Arthur Daigle's Blog - Posts Tagged "maya"

This is part one of the Border Crossing Story:

“Explain why I’m not allowed to use my own sword,” Dana Illwind said. She raised her right arm, wrapped in a thick layer of cotton, and added, “And this is extra ridiculous.”

“Both measures are for good reasons,” Jayden promised as he wrapped cotton around her other arm and tied it in place. He stepped back to study his work. “There now, nice and snug, and unlikely to injure yourself.”

“I’ve done some impressive stuff in the last few months, and you’ve got me wrapped up like a mummy.”

“Mummy wrappings are thinner, dirtier, smellier and frequently contain noxious parasites,” Jayden replied.

“Missing the point entirely!”

The morning had started well before degenerating into Jayden playing a demented game of dress up with Dana. Dana’s brand new sword was finished, a horn from the goat head of a chimera, forged into a weapon by a renegade dwarf, infused with a magic metal called uram, enchanted with magic by both the dwarf and the world’s only living sorcerer lord, it was a sight to behold. Dana had little experience with weapons, few peasants did, but the short sword was a thing of beauty. In the few minutes she’d been allowed to see it, she marveled at the black blade edged with silver, serrated ridges going down one side, runes cast into the base of the blade and hardwood hilt stained black.

The weapon was impressive, and Jayden wasn’t letting her touch it. She’d jumped at his offer to train her, only for Jayden to wrap her arms and legs in cotton. Then he handed her a wooden sword, more like a branch with aspirations.

“This is for your protection,” Jayden told her. The sorcerer lord was a handsome man even if a bit disheveled with his long blond hair a perpetual mess. He wore black and silver clothes and carried no weapons. Traveling unarmed was normally an invitation to being robbed, but few were stupid enough to challenge a spell caster, especially one with a list of accomplishments like Jayden’s.

“How?” Dana demanded. Dana was fifteen, sixteen next month, with brown hair, brown eyes and an athletic build. Her clothes were simple peasant wear including a skirt, blouse, leggings and fur hat, all of it durable and cheap, and a knife tucked into a sheath.

Jayden took both her hands and placed them on the wood sword. “Training with weapons is no different than learning any skill. It takes countless hours of practice and you will make mistakes. The difference is how much those mistakes cost you. Accidentally hitting your leg with a wood sword will leave a bruise. Do the same thing with a real sword and you suffer a crippling injury. Do it with a magic sword and you no longer have a leg.”

Dana hesitated. “Oh.”

“Training with a wood sword gets the mistakes out of the way early on without injury or death, and we’re doing it with padding on your arms and legs to make those mistakes less painful.”

“How long is this going to take?” she asked.

“Months. There are two kinds of fighters, the competent and the dead, and I wish to keep you out of the latter category. Nor is time an impediment. The king and queen are planning a war, but we’re too late in the year for it to start. You can practice during the winter months and be ready for the conflict in spring.”

“It’s coming that soon?”

“Depressing, I know, but the signs are there. The king and queen have amassed a sizeable army, gathered supplies, and men in their service have tame monsters like the chimera that donated a body part for your sword and the gargoyles we recently defeated. Others doubtlessly have followed this example, and monsters are extraordinarily dangerous.”

Dana looked at her wood sword a bit less disparagingly (just a bit). Jayden was right that war was on the horizon. She’d seen it growing up, when taxes in her hometown to the north were raised again and again with no cause in sight. Then her father the mayor was ordered to send her eldest brother to the capital, a prisoner in all but name to ensure her father’s support. After that the town’s militia was called up for military service. Other towns had suffered likewise, and she’d seen as bad or worse since following Jayden.

She’d joined him in appreciation for saving her town, but also to keep him out of trouble. Jayden’s hatred of the king and queen were legendary, and he struck at them any chance he got. Dana didn’t understand the root of this hate, for even after months traveling together there were still things he didn’t talk about. But she’d come to understand his feelings were well earned. She’d seen too much suffering and too many wrongs originating from the royal couple.

That was what brought them to their current location. They’d made camp in a grassy clearing in the woods. Fall was coming, trees were decked out in reds and oranges, and the morning air had a touch of chill. Pretty as it was, their camp was close to the border city of Edgeland, a likely invasion point for the Kingdom of Kaleoth.

“We’ll start with basic sword fighting techniques,” Jayden told her. “You’ll need to practice them daily before we move on to more advanced fighting styles.”

Trying to sound casual, Dana asked, “Who taught you to fight?”

“A man with considerable talent and valor, if a touch too fond of women and wine.”

“Gee, that’s vague.”

Jayden smiled. “It was meant to be. We’ll do this every morning before breakfast. You’ll find it intolerably dull, but the reward is worth the effort.”

They heard laughing in the distance, and a man call out, “There has got to be a story behind this.”

Dana and Jayden looked over to find a group of men exiting the woods. Dana counted ten of them armed with spears, axes and swords. They had no armor or shields, and their clothes were dirty and ragged.

Jayden stepped away from Dana and moved closer to their baggage and a campfire they’d made last night. Dana tried to follow him since her sword was in those bags, but Jayden held up a hand for her to stop.

“I’m not a storyteller by profession, but I think I can entertain you,” Jayden said. “Once upon a time there was a sorcerer lord known for being short tempered, ill mannered and impatient. Not surprisingly he had few friends, but he had fewer enemies than you’d think. They didn’t survive long. One day the sorcerer lord met armed men in the woods, and they, well, why spoil the ending?”

The men spread out to surround them. One said, “Oh no, do go on.”

“The ending depends solely on you. Over the years I’ve introduced a good many men to the graveyard. Whether you’re added to that number is on your head, not mine.”

One of the men snickered. “You’re a sorcerer lord? There’s but one man foolish enough to walk that road, and word is he’s in Fish Bait City.”

Another man pointed a spear at Jayden. “I think this fellow is borrowing another man’s reputation. Dress up in a silly costume—”

Jayden raised an eyebrow. “Silly?”

“And he figures men will let him pass,” the man finished. He leered at Dana. “And you have things worth taking.”

“Dana, is this your first experience with bandits?” Jayden asked.

“I’ve helped bury a few after sheriffs and soldiers caught them.”

A spearman said, “I prefer to be called a highwayman. It’s got more dignity to it.”

“I call you a thug, a fool, a coward, and rather shortly no one will call you anything,” Jayden replied.

The bandits laughed. The spearman said, “He’s sure keeping this show up longer than it’s worth.”

“Dana, would you mind putting out our campfire?” Jayden asked.

Dana rolled her eyes at Jayden’s attempt to protect her. Admittedly he wouldn’t need help. “Try not to kill them.”

As the bandits formed a wide circle around Jayden, a spearman said, “Whoever kills him gets the girl.”

That stopped Dana in her tracks. She looked at Jayden, who was now snarling mad, and told him, “You know what? Go nuts.”

Jayden cast a short spell, drawing shadows from across the clearing and nearby woods. The shadows whirled together to form an ebony clawed hand as big as a man in front of Jayden. He reached out with his right hand and the shadowy hand mimicked his movements. The bandits’ chuckles died away.

“Oh sh—” one began before the giant hand slapped him, sending him flying through the air. The hand swung back the other way and bowled two bandits off their feet. It grabbed another and hurled him into a pine tree.

“Flank him!” a bandit yelled moments before the giant hand formed a fist and hit him like a battering ram.

There was a time when Dana would have watched the spectacle, but she’d had months to get used to Jayden’s magic and bad temper. Instead she pulled off the cotton on her arms and legs while bandits screamed. She’d gotten the last of it off when a broken spear flew by her head, followed by its owner.

“Sir, ah, clearly there’s been a mistake!” a bandit called out. “We should have taken your introduction more seriously, a failure to show respect, I’ll grant you, but the matter’s now clear to see. Surely we can call off this dispute before—Jenkins, duck!”

Wham! A bandit landed at Dana’s feet, clutching his stomach. Dana tapped his head with her wood sword and said, “Do us both a favor and stay down.”

One of the bandits still standing pointed his sword at Dana. “Take the girl hostage!”

A bandit with an ax charged Dana. He threw his ax aside as he neared her and reached out with both hands in an attempt to grab her by the arms. Dana stood her ground as he came, and at the last second ducked under his grasp and drove her knee between his legs. The man cried out in agony as he fell to the ground. Dana swung her wood sword at him again and again, striking him across the face, arms and shoulders.

“I don’t think he’s a threat anymore,” Jayden called out from across the clearing.

“You’re not the one they were going to give away like a prize!”

“Point made,” he replied. Dana hit the bandit three more times, stopping only when her wood sword snapped in half.

The last two bandits fled for their lives. Jayden reached out with his monstrous hand and grabbed one by the heels. He swung his screaming victim at the last bandit, clubbing him repeatedly until both men were beaten senseless.

“I broke your sword,” Dana said.

“And by the look of it both that man’s collarbones,” Jayden said as he allowed the giant hand to dissipate. “Our foes are still breathing, as requested. I believe we have enough rope to tie them up. My map of the area shows a sheriff’s outpost not far from here where we can leave these fools.”

Dana kicked dirt on their campfire to put it out. “The punishment for banditry is—”

“Exceedingly painful, I know.” Jayden collected the bandit’s weapons and added them to his baggage. “I detest turning them over to the same authorities I seek to overthrow, but the alternatives are letting them go to menace others or killing them myself. Faced with three bad choices, I intend to let the crown do its job for a change.”

It took an hour to bind the bandits and in some cases bandaging their wounds, but they were on their way soon enough. They came across a major road and not long after that a low stone building with a heavy door and attached tollbooth. An old man manning the booth paled at the sight of Jayden. “I only have ten copper pieces and never hurt anyone you like.”

“Looks like he’s heard of you,” Dana said.

“And he possesses the common sense our friends lack,” Jayden added. “Good sir, as your pockets are so woefully empty allow me the chance to fill them. These men made the poor career move of attacking me.”

The old man stared at the captured bandits. “No one is that stupid.”

“We thought he was bluffing!” a bandit protested.

Jayden pulled the bandits along and handed the end of the rope to the old man. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but there’s typically a bounty placed on bandits.”

The old man grabbed a sheet of paper tacked to the wall and tore it off. “They’re wanted men, all right, with a reward of fifty silver pieces, but you’d have to present them in person to get the money. Some folks might take offense at that.”

“No doubt true given my history, which is why you’re taking the credit.” Jayden handed them off and smiled. “There you go, fifty silver pieces worth of vermin, a good addition to your salary.”

“They’ll put us to death!” a bandit cried out.

“They’ll put you to work,” the old man corrected him. “Baron Vrask doesn’t kill men he can use in his granite quarry.” More softly, the old man said to Jayden, “Do yourself a favor and keep a low profile. The city is in a terrible state these days, and there are folks who’d come after the price on your head.”

“I’ll bear that in mind,” Jayden replied. He left with Dana as the old man placed his wounded prisoners in a cell.

The road led through hilly country heavy with farms and ranches, but Dana saw signs of distress. Many houses were in poor repair. A few were clearly abandoned, with missing windows and doors, and some had caved in roofs. People they met on the road were simply dressed and paid no attention to them. That surprised Dana, as Jayden’s garish clothes normally drew looks wherever he went.

“We’re coming up on the city of Edgeland, which has numerous dubious distinctions,” Jayden began. “It’s on the border with the Kingdom of Kaleoth and was once a center of trade before high taxes strangled merchant traffic. The city is on Race Horse River, which should add to its value as a trade hub. Sadly the river flows so fast no boat can travel it without being destroyed.”

“Wonderful,” Dana said.

“There is the city of River Twin on the other side of the river, a pleasant part of Kaleoth that used to benefit from trade. I’m told today it’s nearly as poor as Edgeland and boasts an army contingent to keep the king and queen on their side of the border.”

“The King of Kaleoth knows a war is coming?” she asked.

“King Brent of Kaloeth is a man of great years and keen wit who can see what’s happening as plainly as we can. If the king and queen mean to surprise him, they’ve seriously underestimated the man.”

“How old is he?”

“Old enough he might shatter if he tripped. Nevertheless, he is a formidable foe and has the allegiance of a large ogre clan.” Jayden walked on in silence for a moment before adding, “He is also a man to be pitied, as he outlived his family. He has one grandson still alive, but the youth is untested. I think King Brent is staying alive out of sheer force of will to give the boy time to learn his job.”

They crested a steep hill to find Edgeland before them. It was a large city that could house fifty thousand people. Buildings were made of granite to survive merciless winter storms, and the streets were paved with cobblestone. East of the city was a wide chasm with a single bridge across it, and beyond that was a smaller city. Edgeland had a wall around it, but there were clusters of buildings outside.

“Edgeland got too big for its britches?” Dana asked playfully.

“Most cities do. Wise leaders build walls around their cities, but few leave room for expansion. When cities grow citizens build their homes outside the wall’s protection.”

Worried, she asked, “What happens to them if the city is attacked?”

“They flee inside the walls if they can and are locked outside if they move too slow.” Jayden saw her horrified look. “Grim as that possibility is, those homes are our best choice to find help. Prosperous and respected citizens live inside the city. Poor residents live beyond the city wall and are more likely to help us.”

“Hopefully they can get you new clothes.”

Looking annoyed, he said, “I wasn’t pleased when bandit questioned my taste in fashion.”

Dana waved at the distant city. “You heard the old guy who took those bandits, people here are desperate. Do you want them coming after you the moment we go in?”

Jayden frowned. “Discretion may be warranted.”

A brief tour of the homes and businesses outside Edgeland turned up furriers, cobblers, fishermen, hunters, and a pawnshop where Jayden sold the weapons he’d taken from the bandits. At long last they found a tailor who gave them a skeptical look when they approached his small shop and said, “No credit for strangers. Pay in cash or leave.”

