Water stifled a chuckle. “Me too.”
“Are they afraid of anything?” Lira whispered.
“A slow death,” Rynda said, overhearing them.
The rock troll messenger returned through the gate with King Justin at his side. The king rode into the rock troll camp flanked by two young women, both in regal garb. Water recognized Princess Nelia, of Erathan, and Princess Annah, King Justin’s daughter. King Justin dismounted his steed and advanced to Rynda, offering his hand in greeting. Rynda did not accept the gesture, and after a moment the king lowered his hand.
“I came as soon as I heard,” Justin said. “You have word of our foes?”
Rynda motioned to Water, and he briefly related what had occurred in Blackwell Keep. He saw no reason to withhold the truth, so he shared the full details of Draeken and his power. When he was finished, the man nodded and swept a hand to the camps.
“We have two hundred thousand soldiers under my command,” he said.
“Griffin doesn’t have that many soldiers,” Water said, disliking the man’s tone.
“It does now,” Justin said. “With King Porlin revealed as Zoric, Zenif’s son, and King Numen dead, the nobles of the other kingdoms have given me temporary control over their armies.” King Justin absently motioned to Princess Nelia, as if she were an afterthought. “All three human kingdoms are under my reign now.”
“And you agreed to this?” Rynda asked Princess Nelia.
She opened her mouth to speak but King Justin spoke first. “Of course. There is no other feasible option. Erathan and Talinor require strong leadership to deal with this threat.”
“I think the princess is strong enough to lead her own kingdom,” Water said, folding his arms.
Water knew the young woman enough to recognize her strength. She had not followed in King Numen’s footsteps, and upon discovering her father was Carn, she’d taken measures against him, and sought the support of the other nobles of Erathan.
“You have my gratitude,” the princess said, inclining her head to Water. “But this alliance is for the good of Lumineia, and will end after the threat is resolved.”
Princess Annah gave a sharp nod at her words, while King Justin’s features darkened a shade. Water realized the man wanted to use the conflict to gain power, but it was obvious the two young women were well aware of his ambitions and were not deceived.
King Justin remounted his horse. “We march in two days. I’ll let you know your orders.”
He rode from the camp, and Dent leaned over to the scowling Queen Rynda. “Are you certain you do not wish to fight Xshaltheria on our own?”
“It’s more tempting than I care to admit,” Queen Rynda said, her metal hand flexing as if she wanted to crush King Justin’s throat. “Begin final preparations. We march in two days.”
Rynda departed with her Warshard, and Lira turned to Water. “It’s disturbing how much King Justin reminds me of krey houses.”
“Indeed,” Water said.
Water watched the man ride away, wondering if a victory for the alliance would lead to a victory for King Justin. Would he seek to claim the other kingdoms? If he had enough support from the other nobles, it seemed plausible. Water grimaced, and recalled a time he’d fallen into the southern sea, and a group of sharks had begun to circle. He’d felt the same in that moment as he did now. He just hoped they could forestall a conflict before the alliance shattered from within.
Chapter 4: Weakened
In the two days following their arrival in Terros, Water tried to smooth tensions between King Justin and Queen Rynda. It didn’t help that Fire thought the rising tensions an amusing display and even sought opportunities to stoke the tension.
“Let them fight it out,” Fire said the night before the army was set to march. “Don’t you want to see Rynda tumble Justin from his pedestal?”
“You want these armies to go to war?” Water asked.
“You have to admit it would be fun to watch,” Fire said. “A thousand rock trolls against a hundred thousand men. I’d say the odds were about even.”
“War is never amusing to watch,” Lira said softly.
Fire grunted in irritation as his chair was jostled. The tavern was packed with soldiers enjoying a last night before the march. Men laughed and drank, boasting about crushing what had been described as a large group of bandits.
“They think their foe insignificant,” Water said.
“Rynda said Serak has less than five thousand at Xshaltheria,” Fire said. “The alliance would crush them, and there are enough mages to destroy even Serak and Draeken. If the Dark Gate isn’t opened, the battle won’t last the day.”
“And if the Dark Gate is opened?” Lira asked.
“Then it will be the alliance that is crushed,” Water said.
He looked at the men in the room, at their smiles and laughter. Most were in uniform, their mugs full, the heat from the fire on their faces. They thought the alliance an overreaction, and their comments were dismissive, as if the battle was merely a formality to victory. How many would die if the Dark Gate were opened?
He imagined the men with blood on their armor, shock on their faces, their friends dead at their feet as they fled a horde of fiends. Draeken and Serak stood at the head of their foes, where none could touch them.
Fire’s chair was jostled again. The soldier guffawed loudly, ignoring Fire’s glare as he slammed a mug down on a table where other soldiers had been boasting. Wiping the ale from his beard, he pointed to the mug.
“Five copper says I can smuggle this mug from here into battle and not spill a drop.”
Others laughed and cheered as he held it up. Water noticed Fire pointing to the floor, and fire appeared on his fingers, the flames shaping into a bee, one the size of a mouse. It buzzed through the crowded tavern and landed on the man’s backside, the stinger hovering over his rump.
“Fire,” Water warned. “Is that necessary?”
