Ashes And Spirit (Book 3) (22 page)

Her anger dissipated as fast as it had built. Causing him more pain or worry wasn’t really what she wanted. “Even if you went with me you couldn’t prevent anything. Anevay was surrounded by all of us and it didn’t make any difference. If it makes you feel any better, I will see if Serena will meet me there.”

“It would make me feel better.” His smile was tinged with sadness. “At least that way I know if someone sticks an arrow through you, there is a chance. And if I still lose you, then I will know there was nothing else that could have been done.”

“You won’t lose me, Kellinar. I’m far too stubborn to die. An arrow sticking out of me will only make me angry.” He needed to stop worrying so much, even if she understood the reason behind it. She reached down and took Amariel’s hand, helping the much older woman up into the second saddle seat.

Amariel settled her divided riding skirts before casting a stern look at Kellinar. “I’m a very strong Spirit mage with many years of experience. Emallya was one of my main instructors when I was learning my magic all those years ago. If someone intends either Taela or myself harm, I will know it before they do it, and Taela is much more powerful than I am. No one is better suited for this than a Silver.”

Kellinar nodded. “I know, Amariel.” He stared at Taela a moment longer as if fixing her, at that moment, in his mind. Then Shryden lifted off. The blue rose in the air until he was level with the top of the ridge. A Slide spun open and the dragon and his rider disappeared into it.

Taela looked over her shoulder at Amariel. “You all set?”

“I’ve got both safety straps secured. I’m ready.”

Taela pulled the hat on and tied it under her chin then wound the warm, wide scarf around her head and across her face. Woven in reds and browns, it was the scarf Anevay had bought in Trilene. Then she pulled the hood of her fur-lined wool overcloak up and secured it before slipping on her thick gloves.

Paki lifted off, rising into the air with strong, heavy strokes of her wings. She too waited only until they were level with the top of the rim before opening a Slide. Taela barely noticed the tug as they were pulled into it. In seconds, they came out over a wide expanse of smooth, freshly fallen snow. Below, the armies of Kanther and Boromar were a little less than a half mile from each other.

A few tiny white flakes drifted on the icy air around Taela, made colder by the altitude and the falling night. Only the Boromari and the Kantherian were crazy enough to wage war in the snows of winter. They were camped down at the moment. But the supply wagons didn’t swap wheels in favor of skids for no reason.

“They will engage soon,”
Paki sent.

“Most likely,”
Taela returned. She sensed the combined intentions of both armies. As soon as the storm was over they would pick up where they left off. Or maybe they wouldn’t even wait for that.

“Should we stop it?”

“Without an order from their king, the Kantherians will only go back to it the minute we leave,”
Taela returned.

Amariel leaned closer to Taela. “Have you ever seen the Boromari fight?”

Taela looked over her shoulder at the older woman. “No, I haven’t.”

“I have. It will be most interesting.”

“What do you think?”
Taela sent to Paki

Paki’s mental shrug was clear in the return,
“It might be good to understand how they fight.”

The dragon settled into a slow circle over the battle.

Despite the gathering darkness, Taela had no trouble seeing the armies below. The archers on the Boromari side shed their long, heavy coats and crept low against the snow past the pickets on their side. At least seventy strong, they ignored the cold as they prepared to be the front line of attack until the armies came together in close combat. Without the superior eyesight of the dragon bond, she would never have been able to see them as they progressed with the silent stealth of hunting cats.

Behind them, the low tents came down in the camp, though several fires and tents were left near the rear. Why didn’t they take those down? The supply wagons were being maneuvered at the back in preparation of either retreat or advance. As she watched, fascinated by the unfolding scene, the Boromari archers reached striking distance under the cover of darkness.

However, they didn’t stand and draw. Instead, they spread out and continued to move in deadly silence toward the pickets of the enemy. Within moments, the Kantherian picket line went down in silence, their throats cut.

Unaware of their sentries’ demise, the Kantherians too were preparing. In watching the unfolding battle below, it was clear this newest campaign against the Boromari, so close on the heels of their last war, had cost the Kantherians dearly.

While the Boromari arranged themselves in near silence with the precision of a well-made clock, the Kantherians were disorganized, with orders being shouted and men and women scrambling.

An owl hooted somewhere in the night. The second and third lines of archers, with shield bearers in front, moved forward from the Boromari army. The cavalry and foot soldiers prepared behind them with horses to either side at an angle and the infantry in the middle in a blunt-tipped wedge.

The second and third lines of archers crept forward until they were halfway between the first line and the army at their back. Puzzled, Taela watched as they all laid back in the deep snow, shields and archers alike, bows held to protect the strings from getting damp.