“A charming start to the conversation,” Jayden replied. He took two silver pieces from his pockets and held them up. “I need clothes, simple, warm and functional.”

The tailor took both coins. “I might have something in your size. Let me take your measurements.”

The tailor went through his limited stock until he came up with a gray overcoat, gray shirt and black pants. An hour of stitching shortened the legs and sleeves to fit. Jayden tried on the new clothes and nodded in approval.

“A good fit, and I like the style.”

“For tax reasons I never saw you in my life,” the tailor replied as he slid both coins into hidden pockets in his pants. “Now get out of here before someone sees you.”

“You don’t get much repeat business, do you?” Dana asked.

“As far as the king and queen are concerned I don’t get any business.”

Jayden packed his old clothes into his bags, and he led Dana toward the city gate. “Now then, I believe we’re ready to go on.”

“Hold on,” Dana told him. She put her hands on his shoulders and sat him on a nearby barrel. “Wanted posters show your face. If I change your hair it might help you go unnoticed.”

“Will this take long?”

Dana took a comb from her bags and went to work. Truth be told, she’d wanted to do something about Jayden’s messy hair since the day they’d met. In minutes she had it combed and tied into a ponytail she tucked into the collar of the overcoat.

Jayden stood up and asked, “How do I look?”

“Like the kind of man my mother warned me about. Let’s go.”

With Jayden disguised they headed for the city’s main gate. They found the gates open and heavily guarded by men wearing the blue and gray of royal soldiers. The soldiers collected a minor toll without inspecting carts and bags brought into the city.

Once they were inside Edgeland, Jayden led her through the streets. “Our first priority is to study the bridge.”

Dana took a deep breath and exhaled. “You know, this is the first city you’ve brought me to that didn’t smell like a dung heap.”

“You can thank Race Horse River. Residents of Edgeland throw their garbage into the river and let it carry their filth away.”

Dana grimaced. “That’s disgusting, and could poison the water and kill off the fish.”

“That’s not a concern.” Jayden brought her to a stone railing running along the river and pointed down. Dana leaned over the railing and gasped.

Race Horse River lived up to its name. The river flowed so fast a galloping horse would have trouble keeping up with it. It was wide, too, at least eighty feet across and who knows how deep. Countless years of fast moving water had cut deep into the bedrock until the water’s surface was fifteen feet below street level.

“Race Horse River moves too fast to host fish,” Jayden explained. “Dana, look at the bridge and tell me what you see.”

Dana looked to her left and saw an engineering marvel. “It’s about a hundred feet long and twenty feet wide. I see eight columns holding it up. I think it’s made of granite.”

“Go on.”

“Guards are stationed on both sides of the bridge. Men on this side wear blue and gray, so they’re soldiers and not militia. Men on the other side wear green and gray. Who are they?”

“Kaleoth frontier soldiers,” Jayden replied. “They’re very good.”

“Two of them have staffs, so I’d pretty sure they’re wizards.” Dana kept staring at the bridge. “Jayden, no one’s crossing the bridge.”

“No, and that’s curious. I’d heard cross border trade was down, but there are no wagons, pack mules or pedestrians crossing. The guards don’t make sense, either. This is part of Baron Vrask’s territory. His men should be guarding the bridge, and they wear white and black.”

Dana looked at him and asked, “If this is Baron Vrask’s territory, why are royal soldiers guarding the city gate?”

“Another good question. This is going to be hard. I’d heard dwarfs built the bridge back when they did quality work, and it doesn’t disappoint. So many soldiers won’t help. I need time to plan my attack. That means we need a place to stay. I’ve never visited the city before, but I’m told there’s a credibly good hotel by the river.”

They walked along the river, passing a few pedestrians and one man on horseback. They found the hotel in minutes, except the building was boarded up and its sign lay on the ground.

Dana walked up to the nearest man and asked, “What happened here?”

The man spit on the street. “A law came out that hotels have to report their guests’ comings and goings to the throne. No one stayed here for months until the owner closed shop and left.”

“That leaves us in a bit of a situation,” Jayden said.

“You’re fine.” The man pointed at a nearby signpost covered in hanging wood placards. “Those are advertisements for people renting rooms. Technically they’re ‘inviting’ guests to stay out of the kindness of their hearts, no charge, so the law doesn’t apply. Of course honest God fearing folks like you might feel inclined to lend a hand with the bills, or ‘accidentally’ leave a few coins. Get the picture?”

“You paint it with such vivid colors,” Jayden said.

The man laughed and walked away. Jayden and Dana went to the signpost and studied the placards. They were small, homemade and covered in spelling errors. Each one offered one or more rooms, with cheerful descriptions of where to find them and the amenities they offered.

“Many to choose from,” Jayden said as he picked over the placards.

Dana handed him a placard. “Let’s take this one. It’s got two rooms, warm beds, a bathroom and they allow pets. Plus it’s a lady’s house.”

Jayden took the placard from her. “How can you tell?”

“The handwriting is nice, and guys don’t mention ‘super keen’ views. She even printed directions to her house.”

“It’s as good a choice as any,” he said as they walked through Edgeland. Dana was surprised how sparsely populated the city was. In ten minutes they saw only twenty people. Maybe residents were out gathering the harvest or working in mines and quarries.

Dana turned a corner near their destination and ran straight into two spearmen dressed in white and black uniforms. She cried out in surprise and backed up, quickly bowing and saying, “Sorry, sir.”

“Sir, eh?” the spearman asked. “You hear that, Nate? She called me sir.”

“Bill, don’t,” the other spearman said.

Jayden’s muscles tensed and his eyes narrowed. Dana put a hand on his arm before he could take action.

“No, I’m going to say it!” the first spearman shouted. “I’ve served ten years, fought bandits, monsters, animated skeletons, and after all that the king’s soldiers call me boy. I’m good in a fight, I know these streets like the back of my hand, I’ve upheld the law, and I get treated like a punk.”

The second spearman looked away in embarrassment. “Bill.”

“A girl, a stranger I’ve never met before, calls me sir, showing me a little bit of ulmixin respect that I can’t get from our own army! This is why people quit, Nate! This is why good men walk off the job!”

The first spearman stomped off. The second one looked down and said, “I’m sorry about that. He’s a good man, it’s just he’s been pushed too far.”

Once the second spearman ran after his friend, Dana said, “Wow.”

“Not surprising,” Jayden told her. “We’ve seen loyal men treated poorly before. Let’s get off the street before we draw any more attention.”

“What does ulmixin mean?”

Jayden reached the house described on the placard and knocked on the door. “It’s a gnomish word I’d prefer not to translate. Theirs is a language rich in obscenities.”

“Coming!” a muffled voice called from inside the house. The door opened and a young woman in a plain dress came to greet them. She looked like she was in her early twenties, with brown eyes and short brown hair, pretty in a simple sort of way. She smiled, took one look at Jayden, and froze. For a second Dana worried the woman recognized Jayden from his many wanted posters and was terrified of him. Then Dana saw the woman blush and look down. This wasn’t terror.

Dana stepped in and shook the woman’s hand. “Hi! I understand you’re renting rooms. My uncle and I need a place to stay tonight.”

“Perhaps longer,” Jayden added.

“Uh,” the woman managed. Jayden had this effect on women. Even Dana had been at a loss for words the first time she’d met him. Still, most women shook it off faster than this. “Rooms. Ah, yes, I, uh, have two rooms, ah, not technically for rent.”

“A passerby was kind enough to explain the loophole in the law,” Jayden told her. He took a gold coin from his baggage and pressed it into her left hand. “He was vague on how large a donation to make. Is this sufficient?”

“Money?” the woman asked. It looked like she was still dazed. “You’re not offering barter? I mean I’ll take money. I need money! It’s just other borders paid in flour, or eggs, or turnips. I hate turnips.”

Jayden smiled at her, making her blush again. “We’re out of turnips at the moment, so hard currency will have to do.”

“Yes, currency, money, good. That’s enough to cover a month’s stay,” she said as she led them inside. The house included plain furniture and white pillows. In stark contrast to this simplicity were the paintings hanging on the walls. Most were landscapes, including gorgeous pictures of Race Horse River, but there were also portraits of children and their pets. The house had three bedrooms with the doors open to show clean if simple furnishings.

Dana followed the woman to the rented rooms. “So, what’s your name?”

“Ah, my name’s Maya. Um, what’s yours?”

“I’m Dana Illwind.”

Maya looked puzzled. “And your uncle, who’s not following me?”

Jayden hadn’t gotten far past the door. Instead he’d put down his bags and was studying the paintings. “Uncle craves his privacy. I trust that won’t be a problem.”

“No. No, no, no, not for paying customers it’s not,” Maya said.

“I see an easel in the corner and canvas not stretched over a frame yet, so this must be your work,” Jayden said. “You have considerable skill as a painter. Clearly the lady has an eye for beauty in addition to beautiful eyes.”

Maya looked so shocked she could’ve been knocked over with a feather. Dana just rolled her eyes. She wondered if Jayden was doing this on purpose or if he didn’t even notice the effect he was having on the poor woman.

“I, um,” Maya stammered before words flooded out of her. “Dinner is at sunset, I lock the door an hour later, please don’t make too much noise after dark so the neighbors don’t complain because I need them to like me.”

“How many sentences was that?” Jayden asked playfully.

Dana got between Jayden and Maya. “We’ll be the best behaved guests you’ve had. Isn’t that right, uncle?”

Jayden picked up his bags and headed for his room. “You may count on our discretion. Come along, niece, let’s store our belongings and let the young lady go on to more important tasks.”

Dana followed Jayden to two bedrooms in the back of the house and went into the same room as Jayden. She closed the door behind them and said, “Don’t tease the landlady.”

“I complimented her, nothing more.” Jayden set down his bags and looked out a window facing the river. “Nor did I lie. As long as we’re admonishing one another, stop mentioning your name. We’re not in a small town, nor are we among friends like in Pearl Harbor. Our hostess could say things about us to the authorities. Should the king and queen learn your identity, they could go after your family.”

Dana froze. “I didn’t think of that.”

Jayden checked the window. “We can go out at night through the window without Maya noticing if we must. My hope is we can study the bridge at leisure over the next few days and look for weaknesses. I didn’t see any earlier, which worries me. Bringing it down is going to be difficult.”

“You seem really sure there’s going to be an invasion across that bridge.”

Jayden took a map out of his bags and unrolled it on the bed. “This shows the border with Kaleoth. The ground is hilly to mountainous, with only a few crossings easily blocked by Kaleoth frontier soldiers. Edgeland’s bridge over the Race Horse River is the only way to bring in large numbers of troops.”

“What’s in Kaleoth worth taking?”

“It has good pastures and a few mines, although no precious metals.” Jayden pointed at the map and said, “It’s not a large prize, but could be easily taken by a clever enemy. The capital city is only three day’s march from the border. Seizing that could be enough to end the war if they take the king and his sole heir prisoner.”

Dana pointed at a kingdom to the south. “Your sort of friend Reginald Lootmore thinks the king and queen are going to invade his home of Zentrix. You think he’s wrong?”

Jayden frowned. “Worse than that, I think he’s right. Kaleoth is a small prize. The king and queen couldn’t divide so little land among their nobles. So many ambitious men would demand a greater reward for their loyalty than Kaloeth could provide. The only way to satisfy them would be to conquer more land, and Zentrix is the next logical target. If that’s not enough, the Kingdom of Brandish will be the third and last to be invaded.”

“You think they’re going to take over three kingdoms?” Dana didn’t try to hide her surprise.

“All three have small populations, few soldiers, no strong allies and not enough money to support long campaigns.” Jayden rolled up his map and put it away. “It wouldn’t be easy to beat them, but it’s possible. Destroying that bridge may be enough to save Kaleoth from destruction.”

“That would force the king and queen to move to their backup targets,” Dana replied. “You’re saving one kingdom and dooming the other two.”

“I know.” Jayden stared out the window for a moment. “Dana, I’ve been grasping at straws since I vowed to defeat the king and queen. My blows against them have been annoyances at best. Defeating the wizard Green Peril, killing the chimera, stealing some armor and saving those girls from slavery, they were pinpricks.”

He turned to her and said, “This is my biggest strike against them, and even that leaves lives in peril. I can’t save everyone. My only hope is if I hit them hard and often I can weaken them until the armies of Zentrix and Brandish can fight the king and queen to a stalemate. That’s a brutal, bloody outcome that can’t possibly be called a victory, but it’s the only chance we have.”

There was a soft knock at the door. “Dinner’s almost ready.”

“We’ll continue this conversation another time,” Jayden said.

Maya greeted them at a small table, where she’d placed hardboiled eggs, a loaf of bread, fresh apples and a pitcher of milk. “I’m sure you’re used to better than this, but it’s what I could find at market.”

“Don’t apologize,” Dana told her. “It’s good food and more than we were expecting. You’ve got a very nice house.”

“Oh I don’t own it,” Maya said as she served Jayden. “I rent it from Baron Vrask. Lots of people rent from him.”

“How did he come to own so many properties?” Jayden asked.

Maya served Dana while she answered him. “I guess you wouldn’t know if you’re not from here. Not that I’m accusing my neighbors, but, ah, you know how taxes have gone up recently? Some families couldn’t pay. Baron Vrask takes labor or barter when people can’t pay their taxes. Royal tax collectors don’t.”

Worried, Dana asked, “What happened to them?”

“Some went to Kaleoth for a few days to buy wool or visit relatives. Lots of people here have family over the border, you know. But, um, a few days turned into a few weeks and a few months and now a few years, so I think they’re not coming back.”

“Which left empty houses that could fall into disrepair if not occupied, so your baron took ownership and rents them out,” Jayden said.

