heat was this intense, how much worse would it become when they tried to pass into the city? Only Gerta appeared unaffected, her hands tucked into her sleeves for warmth as she stared at the wall.
“We can walk from here.” Gerta dismounted and stepped away from her horse.
“Wait here, please,” Danielle said to the horses as she and Talia followed suit.
They started toward the gate, but made it only a short distance further before the heat grew too intense. Talia grimaced and said, “Subtle they’re not.”
“You thought we’d simply waltz into the city to request an audience with the king?” asked Danielle.
“You did tell him we were coming, didn’t you?” Talia cupped her hands to her mouth, then froze.
“What’s wrong?” asked Danielle.
Talia tilted her head to one side and sniffed the air. “Magic.”
Gerta laughed. “The three-story wall of blue fire gave it away, did it?”
Talia didn’t smile. She turned around, squinting at the trees behind them. She reached under her cape.
Gerta’s smile vanished as she grabbed Talia’s wrist. “Are you mad? Draw weapons here, in full view of the towers, and you’re dead. Not even you can dodge the Stormcrows’ magic.”
Talia scowled, but withdrew her hand. “So what would you suggest we do about them?” She pointed to the woods.
These wasps were bigger than the ones Danielle remembered, their buzz lower in pitch. She counted seven streaking from the trees. “Get as close to the wall as you can. They won’t like the heat.”
The horses ignored her. Between Talia, the wall, and the wasps, it was all too much. They nickered and galloped away, fleeing toward the woods. Danielle did nothing to stop them. The wasps didn’t appear to care about the animals. The horses were probably safer in the woods than they would be if they stayed here.
Talia snarled and jerked her sword free of its sheath. “The Stormcrows can’t kill us for defending ourselves.”
“They can, actually,” said Gerta, but she drew a dagger of her own.
Sweat stung Danielle’s eyes as she backed toward the flames. The wasps flew at chest height, fast as sling stones. They split into two groups to attack from both sides. Danielle ducked as they buzzed over her head and circled back away from the fire.
Gerta jumped back, yanking her cloak away from her body. A wasp clung to the material, its mirrored stinger tearing one hole after another.
“Don’t move,” said Talia. Her sword smashed the wasp to the ground.
Gerta yelped. One hand went to her ear, as if checking to make sure Talia hadn’t severed it. Talia simply grinned and swung at another wasp.
“You said the wall would allow Snow to pass, because she was of royal blood?” Danielle asked. “You’re her sister. Will the wall recognize you?”
Gerta bit her lip, her face pale. “I… I don’t know. If I’m truly Snow’s sister-”
“Do it.” Danielle shoved her away. “They can’t follow you into the flames. Stay within it as long as you can, until they’re gone.”
Gerta hadn’t quite reached the wall when the wasps regrouped for a second attack. Danielle braced herself.
Blue fire crackled through the air like the breath of a dragon. Smoke and steam exploded from the earth. Four of the wasps vanished in an eyeblink, blasted to vapor. The rest tumbled to the ground, their wings dripping to nothing.
Talia swore. Fire flickered on the edge of her cape. She threw herself into the mud, rolling back and forth until the flame was completely smothered.
The column of fire continued to burn a few moments longer, roaring almost as loudly as a living dragon. It originated from the top of the wall, arcing outward like water from a fountain. It died in much the same fashion, thinning to a trickle that fell back into the wall. Danielle jumped to the side to avoid small bits of flame that splashed down.
“Are you all right?” Talia asked.
Danielle nodded. Talia appeared unhurt, as did Gerta, who stood frozen at the wall as if uncertain what to do next.
“Snow knows we’re here.” Talia brushed mud from her cape, a futile gesture that only spread the dirt. “If she didn’t before, she does now.”
“You think her wasps were following us?” Danielle asked.
“More likely she sent them here as scouts. If she’d known where we were, she would have attacked already.” Talia peered up at the wall. “I want to know why Snow never built us something like this back in Lorindar.”
“She couldn’t,” said Gerta. “The raw materials alone would cost more than your kingdom is worth. The fence is made of-” She jumped back as a man stepped through the wall beside her. The fire splattered from his body like rain, hissing where the individual flames touched the earth.
He was clearly one of the city’s wizards, but he didn’t look like any wizard Danielle had seen before. For one thing, he was wearing armor. The mail appeared to be made of gold and steel, the individual rings little thicker than wire. The gold links wove a swirling pattern like snakes converging toward his heart. His only weapon was an ebony-handled athame at his hip. He wore a black half-cape and matching trousers tucked into fur-lined boots.
He doffed a metal helm and gave a slight bow of greeting. He was slender and bald, his brown scalp shining in the firelight. Even his eyebrows had been shaved. He studied them each in turn, but kept most of his attention on Gerta. When he spoke, his words were calm, but firm.
“He’s warning us, ever so politely, that we’ll be killed should we attempt to fight or flee,” Talia said, never taking her eyes from the wizard. “His fellow Stormcrows listen from the towers. He wants to know who Gerta is and how she approached so close to the wall.”
“Be careful what you say.” Danielle glanced at the puddle where one of the wasps had fallen. A sliver of glass lay half-buried in the mud. “They may not be the only ones listening.”
Talia continued to translate as Gerta said, “My friends and I need to enter the city.”
“I’m sorry,” said the Stormcrow. “Those things that attacked you, this isn’t the first time we’ve fought them. They possess their victims. At least four Stormcrows have been turned, along with gods know how many civilians. We’re working to track them down, but we can’t risk letting more inside.”
“So you’re saying your magic can’t even show whether or not we’re infected?” Talia asked.
He almost smiled. “I sense no evil in you, but it’s the height of arrogance to assume none are powerful enough to conceal their spells from me. We prefer not to take the risk.”
“So instead you’ll wait for the next swarm to fly over the wall and attack your people?”
This time, his smile broke free. “They’ve tried three times. The flames stretch up as well as out.”
Gerta folded her arms. “Unless things have changed since my last visit, that cape marks you as an officer. You can communicate directly with the king, and he with you?”
“If the need arises, yes.”
“Good.” Gerta kicked mud over the exposed slivers of glass, then stepped past him and plunged her hands into the flame before he could stop her. In a low voice that barely carried over the sound of the fire, she said, “Please let Laurence know that his cousin, Princess Rose Gertrude Curtana, wishes to speak with him.”
The Stormcrows moved with impressive speed. Gerta barely had time to remove her hands from the wall before two more armored Stormcrows stepped through to seize her arms.
Talia dropped into a low stance. One hand went to her sword. The remaining Stormcrow, the officer, raised his hands and spread his fingers in response. Talia’s lips pulled back, and her heart beat faster. She should have no problem taking him out before he could cast a spell, but his companions were another matter.
“Don’t,” Danielle said softly. “It’s not like we can fight our way through this wall.”
“How will you know unless you try?” But Talia forced herself to relax.
The Stormcrow lowered his hands, though he kept a wary eye on Talia. “The king says to bring them in.” To Danielle, he said, “My name is Forssel, Captain of the northern wing of the King’s Stormcrows. These are Colville and Vachel. We’ll be escorting you to the palace.”
