All the ragged, dirty-looking guards from the dungeon had recovered their armor, their weapons, and more importantly, their pride. With the dragon symbol emblazoned on their chests, they now looked like those heroic Guardsmen of Alexandria I had heard stories about. In front of them stood Ardimus, his chainmail gleaming and his sharpened scimitar at his side.
The Guardsmen’s faces became grim and their eyes gleamed with an angry fire. Blood and battle was on their minds. Gods help whoever stood in their way.
Ardimus walked towards me. “This is where we part ways,” he said. “Be careful, Hellsfire. I still owe you.”
“I will,” I said.
I turned towards Krystal and gave her my full attention. There were so many things I wanted to say to her, but all the words were inadequate.
“I'll be back to get you, Your Highness, once we see how the battle is going,” I said. “Please be careful.”
“You too, hero.”
She turned to walk away when I stopped her, “Wait!”
“Yes, Hellsfire?”
“Take this.”
I pulled my dagger from underneath my robes. I clasped it in my hands, enchanting it with minor, temporary magic. My hands glowed and transferred power to it.
“Here,” I said, handing it to her. “I doubt you’ll need it but if you do, unsheathe it the slightest bit and you’ll activate its magic. I’ll know you’re in trouble and where you are.”
“Still looking out for me?”
“Always.”
We shared a smile before departing.
We ran toward the entrance. I pushed thoughts of the princess’s safety out of my mind so I could focus on the upcoming battle. As soon as we were out of the castle, the blinding daylight struck us, disorientating us for a moment. Then we picked up the pace. The weight of the soldiers’ gear didn’t slow any of them down. They hungered to lighten the load by burying their blades and arrows into Premier’s creatures.
The keep had emptied out—the main battle was at the wall by the city’s south gate. As we ran through the courtyard, two giant shadows passed over us, and we heard an inhuman scream. I stopped and looked up. Cynder was overhead, locked in a battle with a giant bird of some sort. It must have been Premier's own guardian. The bird's sharp talons dug into Cynder's flesh, and he cried out. Cynder stretched his long, reptilian neck, snapping at the bird’s feathery side until he was free. I wanted to help my friend, but there was nothing I could do for him. I prayed the dragon would survive.
We passed through the castle gate. It was unnerving to see the silent temple and the streets so empty of people when there were crowds the last time I had passed through. Even the beggars and prostitutes would have been a welcome sight.
We ran down the hill, heading for the square where Alexander’s statue stood, when the magic hit me like a sledgehammer to the head. I wobbled, nearly toppling over. I put my fingertips to my forehead, and the throbbing pain settled until it became a buzzing haze. I looked back at the castle.
The princess was in trouble.
Most of the Guardsmen were still running, but my friends stopped. “Hellsfire, what is it?” Prastian asked.
“I’ve got to go back to the castle. The princess is in trouble.”
“Then I’ll go with you,” Jastillian said. “I promised Wizard Stradus I’d watch your back.”
“And we’ll go, too,” one of the women of Alexandria said. “She’s our princess.”
I shook my head. “No. I’ll be faster alone.” I pointed to the southern walls where the battle raged. “The princess needs you to help with that.”
From our height, across the city, it was hard to see what was going on. The fire and smoke obscured most of the battle. But what I saw was enough.
Tiny silhouettes fought hard on the wall. Our forces had climbed sections of the wall, but were bottled up. The creatures’ hulking forms pushed our forces back. On one section of the wall, the creatures were like a dragon’s mouth, swallowing our soldiers whole.
“Alexandria is more than just the crown,” I said. “The princess knows that. Do your duty. Rally the people. Open the gates. I’ll go back to the castle.”
“What about you?” Prastian asked. “What about your duty and what you promised Wizard Stradus?”
“My duty lies with the princess.”
I turned and ran back to the castle. The fire building inside of me became hard to contain. It oozed out of my hand and through my eyes, the more I thought about Krystal. I left a fiery trail behind me. If any harm had befallen her, it would be all my fault.
CHAPTER 24
I sprinted into the castle. I followed the magic in my dagger, the haze lessening the closer I got to it. The princess still had it with her. I hoped one of the creatures lurked nearby so I could vent my anger. I didn’t find any. I found something much worse.