Mended Throne (Broken Throne Book 5) Page 14

  “It needs to be a small group, but powerful enough to hold their own,” Maria said. “If I were to pick right now, I’d suggest Victor, Garraldi, and one or two of the most powerful elites, maybe Bullock and Frannie or Parnell.”

  “You’re not leaving me out. I’m with group B.

  “No, Danny,” Maria said. “This is all magic, and you have no way to counter.”

  “I have to help her. I can hold my own.” Danny looked around the table for support.

  Victor met his eyes with a nod. “It’ll be me, Danny, Garraldi, Bullock and Frannie.”

  “You think five is enough?” Maria asked.

  “It may be too many,” Garraldi said. “Who knows? We don’t want to call attention to ourselves. And we have to move fast, cover our movements while we catch up to Winnie.”

  “Which we won’t be able to do without a major distraction,” Victor said, picking up the line of thought. “Can the other Dusters do that long enough to cover us?”

  Maria stood and started circling the table. “It will be challenging to get all of the Duster troops over there. We also have to take enough supplies to account for the chance that we’ll get cut off. That further limits our possible manpower. We can only send so much through a portal at any given time.”

  Maria stopped walking and looked at Elaine. “What’s the max we could send through at one go with the current crop of chanter elites?”

  “Provided we have someone we can get there to open a portal, we can send about three hundred people through in one go, along with anything they can physically carry. If we have to take any larger weapon systems inside using some of the shipping containers, cut that number by half or more. We’ll then have to let the portal close, and we won’t be able to open another one to this location for around eight hours.”

  Maria nodded. “So the question is which do we need more: extra manpower or heavy weapons?”

  “Magic trumps modern weapons,” Tris said. “We have an excellent selection of charmed weapons and defenses, and I think we’ll mostly face Kane’s conventional forces, at least on the capital city’s perimeter. That requires a mix of magic and manpower. Not gear. Once we break through, we’ll have Morgan make a list of heavier weapons to help handle Kane’s beasts in the city’s interior.”

  “You’re talking as though you’re both going,” Victor said to Tris and Morgan.

  “I’m not staying here, Victor. That’s my sister out there. What good is staying behind if we all end up lost? I’d rather be fighting than counting cans of beans back here.”

  “You’re pregnant, Morgan. You don’t belong anywhere near a war zone.”

  “That’s my call, not yours,” Morgan snapped. “And I’m not an invalid. You convinced me to betray Winnie once before; I won’t make that mistake again.”

  Victor winced, said nothing.

  “Don’t worry, Victor,” Elaine said. “I’ll keep an eye on her.”

  Victor threw his hands up in the air. “Now you’re going, too? You should stay here and help with watching the twins and other children here at the Point.”

  “Not a chance, Victor.” Tris said. “If we don’t win this fight, it won’t matter who’s back here holding the fort. I’ve been with Winnie since the beginning, and there’s zero chance of you stopping me now.”

  Maria stepped over next to Victor’s chair and laid a hand on his shoulder. “I think we’re all going.”

  Victor looked up at Maria and then around the circular table. Everyone’s eyes were fixed, their jaws set, determination like stone. And there was nothing he could do to change it.

  Dammit!

  He didn’t want Morgan in harm’s way, and didn’t need anything else to worry about when he should be focused only on protecting Winnie. But there was nothing he could do to stop her. No one would hold her back, no matter what he said.

  “Good,” Maria said. “That’s settled. Let’s pick the squads we want for this little adventure.”

  Victor sat back, listening without interjection, his thoughts constantly cycling back to Morgan and Winnie.

  It seemed so long ago he’d been the one trying to lock Winnie up by using Morgan’s devotion to her father. Now her devotion to Winnie was driving her. It was that commitment to family, including himself, that Victor loved so much.

  The meeting broke and the people dispersed, preparing to leave once the groups were equipped.

  Victor’s B-team would leave first since they had to be in place to infiltrate the capital perimeter once the A-team started their assault on the other side of the city. The A-team would move out about two hours after his and initiate their attack upon arrival.

  He caught up with Morgan as soon as they left the command center. “I’m sorry for what I said back there. I didn’t mean to come off so strong.”

  “You’re worried about me, I get it. But you forget that I’m worried about you, too. And Winnie. Do you think you can catch up with her?”

  “I hope so. I can sort of sense when she’s in trouble. So I should be able to track her down.”

  “Keep her safe, Victor. Promise me.”

  “I promise, Morgan. Nothing will happen to Winnie as long as I’m around.”

  Victor pulled her into an embrace, tilting her head up to kiss her. “I still have to marry you.”

  “You, too.”

  They held each other close in the corridor, until the voices down the hall caused them both to pull away.

  “See you in the portal room?”

  “I’ll be there,” Morgan said, then turned and walked away towards their room.

  Victor watched her go, then headed toward the armory. He would have to load up for this one and wanted the best possible weapons. There was so much to do and so little time.

  And though he didn’t want to consider it, Winnie might already be dead.

  CHAPTER 25

  Winnie crouched in some dying shrubs in what used to be a residential neighborhood on the capital’s outskirts, staring across the street and trying to pick up on any signs of movement ahead.

