pair of scouts cloaked in sand-colored fabric raced through the crowd. They skidded to a halt before the emperor, dropping to one knee.
"You had better have good reason for interrupting," said the emperor.
"Majesty, this couldn't wait," said the first scout, panting.
"Report," Aegaz commanded.
The scout turned to Aegaz and gave a slight nod. "Commander, the fires of an approaching host were spotted on the horizon to the east."
"How big a host?" Aegaz asked.
"Three blades, maybe more," replied the scout.
That's not so many , Urus thought. A group that small won't even get close enough to Kest to see the gates . The Kestian army was divided into groups called Blades and Fists, a fist being a group of fifty soldiers and twenty Fists to a Blade.
Kaled straightened. "What fool would bring such a small army to attack Kest, especially from the east?"
"Majesty, there's more," said the second scout.
"Out with it," Kaled urged.
"There are three other armies. One approaching by boat on the river, sailing south toward us. The other two approach from the south and west. They come at us on all fronts."
"How many?" Kaled asked.
Murin sagged and shook his head. The scouts exchanged uncomfortable looks.
"How many?" Kaled demanded again.
"From the fires and ships we could see, we guess maybe a hundred blades. There could be more beyond the horizon we couldn't mark."
"That's twice the population of this city," Aegaz muttered.
Urus had never seen anything approaching fear on his uncle's face before, but his wide eyes said everything. Kest had never been taken, and it was a city filled to the brim with the most fierce warriors in the world, but it had never before faced an attack from so many enemies on all sides.
Kaled pointed to Aegaz, his mouth set in a grim line, "The defense of Kest is in your hands. Do what you must to get everyone ready, then meet me at the command post as soon as you can."
Aegaz nodded, then spun toward his second in command. "Avery, wake everyone up, sound every bell, open the armories. Within thirty minutes I want every cook and cobbler in Kest wielding our best steel. Understood?"
The lieutenant bowed, thrust a clenched fist to his chest, and darted from the room. A moment later, a cacophony erupted that Urus was glad he couldn't hear. Men and women barked orders, arms waved, and people raced in all directions with clear purpose. He sighed. These were warriors, real warriors, and they all knew what needed to be done to defend the city and defeat their enemies.
"Get the prisoner into the dungeon; we will pick this up later. We will show these enemies why no one has ever been foolish enough to lay siege to my city," Kaled said, then swept from the room.
Two guards grabbed Murin and dragged him across the floor, much the same way they had dragged Urus into the room.
Aegaz dodged the oncoming crowd to stand in front of Urus.
"Urus, you need to talk to the prisoner again," he signed. "If he knows what that stone slab is in the vault then he might know about our magic."
"Kebetir knew about the blood mages," Urus blurted, only partially aware of what his uncle had said.
"What?"
"I was reading Kebetir's lips last night, and—"
Aegaz cut him off. "I've warned you about eavesdropping before."
"This is important," Urus pleaded. "Kebetir was talking to someone about blood mages, last night, before anyone interrogated the prisoner."
Aegaz scanned the room, checking to see if anyone was watching their conversation, even though no one else in the room knew tradesign.
"I've been suspicious of that man for a long time, and he has resented our control of this city for years. He wants a shaman on the throne, not a warrior."
Aegaz watched the door. Urus followed his gaze. Murin had pulled away from the guards and was yelling to the departing emperor.
"This is the work of the Order! They bring the armies to your city. You must not let them destroy the vertex!" he shouted. It took a moment before
"You had better have good reason for interrupting," said the emperor.
"Majesty, this couldn't wait," said the first scout, panting.
"Report," Aegaz commanded.
The scout turned to Aegaz and gave a slight nod. "Commander, the fires of an approaching host were spotted on the horizon to the east."
"How big a host?" Aegaz asked.
"Three blades, maybe more," replied the scout.
That's not so many , Urus thought. A group that small won't even get close enough to Kest to see the gates . The Kestian army was divided into groups called Blades and Fists, a fist being a group of fifty soldiers and twenty Fists to a Blade.
Kaled straightened. "What fool would bring such a small army to attack Kest, especially from the east?"
"Majesty, there's more," said the second scout.
"Out with it," Kaled urged.
"There are three other armies. One approaching by boat on the river, sailing south toward us. The other two approach from the south and west. They come at us on all fronts."
"How many?" Kaled asked.
Murin sagged and shook his head. The scouts exchanged uncomfortable looks.
"How many?" Kaled demanded again.
"From the fires and ships we could see, we guess maybe a hundred blades. There could be more beyond the horizon we couldn't mark."
"That's twice the population of this city," Aegaz muttered.
Urus had never seen anything approaching fear on his uncle's face before, but his wide eyes said everything. Kest had never been taken, and it was a city filled to the brim with the most fierce warriors in the world, but it had never before faced an attack from so many enemies on all sides.
Kaled pointed to Aegaz, his mouth set in a grim line, "The defense of Kest is in your hands. Do what you must to get everyone ready, then meet me at the command post as soon as you can."
Aegaz nodded, then spun toward his second in command. "Avery, wake everyone up, sound every bell, open the armories. Within thirty minutes I want every cook and cobbler in Kest wielding our best steel. Understood?"
The lieutenant bowed, thrust a clenched fist to his chest, and darted from the room. A moment later, a cacophony erupted that Urus was glad he couldn't hear. Men and women barked orders, arms waved, and people raced in all directions with clear purpose. He sighed. These were warriors, real warriors, and they all knew what needed to be done to defend the city and defeat their enemies.
"Get the prisoner into the dungeon; we will pick this up later. We will show these enemies why no one has ever been foolish enough to lay siege to my city," Kaled said, then swept from the room.
Two guards grabbed Murin and dragged him across the floor, much the same way they had dragged Urus into the room.
Aegaz dodged the oncoming crowd to stand in front of Urus.
"Urus, you need to talk to the prisoner again," he signed. "If he knows what that stone slab is in the vault then he might know about our magic."
"Kebetir knew about the blood mages," Urus blurted, only partially aware of what his uncle had said.
"What?"
"I was reading Kebetir's lips last night, and—"
Aegaz cut him off. "I've warned you about eavesdropping before."
"This is important," Urus pleaded. "Kebetir was talking to someone about blood mages, last night, before anyone interrogated the prisoner."
Aegaz scanned the room, checking to see if anyone was watching their conversation, even though no one else in the room knew tradesign.
"I've been suspicious of that man for a long time, and he has resented our control of this city for years. He wants a shaman on the throne, not a warrior."
Aegaz watched the door. Urus followed his gaze. Murin had pulled away from the guards and was yelling to the departing emperor.
"This is the work of the Order! They bring the armies to your city. You must not let them destroy the vertex!" he shouted. It took a moment before
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