Erik saw the Earl of Tilden and a squire whose name was not known to him salute and depart. Erik had studied the deployment of troops for days since William had given him a copy of the battle plan, and he knew that nobles and their detachments would be the first to feel the brunt of the attack. From Sarth down to Krondor, from Krondor to the small villages north of Shandon Bay, every armed soldier that Patrick could squeeze out of the Armies of the West stood ready to repulse the invaders. But sixty thousand troops, most of them untested levies, were going to be overrun by more than three times their number in battle-hardened warriors. The only advantage the Kingdom possessed would be in discipline and training, and that wouldn’t come into play until after Krondor fell.
For it was clear to Erik that his first suspicion had been correct: Krondor would fall. He glanced around the room and saw that Greylock was already gone, as was Calis. Greylock was riding for the first detachment directly under his command, a mixed company of Calis’s Crimson Eagles, Hadati warriors, and the Royal Krondorian Pathfinders. Throughout the mountains to the north and east every experienced mountain fighter they could recruit from as far east as the hills above Ran and Pointer’s Head was waiting.
The general plan was to bleed the enemy, killing as many of the invaders as possible going through Krondor, then to shred them as they made their way through the hills and mountains, where each of Greylock’s mountain fighters would be the worth of five of the invaders. Erik had fought with the Emerald Queen’s army; most of them were satisfactory horse infantry, and a few decent cavalry, but none were mountain men. The only thing Erik worried about was the Saaur riders, for while they might not be mountain fighters, they were warriors unmatched by any force the human defenders of the Kingdom could put in the field. Erik knew they would have lost a number of their horses on the sea journey. The fodder would spoil from the constant moisture, and horses would colic, and some would be useless after six months in the hold of a ship, but enough would be quickly fit to make the Saaur a dangerous foe. And who knew what sort of magic the enemy might employ to keep the horses fresh?
William turned to Erik. “Ready?”
“Ready or not, our forces are in place. As I left the docks, the enemy was sighted.”
William dropped what he was doing and hurried to the large window that overlooked the harbor. “Gods!” he said softly.
Erik and the others followed, and each in his own way was just as stunned. No matter what reports had said, none of them was prepared for the sight that greeted them. From the outer seawall to the distant horizon, clearing by the minute as the morning haze burned off the Bitter Sea, white sails could be seen. Erik craned his neck and looked as far north as he could manage, and could make out sails in the distance.
“They must have fanned out since yesterday,” said William, turning away and hurrying back to the table. “They’re going to wash over us like a tide.” To the nobles in the room he said, “Gentlemen, you know what to do. May the gods protect us all.”
Erik glanced around the room. “The Prince?”
“He left the palace last night,” said William. “With my sister and her son and grandsons.” William glanced at Erik and smiled. “Can’t lose the Prince, now, can we?”
Erik shook his head. “Lord James?”
“In his office. Seems he felt obliged to stay.”
After the nobles had left in an orderly fashion, Erik said, “There’s nothing left for me to do here, sir.”
“One thing,” said William, reaching into his tunic. He pulled out a small parchment, rolled and tied with a ribbon, and sealed, the crest of his office pressed into the red wax. “When this is over, give this to my father if you can.”
Erik frowned. “Sir?”
William smiled. “I would never order a man to the wall if I wasn’t willing to go there myself, Erik.”
For a moment, Erik was unable to move. He realized with dread certainty that the Knight-Marshal of the Kingdom did not intend to leave the city. He swallowed hard. While he and William were not close, he had come to admire the man for his honesty, bravery, and clear, cool logic in planning a battle. And for one night, when he had shared supper with the man and his family, he had glimpsed a personal history. He could not help but feel loss.
“Sir,” he said at last, “good-bye.”
William held out his hand. “Good-bye, Captain. Much of what will come rests in your hands. Know one thing: you are capable of far more than you know.”
Erik put the scroll in his tunic and saluted as smartly as he could manage. The he hurried from the room. He returned quickly to the courtyard, where a fresh horse waited, and mounted. Unlike the others, who left through the one gate kept free of citizens, he turned back to the gate that led to the docks. He signaled for a patrol of lancers to accompany him, and the gates were opened as he reached them. Outside the gate a squad of foot soldiers held a small crowd at bay. Panic was beginning to manifest itself in the city as word spread of the approaching fleet. Some of the poor souls living along the waterfront, near the palace, were seeking to gain entrance into the city. Erik paused to shout, “There is no refuge for you here! The eastern gate is still open. Either leave the city that way or return to your homes! Now, clear the way.”
He moved his horse forward, and citizens dove out of the way as the squad of riders followed behind him.
Erik moved through the city as quickly as possible. He knew his assignment in theory, but the difference between theory and practice was quickly becoming apparent. His job was to oversee the orderly withdrawal of the city’s defenders to Greylock’s first defensive position to the east, about a half day’s march beyond the first farms outside the city. But everywhere he looked, Erik saw chaos, and he doubted anything remotely like order could be pulled from the mess. Still, he was sworn to succeed or to die trying. He put heels to horse and moved into the crowd.
