Fury's Mantle Read online

  Elan escorted me back to our chambers, where Patrice took one look at me and hurried over.

  “Your Majesty, are you all right? Zed sent word that you wouldn’t be back for bed last night, but I expected to see you early morning.”

  “I’m sorry you were worried. We had a meeting that extended all night long. I have about three hours to take a nap, so please, help me get these clothes off of me, and while I’m resting, I need you to prepare my clothes for this afternoon. We will be speaking to the entire village of Willow Wood, so I need to look authoritative, and yet it needs to be easy to get into. The easier it is, the longer I can rest. I have to be done and ready by about quarter of noon.”

  She quickly helped me out of my clothes and tumbled me into bed without even a nightgown. As she wrapped the covers up around my shoulders, I wondered if I’d be able to sleep, so much was on my mind. But before she even returned to the room, I was out like a light, deep into a dreamless, heavy slumber.

  BY ELEVEN FORTY-FIVE, Tam and I were dressed and waiting for the stragglers to gather at the central square in Willow Wood. The guards had erected a portable pavilion we used whenever we needed to preside over a festival or a village-wide meeting. We would wait until everyone was assembled, then ascend to our thrones and begin the meeting. I was still achingly tired, but the sleep had taken the edge off, along with a dose of Sarinka’s xoomite. It gave me an edgy feeling, but had woken me up enough to make me feel bright-eyed and bushytailed. A little too bright-eyed, but nobody would notice once we started speaking. I felt incredibly nervous, though, and I couldn’t help but wonder what the reactions to our announcement would be.

  I glanced at Tam, who stood by my side. “How did your people react when you moved UnderBarrow in the past?”

  “The people of UnderBarrow know that I do what I do out of necessity. If there were any complaints they kept them to themselves. But remember, while UnderBarrow oversees Willow Wood, technically they aren’t part of UnderBarrow. If they don’t want to go, we can’t force them. And of course there will be those who see us as turning tail and abandoning them. Either way, their reactions aren’t something that we can carry on our shoulders.”

  I nodded, wondering how long it would take me to develop his cool and composed nature. He had been born to his position, like I had been born to mine, but there was a vast difference between being born to royalty and being born a mutant. Because really, that’s what Theosians were—the Sandspit and its rogue magic had mutated my DNA. I seldom thought about myself like that, but it was true.

  He gave me a long look. “You aren’t scared, are you?

  I shrugged. “Not exactly scared. I suppose I’m wondering what they’ll think of us after this. Will they respect us? Will they be angry? Will they resent having to pick up stakes and—”

  “Enough,” Tam said, stroking my face. “What they think and how they react is of no consequence in the long run. They will either come with us and adapt, or they won’t. They have those two choices. And those who can accept change, we will accept into UnderBarrow. When we reach the Shining Lands, we’ll begin again. It will be easier. My parents will help us.”

  “I’m sure they will,” I said, even though I wasn’t sure of any such thing.

  Lord Aiek and Lady Ishara hadn’t spent much time talking to me during our wedding. And we hadn’t heard much from them since then, except for receiving a rather expensive and ostentatious set of wedding gifts. Among other things, they had given me a floor-length fur cloak that put every other fur coat or cloak to shame. It was gorgeous, and I had no clue what kind of fur it was, but whatever the animal, I kind of wanted to see one alive. It was so heavy and warm, and so over the top that I never wore it. I would probably have to get used wearing it, though, given what we were about to do.

  The heralds blew the trumpets again and I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. It was noon on the dot. Time for us to begin the meeting. Tam held up his hand, and I placed my palm in it. With only our fingers touching, we proceeded from the cloaked-off section behind the thrones out onto the dais, and there we ascended the steps up to the hand-carved oaken chairs that served as our temporary seats of authority. The gods were on their way. At least, Hecate, Thor, and the Dagda were coming. We didn’t want them here quite yet, but had chosen to bring them in for effect.

