Chapter 9: To End the War
Queen Martharine had difficulty accepting the reports with a stoic expression. For two minutes she sat at her table, fingers lightly massaging her eyelids as she dug the fingernails of her other hand into the wood. When her eyes finally snapped open, she locked gazes with the main general of the army.
"Would you care to explain how I could have lost more than five thousand troops in one day?"
"The few survivors described Elemental traps. Our largest force was flooded in the canyons. At the same time the ground sank under more of our men who were headed toward a new village, swallowing everyone. The smallest group was bringing supplies here to the camp but was caught by a giant thornhedge before they were burned to cinders by Fire-wielders."
Her advisor, the yellow groundhog, spoke in a low voice, "Your Highness, we had feared driving the Coizards into desperation would make them turn their greatest magic-users loose on us."
"Call the head barons," she ordered tersely.
The general and advisor exchanged a quick, uneasy glance before telling the guards outside the tent to fetch their Coizard allies. Five of the thirty seven hedgehogs came.
"Have you received any news from General Gast?" the long-tailed ground squirrel demanded.
"Nothing since last week, Your Majesty. We've been—"
"Kill them."
For a moment no one moved, then most of the barons took up a defensive stance, their hands glowing. The guards who had brought them to the tent looked rightfully nervous. It was going to be a deadly fight if they attacked here.
The foremost baron thrust out a hand at his comrades. "None of that. I would like to speak with the queen before we do something we cannot take back."
Her blue eyes didn't blink. "You believe I am willing to listen to a traitor of his own people? Did you think I fully trusted any of you? Every scrap of information you gave us was always verified first by my scouts. This is the first time we suffered a major setback and two of these disasters were based on suggestions you gave us."
"We had nothing to do with it, Your Majesty," the hedgehog said in a calm voice, but she had the impression there might be a touch of panic underneath it. "If you believe our honesty in this matter to be false, then why would we stay in such a vulnerable position after our ruse has been discovered? If we were truly planning to betray you, then it stands to reason by our presence here that we ourselves would have been betrayed by the one who sent us, correct?"
She lifted her chin, one eyebrow raised in skepticism, but privately she had to admit he may have a point. "Killing you would be a waste without solid proof. Very well, you will be confined to your tents under guard for the time being. Once I have a chance to discuss this with King Lugius, a decision will be made. You are dismissed."
For nearly a minute after the group was escorted out, no one spoke.
"General," the queen finally said, "I want their next meal drugged. Once it takes effect they will be fitted with restraints to keep them from using magic. I don't trust them to stay and do as they're told otherwise. How many flying squirrels do we have left?"
His throat cleared with a gravelly noise as he shoved down a surge of panic at the thought that she would use the last of them to attack yet another outpost. He had to remind himself he was honor-bound to obey her commands. "Just over thirty, my Queen."
"Ten of them will be equipped right away to search for the Rofakians. We need to find a way to unify our armies. If we keep losing troops at this rate, we'll be defenseless when the Coizards mount a full-scale counterattack."
Inwardly the general gave a relieved sigh.
The next evening…
Lugius didn't move from his chair, sitting there stiffly while the day's estimate of losses was reported by his cousin, the Lord-Commander in charge of the largest force of remaining soldiers.
"Thirty men were killed near the rear and another fifteen disappeared when they went to the river for water. Two of our wilders were also lost with that group even though they were brought along for protection."
The king of Rofaki twisted his mouth into the slightest grimace. "They seem to be slowing down. The constant attacks must be taking a toll on them at last. Be sure the barriers along our perimeter are strong. I wouldn't put it past them to try another midnight assault. What about the main Coizard army in the north?"
The Lord-Commander's posture didn't change, but Lugius could see something nervous in him even so. "Scouts say they are nearly equal to the number of troops we have left. If we do not keep moving, they will be upon us in two days, and with the magic-users we will face… I fear the battle will go badly for us."
"Speed is our ally for the moment. Martharine isn't far. Together we have a better chance of defeating the Coizards. I need to speak with Baron Jaxom."
"Yes, Sire," the king's cousin said, hearing the curt dismissal in his tone.
Several minutes later the gray hedgehog stood in front of Lugius, bowing. There was a slight edge to his voice as he said, "You requested my presence, Your Majesty?"
"I received word this afternoon that Queen Martharine's army is less than five days' march east of us. We'll be meeting in three days. And she also suspects the barons in her camp betrayed her. She passed along the warning." The king stood up, walking around the tense hedgehog as though inspecting a side of beef. "Quite a pity you haven't given me an excuse to doubt your new allegiance. You would be a fine addition to the slave ranks. Earth is common enough, but you are possibly one of the strongest I've ever seen in my life."
Jaxom's fists were clenched tight and he grew hot with anger. "My bloodline is among the purest in Cosium. Is there anything else you would like to discuss with me, Your Majesty?"
"As a matter of fact, yes." He stepped away. "I have not received the customary taunts and ransom demand regarding my daughter. What do you think your former king might do with her?"
"Mortesen is soft and does not approve of blackmail, especially of young ladies. He'll keep her in the castle and return her home as soon as he can. There is no point in worrying about the princess's safety."
Lugius gave a slow nod. "Then I will not. Once the country belongs to me I will get her back anyway. You may go now."
Jaxom offered another quick bow and walked toward the exit, but the king's voice made him pause.
"All I need is one reason, Jaxom. The barons are more useful to me collared. Remember that."
He strode away, anger touching every footstep. Several other barons had gathered in his personal tent, the question in their eyes. He shook his head and told them the two armies would be joining forces soon. The soldiers posted to watch them missed the small hand signal Jaxom shared while he spoke.
They met Martharine just before dusk three days later. Pitching camp was difficult in the fading light, so most merely threw down bedrolls and ate cold rations. During the confusion no one seemed to notice the way every baron on the Rofakian side vanished. A small group of soldiers approached the Gardfordians, asking for directions to the barons that had been assisting Queen Martharine so that they could deliver messages. Once located, they too vanished. No one wondered at the clusters of soldiers who went out to fetch water, but an hour later the sentries who let them through reported them missing—possibly killed by the pursuing Coizards.
Half a mile west, almost a hundred barons gathered at the spot Jaxom had pointed out before they had snuck away. The transformation potions faded quickly and all the barons sighed in relief that they had been able to escape without losing anyone. All those who had come from Martharine's camp rubbed their wrists where restraint manacles chafed the skin. Earth-wielders quickly went through them, splitting the metal with little effort.
