Page 141 of The Sundered Realms

She took a single second to peer at the window, orienting herself: it wasn’t quite dawn.

They’d cleaned themselves up last night and dressed in case of emergency but hadn’t really expected one.

But if whatever this was couldn’t wait until morning or for them to answer the door, something was badly wrong.

“Explain yourself, Chancellor,” Vhannor said in a dangerous voice that echoed through the rooms.

Now fully alert, Liris turned back to the display in their doorway. Guards surrounded Chancellor Ariurn as he stepped forward into the bedroom. His flesh looked doughy, ashen; his eyes too wide, an official robe thrown haphazardly over night clothes.

He swallowed. “There’s no time. The Serenthuar Gate is under demonic attack.”

Liris and Vhannor exchanged a glance, then rolled out of opposite sides of the bed. All it took was Liris pulling out her spell pad and them arriving at the same time, side-by-side at the foot of the bed, and they were ready.

They stepped forward as one, and Chancellor Ariurn stumbled back.

“Explain as we move,” Vhannor instructed, not slowing.

The chancellor scrambled. “I told you, there’s—“

“Make time,” the Lord of Embhullor said implacably.

Ariurn shot him a look. “I was going to say, there’s not much more to tell. We received a call for backup to the Gate. Everyone who survived the initial assault will be retreating—“

“What?”

Liris answered him. “Ormbtai’s security procedure. In case of breach, they withdraw out of the forest and will set the whole thing alight with magic, frying anyone caught inside.”

Vhannor’s visage darkened. “Well then, Chancellor, it looks like you’ll be coming inside with us.”

“I will do no such—“

Vhannor whirled on him. “You think I’m stupid enough to go into a magical trap you can set behind me? No, Chancellor. You came to us for help: this is not optional. You will not sit safe in your castle as you condemn those who would save you to death.”

“If that procedure were sufficient to contain the threat, I wouldn’t be here,” Ariurn snapped.

“If I trusted you not to act opportunistically, I wouldn’t care,” Vhannor said.

“Wait,” Liris said. “Chancellor, did you already try?”

“Yes,” he bit out. “The forest is dead. The demons are not.”

Vhannor swore.

“We’ve summoned every fighter and certified caster in Ormbtai, but they will not get here in time to save all those who live here,” Ariurn said. “This city is one of our largest. The death toll will be catastrophic if we cannot delay the demons until backup arrives.”

They passed the same windows and view of the forest as the day before. Horror spread through her.

In the dawning light, all that remained of the forest was spindly branches twisting out of the ground. Like they’d all been hit with magic like lightning, and burned, and warped.

A translucent magenta wall surged between them and the forest; flickered; fell. Another wavered into being behind it.

For a barrier of that size, it would be all the casters could do to keep it going.

Sooner or later, they would break.

Vhannor said quietly, “How long.”

“Less than a day.” Ariurn cleared his throat. “But we sent messengers out to neighboring realms and intercepted a message saying that other reinforcements may arrive faster.”

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