“It’s a very reasonable rent and I can pay it, sort of.” Maya looked worried when she served herself last. “I sell paintings, not as many with the bridge closed, I babysit, and I give painting lessons to a few boys, but, ah, I have to take in borders to make ends meet. Not that I’m against it! They’ve all been really nice people.”

“Surely your family can offer assistance,” Jayden said. Maya’s expression went from worried to sad. Jayden put down his food. “My apologies, I’ve upset you.”

Dana asked, “What’s the matter?”

“I, um, I’m a foundling. Baron Vrask’s men found me on the street when I was a baby. The baron takes in orphans and foundlings, and he supports them until they’re adults. I had a very good upbringing! He’s a nice man, and I learned a lot about cooking and cleaning, and his artisan taught me how to paint. I’m friends with the girls and boys I grew up with at the baron’s castle. The girls are nice, and the boys are loud and messy.”

“Sounds like my brothers,” Dana said. “Boys are like that the world over.”

Jayden was silent for a moment. “When Dana introduced herself, you gave only a first name.”

“I can’t have a family name if I don’t have a family.” Maya looked miserable. “I’m sorry, I’m not being a very good host. I shouldn’t babble like this.”

“You’re not babbling,” Jayden told her. “You’re being honest, and far friendlier than I expect or deserve. You’ve also earned my respect for Baron Vrask for treating you with such kindness in your youth.”

Maya smiled at him. “Thank you.”

This is the conclusion to Border Crossing:

Dana and Jayden left Maya’s house early the next morning. It was a cool, sunny day, and Jayden headed for the bridge. They found it guarded by ten soldiers dressed in blue and gray. No one approached the bridge, and pedestrians went to the opposite side of the street when they neared it. Jayden took a seat at an outdoor café and ordered breakfast.

“Glorious morning, isn’t it?” he said as a waiter served them. Once he was gone, Jayden added, “We have to thank Maya for more than lodging when we’re done here. Her painting of the bridge was most informative.”

“How’s that?”

“The bridge is made of fitted blocks of granite, too hard to break with the spells I’ve learned, but her painting showed mortar between the blocks. I might be able to cut through it and bring down the bridge piece by piece. Still, I need a closer look to make sure her work is accurate before we begin.”

“Speaking of Maya, she’s at the end of the street,” Dana told him. Maya was standing by a wagon loaded with fresh produce. It looked like she was buying food, and quite a bit of it. Two women walked up to her and smiled. That made Dana happy. Maya had seemed so lonely before. It was good to see her cheerful. “She’s talking with friends.”

Jayden kept his eyes on the bridge. “Really, what about?”

Dana was about to scold him for expecting her to hear a conversation so far away, but then she saw one of the women point to Jayden and give Maya a predatory smile. Whatever she said made Maya blush beet red. The two women laughed, and one patted Maya on the shoulder.

“You,” Dana told him.

“A worthy topic of conversation,” Jayden said. He finished his meal and stood up. “I need you to distract the guards so I can take a look at the bridge without being noticed. This could be dangerous based on the way Edgeland’s residents avoid those men.”

“I’ll keep a healthy distance.”

A short walk brought them to the bridge. Jayden stayed back and looked like he was studying the nearby abandoned hotel while Dana came closer. She smiled at the nearest soldier and said, “Hi there. I was wondering if there’s another hotel in town. This one’s closed and I need a place to stay.”

The soldiers leaned against the bridge’s support columns and barely reacted to her question. “We’re not tour guides.”

“You must have been here longer than I have. Have you seen anywhere I—”

“Do I have to repeat myself?” a soldier demanded. He took a step closer to her. “You can sleep in a ditch for all I care.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I don’t care! Nobody does!” The soldier pointed his spear at her and shouted, “You’re not fooling anyone! The bridge is closed to traffic until the king and queen say otherwise. Nothing’s going to change that, not begging, not bribes, not whatever sob story you’ve come up with, so bug off!”

Dana ran. She made sure not to get too close to Jayden so the soldiers didn’t guess they were together. She stopped when she was a block away, and was relieved when she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“Sorry about that,” an unfamiliar voice said. Dana yelped again and bolted from the strange woman trying to comfort her. The woman looked startled and held up her hands. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

Dana pointed at the bridge guards. “What’s going on?”

“I wish I knew,” the woman answered. “Baron Vrask’s men used to guard the bridge. They’d let through people they were sure would come back, but these men won’t let anyone cross. I was supposed to get a wool shipment from Kaleoth weeks ago, but they won’t let the wagon across or let me go to them.”

Jayden walked up alongside them and asked, “Are you all right?”

“Just a little surprised,” Dana told him.

“We shouldn’t stay here if the guards are so hostile,” he told her. He took her by the arm and led her away. The woman waved goodbye and went on her way. They’d traveled a few blocks before Jayden said, “Maya’s attention to detail is exceptional. There is half an inch of mortar between the granite blocks, the bridge’s only weakness.”

“When are you going to destroy it?”

“The guards will be at their worst at midnight. Darkness will limit their vision and the late hour will leave them tired. Until then we’ll occupy ourselves studying the town and looking for potential threats or sources of aid. I don’t expect to find either, but we’re not in a rush.”

Edgeland’s markets were sparsely populated and had little to offer. Many shops were closed with signs saying they were out of stock. Others were open but offered only the most basic supplies. Dana and Jayden attracted little attention from shopkeepers and customers.

“Why do you think they closed the bridge?” Dana asked.

“Possibly to keep Kaleoth spies out of the kingdom. It’s a draconian move that costs the kingdom far more than it benefits, but paranoia seems to be the rule of the day.”

“What’s the point of doing it now? You said they won’t invade until springtime. Keeping the bridge closed all winter is going to make people in Kaleoth suspicious, maybe enough for them to double their guards on the bridge.”

Jayden frowned. “It’s certainly odd. I’d suspect such a move closer to the advent of war, but for that to make sense the king and queen would have to invade almost at once. Kaleoth is mountainous and has many natural chokepoints. Enough snowfall would close those for months and produce a serious avalanche risk. An invading army would have to make excellent progress in the face of determined opposition or be bogged down.”

“The king and queen must know that. They’re evil, but they’re not dumb.”

“So what are we missing?” he asked.

Dana and Jayden returned to Maya’s house late that day to find her busy cooking. She blushed when she saw Jayden, but she seemed a bit more at ease with him. “Dinner will be ready in a little while.”

Dana caught the scent of spices and cooking meat. “Is that mutton?”

“I paid my rent for the year with the money you gave me,” Maya said. Dana was shocked one gold coin went so far, and was amazed when Maya added, “There was some left over, so I splurged on groceries.”

“Which you’re sharing with us,” Jayden said. “Your generosity as a hostess knows no bounds, and that smells incredible. If you’ll excuse me, I need to work in my room.”

Once he was gone, Maya asked, “I noticed your uncle doesn’t wear a ring. Does he have a girlfriend at home?”

Dana stopped to admire one of Maya’s portraits. “Him? Ha, ha, no, I haven’t met one. The only woman I think was interested in him was Suzy Lockheart, and that didn’t turn out well. I think she came on too strong.”

“Nothing happened between us!” Jayden shouted through his closed door.

“Really.” Maya tried to sound casual and failed utterly. “What’s, um, what’s he like?”

Dana froze. Jayden’s casual flirting had more of an effect than he’d realized. This could end badly. Dana tried to come up with an answer that was polite and still make it clear there was no chance for a relationship.

She struggled for a response and briefly let an honest answer cross her mind. Jayden is a man on a mission. At some point he was hurt so badly it left scars across his soul that might never heal. I think he wants a family to replace what he lost, and that’s probably what I am to him, a sister or daughter. If you’re his friend there’s nothing he won’t do to help you. If you’re his enemy there’s nothing that can save you. He’s the world’s only sorcerer lord, and powerful as he is, he’s going to get himself killed taking so many risks. I’m terrified that I can’t save him.

After much thought, she said, “He can be difficult.”

“I wouldn’t say that. He’s the nicest man I’ve ever met.”

“Come on, Maya, a pretty lady like you must get lots of attention from men.”

Maya blushed and redirected her attention back to the cooking pot. “Um, yes, well, there were two men. Um, one joined the army to make his fortune. He said he’d come back for me once he became an officer, but that was three years ago. The other one, ah, he likes me, but he likes beer, too. Lots of beer.”

Dana sat down at the dinner table and faced Maya. “That’s not husband material. Uncle has been getting better about how he treats people. He can still be harsh at times. You’re seeing him at his best.”

“He’s on his best behavior for a failed artist?” Maya sounded hopeful.

“You’re not a failure,” Dana said. She got up and pointed at the nearest painting. “This is gorgeous. My mom would pay good money for this, if she had money, good or otherwise.”

Jayden came back from his room carrying a bag. “Excuse my interruption of your no doubt fascinating discussion. Niece, we’ll need to talk about coming activities.”

Dana was happy to exit this awkward conversation and warn Jayden about Maya’s interest in him, but her joy was short lived when the bag he was carrying tore. It wasn’t surprising since he’d loaded it with stone tablets inscribed with spells of the old sorcerer lords. The heavy tablets landed with a thud on the floor, followed by a few dozen gold coins and a jeweled ring. Maya stared in amazement at the bag’s contents. Her jaw dropped and she took a step back. Dana got between Maya and the tablets.

“I can explain,” Dana said as her mind raced. “My uncle is a historian.”

Maya looked puzzled. “Historians are paid in gold?”

“Historians explore ancient places. Sometimes they find things…nice things.”

Maya put a hand over her mouth. “You looted this stuff?”

“Looted is such an ugly word,” Jayden said. “Tragically accurate, though.”

“That’s why you came here!” Maya exclaimed. “I was wondering why you were by the bridge the other day. You found this neat stuff and you’re trying to get out of the kingdom before it gets confiscated.”

“Um,” Dana began. Maya’s guess was illegal enough that she might go to the authorities.

Maya ran over and clapped her hands. “Ooh, let me see what you found! That’s a gorgeous ring! Can I try it on?”

Dana watched as Maya, giddy as a schoolgirl, gushed over the treasure and marveled at the designs on the spell tablets. Dana whispered to Jayden, “She’s an adult, right?”

“Physically, yes,” he whispered back. Louder, he asked, “I hope we can trust you with this secret?”

“Oh!” Jayden’s question dragged Maya’s attention back to him. “I won’t tell a soul. If I had half as much as you I’d keep it a secret, too. Lots of people have had their money confiscated. Tax collectors show up and suddenly you owe twice as much as you should.”

Jayden got another bag from his room and repacked the spilled goods. Maya handed back the ring and smiled at him. “I don’t think you can get to Kaleoth from here. Soldiers aren’t letting anyone come or leave. There are other places you could cross, but they’re guarded, too. You have to walk a long time to find someone to sell this to.”

“An unfortunate situation, but one that lets up enjoy your hospitality awhile longer,” Jayden told her. He smiled and looked like he was going to keep flirting with her when panicking men ran past the nearest window. More men ran by. “That’s rarely a good sign.”

Dana stuck her head out the window and saw men and women racing by. “What’s the matter?”

“There’s an army coming!” a man yelled before he turned a corner.

Dana, Jayden and Maya went outside to find every nearby street in a state of confusion, with men, women and children fleeing like their lives depended on it. Maya pointed to a nearby street corner and said, “That’s the highest point around. We’ll get the best view there.”

The sun was beginning to set as they reached the street corner and looked outside the city. The city wall made it impossible to see anything close by, but in the distance they saw what was undeniably an army approaching Edgeland. Dana guessed there were over ten thousand men in blue and gray, maybe more. It was divided into dozens of companies carrying flags and beating drums. Some companies had their own distinct flags with gruesome images like ram skulls and bloody swords.

“Why is everyone scared?” Dana asked. “Those are our soldiers.”

“Only some of them,” Jayden said. He pointed at one of the unusual flags and scowled. “Those flags are for mercenary companies, foreigners fighting for pay. Such men are known for brutality and robbing anyone they meet unless their officers keep them on a short leash. If they pass through quickly then Edgeland’s people should be safe. Otherwise they’ll suffer attacks.”

That worried Dana. If Jayden’s plan worked then the army would be stalled her for weeks or months. There was no telling how much damage they’d do, and a pretty girl like Maya with no family to protect her would be in great danger.

“Jayden, we can’t leave Maya here.”

“No, we can’t.” Jayden took Maya’s hands and said, “We’re going back to your house to collect our things. Pack whatever essentials you need. We’re getting you out of here before those men arrive.”

Maya stammered, “L-leave? Where? That many men will fill the city.”

“Please, trust me.” Jayden led Maya back to her home. They hurried to pack supplies including food and Maya’s art supplies and then left the building. There was no way to carry all of Maya’s paintings and they were forced to leave them.

Still in shock, Maya asked, “Why is an army coming here? We’re not in danger.”

“Their stay is intended to be temporary,” Jayden explained. “I was wondering why the baron’s men were removed from the city gate and the bridge. The king and queen must have worried that spies would see their army approach, so they closed the bridge to prevent Kaleoth receiving a timely warning.”

“I know people in Kaleoth!” Maya cried out. “They’re good people. They’ve done nothing to deserve this.”

Jayden put a hand on her shoulder. “No, they haven’t, and we’re going to save them.”

“Dana called you Jayden,” Maya said. Dana paused for a moment and winced when she remembered the mistake she’d made. Maya pointed at Jayden and said, “You, you’re the sorcerer lord.”

“I am.” Jayden picked up one of Maya’s bags. “I’m a wanted man with a staggeringly high price on my head because I want to stop our kingdom from invading Kaleoth and possibly other lands. Dana is helping me prevent that invasion. Maya, I need more help, a person to give the people of Kaloeth a warning.”

“I’m just a painter,” she pleaded.

“Then today is worth remembering, because a painter is going to save thousands of lives.” Jayden wasted no more time and led them to the bridge. They avoided panicking people, but doing so still slowed them down.

