She had never seen boulders fly like that, never seen the thing that they used to launch them and judging by the horrified looks on the guards who were scrambling, they hadn't seen it before either.
It seemed impossible that something so huge was capable of moving that easily in the air and yet, there they were.
She turned and jumped back in through the window, heading for the throne room where Epharis and Alaric were arguing. Catherine and a number of others were trying to figure out what was happening and Uzo was looking like he had just won a prize. He found her as she entered and he immediately moved for her, grinning happily.
"Etania, isn't this fascinating?" he said happily and she shook her head at the oddity that was Uzo.
"What are they?" she asked while he shook his head, having no idea.
"Some invention of the humans no doubt. They come up with some magical tools of death," he sounded far too thrilled by that. She squinted at him before turning to Alaric, who was storming towards her and Uzo.
"Have you seen it?" Alaric bellowed and she nodded.
"They look like big wooden scorpions, with a tail that flings up and launches boulders. I've never seen anything like it before."
Alaric looked furious and she thought for a moment.
"Alaric, they can't have brought all that many with them. Those boulders are enormous and would be hard to move. Surely we can wait it out."
He scowled at her but then nodded, agreeing with her logic.
They settled in to wait, agitated and irritable until finally, hours later, it was decided that the attack had stopped and they piled out of the castle.
It was getting on towards morning and she stuck close to Uzo and Epharis as they went to see the destruction.
Around fifteen of the boulders had been launched at them, only four hitting the castle and several more destroying large sections of the city, but there wasn't that much damage, all things considered.
Standing at the parapet, she frowned as she thought.
"We need to take the war to them," she said slowly, her mind working hard on the puzzle.
Alaric looked at her, frowning in confusion as she studied the city.
"This is too easy for them. All they have to do is start a fire and the whole city goes up in flame. We need to keep them out of the city."
She stared into the streets, seeing the flames moving easily.
"What are you talking about?" Alaric snapped and she looked at him.
"Your city is a tinder box Alaric. Much is stone but most of it is wood. You need to get out there and fight them before they get to the city."
Alaric stared at her for a moment, then looked at the city and finally he nodded.
"Bring me Kai," he said to a guard who ran to collect the vampire. Stepping up onto the wall, she paced along slowly, staring out and trying to see what was happening. She couldn't see any more boulders being loaded and that was a good thing.
Kai appeared with Jaia and she ignored the two, her hands on her hips as she stared out, trying to understand what they were thinking. She felt eyes on her back and still she ignored them. She needed to get higher and she turned, hopping off the wall and moving to the wall of the castle.
Beginning the climb up, she stopped when she was a good twenty feet up, staring out.
"There is a valley between them and us. We could go there" She called down to the group of men who were all watching her.
She must look odd, holding on with one hand with her long braid waving in the wind, clinging to the sheer face of the castle.
Looking down at them, she found Jaia immediately and his eyes were burning but she didn't try and understand it.
Alaric nodded and they turned to start planning for the new location.
***
It was getting close to dawn when they made it to the location they had set out, the scorpion weapons gone and they could see the opposing military gearing up.
Turning to look at the military who were building up behind them, she bit hard on her lower lip, doubting herself and their relying on her suggestions.
She didn't know what to do, didn't know if she could do anything at all to help them and Alaric had vanished.
Nervous, she examined their army and then the opposing one, knowing they were outmatched.
"We are going to take heavy casualties," she breathed as she studied the mass of life that was the opposing army from their position on a small rise. They had the high ground, but that was all.
"Not necessarily, I still have mine," Epharis said and she looked to him, frowning.
He smiled and moved to the top of the crest, pulling the strange skull from its place at his hip.
The glow was bright in the darkness and so it was easy to see him from both sides as he lifted the skull to his face.
Speaking in a deep rumble, she felt a coldness seep through her and she exhaled slowly, suddenly wanting to go to him, needing to be at his side as he called to whatever part of her that had been changed with his attempt to turn her into a creature like him.
That part of her was chomping at the bit, screaming for her to join him and sit at his feet, to worship him as the god he was.
She must have moved, as Uzo had wrapped his arm around her chest, holding her back even as Epharis's voice echoed inside her ears and she craved his attention.
She pushed against the restraining arm and then there was a second.
The light changed around her, the world seemed to turn a shade of green and Epharis lifted the skull.
