Scorched (Phoenix Chronicles Book 2)

Chapter 44: Too Little Too Late

Maverick stared down from the high hill, Osha a little town beneath them. They'd chosen the hills, unpopulated and desolate, for this very reason. What better place to hide from the enemy than in their own backyard?

"The scouts are back," a man said, directing his report to General Yow. 

"Good. We'll meet with them now." He turned to Maverick. "Perhaps you'd best stay here."

"What?" Maverick turned to him. "After all those coachings, trainings, and meetings I sat in on, you want me to sit out of the scouts' report?"

"Playtime is over, son," Yow said, his puffy face scrunched up like a turtle. "This is war."

"And I'm your future king," Maverick retorted. Yow shrugged and marched off, Mav on his heels.

"...and that's the thick of it," one of the scouts said after a twenty minute exposition. "The Army is crawling everywhere. They've just started those balls where the nobles and political families come into Osha."

"The perfect time," General Frend said, twiddling his mustache. "They'll be given the choice to side with us or face the consequences." 

"Consequences?" Maverick asked, speaking up for the first time.

"Join or die," Yow said without even a hint of jest.

"We'll go at nightfall," Frend said, nodding. "Either during their ball or just after they've all fallen asleep."

"Wait, what?" Maverick shook his head as though he needed to clear his ears. "What do you mean?"

"The element of surprise," Yow said, frowning. "We'll sneak up on them. They won't stand a chance."

"I thought this was going to be dignified," Maverick said, turning to Lady Helena. "I thought we would face them in battle, head on, and -"

"To what end?" Yow asked. "We're outnumbered. Our best bet is to catch them off guard."

"While they're sleeping? How will we know the difference between an enemy and an innocent?"

"They're all our enemies," Yow replied.

"No. No I won't stand for this." Maverick slammed his palms down on the table they sat around, wondering why they felt the need to pack a table in the first place. "My sister is in that city and-"

"If she's there this long, she's either dead, captured, or changed sides." Frend glared at Maverick. "You might be the future king, but we are the ones who have prepared for years for this moment. You won't stand in our way."

"You need me," Maverick shot back. "I'm your replacement for the throne."

"We'll find someone else if we have to," Frend said with a sneer.

"Gentlemen, please." Helena's face had gone white, her eyes wide. "This is your future king you're talking to."

"He should be more compliant. You said-"

"I said to include him," Helena snapped. "I didn't say to disregard him and step all over his opinions."

"The Militia listens to us," Frend said. "They'll follow our orders." 

"I won't fight with you." Maverick got to his feet. "I won't do something this low."

"Then you'll stay back where you belong, safe where you won't get hurt." Yow didn't sound condescending, nor as angry as Frend. "This is how it must be done, Maverick. Everyone else understands that. Why can't you?"

#

Maverick went back to his friends, his heart heavy.

"What's wrong?" Noelle asked, sitting with Roman. "You look awful."