CHAPTER SIXTEEN

THE FALL

Rayner ran through the streets of what was once Harper Hall. Civilians rushed past him to escape the death that was coming. Dead bodies lay burning in the streets. His mind was on his father, whom he’d left to defend himself and Correlyn, still vulnerable up on the wall. He shook his head as if that would help him refocus just as a fire barrel came crashing down behind him. The explosion threw him off his feet, and the wind was knocked out of his lungs as he hit the ground. His ears were ringing, his pulse racing. Muffled screams surrounded him. Somewhere off in the distance, another explosion erupted, lighting up the smoke that filled the streets.

Rayner got back to his feet and ran toward the castle, where he hoped to find his grandfather. As he reached for the door, a sword came down and nearly sliced off his hand. The raider jabbed at him, but Rayner dodged his blade and slipped in the snow beneath his feet. He dug his sword into the ground and flung it up quickly, sending slush and dirt at the man’s face. Rayner took advantage of his temporary blindness and charged, plunging his blade through the raider’s throat.

Rayner flew through the door of the castle to see civilians huddled together on the floor. Bleeding and panting, he asked the nearest person where Lord Harald was.

Rayner found his grandfather dressed in shining armor with a sword belted on his hip, staring out the window of his bedchamber.

His room faced the sea, and from there he couldn’t witness the destruction that was taking place at the front of his castle.

“Grandfather,” Rayner said, out of breath. “We have to go.”

The lord made no move to leave, so Rayner ran to him and turned him around. Lord Harald’s eyes were wet with tears, but the man looked angry. “Grandfather, please. We have to go. The raiders have broken through the gates.”

Still, Lord Harald stayed silent.

“They have a catapult! Can’t you hear what they’re doing to your people outside?” Rayner yelled, his hands shaking with anger and adrenaline.

Lord Harald flared his nose. “I hear just fine, boy. It’s you who isn’t listening.”

Rayner released him and stepped back. “What are you talking about? What kind of lord leaves his people to die?”

Lord Harald stepped up to him. “Don’t presume to know what it takes to be a lord! You’re only now just a man!” He fussed with his armor and calmed himself. “This fight is already lost.” His voice held all the defeat to match his words. Rayner felt the anger rising inside him as he grabbed hold of his grandfather’s breastplate.

“Good men and women are out there risking their lives for you, and you won’t even do them the honor of fighting alongside them?” Rayner shoved him back. “You’re a coward. Stay hidden in your castle. I’ll let the raiders know you won’t fight back.” Rayner turned and stormed out of the room, leaving his grandfather to ponder his words.

Outside, the battle didn’t seem to slow, and Rayner quickly made his way back to the gate to find his father. Anger fueled him as he slashed through any raider that came his way. He found his father fighting with another knight and ran to help him. Rayner thrust his sword into the man’s back and yanked him off his father. He looked down and was taken aback by his father’s state: his face was red with blood, and he appeared to be limping.

“Where is he?” Magnus asked.

“Hiding in his castle like a coward,” Rayner snapped.

“We have to get him,” Magnus said as he started toward the castle.

Rayner held a hand to his chest to stop him. “He isn’t coming, Father. He regrets turning away your offer, and now it’s too late. He’s given up.”

“We still have to try, Rayner.”

“I did try!” Rayner roared. “Do you think I’d be here without him if I didn’t try? Did you expect me to drag him from his castle, kicking and screaming like a child?”

Magnus stepped back and looked at his son, mouth open. Rayner’s eyes widened as a raider came barreling toward them. He quickly sidestepped and hacked the man’s arm off before finishing him with a blade through the heart. “We need to focus on getting our people out of here now,” Rayner said. “Harper Hall has fallen, and we have to get out before we fall with it.” In the middle of the chaos and destruction Rayner saw a spark of pride in his father’s eyes and then he nodded.

