Free Lives of Kings by Lucy Leiderman

was approaching through the pass just near them. Scouts would spot them instantly. The procession was moving slowly, but they were close.
    â€œThey’ll kill us, there’s hundreds of them,” Kian told him.
    â€œI know,” replied Magician. “They have passed through these woods every winter at this time for the past three winters.”
    Kian didn’t understand. The hand that gripped his bow was nearly frozen. “You set this up?”
    â€œI did,” said Magician. “I’ve been working with the earth for years trying to get it the way it needs to be for us to step through to where your kind will be. We need to walk through earth in transformation, in order to be transformed.”
    â€œI don’t understand,” Kian said. “How can earth be transformed into something else?”
    â€œWell, earth can become air.” Magician waved his arms. “But that is difficult. It is easier to make the earth become liquid. We take the strongest parts of the earth, turn it to liquid, and we’ll have enough magic to carry both of us through.”
    â€œSo why do you need the Kaligan?” Kian asked. The sound of boots was getting closer. He was nearly hopping from foot to foot in agitation.
    â€œWhat kind of earth can become liquid?” Magician asked Kian. “Molten? We have silver in this land, but not much. The Romans have gold.”
    Kian nearly laughed out loud. “Your plan is to get captured by the Romans in order to rob them?” he asked in disbelief, hoping he had misunderstood. “And then what? Escape from a camp of a thousand men?”
    â€œYes,” Magician said simply.
    Kian breathed deeply, trying to steady his nerves. Before he could say anything else, shouts sounded from beyond the trees. The Kaligan were yelling at them in their language, telling them not to move. Kian took another deep breath.
    This had happened to him once before. He had been travelling with his uncle when the Kaligan came, yelling these were their woods and any travellers needed to have good reason to be there. They demanded their party stand before the Roman leader, who sat atop his horse like a statue in leather and buckles.
    Kian was young and hadn’t known if he would live or die. Some men and women of the Riada or other tribes simply vanished in the woods, and it was often said the Kaligan were responsible. All depended on who led the legion, and Kian had never felt like taking his chances.
    Men in uniforms ran onto the small pathway where Kian and Magician had slept. They were older than many of the new recruits he had seen and wore uniforms that were less polished, still the style his brother had worn a decade ago. In a glance, he knew this was a neglected legion.
    Magician only smiled at the panic on Kian’s face. “Don’t worry, prince,” he said. “The Romans will provide many things for us tonight. I guarantee you.”
    Kian didn’t have time to think about the promise. Two men grabbed him and forced him to his knees. Two others did the same to Magician.
    A stately man dismounted from his horse and came over. His helmet had the tallest adornments and his buckles were made of fine gold, even though they were quite worn. Small brown eyes that darted between Kian and Magician topped his long nose. Any hair he once had was gone, though a grey beard nearly hid his grim line of a mouth.
    Kian could see this was a hard man, and he also knew this was the legion’s commander. They were in trouble. Behind him, several men kept their distance but followed carefully.
    For all that he was being held down, Magician seemed unimpressed.
    â€œDo you speak the language?” the commander said to both of them.
    Kian nearly rolled his eyes. The Kaligan liked to think their language was the only true tongue, and everything else was just the growls of barbarians.
    Kian glanced at Magician, who nodded to him before