It was getting dark when Dana, Jayden and Maya reached the bridge to find the soldiers yawning and inattentive. Two of them were even asleep. Jayden snuck closer and hid behind a parked wagon before casting a spell. Shadows wrapped together to form an enormous clawed hand. The hand was nearly invisible in the darkness, and it came as a surprise to the soldiers when he hit them like a battering ram. Men cried out as they were tossed about. Two tried to fight back and stabbed the hand before they were bowled over. Their leader tried to run and got thirty feet before the hand threw one of his men into him.

“Subtle.” Dana’s word dripped with sarcasm.

“Tonight is going to be loud, flashy and time consuming,” he countered as he used the hand to carry defeated men to the closed hotel. “Subtle isn’t an option. Dana, help me tie these men up. Maya, cross the bridge and tell the soldiers there what you’ve seen.”

Maya hesitated. “What about you?”

Jayden cast a spell and formed a black sword edged in white. Maya gasped at the sight of the magic blade and backed away. He told her, “I’m going to slow down the enemy for as long as I can. Go. Lives depend on you.”

Maya ran across the bridge, leaving Dana and Jayden alone. It took more time than Dana liked to secure their prisoners. Once that was done, they walked onto the bridge and stopped where two large granite floor blocks met. Jayden placed the tip of the sword over a thin gap between the panels filled with mortar and drove the sword in. It bit into the mortar and sank in slowly. With a final thrust the blade went through to the bottom of the bridge. Jayden walked forward, pulling the sword with him. His magic sword cut through the mortar so slowly a snail could outrun it.

“Keep an eye on our adversaries,” Jayden said as he inched forward.

The nearby closed hotel had spaces between the bricks wide enough for Dana climb onto the roof to get a better vantage point. “The army is still coming, but they’re not rushing. It could be an hour before they reach the city gate and longer to reach us. Why aren’t they hurrying? And why aren’t there knights on horseback?”

“Why would they rush when they think friendly soldiers hold both the city gate and the bridge?” Jayden called back. “There’s no need to exhaust their men with a fast march before battle when they believe they can catch Kaleoth’s soldiers unaware. As for the knights, Kaleoth’s steep hills and mountains aren’t the place to send horses. The king and queen will save their cavalry for the flatter countryside of Zentrix and Brandish.”

Dana spotted movement outside the city. “I see people with carts and wagons fleeing into the countryside. Looks like Edgeland’s population is going to drop even more.”

“And on the other side of the bridge?”

Dana turned around and frowned. “Men are running around. Maya’s talking to one of them and pointing at us. Jayden, you said the king and queen wouldn’t attack so late in the year. Avalanches, passes closed by snow, stuff like that.”

“All good reasons not to attack rendered invalid by simple fact it hasn’t snowed yet. Campaigning will be impossible in a few weeks, giving the king and queen a brief window of opportunity to make a surprise attack and seize the capital city of Kaleoth. If they can win every battle for the next week they’ll take Kaleoth before winter comes.”

Dana watched the approaching army. “They certainly have enough men. Wait, I see something big in the front of the army. Jayden get up here.”

Jayden let his magic sword dissipate and climbed onto the closed hotel. Dana pointed at a dark towering figure leading the army. Jayden’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. “That’s Wall Wolf, an iron golem that guards the king and queen. It’s served the royal family for centuries and has never been beaten. It could have won the civil war singlehandedly except it was too slow to reach most battles in time.”

“Can you stop it?”

“I won’t even be able to scratch it!” Jayden climbed down from the hotel and went back to the bridge. “If the king and queen have sent Wall Wolf then they’re totally committed to this war, even sending their personal bodyguard for the task.”

“The army is getting close to the city gate,” Dana said. She climbed down and joined Jayden. “That many men are going to close off any chance for us to escape.”

“When I’m done we’ll cross over into Kaleoth,” Jayden told her. He reformed his magic sword and drove it between two granite slabs. “We’ll find another way back into the kingdom later.”

They heard noises behind them. Dana turned to see Kaleoth soldiers gathering on their side of the border. Soldiers rolled wagons across the bridge and then overturned them to form makeshift barricades. More soldiers armed with crossbows arrived and took up positions on rooftops.

“Following Maya might be harder than you think,” Dana said.

“The bridge is open!” a man yelled. An older man ran by Dana and Jayden to Kaleoth, then two more. Soon crowds of frightened people fled the coming army. They avoided Jayden, but a man slowed down long enough to say, “I don’t know what you’re doing, but do it faster.”

Dana heard a woman cry out, “Crimson Reapers are coming! Hide your daughters!”

“Mercenaries?” Dana asked Jayden.

“Among the worst, and as brutal to civilians as they are to their enemies.”

Dana retook her place on top of the abandoned hotel. “The army reached the city gates and are coming through. We’ve got more people headed our way.”

The stream of frightened humanity turned into a river. Dana saw men and women flee into Kaleoth and clamber over the barricades. Kaleoth soldiers helped them across. She also saw Kaleoth soldiers point at Jayden as he hacked into the bridge. Some men followed suit with pickaxes and hammers.

“Ten minutes until they get here, maybe less,” Dana called out. “How far did you get?”

“Not enough by half,” Jayden called out. He’d cut far enough to reach where two large granite slabs came together. He made a ninety-degree turn and began cutting out the mortar along another side.

Dana watched the fleeing crowds shrink to a mere trickle. She’d been wrong on how long it would take the army to reach the bridge. Their pace slowed to a crawl once they were among the buildings, and she saw mercenaries breaking into homes and shops. It took a lot of effort to get them moving again, and more than one officer resorted to using a whip on his own men.

Terrifying as they were, Wall Wolf was far more frightening. Dana could make out more details as the iron golem came closer. It stood twelve feet tall and looked like an enormous knight, even if the arms and legs were far too thick and the shoulders too broad. The golem carried no weapon, not that such an enormous monster would need one. It took slow steps but never stopped marching forward. The golem kicked over a wagon in its way and stepped on it, crushing it to kindling.

“They’re two blocks away and closing,” Dana told Jayden. She climbed down and joined him. Jayden had cut a gash fifteen feet long in the bridge and still hadn’t done significant damage.

Jayden kept working. “Get ready to run for your life.”

The vanguard of the army came onto the street ahead of them while Wall Wolf was a block away but still visible above the rooftops. Soldiers and mercenaries saw Jayden and stopped a hundred feet away. Every tenth man carried a lantern, lighting up streets. Officers soon came, and following them was a man in plate armor and a purple cape.

“As I live and breath, the sorcerer lord,” the armored man said. He watched Jayden inching along and laughed. “Spitting on the bridge would be just as effective.”

Jayden drew his black sword out and raised it in a challenge. “Judging by your armor you’re from the Rendmal family, likely their eldest son Kyver. Your father served with distinction during the civil war and was known for justice and mercy, traits you clearly don’t share if you’re invading a friendly state.”

Kyver shot back, “They’ve no right to such a title.”

“Kaleoth could have sent raiding parties to loot our farms and villages during our civil war. Instead they sent food to starving families. Your father held them in high regard.”

“My father is not in command of this army,” Kyver said as Wall Wolf smashed through a house on its way to the bridge. “I am. Kaleoth is an enemy state because the king declared they are enemies, and the king’s word is law. If he said the sky is yellow and not blue then his word makes it so. Loyal men understand such things.”

“If that’s an example of your keen wit, I see why you use it so rarely,” Jayden quipped.

More soldiers and mercenaries came but stayed well back. Kyver also made no move toward Dana and Jayden. Instead Kyver held up an iron baton with a black pearl on the end. “I’ve heard tales of the damage you’ve done. I could kill you with a word, sending a thousand men after you until one of them strikes you dead, but a more efficient means is at hand. Wall Wolf, hear me and obey. Kill the sorcerer lord.”

Soldiers scattered as Wall Wolf stomped toward Jayden. Cobblestones shattered under the iron golem’s feet. Jayden let his magic sword dissipate and instead chanted words Dana recognized even if she didn’t understand them. Jayden held out his hands and a tiny spark formed between them. He kept chanting as Wall Wolf drew closer, a hundred feet and then fifty. When the spell was finished the spark flew out and stopped inches from Wall Wolf’s head.

Boom! The spark exploded into a blazing fireball that washed over the golem. Soldiers cried out in panic and fell back while Kyver stood his ground. Seconds later the flames died away and Wall Wolf took another step toward Jayden. Jayden’s most powerful spell hadn’t even scratched the golem. Kyver laughed. His men rallied to his side and laughed with him. Jayden backed away as Wall Wolf came ever closer.

Dana asked, “I’d say he weighs twenty tons, wouldn’t you?”

Jayden reformed his black sword. “At least.”

“How much weight can this bridge take?”

Jayden stopped retreating. “That’s a fascinating question. An hour ago I would have said there’s a fifty-fifty chance Wall Wolf would be too heavy to cross it.”

Dana looked at the deep gash in the bridge. “If we walk back ten steps and two more to the right, and Wall Wolf comes at us in a straight line, that would put him right here.”

Jayden and Dana backed away while soldiers and mercenaries cheered on Wall Wolf. The iron golem marched relentlessly forward, slow but never stopping as it closed the distance between them. Jayden smiled wickedly when Wall Wolf reached the damaged section of the bridge.

Crack! A slab of granite ten feet long broke free as the last bits of mortar shattered. The slab tilted up and Wall Wolf slid backwards until both the golem and bridge section fell into the raging waters below. Water shot up high into the air and rained down onto the bridge and riverbank. Soldiers cried out in rage and Kyver’s look of smug superiority vanished, replaced by shock.

“That was entertaining,” Jayden told Kyver. “What else did you bring me to play with?”

“Fetch long timbers!” Kyver yelled. “Tear down the houses to get them if you must! I want that gap covered! Archers forward!”

Dana gripped Jayden’s arm. “That’s our cue to leave.”

“It is at that,” Jayden agreed. He and Dana ran down the bridge, with Jayden grinning like the cat that caught the canary. “This will slow them down long enough for me to bring down the bridge from the other side. Kaleoth will be safe now and forev—”

Wall Wolf came up from the river, climbing up a support column to stand before Dana and Jayden. Soldiers and mercenaries cheered when the iron golem stepped in front of them and clenched its huge fists. It blocked Dana and Jayden’s escape, and the bridge was destroyed behind them, trapping the pair.

“The show’s not over, boys!” Kyver shouted to his men. “Watch the king and queen’s enemies fall!”

“Go left,” Jayden told Dana as he went right. The bridge was wide enough that Wall Wolf couldn’t fully block it, nor could the iron golem go after both of them. Wall Wolf pursued Jayden, as ordered, ignoring Dana entirely. “Dana, you’re clear, run!”

“I’m not leaving you!”

Wall Wolf stomped after Jayden. Jayden swung his sword at its heels, only for the magic blade to bounce off. His next swing was equally useless. Wall Wolf swung its right fist and missed by a wide margin. Jayden slashed his sword across the fist without effect.

“Staying won’t help!” he shouted. “Run!”

Crossbow bolts flew over Jayden’s head and hit Wall Wolf. Dana spun around and saw Kaleoth soldiers peppering the iron golem with accurate crossbow fire. Their aim was impressive, awe inspiring, and totally useless. Bolt after bolt shattered against the iron golem’s tough skin without leaving a scratch.

Wall Wolf tried to stomp on Jayden. It missed, but when Jayden ran out of the way the iron golem swung its left hand and landed a glancing blow. It was enough to send Jayden flying twenty feet farther down the bridge. Soldiers cheered and Dana screamed. Jayden struggled to his knees before falling down.

Dana tore through her bags until she found her magic short sword. She hadn’t had the opportunity to practice with it in Edgeland because it would have drawn attention. Dana didn’t know how much good it would be without training, but trapped between a raging river and an iron golem meant there were no other choices. She raised the blade high and charged. She felt it warm up as she ran, then it began to glow. She was five steps from the iron golem when the sword lit up like a bonfire. Dana screamed and slashed at Wall Wolf’s right leg.

The sword hit, no surprise when her target was large, slow and not paying attention to her. Magic blade met magic monster and produced a shower of sparks so strong Dana had to clench her eyes shut. When the light died down she stepped back and opened her eyes. She’d wounded the golem, leaving a cut eighteen inches long and a quarter inch deep.

“That’s it?” she yelled.

“Is that all you’ve got?” a soldier jeered.

Kyver looked more impressed. “Wall Wolf has never been hurt before. Only a powerful weapon could make such a scratch. Wall Wolf, hear me and obey. Kill the girl and bring me the sword.”

Wall Wolf turned to face her. Dana backed away. “Oh boy.”

More crossbow fire hit Wall Wolf as the iron golem closed in on Dana. A Kaleoth wizard shot magic flame and hit the golem in the back. Wall Wolf ignored them and kept after Dana.

Dana ran around the golem. She swung at it again, but this time it was expecting the blow and pulled away at the last second. The golem swung its fists at her and missed, but more attacks quickly followed. It was all she could do to avoid the monstrosity.

Wall Wolf raised its right foot and tried to crush her underfoot. For a moment it looked like it might do just that before a clawed black hand as big as a man wrapped around Wall Wolf’s head. The magic hand pushed forward and tipped the iron golem over. Dana looked over and saw Jayden on his knees, his right hand held forward.

The fall did Wall Wolf no harm. It grabbed the huge hand with both its hands and pulled hard. Jayden screamed in pain as his magic hand was ripped apart and evaporated. Soldiers and mercenaries laughed all the louder as Wall Wolf stood up.

Dana raised her sword as Wall Wolf advanced on her. She knew it was pointless even as she did it. Her sword had barely hurt the iron golem when she’d hit it. If she struck a joint like the knees or ankles maybe that would do actual damage, but Wall Wolf had brought down Jayden with one hit. It would need no more to finish her.