Jaxom stood in the center, his solemn aura casting silence and filling the small clearing with his presence. It was easy to see at this moment why the others listened to him when he spoke and had followed him so willingly.
"We risked everything in this venture," he started. "Gast promised to give our homes and authority back. He betrayed us. For some reason he decided to abandon us with our enemies, leaving us at their mercy. I may not want them to take Cosium, but the Cosium where my father raised me and the country I loved from an early age was lost to me years ago. I have a plan, and the rest of you are free to join me or go."
He described it in short words, just enough to give them an idea of the danger involved so that they could make a decision. After all, it would strike a crippling blow to Cosium and possibly cost the war. Most bowed out, but Jaxom was surprised when twelve remained. He had not expected so many.
"We chose to come," one said. "We will see it through no matter the consequences."
The gray hedgehog took a deep breath, watching the last few barons straggle back toward the remains of what had once been a great country. "Very well. Tomorrow the king's army will be close. They'll never see us coming."
The following evening…
The Coizards had gathered in a single force: twelve thousand troops from all over the country. They were less than ten miles from the opposing army, and thanks to the efforts of many different groups (especially the unleashed soldiers), their enemies were worn down to half their former strength.
Plans had been made over the past week, and in the next two days they would begin the final push that would destroy these invaders once and for all. But so many of the magic-users needed rest. The stronger ones had volunteered constantly for patrols—many among them eager for vengeance—and since they would be needed on the battlefield, orders had been given that they were to do nothing but stay in their tents and recover.
Lieutenant Guinevere checked on the Nature-wielders as the sun set, making sure they were all accounted for and obediently resting. She may not have been the strongest among them, but she had a clear sense of order and could see who worked well together as well as who didn't, but the skill that won her the position as head of the Nature-wielders was that she seemed to know what kind of potential they had after a few minutes of observation. The soldiers called her brutal in training.
The rabbit made her nightly rounds, checking on the sentries. For most of the first watch there was nothing to report, and when she heard a fistful of hedgehogs had returned, it didn't seem important.
"Scouts? I didn't know Captain Alexei sent out another patrol today. Thank you, soldiers. Another hour and your watch is over."
She meandered along the camp's rim until she came to another set of sentries, surprised when they reported the same thing.
"More scouts returned? How long ago?"
"Five minutes ago, Madam Lieutenant. Said they needed to report directly to the captain."
It didn't sit right with her, but she brushed it off as coincidence. Until she reached a third post and found out another group had been admitted to the camp at the exact same time. Panic began to creep in.
"Are you sure they were hedgehogs?" she demanded.
"Of course, Madam Lieutenant," one said. "I checked them all with my mirror."
She didn't like this. Guinevere ordered them to quietly alert the nearest tents that there may be enemies in the camp. They needed to find the intruders without letting them know anyone was suspicious, but protecting their targets was critical. The gray rabbit hurried toward the officers' tents while trying not to look as though she was in a rush.
Before she reached them, Guinevere passed by tents belonging to the alchemists. She wouldn't have stopped except that she happened to know one of them was very particular about keeping the tent flap perfectly closed. Candle-light peeped out through a crack, though, and she halted.
Guinevere couldn't be sure, but a different idea occurred to her. She drew her sword and pushed open the flap, softly saying the alchemist's name as she stepped in. A light blade glanced off her weapon and she dropped into a roll, swiping out and feeling it meet flesh. Someone bit off a cry and she landed in a crouch, but then her attention was caught by the body lying prone on the ground, bleeding from fresh wounds.
Movement on the left! She started to turn but there was no time to react—
Burning pain flashed across her face as something struck, sending her to the ground. Guinevere couldn't see! A hand covered her mouth to keep the scream back and her sword was wrenched away, then one arm twisted up behind her back in an excruciatingly painful position. She felt hot blood running down her face as he pressed her into the dirt.
"It's one of the queen's warrior-women," the one holding her said, his contempt obvious. "I'll feel guilty for slitting her throat."
"She nearly gutted me!" the other whispered angrily. "Let me kill her and be done with it."
"Seems pointless. Everyone here will die as soon as Jaxom sees the signal. Let's just tie her up, leave her in the corner, then let nature take its course. By now all the alchemists are dead anyway. Our job is done. Let's get out before someone else comes."
Guinevere's whole body glowed green as she reached out, calling to the nearest trees for help. Both hedgehogs jerked in surprise, the one she had wounded growling that he was going to kill her before she could do anything—then roots sprang out of the ground, wrapping around their limbs. Freed from his grip, she rolled to one side.
Lightning sizzled, scorching the roots, but was unable to destroy the hardy vegetation. Before they could direct it at her, the tree beside the tent gave a massive groan and its heaviest branches dropped onto their heads. Guinevere curled into a ball, pinned beneath the tentcloth. There were shouts everywhere now, and then the explosions started.
She didn't know what was happening outside. The corrosive pain in her face was enough to block out everything, but with an effort she began to inch her way forward. No movement came from the two figures on either side of her and she supposed they'd either been knocked cold or had their necks broken.
The tent pressed down, preventing her from going farther. Hands shaking, Guinevere ran her fingers along the edge, at last finding a wooden peg that had been driven into the soil. A glow filled the tiny space around her, though she saw nothing, and the peg disintegrated into moldy dust.
Lifting the tent, the gray rabbit tasted fresh air mingled with an assortment of scents—the ozone of Lightning, smoke from Fire, and blood everywhere. No sooner had she heaved herself free of the tent than someone called her name. One of the sentries knelt down, taking one look and letting out a shocked gasp.
"Madam Lieutenant, your eye is in a bad way! I don't know if I should—"
"Heal it!" she shouted. "I'm the only one who knows what's going on and we have to capture all those hedgehogs!"
"But if I do, you may never be able to see with it again."
"One eye is better than none. Do it."
She felt him pause, then he touched her face. Cold washed over her skin, healing the sword slash and knitting together the torn right eye. All the pain dwindled and Guinevere was finally able to move without suffering the backlash. The sentry took out his handkerchief, clearing away blood and dirt that caked her left eye.
She blinked, disoriented by bright lights as glowing balls floated above and lit the scene. The rabbit shoved herself up and shouted at the nearest group.
"Every single hedgehog is to stand down now! We need to separate out the enemies from our allies, and we can't do that if we have hedgehogs fighting on both sides."
But then tremors started beneath their feet. Guinevere's breath went ragged as the earth pitched. What could they do against something like this?!
