Free Trial and Glory by Joshua P. Simon Page B

beneath.
    Kaz met Rygar at the gatehouse stairwell. The scout held his helm in hand, exposing a head of sweat-soaked blond hair. He pushed aside a clump, revealing bright blue eyes. Red dust clung to his clothes and face. The links to his mail clinked as he took the last few steps.
    At least Yanasi won’t have to get on him for not wearing his armor.
    “How bad?” asked Kaz.
    “Not as bad as it looks, actually,” huffed Rygar as he leaned against a half-wall.
    “Are you going blind, or am I imagining those towers coming toward us?”
    “Neither. It’s just that those are only half of what they have constructed.”
    “Half?”
    “Yeah. Because of how they had the equipment positioned in their camp, and the quality of those Kifzo sentries you warned me about, I never got close enough to verify their exact numbers. I had to estimate based on what I saw from one angle. They could easily bring up three rows of those things.”
    Then why aren’t they? It’s not like they can use them for anything else. Why not overwhelm us?
    “How many men?”
    “A lot,” said Rygar. “But again, not as many as they could bring in. I estimated seventy thousand.”
    I never thought I’d be happy to see only seventy thousand men. But why not use more?
    From the very first moment Nachun had entered his life, he knew the man had a hidden agenda. He had tried to warn his father, and everyone else for that matter, but his efforts appeared to have been fruitless.
    He recalled the information Elyse told him about Nareash’s ability to use mind control. Is that what happened to you, Father? Kaz shook his head. Think about those things when this is done.
    “Anything else?” he asked.
    “They’re finally bringing in more than just a few mages. I can’t give you an accurate number since they’re doing their best to conceal them. It looked like they were focusing on our left side. I didn’t see anyone fitting Nareash’s description among them.”
    “I doubt you would. When he’s ready to enter the battle, he’ll come right out front. Good work. I’ll send a runner over to Krytien with your report.”
    Rygar looked over Kaz’s shoulder. “I can take care of it.”
    He followed Rygar’s gaze. Yanasi stood in the midst of her men, scowling.
    “No. I’ll send a messenger.” He slapped Rygar on the shoulder. A cloud of dust took to the air. “You better go smooth things over with her. I don’t want my best captain unable to think clearly because of you.”
    “I was afraid you would say that.”
    * * *
    “I’m sorry.”
    Yanasi yanked Rygar off to the side to get some semblance of privacy from the teeming soldiers. “Are you?”
    “Of course.”
    “Then why do you keep taking such big risks. I know you could have pulled out of there sooner. Yet you keep pushing things.”
    “I didn’t push anything.” He grinned. “I knew you had my back.”
    Sometimes she hated that smile. Regardless of how angry she was with him, the way he looked at her always softened her feelings. Yanasi leaned in. “We aren’t going to have any future together if you aren’t more careful.”
    “I know. But the same goes for you. I want to see that red hair of yours turn gray one day.”
    She smiled. “I wish we could go run off now.”
    “Soon. Are we good?”
    “Yeah, we’re good.”
    Rygar kissed her. “Then kill a few dozen for me.”
    * * *
    Raker swore, kicking the side of the trebuchet.
    Senald laughed. “I told you. How much do you owe me now? Ten gold pieces or eleven? I’m losing track.”
    Raker swore again. Down to only one hand, he had given up on playing cards due to the difficulty of cheating. However, he couldn’t shake the gambling bug. Most days he took bets on anything and everything. Some he’d win, most he’d lose. He realized the problem with his luck.
    It’s too hard to cheat with what I’m placing bets on. I have to rely on someone else.
    There was no better example of that than what he had just witnessed.