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“They’re coming,” I said and handed the spyglass to Grand Wizard Seelain. Many officers and military tacticians had scoffed at Prince Reveron’s prediction. They said it would be a waste of military assets to watch the passages through the Pyrenees Mountains. That was why Grand Wizard Seelain had volunteered, and brought me along.
Wizard Seelain crept to the outer line of stunted fir trees that hid us from the enemy below. She raised the brass telescopic device to her right eye and focused on the valley’s narrow mouth. “Prince Reveron was indeed correct. They are coming.”
We huddled in the secluded observation point a short distance from our camp. It was late afternoon, and the mountains would soon block the sun’s light.
“They’ll pass through to make camp further up the valley,” I said, “where it broadens near the spring.”
Grand Wizard Seelain returned the spyglass. “I agree, Flank Hawk.” She opened her satchel and pulled out a small, leather-bound book and pencil. “We will depart soon after the sun sets. Until then, let us identify and count the forces which Fendra Jolain sends against us.” Wizard Seelain didn’t bother to conceal her hatred for the Goddess of Healing as she uttered the name.
The grand wizard wore a buckskin jacket and breeches over a sky-blue cotton blouse. Her white, almost translucent, hair hung in two long braids. I wasn’t sure of her exact age, but she was at least thirty summers. And in our travels I’d discovered a few things about her many didn’t know, like the surges of magic that coursed along her body when she got angry. As the assigned personal guard of the fiancé to Prince Reveron, I’d felt the prickling elemental energy more than once.
I avoided meeting her sky blue eyes. Partly because the left eye remained a shade darker than the right, ever reminding me of how I’d once nearly failed as her assigned guard. More so now, because they were narrowing. She was formulating a plan—without a doubt, plotting a way to dissuade the prince from again stepping forth to confront an enemy.
Words like ‘dissuade’ and ‘plotting’ weren’t ones I normally used. They’re what Prince Reveron said of Grand Wizard Seelain’s objections when they openly discussed his leading military missions and campaigns.
In any case, I didn’t want to be a part of the grand wizard’s plan. Instead I stepped to the treeline and focused on looking through the spyglass into the valley, searching for something to say to that might distract the wizard from her anger.
“The scouts return,” I said, pointing back along the wide trail leading toward the valley’s broad eastern expanse. “Only half. I count three mounted on riding goats.”
“Focus on the forces entering, Flank Hawk.”
I nodded, knowing she held her pencil ready to scribe units and numbers. The truth was, I didn’t really want to count. The numbers entering the valley were only advance forces, a small fraction what the Goddess of Healing sent to march against Keesee.
An armor-clad officer with a cape bearing red and white, the colors of Fendra Jolain, sat astride a gray warhorse. He pulled a map from a saddlebag and examined it before directing a group of foot soldiers toward a northern slope not far from the worn path. After marching over to an outcropping of granite boulders and engaging in a brief discussion, the soldiers stomped aside some brush before using spear shafts and shoulders to roll aside an oblong boulder.
“A cave,” I said.
One soldier ducked inside the dark fissure, followed by a second. They emerged less than a minute later dragging a crate and two stuffed sacks.
“They’ve cached supplies along their route.”
I shifted to my right as Wizard Seelain moved up next to me. “That is not good,” she replied.
I agreed and voiced my concern. “They’ve been planning this march for at least a year, if not longer.”
Wizard Seelain frowned at me. “They march for only one reason, Flank Hawk. Let us name it for what it is. An invasion.”
I nodded. “Invasion. And that means they’d have thoroughly scouted this valley before stashing supplies.”
“I agree,” said Wizard Seelain. “A local inhabitant or guide familiar with the territory would have directed them to the cave.” She shot a glance back to her bone-white staff resting against a dead limb. “Rare is a worthy mission that lacks some level of risk.” She scanned the sky and distant mountainside. “The fact remains, my mercenary friend, we cannot depart unnoticed until after nightfall. Focus on our mission.”
She was an air wizard—a powerful one, confident in her abilities. But I had been tasked to keep her safe. “Understood, Grand Wizard,” I said and began counting troops and units.
She backed away and stood within reach of her staff and wrote as I spoke.
“An advance guard of twenty light horsemen followed by a company of light foot soldiers, mixed with maybe a dozen archers.” A moment later I added, “Three beastmasters, each with an oversized pack of war dogs.” Fearless, muscled beasts, the canines had jaws that could clamp down on a man’s leg, or throat, like an iron trap.
Then my heart sank. Coming into sight was the first of several company-sized mercenary tribes from the South Continent. They wore hardened leather armor adorned with exotic furs and colorful feathers. I’d heard about such mercenaries. They were both fierce and cunning. I kept my voice even. “Four companies of Malgerian mercenaries, different tribes,” I guessed, based on feather color patterns and order of march, “carrying atlatls with javelins, and spiked maces.”
I was counting additional light cavalry entering the valley when Grand Wizard Seelain sharply whispered, “Flank Hawk, remain still.”
I froze, resisting the urge to look back, or up, or anywhere around. If Wizard Seelain issued an order, there was good reason. Still, I closed my right eye while opening my left to escape the spyglass’ narrow scope.
Wizard Seelain whispered, “Above, from the east. Elemental beasts.” She paused a moment. “Griffins.”
The fir trees concealed us from eyes below and on the mountainsides, but we were visible among the trees from directly above. It could be that they were wild. But I doubted it, especially as they were approaching an army. And if the valley was a nesting ground, Grand Wizard Seelain would’ve detected them before now. Our mounts would have as well.
A hawk-like cry sounded from far above. Seconds later, a form shot past, just above the treeline. Not as large as a dragon, but big enough. A second griffin replied with a piercing call as it banked into a turn over the valley, back toward us.
Grand Wizard Seelain gripped her staff. “We are discovered.”