Teyva slipped back onto the desk, crossing her legs. The gown was comfortable, she had to admit, but she missed her gear. She watched mother and daughter reunite before turning toward Viktor, who hadn’t so much as moved from where he stood. She could see the tension in his neck, his eyes flicking toward his daughter, he wanted to go to her. There were bigger concerns in his mind, though. Those three words out of Myranda’s mouth had set forth an avalanche of thoughts inside of the elven nobleman’s head. He set his jaw and looked Teyva in the eyes. “You are the age eater my daughter dreamed of?”

“Not my first pick of titles,” Teyva said, “But her High Priestess aspect was most definitely using me as the source.”

Viktor’s hands clenched into fists, “Then you’re real and my daughter was telling the truth. Have you come to upend our civilization?”

Teyva raised her eyebrows, “I came here to deliver a message from my father, the King of the Azar, and enjoy the scenery for a few months. We’d be returning in the spring.”

Viktor’s face fell, “Message?”

“Dunno,” Teyva said, “Father made sure it was sealed, I never got to look at the contents. The King accepted, though. He’d send what father requested after winter had passed.”

She watched Viktor look over at his daughter, his face a cloudy storm of mixed emotions. He let out a breath and walked over to Myranda, reaching for her and taking her face in his hands. His wife clung to Myranda’s waist, not moving an inch as her husband searched his daughter’s face. “Did you kill your inquisitor?”

Myranda blinked, “What? No!” She snapped, disgusted, “Of course not! I was released by the Eldest Prince!”

Teyva frowned, so there was more to the prince’s punishment than just embracing Myranda’s beliefs. He’d been punished for allowing a political time bomb to go free. She turned her eyes toward Viktor whose shoulders and neck had become tense. She could see a vein pulsing at his temple. The old elf took a breath to calm himself, his mana wrapping around his body in a way similar to how Teyva handled her own moods. He kissed his daughter on the forehead and took a deep breath. “Himat,” He growled.

Belya looked up at her husband, “The king? What about him?”

“After Myranda disappeared, the King ordered me to double up my efforts in supporting the humans and provide him a direct way of communications with Bertrand. I prepared a bluestone for that purpose. He told me that it was the best way to restore the family’s honor after…” He looked mournfully to his daughter and then closed his eyes, “If I tell you this, it will mean treason against the King,” He breathed, turning to Teyva.

“You’re under my protection,” Teyva said, pressing her hands into her lap.

Viktor released his daughter, “Bertrand Otel has been preparing an army to march on Osan for two months now. He has been in contact with the other human kingdoms that have opted to support him. The king is aware of this,” He steeled himself, “That said, I stopped receiving updates two weeks ago.”

Teyva’s eyes went wide. She looked up at the door that flew open, revealing Azrael. Her sister marched into the room, eyes filled with rage. “What do you mean, an army? When is it supposed to arrive?”

Viktor’s shoulders fell, “So you really didn’t know,” He said, pity on his face, “My initial estimates were that the humans would leave Katal at the dawn of spring,” He frowned, “That said, I have heard that travel through the Balthin Sea has become easier, so the normal time it would take to send an army west would be significantly reduced.”

Teyva felt all strength leave her, she slumped where she was sitting and held her head. Was it possible that Thrake knew? Since when? What had he been doing? She looked up at Viktor and then at Azrael, the two made eye contact and the reality dawned on her, “Father was asking for troops.”

“And The King of the Elves agreed, just so he could placate us,” Azrael snarled.

A sudden tremor through the lower palace drew them all out of the conversation. Teyva slipped off the desk and hurried past Azrael, “Keep an eye on them. No one touches that family!” She ordered, rushing into the hall and making for the entry chamber. Several nobles were looking at the main entrance in confusion, the guards had begun to move into the chamber as well. Another tremor nearly sent Teyva to her knees, she staggered and kept marching, pushing past the murmuring crowd of elves and glancing at Paraklytus. The lich nodded and moved to join her. She threw the doors open and found a group of elves standing outside the entryway with their weapons raised at the sky. Abba and Batel were with them, Batel staring in confusion and Abba having lowered herself to her knees.

Teyva marched out into the blinding sunlight and looked up, her stomach bottoming out immediately. The bird had to be the size of a commercial jet! Its wingspan was frankly ludicrous. It raised its head and let out a cry, flapping its wings and causing the entire mountainside to shudder. Some of the elven soldiers began to draw bows and other ranged weapons while a few others started to race up the path to the right, heading for the upper palace.

Teyva Akura! A powerful feminine voice battered her sternum. Teyva gripped her chest and met the gaze of the creature.

“Who are you?” She asked.

I am the Lord of the Open Skies! I have brought my favored child here to your side, see that she is made well!

“Favored child-” Teyva’s voice caught in her throat when she spotted the limp arm hanging from the creature’s talons. “Yaga!” She screamed, she spun to Batel, “Get Sari, now!’

