Leaning forward, he brushed his lips on her hand before turning to Caius. “I trust you’ll keep my future wife safe.”
“I will, my prince.”
Melchior’s gaze lingered on the wizard’s determined face for a second. Then he grabbed a helmet off the table to put it over his head. He bowed to her while smiling then strode out of the room to meet his soldiers. The battle had begun. When he was gone Caius led her to the largest window.
“We’ll be able to watch everything from here. Look to your right—that is the forest of Palance and I bet Agravar’s armies are already inside attempting to sneak up on us. Mind you, it wouldn’t be the first time.”
She stared at the woods bordering one side of the city. No soldiers could be seen, yet come they would.
“Why don’t you go with Melchior? I mean, with your powers you must be an invaluable asset to him.”
“True, but Morgoth would destroy as many people. Wars have rules, Cara. Even that rascal Devlyn abides by them. Wizards aren’t warlocks and thus not allowed to fight, except each other. On the other hand, they become untouchable once the battle is over and left free to heal their wounded.”
Spoken with a real respect for life, his statement made sense. As she pondered on his wise words, a streak of silver light caught her eye. All along the edge of the forest the sun glared down on something metallic. Breath caught in her throat, Cara squinted hard at the bright reflection.
“Caius, they’re here.”
“I’m afraid so.”
Side by side they watched soldiers come out of the forest and march towards Palance. Pretty soon the vast plain between the woods and the city filled with combatants. Down below, Cara made out Palance soldiers and archers taking positions along the passageway on top of the fortified walls.
“How many are there?”
“Hard to tell, but I’d say about two thousand strong.”
“What about our soldiers?”
“Most of our troops have been dispatched throughout the territory. There must only be three hundred stationed in town.”
Her heart sank. Appalled at the bad news, she tore her gaze away from the enemy to stare at the wizard.
“What, so few? But they won’t be able to repel such a heavy attack.”
“They will. Devlyn’s men are vulnerable on flat open grounds and a fortified city like Palance is almost impregnable.”
The subdued roar of a huge explosion rattled the windowpanes. Flinching, Cara whirled her head round. Palance soldiers were thrown over the outer wall as a section of the massive structure blew up.
Blocks of stone flew in all directions before crashing down onto the plain. Hit or crushed, people screamed. Caius flattened his hands on the glass panel.
“By the Mighty Gods, Morgoth has breached the wall.”
“Yeah, so much for Devlyn respecting war rules.”
“Well, technically the rule hasn’t been broken. Still, I wish I could get my hands on that accursed wizard.”
Already Agravar’s troops surged towards the breach. As she watched their advance, a harsh, monotonous war chant filtered through the windows. Aware of the gap in the wall, they had intoned the call of victory.
As much as she cursed Devlyn’s insane lust for power, Cara realised the odds fared worse than worst. With access to the city, his armies would quickly overwhelm Melchior’s men and ravage the town. But as an idea formed in her mind something unexpected grabbed her attention.
Appearing at the edge of the forest and almost like they brought up the rear of Agravar’s armies, different troops attacked from behind. Most of them on horseback and with the advantage of surprise, they hacked at Devlyn’s men. Beside her, Caius removed his fingers from the window while blowing a sharp breath.
“Look. The Amazons and the resistance.”
Yes! Oh, yes! Her pulse jumping up and down Cara focused on the unforeseen development. While the first rows of Agravar’s armies assailed the outer wall of the city the rear half turned back to resist their new opponents. Without much discipline but more than enough zeal and courage to make up for their lack of order, the Amazons and the men forming the resistance fought like wild bears.
From her viewpoint she couldn’t help noticing they were vastly outnumbered. In a matter of minutes and despite their ardour it became obvious they were losing men and ground.
Although they inflicted damage, Amazons and loyal subjects to the kingdom of Palance fell on the battlefield. Injured or dead, their blood fed Devlyn’s cruel ambitions.
Heart palpitating, fingers crossed, Cara whispered, “Oh, my God, there aren’t enough of them. They won’t make it.”
“No. Not without their leader.”
How did he dare say such a thing when he was the one who had cast a spell on Morgan to bring him down? Anger and unfairness flushing her cheeks, she riveted a furious gaze on the wizard.
“You’re one to talk. If you hadn’t put him to sleep in the first place he’d be right there fighting alongside his men.”
As she tried to fight off the urge to shake the wizard’s bones he walked to a low table and picked up an empty silver tray. Then he came back to her and the way he muttered sent chills around her guts.
“I’m not talking about Morgan.”
Fingers clenched around the shorter end he raised the tray as if he wanted to smash it against the wall. His strange gesture caused her to blink.
“Caius, what are you doing?”
But he wasn’t looking at the wall. Face expressionless, body rigid, his eyes were fixed on her.
“Forgive me, Cara, but I need you.”
With a powerful fling he whacked her on the head.
Chapter Forty-Four
“Wake up!”
Bright images blinked and flashed in her mind—red, so red. Piercing the thick darkness engulfing her they forced their way towards awareness—violence, blood, death. Men shouting, fighting, dying.
