Her Cinder Throne (Completed)

Chapter 89

Tanwyn was right. This was the last battle. Even if she and all her best generals died here, it would make no difference. For even if they lived, but failed their mission to destroy Thijs, then the outcome would be the same. They would fight perhaps one month more, and then fall to the gathering darkness that Thijs commanded.

As they reached the last bit of neutral territory, Mabon approached her from her other side. His sword was already out, and she drew hers as well.

"We're going to get through as fast as we can," Mabon said, his eyes scanning the buildings around them. "You'll be in a fortified group in the center, protected as best as we can offer. Your group will be pushed through by the surrounding battalions, with the goal of getting you to the palace gates as quickly as we can. We've put as many strong magic wielders as we can in your group in order to blast down the walls and protect you once on the grounds."

Cole nodded. "We'll get into the palace and find Thijs, then try and isolate him from Gethwine or Bastian, whoever is there. Once they are all separated, they should be easier to take down."

Tanwyn snorted. "Thijs will be easy to take down once his minions are separated from him," he said. "He might have once been a fierce fighter, but he's old now. And dark magic does nothing to maintain that youthful glow."

Cole rolled her eyes, but she knew he was right. Thijs wouldn't be a problem to dispatch, it was getting him away from his soldiers, the Cursed, Bastian, and Gethwine. Which meant that they'd all have to fight the hardest they ever had in their lives in order to accomplish that.

"Our targets are Gethwine and Thijs," Cole said. "If they are both gone, hopefully that will discourage the soldiers from fighting any longer. They have no reason to fear or fight any longer when the only two leaders are gone."

"What about Bastian?" Tanwyn asked, his voice sharp. "And the other Cursed?"

Cole hesitated for a moment. She tried not to think of the prince she had once known in the castle. The one who had looked with worry filled eyes on his mother, who had scars across his back, and a heart at least big enough to offer her information on her mother. She tried to instead remember that he was Thijs' son, and that he hadn't let her mother go. She wanted to remember him as the foolish prince who spent lavishly while his people starved. She held that image, however hard it was to conjure, as she responded.

"We'll see if we can undo what Thijs forced on him, but if we can't... we'll dispose of him along with any other Cursed that threatens us," she bit out, the words feeling as hard and bitter as fruit pits.

Mabon nodded. "I'll pass the word," he said. "We'll be entering the danger zone in a moment. I pledge my life to yours, Queen Caspia, and we'll do our best to get you and your squadron to Thijs." He pressed a hand across his chest and over his heart, before falling back into their ranks to give the orders.

A moment later, they turned a corner and saw their first glimpse of Thijs' army packed into the roadway like pickled herring in crates. Tents were haphazardly erected alongside the buildings, littered with trash and other things Cole didn't want to look at too closely. The men sat or stood in huddles, only in the barest armor and sagging with exhaustion. They didn't even notice, at first, the opposing army approaching them from the city's edge, and instead were too busy keeping themselves upright and staring into the air as they sought whatever solace they could in their own minds. It was a boosting sight to Cole and her army, as it meant that they had no idea that they would be attacked, and thus would not be prepared. This gave Cole's smaller army a much needed advantage.

A small stir ran through the closest of Thijs' men as they looked up and caught sight of the Eldritch and humans descending on them, but Mabon did not give them much time to spread the alarm. He raised his hand, his sword glinting in the light, and lowered it as he belted out a battle cry. The rest of the generals followed suit, and then they men joined in, rushing forward into the tight streets to hack their way through the human obstacles.