Page 76 of Stars May Fall

The crowd cheered loudly enough to be heard at the house.Now, Callum. Do it now or Duke James will react first.

An explosion happened behind me, its force knocking me from my feet even as I walked away. A second. A third. Something hard hit my back. I looked behind me. A section of wall had completely collapsed for the entire length of the street. The groundkeeper’s hut was leaning to one side. Half the trees lining the wall, including my oak tree, were on fire. Kingdoms, what had Callum put in those things?

Callum still stood on the fountain, now clearly visible from the garden. Its side was cracked, water pouring onto the cobbled street. He pointed his sword through the gap. “Kill the guards unless they surrender. Arrest the servants, but do not harm them unless you can’t subdue them. Death to Duke James. Onward!”

The mob surged toward me, shouting. From the other side, members of the city guard were emerging to meet them. Sir Luke fell back at a run to take the back gate where Sir Killian was shouting orders at the archers. Another group in Kasomere colors ran toward the front. I drew my sword, wishing it didn’t feel so foreign in my hands.

The mob started streaming past me on either side. Callum sauntered up to stand beside me, his sword resting casually on his shoulder. “The fire will start soon.”

I blinked at him, still trying to take in the chaos surrounding us. “Fire?”

“Yes. It was hard but we have a helper inside Duke James’s house, a maid who has been loyal to us for over five years, sending information our way. She wouldn’t have been able to smuggle in explosives, like you did just now, or let in our troops, but her handiwork should be evident any minute now. Today, while cleaning, she removed the yadum, which turns kryalcomy off, from all the lamps and heaters in the house and replaced them all with small lumps of high grade jadum, an amplifier of kryalcomy. All she has to do is switch all of the devices ‘off’ before leaving the house and getting herself to safety. It will take half an hour for them to overheat enough for at least a dozen of them to catch on fire.” He shook his head and tutted. “The knowledge an average person has of kryalcomy is shockingly poor. I guarantee you they will not realize what is happening and will keep all the devices switched ‘off’.” He twirled his sword around. “Oh, it is such a good day. Kasten will be jealous to miss all this.”

We walked toward the house, and I tried to numb myself to my role in what was occurring around me. The organized groups of Kasomere soldiers had now all disappeared, leaving the mob running wild through the garden toward the house and the outhouses. Some started throwing flowerpots at the house wall. In the corners, the fighting intensified.

Callum grabbed my coat jacket and pointed ahead. “Look. I told you they wouldn’t figure it out.”

Bright flames shone in one of the windows of the large mansion. The wind carried the smell of smoke, covering the acidic smell of the explosives. Even as we watched, another window smashed, and bright flames licked out.

People started to stream out of the house to the gardens, where the Kasomere troops would be waiting to catch anyone important.

A blow struck me from behind without warning, and I flew to the ground, the breath knocked from my lungs as I skidded in the dirt. At once, I rolled over, raising my sword to protect me from the attack, but the second blow failed to come. I staggered to my feet and found a group of three men dressed in black with concealed faces. They knocked Callum unconscious with a blow to the back of his head. One knelt on his back while another started to tie his hands.

Adrenaline gave me a surge of strength. I raised my sword and ran at them, a strangled cry leaving my lips without my instruction. The one who had attacked me squared his feet in a defensive position. Then he moved faster than any man was naturally capable of. My insides froze. He had illegal kryalcomy.

The moment his sword struck mine, I knew I was a dead man. I was no soldier and only an average fencer who was years out of practice. This man outmatched me in every way. I staggered backward under his onslaught, barely catching his blows to deflect them, many not well enough. Steel cut into my shoulder, my forearm, my thigh. I barely acknowledged the blows, every part of my concentration taken up from meeting his attacks.

At least Annabelle would survive. She would make this world a better place than I had ever managed.

A bone jarring blow sent my rapier from my grasp, and I found myself on my back, looking up at the man who was about to kill me. He raised his sword and…

An arrow bloomed from the center of his chest, cutting straight through his black leather armor. I barely managed to roll out of the way before he crumpled to the floor.

I stood up panting, every wound on my skin suddenly burning. I looked around for Callum and the other two men in black, but they had vanished. The scarlet tricorn hat lay discarded in the mud, its large feather bent. Where had they taken him? What did they want with him? It had clearly been a specific mission to capture him alive.

There was only one reason Lyrason would want him, and that was to threaten him in front of Kasten to turn him against Annabelle.

I yelled in frustration. Lyrason had just gained a strong weapon against her. I might be helping to take the city, but what good would that be if she lost the palace?

A hand patted my back. “Are you all right?”

I turned to see Sir Luke, a bow and arrow held loosely in his hand. He might be young, but he was certainly a good shot. I nodded in thanks; the man had saved my life. “They have Callum.”

He scowled. “I’m aware. Serves him right for wearing such an attention seeking hat.” He nodded to where it now lay crumpled and crushed. “Kasomere soldiers have gone after him, but those men in black were kryalcomy users. I suspect they were Lyrason’s personal guard.”

I blew out a breath to calm my heart rate. “Thank you for shooting him. I thought I was a dead man.”

He patted my back again. “Not today, Lord Venerick. Not today.”

We both took a moment to survey the chaos. “Stay under cover near those trees. I need to direct the mob. Sir Philip should be able to kill Duke James soon. He may need you to verify the body afterward so keep alert for his return.”

I licked my lips and nodded. I turned for the treeline where I would be more sheltered from archers. Sir Luke jogged back toward the house, shouting orders as he went.

I pressed my back against a tree and winced as my multiple wounds finally started to sting and ache. The pain was escalating at an alarming rate. I reached into my belt pouch for the scissors I always carried and cut some strips off my shirt to bind the wounds that were still bleeding. I wasn’t sure I was doing it right, but at least it was something.

Rusty metal squealed behind me. I whipped around, raising my sword and squinting through the shadows. Movement caught my eye. In the gloom of the trees, a large trap door was opening on the ground, sending soil, sticks, and autumn leaves scattering all around. Was it some sort of storage area or refuge? Or maybe a passage out of the house for emergency situations. It would be very, very like Duke James to have a secret escape route. That man liked to be thorough.

I looked around but none of the Kasomere soldiers were close. I gripped my sword and for a moment wished I was anywhere but here. Preferably in my room, writing simple, logical legal documents.

---