“You stupid sword, you were supposed to be special!” she screamed at it. “You barely did anything to that monster! We paid good money for you!”

Wall Wolf came closer and raised both fists over its head. Dana backed away, briefly lowering her sword. The tip of the blade grazed the bridge, cutting a groove an inch deep with the barest touch. Shocked, Dana fell back further and let her sword slide against the bridge. The sword sliced through granite blocks as if they were made of sand.

Dana gasped as she gathered her thoughts. Jayden’s sword had been able to damage the bridge but not Wall Wolf. Her sword could damage the iron golem, if only just, so it should have no trouble finishing the work Jayden started and do the job faster. Wall Wolf had survived one trip into Race Horse River. Dana intended to give it another bath.

Dana ran around Wall Wolf, staying just outside its reach. She found where two granite slabs connected in the bridge and slid her sword into the mortar between them. The blade went in easily, and she ran between the slabs, hacking through mortar like it was nothing. Wall Wolf followed her to the cheers of soldiers. Dana heard men betting on how long she’d live. Wall Wolf was beginning to catch up with her when she followed another line of mortar in the bridge, hacking through it effortlessly. Wall Wolf pursued her as ordered, not understanding the danger it was in.

Crack! Another section of the bridge gave way. Dana jumped onto the nearest stable part of the bridge as the slab underneath her tipped and slid backwards. Wall Wolf was on the opposite end of the sinking section. It was reaching for her when the slab fell into the river and took the iron golem with it. Soldiers shouted in outrage, none louder than Kyver. They cheered again when Wall Wolf climbed up the nearest support column. Dana was waiting for it.

It was hard to hurt Wall Wolf, in part because of the iron golem’s long reach. That advantage disappeared when it was climbing. Both hands held tight to the support column and had to stay there until the golem got its feet back on the bridge. That left a few precious seconds where the golem couldn’t avoid her or attack.

Dana saw Wall Wolf pulling itself up and aimed for its fingers. Sparks flew when her sword hit the thinner armor at the iron golem’s knuckles. Wall Wolf pulled itself higher up until Dana saw it eye to eye. She swung again, hacking off four fingers. Wall Wolf fell into the river again, but when it tried to climb up it couldn’t do it with only one functioning hand.

The screams of unruly mob of soldiers and mercenaries were deafening as they saw their champion fail, none louder or more horrified than Kyver. The enemy general howled like a wounded animal and beat his breasts. He regained control of himself long enough to bellow, “Archers, kill her!”

Any elation Dana had felt vanished as dozens of archers took aim at her. Magnificent as her sword was, it couldn’t stop arrows.

They didn’t get the chance to fire. Kaleoth soldiers had been helpless against Wall Wolf, but they had no problems fighting men. Crossbowmen rained down fire on the soldiers and mercenaries. Wizards in Kaleoth’s green and gray shot streams of flames and ice javelins. For a moment the soldiers held their own as archers returned fire. That ended when a single glowing ember drifted toward their side of the river. Kyver saw it coming and ran screaming from the fight with his men following suit. The spark floated lazily to the opposite side of the river before it detonated in a fireball that swallowed up nearby buildings.

Dana ran to Jayden. He was sitting up, but casting that last spell had taxed him beyond his limits. Dana reached him as he began to sway back and forth. She grabbed his shoulders and steadied him. Jayden looked at her only briefly, saying only two words before he passed out.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she said softly. Dana put her sword away and checked Jayden’s wounds. He had several broken ribs and his right arm looked awful. Moving him could do serious harm, but she couldn’t leave him here. Dana grabbed him by the shoulders and slowly pulled him toward Kaleoth.

She’d only gotten a few feet when another set of hands took Jayden. It was Maya. She had one of Jayden’s bags over her shoulder and helped carry Jayden. Between the two of them they pulled Jayden to safety while crossbow bolts and magic flames soared overhead.

“He needs a healer,” Dana said.

“There aren’t many in Kaleoth who can treat wounds this bad,” Maya told her. They reached the other side of the bridge and soldiers helped them through the barricades. “I know a witch who might be able to help, but she charges a lot.”

“I’ll pay it,” Dana promised, “no matter the cost.”

This is the first part of the story Rematch.
********
“Join us for a drink, sorcerer lord,” a farmer offered. The inn was full with men eager to celebrate now that Kaleoth was no longer in imminent danger.

Jayden held up a full cup for the man and his friends to see. “I’m already well supplied, thank you.”

The farmer laughed. “Then join us for another drink!”

Dana was used to traveling unnoticed with Jayden, no surprise when he was a wanted criminal in their homeland. They’d stayed well clear of major cities and traveled on half-forgotten roads between small towns to ramshackle cities like Fish Bait that had degenerated into slums. Seeing such poverty and desperation in the kingdom had been an eye-opening experience for her. This made being cheered and cherished in the Kaleoth city of River Twin almost bewildering.

Jayden and Dana had destroyed the bridge to Kaleoth with great difficulty, and Jayden had nearly died in the process. Great as the risk had been, they’d done the deed before an army from their homeland could invade. That had won them great respect in River Twin, and they’d been treated like celebrities in the month they’d stayed here.

“Hail and well met, sorcerer,” a spearman said as he entered The Moody Muse inn. Such welcomes were common ever since Dana, Maya and Jayden had settled in the inn for the winter. Such a long stay was expensive, but Jayden had gold enough to cover the cost. That had only increased his popularity, since paying customers were rare in these parts.

Jayden raised a drink in toast to the spearman. He’d been nursing the same drink all night as he sat at the back corner of the inn’s common room. Thirty other people shared the room and kept warm by a roaring fire. The innkeeper kept drinks flowing and served hot food. Business was good, and in Jayden’s case a little too good.

“Kind sir, merciful and benevolent one, I beseech your aid,” a middle-aged man said as he sat across from Jayden. “Word reached me how you thwarted the invasion of my homeland. Surely one who can do such a mighty deed can help a humble man in need.”

“Merciful?” Jayden asked Dana. “When did that word ever apply to me?”

“It’s the first time I’ve heard it used to describe you.”

The man pressed his case. “My eldest daughter Elsa fled home in the arms of a rapscallion of the worst kind. He seduced her with honeyed words and promises of adventure and riches. Already they flee for distant lands, taking with them her dowry and a horse I’ll admit to being a nag. Surely one so great as yourself can bring Elsa back and punish this rogue.”

Jayden set down his drink and looked at Dana. “Does this sound like the sort of thing I should be interested in, but aren’t?”

Dana didn’t look up from her dinner. “Yes.”

“It’s strange how often that happens.”

Outraged, the man sputtered, “B-but sir! How can you leave my beloved daughter in the hands of such a man?”

“Because I’ve been called a rogue, villain, blackguard, backstabber, thief, betrayer and so on for years. Honestly, you’ve never heard the stories about me?”

“I thought you’d turned over a new leaf,” the man suggested.

“Sadly, no.” Jayden took another sip from his drink. “I wish the young couple every happiness and success.”

Disheartened, the man left Jayden’s table and rejoined the crowd. Dana finished her meal and made a mark on a sheet of paper. “That’s three today, fifteen this week and eighty overall requests for your help, every one of which you’ve turned down. Have you considered renting a house outside city limits? It might cut down on the number of people trying to hire you.”

“In my experience it actually makes the problem worse.”

“How is that possible?”

“Men become bolder when there are no witnesses to their deeds,” Jayden explained. “There are a limitless number of people in this city who could use my help, but they wouldn’t dare ask when neighbors can hear the requests. It’s shameful for most men to ask for help. Besides, it’s cold out, and I wouldn’t want anyone to fall sick coming to find me when the answer is going to be no.”

“I know we have money, but we could take a few paying jobs. It’s not like we’ve got anything better to do until your ‘friend’ comes back, and it would help the people of River Twin.”

Jayden frowned and looked out a nearby window, where an early snow drifted down in thick flakes. “I want to return home as soon as possible. The more I become embroiled in local affairs the harder it’s going to be to leave when I owe debts and favors to locals. Better to make a hasty exit once the scout I hired returns with news of where we can safely cross the river.”

Another man forced his way through the crowd and sat at Jayden’s table. “Heroic sorcerer, you have already sacrificed much for our city.”

“Yet I imagine you’re going to ask for more,” Jayden said dryly.

“Winter has come to Kaleoth, making travel difficult and dangerous. The invasion you prevented means frontier soldiers we once relied on are manning the defenses in case the invaders attack again. Honest men dare not travel far when threats abound.”

The man unrolled a map on the table. “Caravans running between River Twin and the capital are in danger from wolves, bandits and monsters coming down from the mountains. Few men dare travel even with protection, and none without it. That makes this an irresistible opportunity for the canny investor.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Dana asked.

“A hundred gold coins invested in such a caravan can bring in a handsome return of a hundred fifty once it safely reaches its destination. A forty-wagon caravan is preparing to head out and is selling shares at a premium to men with the cash and the courage to back up their gold. How can you say no to a chance at riches?”

Jayden set down his drink. “Easily. No.”

“You’re a hard bargainer, so I’ll raise the offer to a hundred fifty plus first pick of the loot and bounties from anyone you defeat,” the man said. “We might not even get attacked, making you a healthy profit for sitting on the back of a wagon. Plus, your reputation might make regional tax collectors think twice about asking us to pay tolls.”

“Out!” Dana yelled at him. When the man opened his mouth, Dana asked, “Do you want to see an angry sorcerer lord? Scoot.”

“Protecting my reputation?” Jayden asked with a wry smile.

Dana pointed at him. “You’re already a wanted criminal in one kingdom. I don’t want to make it two.”

Their conversation ended when Maya joined them with a large wood board. The plucky young woman smiled as she approached Jayden, and she blushed a little. “This might keep people from pestering you so much. Here you go, let me set this next to your table.”

Dana looked at the board that Maya had painted with skulls and crossbones, plus what looked like charred bodies. The words ‘Do not bother the wizard’ were written in red paint across the top, with ‘or else…’ along the bottom. Dana frowned. “That’s not the kind of message we want to send.”

“Good use of shading,” Jayden said. Dana elbowed him in the ribs.

Just then a smiling man in a tacky suit marched up and placed both hands on their table. “Have I got a business proposition for you!”

Maya jabbed a finger at her sign. “Do you not see this?”

“A good businessman lets nothing get between him and other people’s money,” the man said proudly.

“Even pain?” Jayden asked.

“Why would that—yeouch!” The man hopped off while grabbing his right foot.

Dana put a hand over her face. “You really need to stop doing that.”

“He’ll recover,” Jayden replied. He smiled at Maya, making her blush again. The poor woman had spent a month with Dana and Jayden since she’d helped save his life, and she was every bit as smitten with him as when they’d first met. “You seem to be settling in well.”

“I know fellow orphans raised by Baron Vrask who settled in River Twin,” she explained. “They’re helping me a lot. One girl showed me where to buy paints and canvas, and another introduced me to shopkeepers who need new signs. It’s not great work, but it’s a start.”

Jayden’s smile faded when he asked, “Have you been able to find permanent accommodations?”

“No, but I’m looking. So many people came over from Edgeland before you destroyed the bridge that there’s not enough housing. Most of the refugees are renting rooms, and a few are making their own homes or fixing ruined buildings. There’s not much space to live outside of my room in this inn.” Maya looked down, her face flushing red in embarrassment. “My room that you’re paying for.”

“And I will continue to pay for it as long as necessary,” he told her. “When I destroyed the bridge, I forced the enemy army to camp in your home city instead of marching through it, making Edgeland dangerous for young women such as yourself. You’re homeless because of me, and I will do right by you no matter the cost.”

Maya blushed again. “Thank you.”

The inn’s door opened and a man bundled up against the cold hurried in. Jayden stood up when the man came to his table and waved to the innkeeper. “A hot meal and a drink for this man, at my expense.”

The innkeeper set down a plate of roast fish and dumplings, and watched in astonishment as the man devoured the meal so quickly it looked like he might choke. Jayden glanced at the innkeeper and said, “Another course appears to be in order.”

Once the innkeeper left, Jayden leaned across the table. “Ibrin, good man and talented scout, what news do you have?”

“Uniformly bad,” the scout said. “I checked bridges and low places on Racehorse River within ten days travel both north and south. Most bridges are gone, destroyed by Kaleoth frontier soldiers to keep back the invaders. The two left standing are under heavy guard on both sides of the river. No man could cross them without being cut down before he went halfway.”

“How strong are the forces on the opposite side of the river?” Jayden pressed him.

“Five or six hundred strong with heavy support by archers.” The discussion ended when the innkeeper brought a second plate of food. Ibrin ate more slowly this time, getting a few words out between mouthfuls of food. “The few low spots on the river that could be crossed are under even heavier guard. Kaleoth frontier soldiers brought in ogres to help hold the line, and enemy forces brought cavalry and ballista. Both sides built field fortifications, wood forts, barricades, ditches and walls. I’m sorry to say this after you paid me good money for the job, but the only way a man is going to cross that river is if he can fly, and with so many archers even that is risky.”

Jayden slouched in his chair. “The news you bring is valuable regardless if you brought the answer I wanted to hear or not.”

Ibrin finished his food and nodded to Jayden. “You’re a better man than most to say that. I wish you well, sir, and pray you find what you’re looking for. It may not be my place to say this, but if you can’t go home, you’ll find Kaleoth is glad to have you.”

With his job done the scout left the inn. Jayden brooded at his table with a foul look on his face that kept further petitioners back. Dana tried to console him, saying, “You can do good in Kaleoth. Fighting could start up again in spring, and the enemy army still has Wall Wolf.”

“All the more reason to leave,” Jayden said. “I can do more to stop the invasion on the other side of the border than here. Excuse me, I need time alone.”