Baron Jaxom formerly of Ruatha waited for the signal, but instead he saw a flurry of activity and the erratic glares from fireballs, lightning and orbs of Light blooming in the night. Shaking his head, the gray hedgehog decided it was pointless to delay any longer. Once it was no secret that his companions had infiltrated the camp, they would be captured and tortured for the truth.
He couldn't have asked for a more suitable location. The entire army of twelve thousand men had planted themselves directly beside what Jaxom's old magic teacher had referred to as "a vein of the earth", more commonly called a fault line. He slid down into a deep gully, feeling his way along until he reached the weakest point.
As a boy he'd been classified as unusually strong in the Earth Element, able to feel the difference in stones without using his eyes. It was a common game for him to walk in patterns around the manor grounds, following different ore lines beneath the earth. Once he took over his father's position as baron, the peasants were set to building mines for jasper.
That was one reason the fools had turned on him. Perhaps it had been somewhat unjust to ask them to dig and yet still work the same number of fields—but it was his decision to make and they would have been rewarded for the extra work once it paid off. Ryla constantly told him the people needed this or that, but what was the loss of a few elders who would have died anyway come winter?
An image of Ryla holding their four-year-old son and kissing him goodbye flashed into his mind. Then Jaxom took hold of his magic—all of it.
The glow burned so brightly that it was more white than brown. He shoved it down into the earth. Ordinarily no single person would have been able to do this, but Jaxom's shattered heart merged with despair and hatred, giving him a strength beyond what most can ever touch.
Magic gripped the fault line, pulling it into wakefulness. Like a slumbering serpent just starting to feel warmth, it shivered and shuddered in a rolling wave of miniscule twitches. Jaxom reached and reached, finally touching the inner core of the fault. At once his magic turned white-hot!
He dropped flat against the ground, fingers clawing up dirt in an effort to keep from being repelled. It desired nothing but stillness… Not yet time to move…
He strained harder to send forth every fleck of magic in his being, sweat pouring into his eyes and making them sting. This was the confrontation—to make it realize the path of least resistance was in change rather than remaining stationary. An eternal minute later the earth gave a convulsive heave, finally responding.
Stones bounced down into the gully, striking him, but his mind was entirely focused on what was happening out of sight. Jaxom's body seemed so far away that he might as well not have it at all.
A surge of elation filled the gray hedgehog as he found the fault responding to his commands. Directing its focus toward the encampment was effortlessly simple. Vibrations grew in size, cracking the rock beneath them and making it crumble. He urged the fault to sink the field and then make the surrounding earth collapse inward, crushing everything and everyone there.
But Jaxom felt something wrong. Pain was everywhere. His lungs burned with the need for air, but he couldn't draw in any breath because his entire body had stopped working. Though his senses returned to the gully where he lay, he continued to press every thread of magic into the earth.
He'd known this would happen. A feat of this magnitude required all he had, including his life.
"...So much death," a pale voice said above him.
Jaxom wanted to jerk away, but his body disobediently remained motionless. He had no choice but to stare at the figure all in black, impossibly tall, tattered sleeves draping along the ground, and a veil donned over her head. One long-fingered hand held a scythe. The other held an hourglass with only a few grains of sand left. The blue flame crowning it had burned low, hardly a flicker now.
But Lady Death wasn't looking at him. Her eyes seemed to gaze through earth and stone, watching the turmoil he had caused in the Coizard camp. The beginning of his earthquake had split right down the center, sending people running every direction in a mass of panic and confusion.
Pride and fury continued to rage unabated within him and Jaxom spoke to her, "At least I have avenged my family."
"Child, did you ever stop to wonder whether they wished you to do this? Do you truly believe they wanted you to wash their memories with the blood of retribution?"
The words were a hammer-blow. Jaxom's eyes had fastened on her against his will, but now he recognized sadness in her face.
"I cannot take you to them, Little One. Wrath has consumed your heart, and there is no place for hatred where they are. I can only give you what you truly want, and revenge means more to you than the ones you professed to love beyond all else. I regret it must end this way. The last grain falls."
He watched the hourglass, the flake of sand slipping through its narrow throat with incredible slowness. Jaxom felt tears in his eyes. The earthquake had already begun tearing apart the camp and screams hung on the air.
Ryla… Jace… his parents… Had he dishonored them by seeking death more than a thousand-fold?
For the first time since their funeral Jaxom let go of the anger, its loss leaving him feeling shriveled and naked. At the same time he released his hold on the fault line and it resettled into its sleep-like state, though the sudden activity had changed terrain for miles in every direction. He looked past Lady Death, somehow managing to see through the cloud of dust and into the glittering heavens.
"I didn't want this… I'm sorry…"
The flame died as the grain of sand landed among the rest, then the hourglass that counted out the seconds of his life vanished forever. His eyes glazed over.
Jaxom felt Lady Death take him by the hand, surprised at the warmth that filled him from that touch. When he sat up—his lifeless body remaining on the ground—there was a kindhearted smile on her face and he felt the most wonderful feeling of belonging.
"Come home, Child. Your family is waiting."
He blinked, already looking younger than he had a moment earlier. "But…you said I couldn't be with them."
"A single moment is all it takes," came her pleased whisper. "I am glad you chose them rather than yourself."
She felt his arms wrap around her, too full of emotion to speak, and Lady Death stroked his head with a mother's tenderness. It was not often her words touched the hearts of those so filled with vice, and this victory had won many lives that would have ended otherwise. Only a few had died during the quake.
She took a step, guiding him through the mantle of the world and into the next…
The sun had yet to rise, but the king and queen of Cosium had been awake ever since Benonic carried Darren to their room. The Assassin had been unable to comfort him after he woke up crying from a nightmare, wanting nothing more than to be with his parents. Athena sent the light purple hedgehog back to bed after saying they would take care of him.
Several days earlier Darren had been inspecting the teleportation pavilion when the circle glowed and a large group appeared. Sobbing groans of pain assaulted his ears and he'd backed away in shock as he saw so many of them with burnt, twisted bodies. Healers had come running, their commands for stretchers and painkillers nearly drowned out in the onslaught of noise made by the injured soldiers.
No one noticed the little prince huddled in the corner, paralyzed with fright and unable to look away. Master Snowfoot found him wandering aimlessly through the castle grounds an hour later, the scene continuing to haunt him. War was no longer something far away and it terrified him beyond anything he had ever imagined.
