Things seemed to progress quickly over the next few days.

  Matt fell into a steady rhythm. He’d spend a good portion of his day supervising construction or attending Council meetings. Then he divided the rest between sparring with the soldiers and his own personal practice.

  It was an incredible benefit to have Melren around again. His study of the mantras for Body had been stagnating, and even if it wasn’t Melren’s particular specialty, the Imp was still capable of helping him practice and prepare for what he needed to do. Slowly, but surely, Matt felt the strength returning to his limbs, as the wounds he had taken on the Ridge began to heal. He even felt confident about his chances of taking on some of the Orcs he fought with, though more often than not they showed him why he was not supposed to be on the front lines.

  It was partway through the fifth day, as he was chanting his mantras alone, when he felt the last portion of his second Source lock into place.

  This time, Matt was prepared. When the ripple of magic flowed through him, brushing over the contours of his soul like a gentle breeze, he restrained himself from reaching out to take hold of the magic it had unleashed. His awareness of the world around him expanded, just like it had before when he had completed his last Source.

  Then, unlike the last time, it suddenly constricted.

  His new awareness of his surroundings abruptly faded. Instead, it felt like he became intimately, perhaps even gruesomely, aware of his own physical existence. The breath in his lungs grew almost unbearably shallow; his heartbeat pounded in his ears. Each fingertip and toe seemed to sizzle with feeling. For a moment, it seemed like an overwhelming knowledge of every part of him that thumped and breathed and moved, like he was suddenly conscious of every inch of skin, muscle, and bone.

  His sense of calm was shaken, and once again he felt like he needed to wrest control of these new sensations before they overwhelmed him. Matt remembered the earthquake he’d caused the last time, however, and forced himself to stay calm. He waited for the feelings to pass, and for the rushing wind that had brought them to subside.

  It didn’t. At least, the rushing feeling of air moving inside him never truly seemed to fade. It did, however, become less of a problem as it faded alongside the rumbling power of his first Source. For a long moment, Matt simply considered the two Sources, seemingly both beside each other, and not. Where the Earth Source tumbled and crushed, the Air Source wafted and played. Where the Autumn Source steadily destroyed and decayed, the Spring Source spontaneously burst into his senses at random moments. Where the Mind Source looked outwards for land to shape and craft, the Body Source looked inwards and found his physical form wanting.

  He realized that he’d started holding his breath at some point, as if that would stop the grating recognition of how his lungs worked. Matt forced himself to take another breath and noted how the second Source leapt and whirled inside him in response. It took him a few more moments to feel ready to stand up and not feel his balance disturbed.

  When he did, he realized that the parchments on his desk had stirred slightly, but there was no sign that he’d channeled some kind of windstorm. He felt a moment of reassurance, and then nodded.

  It was time to go looking for spells.

  Matt found Balred practicing on his own in the Arsenal.

  The Orc had decided to take on a trio of other Orcs, all using practice blades. They were all tough soldiers, a mix of Coldhearths and Greenrivers that had seen plenty of combat by the scars they wore. Even though they surrounded him, they didn’t seem all that confident.

  As Matt watched, the Orcs attacked. Balred let them close on him, and then the Orc moved with a skill that Matt instinctively knew he would never quite reach, no matter how hard he tried. Balred’s sword met one Orc halfway, countering a slash. Then the lifeguard spun, sweeping the legs from a second Orc, and elbowed the third in the forearm to halt a downward cut. The first of his opponents tried to stab him, but Balred moved aside, grabbed the Orc by the chestplate, and pulled. His first opponent went flying into the third, and then he was on both of them in a flurry of blows.

  The clash had lasted only a few moments, and in the end Balred was left breathing hard, but unmarked. He helped each of his fallen opponents up, laughing and chuckling with them for a moment. Then he turned and bowed to Matt. “My liege.”

  Matt saw the other Orcs also bow and gestured for them to rise. “I’m sorry to bother you, Balred. I know you aren’t on shift right now.”

  Balred’s eyes shifted to the four lifeguards who were assigned to guard Matt at the moment Tiridine waved back, and Mulwan rolled her eyes. He smiled. “It is no problem, my liege. How can I help you?”

  The others drifted away as Matt gestured for Balred to follow him. He noticed the other lifeguards falling back, as if to provide them with a bit of privacy. It was something that showed either their trust in Balred, or their confidence in his ability to defend himself. Given what he’d seen Balred just do, Matt thought it was probably the former.

  “I don’t mean to be rude, but I remember hearing that you were from the Leaffall Clan. Is that true?”

  Balred paused, but only for a heartbeat. He continued walking as if there had never been any hesitation in his step at all. “Yes, sire. I do not stand to inherit any titles, but I was… connected to one of the noble Houses. It was decided at an early age that I would serve better as a warrior than a noble, so I have always fought.”