  Damh Varias stepped out in front of where we were sitting. He held up his hand as I looked around. It looked like most of the village had made it, though I knew there were probably a few holdouts.

  “People of Willow Wood, we ask that you listen, and save your questions for later. There have been some serious developments over the past few weeks, and your king and queen bring you news today. Note: there will be no fighting, and no argument. All skirmishes will be put to an end by the guards, immediately. We expect your full cooperation, and in fact, no one will be leaving the area until you go through one of the four checkpoints at each corner of the town square. You must register with the checkpoint guard before you will be allowed to leave the square today. Lord Tam will inform you as to why.”

  A swell of whispers went through the audience. Damh Varias stepped back as Zed and Elan flanked our sides. Tam stood, but I remained seating as we had agreed earlier.

  “Well met, people of Willow Wood. As Damh Varias said, we have news and it is not good. I will not sugarcoat it, nor am I going to pussyfoot around it. As some of you know, there have been some serious lycanthrope attacks over the past few weeks. This has not been limited to our village. In fact, right now a third of our guards are fighting on Verdanya’s side, trying to stave off a massive lycanthrope attack there.”

  Murmured gasps could be heard, and muttering, but nobody interrupted Tam just yet.

  “The lycanthropes will win the battle. Verdanya will fall. I tell you this not to be pessimistic nor to frighten you, but in a realistic assessment of the situation. You see, we have learned that Fenrir, the Fenris Wolf, has emerged into our world and he is attempting to bring about a Ragnarök. He has gathered the lycanthropes behind him, and they march under his banner. Soon—we don’t know how quickly, but we know it is coming—the Jötnar will be arriving. For those who do not know who they are, I give you Lord Thor to explain.”

  Tam motioned toward the enclosure from which we had come.

  Thor popped out, his massive hammer in hand. He had taken the time to braid his hair, and even his beard, and he was wearing a flowing red cloak that only underscored his strength and power. He took to the stage in front of us as Tam returned to his throne.

  Thor held up one hand to stave off the new swell of murmurs that ran through the audience.

  “People of Willow Wood, listen well to your leader. Lord Tam, King of UnderBarrow, is telling you the truth. This is a grave situation, and it’s only the beginning. Fenrir is a shifter, he can appear as a large mesmerizing man, and he usually walks flanked by four wolves who keep pace at his side. He can also appear as a massive giant wolf, bigger than this dais, and do not fool yourselves into believing that he bears any compassion. He will eat you alive, be you woman or child or man. He will set his lycanthrope army on you, ordering them to kill what they will.”

  Thor looked around. The people of the village had fallen silent, staring at him with open fear on their faces. I was relieved. They needed to be afraid.

  “As far as the Jötnar and Ragnarök… Allow me to enlighten you. The prophecies say that Fenrir will help lead the world into Ragnarök—supposedly the final battle, but I believe that it’s is merely another massive war in the world. It was considered the final battle many thousands of years ago when the Norse people knew only of their own kind. This coming battle will destroy a massive number of lives and bring the Fimbulwinter upon us.”

  He paused, looking around as the whispers died away. “The Fimbulwinter will be unlike all other winters. The Jötnar—giants from Niflheim—will march through the world and destroy whatever they can. It’s in their nature to conqu
er. The lands will be filled with giants and ice and snow and blood and death. Jörmungandr, the world serpent, will do his best to fight against Gaia. While nothing can take out the Earth Goddess herself, during that battle you may expect volcanoes to erupt, earthquakes to shake the world, everything that you’ve seen in the World Shift played out a hundred times over. It will be worse than the first World Shift.”

  Tam stood, scanning the audience. The villagers were staring with stark faces, many of them crying outright. He took a step down to stand beside Thor.

  “You begin to understand what we are facing. This is no simple lycanthrope invasion, but a world war brought on by the quest for power. We thought that we were done with that when we settled this village. We thought we could rebuild. But until Fenrir is dealt with, and Ragnarök settled, no one is safe.” He motioned to me and I joined them.