The knock on their door was a surprise, and Mortesen answered it with a trace of annoyance. The head teleporter stood there. His nervous report made every other thought fall away from the monarch's mind.
"I don't understand…" Mortesen said, dumbfounded. "How can every attempt to teleport to the army fail?"
"This has only happened once to me, Your Highness," he replied after clearing his throat. "Several years ago I tried to send a letter to a port town that had been flooded. The area was so different that my mental image did not match the reality of that place. It failed, leaving me with a minor backlash and the letter could not be delivered."
"Does that mean the entire area is flooded?"
"Perhaps. It is drastically different from the way it was yesterday, or else I would have been able to return."
Athena sat behind her husband in a rocking chair, Darren sleeping on her lap. She too looked worried. All their strongest magic-users had been stationed with the main army, and most of the other troops had joined them to confront the invaders. If anything disastrous had happened…
"My King," a new voice interrupted them from the open door. A fox stood there, letter in hand. "This arrived a few minutes ago. It's from the army."
Mortesen took the paper and read its contents, stone-faced. Once he was done he closed his eyes and held it out to his wife.
The letter outlined events of the previous night starting with the unexpected attack by groups of traitorous nobles, the assassination of all alchemists in the camp—possibly to prevent an escape—and the subsequent quake that riddled the area with deep cracks. There had been surprisingly few casualties, but the army was trapped, unable to cross the chasms that were twenty feet across at their widest, but far too unstable for anyone to chance going close to the edge.
Athena's eyes had widened and she sat there, frozen. "An earthquake? How could—?! I didn't even know that was possible!"
"Under the right circumstances it is, and especially if several Earth-users work together, my Queen," the alchemist offered. "There are many records of man-made earthquakes in the Academy's library."
She continued reading, noting the writer's repeated apologies for being unable to do anything worthwhile. All the Earth-wielders had spent their energy trying to keep the ground from crumbling beneath their feet. Most had fallen into deep magic fatigue in the attempt, and the rest of the other magic-users had run themselves ragged over the past weeks in pursuit of the Rofakians. There were only a few people they could find who had ever teleported letters before, but their skill was poor and they could not possibly attempt sending living beings with any amount of confidence in their safety.
"Cut off…" Mortesen muttered dismally. "The bulk of our army—over ten thousand troops—stranded. How will they get supplies? How will they get free? And how many teleporters were killed in that attack?"
"King Mortesen, the only ones we have left who have experience transporting people are here at the castle. Five, if you count Lord Rakar."
Seventeen had been killed. No one said the number out loud, but Athena could see gloom gathering around her husband. She addressed the two when he continued to remain silent.
"Thank you. An announcement will be made to everyone soon. Do not spread this information until we have had time to assess the damage and what we can do about it. Causing a panic now is premature."
The soldier saluted and the alchemist bowed, then the door closed behind them. Mortesen dropped to the floor as though it was only his pride in front of his subjects that had kept him upright.
"Cosmos… Please let there be a way out of this," he begged.
Darren shifted on his mother's lap, making Athena look down at him. He was so young… If they conquered, he would lose his homeland the way she had lost hers. Or worse…he would be killed or enslaved along with Kaze. And who knew what they would do to Benonic. She couldn't let their enemies win before the final battle had even begun.
"The war isn't over yet, my love," she whispered. "We still have many reasons to fight."
Her soft voice pulled his eyes and he saw where her gaze lay. Determination flared in his heart. Yes. He would try.
Captain Alexei surveyed the area around camp. The dust had settled, but what could be seen was discouraging. Soldiers huddled together, many breathing through handkerchiefs or strips of cloth. Cracks spider-webbed their way along the perimeter, growing larger, especially to the south. But the army was still stranded on several islands of broken land.
He sent word circulating that he needed any exceptionally strong Light-, Dark- and Wind-users to meet him at the officers' tents. An hour later just over forty arrived. Out of twelve thousand, only these had responded. The skunk couldn't wait for more to wander in.
"We need soldiers to cross the gaps, and as far as I know only those with your Elements would be able to do it. Are any of you familiar with full Elemental conversion?"
Thankfully at least one from each group was. He ordered them to teach the rest the skill and inform him when they were ready. It was not an easy thing to learn, and one that used massive amounts of energy. Still, by the following morning those who had the strength said they were prepared. He chose twelve, all of whom had scouting experience, and fortunately one of the soldiers who had experience teleporting letters was among them. But they still needed a leader.
"You," he pointed to one of the Light-wielders. "What's your name?"
The orange hedgehog straightened, offering a salute even though he hardly felt like giving it to the one responsible for putting him at the mercy of the Rofakians. "Infantryman Prydain from the unleashed regiment, Captain."
"I saw you during the quake bringing soldiers under control and keeping them organized. You are now a lieutenant and the responsibility of this mission is yours. Scout the enemies, but do not engage under any circumstances. Everything you learn must reach the king. Be safe, and Godspeed."
Prydain accepted the officer's crest from Captain Alexei with open surprise. A lieutenant?
After the hedgehog had led his band away, Lieutenant Guinevere approached. "Sir, I've done all I can to measure out rations, but we have to find water if we want to survive much longer. I've gathered a group of Water-wielders who can work together to condense water into basins, but I doubt they can provide enough for thousands of soldiers. We need to get to the main land by tomorrow if we want to avoid losing anyone from dehydration."
"Vines," he said, still gazing after Lieutenant Prydain and his men as they poised on the edge of the cliff. "I saw Prince Darren using his vines to climb from tree to tree in the royal garden once. See if you can find any Nature-wielders who have intrinsic magic and get them to weave a bridge long enough to cross that gap."
The rabbit's one good eye appraised him. "Consider it done, Captain. There seem to be less fissures north of us, so we'll head that way. It shouldn't take longer than half an hour to get the bridge across, but they'll have to make at least four of them for us to reach safe, solid ground, plus we need to help the other parts of the army that were cut off from us during the quake."
"At least we have a reasonable hope of getting out," the skunk commented, watching the scouts vanish all at once, then reappear on the other side of the first gorge a minute later.
Mortesen had no choice but to break the news to his few officers, giving them the report and watching their faces draw tight. There were only four captains present since the rest along with every general had been sent with the army. And over the next few days they received the worst news possible.
Scouts observed the Gardfordians and Rofakians chopping down trees. They focused all their energy on making barges, and their leashed magic-users made it that much easier. The Bantam River led straight to Briny Bay, a sixty-mile journey that would take two or three days at most. And once they landed it was practically a stroll to the castle.