  Matt glanced at him. “You didn’t feel like following Teblas?”

  The Orc shook his head. “No. Teblas was a fool to go against the rest of the Kingdom, and I knew it would end badly. Why should I and those I care for suffer, just so Teblas could soothe his wounded heart?”

  Balred fell silent a moment as he looked to the southeast. “And now the Copper Hills burn. They are occupied by invaders and enemies of all kinds, just for one Orc’s pride. Useless.”

  He grew quiet again, and Matt let the silence stay for a moment. Balred had saved him countless times already. The lifeguard deserved some time to manage his feelings.

  When he thought the bitterness had faded from Balred’s stature, Matt decided to ask the question that had actually brought him here. “I understand that Leaffall Orcs were normally known for their mastery of Air magic. Is that also the case?”

  Balred blinked. He glanced at Matt before looking away. “Yes, sire. It is the magic that the Leapers choose to enhance their mounts, and the magic the Defiants used to deflect arrows away from themselves. There were many spells used by my kinsmen, but I do not have a mastery of all of them.”

  Matt nodded. “Do you happen to have any that use Spring and Body as well? I’ve finally managed a new Source, but Melren wasn’t as… enthusiastic about finding me spells to use.”

  He was surprised when the Orc lifeguard laughed softly. “I imagine not, sire. You have a tendency to use spells in unconventional ways. Melren may think you would use such spells in a way that is… unwise.”

  Balred raised an eyebrow at Matt, and Matt gave him a level look. “I remember my spells keeping both of us alive far longer than we should have hoped for without them. You can expect the same kind of usage from these.”

  The lifeguard nodded, though he sighed as well. They walked a few moments more, and then Balred spoke. His reluctance was clear. “I know of two spells. Body is not normally what my people use for their Sources, but it was not unknown. You may find more among the Knights we captured.”

  Matt gestured for Balred to continue, and the Orc stepped out ahead of him. “The first is a simple spell, a version of the one we use for our Leapers. They call it the Rising Leaf. Watch.”

  Balred muttered something under his breath, and Matt saw wind suddenly gather around the Orc’s ankles. The lifeguard jumped, a single powerful burst of air and muscle, and he flew into the air a short distance. Matt blinked as the Orc grabbed onto a window in a second floor room and pulled himself up onto the narrow windowsill.

  For a moment, Balred simply stood there, obviously a little tired. He also seemed a little more reluctant, as if he was treading on solemn ground now. “The second is one of the most ancient spells of my Clan. It is the one for which we are named, actually, though many do not bother learning it anymore. The Flowing Leaf Fall.”

  The lifeguard muttered to himself again, and then stepped out into the open air. Matt blinked, expecting the Orc to hurtle downwards… only to grin as Balred drifted gently back to the ground. It seemed like the spell ran out of power just as Balred reached the ground, but the lifeguard didn’t hit with any more force than a normal jump would have caused.

  Matt opened his mouth to speak, and Balred speared him with a glance. “Before you ask, sire, yes. I will teach them to you. I will, however, give you a warning.”

  The Orc leaned forward, his bulk looming for a moment over Matt. “These spells are not the same as the ones you have learned before. Spells for the Body put your own safety at risk. You might make a mistake as you dig a tunnel, but unless something goes very wrong, you will not injure yourself. With these spells, it is quite possible to hurt yourself even when you do everything right. Do not treat them casually. Do you understand, my liege?”

  Matt looked at Balred for another moment. Then he nodded. “Warning taken, Balred. Thank you.”

  “It is nothing, sire.” The Orc grinned, and they started walking together again. He shrugged. “There may be some Knights that know other spells; they often use spells of the Body, and some of them might also have used Air and Spring. We can investigate further, as you practice these.”

  In his head, Matt was already seeing himself springing across moats and jumping off of cliffs. He couldn’t help an eager grin. “Of course, Balred. And thanks again. You can’t imagine how much this will help.”

  It took Matt another couple of days to find another pair of spells. One did, in fact, come from one of Melren’s students. It was a simple spell meant to help someone hold their breath with the overly grandiose name of Endless Lungs. Matt wasn’t sure how it would end up being useful, but he supposed it would be better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

  The other spell was something that Melren had dug out of the royal archives, after spending half the day rooting around in them. It wasn’t anything powerful, the Imp claimed, just a utility spell that messengers had occasionally used in the service of the monarch. He called it Thunderous Voice, and explained that it was used to magnify and project the user’s words across a long distance. Matt thought back to the announcement he had made to the prisoners of war; obviously it would have been a useful spell to use there.