  “His Majesty and I have made a decision,” I said. “We ask you to think of joining us in UnderBarrow. We will be moving into the Shining Lands. How long we’ll be there, we do not know. But we cannot, in good conscience, do so without offering you the chance to escape with us. I know that many of you don’t know what the Shining Lands are. Quite simply, just as Lord Tam moved UnderBarrow here from the Sandspit, so he will be moving it into the realm of Fae. And you, our beloved villagers and friends, are welcome to come with us, should you choose. You will be required to pledge your allegiance to Lord Tam and to me with unquestioning obedience. We cannot guarantee safety, but we can promise to do our best to protect you and help you settle in a space that is not torn asunder by war.”

  Tam held out his hand and I placed my hand in his. We stood there, facing our people, letting what we said sink in. A moment later, Hecate and the Dagda joined us. I turned, and curtseyed to both of them.

  “Lady Hecate and Lord Dagda have further announcements. Please give them your attention.” Tam and I retreated to our thrones again.

  Hecate stepped forward, wearing her formal robes. She looked quite different in her indigo gown and dazzling crown than she usually did, and far more intimidating.

  “The gods of Gudarheim have discussed this amongst ourselves. We have all agreed that we will stay and fight on the side of Thor and Odin and Freya, against Fenrir and the Jötnar. We will not be venturing into the Shining Lands, but instead will stay and battle so that you may have a place to return to. We urge you to pledge yourself to UnderBarrow and take refuge in the Shining Lands. If you stay here, you will probably be pressed into service to fight. For that, I fear, is our only choice: to do battle. You cannot remain neutral. You will either be for Fenrir and Ragnarök, or you will be for Gaia and this world.”

  There was a shriek at the back of the crowd, and from where I was sitting I could see that the guards were trying to restrain somebody who was having a panic attack. I let out a sigh, wondering how many people would panic and run into the woods and then find themselves at the mercy of the lycanthropes.

  Tam stood once again. “Before you leave the square today, register with one of the guards at the four checkpoints. If you have already made up your mind whether you will stay or go, please tell them. If you are undecided, you have until tomorrow morning to make a decision. The guards will go door to door to ask at that time. It will be your last chance. You have until sunrise to make your decision. UnderBarrow can hold everybody in this village if you choose to go with us. Once we have reached the Shining Lands we will set to building new homes and getting everybody situated. As of this moment, we are planning to shift UnderBarrow within the next few days. Events may change our timeline, however, so don’t dither.”

  He paused as a rider galloped into the town square. I recognized him as one of our guards. Leonard darted forward, and after a quick word, motioned for him to come marching up through the aisle toward the dais.

  “Your Majesty, Triton has news you will want to hear.” Leonard looked so grave that I knew something had happened.

  “Come up here and tell us.” Tam motioned for Triton, Leonard, myself, and Thor to move off to the side. Damh Varias kept an eye on the crowd as Hecate and the Dagda continued to speak to them.

  Triton was bleeding from several cuts, and he looked exhausted. But he managed a salute and then knelt in front of us, unable to hold himself up.

  Tam and I knelt. Leonard kept an eye on everything that was going on, looking nervous. The crowd was unsettled.

  “What happened, man?” Tam asked.

  Triton looked up at him, tears racing down his cheeks. “Your Majesty, Verdanya has fallen. The lycanthropes have killed the king. Our men were slaughtered. Whoever trained the lycanthropes has trained them well. Only a few of our men made it out alive. They’re on the road, trying to get back here. Survivors from Verdanya will be trickling in, the lucky few who escaped. It was a massacre.”

  Tam and I looked at each other, silent. It was what we had expected, but now that it was here, it made everything so much more real.

  Chapter 12

  EVERYTHING SHIFTED INTO high gear. Tam and I cloistered ourselves, along with the Sea-Council, in the Blue room. Leonard brought Triton in after the medics looked him over. He was covered in bandages, and carrying what looked like the remains of a large sandwich.