Jason grabbed up every book he could and put them into canvas sacks, which he handed to boys who were waiting to take them to nearby wagons. Roo had overestimated the time left before the invaders reached Krondor, and now he watched as his employees evacuated his businesses. Everything he could manage to hoard—gold, letters of credit, and other items of wealth—was safely hidden at his estates. He already had a pair of wagons there waiting to take his wife and children, as well as the Jacobys, to the East. He hoped that Sylvia had listened seriously to his warnings and would join them as they moved to escape the coming onslaught.
Jason said, “That’s the last of it, sir!”
Roo, sitting atop a fresh horse, said, “Get the wagons out of here!”
Fifteen wagons, carrying everything he could move, started out of the large yard into the street. Shouting people hurried past, some carrying their belongings on their backs, while others just ran. Rumors were flying—that the Prince was dead, that the palace had been taken, that all the gates were closed and they were trapped—and Roo knew that eventually he would have to leave behind his wagons and remaining goods if he didn’t get out of the city by sundown.
He had hired the best private guards he could find, and there weren’t many left in Krondor. Just about any man capable of carrying a sword or puffing a bow was now in the King’s service. The squad of ten men he had hired were old men and boys, but the old men were veterans and the boys were strong and enthusiastic.
Whips cracked as the horses moved the heavily burdened wagons, which groaned under the weight. Roo was attempting to salvage everything of worth, inventory, tools, and furnishings. He had faith that eventually the Emerald Queen’s army would be defeated, and he was attempting to ensure that he had as much of a start as possible in rebuilding his wealth after the war was over.
Roo said to Jason, who was now sitting on the first wagon, “Where is Luis?”
Jason said, “He went looking for Duncan when he didn’t show up. I think he may have gone out of the city.”
“Why?”
“Because Duncan said something about going to your estates
on an errand for you.”
Roo frowned. He had not seen Duncan for two days, which had put his cousin in the worst possible grace with Roo so far. He had excused a lot of Duncan’s lapses, but with the invaders so close Roo had needed every pair of hands possible, and Duncan’s preoccupation with his own pleasure was inexcusable this time. “I’m going on ahead to my estates. Meet me there.”
Roo was going to let his wagoners rest the night at his estates, then send them on to Ravensburg. There Roo had planned to gather his employees and servants together and, if the enemy appeared, move on to Salador. He knew what few others knew: that if the invaders made it past Darkmoor, they’d turn toward Sethanon, for the fabled prize Calis had long ago told his men about, whatever it might be. Roo had no doubt that the Kingdom would be equal to the task; he had served with the invaders for a while when Calis had infiltrated their army, and while they had numbers, they lacked the Kingdom’s training.
Then he remembered the Saaur.
Roo said, “I’m going to change orders. Continue past my estates and keep going until sundown.”
“Why?” asked Jason.
“Something I just thought of. Head to our inn in Chesterton and wait. If you don’t hear anything from me within a day that says otherwise, start the men toward Darkmoor. Refit there, change horses, whatever you need to do, then continue on to Malac’s Cross. Wait for me to send you word there.”
Jason seemed disturbed by the change of plans, but said nothing. He nodded and told the driver to keep moving.
Roo rode ahead and quickly became enmeshed in the crowd streaming for the eastern gates. He was on the verge of turning back, fearing a riot, when he saw Kingdom troops riding toward him from a street to his left. He saw a familiar figure at their head and shouted, “Erik!”
Erik reined in. “I thought you out of the city yesterday.”
“Too many last-minute things to see to,” answered Roo. “I’ve got wagons coming this way, then we’re for the East.”
Erik nodded. “Wise choice. You can ride with us to the gate, but the wagons are on their own, I’m afraid.”
Roo pulled in next to his boyhood friend and asked, “When are they closing the gates?”
“Sundown, or when the first enemy is seen to the east, whichever comes first.”
“They’re that close?” said Roo in surprise.
“They hit the outer seawall an hour ago,” answered Erik as he slowed his horse because of the press of people. The way was now lined with Kingdom soldiers, keeping the crowd moving in an orderly fashion. Those who heard horses coming from behind tried to move aside, but there was scant room and Erik and his squad were forced to slow to a walk.
Roo asked, “Where are you bound for?”
“Just outside,” said Erik. “When the gates close, I’m going to ride rear guard behind those who are through.”
“Nasty job,” said Roo.
“Not as nasty as staying behind,” said Erik.
Roo said, “I hadn’t thought of it that way.” He paused, then said, “What of Jadow and the others?”
Erik knew he meant the handful of men whom Erik and Roo had served with, across the sea with Captain Calis. “They’re already gone, up in the mountains.”
Roo said, “What’s going on?”
“I can’t tell you,” said Erik.
Roo thought on it a moment; he had dispatched building materials for the Prince to odd destinations throughout the mountains, as well as provisions for men. He considered the fact that the best soldiers the Prince had were up in the hills, then asked, “Nightmare Ridge?”
Erik nodded. “Don’t say anything, but in about a month you want your family east of Darkmoor.”
