Age of the Gods: The Complete, twelve novel, fantasy series (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga) (214 page)

“Less than a day, I imagine. By morning if we run.”

“They’ve been in the desert too many days to run them. They need time to recuperate,” Sara replied.

“I agree. We’ll take a comfortable pace until we have the cover of trees and a cool mountain breeze.”

That sounded like heaven to Sara. She hated the desert. First you were sweaty, then you had sand sticking in the most inappropriate places and then, when the sun set, it got unreasonably cold. Everyone but her wore a natural coat of fur, and even though she had no fear of the cold killing her, it was still uncomfortable. “Gather the men,” she ordered.

“They’re forming up now.”

“Shall we, then?” Sara asked.

Sunrise had come and gone before they hit the foothills and late morning was upon them when they finally made the tree line that denoted the base of the mountains. Here the soil was rocky and jagged edges protruded at random and the evidence of game was everywhere. This evening, after finding a suitable place for camp, she’d have the troops hunt and forage. For now, however, it was time to head east.

Guiding the troops parallel to the forest with Borrik at her side, Sara kept her eyes on the dark soil beneath them. This was fertile land, good for crops and grazing animals. Why the orcs and goblins would live in the desert was beyond her understanding. It would be a much easier life here. But then again, maybe that was the answer. Orcs were large, hulking men. Perhaps they were more suited to a harder life out in the desert, and farming and raising animals for slaughter were beyond them. Maybe the same was true with goblins, though their abandoned settlement showed proof that they were somewhat civilized and even had technology of the likes to rival some of the more advanced races.

Pondering these things, she was not expecting it when Borrik put out his arm and blocked her from continuing further. Blinking to extract herself from her own thoughts, Sara saw what it was that had gotten his attention. There in the soil just in front of her were tracks. Many tracks. Thousands of tracks. “Goblins?” she asked.

“Undoubtedly,” Borrik confirmed.

Looking to the left, in the direction the tracks were traveling, she peered up the mountain. A worn path was evident as it wound away, lost behind an outcropping of stone and tightly pressed trees. Higher still she peered at the clouds gathered around the peak of the mountain. Something about them was off. They looked unnatural. “What’s up with those clouds, Borrik?” she asked.

“It’s smoke, my queen.”

“What in the abyss from?”

“My guess, a very large fire, or many, many fires.”

“An army?”

“By the gods, I hope so,” Borrik admitted.

Chapter Fourteen

Garret stood upon the highest point of the central tier of the courtyards in Valdadore’s castle complex dressed in the finest attire gold could buy. Jewels adorned his crown, his neck, his fingers, and even his wrists. Gold were his buttons upon his silken jerkin. He felt regal, and yet he felt a fool. Tens of thousands had come out to watch the ceremony, mostly women and children as the men had perished in battles past. Lycan surrounded the complex, upon the grounds and upon the walls, standing guard, cautious of anything that might be out of place. Behind him and slightly to his left stood Lord Ashton in his flowing white robes and golden hair. Opposite Ashton, behind and to Garret’s right, stood Kanth, dressed in fine clothes given him by Garret. It had taken no more than a day to discover the limits of
his
blessing. Human by day, Lycan by night. Peculiar, but functional. Garret thought to make him an assassin. He could go anywhere a human could, and then destroy an enemy without anyone ever knowing it was him. But he was too valuable. He was the leader of the Lycan army.

Looking down the aisle formed by his new knighthood, he watched as Anna appeared upon the red carpet that had been rolled out. Her hips swayed in tune to the minstrels’ music as her servant, Jasmine, and the young healer she had befriended whose name escaped Garret, gathered and carried the long train that made the back of her gown. All watched in silence as Anna seemed to float down the aisle to meet her betrothed, and Garret thought it fitting. Not only was she the most beautiful woman in all of Thurr, but she was moments away from being the most powerful.

Reaching out his hand as Anna grew near, he felt her delicate fingers reach his palm and turned as she ascended the dais he stood upon, together, to face the priestess of Ishanya. A hush filled the castle complex as if all sound had been sucked from the world as ears strained to hear the vows.

“With your Majesty’s permission…” the priestess asked.

“Carry on, Holy Mistress.” Garret answered as the priestess began to speak as loudly as she was able so that her words would reach the furthest of ears.

“Those gathered here today are in witness to a holy binding that neither act of man nor beast can undo. Today we stand witness as a king is married, a queen is crowned, and a new era begins for Valdadore. By standing witness to these vows, all become the subjects and wards of your new queen, and beholden to her to carry out such duties as she commands that ye be able. Do ye so swear?”

