The Gates of Memory, стр. 97
The soulwalker considered. “The better part of a day, a little longer if we hope to remain unobserved.”
Brandt sketched out his plan. Weylen, Ren, and Hanns all challenged different parts, pushing and pulling until they came up with an approach that, if it didn’t excite any of them, at least they didn’t object too strongly to. A silence fell over them. Ultimately, the decision rested on Weylen’s shoulders. Hanns and the others would bear the greatest risk, but they couldn’t succeed without the warleader.
Weylen nodded.
Ren turned to his warleader. “I would like to join them.”
Weylen agreed, and their course was set.
Their departure, as a matter of necessity, was accomplished without fanfare. All morning the scouts attached to both sides of the Falari conflict had been fighting small battles. By late morning Weylen received word a path away from the camps had been cleared. They couldn’t hold the path open long, mostly because they didn’t want it to seem like they were clearing a path.
Their party was small. Hanns commanded them, followed by Brandt, Ana, and Alena’s whole war party. Hanns had questioned the need for the war party, but none of them were willing to abandon Alena, nor she them. In the end, Hanns had shrugged, the emperor deferring to the young woman.
Brandt suspected Alena didn’t even understand what she had accomplished. Imperial, Etari, and Falari, all joined together in common purpose.
All following her into mortal danger.
Brandt had argued with Ana, too, though he’d expected failure from the start. She’d ended the argument by stating she didn’t plan on leaving the father of their child behind. Brandt hated the risk, but knew a losing argument when he saw one. Besides, Ana was no fool. She’d keep herself as safe as it was possible to be on a mission like this.
Hanns even left his guards behind. They were all gifted with affinities, and their role in the deception was to make it seem as though Hanns was with the main party. One of the guards, who looked eerily like Hanns, would act as emperor in Hanns’ absence. The ruse was far from perfect, but it didn’t need to be. It only needed to distract the defenders’ attention for long enough.
The soulwalker, named Sheren, guided them. From the way she moved and the paths she found, Brandt guessed she was no stranger to walking through these lands unobserved. In truth, they couldn’t have found a better guide had they searched all the assembled war parties.
Their journey was made in silence. Ears strained for the sound of enemy scouts, while eyes restlessly wandered near and far. They made it to the base of the path by early evening, making camp for one last night of rest. They slept under the stars.
Brandt slept easily. Despite his worries about tomorrow, he was tired, and he knew tomorrow would come no matter his choices. Better to face the day well rested.
He woke well before the sun, as did several others. Some, like Sheren, appeared as though they hadn’t slept at all. They planned to attack the fort just before dawn.
Under other circumstances, Brandt didn’t think their assault of the fort would have a chance. At times he could see it between the trees, and was impressed by its location and construction. The fort possessed a commanding view of the path below, and there would be no stealthy approach. Like Faldun itself, those walls could hold back countless attackers with only a handful of defenders.
Unless one of the attackers possessed the power of two gates.
Hanns changed everything.
Thanks to the cover of darkness, they weren’t spotted until they were within three hundred paces of the wall. Brandt kept his eyes on the guards pacing the lit battlements. When one stopped and drew his bow, he gave the signal Hanns had been waiting for.
Once again, Hanns chose stone as his weapon. Small sharpened rocks split the air with a crack, decimating the warriors on the walls.
Brandt watched in awe. He knew Hanns’ power. He’d seen it before. But it still impressed him every time. With that strength, Brandt couldn’t help but imagine what he might accomplish.
He could protect Ana and the empire from all harm.
He pushed aside those thoughts for the moment. Hanns’ attack served as the signal for Brandt, Ana, Ren, and Jace. The warriors became light and sprinted forward. They hit the wall at full speed and climbed it hand over fist, the rough stonework easy to grasp. Even Brandt launched himself over the top of the wall in less than three heartbeats.
As they fell, swords were drawn, and Jace and Brandt fought side by side. Alena’s brother had demonstrated his skill several times before, and he fought without hesitation. He’d been hardened by battle.
Ren fought behind them, his sword making quick work of the few enemies Brandt and Jace left standing.
Ana turned her attention to the gate of the fort. The mechanism to open the gate was easily operated by a single person, and before long Hanns and the others came through the front.
Their assault ended almost before it began. Sheren’s estimate of fifty warriors turned out to be a gross exaggeration. Less than twenty had been stationed here, and after Hanns’ initial assault, the odds had nearly been even.
Brandt sought Ren out. “Was that too easy?”
Ren looked around the fort. “I don’t think so. Neither Prince Regar nor the queen likely know the area around Faldun well, and this isn’t an approach that would occur to the Falari.” He paused. “Also, twenty would be more than enough to hold off most assaults, at least until the bell was sounded.” He pointed his sword at a large bell above them, untouched by the guards.
Brandt supposed Ren was right, but the ease of it still made him nervous.
His worries didn’t alter their course, though. It didn’t take them long to find their destination. They gathered together at the mouth of a tunnel, a