“Understood,” said Roo as they came in sight of the gate. A wagon had lost a wheel just outside the gate and the driver was arguing with the guards there, who wanted to cut loose the horse and drag the wagon out of the way, while the driver was insisting on waiting to fix the broken wheel.
Erik rode up and said, “Sergeant!”
The man turned and, seeing an officer in the black of the Prince’s Special Command, said, “Sir!”
“Quit arguing and get that wagon out of the way.” People on foot could get out of the gate around it, but a string of wagons and cats was building up quickly behind the broken-down wagon.
The driver was frantic. “Sir! Everything I own is in there!”
“Sorry,” said Erik, and waved for a squad of men to move the man away, then drag the wagon off to the side of the road. “If you can fix it over there, good luck to you. But you’re keeping people here who don’t wish to linger.”
Erik rode past and said to Roo, “Get away, Roo, now.”
Roo said, “Why?”
Erik pointed to the north and Roo could see dust. The hair on his neck rose up. “Only one thing can raise that much dust in a hurry.”
Erik said, “Either the biggest cavalry detachment this side of Kesh, or it’s the Saaur!”
Roo turned his horse down the eastern road and with a shout had the horse cantering away from the city.
Erik turned to one of the soldiers at his side and said, “Pass word back into the city we’ve got visitors coming from the north.” He glanced at the dust rising in the hills. “They’ll be here in an hour.”
Erik turned to the command at the gate and said, “Be ready to close up with no more than one minute’s notice.”
“Yes, sir!” came the response.
Erik rode a quarter mile to the north, where a company of heavy lancers waited, with two squads of bowmen to provide support. “Lieutenant!”
“Sir,” said the leader of the Royal Krondorian Lancers.
“In the next hour some damned big lizards on giant horses are going to be coming down that north road. Can your men handle them?”
The lieutenant smiled. “Big makes ’em easier to hit, don’t it, sir?”
Erik smiled. The young officer was probably a few years older than he, but Erik felt like an old man looking at his enthusiasm. “That’s the spirit,” he said.
He then turned his small patrol around and rode to the south, where another detachment of lancers waited. He dispatched those to support the group on the north. Whatever was coming from the south would be far less a threat than a full-blown Saaur attack, and those inside the city could deal with any human threat.
Then the sky seemed to open and a howl went up that had Erik and every man nearby covering his ears in pain. It went on while riders attempted to calm frantic horses that screamed and bolted at the sound. Several of the lancers were thrown from their saddles.
After a minute the sound ceased, and Erik could hear a lingering ring in his ears. “What was that?” he heard a soldier nearby ask.
“I have no idea,” said Erik.
William and James stood on the palace balcony, overlooking the harbor, as the last echoes of the strange howling sound ended. A huge column of dust and steam rose at the mouth of the harbor. A blinding flash had accompanied the noise, and even though they had been inside, both men found themselves blinking away tears. Men below on the walls were wandering blind, crying out for someone to lead them away.
Soldiers raced through the palace shouting orders, for a tremendous sound had accompanied the explosion, and even the most veteran of them were stunned by it. “What was that?” asked William.
“Look!” said James, pointing to the harbor mouth.
The churning waters of the outer harbor seemed to be calming, and a great wave of foam and debris rolled in toward the docks. Upon its crest rode great ships, and they all carried invaders.
“They’re in the harbor!” shouted William. “Damn! I thought we could hold them outside for a week.”
James said, “Whatever they used, the two seawalls are gone.”
William swore. “I had a thousand men on those walls.”
“So much for those clever traps you rigged in the channel.”
William nodded. “They must have been swept a
way when the enemy destroyed the defenses. What was it?”
“I don’t know,” said James. “I saw Guy du Bas-Tyra fire Armengar during the Great Uprising, and when those twenty-five thousand barrels of naphtha went up, the explosion could be seen for miles. This was something different.”
“A magic of some sort?” asked William.
Dryly, James said, “Given your upbringing, you’d be in a better position to answer than I.”
Turning away, William said, “We didn’t encourage students to blow things up at Stardock. It disturbs the tranquillity.” He hurried to where runners waited to carry orders, and to the first he said, “General order five. They are in the city.”
William returned to where James stood, watching alien invaders sail into his city. “I will not let this happen,” said the Duke.
William put his hand on his brother-in-law’s shoulder and said, “It’s happened.”
“Remind me, what’s general order five?”
William said, “We’re locking the eastern gate, and firing on anything coming from the west. House-to-house for the first three blocks away from the docks.”
“What about those nasty things you set up down at the docks?”
“Those are still in place. If the Pantathian magic users don’t blow up the palace the way they did the seawalls, they’ll find a surprise or two when they land on the docks.”
James looked at William. “Have you gotten everyone out?”
William knew who the “everyone” was that James spoke of: his sister, her son, and her grandchildren. James had counted on William to see them to safety. “They’re out of the city. They left in a special coach last night.”
James said, “Then this is good-bye.”
William looked at his brother-in-law and weighed the man in his memory. They had a long history together, back to the days when William was a young lieutenant in the Prince’s Household Guards and James had run roughshod over the wild twins, Borric and Erland, now King and Prince respectively.