A Reign of Steel

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Gwendolyn rode in the wagon at the rear of her people, trekking west and south alongside the Canyon, as they had been all day, heading for the crossing. Gwen took comfort in knowing that, despite her people’s protest, soon they would be across the Canyon and that much closer to boarding the fleet of ships waiting to take them to the Upper Isles. Her heart tugged with a combination of remorse and urgency, knowing it was the right thing to do, yet still hating to do it.

Most of all, though, Gwen stirred with uneasiness as she looked out at her people, the thousands and thousands who had marched from King’s Court reluctantly, resentfully, all under the eyes of her watchful soldiers who bordered the people on every side and kept them marching along. It was like a controlled riot. Her people clearly did not want to go, and Gwen heard them grumbling louder at every turn. She didn’t know how much longer she could control them; it was like a storm waiting to break.

“Ruling is not always painless,” said a voice beside her.

Gwen looked over to see Kendrick riding up alongside her on his horse, proudly, nobly, Sandara, his new love, mounted on his horse behind him.

Gwen took comfort at seeing him. She smiled, tense.

“Father would always say that,” Gwen replied.

Kendrick smiled back.

“You are doing what you think is best for your people.”

“But you don’t agree,” Gwen said.

Kendrick shrugged.

“That is not important. I admire that you are doing it.”

“But still you don’t agree with my actions,” she pressed.

Kendrick sighed.

“Sometimes you and Argon see things that I don’t. It is not something I understand well. I never have. I am a knight; I aspire for little else. I do not have your skill or talent for seeing into things; I am not comfortable with other realms. But I trust you. I always have. Father trusted you, too, and that is enough for me. In fact, our beloved father chose you for precisely times like this.”

Gwendolyn looked at him, touched.

“You’re the greatest brother I could want,” she said. “You have always been there for me. Even when you don’t agree.”

Kendrick smiled back at her.

“You’re my sister. And my Queen. I would go to the ends of the earth for you—whether I agree with you or not.”

There came a shout, and Gwendolyn turned to see a group of people angrily shoving the soldiers who were keeping them moving along the evacuation route. She sensed what little order they had was starting to break down, and she was starting to wonder how she would ever get her people across the Canyon. Indeed, as their shouting escalated, she wondered if there might even be an outright rebellion against her.

They rounded a bend, and Gwendolyn’s breath stopped as she looked out and saw the vastness of the Canyon spread out before her. She saw all the layers of mist, all different colors, lingering in the air, saw the endless expanse, which seemed to reach into the very heavens themselves. And she saw the magnificent bridge spanning it, waiting for them.

As her people reached the base of the crossing, suddenly, they came to a stop. The shouting escalated, and she could see that her men were no longer able to control the masses, who swayed about, to and fro, like caged animals. The people absolutely refused to take one more step forward, onto the bridge. She could see that they were afraid to cross it.

“We will not leave the Ring!” a man shouted.

The crowd cheered.

“Our home is here! If there is to be danger here, then we will die here,” another shouted.

Another cheer.

“You cannot make us go!” another shouted.

There arose a chorus of cheers, as her people became increasingly emboldened.

Gwendolyn knew she had to do something. She stood on her cart, high above the masses, and held out her hands for silence.

Slowly, her people quieted, as all eyes turned to her.

“No,” she boomed out, “I cannot make you go. You are right. But I am your Queen, and I ask this of you. I promise you, there is good cause. And I promise you, that if you stay here, you will die.”

The crowd jeered, heckling her, and Gwendolyn’s cheeks flushed, as she felt what it was like to be hated as a ruler. For the first time, she wished she was not Queen.

“To King’s Court!” a man screamed.

The people turned and began to head back in her direction, away from the bridge. She saw her men losing control, saw that they could not stop them.

As Gwen stood there, heart pounding in her chest, clutching Guwayne, wondering what to do next, there came a sudden horrific shriek in the sky, one loud enough to make the hairs stand up on the back of Gwen’s neck.

Her people stopped shouting and instead stood there, looking up to the skies. Gwen turned and looked east, toward the horizon, already having a sinking feeling of what it could be.

No, Gwen thought. Not now. Not when we’re so close to leaving.

There was another screech, then another, and then another. She knew this screech anywhere. It was a primordial cry, the most powerful cry in the world.

It was the cry of a dragon.