“The attunement is simple,” Jafir said, his hand held up over the armlet. He muttered some phrase in the old shamanic tongue, then dropped his hand. “That should do it.”
“Thank you,” Katsi said. She could feel some sense of energy from it, but not much. Perhaps new ones needed a moment to flare up?
She’d have to test it once she got a moment.
Chapter thirty-three
Invasion
Time slid by as Hatan waited atop the walls of Rikaydian Palace. He hated being stuck in place. As the leader of Jehubal, he needed to remain in one location so he would be easy to find, but his hands tapped against the parapets as he gazed out toward the Frozen Waste. The sun shifting back toward the Scorched Waste was strangely comforting.
All the alarms and soldiers were in place, but riders were still scouring through the northern lands. Some citizens were filtering into the city, along with the Dasaven Tribe, which had agreed to join them in Jehubal. They had a handful of shamans called earthmelders and enchanters who were supposedly reinforcing the walls of the city, and a couple other shamans who were down below, mixing some kind of potion that would help soldiers maintain strength and awareness during battle.
Alishara was down there with them, helping with the potions despite her lack of optimism.
There was no word yet from the Bayvana Tribe.
All he could do now was wait. Wait for a threat he didn’t even know was real, everything hinging on the vague visions of seers.
Coming up the stairs behind him was Penym, a cup held with both her hands.
Hatan gave her a nod of acknowledgement as she stopped beside him.
“For you,” she said, holding the cup out to him.
“No, thank you,” Hatan said. His body felt tight, and the idea of eating or drinking anything didn’t seem appealing.
“It’s a tonic,” Penym said. “It’s no shaman potion, but I made it for you myself. It helps with the nerves.”
“With the nerves?” Hatan said, regarding her with an amused smile. Sands, he was feeling tense, wasn’t he? She saw through to him too clearly, but he wasn’t about to reject a token of good favor. He took the cup from her and held it up to his nose, light steam issuing from inside. The smell was weak, but aromatic. He ventured a sip, tastebuds bursting at the rich, earthy flavor.
He nodded to her. “Not bad. Perhaps when I get my pastry shop established, I’ll have to include this tonic of yours as another option. If you’re open to partnership, that is.”
Penym smiled, brown eyes glinting. “I thought we were already partners, Hatan.”
Hatan took another long sip. “Indeed.” He was already feeling more calm, though he didn’t believe it was the effects of the drink. Something else had acted on him more quickly.
A dull ringing echoed out in the distance.
Hatan froze.
Was that what he thought?
It was followed by another one. Then another, the sound slowly growing closer. A soldier mounted on a rangola came charging up the street to the palace yelling the word, “Monsters.”
Hatan shot back another gulp from the cup, ignoring the heat. It was time. “Stations!” He bellowed, running to the edge of the stairs. “Alishara. Might be time to inform our emperor.”
Alishara looked up at him, her expression impassive as she withdrew the orb.
He had two hopes: the threat was not as great, or Migo would truly be able to provide the aid they needed.
Chapter thirty-four
Jehubal
Migo overlooked the group of soldiers that Suresh and Donal had assembled on the grounds below the castle. There were even more than he’d asked for, approaching two thousand. The city had roughly three thousand soldiers assigned in or around the area, but if they were to rush soldiers off to defend another city while Mazanib was simultaneously attacked or something, he didn’t want to leave Mazanib defenseless.
But the concept of mass transportation was still new. He couldn’t very well transport a thousand soldiers to another city very quickly, especially if using a slab of stone that could only fit forty or fifty people at a time. They’d need to keep testing the limits.
They also gave him an estimate on how many soldiers had actual experience fighting waheshis, and it came out to just shy of two hundred, which was actually more than he was hoping.
All he needed now was more time.
But he could feel a sense of urgency before he heard the footsteps echoing down the hall as somebody ran toward him. Perhaps time was not in his favor.
It was one of the soldiers from his room. A message had arrived at one of the orbs again. Alishara.
He worked his way back toward his room, but there was still a sense of anxiety in the air. People were dashing about, moving faster than he was used to seeing. Everyone was on edge. And where was Katsi?
He got to his room and immediately opened the message on the orb. Instead of Hatan, it was Alishara who came into view. “Jehubal’s time has come,” she said, her voice calmer than it should have been. “The visions have cleared as the army from the Frozen Waste arrived. It is worse than we feared. It is Elder Hashivir himself, father of waheshi. He comes at the head of an army greater than anything the world has seen since before the locking. Whatever aid you can bring will not be enough.”
The message ended and Migo was tempted to throw the orb across the room.
His door slammed open with the familiar sensation of Katsi’s aura spilling toward him. “There was a message? What happened?” Katsi asked, noticing Migo’s own expression.
“Jehubal is under attack by a host even greater than what we faced at Wanay.”
Katsi grabbed her forehead with one hand, letting out a long breath.
