“An army larger than I’ve ever seen, and they are heading this way,” she shivered. “What did you see?”

“I heard Cirrus discussing their plans. It sounds like they are heading to Sinnendor. They intend to wipe out all of the Sirens.”

“Sirens?” she questioned. “And you could hear them? I can only see them through vibrations. I can’t actually hear anything, but I recognized my uncle’s horse.”

I shook my head and waved my hands. “Long story, but in short, if Siobhan wakes up, she’s dead,” I finished just as Bearen overheard my last sentence.

“She tried to kill Fenri. She’s one of them now,” Bearen said.

“No,” I corrected. “She’s one of us and she’s being manipulated. If we can keep her from coming to long enough, we might be able to save her. But Syrani’s correct. We have to leave. They’re coming.”

“Whoever it is,” Bearen’s voice rose in frustration, “we can handle them.”

I shook my head and watched as Syrani paled at the thought of fighting her own kin. “No, it’s an army. Larger than any of us could imagine, and we are right in their path.”

“Daughter! Speak clearly now, for your constant dancing around the answers is starting to give my brain blisters. I can’t keep up.” Bearen warned.

“It’s the Septori with an army of Denai, and they are heading toward Sinnendor. So choose now father, whose side you are on, because we are standing in the middle of the battlefield. You said you wanted to go after the Septori, a chance to bring peace.”

Bearen looked at me stunned, his mouth dropped open as he processed what I asked of him. Before he could say anything I continued, “But whatever side you choose, I’m taking my cousin back to Sinnendor. There might be my only chance at saving her.”

“Their Elite attacked our village!” He pointed his finger into the night back toward Sinnendor.

“And you’ve been murdering their messengers for years. I think you two are even now. But I promised myself that I would stop the Septori from hurting anyone anymore ever again. They are going to try and wipe out our kind, using Denai as pawns to do it. And they are using my blood to do it. They must be stopped at all costs. Even if it means siding with our enemy.”

Odin had come alongside us during this exchange and had listened quietly as Bearen and I discussed our plans. He finally reached up to scratch his head and raised his hands up playfully. “Uh…you know, Bearen, what they say about enemies.”

Bearen’s beaded eyes snapped to glare at Odin, “What… the enemy of my enemy is my friend?”

“No,” he scoffed. “When my enemies fight, I raid their coffers.”

Something came up behind me and Syrani made a small squeak. I turned around and was surprised by a very large horse. I felt my whole body relax as I wrapped my arms around Faraway. He was dusty, dirty, and smelled of horse sweat.

You came, I sighed and leaned my full weight upon him.

You needed me.

I need Kael, and Joss, I whispered into his mane. I can’t do this without them. I can’t fight the Septori without them. Where are they? Why haven’t they returned? Do you think Kael was captured and among the… I started to lose myself in my own fear and self-doubt.

Faraway quickly anchored me back into the present by nuzzling my shoulder.

I don’t know if I’m strong enough for what’s to come.

You were born with all the strength you’ll need, he stated.

Chapter 30

We converged upon Sinnendor’s gates in record time. We should have been cut down immediately when our heavily armed warriors appeared. But we weren’t. It might have helped that I left the Valdyrstal clan a half mile behind me. But I knew that scouts would have seen our army no matter what.

The castle was locked up tight. I convinced my father that my resemblance to my mother may be our only chance of getting into the castle. He agreed to let me talk.

Only my father escorted me to the gates, watching over Siobhan who was in front of him, still unconscious. Odin had been doing his best to keep her heavily medicated. Now we just had to convince our enemy to let us into their gates. Yes, it was an impossible feat, and I was not keen on letting my clan act as sitting ducks between the approaching forces.

“Gideon!” I called out loudly. “Gideon, we need you!”

“A strange way to ask for help,” Gideon called back down to me from the battlements. “With a full army.”

“No, we’ve come to offer help as well as ask for it. Talk to Xiven. You know as well as I do what was on the horizon. It has come to your own door, but it’s not us. The enemy you’ve been worried about and preparing for is close on our heels. We ask you to help us with one of our own and to accept our help in the coming war.”

Gideon disappeared from behind the wall, and breathing became difficult. I couldn’t help but feel terrified that the gates wouldn’t open. Raven and his army would appear any minute and cut us down.

It was many anxious minutes later before King Tieren appeared, surrounded by more guards. I held my breath and prayed that today was a sane day. Tieren peered over the wall and saw me. His eyes lit up with excitement.

“Thelonia! You’ve come back! How I knew you would, but you did something with your hair. I don’t like it dark like that. Oh, and what did you bring me?”

My hands started to shake in anger. What a time for the madness to consume him! When I was trying to save his kingdom and his own hide. How could I help protect him when he couldn’t protect himself?

But my brain quickly formulated a plan. “I’ve come bearing gifts. I’ve brought you an army,” I yelled back coyly.

King Tieren frowned and looked out over the field to stare at the mass of armed men behind me. “But I’ve already got one of those,” he pouted. “I don’t need another.”

Bearen turned his head and whispered angrily. “What is this mad game you’re playing? He is not fit to defend this castle. We could easily take it.”

“No sooner would you have won it, then you would have to defend it.” I hissed back. “Do you think you can fight a whole army of men and Denai? If I remember right, the Sinnendor line does not have a great history of winning. Today we need to choose our enemy, instead of fighting two.”

I turned my attention back to King Tieren who was in a deep discussion with Gideon. I could see that Tieren was shaking his head, and then his hands pointed angrily to me. Gideon’s face was getting flushed. King Tieren’s guard seemed a little wary of us and our talk of war. I could see the reflections of spyglass lenses trained on the road behind us. I could tell from their hurried discussions and antics that they knew we were speaking the truth. They probably could see the dust cloud from the army miles away. We were asking for a miracle.

Gideon leaned back over. “How do we know you are speaking truth? We would let you in, but him and them?” He pointed to my father and the army. “No.”

I gritted my teeth so hard, my jaw hurt. “You said yourself that the answers to your future lie with me. Here we are, our whole clan, at your disposal, ready to fight not each other, but our common enemy. The same enemy that we’ve been battling for eternity. It’s once again come down to a battle between the Denai and the Sirens and we have made our choice which side to fight for. We know that alone, you are not strong enough for them, but I have here with me another Siren. My cousin. Proof that our gifts can be unlocked. Help me help her. We may be your only chance against your foe.”