The Red Door by Heather Kindt

Author:Heather Kindt
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-08-05T16:00:00+00:00

15

Sunlight streamed through the window arches, illuminating a map on the wooden dining table. Maree, Krashid, and two of the men who’d made the trek across Mateel with us studied markers on the tattered material.

“They’ve crossed into the Bone Valley.” One of the men pointed to a spot near a red marker, the first red I’d seen since leaving Athena’s stronghold and shedding my forbidden-color clothing.

Krashid massaged his beard. “It’s called the Bone Valley for a reason. The creatures that lurk in the deepest part of the woods will drive them back. Our soldiers never venture that way.”

“Yes.” Jaco joined them at the table. He moved the red piece past the forested area and to a section that appeared to be a canyon. “My concern is that they do make it through the forest. Kettles Canyon will be difficult to cross, but not impossible. Beyond that, it’s only flatlands to our stronghold.”

“Who’s they?” I leaned over the map as if I were an active participant in the conversation. If we were under attack, as queen, I should know.

“It’s a battalion of Athena’s militia.” Brek startled me as he stood from a chair in the corner, his handcuffs gone. I hadn’t seen him there when I entered the room. “At least five hundred soldiers under direct orders to bring you back to Athena. Word has gotten out that you might be the person to fulfill the prophecy.”

“Fantastic.” I leaned over the map, well aware that Krashid eyed my unladylike position. To piss him off, I hoisted myself up on the table. “Let’s get this straight—Athena, the woman with an entire military, is scared of me?”

“That’s correct.” Jaco stood up straight, crossing his arms over his chest. He reminded me of an overgrown peacock, and every bone in my body wanted to prune all of his feathers. The question was for Brek, not for him.

Brek crossed the room and rested against the table beside me. He moved a green marker to the western side of the Kettles Canyon. “If we can cut them off at the canyon, we’ll have the advantage as they try to cross.”

“And where did you learn military strategy?” There were army bases near Worthington, but Brek never aspired to join. Once he got the scholarship, it was the collegiate life for him.

“Halo.” He shot me a crooked grin. Of course, it had to do with a video game.

I hopped down from the table and imagined the red marker as hundreds of soldiers storming the white walls of the insurgent stronghold. “Jaco, what does my military look like? We’ll need every able-bodied person, correct?”

“Right now, I’ve mustered three hundred, but two hundred more are scattered around the outskirts of Rushna.” He pointed to five dots that were a ways from our current location. “We’ll need archers to take down the swarm and swordsman to clean up the stragglers.”

“You make it sound like a cleanup on aisle nine,” I mumbled, promptly receiving one of Brek’s elbows to my ribcage.

“Athena won’t dare leave her walled city.

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