The first line of Boromari archers regrouped just as silently as before. They nocked arrows, raised their bows, drew the strings back, and as one, released. The strings of the well-tuned and maintained longbows of the Boromari made only the faintest
twang
. From where she glided with Paki, invisible to those on the ground against the night and the dark clouds, she could hear the night arrows as they cut through the air with the quiet
whoosh
of falling rain.

Unexpected and unseen, the arrows fell into the unprepared Kantherian camp. Many found a mark and many more didn’t. It didn’t matter. The chaos created by the arrows was enough to demonstrate that.

As screams of the injured rang out and more shouted orders filled the night, the first line of archers loosed another hail of arrows just as the Kantherians formed ranks and shields went up. The loud
thwacks
of arrows punching into shields and other objects announced those that had been intercepted, and new screams announced those that had found a target.

More fire lit up the night in the Kantherian camp as fire arrows were lifted and released in the direction of the Boromari. Though there was nothing in the field that would catch due to the blanket of snow, and the Boromari camp was out of bow range, the missiles sailed over what would soon be the battlefield. Their flickering light offered a brief and vague glimpse of the battle to come. However, from where the Kantherians were on the ground, they would have no way of seeing the shields or the other two lines of archers lying in the snow.

The first line of Boromari archers let loose a final volley of arrows before breaking into two groups. Under the cover of darkness, each group moved with purpose and agility in opposite directions.

A nightbird called. Taela looked in the direction of the sound. She sensed Amariel doing the same. Even her enhanced eyesight couldn’t locate where the sound came from.

The line of shields leaped up and surged forward with the second and third line of archers behind them. As the Kantherians charged toward the field another nightbird called. The shields dropped and the second line released a volley of arrows. They dropped to one knee and the third line loosed.

Men and horses in the Kantherian charge went down. The shields went up, overlapping each other and intercepting the return arrows. Many of the Kantherian arrows had been sent from too great a distance and merely bounced off the shields. A ball of fire released from the trebuchet in the Kantherian camp sailed over the heads of those charging and plowed through the lines of archers and their shields.

The Boromari archers held as if they hadn’t seen the fireball or their comrades who died as they nocked and let loose two more volleys of arrows. They weren’t aiming for the enemy soldiers that much became clear quite quickly. The screams of horses as they fell into the snow ripped through the night as the animals went down under the onslaught aimed directly at them. Another flaming ball lit up the battlefield, but this time the lines of archers were already breaking in organized retreat as the charge now came too close for them. Each line fell back and to the sides as the Boromari foot soldiers rushed forward.

The field below erupted into shouts, screams, and the clang of weapons as the two armies came together.

The first line of Boromari archers hadn’t simply faded into the night to wait out the battle. Moving faster through the snow than Taela would have thought possible, they had slipped well to either side of the battle and circled around behind the Kantherian army.

Unaware of the threat from behind, the Kantherians surged forward. A horn sounded above the din of battle, and the archers raised their bows and sent arrows into the undefended backs of their enemies, taking down both foot soldiers and horses

In the front of the battle, the Boromari line appeared to break, ragged gaps opening along the line. The Kantherians rushed through the openings, charging toward the backlines and the tents that looked like a camp.

Just as soon as they took the openings in the Boromari line, the breaks closed, cutting the Kantherian army off from each other. Taela watched the ploy in amazement as another horn sounded and the cavalry curved in from the sides.

The first line of archers again released arrows into the backs of the Kantherians. In the darkness that deepened with each passing moment, the attack from behind served to decrease the numbers of Kantherians and created chaos at the same time.

Cut off from each other and beset from all sides, the Kantherians broke. The Boromari, however, allowed no retreat. A second wave of cavalry moved in cutting down enemies whether they threw down their weapons, ran, or tried to stand and fight. Those that ran were met in the front by the first line of archers. Some of the arrows found friendly marks, however, it appeared to be an acceptable risk to the Boromari.

“Kanther should know better than to go to war with Boromar again,” Amariel said.

The victors swept into the Kantherian camp killing everyone. This battle had gone to the Boromari. The swiftness of it took Taela’s breath away. No wonder Haraban had lost their bid to extend their borders toward Boromar seventy-five years ago. Markene too had tried that four times over the past five hundred years and only won once—the first time. This was the reason Haraban and Markene now left Boromar alone. Kanther seemed unable to learn from their defeats.

“It is time we head to Benddier and speak with the King of Kanther. This war must stop because Fates know we have a bigger one on our hands,”
Taela sent.

“An interesting battle to watch. However, you’re correct, this must end.”
Paki banked in the air and flew south.

M
aleena placed the babe in Grandme’s arms. “Meet Emmaleen, your great-granddaughter.”