Page 1 of A War of Crowns

Hedley

Hedley jolted awake, disoriented and confused. Darkness still reigned over the barracks and upon the world beyond. Through the small window near his bunk, he couldn’t spy even the smallest glimpse of stars, though usually the desert sky glittered with them.

But that night, the cloud cover was heavy—the promise of rare Arathian rain on the horizon.

There it is again.

One of the bells of Fort Mysai again filled the night with its deep, tolling groan—low and distant.

Hedley jerked to a sitting position in reply.

The bells of Fort Mysai never rang.

Within the darkness of the barracks, he sensed movement. Other soldiers stirred in the night.

“What’s happening?” someone mumbled from nearby.

Hedley shrugged in answer, though the gesture no doubt went unseen in the dark.

Gong.

“Is somebody dead?” one of the newer recruits asked. “The new queen couldn’t have died already, could she?”

“No,” Hedley rasped, though he didn’t know for certain. Slinking out of bed, he hunted for his boots and explained, “They’re only supposed to ring the bells when…”

The rest of his words withered on his tongue. Through the window beside his bunk, Hedley spied an arc of flame spiking through the air in the distance. In that flare of crimson, he saw the ramparts of the outer wall perfectly illuminated.

In that flare of crimson, he saw his fellow soldiers firing arrows into the night.

“Dane,” Hedley whispered to himself, his heart leaping.

His older brother was supposed to be on that wall, keeping watch.

But watch forwhat?

Fort Mysai was a safe post. A boring post. He had thanked the Lord on High when he and Dane had been deployed across the Straight to man the sleepy fort that encircled the far more bustling trade port of Mysai itself. But now…

Gong.

Hedley grabbed his sword from underneath his bed and launched himself toward the door as his heart rate spiked again. He didn’t know where he was going. He didn’t know what he wasdoing. All he knew was that he was going to find his brother and then—

The door burst open and the silhouette of his unit’s commanding knight, Sir Greysen Hunte, hurtled through. “Everyone up!” Sir Hunte barked. “To arms! Why are you boys still sleeping? Do you not hear the bell? Wilsham!”

Hedley winced when Sir Hunte called his name.

“Wilsham, where are you going?”

“Sir, what’s happening?” one of the other soldiers asked, sparing Hedley the need to explain that he had been mere moments from deserting his post.

“What does it sound like is happening?” Sir Hunte snapped. “We’re under attack! Everyone to the wall. Now.”

“Under attack?” Hedley echoed, his voice cracking. “By who?”

“Pirates?” yet another soldier guessed.

“Last I checked, pirates don’t ride Arathian war elephants,” their commanding knight snarled in reply.

That news was enough to steal Hedley’s breath. Arath? But wasn’t Arath their ally? They’d been at peace now for—

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