Although almost unbearable, the dreadful pictures burst from the darkest recesses of her mind and wouldn’t relent. The clanking of weapons invaded her ears, but she didn’t know if it was coming from the conflict outside or from her overloaded brain.
An aggressive odour violated her nose. Cara swatted at it without opening her eyes. Because if she did the horrid visions would be true. Yet behind her shut eyelids she saw the sword in her hand, its tip slashing skin, ripping muscles, stabbing chests. She tasted blood from her cut lip.
Power and excitement coursed through her while she clung to a horse’s mane. Those exhilarating sensations had made her the woman she was, yet she had lost them at some point.
“Come on, girl, wake up.”
The harsh command added to a decidedly repellent smell didn’t ease the upsurge in her brain. This was even worse than the fact that Caius had struck her for no reason. Was he trying to kill her?
Wishing the pictures would go away, she opened her eyes, her back cold from lying on the stone floor. She stared at the small bottle held in front of her nose. Gagging from the stench, she pushed it away.
“Welcome back. Can you sit up?”
She felt his fingers seize the back of her head as he pulled her up towards him. The right side of her face hurt, but that was to be expected given the violent whack she had just received. Not registering any other pain, she rubbed her nostrils and inhaled fresh air to get rid of the awful smell.
“Why did you hit me?”
“Because I need you back now.”
“Back from where? Did you have too much to drink last night?”
Even as her gaze settled on the wizard’s face, all Cara could see were vivid pictures of endless battles. Not dreams generated by an overloaded mind but real images—real memories.
At long last her lost past was coming back to her. As much as she had striven to regain it by herself, a vicious thump on the head had done the trick. Then she felt the appeasing warmth of magic as Caius touched the hurtful bump to heal it. The pain faded away.
 
; “Do you remember anything? Do you know who you are?”
She knew. The rush came to a close when her memories finally settled back to their rightful place. How could she have forgotten her life?
“I am Cara from Moonstill, queen of the Amazons. I’m also a dragon rider and I haven’t seen my dragoness for a long time.”
“Excellent.”
His happy smile felt like an irritating jab. He had known all along yet he had lied to her—she should throttle his wizard’s windpipe.
“Why didn’t you tell me the truth when I asked you?”
“I believe you know the reason.”
Did she? He sure thought highly of her because from the top of her head she couldn’t come up with a logical explanation.
“I want to hear it from you.”
“In order to fulfil the prophecy, the lost Cara would have agreed to marry Melchior, not the Amazon queen. You’d have kept on fighting until you got killed, but you wouldn’t have accepted such a bargain. Am I wrong?”
He knew her well…maybe too well. But her people were dying on the battlefield and she didn’t have the luxury to dwell on the wizard’s strategic manipulations now. She would, though. Later, she’d get him.
Unaware of her trail of thought, he stood up and reached out. As Cara took his proffered hand to help herself up, her eyes widened when she realised parts of her life remained shrouded in darkness.
“Caius, I don’t remember you. I mean, I have no memory of you before waking up in the meadow.”
“Don’t worry, that’s to be expected. Magic always has side effects and I believe you might not recall people you met after being brought back to the Four Kingdoms. It’s an annoyance, but it might not last.”
And by the Mighty Gods, she couldn’t recall Morgan either. Guts twisted with frustration, Cara gripped the wizard’s arm.
“I forgot Morgan too.”
“Hush now, calm down. I don’t think you ever met him before, you merely saw him in battle. It’s of no consequence.”
What did he know of her priorities? Who did he think he was to dictate the importance of her feelings? Flustered, she shook her head.
“Don’t.”
Unfazed by her commanding gesture and sharp tone, Caius wriggled his fingers. A tingle of magic brushed her skin as he transformed her clothes into the dark red outfit worn by the Amazons.
“Look, Cara, we don’t have time to argue. Right now you need to be a leader again before Devlyn’s armies slaughter them all. Here, I got something for you while you were unconscious.”
She gasped at the sight of the mask—her mask. Sewn by the finest seamstress of Moonstill and made of supple dark red leather, colour a little faded with too much time spent on the battlefield, it fit her face perfectly when she fastened the strings behind her head. A knot rising in her throat, she touched her covered chin, cheeks and brow with her fingertips.
The old Cara would have been bewildered and scared of this new turn of events. Not the new one. She had risked her life too many times and she had been queen of the Amazons for too long to recoil at the idea of who she really was. Just like Morgan, war ruled her blood, now and forever. Opposite her, Caius observed the mask and nodded.
“I’ve kept it with me since the day you left, just in case. I’m glad you’re back, girl. I’ve missed you.”
With her memories of him still locked up somewhere in her brain, she sure couldn’t say the same. While looking around the room for any kind of weapon she wondered if the missing recollections would ever come back.
“Were we friends?”
“No doubt about that. Also allies and confidants.”
“Really? But you can be so insufferable at times.”
“Only when I disagree with you.”
This time his grin lit his whole face and she believed him. Not because she had liked this strange, rigorous wizard from the very first moment, but because her intuition pushed her to trust him. Although he had acted contrary to her will sometimes, he was dedicated to the cause and to the people.