  Everyone was gone.

  Winnie hoped most of the people had fled before Kane started turning them into monsters. Judging by the smears of blood and that every home was totally trashed, it didn’t appear to be the case.

  She started to rise when a tiny voice from behind made her jump.

  “There are Garbarians in one of those buildings across the street,” Seelie whispered.

  Winnie turned to see the fairy hovering just behind her. “What are you doing here, Seelie? Go back.”

  “No one should go on a quest like this alone.”

  Winnie looked back across the street. “How do you know there are Garbarians over there?”

  “I can smell them,” Seelie said, wrinkling her nose. “I wouldn’t have said anything if it weren’t for them being there. You’ve been sneaking around quite well without my help.”

  “Do you know how many there are?”

  “Not many,” Seelie said, testing the air with a sniff. “Definitely more than one, though.”

  Winnie fingered the hilt of Excalibur, thinking. It was better to avoid a quarrel now since she would certainly be facing bigger battles later on.

  “Is there a place we can cross without them seeing?”

  Seelie grinned. “I can scout one out. Wait here.”

  The fairy spread her wings and flew down the street, blending into the surrounding plants and darting from one hiding place to the next until Winnie finally lost sight of her.

  Winnie was at once annoyed with the fairy and thankful for her presence. She didn’t want her to get hurt, but she was grateful for the company. The last night in hiding had been too long, and at moments, downright terrifying. She hadn’t dared to sleep. All night, she heard the military patrols passing, followed in the earliest dawn by growls and snarls from the Fell beasts nearby.

  While waiting for Seelie’s return, Winnie watched the houses across the street. Eventually a Garbarian sh
ambled out the front door of a house directly across from her. It loped down to the curb and an overturned garbage can.

  The creature sniffed the air in Winnie’s direction then buried itself up to the waist inside the trash. Then it pulled back, holding what looked like the carcass of a cooked turkey.

  Maggots were falling off the leftover meat as the Garbarian gobbled the leftover bird, bones and all.

  A garbled shout sounded from the house and another demon stepped outside. It took one look at the first Garbarian and shouted in the ugliest language that Winnie had ever heard.

  The first Garbarian hunched over his prize, gobbling faster and infuriating the second beast. He charged his companion, bowling him over into the street.

  Rotted turkey and maggots went flying everywhere as the two fell thrashing and snarling to the street, locked in a furious melee.

  Distracted, Winnie missed Seelie’s return.

  The fairy tapped her on the shoulder.

  “What did you find out?” Winnie asked.

  “There’s a spot about three houses down where hedges on either side of the road are growing out to the street,” Seelie pointed over her shoulder. “If you can mask yourself a little, we can cross there. We’ll only be in the open for an instant.”

  “I can do that.” Winnie spared a glance toward the fighting Garbarians. They were locked in combat, and weren’t likely to notice her.

  Winnie drew in magic and wrapped a shield of light around herself, hiding herself from view by bending the light around her. The spell worked best if she stood frozen, but it should work with the Garbarians distracted.

  Winnie crouched between bushes, looking toward the open area. Seelie went first then waved for Winnie to follow.

  Sparing a final glance at the brawling Garbarians, Winnie darted from her hiding spot and ran across the open space, certain that she would be spotted.

  But she wasn’t, and soon she was crouching on the other side behind a new set of shrubs.

  “Now where to?” Seelie asked.

  Winnie pointed down the hedge. “We’re heading toward the city center, so that way.”

  That hedge marked the edge of a park area, thick with tall trees and winding paths. Winnie and Seelie made excellent time without running into trouble. The fairy, far better at blending in with her surroundings, took the lead, flying ahead to check for trouble, then waving Winnie forward until they reached the next choke point.

  Winnie ducked at the sound of a vehicle coming down the road.

  Her heart was pounding but she couldn’t yet see it.

  Winnie was about to make a run for it when the patrol rounded the corner.

  She froze, hoping her cloak was still working, standing there among a copse of trees, hopefully blending in.

  The truck slowed and then stopped around fifty feet away.

  Four soldiers got out, their rifles pointed outward.

  “I swear I saw some movement up ahead near these trees,” said one of the soldiers said, pointing in Winnie’s direction.

  “You’re always seeing things, Frank.”

  “It’s probably just more of those monsters, which means we should get out of here.”

  “No, I’m serious, I saw a person, running into that clump of trees.” Frank pointed his weapon in front of him, still slowly moving forward.

  If they got any closer, she’d be spotted for sure. Right now, Winnie looked like a small tree trunk, but someone would eventually spot the familiar contours of a person against the background. All it took was looking long enough.

  “Wait,” the driver called. “Was it a girl?”

  “Might’ve been,” Frank called over his shoulder.

  “Get back in the truck, Frank. You haven’t been laid for so long, now you’re seeing women everywhere you look. Remember last week when we followed that damned Garbarian for three blocks before ‘she’ finally turned around?”

  “This is different, I swear.” Frank turned to face his comrades. “It’s not fair that you keep bringing that up, Dave. It stopped being funny a while ago.”

