38. Pallas

Imonitored the cohort's progress through the sea district through the small telescope. They moved mostly unmolested as they cleared houses and guided citizens toward the castle. I let out a sigh of relief. It seemed the GoldenArmy had not made it that far into the city.

Isat back down, hidden behind the stone railing of the tower's roof. I looked up at the massive mirror that lived on an equally large set of gears beneath it, allowing it to turn and shine across the bay, guiding ships to safety. At its heart was a brazier filled with long-spent coals that had once been its light source. It clearly hadn't been lit in some time. The darkness was another protection from foreign ships in the bay.

Thenoonday sun glinted off the top of the mirror through the hole in the wooden roof that allowed the smoke to vent. It wasn't really all that interesting, but I was becoming quite bored waiting at the top of this tower. I let out a small chuckle. Is this how the princesses in the stories felt, bored out of their minds, waiting for their prince to return?

Your prince, huh? The voice in my head sounded a great deal like Tori's, and I could just see her smug look as she said it.

Shut it, I retorted to no one, but a smile crept onto my face, nonetheless.

Ihad resorted to the ancient pastime of naming the clouds in the sky when a terrible sound broke my boredom. The cacophonous medley of dozens of armored soldiers marching towards the docks.

Ipressed myself to the ground and slowly crawled towards a sheltered crack in the railing to peer over. Rows of soldiers clad in gold swarmed the docks and, just as Avlyn had said, headed straight for the boats. They carried torches and rolled barrels of what I assumed was pitch, their armor clanking like a tide of death.

Theirmovements faltered as their steps halted. They tugged at their feet, trying to move as the soldiers behind them almost trampled them. I looked at the ground, and in the glare of the noonday sun, I could see a silvery, near invisible web coating the dock's surface.

Then, a great roar sounded from the belly of the ships, and dozens of DragonArmy soldiers sprang forth from beneath tarps and below the decks. They swarmed the golden soldiers, and swords clashed with violent delight.

Iducked below my railing, trying to calm my errant heart. I couldn't block out the sounds of screams, of men dying. Which men, I didn't know. AllI knew was that blood was being spilled, and it would never be able to be put back. I covered my ears and crouched down.

Coward, the voice inside me purred.

I'mno soldier. I was never meant for this.

So, you will just let them die, those who have fought to defend you when you least deserved it?

Shut up. I clawed at my chest like I could pull that voice right out of me, and she just purred harder. What was I supposed to do?

Icrawled over to the far railing again to look through the scope without popping my head up. The cohort in the city was being overwhelmed. They'd been pushed back against the city wall with no way toward the castle. TheGoldenArmy only had a slight advantage. They had the higher ground but not overwhelming numbers. I saw Avlyn lead another charge, gaining nothing. All they needed was something small, something to turn the tide. I had never been in a battle, but years of listening to Hadeon's men drone on and on about their victories told me that even the smallest action could change the course of a fight. I leaned back against the lighthouse lantern, looking up at the sky.

Itwas the clearest day I had seen in all my time in Xyr. It was like the sun had come out to fight as well. I hid under the shade of the small roof that covered the lantern.

Whatcould I possibly do?

Thevoice inside me didn't answer. She was never there when I needed her. Tears welled in my eyes, and a different voice rose in my head instead. The voice of my mother.

Pallas, I raised you to be a woman with at least half a brain. Would you use it for once?She'd been scolding me for failing to properly translate the late scholar Eustemas' work on glyphic moderation of enchantments. She hadn't meant it as encouragement. But today, nearly five hundred years later, it sparked an idea.

Ilooked up at the great mirror behind the lantern in the lighthouse and then up at the sun above me. There was no way I could do this without being seen by the soldiers below. Hell, I didn't even know if I could do it at all. I was done being a coward. The little voice inside me purred.

