The monster dropped dead at his feet. Loosening a breath, the world tilted, as he slowly spun, taking in the crowd. Everyone had stopped, staring at him with wide eyes, as the world tilted, and he collapsed, losing himself into nothingness, whispers chasing him away from the light. Purring and coaxing him into the darkness.
12
Brokk
“Now who can tell me the practical uses for these plants? Mr. Foster?” He snapped to attention to see Nei looking at him with soft eyes, the rest of the classroom seemingly half asleep. Two days had passed since they had come back to the Academy. Everything and nothing had changed.
Clearing his throat, he rasped, “If they are boiled, the gases are airborne poison.”
Wyatt chuckled from the back far corner. “Maybe we should gather up the lot and use it against Stratton’s dad.”
Laughter rippled and Nei snapped, “That is quite enough. You know the rules everyone. Let’s stay on task. Yes, Brokk, you are correct.” She continued to drone on about how to counteract and heal yourself against this gas, but he lost interest. Shifting in his seat, he angled his body slightly and looked out of the corner of his eye.
Adair stared out the window, looking gaunt, bruised dark circles imprinted underneath his eyes. He was a world away from them and this classroom.
Ripping his gaze back, staring blankly at the notes in front of him. Brokk was still in shock when Roque ordered classes to be resumed until the funeral tomorrow. And after that Stratton had a bloody reception scheduled to award his bravery against the dabarne that he had killed. He gripped the desk’s edge, trying not to break it in half. The school was in a lockdown, no one allowed to go anywhere without supervision, and absolutely no one could go outside. Emory assured him it was the best thing to do in a time of crisis, but he wasn’t so sure. Going through empty actions while the Faes and Tadeas were locked away scrambling on how to deal with the situation at hand felt pointless. A low hum of excitement spread around him as the minutes slipped away, tolling toward the end of class. A lot of people thought Nei’s instruction was pointless, but to him, learning about what the earth could provide as weapons and as aides was the most important lesson anyone could learn. And Nei, being a healer from the Isles, was the best of her trade, her mind an endless supply of knowledge.
The bell tolled, and everyone jumped to life around him, practically running out of the classroom. Quietly collecting his things, he groaned as he stood, his joints popping and cracking viciously. A gentle tug across his mind made his eyes snap up. Again, there it was small at first, but then Memphis’s voice rattled against the walls of his consciousness. “I need you here. Quick.”
Trying to act normal, Brokk gave Nei a weak smile before following his classmates out, a lot of them in pairs, their discussions low and intense. A lot of friends had been lost. A lot of people he had grown up with, in an instant, they had become a memory.
“Where are you?” He made the thought concrete, knowing his friend would hear him. Images flew through his mind instantly and without hesitation, and he quickly complied, his feet carrying him to the small library he had visited countless times. He slipped in the room, shutting the door behind him. Memphis was bouncing on his heels, looking at him with wild eyes.
He paused. “Memph, are you okay?”
Shaking his head, his smooth voice filled his mind once more. “No. Quick, just trust me.”
Brokk froze, unsure of what his friend wanted him to do.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, exhaling hard he started to pace. “Memphis, what’s happening?”
He stopped, looking at him but not quite seeing him. He was listening in on another conversation. Quickly, Memphis grabbed his arm and closed his eyes.
He felt a strong ringing fill his senses, and then he succumbed, Memphis projecting what he was hearing like their own private intercom.
“Are you threatening us?” Roque’s voice was low and dangerous.
A man laughed, cold and unyielding. “On the contrary. I have come today to warn you that your efforts will be pointless. What is left of the capital to accept your new title? My clan has seen Sarthaven, and it wormed full with creatures from your worst nightmares, breeding in the shadows and ripping every soul apart. Except Cesan and his company. We barely made it here safely. So, I have come today on our way back to the Risco Desert to tell the one thing I do know. He is preparing to march on you, Roque, with an army not seen before by men.”
Silence fell heavy and Tadeas whispered, “I have to go back to the Isles. I didn’t come here to die.”
“You will leave us in our time of need?”
Tadeas snarled. “I have lost some of my best men on the efforts of this allegiance. How many more? Me? My son? What will become of the Isles then, with no one to rule it?”
Roque slammed his fist down onto the table. “What will become of Kiero if you leave? Please, Tadeas.” The desperation made his voice crack.
Sighing, Tadeas gruffly asked, “What can we do against an impossible army? How do we beat it?”
The raider chuckled. “That is for you to figure out. Maybe it’s time to consult some of our own myths long forgotten by the likes of you. Maybe the only way to win this war is to consult magic.”
Tadeas laughed. “Magic? You’ve got to be kidding me?”
But Roque paused, and the raider chuckled. “The King of Kiero seems to know what I am talking about. But work swiftly. You maybe have days.”
He almost
