The Traitor Queen

stone-making was lost?

Though only moving at a walk, the two armies seemed to rush towards each other. Lorkin realised his heart was racing. This is it. Either I’ll be alive at the end of this, or not. Curse it – I was going to contact Mother. All around him, Traitors were reaching into their vests for the first stones. Too late now. Taking a deep breath, Lorkin did the same, taking one strike and one shield stone. As Tyvara moved to the queen’s right side, he stepped up to take his place on the left.

The gap between the two armies shrank from a few hundred paces to less than a hundred. The Queen held up a stone, ready to strike. The Speakers did the same. Looking at the enemy, Lorkin saw the determined faces of the Ashaki. Saw the scowls of hatred and the grins of anticipation. He saw the king and his blood went cold. The old man regarded the invaders of his city with a haughty stare. I’d like to personally smack that look off his—

At some signal Lorkin did not catch, both sides attacked. He could not tell who struck first. One moment the space between the armies was charged with expectation, the next it sizzled with magic. He automatically pressed on the shield stone and felt it activate and bounce against that held by the queen and the Speaker to his left until it settled between them. Savara was attacking, but Tyvara only held her strike stone at the ready, as she had instructed him to do. They would join the battle later; for now they were to protect the queen.

Both sides had come to a halt. Lorkin fought the urge to flinch away from the dangerous forces streaking between them. They did not even attempt to address each other, he realised. Not even to throw insults. According to history books, leaders of armies always invited the enemy to surrender. Not this time.

It’s not that the Traitors and Ashaki believe the other side would never accept. It’s because they aren’t offering. Each side means to eradicate the other. To kill every last Traitor or Ashaki. He shivered. Even the Ichani offered to let the Guild give in and avoid a battle.

Not striking meant he had the opportunity to watch. The Ashaki stood unmoving, whereas the Traitors were in constant motion. He had been fascinated by the method of battle they’d developed and was keen to see it in action. The queen and Speakers remained at the front and he and Tyvara stayed as the queen’s protectors. The rest of the Traitors formed columns behind the Speakers. As each reached the front they moved to stand beside a Speaker. If they took a place to the left of the Speaker, they shielded the front line; if they moved to the right, they used a strike stone. When their stone was depleted they retreated to the end of the column to let others have their turn.

This ensured that most Traitors weakened at the same rate, and that most stones were used before the magicians of the army began using their own store of power. It was much easier to respond quickly to abrupt and unexpected attacks with personal magic than with stones, so it was held in reserve.

Warning shouts came from behind. Lorkin looked back. Something was going on to the right of the Traitor army.

“What’s happening?” Savara asked.

Traitors in the columns to the right were calling out to each other. The ones closest turned to relay what they were hearing to Tyvara. Lorkin caught snatches of their report.

“Attack from the right,” Tyvara repeated. “Seven Ashaki. All dealt with.”

Lorkin saw Savara smile in relief and satisfaction and felt a small surge of triumph.

The Ashaki are fools if they think we’re not ready for this sort of attack.

“Lorkin,” Tyvara hissed.

He turned to see her frowning in worry. She jerked her head and flicked her eyes back towards the Traitor army, at the same time silently mouthing a word. His blood went cold.

Kalia.

Twisting around, he searched the faces in the columns behind her, but saw no sign of the woman. Maybe Tyvara saw someone who looked a bit like Kalia. No, she doesn’t not look at all doubtful. So where is Kalia?

Not behind Tyvara. He turned to look at the Traitors behind him and his heart turned to ice. Kalia was just a few steps away, slipping into the closest column where a Traitor was distracted, fiddling with his vest. Lorkin gasped out her name, drew magic and threw up a shield behind himself, Savara and Tyvara. It bumped up against another, and he realised Tyvara had already done the same.

“Kalia?” Savara said, her voice full of surprise. She turned to face the woman. Traitors stared in surprise as their leader’s attention shifted from the enemy. Strikes burst against Savara’s shield, but she seemed unconcerned as she faced Kalia. “What are you doing here?”

Kalia looked around at all the faces watching and paled. “I came to help.”

“I gave you an order,” Savara reminded her, an edge of annoyance and forced patience in her voice.

Kalia paused. The battle raged on. The air before Savara vibrated as the attack on her shield increased, the Ashaki hoping her distraction was a sign of weakness. The Traitors stepping up to fight did so without hesitation, while those who retreated did so a touch slower, eyeing Kalia and the queen with interest.

“But you need every—” Kalia began.

“I need you to follow orders.” Savara’s tone and expression were cold now. “How do expect to regain our trust if you will not do what you are told?” She turned away. “Go to the back and stay there.”

As Kalia retreated, Savara leaned toward Lorkin.

“What is she thinking?”

He concentrated. As before, he picked up few words, but disappointment radiated from her. Not the annoyance or anger of a foiled plan, though. Kalia’s sense of failure was laced with fear and shame. Dislike still filled her, but not murderous intent.

“I don’t think she was planning anything,” he said.

Savara nodded. “Shield me.”

“Already am,” he heard Tyvara say quietly. “Someone should go back and keep an eye on her.”

Savara shook her head. “No. It is us she hates. She will not deliberately harm other Traitors.” Her gaze was fixed on the Ashaki. She took a step forward. A moment later the Speakers followed suit. Looking ahead, Lorkin saw some of the Ashaki shuffle backwards. A ripple of excitement went through the Traitors.

Savara chuckled. “Either they’re weakening, losing confidence, or are leading us into a trap.”

“What do we do?” Tyvara asked.

“See which one it is,” the queen answered. “It’s time you made use of your strike stones. If we spot a trap and you suddenly start striking, we’ll warn them that we know what they’re up to. I’d rather leave them guessing whether we’ve noticed it for as long as possible.”

Smiling, she took a longer step forward, and then another.

Chapter 28 Victory and Defeat

As Skellin’s fingers touched Lilia’s forehead she could not help flinching away. He reached for her again, his eyes boring into hers.

“If I think you’re delaying, or you cause me pain, my mother will cut your friend’s ears and nose off,” he growled.

Heart racing, Lilia lowered her eyes. And once I do, he’ll want more. He’ll threaten to hurt her until I’ve taught him everything. Then he’ll kill us both. I may as well stick with my plan. If I fail, at least we’d get the pain and dying over with sooner. But I will have to be quick. Give him no time to react.

Reaching out, she grabbed his wrists as if to stop him, then let him press his hands to her temples. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, gathered enough power to smash through a strong shield and sent it out from her right palm in a stabbing forcestrike.

She felt the barrier beneath her fingers part under the unexpected and finely focused attack. It worked! Surprised, she started drawing power, relying on the paralysing effect to keep him from