Regardless of whom he had to manipulate and hurt to attain the desired goal, his sole motive nevertheless remained the well-being of the Four Kingdoms. For that reason alone she had put her faith in him. Looking at his wrinkled, noble face, Cara smiled before taking in a long breath.
“Right. Let’s do this.”
“We can still win, but the Amazons and the resistance must see you to draw strength from your presence.”
“I need a sword and a horse.”
Caius cocked his head towards a large cabinet along the wall. Following his gaze, she crossed the room then opened its doors. She clucked her tongue when she saw Prince Melchior’s sharp implements of war, aligned, hanging from hooks and waiting to be used.
“Oh, yes! This is what I’m talking about.”
She glided her fingers over different weapons and picked up the lightest sword. The hilt nestled in her hand like a bird coming home. Taking a step aside, she brought it up and down to test the balance of the blade.
It cut through air with a swishing sound and, wow, didn’t it feel good to be home? An unbelievable sensation of rightfulness filled her heart and soul. She looked at the wizard.
“Can you get me to the outer wall unharmed?”
“Absolutely. What do you have in mind?”
“You’ll see.”
Side by side they hurried out of the castle and ran to the stables where a dozen horses were already saddled, probably in case they might be needed. Her gaze travelling over them, Cara went straight for a magnificent black stallion. With the ease of a practiced rider, she jumped on its back.
“Let’s go, Caius.”
Although he had seemed eager to join the fighting up to now, he suddenly rubbed his chin with a doubtful air.
“This is the Prince’s horse.”
“So?”
More than unsure, the expression on his face turned weird as he hesitated to answer and kept on fiddling with his chin.
“I know for a fact that’s his favourite animal. If we borrow it I’m afraid he might not take it very well.”
“We’re at war, Caius, not going for a picnic. Besides I’ll deal with the prince when the time comes. Now hop on!”
“I wish I could be there to see that.”
Gathering the beautiful stallion must be worth a treasure, she didn’t comment but helped him to sit behind her. When he grabbed her waist she kicked the horse. Reacting to her firm hand, the animal plunged out of the stables, past the castle and down to the heart of the city. The rearguard moved out of their way, but Cara caught their looks of total surprise and hope. It appeared Palance believed in her.
As they trotted along the small streets, the few people who hadn’t yet shut themselves in their houses cheered at the sight of her famous mask. Probably intrigued by their excited shouts, more men and women came out of their homes to watch them pass and join in the clamouring.
Cara heard their encouragement and abruptly realised how much she had missed her world as well as the sensation of being confident, powerful and valued. Right there and then, she vowed never to leave her people again. Whatever the prophecy said, she’d stay to defend them.
As they approached the outer wall, the number of her supporters thinned out. In their place the royal guard massed around the breached wall. Although the gap didn’t allow a forceful invasion, the enemy had entered the city. Swords clattered as men from both sides fought and died.
Still at the back of the melee and protected by rows of soldiers, Melchior hadn’t yet drawn his sword but was giving orders. Arrows flew past as Cara guided her horse towards the slope of the passageway leading up onto the fortified wall. She wanted the highest possible position and she was going to get it. Caius let go of her waist to squeeze her shoulder.
“Where are you going?”
“Up there. You said they needed to see me to win this battle. Well, believe me, they will. With your help, of course.”
She reine
d the horse in to stop at the bottom of the slope and allowed Caius to get off. The assault had to end at some point and the wizard’s healing powers would be vital to the survival of many. He was too important to risk being injured. Down on the ground he grumbled indistinct words while making a large circle with his hands. At once, she felt his magic weave a shield around her.
“Are you certain about this, Cara? If I stay here my magic will wear off past the city gates and you’ll be vulnerable out there.”
She smiled at his concerned face. “It wouldn’t be the first time, just make sure everybody hears me from leagues away. Oh, and remember, whatever happens, prophecy is always fulfilled.”
With a wink, she kicked the horse up the slope. Following the walkway, her mount trotted to the top of the wall. Bent over a low battlement, Palance soldiers fired arrows at Agravar’s armies below. Although most archers appeared unharmed, bodies were already down and motionless. As soon as they caught sight of her unscathed, men uttered cries of victory.
This mask really makes an impression!
Cara reached the middle of the walkway and motioned them to crouch behind the battlement. She wanted to draw attention to herself, not get them killed. They obeyed her command. In position, she looked around.
Towering above the countryside, the twenty-feet-high fortified wall allowed her to gauge the state of affairs. The odds weren’t in the city’s favour. Below, massed troops used the breach to push their way into Palance. Between here and the forest, men in armour filled the vast plain. Focused on driving back the Amazons and the resistance, they were on the verge of succeeding.
There was not a second to lose. Cara planted her feet in the stirrups of the black stallion and straightened up to brandish her sword towards the sky. As its tip glared in the early morning sunshine, she felt powerful and invincible. Her war cry tore out of her throat by her will and the wizard’s magic, shattering the flow of the ongoing battle. Thundering over the plain, bursting into hearts and minds, her scream silenced the clash of swords.
“For Palance and Moonstill!”
Thousands of heads turned towards her and time stood still.