His screamed words resounded in her and she gasped, reaching for him but unable to escape the arms that held her so tightly.
Something began to move around them, the ground lifting and bulging in a way that made people scream, terrified of what was happening.
Arms began to burst out of the ground, rotting corpses and skeletons rising out of their earthy graves to heed his call.
She wanted to rise too and her nails left deep gouges in an arm that kept her still, restraining her from doing what she wanted.
Epharis's battle scream made her heart pound and she sucked in a breath, wanting to scream with him but then a hand was on her mouth and the army of corpses screamed for her. The sound was unearthly, haunting and she knew none of them would ever be the same after seeing the soldiers of long forgotten wars rising to fight again.
Epharis turned, his eyes bright with green fire, finding her and her captors.
She knew he wanted her too, the lich princess to his prince but he resisted when she could not, she was straining for him, biting the hand that covered her mouth and raking flesh but still they held her, crushing her.
The call faded and she was released, collapsing onto her hands and knees with jagged, panting breaths that seemed to expel that need like mist.
She had no idea what had just happened to her, but it both exhilarated and terrified her in equal measures.
She had underestimated his strength as the undead army began to move into formation under his glowing stare. He was their master and they obeyed willingly.
Each one of them glowed with that eerie green glow, making them stand out amongst the normal mythical creatures.
***
Things settled down into an uneasy silence as the dawn started to peak up over the horizon and still Alaric hadn't shown up, making them all nervous but she knew he wouldn't miss out on the war.
Turning, she found the twins staring at her and she bit her lip before she approached the two and hugged them both hard, Kai's eyebrows lifting slightly at Jaia's hands lingering on her, the closeness and intimacy of their embrace.
She flushed and something dawned on him, then he grinned, seemingly pleased.
Their movements had sparked others to do the same, farewelling their comrades and hugging friends just in case that was the last time they would be seeing each other.
Epharis hugged her back tightly, squeezing her and kissing the top of her head but she knew he needed to remain focused on his control.
Versalis tried to crush the wind out of her, lifting her off the ground in a bear hug even as she tried to throttle him in her returned hug. He laughed and kissed her cheek, better at hiding the fear than they were.
Uzo squeezed her tightly as well, but his eyes were intense.
"Nothing will happen to you," he breathed in her ear.
"If you cared for my father at all, you will protect those twins and not me. That is all I ask of you."
He drew back, those incredible blue eyes turning to the twins and then he nodded.
"You have a deal Etania, daughter of my closest friend. I will protect those you love most and your father and I will be square."
She took his hand and they both gasped at the zing of energy that shot through them as the deal was struck.
She released him and was almost tackled by Catherine, the strong woman hugging her tightly and grinning maniacally.
"Crazy werewolf," she laughed, the woman's endless joy at war enough to break her tension.
"Insane Fae," she said and turned to lunge after Epharis, who wasn't expecting the attack.
Aelen took her hand and squeezed it firmly.
"It had been an honour knowing you, princess," he said in his deep voice and she nodded, smiling.
"And at you too, Aelen."
He smiled grimly and she finally turned to Izziah, who was lingering back.
"I'm so sorry for everything that has happened Etani," he said softly.
"You know what your brother is now. Do not allow him to harm anyone again," she replied and he nodded, their embrace tense but genuine.
They fell into silence, standing in a close group as they waited for the dawn to come and the battle to begin.
Looking down, she saw the men below moving into formations and the men behind them had moved as well and she turned to see they had left an enormous gap right down the middle. She didn't understand that gap at all but then she shook her head, knowing they were trained.
Something tugged at her hand and she turned to find Uzo at her side, holding out a bow and single arrow.
"Just trust me," he breathed when she looked confused.
She was an okay shot, but she was the only archer with him, they both only had a single arrow each.
"Ready, princess?" he asked and she gave him a wary look as she notched the arrow and in unison their arrows rose high.
They waited, her fingers tingling, and she exhaled.
A soft murmur escaped his lips and a sudden glow shot from her fingers up her arms to cover her skin in the same pattern she had while in Winter.
Glancing sidelong at Uzo, she was fascinated to see that he too had markings, an exotic fiery pattern that glowed over his skin.
Mist flowed from their bodies as the sudden coldness of them reacted with the warm morning and she began to smile as she felt Faerie reaching for her, touching her soul.
As the first rays of morning blinded them all, the two arrows released into the air.