The knight didn’t so much as hesitate, he broke into a run, crossing the snow and diving into the lower palace. The great being slowly lowered itself to the ground. Teyva pushed through the group of terrified elven soldiers, grabbing their weapons and forcing them down. “Put those damn things away, now!” She snarled, “You lay a finger on that bird and I will end you!”

The elves looked at one another, startled, but obeyed. The great being drew close enough that she could almost touch its enormous talons. It released its grip and the broken body of Yaga Yftha fell into Teyva’s arms. Teyva caught her lover, looking up at the bird that let out a weary cry before bursting into millions of tiny particles.

I go to rest.

“Wait! What happened? Why is she-” But the blasted creature was gone. Teyva swore and turned to the doors of the lower palace, Sari was already making her way outside. She held a kit in her hand. Teyva extended her third arm and used her journal to examine Yaga as Sari began to look the woman over.

[Yaga Yftha] - [Azar Lord of the Eastern Tribe] - Involved - Level 14

[Aspect of the Azar] [Aspect of the Warden] [Aspect of the Lord of the Open Sky]

HP: 5% MP: 10% SP: 0%

Teyva frantically looked Yaga over. Her body was beaten, worn, and burned in numerous places. There were points where her skin had been coated with what looked like solid gold. Her legs both bent at odd angles and her face was blackened with what had to be some kind of frostbite. Teyva’s heart pounded in her ears. She looked up at Sari who was saying something that she couldn’t hear. She blinked, trying to focus on the words.

“You need to hand her to me!” Sari bellowed, “Teyva!”

Teyva’s fingers went numb, “R-right,” She managed, and released her grip enough for Sari to take her. Sari turned and hurried back into the lower palace as Teyva sunk to her knees. She stared at the snow beneath her, her fingers sliding through it. Her cold skin made the snow harden into loose patches of ice. She felt Perry’s shadow loom over her. “Viktor said that the humans were preparing to attack Osan. That they would be leaving with spring. That was the last thing he heard, two weeks ago before handing direct communication over to the King of the Elves.”

“They left early,” Paraklytus agreed.

Teyva looked over her shoulder at the Elven soldiers, venom in her eyes, “Your King knew.”

One of the men looked at the others and as one they all bolted for the path leading up to the palace. Teyva got to her feet, her blood running cold and that eerie soothing feeling washing over her. She held out her right hand only to have Paraklytus’ bony fingers wrap around her shoulder. “Not yet, Majesty. Let him make the first move.”

Teyva ripped her arm from his grasp and spun, marching back into the lower palace, she found the nobles standing there, wide-eyed. She stood there at the entrance, her guard spread throughout the nobility. She spotted Elat on the left side of the room. Conrad had taken up position on the right. She saw Azrael standing at the rear, pale-faced. She’d seen Yaga’s condition. Behind her, Viktor and his family looked visibly shaken. Teyva felt her rage boil beneath her skin. How many of them knew about the Elf King’s efforts? How many of them were just waiting for Osan to fall? How many of them did she want to kill right now?

She forced herself to breathe, she couldn’t let the rage get the best of her. Not now. She drew her mana around herself and exhaled. “All of you, out,” She barked.

The nobles looked at one another confused, she raised her voice, “If you want to live, get out of this palace, now!”

That got them moving, the nobles scrambling past her as she marched through the chamber and towards Azrael. Her sister looked over her shoulder at Viktor, Belya, and Myranda. She reached for Teyva’s arm but Teyva had already moved past them. She glanced at Viktor as she went, “Do you swear on your family’s life that you did not know the humans would attack early?”

Viktor swallowed, “I swear on my soul.”

Teyva turned her gaze from him and marched down the hallway, hanging a right and making her way to the closest room with a bed. She threw the door open and found Sari standing over Yaga who lay beneath a field of off-yellow light. Sari looked up at Teyva, sweat beading on her brow. “She’s stable but has a long way to go. I will need time to treat her.”

Teyva nodded and looked down at Yaga, “Yaga? Are you awake?”

Yaga’s broken face stirred, her eyes cracked open and she peered at Teyva in a delirious haze, “Hey beautiful…” She whispered.

Teyva knelt next to her, “Hey love,” She breathed, relief flooding through her veins. “I’m here.”

“Teyva, humans came early, razed the orc settlement, they made it out but,” She struggled to remain conscious, “Thought we had time, reinforcements from the elves,” Yaga groaned and slipped back into unconsciousness. Teyva felt her heart go cold. They really thought the elves were going to help them. They really were counting on those reinforcements. Teyva clenched her fists so hard blood began to drip on the ground. She pressed her head against Yaga’s arm, squeezing her eyes shut and drawing on all her strength to remain calm. She had to be calm. She had to breathe. She had to think.

The door opened behind them, Batel. Teyva looked over her shoulder at him and he swallowed.

“The Elf King has sent his men to surround the lower palace. We are under siege.”