Wylde Magic | Book 3

Thirty Five: Falling Walls

"The Summer court?" I breathed.

Spaulder flew us over the newest part of the city wall to be assaulted. Just as it had at the gate and just as it had at the cliffs by the grotto, the Winter army flung itself at our defenses in an unending stream until they broke through.

"Caw!" 

The scene below unfolded like a scroll. I couldn't see how far it went  without tearing my stare from the smaller details of the battlefield, but it felt in the corner of my eye that it stretched far. I watched a horrid black tree spirit claw open one of our warriors. My eyes could only moved a small distance before landing on the next horror as the body of something large moved forward, cutting through its own allies to charge at the wall. A part of Thanantholl where the cliffs weren't so high and a wall had been built to continue the steep protections of the city.

And the more my eyes darted along the battle, the worse it got. Once I got a clearer look at the scrimmage of the risen dead and the Summer court, I could at least tell they were on opposing sides.

But to what end?

"Aithne!" I shouted as Spaulder flew us over the wall and closer to the unexpected army now nipping at the heels of the Winter forces. Aithne didn't look up, either not hearing me or not caring as she cut down her targets. 

It was no wonder she was held so highly by her queen, the carnage at her feet was bold and bloodied against the crisp, light grass. Her golden hair had loosed from its once stately bun and the stark white linen under her brass armor. The two males she kept company with were nowhere in sight. They either meant nothing to her, or they were fit enough to battle on their own terms elsewhere in the chaos. 

'What do you need, little one?' Spaulder asked.

'We need to warn the others that Aithne is here, although it looks like she's helping rather than hurting.'

Spaulder let out a low growl, the vibrations moving into my bones as he flew us higher and away from the Summer court and their assault. 

'I do not like that one,' Spaulder said. 'I do not trust her.'

'That's true,' I admitted. 'She may betray us after she purges the risen from our walls, but for now we must at least warn the others.'

'Very well, little witch,' Spaulder answered. 'I will take you back to the gates.'

I could tell from his stiff movements that he was tiring. The constant back and forth across the city and the flying high above the battle was taking its toll on him.

'You can't keep this up,' I said. 'Can you land anywhere and still see some of the battle?'

'Do not worry over me, little one. I will rise as surely as the tides. I tire in my age, but I will not falter.'

"Caw!"

I let it go, because in the end there really is no arguing with a dragon. 

As he landed near the gates, barely avoiding trampling anyone as the rear of the gate's warriors was a bustle of aide to the injured and refreshing of the magically depleted. I barely allowed Spaulder's feet to touch the ground before sliding off of his back and pushing my way into the fray. 

"Eberon!" I cried out. "Thain!" 

Shoving past whatever bodies were there, I brought fire around my hands. One orange, and one purple. It earned me a berth in the crowd enough that I could see the dark flashes of Thain's lashing rage, and I pushed on.