Page 77 of Legacy of the Heirs (The Lost Kingdom Saga #2)

Nyzaia

T he battle tent was silent under the midnight blue, disrupted only by the scraping of spoons against metal bowls.

Nyzaia shovelled the last of the breakfast into her mouth and pushed the bowl to the side of the table.

She surveyed the room, where all the rulers sat with their close confidants behind them.

Commanders and high military officials stood against the tent walls, ready for the briefing.

Never could Nyzaia have imagined this was where her life would lead.

The flap to the tent moved, and everyone’s heads turned to watch Farid enter.

With a silent nod from him, they returned to their bowls.

The citizens of Myara had reached Khami safely.

Nyzaia frowned, trying to understand General Caligh’s angle.

Did he really only care for Kazaar? Something at the back of her mind warned her she was missing something.

Farid approached on her right, and she greeted him with a solemn nod.

Farid had been the first to volunteer to watch the path to Khami to ensure the civilians made it there safely, while Jabir watched Myara from higher ground.

They expected Caligh soon, assuming he would take the settlement once all citizens were clear of it.

Jabir was to wait until he was certain Caligh, or his men, did not follow before reporting back to confirm they were on land.

Nyzaia felt calmer with Farid’s return—more certain.

She glanced at Elisara and Kazaar in matching leathers, the pin of Vala on each of their chests, the only sign of their realm.

None of the rulers wore their realm colours.

They did not fight for their realm; they fought for their kingdom.

Elisara tapped her foot while Kazaar held her knee still.

Worry flickered in Elisara’s eyes as she looked at Kazaar, a feeling Nyzaia knew all too well.

She worried for her brother and the attempts likely to be made on his life in the battle to come.

Nyzaia focused on the map covering the table.

Garridon’s military was to filter up the western side of the desert in a stiff formation, while Nerida’s funnelled along the eastern side, closest to the ocean, so Larelle could access the water to aid.

Keres and Vala would fight side by side in the space in between to trap the oncoming army into a horseshoe until Garridon and Nerida circled around the back.

Scouts in the centre of the desert would return soon to report on their overnight shifts.

They hoped the winds would have blown the sands in their favour to create a hill for Vala and Keres’ armies to descend, the added height aiding their attack against the winged creatures.

Elisara had assured them she could blow the sands into place, but they did not know how much power would be needed from each ruler, all of whom were trying to conserve their power in case some miracle allowed it to affect the creatures.

Nyzaia fiddled with the imbued blades at her side, or so they believed.

It was not as if they had any opportunities to test them.

The blades would have to be enough. Nyzaia dreaded to think how the war could unfold if Sadira had failed.

For once, Nyzaia thanked her father. If he had not kept his collection of old books, they would have never found the incantation within Myths and Lies .

Nyzaia stared at the stack of rare books on the table, with Myths and Lies atop it.

Nyzaia found it odd how multiple rare books had made their way to Novisia as if their ancestors were all scholars. She stared at the stack and then stood abruptly, her knees hitting the table as she did. Everyone jolted at the sudden movement, and that small doubt taunting Nyzaia came forward.

“Caligh Servusian,” Nyzaia said.

“What?” Kazaar asked .

“Caligh Servusian. The author of Myths and Lies of Ithyion was called Caligh Servusian.”

Sadira grabbed the book from the table behind her to check the spine. Nyzaia knew it was there—faded, but there. Sadira turned the spine to face the others.

“A coincidence, surely?” Caellum asked.

“It could be a common name from Ithyion,” Sadira agreed.

“The book holds information on celestial ties, which we know to be real, and also the incantation to imbue a sword to defeat darkness, ” Nyzaia stressed.

“That would be an awfully big coincidence.” Nyzaia paced.

This could confirm he was alive on Ithyion and played a part in the downfall of their ancestral home.

But how did his book end up in her father’s study?

Too many questions whirred through Nyzaia’s mind.

“What does it matter? If we know his name?” Elisara asked, frowning.

“There is power in a name,” Larelle muttered beside Nyzaia. “Osiris, he said something odd when talking about Zarya. He said there was power in a name.”

Sadira stood. “The Wiccan in Garridon said the same thing.”