The king stood on the balcony of his study, staring at the puffy clouds that had no right to look so bright and cheerful on this wretched day. He didn't know what to do. According to the latest report the ships were being completed this day and readying for launch in the morning. There were maybe three days before the Gardford-Rofaki army arrived to destroy everything he held dear. He had no time or ability to gather new troops or save the old ones.
They were going to die. And Cosium… Cosium would fall.
"Papa?"
The overwhelming depression lifted as he turned to look at his firstborn, a reflexive smile on his face. "Yes, Kaze?"
Kaze was holding something, and he seemed unsure. "I told Sapphire about the army. She said to give you this. If you say her father's name, it lets you talk to him. At least I think that's how it works."
The young prince held out a mirror. Its frame was embedded with small, colorful pebbles that had been grouped together to make miniature pictures of dolphins, sea turtles and different phases of the moon. Mortesen thanked his son and sent him down to the pastry kitchen for a treat before placing it on a shelf so that it stood upright.
He straightened his outfit and spent a minute composing himself before finally saying the name, "King Posiden."
The reflection went opaque and he saw an undersea room lit only by jellyfish meandering around the ceiling. The king of Atlantis was speaking with several other merhogs but turned to look at Mortesen immediately.
"Gentlemen," he said, dismissing them with nothing but that word. Once the merhogs were gone, Posiden's expression relaxed and there was a feeling of informality between them. "My daughter is worried. She says the war is going badly and that your son is afraid you will send him away."
Mortesen glanced back at the door Kaze had exited through. "I… I wasn't aware he knew. I haven't said anything about it."
"Children are often the first to understand what no one will tell them out loud," the merhog king sighed, shaking his head and presumably recalling similar moments in his own life.
The black hedgehog began to explain the situation with his trapped army and the boats. Posiden didn't speak, but near the end, his mouth could hardly keep from curling up.
"Is there something I said that amuses you?"
"No, no. It is simply that they think they will be able to sail straight up to the castle when you have merhogs as your allies. If you can give my mages one or two strong Earth-users to accompany them, I will ensure your enemies will be forced to abandon their boats and go on foot. That gives you more time to formulate a better defense."
"But the number of troops we have…" The black hedgehog shook his head, still apprehensive.
"Do not underestimate the assistance we can provide, Mortesen. My soldiers have fought many battles before and war is no stranger to us. We may be bound to water rather than land, but that will give us an advantage they'll never expect."
He hoped it was true.
Later that afternoon, once two Earth-wielders had been sent down to the docks to meet the merhog mages, Mortesen found himself with nothing to do. Ordinarily he would have been swamped with reports, but ever since the earthquake, hardly any news from the front reached him. And so it was with a sense of idleness that he picked up the latest letter from Marcuriana and finally opened it.
Moments later he was digging frantically through his desk searching for any discarded reports he'd never read. He found all those from northeast Cosium and laid them out, going over each one attentively, then he sent a servant to bring Athena to his study and another with a message for the head teleporter. She came in, her features steeped in foreboding. He knew she suspected he was about to send the family elsewhere. Instead he held up one of the letters.
"Were you aware that several Marcurians you saved were high-ranking members of your father's military?"
Athena was so taken back by the question that it took her a few moments to answer. "…Yes. Retired ones. Why? Did they contact you?"
"Repeatedly, though I'm ashamed that I dismissed them until now." He paused to clear his throat in a way that reflected his self-reproach. "Apparently someone has been keeping them updated on the war. And it seems they are very persuasive. All seven of the barons in that area joined them to train any local men who wished to fight. According to this letter, you gave them the liberty to do that."
"I did?" she looked thunderstruck. "Well…maybe I did. Captain Gawain came all the way here two months ago to offer the Marcurian forces to us. But because he only had seven hundred at most—and they were nearly all the countrymen I have left—I told him to stay up north and continue training. He might have taken that as royal permission to accept new recruits through the barons."
Her husband laid out the letters, tapping a couple as he spoke. "It seems they were quite successful. The captain says here they have just over eight thousand fully-disciplined troops well-versed in weaponry as well as their magic. And all of them volunteers."
"Eight thousand…" Athena's eyes brightened and she hurried around the desk to grab his hands.
"Mortesen, do you know what this means? We have a chance. A real chance!"
She threw herself at him, giving delighted kisses that were returned with just as much fervor. He was running his fingers through her quills and enjoying the sweet taste of her lips when a knock shattered the moment. They broke off reluctantly.
"Why did I send for him right away?" the king growled, then louder he called, "Come!"
The head teleporter entered, several papers in his hand. "My King, you asked for lists of all places the remaining teleporters can go."
He and Athena scanned the pages, letting out a deep breath when they saw the names of all major towns in the northeast territory.
"How long will it take to transport eight thousand troops here to the castle?"
"If they are ready and waiting—and especially if there is plenty of magic stored in the teleportation circle—I'd suppose three days. Perhaps a little less. We'll need to go in shifts to keep from taxing our minds too badly, but I'm sure we can do it."
Rakar was less enthusiastic in some ways than Mortesen expected. As glad as he was for the those in the northeast and the additional thousands Posiden was providing, the red-brown hedgehog pointed out they were still outnumbered since the Gardford-Rofaki army had an estimated fifteen thousand troops remaining. And there was no certainty that "fully-trained" meant what he expected it to mean. They were mostly peasants, after all.
When Mortesen suggested contacting their allies again to see if perhaps more soldiers might be teleported in somehow, Rakar immediately dissuaded him.
"Brother, I know our very survival is at stake here, but teleporting mass numbers of people is something only we know about. If the key to it was to spread, we would not only be opening ourselves to an attack, but giving every other nation the concept that they could appear on their enemy's soil and lay siege overnight. This knowledge must remain private, even from the Academy Masters. If they know about it, they have purposely not taught anyone to use it and I can see why. Outside of this war, we must pretend we have never heard of such a thing."
Mortesen considered this advice. If the Gardfordians and Rofakians had been able to teleport an entire army, Cosium would now be dead. But how could they keep it a secret now that so many Coizards were aware of it?
"Of course they're aware that it's possible," Rakar admitted, "but who aside from some captains and the alchemists know how to do it? Even the townspeople who add their magic to the teleportation circle don't know why they must do it. I made sure they were told nothing but that it was necessary for the pavilion to work properly."
"I hope you're right, Rakar. If even one person who had full knowledge went elsewhere… I don't want to think about the consequences."