Jayden got up and left. Maya looked at Dana, who said, “I’ll keep an eye on him.”

Dana followed Jayden out of the inn and to the snowy outskirts of River Twin. They were close enough to see the destroyed bridge brought down on both sides so only the center portion remained. Cooking fires from thousands of enemy soldiers lit up Edgeland in the dark. Both sides of the river now boasted complex wood and stone fortifications manned by crack troops, an intimidating obstacle even to the world’s only sorcerer lord.

Once he was far from the city, Jayden stopped beneath a large old oak and cast a spell. Dana watched shadows swirl together to form a giant clawed hand as big as a man. The hand hovered with the palm flat and the fingers stretched out. He stood there for long minutes doing nothing until the hand began to tremble and then smoke. Bit by bit it boiled away until nothing remained.

“Five minutes,” Jayden said morosely.

“I’ve noticed you practicing that spell a lot this week.”

“The spell could ferry us across the river, but it moves too slowly and ends to quickly to make the journey safely. We could stand on the hand as it carried us, but we’d be floating targets for enemy archers. If we crossed far from enemy forces we would also be far from roads and settlements, not a safe course of action during winter.”

Dana thought about what the scout Ibrin had said. “How high can you make the hand fly?”

“I’ve never gotten it to go over fifty feet,” Jayden reported. “Sorcerer lords of old could make magic wings, but it’s a spell I’ve never found. I’m told the spell doesn’t grant users the innate knowledge of how to fly, which in ancient times killed more than a few sorcerer lord apprentices.”

Jayden turned to face her, frustration growing in his voice. “Fighting that enemy army would be ruinous even if Kaleoth soldiers won, but I could drive them off by ambushing supply caravans bringing those men food. They’d have to retreat after they went a month without nourishment. It’s a task I could do better than most and would save thousands of lives. Instead I find myself marooned here.”

“Surrounded by people who love you for saving their lives,” Dana reminded him.

“It’s a pleasant exile, I admit, but an exile nonetheless.” Jayden glared at the enemy troops across the river. “My greatest nightmare has come true, proof that all my efforts up to this point didn’t prevent the king and queen from attacking neighboring nations, and here I stand unable to do anything. I despise feeling helpless.”

“Welcome to how the rest of us feel,” Dana told him. “Most people see huge events like this happening and can’t do a thing to stop them. We just have to keep our heads down and hope the storm passes.”

“More is expected of a sorcerer,” Jayden said.

“And from a prince, I get that, but you’re just one man. Jayden, none of the spells I’ve seen you use can stop an army or make you invulnerable. That iron golem Wall Wolf nearly killed you, and after almost dying you’re chomping at the bit for another fight.”

“That’s because the people of Kaleoth are still in danger.” Jayden pointed at the opposing army. “Armies don’t fight in winter if they can help it, so our foes are likely quartered in Edgeland until spring, but in my heart I fear the worst. These soldiers could have been deployed elsewhere now that they know the advantage of surprise is lost and there is no easy path to Kaleoth, yet they remain. I despise the king and queen, but I don’t doubt their abilities. Those men are here for a reason, one I don’t understand, and the longer they stay the more time they have to put their plan in effect.”

Dana took him by the arm. “Come on, there’s nothing more we can do tonight.”

“I doubt morning will bring new insights, but if nothing else tonight may have some value.” Jayden selected two short branches off the ground and tossed one to her. “On guard.”

“You gave me a fencing lesson this morning.” Jayden had made sword fighting a daily routine. Dana didn’t complain when she needed the practice if she was ever going to use her magic sword to its full potential.

“I’m giving you another one. The warrior who sweats before battle doesn’t bleed during it.”

Dana took the improvised sword and dueled Jayden. She thought she did well, or at least walked away without bruises this time. When they were done she was overheated and exhausted. “You’re teaching me how to fight. Who taught you?”

Jayden tossed his branch down. “The captain of the guard. He was the best swordsman in the kingdom, and I begged him day and night to teach me.”

Dreading the answer, Dana asked, “What happened to him? I didn’t see him when I saw those memories of your youth.”

“The king and queen discharged him for drinking, womanizing and speaking his mind whether or not anyone asked for his opinions. He moved to Zentrix Kingdom, where he continues to drink, womanize, speak his mind and teach swordsmanship to young men of limited means.” Jayden smiled. “Men of influence in Zentrix despise him while the common folk adore him, so little has changed besides his address.”

“There’s got to be a line of men at the inn trying to get your help. We need to send them home or else they’ll badger you until morning.”

Dana led Jayden back to River Twin. They’d nearly reached The Moody Muse when Jayden pulled her to a halt. “Why is Maya waiting outside the inn?”

Maya stood shivering in the cold by the inn’s front door. When she saw them, she ran over and grabbed Jayden’s hands. “There’s a scary looking man waiting for you inside. He says he wants to talk with you. I told him you weren’t taking job offers, and he said you’re going to take his. He told me to get you, and when I said I didn’t know where you’d gone he said not to come back without you. I looked and looked, but you two weren’t at any of the places I checked, and I was scared to go back into the inn alone.”

Jayden scowled. “Dana, I think I’m going to damage my good reputation in Kaleoth.”

Jayden marched into the inn with Dana and Maya following him. Maya pointed at a man in a dark cloak standing at the table where Jayden had been seated earlier. He was armed with a sword still in its sheath, but the man wore simple leather clothes instead of armor. Jayden headed straight for the stranger, stopping ten feet away and resting his hands on the back of a nearby chair.

“I take a dim view of people abusing my friends, and that includes ordering one into the cold as if she was your servant,” Jayden snarled. Nearby patrons backed away and the innkeeper ducked behind his bar. The stranger turned to look at Jayden. Looking angrier than normal, Jayden said, “I ask for neither thanks nor reward from your people for what I did, but expecting basic civility shouldn’t be too much.”

“Dark times demand different behavior of men,” the stranger said, his voice betraying no fear. “My master would have words with you outside.”

“Then by all means, invite him in,” Jayden countered. “I wouldn’t want him to catch cold.”

“He wishes to discuss matters with you in private.”

Jayden didn’t budge. “I care precious little who your master is or what he wants of me. You may have noticed a rather colorful sign by the table you’re standing at. The message is succinct and less of an exaggeration than you’d think. I am seconds away from inflicting serious injuries on you, and let the consequences be what they may.”

The stranger approached him and took a folded piece of paper from his coat pocket. He tossed it to Jayden, who caught the paper, unfolded it and stared at it for a moment before burning it in a nearby lantern. Jayden glared at the stranger. “This is going to cost you.”

“My master brought enough money.”

“I meant personally,” Jayden said a second before he punched the man below the belt. Men winced in sympathy as the stranger fell to the floor. Jayden headed for the door and said, “Dana, Maya, we have to deal with this. As for you, errand boy, come when you’re able.”

“The invitation is only for you,” the stranger croaked.

“Obedience isn’t my one of my strengths.”

Jayden left the inn with Dana and Maya, and then headed to a nearby house guarded by four heavily armored knights. The knights parted when Jayden approached, granting entrance to a small room with a table, four chairs and three men.

“I appreciate your coming, especially on short notice,” one of the men said. He was a youth of roughly twenty years, handsome and well dressed in furs. His hair was dark brown and trimmed short. He had a warm, sincere voice, and an expression of relief at seeing Jayden. That look was soon replaced with concern when he asked, “Special Agent Ulem was supposed to guide you here.”

“Special Agent Ulem showed shocking disrespect for my friends, the sort of behavior I’d expect from thugs and bandits. He’ll be along once he can stand.”

The other two men tensed at this news and stepped forward. Both wore the gray and green robes of Kaleoth wizards, and their staffs were black oak set with jewels. The youth waved them back, and did the same when the knights outside looked in.

“King Brent is going to be disappointed,” the youth said. “I keep telling him I can handle myself, and he keeps sending men to guide me as if I was a child. I apologize for any offense given and trust you won’t prevent it from hearing my offer.”

Jayden folded his arms across his chest. “Pray tell, what does a prince want with a wanted criminal?”

Dana gasped. Maya pointed at the youth and asked, “You’re Prince Onus?”

The prince bowed. “The one, the only, the poorly named. I wish we could have met under better conditions, but for security reasons I travel as quietly as possible. The king and queen may have spies in the city who could attack me if they knew I was here. It forces me to use intermediaries whenever possible, sometimes men who are better skilled in battle than in negotiations. And in regards to your status as a wanted man, the bounties on your head have never applied in Kaleoth.”

“Charming,” Jayden said. “I’m surprised King Brent would risk his only surviving heir by sending him to a city in peril.”

“I come because of River Twin’s peril,” Prince Onus replied. “Kaleoth has only four cities, none larger than River Twin. We can’t afford to lose it, especially if doing so opens up the rest of the kingdom to invasion. If River Twin falls then Kaleoth falls with it.”

Jayden didn’t respond or unfold his arms. Prince Onus pulled out the chairs and offered them. “I had heard you didn’t travel alone any longer. Please, allow me to offer some hospitality in such dark times.”

“Interesting that you should use the expression ‘dark times’,” Jayden said as he sat down. “Your agent used it as an excuse.”

Prince Onus winced as if struck. “My apologies. Some men use their high positions like a club.”

Jayden didn’t look impressed. “Your letter, which I burned according to your written instructions, claimed you needed my services in the defense of the kingdom. Save both my time and yours by skipping ahead to the job you need done so badly.”

“Reports of your lack of tack are clearly true, but given your experiences I suppose it’s not surprising.” Prince Onus offered chairs to Dana and Maya before sitting down. “Enemy forces remain at the border, curious when there is no way across. Racehorse River runs too fast to freeze over or for boats to cross, and rebuilding the bridge while under fire from Kaleoth troops is impossible. Grandfather believes the enemy still seeks to invade, and I proved him correct.”

The prince tossed a cracked crystal ball with a bronze stand onto the table. “It cost the only crystal ball in the kingdom, but before it was destroyed by an interceptor spell it showed enemy forces building two mobile drawbridges inside Edgeland. The first is forty feet long, the second equally long but not as wide, and both are mounted on wheels. I believe the enemy intends to set one across the gap to the remaining bridge section and use the second bridge to cover the remaining distance to the riverbank. Once that’s done they can march soldiers across. They still have Wall Wolf, maimed by your assistant but still standing. The only blessing in this matter is that Wall Wolf is undoubtedly too heavy to cross these makeshift bridges.”

“It won’t have to,” Jayden told the prince. “Racehorse River runs fast, but Wall Wolf’s great weight means the river can’t wash the golem downstream. The enemy general Kyver Rendmal will likely send Wall Wolf in first by walking across the bottom of the river and then attack your troops. The enemy army will bridge the river while your forces are occupied.”

“That’s my feeling as well. Grandfather is calling upon aid from the Guild of Heroes, the Brotherhood of the Righteous, the Servants of the Cause, the Square Pegs, anyone who might listen. He even asked for help from the Yelinid Banking Cartel.”

“Why would bankers fight a war?” Dana asked.

The two wizards looked surprised that she’d spoke, but the prince didn’t seem to be bothered. “Dead men don’t pay back loans, and conquerors don’t honor the debts of their enemies. If Yelinid expects to ever see the money we borrowed from them, they have to keep us alive.”

“How soon until these bridge sections are completed?” Jayden asked the prince.

“The last image from the crystal ball showed the first section was finished and the second nearly done. I need those bridges destroyed before they can be deployed, a difficult request when they’re made from some of the largest trees I’ve seen. Such thick timbers won’t burn easily, and green wood from freshly felled trees even less so.”

“You have two wizards,” Dana pointed out. “Why do you need three?”

Prince Onus waved at his wizards. “Malvel is a fire wizard, and Klim understands water and wind magic. Both are talented and brave, but by their own admissions aren’t powerful. My original plan was for Klim to create a magic cloud and fly the two of them over, then have Malvel set the bridges on fire. It would have placed them in great danger while offering little chance of success, but having a sorcerer lord improves the odds.”

Prince Onus looked nervous when he said, “It may surprise you that grandfather’s spies developed a lengthy file on you, Jayden, including eyewitness evidence of the spells you have cast in the past.”

“Should I feel honored or paranoid?” Jayden asked.

“Both,” the prince replied. “Grandfather keeps files on anyone who might be a valuable ally or enemy. His file showed considerable evidence of your hatred for the king and queen of your homeland, if not the reason why, so you were listed as a possible friend in time of need. As for paranoia, that’s a healthy trait to cultivate.”

The prince looked at Dana. He was cute, close to her age, and good God did the man sound sincere. She could feel herself blushing.

“Our file mentioned the young lady, but not her name or the magic sword she used to cripple Wall Wolf. Please, may I see it?”

“No,” Jayden said.

“It’s my sword,” she reminded him. Dana gave the sword to Prince Onus. The prince drew it and marveled at the blade before sheathing it and returning it to Dana.

“Impressive. Grandfather’s spies keep a close eye on powerful magic items in the region in case they are used against us. I’m surprised I’d never heard of this weapon before. Is it named?”

“I didn’t know people named weapons,” Dana admitted.

“It’s a guy thing,” Jayden told her.

“It might be the right tool for the job, even if it’s not what I had in mind,” Prince Onus said. “I’m told you can create a black whip that melts through nearly anything.”

“Technically it ages through them, but I see your point,” Jayden replied. “The whip won’t attract attention with light and smoke the way your fire wizard’s spells would. We could get in, cut through the bridges with my magic whip and leave unnoticed, but it would buy less time than you’d think. Kyver could replace anything we destroy.”

“Not easily.” The prince held up his ruined crystal ball again. “Prior to this war, the resident nobleman Baron Vrask had his people harvest timber to cover high taxes imposed on him. The largest trees were cut down long ago. We saw enemy soldiers searching high and low for the trees for their bridges, using up the best trees in the process. Using smaller trees less suited for the task will still take a month or longer. That could be long enough for grandfather to summon help. If nothing else there might be deep snow that would slow down another attack.”

