Master of Iron (Bladesmith #2)(100)

Temra narrows her eyes. “What’s to stop Kymora from ignoring us entirely? Why would she take such a risk when she can traipse right on past us and hit up Marossa’s Capital now that it’s undefended?

The princess flinches at that.

Petrik grins. “We have something that she wants.”

I gulp. “Me.”

Petrik nods and lays out the plan.



* * *



The prince and princess send scouts ahead to check the enemy’s progress. When they return with the news that Kymora’s army will be here in two days, a blanket of fear settles over the city.

Much of it is deserted. Those who can afford to leave, who have family or friends elsewhere who will take them in, do so. The rest make camp up in the mountains or barricade themselves in underground cellars and other safe places.

Safe unless Kymora wins the battle, that is.

I magic more armor. Anything found in the city. The governor scrounges up enough of it to cover his own men and the mercenaries. Kellyn trains with the mercenaries and other fighters, running them through the plan until they have every speck of it memorized. Temra practices with them, pushing herself to be better than ever.

That leaves Petrik to plan the traps with Reniver, the governor’s husband.

A night, a day, and a night pass.

It’s time.

We crouch in the forest, waiting for the first signs of Kymora’s approaching army. My heart is lodged somewhere up in my throat. Fear and anxiety mix in an unbearable pain that pierces my very center with each breath I take.

I only have one comfort right now, and I try to cling to it. Temra’s safe for now, up in the mountain with over half our forces.

But, oh, how she wanted to be on the ground.

“I can fight with the mercenaries and other foot soldiers,” she’d insisted.

Before I could think of anything to say to deter her from this plan, Petrik said, “We need someone to lead our hidden force up on the mountain. You’re the only one I trust to do that.”

Temra looked between the two of us. “I didn’t get to fight last time, either! I was put on portal duty. Please don’t keep me from the action again. I’m begging you.”

“There will be action aplenty on the mountain,” Petrik assured her. “You’re not being kept from anything. You’re just being held in reserve for the second wave. We need you when the fighting grows more desperate.”

That silenced any more protests from her.

I’m so, so grateful to Petrik for knowing just what to say to her, though the selfish part of me wishes I could have her by my side right now. The comfort of her presence. At least Kellyn is beside me.

But the wait in the woods just might kill me.

From my other side, Petrik says, “Ziva, if this goes badly, I need you to do something for me.”

Expecting something along the lines of protect Temra at all costs, I say, “Of course.”

“Get to the mine,” he says.

I’m not sure I heard him correctly. “The mine?”

“Yes.”

“What am I supposed to do there?”

“You’ll know when you see it. Maybe. If it’s possible.”

“What?”

“Just trust me. I don’t want to explain, because then you’ll just get overwhelmed thinking about it.”

“You maybe know me too well,” I say.

“Just believe in yourself,” he says. “I know you can do incredible things, and if the battle takes a turn that we won’t come back from, I need you to try something. Even if it seems impossible. Okay?”

“The thing that you won’t explain because I’ll overthink it?”

“Exactly. Promise me you’ll try.”

Before I can respond, the signal floats through the trees. The high trill of a bird not found in this area. The quiet murmuring of the men instantly ceases. I hold my breath as we all wait for whoever is approaching.

We’ve covered ourselves in green and brown to blend in with the surroundings. Many of us have even tied fern fronds around our arms and legs. Others lie flat on the ground, peering through the foliage ahead. Camouflaged from view.

A lone figure walks silently through the forest. She’s not wearing Kymora’s colors, but she’s far too comfortable alone and traveling without any supplies to be anything other than one of the warlord’s soldiers.

The small woman strides with a grace that allows her to flit between the trees quickly. She’s not on the road, but just to the side of it. If we hadn’t been looking for her, no one would have spotted her.

A scout, Kellyn mouths from beside me.

What do we do? Let her go to the city and find it mostly empty? What if Kymora doesn’t attack because she suspects something?

The sound of a loosed arrow fills the quiet. It pierces right through the scout’s left eye, the shaft exiting out the back of her head.

Princess Marossa lowers herself from the tree she’d climbed, striding over to the body. I look away just in time, as I realize she’s come to retrieve her arrow.

When I turn back around, she’s wiping the blood and other matter on the dead scout’s clothing. As Marossa looks up, she finds the lot of us staring at her.

She says, “If the warlord wants to know what’s ahead, she’ll need to come see for herself. No one gets through us or has a chance to turn around and report.” Then she climbs her tree once more.