From the Ashes (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #3)(177)

“We will help with the cleansing of Arovan, but we must return to Merro once that is done,” Valor said, his words drawing an expression of surprise from Jala.

“Understood,” Micah agreed with a smile, his eyes flicking between the two of them. “You make a beautiful couple, if I may say so. I wish you both happiness and my deepest thanks for what you are doing to help my land. Arovan will always consider Merro the closest of friends, I promise you that.” Micah raised his glass as he spoke. “To Merro and the Lady Bendazzi, may the friendship she has shown Arovan never be forgotten,” he called loudly, his clear voice ringing down the table. Echoes of his words rang back through the hall and Jala bowed her head in thanks, a deep smile on her face.





Chapter 34





Arovan





Her horse shifted beneath her as she gazed at the soft glow rising from the southeast. Frowning, Jala looked over to Valor in question. They had left his home days before and had been steadily moving north at a pace that tested even her patience. Most of the people she escorted were commoners and their strength was far more limited than that of her soldiers.

“It’s fire, and a big one if we can see it from here. By the glow I would say Amdany itself is burning,” Valor said at last, his voice filled with concern.

“Perhaps they set it to prevent Seravae from using it as a landing point,” Jala offered, but not even she truly believed her words. All morning she had felt a tension in the air though she hadn’t mentioned it to anyone. It was as if the world itself was pressing in on her trying to warn her. Tiny needles danced across her flesh as she continued to stare at the distant fire. “We both know that isn’t it, though. Something is very wrong,” Jala said in a quieter voice.

“We can’t press our people any farther tonight. They are exhausted,” Valor sighed, his own frustration rising in his voice. “We need to make better time, damn it!” he growled, his palm striking the front of his saddle in anger.

“Do you feel it, Jala?” Vaze asked as he stepped from the shadow and began to walk slowly toward them.

Jala glanced over at her Uncle and nodded slowly. “I feel something, but I don’t know what it is. In my gut I know something is wrong and I keep feeling this prickling sensation on my skin.” Her voice was filled with the tension that pressed her and she looked to Vaze hoping he would explain what it was she sensed.

“They are looking for us with magic. That prickling is their spells,” Vaze began, his gaze traveling to the south. “I can’t see them clearly through the shadows. They are hiding themselves well, but they are close.” His voice grew fainter as he stared off into the darkness.

“Who?” Valor demanded, his own eyes moving to follow Vaze’s gaze as if he could somehow see what the man sensed.

“Rivasa,” Vaze said quietly, the word sounding like a curse as he spoke. “They are moving far more quickly than we are, Jala. They will be on us soon and with their mages watching us so closely we don’t dare use magic to flee.”

“What do you suggest?” Jala asked. She had expected to face Blights or perhaps even Seravae. She had not however counted on Rivasa being here. Life was always so full of unpleasant surprises.

“That we find the best ground we can to hold them as quickly as we can and send the refugees on with a very small force to protect them. I would use the shadows to speed them on their way north but I cannot move so many and we cannot simply leave them behind,” Vaze said as he moved to stand beside her horse.

“I wouldn’t leave them behind to save myself,” Jala said firmly. With a heavy sigh she nodded and glanced to Valor. “Do you know of any place nearby that will suffice?”

Nodding slowly, Valor pulled his gaze back from the fire of Amdany and motioned a hand back behind them to the north. “There is a valley about five miles ahead near the foothills of the Dawnfall Mountains that narrows near the center. If we place our dragons on the hills above and our main force in the valley itself we should be able to hold for a time.”

“Five miles,” Jala repeated, and then glanced to Vaze. “You don’t believe there is any way I can transport us with magic?” she asked.

“You are strong, Jala, but there is more than one mage at work here. I cannot even counter their spells of obscurity to get a glimpse of their true numbers,” Vaze said with a sigh and shook his head. “To use a transport now would be suicide for the mage as well as the ones being moved.”

“Then we press on the last five miles tonight. We have no choice if they are truly closing on us already.” Turning to Valor, Jala smiled. “Care to inform the refugees while I empty some of our supply wagons to clear room for the children?”

“We need the supplies, Jala,” Valor objected.

“I will gem them Valor, I won’t leave them behind. We need the people we are trying to save to survive and if we force march them the weaker ones will die,” Jala said with a final glance over her shoulder toward the south. Valor nodded his agreement and she watched him ride off before turning to look at Vaze. “How bad is it really?” she asked softly.

“If we can hold them until help arrives, Arovan might survive,” Vaze said softly.

“What help?” Jala asked softly. There had been so sign of any other nation rising to Arovan’s assistance and she had difficulty believing they would stir in the face of the newest threat.