Queens & Liars-Sequel to Three Broken Kingdoms (Completed)

Chapter Thirty-Six: Siege & Slaughter

The elves had no aerial legion, no wyverns. As a result they had had to improvise. They couldn't fly through the air, so instead they had formed a thousand crisscrossing bridges of solid air and been shielded from sight by the illusions of several MindWeavers. It had been rather enjoyable, Talia had to admit, to simply walk to their targets.

Now she watched their latest improvisation: several FireBreathers creating an inferno to pick off the ones they had missed. Talia felt a sudden stab of longing for Orion. He could have done all of this without breaking a sweat. Selene could have controlled it better than these bumbling fools of WaterWeavers. Their memories hurt the worst, partly because they were freshest, and partly because their last conversations had been strained. Angry. Talia had left things on a bad note, and then they had died. The other people she had lost-she had never gotten to say goodbye but they at least hadn't died after an argument. But with her brother...Talia regretted so many things she had said, all the distance they had kept. There was no turning back time. She knew that more than anyone. But regardless she had wondered what she would do or say differently if she knew how things would turn out.

"Talia," Zara nudged her. "They're opening up the gates."                  

"Let's go in," Talia sighed. "Make sure Layla comes, will you?" Her niece-she still though of her as her niece-certainly wouldn't accept her help.  "Of course," Zara agreed, and they lapsed into easy silence as they led the elves hurriedly into the city. The Kallians would stay outside and hidden for now.

Citrine was nothing like Talia had ever heard it described. Not at all like the drawings of a malevolent, evil place as the elves had made out during the God-Born War or like the valkyries' reverent recollections. It was ringed by slums and crumbling homes. The centre was ash and destruction, though mere hours ago it had been composed of tall towers and harsh, military buildings.     

It was, however, exactly as Talia had imagined it would be. If not for the pupil-less eyes that followed her wherever she went and the lack of Draining facilities, she would have been unable to distinguish it from one of the elfin towns.

Looks of suspicion followed them everywhere. They were elves, after all. Although they had been allied in the last war, they were still the enemy. It had taken a barrage of secret codes and a couple of valkyries accompanying them to stop the people from fleeing or fighting. Several still looked inclined to do just that. At least once Myra and Kestra had visited, the suspicion would fade.

"The Kallians are coming to investigate," Zara told her, appearing from nowhere. "Their scouts are moving-and fast." Talia cursed.                    

"I was hoping we would have more time," she said, shaking her head. "Time to prepare, to asses the walls, to come up with a plan of action. I hope Myra and Nala are having better luck than this."                  

"What should I do, my Lady?" Zara asked. Talia wasn't anything of the sort-Zara was not from Silvera and Layla was certainly never going to give her the title over Veron—but she appreciated the gesture.              

"Get everyone to the walls," Talia sighed. "We'll decide on the plan on-site."

They gathered on the walls within the hour.                                        

"The elves can hold back any attackers just fine," Zara argued. "From the walls, it will be child's play to pick them off one by one. Why do we need to involve the Kallian soldiers at all?"                                  

"Because our numbers are few enough as it is and no one is expendable. No one. We should go along with Myra's plan. Have the elves face them at the walls while our Kallians come from behind and crush them against the wall. No lives wasted. No needless death. Simple, quick and clean."