Free Echoes by Christine Grey

this will most certainly not be a small raid on Maj. The Breken mean to come in force. Why do you suppose we would journey so far from home, if the threat were not real?”
    “Lady Dearra?” Wayland said. Maj’s blacksmith was a powerfully built man, but his voice was quiet, and he had to say her name more than once to be heard over the sound of the crowd as they reacted to Aesri’s pronouncement.
    Dearra raised a hand to quiet the assembly before she spoke. “Yes, Wayland? You have something to ask?”
    Wayland shook his head. “Not ask, really. I wanted to say that I am with you. I’ve known you since you were an infant in Lord Hugh’s arms. You can be stubborn, headstrong, reckless, and often impatient, but you are no fool. I can’t imagine forty thousand Breken coming here, but up until today, I couldn’t imagine ever seeing a fairy either, and yet, here they sit. You told us they were real, and we said we believed, but you know we still doubted.
    “Now, you may, indeed, be wrong about the Breken, but I don’t think I want to take that chance, not for myself, and not for my children. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I stand with you.”
    “Thank you, Wayland.” Dearra was touched by the older man’s allegiance, and she offered him a warm smile of appreciation.
    “Yes, yes, that’s all well and good, Wayland,” Trevor said. “But the king has said that another is to take her place for now. Our king’s word is law, and he has decided what is to be done. Why are we even bothering to discuss this? We sent to King Jaymes for his instruction, and he has given it.”
    Put that way, Dearra saw there was little choice, unless she wanted to openly rebel against the king, which would completely divide the people of Maj and accomplished nothing.
    Daniel and Darius were silent, waiting for her decision. Wherever she led, she knew they would follow.
    “Rordan,” Dearra said, loud enough for all to hear. Her voice was steady, and the flames in her eyes had cooled.
    Rordan strode forward awaiting her command.
    “You will take charge of the island—”
    “You are making a wise decision, Lady Dearra. Together, you and I will work through this and come up with a plan.”
    “You did not let me finish, Rordan.” Dearra narrowed her eyes the smallest fraction, and Rordan bowed his head and mumbled an apology.
    “What I was going to say is this: you will take charge of the island in my absence.”
    “Absence?”
    Voices rose from the crowd, mixing together in tangled chorus.
    “She’s leaving.”
    “No! No! Lady Dearra needs to stay!”
    “Rordan will know what to do.”
    Dearra held up her hand to silence them.
    “Peace! I am Lord of Maj, as was my Father before me, and his father before him, and on and on back to the time of Majin. I will not give up my position, but neither can I go against my king. Therefore, I will go to the king myself, as I should have done in the first place.” Dearra did not miss the smile on Aesri’s face, or the way she nodded her head in agreement.
    “While I am gone, Rordan will take charge of the island. I want weapons and ships made ready. I want as many children as possible taken to the mainland. Most of you have families there still, and it wouldn’t hurt to send the children to relatives for a brief holiday. There is no great rush, but I will be away for some time if my plan is successful. I want the children gone before spring. “Rordan, your strategy for the ships is still a good one. Have them stationed at opposite ends of the island. I want the watch doubled around the coast. Bring the distance between the signal fires in by half.”
    “But, Dearra!” Rordan pleaded.
    “It’s Lady Dearra , Rordan. Do you understand the instructions I have given you? You hold the lives of Maj in your hands while I am gone. Are you up to the task? Tell me now if you are not, and I will find another to fill the role.”
    Rordan stood straight and proud and locked his eyes on