“Your plan puts my life in great danger,” Jayden pointed out.

“I realize what I’m asking. I don’t know what your grievance is against your own king and queen, even if I share your dislike of them. This is a chance to hurt them and save good men. Naturally I’m offering pay proportional to the risk.”

Shocking everyone in the room, Jayden said, “I don’t want it.”

There was a stunned silence in the room, broken when Prince Onus said, “I didn’t see this coming.”

“You need the money here,” Jayden told him. “I need to get back into my home kingdom if I’m to do any good. Once I’ve done this for you, Klim is to make a magic clouds and take me anywhere I want to go, no questions, no limits. Those are my terms.”

Prince Onus looked at Klim, who nodded. “It’s a deal. Klim tells me there’s a storm coming tomorrow night. That will be the best chance for the three of you to infiltrate the enemy city.”

Jayden got up to leave. “That’s enough time to finish my business here. Prince, meeting you has been more of a pleasure than I’d expected, and I respect your ignoring how abusive I can be. Few have that skill.”

The prince smiled. “Years living under my grandfather’s rule have given me a thick skin. I’m grateful you accepted, even if grandfather was sure we could count on you.” The prince’s brow furrowed for a moment before he said, “Grandfather is normally quite clever, especially for a man of his advanced years, but when I told him I was going to enlist your aid he said something that didn’t make sense.”

“What might that be?” Jayden asked.

“He said you take after your mother in every way that matters, which makes no sense when no one knows your parentage.”

Jayden was silent for a moment. “You needn’t worry that your grandfather’s wits are slipping. His mind is only sharpening with age, and he paid me a compliment. I bid you good evening. Dana, Maya, come.”

This is the conclusion of the story Rematch.
***********
Once they were outside and away from the wizards and knights, Dana whispered, “How does King Brent know who you are?”

“Prince Mastram visited Kaleoth as a child and made quite the impression by talking with King Brent for hours about the ancient sorcerer lords,” Jayden whispered back. It was strange the way he spoke of his life as a prince as if it was another person. “If King Brent’s spies know as much about me as he claims, then they doubtless drew sketches of me. The old man recognized me from those, and bless his heart told no one.”

Maya stopped walking. “You’re leaving.”

Jayden stopped and took her hands. “If I ignore this battle, another one far worse is sure to come before long.”

“I mean after this you’re leaving Kaleoth and not coming back. You’re not taking me with you, are you?”

“It wouldn’t be safe. I’ll leave sufficient funds to cover your needs for a year, and I’ve met a few people in River Twin I can ask to offer further aid. It’s not what you deserve, but it’s what I can give.”

Maya looked at her feet. “It’s okay. It was silly thinking anything was going to happen. Princes don’t marry foundlings.”

“Don’t you dare talk about yourself like that.” Jayden’s voice was firm, and Maya looked up at the commanding tone. “You lost your home because of me, and paintings you created that deserved to hang in the halls of noblemen and kings. Even after I’d done you harm you risked your life to save mine. I owe you a heavy debt, and I pay what I owe. Maya, ask of me what you will, one request equal to a man’s life, and if it is within my power to grant it to you then you shall have it.”

Dana slapped a hand over her face. The man just didn’t know how to act around girls, especially impressionable ones.

Maya hesitated. “You mean it?”

“I keep my promises.”

Maya paused again, gazing into his eyes, then frowned. “You know what I’d ask for, but you wouldn’t be happy here.” She waved her hand across the river. “After destroying these bridges you’d want to be over there, because people need you. You’d keep your word, but you’d be miserable for the rest of your life because that’s your homeland and those are your people, and you feel responsible for them.”

Jayden said nothing in reply. He stood in front of her, his eyes locked on hers, waiting for her to make her wish as if he were a genie.

“You want me to charge you for saving your life, but you don’t charge for saving other’s lives. Dana told me how you helped so many people, sometimes getting rewarded, sometimes not. I want this to be a no reward situation. I, I can’t live the kind of life you do. I’d come with you if I could, but I’m a painter, not a fighter. So, no reward, no gift or promise you’ll keep even if you don’t like it. Do one thing for me.”

“Anything.”

“When we’re at peace again, come back to me and we’ll talk. If I get what I want, I want you to want it, too, and that can’t happen when you think you have to do it.” She hesitated and asked, “Is that too much?”

Jayden kissed her on the forehead. “It’s proof you are a kinder soul than I.”

* * * * *
The following night it snowed as promised, not a serious storm but enough to reduce visibility. Jayden and Dana waited outside town, and were soon joined by the wizards Klim and Malvel. Special agent Ulem made the mistake of showing up as well, and Jayden gave the fool a hostile stare.

“Where is the prince?” Jayden asked.

“Gone,” Ulem said. “It was a mistake for him to come in the first place. He’s safe where he’s at and doing important work.”

“You’re ready?” Klim asked. The wizard had a soft voice and looked calm.

“He’s not,” Ulem said. “This mission is risky enough without you bringing the girl.”

“I helped bring down the bridge over Racehorse River, and I chopped four fingers off Wall Wolf,” Dana countered. “I can take care of myself.”

Ulem ignored her and spoke to Jayden. “I heard you settled accounts with the other girl. Pay her, and be quick about it.”

“What does he mean by pay me?” Dana asked Jayden.

“He means,” Jayden began, and punched the man below the belt again. Ulem cried out in pain as he fell into the snow, and the wizards winced. “That he’s a classless bore. Every kingdom has men like him, crude and belittling to those around him, as common as roaches and just as hard to remove. He means he’s sorry for his behavior, and is going to give greater thought to his words and deeds from this day on.”

“I kind of think that’s not what he meant,” Dana said.

Jayden scowled at the fallen man. “It is if he expects to walk away from this meeting.”

Malvel stepped between Jayden and his victim. “We’re on a time limit. If you’re taking the girl with us, fine, but there’s no room for delays.”

Klim cast a spell, forming a large, flat cloud that hovered inches above the ground. He stepped onto it as if it was a solid object, and to Dana’s amazement the cloud bore his weight without effort. Klim waved his staff at the others. “Let us begin, and may higher powers guide and protect us on our mission.”

Malvel and Jayden climbed onto the cloud without complaint. Jayden helped Dana up when she hesitated. The cloud felt spongy under her feet, like it was made of wet cotton, but it supported her. She grabbed onto Jayden’s arm as the cloud floated into the sky until it merged with the storm clouds overhead. Dana shivered in the cold. She could feel the magic cloud moving, but could see only inches ahead. Wind tugged at her, and she worried that a strong enough gust might push her off.

“Sorry Ulem was such a bother,” Klim said as he guided the cloud. “He has many fine features, bravery, prowess in battle, but he’s best kept outside of polite company, even more than you are.”

“I don’t insult women regardless of their birth, and neither should he,” Jayden said. “How long until we reach our target?”

Klim’s voice called out from the darkness, “Thirty minutes. If I travel faster we might make a disturbance in the clouds that enemy soldiers could see.”

“They’d notice it in a snowstorm?” Dana asked.

“They know Kaleoth has wizards,” Klim responded. “Unless their general is a fool they will have men with keen eyesight watching the clouds, especially in bad weather.”

“Do you always let your servant ask questions,” Malvel asked.

“Dana is my friend, and yes,” Jayden replied tersely.

“It wasn’t a complaint,” Malvel said. “My teacher told me an inquisitive mind is to be encouraged. Pity so few men feel the same.” Malvel hummed a strange tune before asking, “Does she have a sister?”

Dana was disoriented by the darkness, wind and cold, and she answered before considering the question. “Three. Why do you want to…oh, wait, hold on a second.”

“Don’t you have enough women mad at you?” Klim asked.

“Mission first, dating opportunities second, and none with my friend’s sisters,” Jayden told the wizards.

The cloud halted in the dark and cold. Klim called out, “I cast a spell granting me sight within clouds before we left. We’re over the bridges and nearly five hundred feet above them. I’m going to increase the snowfall for five minutes. That should cover out descent, but to be certain I’m going to drop us as fast. Hold tight, and no screaming.”

Klim chanted and the clouds dumped snow as if it was a blizzard. Seconds later the magic cloud dropped like a stone. Dana held tight to Jayden and clenched her eyes shut as she stifled a panicked scream. The magic cloud slowed so fast it forced Dana to her knees, and then landed before boiling away to nothing. Dana opened her eyes and found herself once more on the streets of Edgeland. They were near the inn that had been abandoned during their first visit but now brightly lit and packed to capacity with soldiers.

Jayden took Dana by the hand and led her into the alleys. Klim and Malvel followed before Klim pointed them to a courtyard in the distance. Dana saw large tents filling the courtyard, and soldiers patrolled regardless of the cold and thick snow.

“I don’t want to attack the guards if we can avoid it,” Jayden said. “They will be missed even if we defeat them silently.”

“No doubt,” Malvel said. “Klim can create a strong wind and fog to hide us while we get into the tents. If we’re lucky no one is inside them.”

Klim cast another spell, and the wind grew to gale strength. Soldiers turned away and covered their faces against the sudden wind. It was a momentary distraction that let Dana, Jayden and the two wizards to run over and crawl under the edges of the largest tent. It was dark inside until Malvel whispered a spell that produced a tiny light.

“Wow,” Dana said. The bridges didn’t disappoint. Each one was fifty feet long, half a base with large wood wheels and the other half could be lowered like a drawbridge to cover the gaps in the bridge. Construction wasn’t finished, with missing wheels on one bridge and only half the drawbridge section done, but they looked sturdy. The bridges were armored with iron plates and then wrapped in fresh ox hides.

Klim ran his fingers over an iron plate on the second bridge. “This could be an issue. Jayden, can handle this this?”

Jayden cast a spell and formed his black whip. “With difficulty. Once I’ve cut through a section it’s going to make too much noise when it falls to the street. I need the bridges supported.”

“Easily done,” Klim said. He cast a spell and sprayed blue-white ice from the tip of his staff. He aimed the icy spray under the bridges until there was a layer of ice reaching from the cobblestone courtyard up to the bridge.

With the bridge supported, Jayden swung his whip at the completed bridge. The whip stretched until it wrapped entirely around the massive bridge. It hissed like an angry snake as it began to slow process of cutting through the bridge.

“Dana, Malvel, keep watch in case the guards come,” Jayden said.

“I could cut the bridges with my sword,” Dana offered. “If it can hurt an iron golem, it should do the job.”

“It crippled Wall Wolf, but not quietly, and I recall a shower of sparks when you struck the golem. If we are discovered I’ll need you to step in and do as much damage as you can, but that is a last resort.”

Malvel stood by the tent flaps with his staff and Dana drew her sword. She’d had training with it, but she wondered if it would be enough for a fight. The last time she’d drawn it in battle was against Wall Wolf, a victory by the thinnest of margins.

Jayden continued cutting through the first bridge, his whip eating through iron, wood and animal hides. The bridge was so thick and the iron plates so hard that he made slow progress. Guards walked by the tent twice. Dana and Malvel readied themselves for a fight, but the guards continued on without looking inside. How long would their luck last?

Once the guards had passed the tent for the second time, Dana took the opportunity to look around. It was hard to see much with Malvel’s dim light. Dana barely made out woodworking tools on benches, extra iron plates wrapped in ox hides, and what looked like piles of dirt and curled bits of paper. She sifted some of the strange pile through her fingers and held it up to Malvel.

“Wood shavings and sawdust. I think it’s left behind from building the bridges. If we have to leave before finishing the job, we could spread it around and you can set it on fire. I bet it would burn pretty fast.”

Malvel picked up a pinch of sawdust. “The question is whether it would burn long enough to do serious damage. About these sisters of yours…”

“They’re not your type. Jayden, how’s it coming?”

“I should be done with the first section in five minutes. Barring interruptions, I’d like to cut each bridge into more than two pieces. At a minimum, we’re going to need hours.”

Dana tensed when she heard voices in the distance rose up, their tone angry. She heard the voices again, not coming closer but not stopping, either. More troubling, she didn’t understand the language. “What is that?”

“Dwarven,” Jayden said over the hissing of his whip. “I heard the words ‘idiot’ and ‘overtime’, but the rest was too quiet.”

“Why would anyone be speaking in dwarven in a human kingdom?” Dana asked. Guards walked by again, and she fell silent until they left. “Kyver Rendmal hired human mercenaries for his army. Could he have hired dwarfs, too?”

“A definite possibility,” Jayden told her. “I’m almost through.”

Dana looked to Klim. “I need cover. Can you make the snowstorm get worse for a little while?”

Klim cast a spell, causing the tip of his staff to turn pale blue. “You have three minutes of blizzard conditions.”

“Be careful,” Jayden cautioned her.

Dana left the tent and headed in the direction of the angry voices. The snow was so thick it was impossible to see far, but she could follow the sound of arguments in the dour language of the dwarfs. She reached another tent, this one far smaller than the one concealing the bridges. Dana bent down and lifted the edge of the tent to look underneath.

There was Wall Wolf.

The iron golem was on its back with five dwarfs standing around it. Wall Wolf’s right hand was still missing its fingers, but by the look of it not for long. The dwarfs wore brown robes and had the severed fingers on a wood table. They were studying the hand she’d cut them off of. The armor on the right arm was gone up to the elbow, revealing a bewildering array of pipes and cables. Strange runes were cast on the palm of the right hand and the forearm. Dwarfs waved wands and scepters over the runes. The symbols glowed in response.

One dwarf yelled at another and held up one of the damaged fingers. The second dwarf yelled back and pointed at the rune on the palm. They made wild gestures, waving their arms and stomping their feet when they spoke.

