A Crumble of Walls (The Kin of Kings Book 4) (35 page)

“I can’t imagine Jackrie forcing everyone in Group Eight to train after dinner hours,” Annah said.

“How did you know I’d been sent to Group Eight?”

“People talk about Basen the Cunning a lot,” Alabell said, sounding as if she didn’t appreciate that fact. “I knew it as well.”

“What are you training?” Annah asked. “And where?”

“The two of you like surprises, don’t you?”

“No,” they answered at the same time.

He sighed. “Very well. I’ve been with Abith Max.”

“You’re training with
him
?” Annah’s voice cracked as it rose.

“Does Terren know?” Alabell asked.

“Yes and yes.” Basen was too tired for more talk. He got beneath his sheets, turned on his side, and closed his eyes. “If either of you want to speak more about it, we can do so in the dining hall. I tend to eat breakfast and lunch early, and dinner even earlier. Good night.”

He fell asleep and never heard them leave his room.

*****

During breakfast the next morning, Abith approached. “We won’t be training today,” he said as he walked by Basen’s table without turning his head. “Eat as much as you can and then relax here or go back home and sleep.”

Abith left before Basen could ask why.

He ate, then went home. Curiosity kept him awake for all of a minute before he fell asleep.

He awoke later to the loud ringing of the Redfield bell. It stopped after three, signifying that all were to meet at the stadium for an announcement.

Battle.

He was ready, though that didn’t ease his nerves. He removed the wooden training sword from his sheath and replaced it with steel. As he walked to the stadium, he felt butterflies in his stomach and ants crawling down his arms. He took a deep breath.

Having to walk to the center of campus from the student housing area made him the last to arrive. The stadium was already packed, and Terren took his place in the center. Basen hurried up the steps, looking for a seat.

“Basen,” a man called out.

He looked over to see Neeko and Shara moving over to create a spot for him. Basen sat and thanked them. He noticed Shara staring at his sword. She looked up at him with worried eyes.

“It’s time?”

“I think so,” Basen said.

She grabbed Neeko’s hand.

As Terren raised his arms for silence, Basen checked his comrades around him. It seemed that most people had come to the same conclusion as he had, their faces hard with determination, their eyes staring at Terren as they waited for the inevitable news.

But what the headmaster said first shocked the stadium.

“Three days ago, Ulric Takary was assassinated.” Gasps and murmurs interrupted him, so he raised his arms again. “Allow me to finish before you start speaking amongst each other.”

A hush fell over the stadium.

“We became aware of the news yesterday, but we weren’t able to confirm it until later. This morning our scouts noticed that Ulric’s ships from Greenedge are now gone. Tauwin must’ve convinced them to wait until night before leaving in hopes we wouldn’t notice his army shrinking to half its size.”

People began to clap and cheer, and Basen joined them.

“Tauwin’s army still outnumbers ours, we believe, but not by much,” Terren said to answer the question shouted at him by several students.

The cheering resumed. Terren let it go on for a little while, then lifted his arms once again.

“We have to act fast, now. Needing to recruit more, Tauwin will put pressure on the citizens of Kyrro. He might starve them, threaten to kill them, or bribe them into taking up arms against us. We need to attack before that, while his army is weak. It’s the only way to avoid battle coming to the Academy, which will surely destroy much of this beloved place. So today, we march to the capital.”

Terren paused as if expecting a reaction, but there was none.

“I admire all of your courage,” he continued. “I will lead the charge, but Tauwin will most likely be prepared for us. That is why we have no intention of storming the capital. We will fight to draw out his army while he watches the battle from atop his stolen castle. We will fight with aggression and fury, but also with strategy that will keep us protected from harm.

“Most of our enemies have come from Greenedge to usurp our cities. But they will return with their tails between their legs because, by the end of this day, Tauwin will be dead.”

Confusion spread as students murmured, “How will he die?”

But Basen already knew, because he would be the assassin.

*****

Outside the stadium, every student—now soldier—gathered around their instructors, now officers. Henry’s seasoned troops stood before him in organized ranks, making everyone else look sloppy.

The older troops from Tenred stood out. Having no instructors, they flocked to Abith and seemed the most nervous of any group. Meanwhile, the many staff and citizens who wouldn’t be fighting formed an unorganized circle around those who would. The onlookers appeared surprisingly happy, no doubt assuming this battle would finally put an end to their worries.

Basen didn’t know where to go.

Fortunately, neither did Neeko and Shara. They kept him company as they formed their own small circle between the many large clusters.

“Any luck teaching your pyforial skills to others?” Basen asked Neeko.

“A few people have been able to move the sand.”

Basen mistakenly showed his surprise.

“You didn’t think they would,” Neeko muttered.

“Sorry, but no. How much longer until they can fight with pyforial energy?”

Neeko and Shara chuckled.

“Um, probably months,” Neeko replied.

The two of you should’ve come here long ago.

Eventually, Terren came over to them. “Shara, there’s a place for you among the mages who will stay at the back of our ranks with little risk of injury.”

Neeko shook his head. “We agreed she wouldn’t be fighting.”

“I wanted to let her know in case she changed her mind. It will be safe, Shara. These are the mages of the lower group numbers. If the enemy reaches them, we’ll be in retreat anyway.”

“I’ll stay at the Academy,” Shara said in a meek voice.

“All right,” Terren said with a smile. “That’s fine.” He looked around at his army. “I wish I could give everyone the same choice.” He gave a pointed look at Neeko. “We need you now.”

“I’m ready. Tell me what I’m to do.”

