Page 114 of Vale of Dreams

CHAPTER 43

The hill overlooks a large valley with a small stream running through it. Talan must have chosen this location to keep the soldiers hidden as they step through the portal into Scotland.

My heart thunders. There are already dozens of them, a hundred at least. They pour into the grassy valley below us, clustering in groups. Most are heavily armored, carrying enormous swords. They’ve brought horses with them, too. They’re inspecting their gear, preparing for battle. A few men wear command insignia on their armor, and they’re barking orders. As I look, five more Fey materialize from thin air.

The journey through the portal looks as rough for them as it was for us. They land hard on their hands and knees, and one of them vomits where he lands.

“We have to strike now,” Viviane whispers.

“Are you insane?” Pearson hisses. “They outnumber us eight to one.”

“And soon it will be twelve to one, then fifteen to one, then fifty to one,” Viviane says. “And that’s before the dragon shows up. Right now, many of them don’t look too healthy. The longer we wait, the worse our chances are.”

“The passage through the portal is disorienting,” I explain. “It takes time to adjust.”

“Close the portal right now!” Pearson says. “Before more show up.”

“It’ll take me some time,” I say. “And they’ll probably notice my magic when I do it.”

“Then we’ll supply you with cover fire,” Viviane says grimly. “Most of our group will stay with you. We’ll send others to attack the Fey as they’re coming through the portal. They’ll be at their weakest right after they appear.”

The five new Fey arrivals are ushered away by a sergeant.

A few seconds later, five more show up, the portal humming as they arrive. It’s much larger than the ley portal from the Avalon dolmens. This one is immense, a vast tear in the fabric of space—a black hole with ragged edges, as though it were violently ripped from the world. It’s big enough to allow hundreds of soldiers through. Big enough to let a dragon through.

The blood drains from my face.

Pearson starts commanding his men, positioning them hidden atop the hill, rifles ready. In the tall grass, fifteen human soldiers take their positions around me, protecting me. The others quickly beeline to a higher point, where the craggy hill rises up to the north. From there, they’ll have the best angle to fire at the Fey as they arrive.

As the Fey march through the portal, one group at a time, Talan’s plan takes shape.

I clench my jaw in frustration, cursing myself for not getting us here sooner.

“Okay,” Viviane says. “Start, Nia. We’ll provide you with cover and take out as many as we can while you try to close it.”

I nod and dig my fingers into the snowy earth. Through the soil, I feel the buzz of powerful magic, and I try to understand its structure.

As I focus, a volley of explosions thunders through the air. Near the portal, a few Fey soldiers fall to the ground, some screaming. Two of them are lying still, bleeding from their heads. Now, like an anthill that’s been kicked, the soldiers beneath us scurry for protection, readying their swords and bows. Commanders call out instructions, and one of them is instantly gunned down. Pearson must have told his men to target the officers first.

I try to block the chaos from my mind and focus on the portal. Wrapping my powers around it, I push at it, threading my own crimson magic into the gaps, but the magic of the portal doesn’t react to my attempts.

Below, the Fey are scrambling, regrouping. One of the commanders manages to get a cluster of soldiers in formation, protected by a line of shields. Behind the shields, Fey archers aim high and let their arrows loose. I hear a scream as an arrow finds its mark.

From the gaping portal, ten new soldiers materialize. The Fey army is moving faster now. Someone must have given the order to rush. Though they seem dazed by the passage, their weapons are drawn, and they’re ready to fight as they come through. A volley of iron bullets takes three of them down, but the others quickly run to the cover of nearby boulders.

I exhale, tugging at my energy reserves. I channel the tendrils of red, summoning my power into a great ball, and fling it at the portal.

The portal swallows it, a black hole devouring red ribbons of my magic.

And now, it’s caught the Fey’s attention. The Fey are more attuned to magic than humans are. At the feel of my magic rushing down the hill, many of them turn their heads toward me. Someone shouts a command.

And with a blood-curdling battle cry, dozens rush toward my position. My breath goes still, my body shaking with primal fear.

The Fey raise their metal shields against incoming bullets and charge. Archers cover them as they storm up the hill. Many of them fall to our fire, but arrows land around us, some hitting our own men.

Agonized screams echo through the valley, and my blood roars. Clenching my fingers, I unleash another magical torrent. Red streaks through the air, soaring for the portal.

This time, I feel something different, a glimpse of a crack in the portal as the Fey soldiers come through.

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