  Of course, Matt immediately came up with quite a few more interesting things to do with it. His greater available magic stores brought quite a few possibilities in reach. All the effort and sacrifice to secure his new Source was made worth it when he spent half a day ‘whispering’ in Tanya’s ear from across the castle until she stormed into his antechamber and threatened to burn his desk to ash.

  With his second Source secured, Matt dedicated his time to practicing the use of all his skills, new and old. Building his third Source could wait until he didn’t have a deadly mission ahead of him, after all.

  Balred’s warning about practicing with the spells quickly proved well founded. While the Leaffall Orc had only jumped up a single story, Matt nearly leapt over the city’s outer wall. He could slow his descent from about the same height, though he thought he might be able to do more if he needed to. His new Source seemed just as inexhaustible as his first had been, and it was a joy to experiment with.

  That fact didn’t keep his lifeguards from reminding him that there was nothing they could do to protect him from smashing into the ground from a poorly cast spell, however, so Matt made sure to prepare his mental frameworks well each time he attempted one of his new feats of power.

  As the days passed and the weather continued to warm, Matt almost felt like he was looking forward to the coming assault. His wounds were healing well, he’d found a new fount of power he could use to destroy his enemies, and there had been no further surprises. Life, for once, was going well.

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  He wondered how long it would last.

  Gorfeld knocked at Matt’s door, and Matt motioned for him to come in. He had ushered out a very concerned Jessica only a short time ago. The others were apparently collecting titles, such as Maiden of Healing, Minister of Building, and Master of Coin. She had been worried about falling behind, but he’d assured her that her perspective was valuable, and that she just needed to wait until he could get her home.

  The steward stepped into his antechamber and bowed slightly. “Sire. I have word from our agents in the field.”

  Matt sighed and set aside the parchment he’d been reading. It had contained reports about the most recent Council meeting, which seemed to have devolved into some kind of personal feud between a Blackleaf noblewoman and a High Imp. “Excellent. Do we have any more news?”

  “For better or worse, yes.” Gorfeld handed over the parchments he’d been carrying. “Our sources have confirmed that war has begun between the former members of the Noble Races. The Knights of the Anchors have launched a campaign against the Order of the Griffon. I believe we may see the tribute payments delayed or stopped soon.”

  Matt grimaced. He’d expected it, of course, but that didn’t mean he wanted to hear his pessimistic prediction coming true. “Are any of the others involved?”

  “So far, it is just those two, but the Sunken Clans and the Elves are making noises about joining one side or the other. If the war escalates, it will only cause us more trouble, I’m afraid.”

  He nodded slowly, putting a hand over his eyes. “At least our cease fire is still holding with all of them. We don’t actually care who ends up ruling over those places, as long as they just stay over there for another year or two.” Matt shook his head. “What else is happening?”

  Gorfeld drew in a breath. “Lord Morteth is reporting more assaults against his positions. He’s managing to hold still, and he says that the Orcs involved seem to have low morale. Many of the Alliance troops seem worn down as well. He’s also noticed that many of their leaders are missing.”

  Matt shrugged. “Probably back in Greyhenge, with their giant army.” One that was supposed to be mobilized any day now. Where were the agents from the Circle of Echoes? “Does he need more reinforcements?”

  “No more than expected, though more troops would be welcome. He does not believe they are urgent yet, and Margrave Karve agrees with him.” Gorfeld consulted his own sheet of parchment, where he’d apparently taken notes. “Both the Court of Ravens and the Order of Lion’s Roar have been attacked in the south by the Fireblood Empire. It appears their current weakness has left an opening for the Empire to expand.”

  Matt blinked and sat up. He had only the vaguest idea of what the Fireblood Empire was—it was distant enough that there were no records of battles between it and his Kingdom, and he already had enough on his plate—but if the Alliance was had forces encroaching on its borders from another direction, it would provide another point of pressure that might help break them. “What kind of assault? Just a raid?”

  Gorfeld read for a moment. “It seems to have been a probing attack in force. A handful of banners in each case. They burned a handful of villages in the Ravens’ territory before a small number of noble banners drove them off.” The Imp smiled. “It appears the attack has caused a measure of instability in their territory. Some of the nobility are refusing to answer their new King’s call for reinforcements and are instead guarding their southern border.”

  “All the better for us, then.” Matt smiled. “What about the Order of Lion’s Roar?”

  His steward paused. A frown twisted his lips for a moment. “It seems the Empire met with a defeat. They were driven off by a militia led by a local leader of some kind. Not one we’ve heard of before.”

  Matt frowned. It wasn’t that he wanted the Empire to make inroads against the Alliance’s helpless peasants, but the last thing he needed was an inspirational figure rising up to support the beleaguered Knights just when he had them knocked down. “What about the Onyx Clans? Are they having any troubles?”