The younger hedgehog rubbed his chin. Mortesen was correct. That meant every single teleporter—every single alchemist—who was aware of this would have to die. After the war, he would have to be extremely creative in finding ways to rid Cosium of this potential disaster without making it obvious what he was doing. The skill was far too dangerous.
"The final battle that will end this war is just around the corner," the king sighed. "I don't know what Father would have done in my place, but I have no doubt he would chastise me for suggesting we not take part."
"Oh yes," Rakar said, smiling slightly. "I remember now. 'If you are not willing to do a deed yourself, then you cannot morally send others to do it in your stead.' He certainly had quite a few battlescars to prove he believed that."
An icy chill followed his words and Rakar jerked his head away too fast to make it seem casual. He could feel Mortesen's eyes and shifted uncomfortably. Why had he said that?! Please don't notice…please don't look…
"I've tried to see past your scars for so long that I haven't paid much attention to them. Why do you have so many?" the black hedgehog wondered. "What's happened to you? Brother, are you alright?"
Rakar didn't answer. When Mortesen placed a hand on his arm, the other flinched.
"Please, I want to help. You can tell me."
For a few more moments there was silence, then Rakar spoke without meeting his eyes. "There is a chest under my bed. If…if I don't come back from the battle I want you to burn it without looking inside. Promise me that."
His older brother's face creased with concern. "I will if you promise to take care of Athena and the boys if something happens to me. I want to know they will be safe."
Rakar's eyes finally rose to meet his. There was deep pain in them and Mortesen desperately wanted to know what the other had done that he was so ashamed of, but it wasn't his place to ask. He had a right to his own privacy.
"I swear by Cosmos's name I will do everything in my power to protect your sons until they are old enough to take care of the kingdom themselves."
The black-furred hedgehog reached forward, gripping his brother's forearms in an old, familiar way. "I swear if you don't live past the final battle, that chest will burn, unopened."
Two mornings later…
Queen Martharine sat beneath a canopy in the center of one barge. Her lady-in-waiting, Carla, fanned her with swift movements to keep her cool among the press of many soldiers. At least they had the decency to give her a bit of room, but everyone had been crowded uncomfortably even so.
The loss of the Coizard barons was both unexpected and unsurprising. What was most puzzling was who attacked the army readying itself to pounce on them. Lugius had joked perhaps the barons had done it after all, but Martharine insisted the double-crossing traitors wouldn't turn on their own people.
All they knew for certain was that the disaster gave them time to build barges without being hindered. Watching Lugius's slaves slice the trees into perfect boards and bind them together without nails was astonishing. She began to wonder if perhaps it would be good to find out more about those leashes. The majority of Cosium would soon be hers, after all, and it was foolish to ignore such a resource now that she could see firsthand how useful the magic-users were outside battle.
Dozens of flat-bottomed crafts had been built and ready for boarding in less than two days. Now they were floating their way down the Bantam River, no army behind and very likely nothing more than a skeleton force at the castle itself. Cosium was ripe for plucking.
The long-tailed ground squirrel opened her eyes. She could feel something wrong. The barge no longer cut smoothly through the water, growing more and more sluggish until there was little forward motion. Mutters could be heard coming from the outer edges of the barge as those with their long poles struggled to make the craft move faster.
"What is it?" her proud, royal voice rang out.
"Your Highness," her advisor said, edging his way through the crowd. "The water… I don't understand how, but it is entirely…mud."
She stood, sweeping one hand out in a movement that caused all the soldiers in front of her to press aside. A path opened and she glided to the barge's side, looking into murky water so thick with brush and mud that clumps of it floated about like grease in a pot of cold peasant soup.
"Send a flying squirrel to see what is obstructing the river," she commanded, returning to the shade of her canopy and gesturing for Carla to continue her fanning.
Minutes later the scout returned. "My Queen, there is no dam that I can see. The high banks of the river have collapsed ahead, filling the water with so much earth that it has completely choked it. I cannot see a way through."
Martharine stroked her bracelets, finally saying, "Go to Lugius. Tell him what you have seen and ask if his Earth-wielders can clear the water."
By the time the the flying squirrel was back, barges were bumping into each other as the current slowed more of them to a standstill. "He says the earth is too saturated by the water. He is already giving orders for his men to disembark and strongly suggests you do the same before the river floods the land here too badly."
The ground felt squashy and sank slightly beneath their feet, so they hurried to get farther from the river. Martharine's nose wrinkled, detecting a stagnant, marshy stench rising from the ground. It was too coincidental that the river would be blocked. Her head general compared the map to their location, estimating they were thirty-five miles from Cosium Castle. A three-day march if they kept a good pace.
Three days, and then one for a final pointless confrontation. The queen of Gardford cast her eyes possessively at the nearby hills and then southward. Not long, not long…
Three days later, the night before the final battle…
The castle barracks were filled past capacity, forcing most of the eight thousand troops to be settled outside town in tents constructed hastily for them. Whole villages had come flocking to Cosium Town, fearful of the approaching army, squeezing streets into narrow lanes and making it almost impossible to conduct ordinary business. But a heavy smog of discouragement settled down over them.
And in the war room, Mortesen faced Captain Gawain. "Did you just say you only have nine captains commanding thousands of soldiers?"
The mink was old, his fur graying, and he was certainly not impressed by a king who was a third his age. "Do you have any notion how much experience and training is required for a man's rank to reflect his actual abilities? King Garrik could have made me a general four different times, but I never accepted it because I knew I could not strategize and plan on the level his other generals could. Promote someone to a position they are not prepared for and you will very likely end up responsible for more men dying than would have otherwise."
The memory of Alexei's protests when Mortesen sent him out to lead a thousand men replayed in his head. It hadn't been right to thrust it on him, but…
"Then what can we do? Who can lead these men?"
"We will have to do the best we can," Gawain said with a heavy sigh. "Careful planning now will save lives tomorrow. But it is true that field commanders are necessary. Thirteen is far too few captains, though we don't seem to have much choice. With the addition of you and Lord Rakar, things will be easier to control."
"And what of me?" The entire room turned to stare at the blue-furred queen seated in the corner and very quiet until now. "One more field commander could be the advantage we need."
"Out of the question."
Her husband glared, firm in his decision. But Athena's face was just as stubborn. She rose to her feet, eyes flashing as brightly as the ruby pendant at her throat.