  “No it didn’t,” Dave said. “I’ll be telling that story when I’m old and gray, given I live that long. Now, get back into the truck. We’re almost finished and I’m hungry.”

  Winnie’s stomach growled. Surely Frank could hear it.

  But he didn’t.

  Instead Frank gave one last look over his shoulder then walked back to the truck.

  “That’s a good boy, Frank,” Dave said climbing into the driver’s seat. “Don’t worry, that communications tech over in the headquarters unit’s been eyeing you. Maybe we can get you together so you stop hallucinating the fairer sex.”

  The truck doors slammed as the last two soldiers climbed inside.

  Then it pulled away and headed down the street.

  Winnie finally exhaled, watching until the truck was out of sight. She let her cloak slip away and sat on the ground beneath the trees.

  “Whew, that was close,” Seelie said, flying up from where she’d been hiding across the street. I thought you were going to wait for me to come back.”

  “I was, but there wasn’t anyone around. I figured I could cross the street safely. Why are there so many patrols?”

  “We’re close to the Army here,” Seelie explained. “It’s only a few streets ahead. They’ve dug into a line of buildings stretching both ways as far as I could see.”

  “Can we get past them?”

  “Not during the day,” Seelie said. “Even with magic, they’d spot you. They’ve created a broad open area leading up to the line. We’ll have to wait until night, then try to slip by while they’re sleeping.”

  “Then we’d better find someplace to hole up until then. And I need to find some food. I didn’t bring any supplies.”

  “At least you have the sword.”

  “I can’t eat Excalibur.”

  “I’ll keep my eyes open for some food and a place to hide,” Seelie said. “Come on, it’s clear ahead and there are some homes we can search. Maybe someone left us something to eat.”

  “We can only hope,” Winnie said, her stomach grumbling loud enough to bring the truck back.

  “Wow,” Seelie laughed.

  “I know,” Winnie said, only slightly embarrassed. “I’ve always been that way when I get hungry.”

  “Well, let’s take care of that or neither of us is going to get any sleep.”

  Winnie smiled and followed the fairy across the road and into the trees. It was almost noon on Winnie’s second day away from the Point.

  Her thoughts turned to Danny.

  He was probably angry with her. They hadn’t gotten along especially well for the last several months, ever since the fighting at Fort Brick. They had changed in so many ways, and seemed to be drifting further apart by the day.

  And Winnie couldn’t tell him what she was doing. He’d have wanted to come along and he didn’t have any magic to help him hide from the monstrosities roaming the outskirts. She was barely making it through; Danny would have never stood a chance.

  Going out on her own was the right thing to do. The only chance they had. She had to confront Kane directly and defeat him.

  Seelie approached a nearby home then opened the back door and disappeared inside, leaving Winnie waiting across the street. She returned just moments later, smiling wide and waving Winnie inside.

  Impossibly, the kitchen was pristine.

  She searched the pantry and found a jar of peanut butter and more crackers than she could eat in a sitting. There were plenty of cans, but the food inside them would have to be cooked and Winnie wanted to be cautious about doing anything that might let someone know she was there.

  She grabbed the peanut butter and crackers then sat at a small circular breakfast table. Winnie slathered peanut butter on a cracker, then shoved it into her mouth, closing her eyes as she chewed.

  “Is it good?”

  “Wonderful,” Winnie said.

  Her mouth was st
icky and dry from the peanut butter so she stood to check the faucet. The water was still running. She bent to drink from the cool flowing water.

  “I think we can stay here until night,” Winnie said after satisfying her thirst. “We’ll search the house for anything useful then take turns getting rest.”

  Seelie smiled, nodding as they set off to search their unexpected trove of shelter and supplies. They could stay here safely until nightfall.

  It would be good to rest. Relax before charging into the city proper.

  CHAPTER 26

  The home turned out to be full of useful items; Winnie opted for a more thorough search after some rest.

  Seelie took the first watch while Winnie sat on a love seat in the living room and closed her eyes. It didn’t take sleep long to find her. Before she knew it, Seelie was tapping her on the shoulder.

  “All quiet?” Winnie asked, stretching her arms and trying to wake up for her shift.

  “I heard some trucks driving by, but they were already gone by the time I got to the window.”

  “Good. Did you get something to eat?”

  “Yes, that butter of peanuts is good stuff.” Seelie patted her tiny belly.

  Winnie laughed. “Okay. Get some rest. I’ll keep an ear out while I gather some things for our trip.”

  Seelie nodded then flew to a pillow on a padded chair and curled up with her wings wrapped around her. The little thing looked like a knickknack.

  Winnie took a backpack that she’d found earlier and stuffed it with supplies, starting with the peanut butter and crackers, followed by a quart-sized water bottle from the faucet and anything else she could scrounge from the kitchen.

  A search of the attached garage netted her a small flashlight, a set of spare batteries, and a small folding knife, which she shoved into her pocket.

  Winnie wasn’t sure what she would need and what she should grab just in case. So she focused on the basics: food, water, light, and safety. And soon her pack was full.

  Then Winnie settled, staring out at the street, waiting and listening for any sounds of a possible patrol. She checked her watch: three more hours until she woke Seelie and they started to plan a way to get past the military lines waiting just blocks away.