Gods Of Blood And Fire (Book 1) (66 page)

Kian looked up at the men from the Church. They could see his muscles tighten as he prepared himself for the torture he was about to receive.

“Whip that arrogant look off his face,” Milara commanded. The scourge whistled through the air and black blood splattered the walls of the pavilion.

***

The vanguard of Donovan and Griffyn’s armies arrived in Havalon’s camp early in the morning. K’xarr watched from the battlement of the city. He knew the King would send for reinforcements after he had sent Rufio to provoke the old man. He just wasn’t prepared for what had happened.

If the size of the vanguard was any inclination, the old King had sent for the bulk of his army from northern Bandara. He must have beaten King Cain in the north or abandoned his positions there.

He would have to make plans talk to the witches. Havalon would come at them hard when the rest of his reinforcements arrived. He knew even with the witches’ magic he would have to be prepared.

K’xarr found all of the witches in the council chamber. None of them looked very happy. He felt as if he had walked in on something. The young general could sense the tension in the room.

“Raven, a vanguard from the north just came into Havalon’s camp three thousand men strong and more on the way. We should talk about how we want to handle the reinforcements that are coming in. I’m sure Havalon will have something big planned.”

Raven turned and faced the young general, a smirk on her face. “It’s not just reinforcements, my dear boy. King Havalon has called for his two sons and all of the Abberdonian armies in Bandara. Havalon left but a token force to trouble the Bandarans at Northham. The Princes and their men will be here in a matter of days. Havalon’s army here in Turill will number over twenty thousand men when they arrive. They mean to have this city, K’xarr, and your head.”

K’xarr blew out a big breath of air. Maybe sending Rufio had been a bad idea. It seemed the Dragitan had angered the King more that he thought. “That’s a sizable army, Raven. Can you handle that many?”

“It matters not what we can or cannot handle, General. We are leaving Turill today.”

K’xarr was dumbfounded, without the witches’ magic, he knew Turill would have already been lost. He had four thousand men and that was after he had conscripted more inexperienced young men from the city. Even with the wall, that was not enough to hold Havalon back. “You can’t leave,” he shouted. “You said you would help me, you gave me your word.”

Raven smiled sadly at him. “My poor, poor boy, I have kept my word, we did help, I never said I would win the war for you.”

“Not all of us agreed to this, General,” Scarlett interjected. She looked at K’xarr, her thick hair hanging down just above her green eyes. He could tell she wanted to say more.

Raven looked at the red-headed witch with contempt. “My sister speaks out of turn, General, please forgive her, she is young. It is true that we might not all have agreed, but we are all leaving. Farewell, General Strom.

“Wait, what about…” K’xarr could not bring himself to say it in front of the other witches.

“What, our lovemaking? Did you think I was going to be your woman, K’xarr? It was just a way to pass the time.” Raven looked amused at his embarrassment.

K’xarr saw a few of the witches were smiling and he lost his temper. “To hell with you all. I’ll put Raygan on the throne without you. I don’t need your magic or your help.”

Raven shook her head. “You sound like a child and your anger is very unbecoming.”

K’xarr reached for his sword but the witch was faster, she raised her hand and crossed two fingers. A wave of force sent him flying through the air to land in a heap several feet away.

“I will kill you, bitch.” Saliva flew from his mouth as he cursed the powerful witch.

“Farewell, General,” Raven said, and the witches disappeared one by one.

Scarlett stayed behind a moment, a pained look on her face. “I’m truly sorry, General.”

K’xarr went toward her and she folded her hands and vanished, leaving him alone in the room.

He got to his feet and hurled his sword across the chamber. The blade crashed into an old suit of armor, scattering it across the floor. He calmed himself as best he could. He was acting like a fool. He was mad at himself for letting his temper get the better of him.

A wine pitcher sat on the huge council table. He didn’t even bother to pour himself a cup. He took a great swallow straight from the pitcher itself. “Damn those witches to hell,” he shouted. His voice echoed in the large room. It would not be the last time he cursed the sorceresses.

K’xarr called out into the hall for a servant. He told the young man the people he wanted brought to the council chamber. He also told him to tell the Queen that her general humbly requested her presents.

He sat and brooded until they all came in, the Queen, with Prince Corwin in her arms, and the girl, Isabella. K’xarr noticed that the servant girl was armed with a beautiful long sword. It was delicate, just right for a small woman.

Bishop Lyfair’s arrival took his attention away from the girl’s sword. Lyfair nodded to K’xarr and smiled. K’xarr didn’t like the holy man at all. The young general hadn’t forgotten who the Bishop supported before the Queen returned. If it wasn’t for the cities religious concerns and the Queen’s delicate sensibilities, K’xarr would have killed Lyfair the day they took the palace.

Rufio, Endra, and Cromwell all came in together. When they walked into the council room the trio could tell K’xarr was angry. They had seen that look often enough.

“What is it K’xarr, I mean, General?” Cromwell asked.

K’xarr looked at him but didn’t answer. He waited for everyone to be seated.

The young general stood and faced the Queen, who sat at the far end of the table. “The witches have betrayed us, they have left the city. Prince Donovan and Prince Griffyn are leading their armies here as we speak, they will be here in a matter of days. Your Majesty, I can’t hold the city.”

The room was silent, everyone looked shocked but Bishop Lyfair.

“I believe I said those evil women could not be trusted when they first arrived. Now they have left us to our fate when things look the grimmest. In the end evil always shows its cowardice,” the Bishop stated smugly.

“I don’t think they left because they were afraid, I think they never planned on staying in the first place. What they truly wanted is anyone’s guess.” K’xarr paused and walked behind his chair, unconsciously using it as a shield between him and the rest of the room. “What we must do now is act, we have little time.”

