Page 40 of An Archer’s Reckoning (Of Crowns & Quills #4)

Chapter 40

Ethan

I mmaculate snow covered the ground for hundreds of paces surrounding the city walls. Our armies dared not touch that ground, knowing the range of our enemies’ bows. It was a killing field, but one we would have to cross before the city was won.

I stood beside the first trebuchet team. My staff begged me to watch from the safety of the command tents a half league back, but I refused.

My place was with my men.

Always .

I watched as the last boulder was loaded. It amazed me that two men could haul the massive stones. These were definitely my men—strong, capable men.

I would send far too many of them to their deaths.

For what?

I shook that thought from my head and raised my eyes to the snowy field, wondering again what lay hidden beneath.

My gut churned at the thought.

My eyes drifted to the pickets and opened wide as droplets of melting ice fell from a pike and turned into puffs of steam. A few blinks later, the entire field rose in a clouded mist as the snowy blanket evaporated before us. Something in the air shifted, and the clean fog blurred into a murky gray, obscuring the wall, towers, and gate.

I really hated magic.

“Fire!” I barked.