Wylde Magic | Book 3

Thirty Three: The Gates

The horns sounded all across the city.

Thain's house became an instant scramble to prepare for the incoming battle. Thain made the first move as he leaned down to me, pressing his lips to mine in a swift and powerful kiss. The shock of it and what it meant numbing my heart to the possibilities that this could be our last before we really even began to be together. In the same breath that he kissed me, he rushed from the room, already dropping his glamour and becoming Thanalan the Ravager for his city once more. 

Schula shoved the rest of her tart in her mouth and ran to the side of the room where she had brought her armor, just in case. Nassir abandoned his tea altogether and ran for the front door. I dashed upstairs to get my own armor, which had thankfully been laid out in my usual rooms. Through the open balcony door, Puko came soaring in and landing on my shoulder.

I still had Thain's tunic on under all my armor, but there wasn't time for anything else. If anything, I now looked more like one of the witches from the valley, but with a polished breastplate. 

Schula had more to put on so it took her longer, but as I was coming back down the stairs she was coming up to get me. We raked our eyes over each other, ensuring no straps were left undone, and wordlessly we made for the door.

In the open streets, the horns howled their cries to battle. Doors and windows closed and shuttered as fae creatures ran out of their homes or shuttered inside them. Those who were answering the calls to battle were a very mixed bunch, but they all seemed to know where they were supposed to be.

Bits of ash sprinkled in amongst the falling autumn leaves were a distraction. Puko snapped at more than one bit of ash that fell close to him, and as enough of it fell it began to taint the small puddles of water still swelled on the cobbled roads from an overnight rain. The furthur we went, the more the small bits of clinging, still water began to darken.

"How could they have gotten here so fast?" I asked.

"An army of the dead doesn't need to sleep," Schula answered. "My guess is that this battle will be mostly the... the risen dead."

"Then the living force may come after," I murmured. "Unless we finish this quickly."

"If I see DuVarick's face in this battle..." Schula let her silent promise trail away as we ran over the last footbridge on our way to the gate. 

'You will not be the only one, little one.' Spaulder's comforting presence washed over us. We paused, looking up at the sky just as a giant black shadow raced across it. His massive wings easily blocking the sun as he passed overhead.

His path easily took him to the front gates, we and many others watched as he settled in and circled lazily above it. 

'I will remain here, watching,' he promised.

I smiled up at him as we continued walking toward the gate, but as I laid eyes on the fae creatures gathered I could tell that his presence made many of them uneasy. Already swallowing the reality of Baeleon's death, they were mustering themselves to defend their city against what must be sudden rumors of a horrid enemy.

I'd be unsettled too, if I hadn't already come face to face with Bara Khalja.

"Where do we go, exactly," I asked Schula. A few eyes had already found us, and the exhausting whispers began.

"Do you see that male over there with the small flag at his belt? That's one of the tower captains. We're to take a spot at each side of the gate, right? Let's go up the towers."

"There are towers?" I gawked, not seeing where Schula was pointing.

"They're hidden, but yes. Here, I'll show you."