"Who will lead them, Mortesen? The teleporters have worn themselves to nothing to get all those soldiers here and even if we could find the other generals they couldn't be brought here by morning. We in this room are all that prevent Cosium's defeat. Our choices will save or lose the kingdom."
"Your Majesty," Captain Gawain murmured to him, "my liege lady is correct. There are far too few captains among us. The lieutenants are skilled in carrying out orders among their troops, but they cannot see the whole battlefield and how it must change at a moment's notice."
"I don't want Athena out there," he insisted.
"Mortesen, do you think I'm stupidly going to rush headlong into the fray?! I'm the queen. I know my presence alone is far more effective in this battle than personally taking up the sword. My father told me a king who leads the charge is a fool who's likely to get himself killed rather than succeed. I studied battle tactics growing up and you know perfectly well I am no novice when it comes to defending myself."
It was meant to comfort him, he supposed, but it didn't. She would still be out there, and any number of enemies could get close enough to shove a dagger blade in between her ribs. Mortesen tried to argue the point from one perspective after another, but in the end he was outmaneuvered. His wife was absolutely determined to accompany her people.
Finally he gave in, saying, "Only on the condition that you keep the Protector-Assassin by your side at all times."
The tension in the war room decreased and they returned to the map, adjusting troops and planning where to station everyone. Posiden appeared in the mirror, his input changing the battle scene dramatically and giving them more hope.
Once everyone had left to follow orders and carry news to the waiting troops, Mortesen came up with a pretext for Athena to leave, then sent a message. Minutes afterward, a small noise caught his ear and he turned to see Benonic peering through a crack in the door.
"Come in," he said, motioning him forward.
The deformed hedgehog stepped inside, eyes shifting quickly to betray his nervousness. Mortesen had never summoned him before and he had never set foot in this room.
"I asked you to come here because—" The king broke off. Benonic continued staring at him, but he found himself at a loss for words. "Ben… I'm sorry if I haven't spent time with you the way I should have. Just recently I realized Darren needed time alone with me, and I've never really given you that opportunity either. Maybe I thought you didn't need me because you were so close to Athena, but I see now that was only an excuse."
Benonic's hands moved, spelling out most of his words. Although Mortesen had learned some of the more common signs by watching him talk during mealtimes, it wasn't enough to understand the young hedgehog well. Benonic knew this, so he made his words simple, signing the letters slowly and only using the signs for words he knew Mortesen was familiar with.
"You are king with many duties. And I am not really your son."
The black hedgehog felt guilt begin to crush his conscience. "Ben, I'm sorry for treating you as nothing more than a young friend or a bodyguard for the boys. You are my son and I should have been taking that seriously since the beginning."
The younger hedgehog tilted his head slightly, considering before he raised his hands again. "I do not know who my real parents were, but they could not possibly be as kind and generous as you and Mama."
"I wish I could live up to that compliment. Benonic, I have a request—the only one I will ever make of you." Mortesen swallowed, finding the words hard to say. "Stay with Athena. Don't leave her for a single second. And if…if the battle goes badly I want you to take her to the woods. I don't care if you have to drag her kicking and screaming or knock her out—I want her safe."
"She will be. I promise."
"Thank you." Pushing away the awkwardness between them, he squeezed Benonic's shoulder.
The sun was setting when Athena and Mortesen carried their children to the bedroom. For a time they tried to avoid talking about the following day's battle, but then Darren asked if there would be more soldiers injured like the ones he had seen the week before. Silence fell.
"Kaze, can you carry Darren far with your wings?" their father asked at last.
"Farther than I used to," he said proudly.
"…If the battle is lost, you need to take Darren to the Forbidden Forest. You'll be safe there. Understand?"
Kaze had met Grandmother Lake numerous times, at least once a month, though the war had upset that schedule. But he knew she was to remain a secret, even from his mother and brothers. He understood his father's implication and nodded solemnly.
"I can carry him that far, Papa." Then his expression turned sullen. "But I want to be with you. I can fight too!"
"Kaze," Athena said with a cutting note, "what did I tell you about that? A battlefield is no place for children."
"But Ben said he's going."
"He's also ten years older than you," the queen almost snapped, "and he's undergone the most rigorous training anyone can endure. I don't want to hear another word about it."
"Please," Mortesen's soothing voice calmed his wife and eased away the pout on Kaze's face. "Please, right now I don't want to think about anything except us together."
They all sat on the bed, with Benonic leaning against Athena while Kaze and Darren curled up on either side of their father. Mortesen reached around, pulling his adopted son closer. Benonic seemed surprised but he submitted to the hand that had settled on his shoulder.
For the moment nothing else mattered but their family.
Just north of Cosium Castle…
The village where the Gardfordian army had made camp was empty, so what few houses were available went to officers. The queen took the largest one for herself, glad to have a real roof over her head even for one night. Of course there was still much to be done, so she set to work, writing long after the sun went down.
Her quill pen went dry sooner and sooner until there was nothing but a flat puddle in the very bottom of her inkwell. If only there was a spell that could make a quill write without ever having to be dipped. There ought to have been an extra inkwell inside her desk, but she couldn't find it.
"Carla?" Queen Martharine called from her room. She waited a few moments before calling again a bit more testily, "Carla, come here!"
Still no one appeared. Fed up with her lady-in-waiting, the squirrel stormed through the door with a fierce expression, only to stop dead in her tracks when she saw Carla serving tea to a familiar brown hedgehog who was seated at her cherrywood table and sitting there as though he owned the place. When she appeared, the servant didn't curtsy or apologize for not answering her summons. The pale brown ferret seemed to emanate a sense of triumph and there was a distinctly unpleasant twist to her smile as she looked back. General Gast simply gave her a cursory glance and then stirred his tea, apparently finding it more worthy of his attention than the Gardfordian queen.
Her anger flared at both their responses, but she also couldn't keep back the spike of cold fear. They shouldn't be acting this way. Something was wrong. She had to find out what was going on while still retaining control of the situation.
"General Gast, as much as I have appreciated your intelligence during our campaign, it appears you have lost any trace of decorum and respect for those above your station. If you do not wish to have your body impaled by several spears from my rather overprotective bodyguards, I suggest you recover your manners in the next few seconds."
He continued to focus on the tea and took a sip, pausing thoughtfully. "Interesting, but no. I think I prefer something stronger than white spicemint."
"General," Martharine said warningly, hackles rising even more at the realization that he had been served from her private stache of rare tea leaves. "I am not accustomed to being ignored in this fashion. Carla, call my guards and have this lout removed from my presence."
