Page 40 of Within the Flames
"By the waves," one of the kelpies muttered, her mouth hanging open. "How did that get here?"
"It was here all along," Jared said with a shrug. "I just helped you see it."
"Are you ready to be a hero?" Luc whispered into Macey's ear, suddenly being a lot closer to her than she'd remembered.
"No," she whispered back.
"Good. Overconfidence wouldn't be good in this case. But trust me, you'll do well. Now lead these people into battle before the alarm is raised and the castle's defences are activated."
She nodded tensely, looking at the castle one last time before turning to her allies.
"It's time," she said loudly. "Kabouters, as discussed, Jared will lead you through the earth and you'll enter the castle that way. Kelpies, you're with me. Amber, you'll fly in together with Izban, who'll try and hide you both. If you manage to get inside, you open the gates for us. Luc..."
She faltered, unsure what the daimon's role was going to be. Amber had filled her in on the plan earlier, so even though she was now telling everyone what to do, it hadn't actually been her brainchild.
"I'll be with you," Luc said calmly. "I'm going to watch your back.
Macey nodded, strangely glad that the daimon was going to be around. As arrogant and unhelpful as he was, he still seemed powerful enough to be a good ally.
Jared led his group of Kabouters to one side and began to talk with their leaders, while Amber and Izban walked away to the other side, embracing. They were preparing not to see each other again, Macey realised. Maybe she should say goodbye to her men as well, but that felt like she was being defeatist. No, she was going to assume that everyone was going to live by the end of this. Nobody was going to die. She wouldn't allow it.
"We can do this," Rónàn said from behind her, echoing her thoughts.
She turned and smiled at him. "Yes, we can."
Before she could turn away again, he bent down and pressed his lips against hers, a kiss far too quick to be more than a promise of more.
"We're ready!" Jared called out.
"As are we," Izban said gravely, his arm still holding Amber close.
"Then let's do this!" Macey shouted. "Whoever kills the Mahoun is the champion!"
It was supposed to be a bit of a joke, something to lighten the mood, but the others started to pick up her chant.
"The champion! The champion!"
Oh no, she'd created a monster.
* * *
No one had ever warnedher that war was so boring. In all the history books, it was so glorious and full of action. This...not so much. The first assault on the castle had led to precisely nothing. There was some kind of force field around the castle which had rebuffed the Kabouters underground and Amber and Izban above it.
"Please tell me one of you know what we're up against?" she begged the people surrounding her.
They shook their heads, all in various states of denial about the situation.
"Luc?" She turned to the daimon, hoping he'd have some kind of answer. He was supposed to be her guide, yet he wasn't doing much guiding right at that moment.
"I'm sorry, this isn't anything I've ever come across before," he admitted.
Macey kicked the ground, stubbing her toe. She scowled, unsure about what she was meant to be doing anymore. How was she supposed to defeat Mahoun and his siblings if she was flummoxed while trying to break into a castle.
The air buffeted against them as Amber landed, shifting back into her human form almost instantly. Izban rushed forward and threw a blanket around her, covering her nakedness.
Macey just about refrained from rolling her eyes. She knew Amber wasn't shy about her body. She was a shifter, it was born into her not to be. If Izban hadn't been so frustrating, the gesture might even have been cute but now she wasn't so sure. She'd seen the way he watched the others. He needed to be watched and she wasn't sure who she'd be able to set on him.
One of the kelpies, maybe? No. It couldn't be one of them. He'd be able to freeze their water magic too easily. Which also took out anyone who could control fire. Ice would melt under heat, true, but it would also put the flames out. One of the other Wardens then? Amber was out for the obvious reasons, but the others?