The Queen looked down at her child, then at K’xarr. “What must we do, General?”

K’xarr found her calm demeanor refreshing. He was expecting a tantrum. K’xarr thought given time Raygan might grow into a true Queen, there was just no way he could give her that time. He only had one choice now.

“First, Your Majesty, we must get you, your court, and staff out of the city while we still can. Where is the safest place in southern Bandara that you could go?”

“That’s easy, Braxton Bluff; my father-in-law’s castle is a fortress. It is where Braxton Blackthorn and the Phoenix Queen made their famous stand. The city is quaint and the people friendly. Since William Blackthorn is not there, I would be willing go.”

K’xarr nodded. “Rufio, you will take a thousand of our best men and see the Queen and the others safely to Braxton Bluff.”

Rufio slowly stood. “General, I would be of more use at your side, not being shepherd to the royal court, no offence, Majesty.”

“None taken, Captain Rufio,” the Queen said.

K’xarr walked over to the Dragitan and put his hand on Rufio’s shoulder. “There are few I would rather have with me than you, Rufio, but I need you with the Queen. Havalon will come for her sooner or later. If you can hold out until Ansellus comes back, you may still have a chance.”

Rufio said nothing, but he sat back down in his seat without any further argument. K’xarr could tell he had hurt the Dragitan’s pride, but he trusted Rufio and knew the man would do as he was ordered.

“Cromwell and I will hold the city as long as we can.”

Endra stood. “I will stay as well, General.”

K’xarr raised his hand. “You have children to tend to.”

“I ask the Queen now if she will watch after them for me.”

The Queen looked at her, surprised by the request. “I would be pleased to watch your children, but what about the one you carry in your belly now.”

Endra gave the Queen a hard look. “That was a private matter, Majesty.”

“My general should have all the information he can get to make the right decision.” The Queen gave K’xarr a knowing glance.

Endra whipped around to look at K’xarr, her dark hair flipping down across her face, giving her beauty a wild look.

K’xarr knew she would never take no for an answer.

K’xarr looked the warrior woman up and down. “If you wish to stay, I will not order you away.”

The Queen shook her head in disgust. K’xarr knew Raygan had wanted Endra sent to the Bluff because she was pregnant. If she was any other woman, K’xarr would order her away. The Queen didn’t understand, Endra usually didn’t follow his or anyone else’s orders anyway. If he ordered her to leave, she would most likely not listen and then he would have to bind her and throw her over a horse to get her out of the city. He just didn’t have the time to be bothered with these women and their problems. He would think of some other way to get Endra to leave before the city fell.

“Everyone knows what to do. Rufio, I want the Queen out tomorrow before enough Abberdonians arrive to surround the city. I will talk with everyone individually later.”

The group all filed out of the room in silence, only Cromwell stayed behind.

K’xarr stopped Endra before she got out the door. “I would like a word.” They waited a moment until everyone had left the room. Cromwell walked over across the room and poured himself a cup of wine.

K’xarr looked at Endra’s belly, he couldn’t tell anything from the chainmail shirt she wore, but he knew the Queen was not lying. “I didn’t know about the baby, I wish it could be a better situation for you.”

Endra tried to smile. “I do too, but the world is what it is, I just wish Kian was here.”

“That’s what I wanted to talk with you about,” K’xarr said.

Endra eyed K’xarr curiously. “I thought you didn’t want anyone going after him? I know it’s because you think he is dead.”

K’xarr put his hands behind his back. “He might be, Cromwell thinks he lives, of course, he thinks Kian is Tor Ironclaw reborn.”

Cromwell held his cup up in a mock toast.

“So, what do you want me to do?” Endra asked, smiling at Cromwell’s light heartedness, in spite of herself.

“There is no reason to stay here now. Find him and bring him back, if he still lives you seem to have a knack for locating him.”

K’xarr knew the answer the woman would give before he had asked the question.

“I will leave tonight. Will you send my children to Braxton Bluff with the Queen?”

K’xarr clapped her on the shoulder. “Of course, the cook can see to them, and if it’s not too much trouble, Endra, see if you can find my wayward healer too.”

Endra reached up and squeezed his hand. K’xarr could tell by the look in her eyes she didn’t think she would ever see him again. “I will, General, and thank you for everything.” She waved to Cromwell and smiled. Endra stopped at the door and took one more look at the two men then walked out.

The Toran walked slowly over to where K’xarr stood looking at the door. “Why send her? You told me yourself if the Church has Kian he was dead.”

K’xarr spoke, still staring at the door. “I know what I said and I believe it, even Kian can’t fight his way out of a company of Church knights, beside Endra and the Queen both thought the wizard did something to him before he brought them back to Turill. He’s dead, Cromwell, and Rhys as well. It’s a damn shame, they were good men.”

“Then why in the hell did you send Endra after him?” Cromwell asked.

“Would you rather she stay here and die with us? If she is away from here, she will have a chance to survive. By the time she gives up looking for the Half Elf, the war will be over.”

Cromwell gave K’xarr a friendly shove. “Kian is not the only one getting soft.” K’xarr grinned but said nothing.

The Toran took a big drink from his tankard. “It’s a good thing she’s leaving. I would have hated to see that beautiful wench die.”

“Aye, my friend, me too,” K’xarr said softly.

***

Cain was sweating, even though the day was cool. The weather was breaking even in the north. If it stayed like this, the snow would be gone in another week. Spring would come early this year and the young King would be glad to see it. He was tired of being cold.

Talorn walked towards him. His general’s armor was splashed with Abberdonian blood and he was carrying his great helm under his arm. “Majesty, the Abberdonians are in retreat, what’s left of them anyway. The siege is over.”

Cain wiped the blood from his own sword and placed it back in its scabbard, he had fought well today. Talorn had been right, jousting was nothing like war.