The Hazaran cavalry formed up on both flanks while the Alturans, Halrana, and Dunfolk formed a solid mass in the center. The defenders arrayed themselves in front of the rubble of the wall. They were the final barrier before Sarostar.
Ilathor led the horsemen on the left, and Jehral led the right. In the center, Miro stood with Bartolo and another bladesinger as Beorn grimly waited nearby with the infantry. Glancing over his shoulder, Miro saw Layla with the rest of the Dunfolk archers, an expression of fierce determination on the small woman’s face.
The rain stopped as suddenly as it had started. The ground squelched with every footstep as the men moved into position.
Miro opened his mouth to speak, but he wasn’t sure what he would say. The decision was taken away from him.
“Brace yourselves! Hold fast!” Miro heard Beorn roar.
The enemy charged.
Both groups of Hazaran cavalry rode out at the same time, peeling to the sides as Miro’s men spread to hold the ground they’d left behind. The revenants hit the infantry with solid force, and every man fought to keep his slipping feet on the ground and hold firm.
“Forward!” Beorn cried.
Miro and Bartolo led the counterattack. The defenders followed the figures in blazing armorsilk as they drove a wedge into the heart of the attackers. Revenants screamed as they were torn apart by whirling zenblades and dismembered by flashing steel. Even with so few of their weapons now lit with the fire of essence, the infantry drove hard into their enemy.
Then the Hazarans struck from the sides, crushing attackers who’d been facing forward before they could turn to acknowledge the flashing scimitars of the horsemen. The Hazarans penetrated deep into the enemy ranks before wheeling back out to make another charge.
Ever more revenants poured from the road between the trees into the open ground. The attackers struck back, and the force of their momentum was too great to hold.
Suddenly soldiers in green and brown started falling on all sides. Revenants broke through the line to rampage among the Dunfolk.
Miro led his men to push the enemy back, and with a mighty effort Beorn managed to reform the line of infantry. Once more the cavalry charged, and this time it looked like the Hazarans couldn’t get away.
“Hold the line!” Miro cried.
“Wait, look,” Bartolo said, gasping as he regained his breath, pointing ahead at the forest. “The trees. Why fell them now?”
The tops of the foremost trees swayed, though there was no breeze. Miro heard the sound of breaking branches and then his eyes narrowed.
“Those aren’t trees,” Miro said.
Behind the revenant army, the forest came to life.
37
Amber immediately took in the battlefield. She saw the broken wall, now reduced to rubble, and the small knot of soldiers in the center of the field, the last of the army in green and brown. She watched the Hazaran riders charge the flanks and become embroiled with the revenants, unable to pull away. The battle was about to be lost.
She couldn’t see Miro, or Ella. The field was littered with bodies; even those standing were covered in mud and blood. Amber’s homeland needed her.
Amber clutched onto High Lord Grigori’s shoulder and cried out. “We need to help them!”
Grigori nodded grimly and issued a series of swift commands.
The Veznans left the protection of the forest and charged.
Twenty Veznan nightshades and a thousand infantry pushed through the trees to smash into the army from behind.
Unarmed, Amber stuck close to the nightshades, weaving in between their legs as they plucked warriors up off the ground and tore the bodies into pieces like a child tearing petals from a flower. The Veznans carved a direct path for the defenders but soon even the warriors in orange became embroiled as the revenants’ numbers told.
Amber could see horsemen to her left and right and infantry ahead of her. She saw a small group of bladesingers, whirling and dashing forward to push back the fiercest attacks and hold the line. The Veznans made it through to the Alturans, and the defenders gave a ragged cheer.
The battlefield cleared as the enemy pulled away and once more regrouped, while the defenders formed into a new line.
Amber’s arrival had saved the moment, but it wasn’t enough to save the day.
“Amber!” Miro cried, pushing through to her.
“I’m sorry,” Amber said, “We came as quickly as we could.”
“You did well,” said Miro. “Lord of the Sky, I’m happy to see you.” He pulled her close, ignoring the men around them. “I need you to go to the palace now. There are horses there. Take one and ride for Mornhaven.”
“I’m not leaving you,” Amber said. “Don’t even suggest it.”
“Amber, go. You need to take care of Tomas.”
“Tomas is with Amelia. She knows what to do. She’ll take him somewhere safe, and we can join him later.”