“We’re scattered and broken,” Rynda said. “And although I hated King Justin, he held the human kingdoms together. It’s only a matter of days before this alliance crumbles into its former factions.”
Fire grunted in agreement. “King Numen joined Serak and was killed, King Justin is also dead, and King Porlin has always been an ally of the enemy. Are there any other kings allied with the enemy?”
Water gave a sour chuckle. “I don’t believe so, but we never know.”
Fire looked back at the army trudging over the hill, wondering what they could have done differently. The humans soldiers looked to their feet, their armor dusty and stained, their expressions fallen. They’d thought the battle easily won, a campaign against a criminal that had kidnapped their king. They’d been victorious, but only partially, and all understood the truth. If the Dark Gate was opened a second time, the next battle would be their last.
“I still say we should have attempted to destroy the Gate for good,” Rynda sniffed in irritation. “We would not have failed a second time.”
“We would have died,” Lira said flatly.
“Better dead and the Gate destroyed, than alive and awaiting the fiend arrival,” she retorted.
“We must press forward,” Water said. “There must be a way to stop them.”
Fire admired his brother’s optimism, and didn’t have the heart to disagree. Fire would have been the first to fight, and Water glanced his way for support, but Fire gave a small shake of his head. Not this time. Draeken and Serak, with their dragons and Gate, were just too strong. And perhaps it was time to think about surrender.
He looked ahead, to the city of Terros, a shining city of white stone walls and richly dressed people. Griffin’s capitol had always looked formidable with its great walls and the abundant towers in the out fields. The army had built a wall around Outer Terros, making it even stronger, but Fire wondered how many days it would last against the fiend horde. A day? An hour?
“What will the human kingdoms do now?” Lira asked.
“Probably fight each other,” Rynda said.
“Don’t say that.” Water cast a look at the line of soldiers, but the small group were ahead of the army, and none of the soldiers had overheard. “They are disheartened enough.”
“It’s true,” Rynda said. “Some duke or noble will see this as an opportunity to seize the throne, and the alliance will break apart as quickly as it started. It was a fool’s hope anyway.”
“But it was hope,” Melora said softly.
Fire’s gaze swept across the trees on either side of the road. Spring had blossomed, and leaves grew on limbs. Flowers appeared in shrubs and other underbrush, and birds sang in the cool breeze. Scattered patches of snow lingered, but they were melting, the winter giving way to warmth.
Would the forest be destroyed by the fiends? Devoured by legions of dark creatures until only earth and ash remained? Fire disliked the image, and his thoughts turned to his brothers. What would Draeken do with the fragments if the kingdoms surrendered?
The army reached the camps of Outer Terros, where they had departed just weeks prior with the hopes of a quick campaign and victory. The despondent troops threaded their way back to their camps, their ranks noticeably thinner. The various armies kept a distance from each other, and Fire guessed that was just out of uncertainty. The three human armies were soldiers without a king, and would their swords now turn on each other?
“Who is that?” Water asked, squinting to the trio of horses riding out from the city.
Lira blinked and light flickered in her eyes. “That’s Queen Alosia, and it looks like princesses Annah and Nelia?”
“Numen’s daughter?” Fire frowned.
“And King Justin’s daughter,” Water said.
Fire exchanged a look with his brother, who seemed equally as surprised. Queen Alosia had been selected to ride back to Terros ahead of the army to give the surviving daughters the news. It was a token effort, as both daughters had been considered too young to assume the throne for either Erathan or Griffin. But as the trio galloped through the camps of human soldiers, they sparked a buzz that swept the allied forces. Soldiers stopped in their duties, craning for a look at the two women racing through the camp.
Their heads held high, the women rode in front of Queen Alosia, instead of behind. Their regal dresses and side saddles had been replaced with fitted white armor and soldier’s mounts. Twin crowns graced their heads.
The news swept the army, and soldiers from every kingdom stopped in their tracks and turned, crowding closer to the apparent destination of the trio, the hill where Rynda, Melora, the fragments, and Lira had halted.
As they drew closer, the murmur became a shout, with soldiers from throughout the kingdoms calling the names of the two princesses. They looked neither right nor left, their gaze fixed on Rynda and the group arrayed around the rock troll queen. Their hair was tied back and hung down their armor, one blonde, one brunette, one from Griffin, one from Erathan. Then Fire noticed what hung about the neck of the daughter of King Numen.
The golden pendent of the Steward of Talinor.
“Is that what I think it is?” Dothlore asked.
“I think it is,” Water replied. “Perhaps Jeric gave it to her?”
The trio arrived and the two women reined the horses to a halt. Alosia did the same, but remained behind the two girls, the position obviously intentional. The smile on her features was knowing as she swept a hand to the princesses.
“I give you Queen Annah, of Griffin, and acting Steward of Talinor, Queen Nelia, of Erathan.”
“Queens?” Rynda folded her arms. “Aren’t you a bit young for the thrones?”
“As blunt as ever,” Queen Annah said with a faint smile.
It was the obvious question. Annah looked to be in her late teens, while Nelia looked to be slightly older. Despite their youth, both conveyed an aura of strength that brought a smile to Fire’s lips.
“You’ve been busy the last few days,” Fire said to Alosia.
Water shot him an annoyed look. “Our condolences for King Justin.”
“Grief will have its place,” Annah said, “after the war. For now, we seek to retain the alliance formed by King Justin, and the support of the neighboring kings.”
It was a pivotal moment, and Fire held his breath. If Rynda or Dothlore refused, the human kingdoms would look fragile and broken, and the returning army—most of which were soldiers trained by dukes and other nobles—would fracture to their old allegiances. In riding out so quickly, the newly minted queens sought to consolidate their power before the army could divide. A bold move.
At the same time, the two women were young and inexperienced in nearly every facet of conflict. In the coming weeks, the people needed strength, not youth, and if Rynda or Dothlore saw the two queens as incapable of such strength, they might push for a different leader to take the throne.
“You speak for Talinor?” Melora asked Nelia.