A loud resounding ‘Aye’ filled the air, echoing off the buildings and streets of the city for miles as the voices of all gathered lent the words strength.

“Very well… Lady Anna, kneel.”

Garret watched as Anna’s ladies lifted and twisted the back of her gown around so that she could lower herself to her knees, a position he was always fond of seeing her in.

“Lady Anna, do ye swear upon a holy oath to Ishanya to take this man, your king, as your revered husband and rule with him for so long as ye both shall live? Do ye swear to love him, guide him, and give him your counsel and strength? Do ye swear on your own life to be true to him, keep no secrets, and serve him as you serve the goddess?”

“I so swear,” Anna answered, squeezing Garret’s hand.

“And do you, King Garret Derringer, swear upon a holy oath to Ishanya to take this woman as your wife, to protect, guide, and treat as your equal? Do ye swear to give her council, give her strength, be true to her and keep no secrets, serving her as you serve the goddess?”

“I so swear,” Garret boomed, grinning down at his soon-to-be queen.

“Do you, Lady Anna, so swear to serve the people as they serve you, to protect them from illness, famine, and devote yourself to understanding the will and needs of Valdadore’s people? Do ye swear to do all in the power given by her holiness to accept the burden of rule, the burden of the crown until your dying day, with no thought of personal gain, power, or greed?”

“I so swear.”

“Then repeat after me… I, Lady Anna Snow, do swear to serve my king, Valdadore, and her people until my last breath as I serve the goddess Ishanya.”

“I, Lady Anna Snow, do swear to serve my king, Valdadore and her people until my last breath as I serve the goddess Ishanya,” Anna repeated.

“I swear to spend my life in servitude, though others may serve me,” the priestess continued.

“I swear to spend my live in servitude, though others may serve me,”

“I swear to uphold the burdens required of me as the Queen of Valdadore, and forfeit my life should the king, the people of Valdadore, or the goddess Ishanya will it.”

“I swear to spend my live in servitude, though others may serve me,” Anna concluded.

Garret watched as the priestess took from a gilded pillow the crown of the Queen of Valdadore and gingerly placed it upon Anna’s head, pinning it into her hair.

“Then rise, Anna, Queen of Valdadore and meet your husband as his equal in love, in rule, and in devotion to the goddess. Your Majesties, you may now kiss.”

And kiss they did. Wrapping his thick arms about his bride, Garret yanked Anna’s lithe body to his and pulled her tight, pressing his lips to hers as the crowd erupted in cheer. Kissing her firmly and deeply, it wasn’t until he came up for air, that he pressed his cheek to hers and whispered in her ear, “Now we will be together for all time, Linaya.”

“Prepare the festivities!” Garret shouted, invoking his blessing. It was going to be a long night.

* * * * *

It had taken the entire day to make the climb, and more than once a goblin or orc scout was seen from a distance, fleeing their small force up the mountain. Though it was the hottest part of the day, Sara was glad they were upon the mountainside where the air was growing steadily cooler.

Peering up the mountain she was still unable to see any sign of where they were going, but there was an odd hum that seemed to reverberate off all the stone around them. Something was certainly further up the mountain.

“Do you think they’re preparing an ambush?” Borrik asked, gesturing to an orc warrior racing away from them.

“I certainly hope not. I think we’ll be alright, but Seth would be disappointed if there were any deaths.”

Sara didn’t want to lead them into a trap. She wasn’t her husband. She couldn’t see up ahead, through the trees, and tell if there was a force gathered to confront them. “I’m going up,” she said, already summoning her wings. “I’ll take a look ahead and see what we’re dealing with.”

“Caution, my queen. The air is thinner up here, it takes much more effort to climb.”

“Thank you, Borrik. It’ll just be a few moments.”

Without further delay, Sara sprang into the air, twisting to dodge the outstretched branches of an overhanging tree. With one mighty flap she propelled herself up and beyond the trees, finding that Borrik had been right, she needed to beat her wings much faster than was usual to gain speed and altitude. Winging north above the trees, it was only seconds before she spotted their destination. Wrought of the stone of the mountain itself, the castle was immense. So high were the tallest reaches that they remained hidden behind the very smoke pouring from the lower levels. Fires could be seen burning in thousands of cutouts carved into the stone all around the castle, and a great, gray skull looked back at her, its gaping maw the main entrance to the realm of those she sought.

Finding a suitable current to ride, Sara swept northward towards the immense castle. Though she could only see the surface of the structures from here, she could see dark figures sprawling about its walls like tiny ants, and even the faces of multiple giants peering over the defenses at her. They were only a few more hours’ hike from walking into certain defeat if things went wrong. With a city so big, there could be millions inside.

