Of Whispers and Daggers ✓ [TLRQ #2]

Chapter 47 - Aster

D'orien died this morning. Ollem brought the note from Illesiarr with my breakfast.

Selenia does call for reduced rations and sounds surprisingly firm on the matter. All the servants that come to the kitchens have to go through a specific maid for food. She also decreed, to cut down on sending for too many plates, that it will cost the Lady that sent for food a brass castle a plate. A brass castle is as much as the average citizen earns in a full day of work. I would be more concerned if I didn't know that the headmaids will make sure the servants are taken care of.

I skip lunch again, and not just because of the food situation. I don't know if the stress is finally catching up to me or if D'orien's death rattles me more than all the rest, but I have no appetite.

Dinner comes, and I force myself to eat a small meal. Only another hour passes before I receive a note from Reyan.

The Kadranians are at the wall.

* * *

The dying sun backdrops another Kadranian as he heaves himself over the battlement in front of me. I cast, and he topples backward, just enough for the field at the wall to catch him. He screams as it shoves him down and away.

I stumble. This is only the fifth time I've telekinesed someone tonight, but my bones already feel like jelly. As I retreat from the front lines, a soldier takes my place. I'm not quite sure how in my logic about food yesterday I missed the fact that I also intended to be on the wall. I should have made myself eat.

I know how to press on, though, and I crouch beside an archer who doesn't have someone to light for him. The next hour passes quickly, but thankfully, the bowman doesn't hold his hand out for an arrow as often as the last battle. The Kadranians aren't coming as fast, and they're getting knocked down quicker. Xíeme's defense is working, and through the aching in my head, I celebrate that.

Eventually, I rise onto shaky feet. I have to take a break, or I'll collapse on this wall again. When I look toward the Kadranians, though, it seems like most of them have retreated out of range. A ladder lifts up and off the wall, and then the others come down as well. One of them suddenly pushes backward, and a scream splits the air as it falls on its bearer. The Kadranians level the other ladders to the ground before our telekinetics can pull the trick again.

Reyan appears beside me. Surprised, I look over to him. Our men let out a cheer at the Kadranians' fleeing backs.

"Did we just win?" I ask him.

"This one," he says.

I stare after the savages. "That's good."

"They weren't expecting the defense, or for your men to start trying to knock their ladders onto them as they were putting them up. They'll learn."

"But we won." I crack a smile at him, lightheaded probably more from exhaustion than victory.

He turns toward the tower door. "It won't last long."