“You’re right, son. I’ll start telling our men. Go and find Correlyn and her mother,” Magnus told his son.

Rayner found Correlyn loosing arrows on the raiders that stormed the wall. Some had tried to put ladders up against the walls and climb over, but not many got past Lady Oharra. She was slaying a man when Rayner ran up to her and told her what happened. She called down the wall to Correlyn and her men, who gathered up their weapons and retreated. They were rallying with Magnus in the central square with as many of their men as they could find when the gates blew fully open. Raiders came pouring through to surround Magnus and his men. A boulder came flying over the wall and tore through a nearby building as Magnus yelled for his men to attack.

The two sides blended, and Rayner fought alongside his father. Rayner was out of breath and was beginning to slow down when a horse came charging through the fight to stand next to his father. Magnus looked up with a look of surprise to see Lord Harald atop the stallion.

He smiled at Rayner, but it seemed off, and then he turned toward Magnus and said, “Your son will make a fine king one day.” And then the lord charged into the sea of raiders.

Magnus yelled to him, but it was too late, and the lord’s horse was quickly swarmed. Rayner watched in horror and felt a stab of guilt at having left his grandfather with such harsh words.

Magnus grabbed Rayner by the collar and began to run.

“We have to go!” Magnus yelled to Lady Oharra, who pushed Correlyn along, her men following her. They ran to the stables in the back, mounted their horses, and retreated through the back gate. Harper Hall was ablaze and flaming barrels could still be seen exploding against what was left of the walls that were now crumbling.

Magnus could feel his stomach churning as the gates of Godstone opened before him. Elana stood at the front of the crowd, a look of relief and happiness on her face, but her features soon crumpled when she saw the look on Magnus’s face. As Magnus slid from his horse and approached Elana, she was already shaking her head and letting tears pool in her eyes.

“No—” she croaked. Magnus reached for her, taking her small frame into his arms as he whispered, “I’m sorry, Elana. I’m so sorry.”

The queen wilted in his arms, and Magnus had to hold Elana to keep her from collapsing. She screamed then, and Magnus felt his heart crack clean in two. Around them, people began to slowly disperse, heads down as they passed by their suffering queen. Magnus glanced back to see Rayner standing in front of the men and women who’d made it out of Harper Hall.

He knew Rayner felt somewhat responsible for his grandfather’s death, and Magnus felt responsible as well. But in the end, Lord Harald had saved their lives and the lives of his people who managed to escape. Many of them had gone off on their own, though a few clusters had come back with them to Godstone.

After her father’s death, Elana refused to eat for days. Eventually, Magnus called upon Magister Ivann to help soothe his mourning wife. Elana’s hair was tangled; bags hung under her eyes, which were red and swollen from tears. Magnus’s heart broke all over again at the sight of Elana suffering. He’d tried to comfort his wife, saying that he and Rayner did all they could to save her father, but to no avail.

Magister Ivann could only try to coerce her into eating and give her herbs to help her sleep. However, it wasn’t working, and Magnus had given Magister Ivann permission to use more of the herbs so that his wife could rest.

A week after they arrived home, Magnus stood with Rayner on the dais in the Great Hall. Magnus recited the oath for his son to repeat and just like that, Rayner was a knight. The entire room exploded with cheers, whistles, and laughter, all except one.

Magnus and Rayner both looked to Elana, who had come to see her son be knighted. After she kissed him on the cheek and said her congratulations, Elana retreated to her bedchamber. Magnus didn’t try to stop her, knowing that Elana wouldn’t have it in her to celebrate when she was still mourning.

Rayner seemed to understand and smiled at his mother until she was gone, before turning to Magnus. His heart swelled with pride as he looked at his son. Rayner had showed courage, strength, and wisdom during the battle at Harper Hall, and Lord Harald had recognized something in Rayner that Magnus already knew. He would make a great king one day, and Magnus felt secure in handing over the kingdom to his son, whenever his reign should end.