  “I see they found you something to eat? Good,” Tam said without waiting for an answer. “I’m going to have Damh Varias debrief you in a few moments, but before then, tell me. How many men do you think escaped? And how many citizens do you think escaped onto the roads? I know you can’t possibly give us a complete answer, but in your estimation, what do you think we can expect in terms of people straggling in here?”

  Triton shook his head, looking defeated. “That’s a difficult question to answer. During the siege, they burned Verdanya to the ground. It was a cloud of fire and smoke, and there is no accurate way for me to be able to tell you how many people survived. When I saw the king beheaded, I knew that it was over. I knew I had to come tell you. I don’t know how many of our men survived, nor do I know how many citizens made it out. I know there were some on the road, but I also know there are a lot of lycanthropes out there prowling around. Which means travelers are fair game.”

  Elan let out a gasp. She kept her place, but I looked over at her, realizing our mistake. Her father was the king of Verdanya, and somehow, it had slipped my mind during all the chaos. We should have told her privately before the council began.

  Tam must have realized our gaffe at the same time I did. He motioned to Jason. “Go ahead, go on out.”

  Jason reached for Elan, but she shook him off. “No,” she said, struggling to keep her composure. “I want to know everything. I’ll be all right. It’s just…” Her words drifted off as she caught my gaze. The look on her face was bleak, but determined.

  “Are you sure you want to stay for this?” I asked.

  “Yes, Your Majesty. Please, let me stay. There’s nothing I can do to change matters and we have so much work to do.” Her voice was gravelly, as though she might cry at any moment, but I realized that she needed the work to keep herself busy, to keep herself from thinking about what was happening in her hometown.

  “If you think you’re capable of sitting through this, you’re welcome to stay. But it’s fine if you need to take some time.” I stared at her, trying to gauge whether we should order her out. But Elan was trained well, and she took her duties seriously. Her father had disowned her, and she had thrown her lot in with ours, which probably meant it was best to let her stay.

  Triton winced. I realized he hadn’t recognized Elan’s connection to Verdanya.

  “I did not realize… Your Majesty?” He said it hesitantly, as if not sure what to call her.

  “I was disowned. I do not belong to Verdanya anymore, so please, just call me Elan. You said the rest of my family got out all right?”

  He nodded. “As far as I know. I don’t know where they went, and I doubt if I can find out. But the king sent them into hiding when the attack began. All I
know is that they got away safely. Whether they reached their destination, I have no clue.”

  Elan nodded. “Thank you. But that gives me some hope. I think I know where they went, but it’s too dangerous to check.”

  Leonard turned to me. “Your Majesty, permission to take a scouting party to check on the royal family?”

  I let out a long sigh, not wanting to answer because I knew what my answer would have to be. Luckily, Tam took over for me.

  “No, Lieutenant. I cannot spare any of our men on what would be most likely a suicide mission. I hope you understand, Elan.”

  Elan nodded, her lips pressed together.

  “Is there anything else you can remember about the attacks, or about anything surrounding the attacks?” Damh Varias asked.

  Triton leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, as if trying to remember. Finally, he let out another long sigh.

  “Two things stick out in my mind, other than the slaughter and the battle. One—the lycanthropes used fire as a weapon. I thought they were afraid of it, but they carried torches into the village of Verdanya like they might carry banners. And I think I saw something else but I can’t be sure.” He turned to me. “Your Majesty, I believe that I saw several Abominations at the head of some of the troops.”

  I stared at him. “Are you sure?” Abominations didn’t work with anybody. They were fairly nomadic, isolated, and pretty much focused on their own agendas.

  But Triton nodded. “Actually, I’m positive. I’m good at reading their natures,” he added.

  I blinked, then remembered that during the first year Hecate and I had set up the training program, Triton had taken it. He had been fairly adept at reading an Abomination signature, and when he left, I wasn’t sure what had happened to him. I had no clue that he had entered our guard.