Iwasn't strong like Avlyn or Tori, but I was still fae. I grabbed the wheel underneath the lantern and pushed it with all my strength. It barely budged. I let out an aggravated growl, throwing my shoulder against the wheel. It did nothing but send a deep, aching throb through me.

Adark shadow crawled over the edge of the tower. I threw myself down, looking for anything I could use to defend myself when it was on me. A friendly chittering sound came from Spinner as he ran his mandibles through my hair.

"Don't scare me like that!" He gave a small, dejected chirp before looking over at the mirror.

"Help me?" He chirped again and seemed to flex his legs before pressing his body into the other side of the wheel while I pushed from the front.

Slowly, the mirror turned, the ancient gears gave a terrible screech as we moved them. They gave way, and the mirror faced the city.

Iheard a great crash at the bottom of the tower, and my body froze up.

"My lady, are you alright?" I dared glance down with Spinner. LieutenantKaleos and Raula were staring up at me. Shining golden armor littered the ground behind them with pools of red spreading beneath them. I decided to not look too closely.

"Yes. I'm alright, come up here and help me!"

Theylooked at each other, wary.

"My lady, we are to see you out of the city and join the others." Godsdammit, Avlyn.

"If you want to turn the tide of this fight, you will get up here and help me."

Theylooked at each other again, and then Raula yanked the door to the tower off its hinges before disappearing inside. I heard their feet pounding up the stairs. As they emerged from below, I bellowed, "Help me get the roof off this thing!"

"My lady, what ar—" Kaleos started, and I saw him shudder as he looked at Spinner. The creature gave a menacing chitter, and the poor man went pale.

"Don't tease him, Spinner. I need their help." Could spiders pout? If so, he did.

Theyhesitated for one moment more before Kaleos drew his sword and swung it through the wooden column supporting the roof. It just happened to be the one furthest away from Spinner. Raula did the same. They knocked out all of them until Raula had to stop the whole thing from coming down on our heads and tossed it off the side of the tower with a loud crash.

Iclimbed up on top of the wheel, holding the mirror, and grabbed the top edge. The sun was directly overhead, which was about the best I could ask for. I yanked with all my strength, and it didn't budge.

"Help me!"

"We'll warp the mirror," Kaleos commented, dumbfounded. Raula's face lit up with a tusky grin.

"That's the idea, Lieutenant."

Themirror was made of metal, and slowly, ever so slowly, I felt it give under our strength, bending back so that the sun could fall directly on its surface.

"Stop!" I ran over to the scope. TheGoldenArmy was pushing Avlyn back again. "Raula, move it right, no, the other right." She did as I ordered, and I saw the beam of sunlight cut across the buildings above the enemy.

"Shit, we need to go a little lower." I heard Kaleos groan as he shifted the mirror again, but the beam moved down, and the full power of the noon sun hit the soldiers' faces. I saw them stagger.

"We have to sweep it." There were more groans, but Kaleos and Raula moved the mirror back and forth. The golden soldiers would throw their hands up, trying to prevent themselves from being blinded, and then stagger when the light was moved away. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

Isaw Avlyn lead the charge of soldiers forward and press their advantage. Soon, they had the golden soldiers on the defense, and more of them fell until they were overwhelmed.

Astrong hand came down on my shoulder. "Pretty clever, dijurk."

"What does that mean?"

Shelaughed, "A kind translation would be, ‘one who is studious.'"

"And is it meant to be a kind translation?"

Shesmiled, exposing her tusks fully. It was mildly terrifying. "Today, it certainly is."

"We need to get you to safety, my lady," Kaleos said.

Iignored him, looking through the telescope again. "It looks like everyone is gathering in the castle and mist district. We need to head there."

"My lady, we were given specific orders to—"

Iclicked my fingers and Spinner scrambled up behind him, giving an adorably ferocious hiss. The man blanched.

"Gods, I don't know why I even bother," he groaned.

Raulalaughed and slapped his back. "Let's get going, Lieutenant."