man he believed would, in all likelihood, win the entire game. He assumed the rewards for his service would be great once Drogue was triumphant. Neritz had some experience in seafaring and battle command, having travelled and hired abroad in his youth. And Drogue’s dabbling in sorcery had equipped the ships with green mage-fire. Lord Drogue was certain that the ancient, disused defenses of the palace on the ocean side, would be no match for the double thrust of a disciplined assault and mage-fire on the sea wall. It would be all over in a day, and he could ride in to take possession of his prize in glory.

At this moment, Neritz stood on the bow of the swiftly moving flagship with a spyglass, scanning the horizon. Encouraged by the complete rout of the Crown’s naval forces that sailed out to meet them earlier, he was now daydreaming with excitement of the glorious battle he imagined awaited him. He grinned, invigorated by thoughts of his own daring feats – the smells of blood, sweat, and burning wood; the symphony of cries and groans and clashing steel playing in his ears; the cavalcade of colorful action unfolding before his eyes; the gratifying moment of the foe’s surrender, and the thrilling rush of victory! It would all be so easy, almost too easy. He almost hoped they put up a better fight than they had this morning – it would make winning all the sweeter. Neritz was jarred from this flight of fantasy by the arrival on deck of General Gargan, who he knew to be one of Lord Drogue’s closest adjuncts. Gargan was a rough sort, entirely un-imaginative – a man of few dreams and fewer words.

“How long, now?” the raspy bass broke into Neritz’s reverie.

“Oh, I didn’t hear you come up. I haven’t yet spotted Theriole in the glass, nor have I heard from the crow’s nest, but on our present course, it should be any time now. On these fair seas with a good tailwind, we are closing the gap as though on wings.”

“I am not in the mood for poetry, Neritz. I just want to know what to tell the men; they are restless.”

“Tell them to channel their frustrations into their sword arms, as they will soon have ample opportunity to express themselves.”

Tvrdik stood erect, still as a marble statue, eyes closed, face lifted to the sea breeze, pale hair cascading in waves to his shoulder blades, right hand gripping the mighty staff of oak. He had been standing like that without so much as a twitch for the better part of two hours, lost in deep concentration. He had taken off his glasses and put them in his pocket for safekeeping, as it was his inner vision he needed most now. Without them, the planes of his face seemed sharper, more mature, and, at this moment, oddly translucent. In fact, all around him there was a sort of shimmer one could not so much see, as perceive. It was more like a ripple, or a disturbance in the air, if you looked with narrowed eyes. In the mage’s mind was a vivid picture of endless sea, gray and cold, disturbed here and there by wicked rocks that seemed to jut sharply out of nowhere at intervals. The restless waters crashed upon them, and swirled around them in dangerous eddies, while dense white mists flowed over and around the perilous stones, obscuring and revealing them by turns. Despite the presence of those jagged monoliths, there was no evidence of a beach or landfall anywhere at all as far as the eye could see.

Jorelial Rey had made sure Tashroth was comfortably installed the next alcove over from Tvrdik, and waited there until the dragon’s eyes began to glow and pulse, indicating his mental connection with the mage. She had then gone back to check on the wizard, quietly slipping in so as not to disturb his focus. Watching him settle deeper and deeper into a trancelike state, she marveled at his discipline, his stillness, the semblance of light radiating from him. And then, for a brief moment, she could have sworn he was joined there by another robed figure: tall, white-haired and bearded, with a distinctive profile. She blinked in bewilderment, and the figure was gone, but she was always certain thereafter that, in that moment, she had actually seen Xaarus come to lend his powerful support in their time of need.