"They will try to stop him at the docks," Kellen guessed. "If they dare," Shalkan said. "Ancaladar can be… very persuasive when he tries."
"Then we've got to assume he'll succeed. And we must prepare to enter the City."
"Good luck," Shalkan said. "I'll see you when the battle is over."
Kellen hugged his friend it might be for the last time, but he had to believe that it wouldn't be burying his face for a moment in the soft fur of Shalkan's neck. Just for a moment, he inhaled the spicy cinnamon scent of unicorn. Then he took his helmet from Firareth's saddle and settled it into place, mounted Firareth, and rode back to take his position with the Elven Army.
Shalkan trotted away.
* * * * *
AS he rode back toward the army, it felt as if he rode through water. All around him he could feel Cilarnen's spell building to its climax. It made his skin itch, made the air he drew into his lungs feel thicker than fog. He wondered if the other Wildmages could sense it as well.
Idalia and Vestakia were waiting with Redhelwar. Vestakia was barely able to stay in her saddle. She was nearly doubled-over in pain and weakness, though Kellen doubted that she sensed the High Magick at all. Kellen did his best to ignore her distress, knowing that his indifference was the only help he could give her now.
"You'll need to see me to the gates, brother dear. Then, I expect, your place is here." Idalia shook her head, as if flies buzzed around her. "Not long," she said, sounding hopeful.
Kellen nodded. Soon Cilarnen's spell would work or it wouldn't and either way, this wave of High Magick that surrounded them would crest and break.
They'd talked about having him accompany Idalia into the City to talk to the High Mages, but his battle skills were too vital to the army. Jermayan would go with her, and Cilarnen. If Cilarnen of House Volpiril could not convince the Mages of Armethalieh to ally themselves with the Allied Army against the Demons after what they'd seen today, then no one could.
"Vestakia?"
The fact that she was here rather than back with the Healers must mean that she had something that needed to be said. She was stubborn it was what had kept her alive all these years but she wasn't foolish. She wouldn't take risks that didn't need to be taken.
"He will attack soon. She is keeping most of Them with Her. At the Shrine. But there are others He can call upon. I cannot sense Them, but… She does not want Him to attack, but He will, I think." Vestakia forced the words out in effortful gasps, as beads of sweat ran down her face.
"Then it is time for me to give you this," Redhelwar said, holding out his hand to Kellen.
On Redhelwar's palm rested the green-stoned ring he had gotten from Andoreniel.
"This is your time, Kellen," Redhelwar said. "Use us all well, in the name of Leaf and Star."
He had never meant for this to happen, but as Kellen stared at the ring, a sense of rightness, of inevitability, settled over him.
This was the moment he had been training for, had been shaped for, from the moment he had been born. Every person he had ever known, everything he had ever done, had led him to this day, this hour.
He took the ring, and with it the command of the entire Elven Army.
"The gods of the Wild Magic guide us all, Redhelwar," he said softly. He slipped the ring into his belt pouch.
"Vestakia, go and wait with the Healers. Redhelwar, you must see Idalia to the City gates. Isinwen, my compliments to Nithariel, and it would please me greatly if she would see if the Enemy is indeed moving up to prepare for battle. Dionan and Ninolion, I wish to change the dispositions of the troops; you will oblige me by telling the Centaurs they are to take the center, Wildmages in their center. The Knights will flank; split them evenly by commands. I will send further orders once you have begun. Adaerion, please bring me Belepheriel at once."
"I see them," Idalia said, looking behind him. "Cilarnen's riders."
Kellen barely glanced up; he was still giving orders. If they were about to be hit, they were not, by Leaf and Star, going to be in the same positions they'd been in a thousand years ago. With the heavy cavalry-infantry the Centaurs as their center, they could absorb the first assault of the Enemy and hammer it with the fast-moving flanking wings of Elven cavalry, rather than having the cavalry hemmed in by the slower-moving Centaurs.
But suddenly the wave of magick… broke.
Kellen reined Firareth around.
The Unicorn Knights had swirled to a stop in front of the Gates of Armethalieh. And for a moment, the City Walls themselves glowed brighter than the sun in the sky.
Then the light faded.
The Unicorn Knights turned away. Anganil began to walk, very slowly, back toward the Allied lines. His head was hanging and his sides heaved. Cilarnen dismounted and led him as the Unicorn Knights formed a protective honor guard. The stallion had truly given his all for the spell.
And there was a creaking, crackling, crashing sound from within the walls of the City itself.
"The towers are falling," Idalia said, very quietly.
Armethalieh was known as the City of a Thousand Bells, and most of those bells were suspended high in lacy decorative spires.
Set by magick. Worked by magick. Held in place by magick.
Cilarnen hadn't just taken down the Wards of the City Gates.
His spell had removed the Mage-spells from the entire City.
And now the towers that were sustained by magick were crumbling to earth.
With the Wards gone at last, Ancaladar settled on the wall and leaned over the edge of the Gate.
"Time to go," Idalia said.
"You'd better take Cilarnen another horse," Kellen said. "We'll ride double," Idalia said. "Not much use for horses in the City, as I recall."
"Good luck," Kellen said.
"Leaf and Star," Idalia answered.
She and Redhelwar rode out to meet Cilarnen.
"Go and take Anganil," Kellen said to Reyezeyt. "The unicorns won't be able to approach the army."
He returned to giving orders.
* * * * *
PRINCE Zyperis stood in the midst of his army. His beloved Queen and Mama had given him command of all but the Dark Guard itself. Them she had taken with her to winnow the remaining villages in the Delfier Valley, for the sacrifice to come must be prepared in blood, and the last of their previous captives had gone to fuel the Concealment Spell that had allowed her to approach the City walls and steal away the Great Sacrifice.
When the hateful sun had left the sky, it would not rise again, for tonight, Time would stop forever. The blood of the Great Sacrifice would be spilled upon the Standing Stones, and He Who Is would enter the world once more.
And grant to she who had given him his return, power and favor above all the rest of his creation. She would see all, know all.
Know how her son had plotted against her.