“That cannot be a coincidence,” Nyzaia said, pacing now. “It means something. It has to.”

“We do not have time to be certain of anything,” Kazaar said. “We keep the knowledge to ourselves unless anyone crosses paths with him and feels it may benefit them in some way.”

“If we make it through this, I can read through the rest of the Wiccan book; there must be something on name-based incantations,” Sadira said, looping her hand through Caellum’s.

“ When we make it through,” said Larelle, and Sadira smiled softly. Nyzaia’s face remained stern. She had been in enough battles and inflicted enough death to know not to be optimistic whenever confronted with a fight.

“The only people certain to make it through this are Elisara and Kazaar; their tie heals their wounds. The same cannot be said for us.” Nyzaia glanced at Farid. They had agreed not to reveal their tie unless Farid used his wings as a last resort.

“For all we know, this general and his soldiers have a sword the equivalent of ours that could maim anyone,” Kazaar said. “Including us.”

“No one can live forever,” Elisara said.

“But they can live an awfully long time,” Alvan said behind Larelle. He turned to address Nyzaia. “If this general is the same man who wrote that book, he is old. Whatever power he has is keeping him alive, or he comes from far different lands than ones we know.”

The rulers all nodded as the realisation sank in about how unprepared they were for this battle compared to him. Yet Caligh’s presence provided hope that there were other lands out there and that the Historian, Talia, and Tajana could be successful in finding aid.

The tent opened again, and Jabir appeared. His eyes sought Farid, and then Nyzaia. He nodded.

“They have taken Myara.”

That was the signal. The confirmation it was time to go. The rulers rose, readying their weapons as Jabir continued to fill them in. Nyzaia approached him as he leaned over the map.

“The army is split: half are the creatures circling the rooftops, and the other half are men on foot. They appear to only carry one sword each. They seem to be some kind of rank, groups in grey leathers and some in copper armour. I could not differentiate a reason other than skill set.”

“You’ve done well, Jabir,” Nyzaia said. “We may gauge more about their strategy when we approach them on the sands.” Nyzaia strapped the final sword to her back and turned to the rulers.

Caellum planted a kiss on Sadira’s head, preparing to say goodbye.

As someone not as skilled in swords, Sadira would remain atop the dune to wield her power from there and slow the enemy’s army.

Larelle was to do similar, but Alvan refused to leave her side and would defend her at the back of Nerida’s ranks to the east of the desert.

Kazaar and Elisara nodded to Nyzaia and Farid.

Knowing they were the only other tied pair, they fought together.

“The creatures need to go first. Caellum.” Nyzaia addressed the King.

“Garridon armies have the most archers with imbued arrowheads; they need to lead.” He nodded.

“Elisara will remain on the dune and wield air to hold any creatures back for as long as possible. While she cannot freeze them, she can deter them, which should work long enough for some archers to make their hits.” The queen of Vala nodded and took Kazaar’s hand.

“If that is not enough, Elisara will conjure three lightning strikes, prompting Larelle and her to use their powers simultaneously. Elisara will draw a storm for Larelle to wield the rain. We know it will not affect the creatures, but we can hope to slow the foot soldiers Jabir saw.”

Nyzaia had gone over the plan time and time again in her head, hoping it would give them the best chance. They could only be so prepared, not knowing the full extent of the opposing army.

“How many?” Nyzaia asked Jabir. He shook his head.

“With many contained in Myara, it is hard to tell. At least enough to match us.” Nyzaia’s eyes moved to the commanders and other military men around the room.

Their faces were composed and prepared, despite the bomb that had been dropped on them in the last two weeks.

Nyzaia recalled something Isha once said before taking her own life about the rulers needing to work together.

“We have been four realms for our entire existence.” Nyzaia raised her voice, commanding the room.

“But today, you do not fight for Vala, Keres, Garridon, or Nerida. You fight for your kingdom. You fight for the civilians so that they may see tomorrow. You fight for one another,” she said.

Sir Cain drew his sword, raising it into the air.

“For Novisia!” he yelled.

The sound of scraping metal filled the room as sword after sword was drawn and raised to the tent ceiling.

“For Novisia!” they called.