One of the dwarfs saw Dana. She winced under the dwarf’s harsh gaze. The dwarf shifted from his own language to human and said, “This isn’t women’s work. Leave.”

For a second Dana didn’t know what to say. Why weren’t the dwarfs attacking her? Then it hit her like a brick: they didn’t know she worked for Jayden. Most people didn’t since she didn’t appear on Jayden’s wanted posters and their steadily growing price on his head. The dwarfs thought she was a peasant girl, maybe a servant.

“Sorry, sir.” Dana ran to the other tent and hurried inside. Once she was back among friends, she said, “Wall Wolf is in the other tent. I saw dwarfs working on him. I think they’re wizards trying to put his fingers back on.”

“That’s not surprising,” Jayden said. He finished cutting through the first bridge, and the two pieces settled on the ice supports Klim had made. “Wall Wolf was built by Golem Works, one of the largest dwarf corporations. The king and queen must have hired them to repair the golem before they send it into battle again. It also explains who destroyed Prince Onus’ crystal ball. Dwarf wizards are experts at building magic items and would have no difficulty destroying one, even at a distance.”

“Can we kill it while it’s lying down?” she begged.

“Bloodthirsty little girl, aren’t you,” Malvel said approvingly.

“It would fight back if attacked,” Jayden replied. His magic whip vanished now that it was through the bridge, and he recast the spell to create another. “You’ll forgive me, but after our last encounter I’ve no desire to renew our acquaintance.”

Dana frowned. “General Kyver the Jerk could send Wall Wolf across the riverbed to attack River Twin even without the bridges to bring in troops.”

“The risk is too great,” Jayden replied. “We’re in a city filled with soldiers and mercenaries. If we fight Wall Wolf those men could come after us.”

Malvel extinguished his magic light and stepped away from the tent flap. “Guards are coming.”

“You’re going to get us whipped and branded,” a man’s voice called out.

“Staying out in the cold any longer could cost us our toes,” another man replied. “If the high and mighty general won’t give us braziers with hot coals, or at least a campfire, then we do what we must to keep from getting frostbite.”

Two soldiers in chain armor opened the tent flaps. The first one had enough time to say, “See, these guys had the same idea. Wait a min—”

Malvel struck the first soldier across the face as Klim blasted the man with a stream of icicles. Jayden created his magic hand and slapped the other soldier to the ground. For just a moment Dana thought they’d done it, but the second man screamed when Jayden struck him again with the hand. Men called out in the distance, and the air filled with whistles and bells.

“I do believe it’s time to leave,” Malvel said.

“Not yet,” Jayden ordered. “Klim, hold them off. Dana, Malvel, do as much damage to the bridges as you can.”

Klim sprayed the ground around the tent with magic ice, forming a slippery layer inches thick. Malvel cast a spell that made his hands glow cherry red. He pressed them against the second bridge and began to melt through the iron plates and burn the wood. Dana drew her sword and swung it at the nearest bridge. She hit an iron plate and had to close her eyes against the shower of sparks the sword made as it cut deep.

“Alarm! Alarm!” a man cried out in the distance. “We’ve got men down by the tents!”

The deepening layer on snow on the ground made it hard to hear the crowd of men coming. Dana had no trouble hearing those men scream and curse as they slipped and fell on the ground Klim had iced over. She saw a man slide by the tent flaps and crash into a building, followed by two more men.

Jayden wrapped his whip around the second bridge. The whip melted through iron plates, but at such a slow rate that he’d never destroy it in time. He looked at Klim and said, “Do we have minutes or seconds?”

Klim formed a wall of ice eight feet tall around the tent. “If we’re only fighting men then we have minutes. If Wall Wolf attacks then even seconds is too much to promise.”

Dana hacked at the bridge, cutting deep grooves through iron and wood. Normally she’d be thrilled at how much damage she was doing, but the bridge was so huge she’d need an hour to destroy it. Malvel’s and Jayden’s attacks sped up the process, but not enough. She glanced at Jayden and asked, “This would be a good time for your fire spell.”

“It takes too long to cast, and we’re so close to the bridge that we’d be caught in the blast.” Jayden’s whip cut through an iron plate that fell to the floor. He looked at her and shouted, “Watch your feet!”

“What?” Dana looked down and screamed. The sprays of sparks her sword made hitting the bridge had ignited sawdust around her. She ran from the growing flames and went to another part of the bridge.

Boom. The snow on the ground did little to conceal the sound of Wall Wolf walking toward them. Dana heard ice crack as Wall Wolf stepped onto the icy sheet around the tent. There was a horrible crunch when the golem broke through the ice wall, sending sharp chunks of ice through the tent that tore it open.

Wall Wolf loomed over them with Kyver Rendmal a step behind it, and behind them a host of soldiers. The golem’s right arm was missing all its fingers and much of its armor. This made it weaker than the first time she’d faced it, but not by much if it had burst through the ice wall so easily.

“You,” Kyver spat. The general still wore his armor, but had exchanged his purple cape for furs. He pointed the control rod for the golem at Jayden. “I’d hoped you would’ve had the decency to die like the mangy dog you are, but here you are again, attacking your own homeland once more. Worse, you make common cause with its enemies, treason by any standard.”

Jayden pulled his whip off the damaged bridge, and his magic hand pointed at Kyver. “You mistake me for someone who has any respect for your opinions. I hope you’re enjoying your stay in Edgeland. It promises to be a long one.”

Kyver’s eyes shifted to the left, where one of his bridges was cut in half and the other had suffered serious damage. “You think you can hold back the full fury of the king’s wrath with this? Fool! It would be easier to drink the ocean dry than to stop this army! Wall Wolf, hear me and obey! Kill Sorcerer Lord Jayden and his allies! Stain the snow red!”

“You remain charming company as always,” Jayden quipped as Wall Wolf stomped toward him. Kyver and his men didn’t follow it, a smart move when the battle between the golem and wizards could spill over onto them. Jayden fell back against one of the bridges and looked to Klim. “This would be an excellent time to leave.”

Klim raised his staff. “I need time to create a magic cloud. Slow the golem down.”

Stopping the sun from rising would have been an easier request. Jayden swung his magic whip and struck Wall Wolf across the face. Malvel hit the golem in the chest with a jet of white-hot fire. Both attacks did nothing. Klim was still casting his spell when Wall Wolf tried to trample the man. Klim gave up on his spell and ran for his life, dodging the golem’s heavy feet by inches.

“Aim for its right arm!” Jayden yelled. He swung his whip and struck the golem’s palm, while Malvel blasted it with more fire. Dana ducked below their attacks and swung her sword at Wall Wolf’s arm. Sparks flew when her blade cut deeply into the unarmored right arm.

If Wall Wolf could feel pain the golem hid it well, pushing onwards without hesitation and nearly stepping on Jayden. He ran along the edge of the damage bridge, dodging a punch that broke through the street near Jayden’s heels.

“Stop! Stop!” The dwarf wizards pushed their way through the crowd of soldiers until they reached Kyver. A dwarf pulled on Kyver’s arm and shouted, “We didn’t finish the repairs!”

Kyver pulled free from the dwarf. “Away from me!”

The dwarf didn’t give up. “With the armor compromised every blow they strike is doing serious damage. You’re pushing up the time and cost of repairing the golem. Send in your men instead.”

Gouts of flame washed over Wall Wolf, followed by a shower of razor sharp icicles and a stinging blow from a black whip. Soldiers saw the golem take hits that would kill even a man in armor, and they flinched when a giant clawed hand punched Wall Wolf in the head.

“Yes, send them in, Kyver,” Jayden taunted. “Maybe burying us in bodies will make up for your poor generalship.”

Wall Wolf pressed on regardless of the damage it was taking. It swung at Jayden, missing again but by a smaller margin. More fire struck it and the damaged arm turned red hot, but instead of retreating it dug its left hand into the street and pulled up a handful of cobblestones. It threw them at Jayden, the mass of stones spreading out as they flew so it was impossible to dodge them all. Three rocks hit Jayden in the chest and stomach, and he staggered from the blows.

“Give me the control rod!” the dwarf shouted. He tried to grab it, but Kyver shoved the dwarf to the ground. “Wall Wolf isn’t under warranty! Think about the bill!”

Wall Wolf grabbed part of the destroyed bridge, and with one hand the golem lifted it over its head before throwing it at Jayden. The golem missed as Jayden leapt to the side, but the heavy timbers and iron plates of the bridge dug a deep furrow into the street. Wall Wolf tried to stomp on Jayden and barely missed.

The golem pulled its left arm back for a punch when Dana ran it and stabbed its right arm. Malvel had blasted it with flame so often that the inner workings of its arm were red hot and softened. Dana’s sword sunk deep into the metal arm, showering her with sparks. Jayden created his black sword and ran in alongside her before he drove his sword in next to hers. Both of them pulled their swords up, hacking off the arm at the elbow. The severed limb fell to the ground with a thud. The runes cast in the limb flashed and sparked before they burst.

The dwarfs looked away in horror. Their leader said, “Insurance isn’t going to cover that.”

Kyver screamed like a child throwing a trantrum. Then his eyes fell on Dana. “You again! Wall Wolf, hear me and obey! Your armor will hold against their attacks. The girl is the only one with a weapon that can hurt you. Kill her first!”

Wall Wolf’s armored head turned to stare at her. It was missing most of an arm, but Kyver was right, the rest of its body was impervious to their attacks. Even Dana’s sword could only do superficial damage. The reverse wasn’t true, and Wall Wolf battered aside a section of the destroyed bridge as it went after her.

“Klim, we need that magic cloud now!” Jayden shouted. He ran along Wall Wolf and hacked at its heels. His magic sword bounced off no matter how many times he hit it. Malvel made his hands turn blazing hot and grabbed Wall Wolf around the left leg. His blazing hands heated the golem’s thick armor but nothing more before the golem kicked him off.

Dana ran from the golem and kept only steps ahead. Running wasn’t going to be an option forever when soldiers surrounded them. If she ran into them they’d cut her down with spears and swords. If she needed a reminder of what would happen if Wall Wolf hit her, she got it when the golem trampled and crushed the piece of the wooden bridge it had thrown at Jayden.

Which, oddly enough, gave her an idea.

“Let it come after me!” she shouted to the others as she headed for the second bridge. She, Jayden and Malvel had damaged this one, but not seriously enough to put it out of commission. Dana ran to the bridge and scurried under it.

Wall Wolf caught up with her and raised its left arm high into the air before swinging it straight down. Dana screamed when the huge fist came through the bridge a foot away from her. She crawled along the bridge as Wall Wolf punched one hole after another through it trying to get her.

“Wait, stop!” Kyver yelled. “I said kill the girl, not destroy the bridge!”

“Order it to come back to us while we both still have something left to salvage!” a dwarf begged Kyver.

“Wall Wolf, hear me and obey! Return to my side!”

Wall Wolf had its remaining arm raised for an attack, but at its master’s orders it halted and turned away from Dana. It raised a foot to take a step away from her, and that’s when all three wizards attacked. Klim encased the golem’s head in a block of ice four feet thick. Jayden used his giant magic hand to grab the golem’s heel and pull, toppling it over. The ice block shattered when the golem hit the ground. Malvel blasted the golem in the head with magic flames, and the metal made a pinging sound as it changed from extreme cold to intense heat.

Dana was still on her knees underneath what was left of the second bridge when the golem landed beside her, its armored head so close she could touch it. Wall Wolf’s head looked like a knight’s helmet, complete with visor and eye slits, and as she looked inside those narrow openings she saw runes cast in the metal within. Wall Wolf had similar runes on the arm they’d cut off it. Dana didn’t understand magic, but it looked like those runes were important to it somehow, a weakness concealed under armor thick enough to protect them.

Wall Wolf was struggling to get up with its one arm when Dana got out from beneath the bridge and ran straight at it. For a second its head was level with her, and she stabbed her sword through the visor and into the rune.

Wall Wolf rose to its feet and thrashed about wildly. Dana held onto her sword and was pulled up with it. She struggled to hold on as the golem staggered about and swung its left arm in the air. It seemed to go into seizures, shaking uncontrollably as the rune inside its head sparked and burst. There were more explosions inside its body, some strong enough to blast off pieces of armor and reveal more runes sparking and bursting. Dana screamed when Wall Wolf went stiff and fell over backwards. She lost her grip and fell next to it, nearly hitting the unforgiving ground before Jayden caught her.

“That seemed like such a good idea in my head,” she gasped.

Jayden set her on her feet and pulled her sword out of Wall Wolf. The golem laid silent, smoke rising from it. He returned her sword and said, “I can’t imagine how it could have gone better.”

There was a stunned silence from the soldiers surrounding them. Men backed up. A few even dropped their weapons. Kyver stared at Wall Wolf, too shocked to scream threats or insults.

One of the dwarf’s pointed at Dana’s sword. “That’s Thume Breakbones’ workmanship. I’d recognize it anywhere.” His face twisted in rage, the dwarf screamed, “I’ll kill him!”

“Klim, we haven’t got long before they regain their courage and attack,” Jayden said. “We need to leave.”

“Done and done.” Klim created a magic cloud under their feet and carried Dana, Jayden, Malvel and himself away.

“Archers!” Kyver screamed. “Get me my archers!”

The order came too late. Dana saw men scurrying below as the cloud went ever higher into the sky. A few men managed to notch arrows to their bows, but darkness and snowfall ruined any chance they had to see their targets, much less hit them.

“That is an impressive weapon,” Klim said as he guided the cloud. “Wherever did you find it?”

“That’s a long story,” Dana said. She studied her sword for a moment before sheathing it. The weapon had lived up to the promises Thume had made months before. Wall Wolf, guardian of the royal family for generations, a terror no one had even scratched, lay dead. Well, as dead as a golem could be. Maybe her sword did deserve a name.