"So sorry, my Queen, but they have orders not to disturb you this evening while you go over final preparations for the battle. And thanks to your guest, they are unable to hear anything within these walls."
Betrayal. It was the only explanation. The fear inside flared into panic. She was alone with two people who obviously had no good intentions.
"Why?" she asked the scarred hedgehog, carefully keeping her voice calm. "I did everything according to the information you gave us. What kind of game have you really been playing all this time?"
Gast's eyes were deep crimson as he turned to survey her. "Gardford has always been a volatile enemy. My grandfather fought against your country's last attempt to take Cosium, losing his life in the process, and I would not be surprised to find out my grandmother's assassin was sent by your family. I want the entire world to see that even when our forces are outmatched we still come out victorious."
She darted a glare at her lady-in-waiting. "And you?"
"I don't know any servant of yours who doesn't despise you," she answered in a disgusted tone. "You treat these Coizard peasants with more respect than your own people."
There had to be a way to put them off-guard. Martharine had faced assassins on her own before, even good ones.
"If you aren't really a traitor to Cosium, what are you?" she demanded.
General Gast opened his mouth to reply and she swept her hands forward, glowing suddenly with red light. He seized Carla's arm and both of them vanished into nothing just as fireballs blasted the table and chairs to bits, scorching the wall an ugly black at the same time. Martharine sensed the warmth of two people directly behind her but couldn't move away quickly enough.
Every muscle froze.
His hand had locked on the back of her neck and he sounded annoyed. "How very rude. I dislike being interrupted. Well, if you prefer I get on with it then I suppose I have no objections."
Carla stepped around to stare her in the face, eyes narrowed with hatred and envy. "What do you need for the potion, Lord Rakar?"
It took a moment for the queen to realize her servant had called him by a different name. She'd heard it before, but she was too preoccupied to think about why it sounded familiar.
"Oh, the heart could make the transformation near-permanent, but the longer you pose as her runs the risk of someone discovering the truth. Best to use blood only."
Carla pulled Martharine's own dagger from its sheath and immediately pressed it against the fleshy part of the squirrel's palm. There was a moment of numbness followed by slicing pain, and she couldn't so much as flinch.
Rakar held out a vial and Carla took it, using it to catch the blood that dripped down. The clear liquid turned a cloudy reddish-brown.
"That will do, Carla."
With an amount of greediness that was sickening, Carla put the vial to her lips and drank a mouthful. Moments later Martharine stared at a mirror image of herself, though the servant's dress fit too snugly and there was a haughty air about her posture and expression that she herself surely never would have displayed.
She wanted to scream, but not even her tongue would move. This was not what the transformation potion was for!
"It would be wise to take another dose in the morning anyway. One can never be absolutely certain how long it will last." There was amusement in his voice suddenly. "I hope you are able to use your time well."
"Oh, I've been planning this ever since you first approached me, Lord Rakar. I have many things to do." Carla was inspecting her hands as though she'd never possessed any before, then she looked up at the queen again with eyes that burned like coals. "But I cannot be seen without the crown."
The ferret-turned-squirrel ripped the gold coronet off Martharine's head. It was pure torture to watch Carla settle it on her own brow and stare at its true owner as though she were the imposter.
"It suits you as well as it did her," Rakar commented in an emotionless way.
Carla then began to steal her bracelets and Martharine was finally able to make a strangled noise of protest. There was nothing more insulting—more violating—that anyone could do to a Gardfordian woman (short of rape, that is). These were pieces of her life!
"Once all of this is over, you may come to the castle or return to your homeland. It does not matter to me. Now if you'll excuse me, 'Queen Martharine', I have an enemy of Cosium to deal with."
She didn't see how he could possibly get her out of here without being spotted and caught. Everyone in this camp knew her and they… Why was he kneeling down?
Rakar pressed his hand against a circle drawn on the floorboards and then the entire world turned silver. Something pushed on her from every direction until the squirrel thought her bones would shatter—then it was gone and she dropped to the ground. The dank smell of dust and stone surrounded her, and the only light came from a lantern outside the open door of a cell they had appeared inside.
Where was she? What had he just done?!
"If all goes according to plan, I won't be back for two days or so. I can't leave you idle."
Her head flew up and she glared at him. "You—!"
Rakar's forefinger touched her lips and she lost all control over her muscles again. "I did not give you permission to speak. Now, sleep until I return."
The command pulled her eyelids closed at once. No matter how she tried to fight it, exhaustion swept over her until there was nothing but darkness. It happened so quickly that she didn't even feel herself fall.
"Mortesen, you have to get your rest. You'll be in no shape to do anything otherwise."
He stood at the windows of their bedroom, staring into the starlit darkness. Trying to sleep hadn't worked and he'd done nothing but toss, disturbing Athena. Or perhaps she was wide awake without his influence.
"Tomorrow Cosium could be destroyed," he whispered, his words carrying in the stillness of their room. "How can I rest knowing that?"
The sound of Athena slipping from the bed reached his ears, but her bare feet made no noise on the carpet. Even so, he knew she was behind him. Her breath tickled his quills.
"Don't think about it."
"I can't think about anything else."
"Maybe I can help." Athena's fingers slid down his arm, lacing with his, then she turned his face toward her. "Just for a little while…can you think about me instead?"
"I always think about you, my heart. It's simply that other things eclipse you every now and then." He gazed through the dimness, seeing the glint of her eyes by faint starlight. "But even when I deal with this war, it's your safety and that of the boys that influences my decisions. So many times I long to be an ordinary man so that I could have nothing to worry about other than taking care of my gorgeous wife and fine sons, but I…I can't hide behind wishful thinking. Too much depends on me and I can't—!"
Her mouth covered his with such a delicate touch that it surprised him into silence. His eyes slid shut and they kissed back and forth, no demand or intensity breaking into this velvet cocoon of intimacy.
Love was not always fire. Sometimes it was a butterfly's touch—fleeting, special, and memorable.
"The war can wait tonight," Athena murmured, teasing his chest fur so that it fluffed up.
"What war?" he asked, drawing her chin back with light pressure from one finger. His lips caressed hers again, worries falling away like autumn leaves.
A/N: Don't hate me for this horribly sad moment here. I've already cried my eyes out during the writing of it. At least they had this much on their last night together.
I can't believe how hard it was to get everybody to this point. My original outline seemed so simple, then all those details came crashing down and it was much much harder than I ever anticipated. At least it's finally done!