But it was the army Seth needed. If Garret was creating hundreds of thousands of new troops, Seth would need his own to stave off any unprovoked attacks. At least that was Sara’s theory as to why her husband wanted an immense army. Not that it really mattered. This did not seem like the way. Something in her gut told her to turn back, that this would not end well. What was she supposed to do? March them straight up to the gate of enemies they had fought little more than a year prior and demand entry? It was insanity.

But the whole world was insanity.

The gods created them, yet wanted them dead.

Her husband, born to an innkeeper, was a walking god.

Gods were afraid of Seth.

Sara fed on people. Could fly.

Borrik…. The list went on and on and on. Even so, she still didn’t like what her body was telling her. Something was not as it seemed.

She contemplated winging up to the castle alone and requesting an audience with whoever was in charge, but if Borrik discovered her missing, he’d attack the castle. She could not make such a decision without consulting him first. There was only one thing she could do.

Turning back the way she had come she spread her wings wide and glided down upon a descending column of cool air from the peaks above her. Picking up speed as she went, she sighted her entourage in just moments and twisted, angling her wings to intercept.

Settling to the earth and recalling her additional appendages, Sara strode up to her friend, hoping he would agree with her request.

“What did you see?” Borrik asked, a look of concern on his face that surely matched her own.

“It’s huge, Borrik. A city to rival Valdadore. There could be millions in there.”

“I don’t like those odds,” Borrik admitted. “Should we summon Seth now?”

“I think the two of us should go ahead and leave the rest of the troops here. Seth said they were to give us help if we found ourselves in danger along the way, but we’re here now.”

“Just you and me?”

“I think so, at least up to the gate to see what kind of welcome we receive.”

“And if they attack?”

“We retreat, regroup, get Seth, and see what he wants to do.”

Borrik nodded his agreement, for which Sara was happy. There was no sense in putting all the men in danger. Them arriving with the full force might be taken as an act of aggression, or a threat. With just the two of them, perhaps, they would be received without incident. All they could do was try.

Climbing the steep trail, Sara glanced at her lumbering friend to make certain he was keeping pace with her. They were both powerful beings, but not equally so. Borrik’s life still operated at much nearer the pace of humans. Even so, he climbed rapidly with her towards the summit, where the great castle stood in smoke and cloud.

Looking up, Sara admitted to herself that she’d rather be flying, but Borrik thought those defenders on the wall might feel threatened and as such fire upon them ruining any chance of diplomacy. She supposed he was right, but being on the ground when one had wings just seemed entirely pointless. The air was freer. It gave one a new perspective. It showed that no matter how powerful, those beings upon the surface were small and insignificant. She couldn’t help but wonder what Seth felt about such things. He’d seen another world. He could dismantle and reconstruct the building blocks of life. He could heal ailments without effort, raise himself from the dead, recreate his body at will in another place. To him even she must seem small and insignificant.

The thoughts of a wandering mind. Sara needed to focus on what lay ahead.

“Do you think they’ll grant us audience with their leader?” she posed.

“I think they’d better,” Borrik chuckled. “Better to deal with us than Seth, I think.”

“How so?”

“We’re making a request. Seth will make a demand.”

“True, but he has means of bargaining that we do not.”

Peering up as the trees parted around them, Sara looked upon the massive maw of the skull before her, regarding those who looked back from behind the portcullis.

“Common tongue?” she asked, hopeful.

“Common yes,” an orc in mismatched armor replied roughly.

“We seek audience with your chief.”

“Kings not see more human. Go away. Take beasts with.”

“Are you certain your kings do not wish to meet a god and win his favor?”

“Big chief raise dead, no need human god.”

Sara pondered the statement. It was peculiar to say the least. A man who could raise the dead. Could Seth do that? Was it possible another walking god ruled this city? The orc had said kings. Were there more than one with immense abilities? The questions were stacking up, but what she really wanted were answers.

“Seth Derringer, the walking god, king of Drakenhurst, and brother to Garret Derringer, king of Valdadore, demands audience with your ruler. Tell your masters that if they refuse, he will lay waste to your city.” The orc turned without even so much as a nod and sprinted away, leaving half a dozen of his companions behind. Each of them stared, comfortable behind the bars of poorly wrought iron.

Sara wondered how long the wait would be. She wondered if she should summon Seth now, or wait until she knew more about these kings, their abilities, and their armies. Turning to Borrik, she cocked her head to the side to look up at him.