Basen was disappointed when he realized the headmaster had come over here only for Neeko. He figured his training with Abith would mean the two of them would go after Tauwin while everyone else distracted the enemy army. Basen imagined storming the castle with Abith and a psychic to protect them, confident they could get through any of Tauwin’s troops.

Except one. The giant.

Basen hoped that beast had already left with the others of Ulric’s army.

“A small group will sneak into the capital from the south as the rest of us attack from the north,” Terren explained. “It can’t be more than a few people, otherwise your chances of being seen are too high. If Tauwin figures out the real threat to his life is coming from the other way, he’ll call back his troops to defend the castle, and we’ll have a very messy battle in which a victory is not guaranteed.”

Terren was looking between Basen and Neeko now, giving Basen hope. The headmaster seemed to notice someone behind Basen, and Basen turned his head to find Effie. Was she going instead of him? She was a more well-rounded mage, possessing skill with sartious energy. But Basen still felt he was the best person to go after Tauwin, besides Abith.

“I’m just waiting to speak to them,” Effie told Terren.

The headmaster leaned down again to Neeko’s eye level. “Are you sure you can kill him when the opportunity comes?”

“I’m sure. I’ve heard what he’s done, so there will be no guilt.”

But this was the reason Basen wanted to claim the kill. Tauwin had murdered Alabell’s family and tried to have her killed as well. Every time Basen thought of it, the rest of the war faded to the background. She’d almost died because of Tauwin.
And this pretend king would gladly slit her throat if he got the chance.

“You’ll be coming in through Oakshen,” Terren said.

“Why Oakshen?” Basen asked, prickles going down his spine.

“Because you can’t make a portal straight to the capital, isn’t that right?”

“Yes.” He felt relief wash over him. He would have his chance. “Please tell me I’m going to the capital with Neeko instead of just taking him to Oakshen.”

“Abith Max will be leading the two of you all the way there.”

“Good. And that will take Abith out of the battle, so you don’t have to worry about him stabbing you in the back.”

Terren pushed out his palm. “If you don’t trust Abith, this isn’t going to work.”

“Oh, I trust him enough when we share the goal of killing Tauwin. It’s what he plans for you when this battle is over that I worry about.”

“I know, but I’ll handle him when the time comes.”

“What about the promise we made to Rickik?” Basen asked. “Tauwin’s bastial steel sword.”

“Don’t let that concern you now. Just focus on getting Neeko close enough to the castle so he can rise up and slay Tauwin by surprise.”

So this was still just about Neeko. But Basen couldn’t dwell on his disappointment. Killing Tauwin, no matter who did the deed, was all that mattered now.

“Abith will meet you here soon. Good luck.” Terren shook their hands and left.

Effie took his spot and hugged Basen. “Be careful.”

Being careful goes against our plan. She should be telling me to be audacious.

“I will,” he said simply.

She tilted her head. “Can I speak to Neeko and Shara alone?”

A little confused, Basen shrugged and gave them privacy as they talked for a few minutes.

Abith finished addressing his men, who joined the enormous group of warriors and quickly became lost among them. The Krepps began to cluck and screech with excitement, and Basen soon saw why.

The other inhabitants of the Academy pushed wheelbarrows toward them filled with weapons and armor. Basen recognized all the plated chest pieces that had come from the Elves. Fatholl had intended them as his last gift to the Krepps before they left Merejic.

It was strangely fitting that everyone had gotten what they wanted so far, even though everything had gone wrong. Rickik’s Krepps would fight, as they were born to do. The other Krepps were building their own home, which was their original reason for going to Merejic. Everyone loyal to Kyrro had joined to stand against Tauwin, including those from Tenred who saw this as an opportunity in the same way Tauwin’s mercenary troops did. Everyone would get their chance for honor and could even earn a stake in the Academy.

Abith was one of the few mysteries left. How he planned to become headmaster was lost on Basen. After training so often with Terren, could Abith really bring himself to kill the man when this was done? There was no way Basen and the others would let Abith get away with it, and he had to know that and have something else planned.

Eventually Effie left Neeko and Shara. The couple hugged before Neeko separated to join Basen.

“What did Effie tell you?” Basen asked.

“She didn’t want me to say.”

Basen looked at Effie, who glanced at him over her shoulder.
I thought we trusted each other.

He could think of only one thing it could be. She’d heard of his encounter with Sanya, how he’d made no effort to kill her.

She does trust me, except when it comes to taking vengeance for Alex.

“She wants you to kill Sanya,” Basen said.

Neeko looked surprised. “You won’t try to stop me, will you? I met Alex—I’m not sure if you knew that.”

“I didn’t.”

“He helped me even though he didn’t know me.”

“That’s the kind of person he is.”

They fell silent to respect the dead.

“No, I won’t try to stop you.” But Basen wasn’t sure he could help Neeko if needed. Sanya had saved Basen’s life, and she was the reason they might be able to kill Tauwin before the end of the day. She’d done terrible things out of stupidity and deserved to be punished, but Basen didn’t want to be the one to take her miserable life.

CHAPTER THIRTY

It was fortunate that Worender Training Center in Oakshen was empty. If anyone had seen Abith, Neeko, and Basen teleport in, they might’ve made a big enough scene for Tauwin’s city guards to find out. Abith had never told or heard anything from Tauwin about portals after Basen used one to escape the Fjallejon Mountains. However, some of Abith’s old troops could’ve told someone, who then told Tauwin. When Basen had asked how likely this was, Abith shrugged and said, “Not very. Most of the men I was given were poor excuses for soldiers. They probably fled the army after abandoning the mountain.”