WarDance (Chronicles of the Warlands #5)(57)

Detros, head of the Palace Guard, nodded his head. “I’ve men trained with both on the walls and on watch. They’ll not take us by surprise again.”

“How far have they spread through the land?” Keir asked.

“I don’t know,” Warren said. “But the gods help anyone caught out in the open with no warning.”

“We’ve taken down all the flags and pennants from the Castle walls,” Detros said. “They’re attracted to movement.”

“The Trials have started,” Keir said. “The challenge banners will have been raised.”

“The Plains...” Xylara whispered.

Amyu’s stomach clenched at the idea of the monsters attacking her home.

“Before his death, Father sent crossbows and bolts in the supply caravan,” Heath said firmly. “And obsidian for making lances.”

“And we don’t yet know if the wyverns have attacked the Plains,” Atira said. “It may be they are only here in the mountains.”

Truth, to be sure, but Lara didn’t seem any more reassured then Amyu was. The warriors would have no warning, and the poison in their stings—

“The Plains will fight.” Keir’s voice was a rumble. “And they will kill the beasts. Remember, on the Plains, one can see open sky for miles around.” He shared a look with the Warprize who smiled, but did not look any more confident.

The door behind Amyu opened and Archbishop Iian stumbled through, his arms filled with scrolls and books, followed by two acolytes, their arms just as burdened.

“I may have found something,” Iian said as he tried to thrust part of his load into Amyu’s arms. She took a step back, and he stopped and blinked at her, noticing the blood.

“Are you hurt?” he asked urgently.

“I’m fine.” Amyu suppressed a smile. The archbishop had come into his office suddenly, and was not much older than she was. But he handled his duties with skill and dignity. He’d been the one to recognize the wyverns and give them a name.

“What have you found?” Keir leaned forward eagerly.

The archbishop recalled himself, and deposited his books on the table. Iian pulled out one that looked the oldest to Amyu’s eyes and opened it to a place marked with a ribbon.

“An ancient reference, with illustrations, if you can believe.” Iian let the book fall open.

Amyu gasped at the vibrant colors. Both pages were covered in a picture of what had to be the Castle and the city of Water’s Fall. In the air, wyverns flew, and were being attacked from the air by airions, and from below by some sort of contraptions.

Everyone leaned in to look.

“I know it seems fantastical,” Iian said. “With the airions in the skies. But look at—”

“Are those riders on their backs?” Amyu breathed, caught by the image of people riding the airions. A wave of longing swept through her. “Is that even possible?”

“There are stories,” Lara said. She chuckled. “But they are old tales of fey times. Kalisa, in the marketplace, claims her ancestors rode them.”

“I care not for fantasies,” Keir said as he drew the book closer. “But those crossbows on the towers—”

“They are called ballistas,” Iian said, pulling out another scroll. “And here is a reference to their manufacture.”

“Something like that, even if we could learn the way of it, would take time,” Heath protested.

“And here—” Iian drew out yet another scroll, “—is a reference to where the parts were stored when they were disassembled after the creatures were banished.”

“Stored?” Heath asked. “Where?”

“Banished?” Lara asked. “How?”

“In the old passages into the mountain. As to the banishment, I don’t know,” Iian admitted. “Perhaps with more time to research—”

“Those old passages are a maze,” Heath said. “But there are storage places here and there. Whether the parts remain is another story. In the meantime—”

The door opened, letting in a fresh breeze that set the candles dancing and the tapestry moving against the wall. “Warlord,” a guard said tersely, clearly struggling with his composure. “Five more of the fell creatures are overhead.”

The warriors all headed for the door, orderly, but wasting no time.

“Keep looking,” Keir said to Iian. “The past may yet aid us in this fight.”

“I will,” Iian promised.

“We could still send a messenger to the Plains,” Lara said hurriedly. “Get word to Simus.”

“I can spare no warriors,” Keir said firmly.

“Amyu could go,” Lara insisted.

Amyu flushed, and looked down.

“No, Lara,” Keir said, but his eyes were not unkind. “Aside from Amyu’s status, I will risk no one until we have contained this threat.”

With that, he was gone with the others.

“Amyu,” Lara sighed. “I—”

“I will clean up,” Amyu said. “Before I return to my duties.”

“That would be best,” Lara said with a smile, and followed the others out of the room.

The door closed behind her, and with the drafts gone, the tapestry settled against the wall. Although the airion’s eyes caught Amyu’s eye, for they still seemed to gleam in the light.