  A fresh smile appeared on the Imp’s face. “Oh, yes sire. Apparently, a band of their nobles launched an attempted coup against their leaders. The Heir was killed, but the Queen escaped, and is now fighting an internal rebellion. I believe they will be busy for quite some time before they can support the rest of the Alliance.”

  “Good.” Matt nodded. “We might be able to help that along. See if Creps and Snolt can start raiding a little into their territory to encourage things along.” Then he grimaced. “Ask them to steer clear of whoever was leading that militia in the south. We don’t want to give them any martyrs, and we certainly don’t need any on our side, either.”

  “Yes, sire.” Gorfeld turned his attention to the next item. “According to some of our agents, there is—”

  A gust of freezing cold air slammed the door open, and Matt’s lifeguards stepped in front of it. They glanced back at Matt, who gestured for them to move aside, and an enraged Tanya strode in, her face twisted in fury. “What’s this I hear about you going right into a dangerous assassination mission?”

  Matt looked from her to Gorfeld. The steward shrugged; apparently, he didn’t know how she’d heard either. He sighed and braced himself. It was promising to be a long day.

  He hadn’t been wrong.

  The initial argument had lasted for an hour. Matt had thought he was finished at that point, but she hadn’t given up. No, she’d gone for reinforcements, and now he had not one, but six angry Humans crowded into his antechambers demanding to be part of his risky assault on Greyhenge.

  It was almost heartwarming, considering the short time they’d all known him. Almost.

  “There’s no reason that you should be going along on this mission.” Jessica had folded her arms across her chest and was glaring daggers at him. “Do you think the President goes along with Seal Team Six when they need to kill somebody? It’s ridiculous. Just send some of your soldiers.”

  He gave her a level stare. “The President doesn’t have the personal amount of power that I do, and he also doesn’t have a bunch of royals who have sworn to kill him that would be able to sense if he was there. If I send soldiers, they might question if I was responsible. When I go, they’ll know it was me, and won’t look elsewhere.”

  Jordan glanced at Jessica. “That just makes it more important for you to stay here. Won’t they know you’re there the instant you arrive? You won’t have any chance at stealth.”

  Matt shrugged. “The people with me won’t, but while they are focused on me, the rest of the group can go rescue Alerios.”

  Jessica’s jaw dropped. “You’re not just going, you’re using yourself as bait? Do you hear how crazy that sounds?”

  Tanya sighed. “He’s gotten too used to doing it, I think. It’s literally a habit.”

  “That does not make it better!”

  Alicia broke in at this point, her expression uneasy. “If you’re determined to go and do this, at least bring us along. You could use all the help you can get.”

  “No.” Matt saw some of them gather themselves for more shouting and held up a hand. “I’m barely bringing more than half my lifeguards with me, and I’m not going to leave any more of them here just to bring you along.”

  The muscles along Miguel’s jaw bunched. “Why not? We can help.”

  Matt raised an eyebrow at him. “Really? Cause I’ve seen most of you swing a sword at close hand, and it wasn’t exactly impressive.”

  The big guy muttered several things in Spanish that probably weren’t complimentary, but Matt shrugged it off and continued. “None of you have been practicing magic or sparring with weapons over the past few days. You’ve been helping, sure, but not in ways that make you useful for this mission. That means you’re staying here.”

  Tanya stepped forward, her eyes still blazing. “I have just as many Sources as you do, and I’m already practicing for my third! Not only that, but I saved your life last time, in case you forgot! That makes twice now.”

  “And I won’t forget it. Ever.” Matt looked calmly at her. “Tanya, you still don’t even have a suit of armor or a weapon that you can use at close range. You might be able to hold your own, but I want you to stay here.”

  She was still glaring at him. “Why? What good is me surviving going to do if you get yourself killed? I’ll just end up some other monarch’s prisoner, or worse. Is that what you want for me?”

  Matt shook his head. “No. If I die, the Circle of Echoes has agreed to take you in—take you all in—and try to make sure you get home. The lifeguards I’m leaving behind have instructions to protect you and make sure you reach them. You’ll be safe.”

  Tanya was shaking her head as well, but before she could open her mouth, Riley spoke up. “Why aren’t you taking them along with you? You’ll have plenty of space, right?”

  He hesitated. Then he sighed. “We might be too late when we get there. The Circle said that we’d be able to move about two dozen people, but if Alerios has already helped them take more people from Earth, then we’ll need spots on the way out for whoever they kidnapped. I’m not going to leave anyone in their hands, not if I can help it.”

  Jordan lifted his head. “And if we go to the Council about it? Or the Voices?”

  Matt met his stare with a level one of his own. “You can’t. The Alliance has their own spies here, I’m sure of it. If word of the operation gets out, they’ll be waiting for us, and Alerios won’t be there. We’ll be heading right into a trap that will kill us all, and doom my Kingdom.” He paused, and then let out a calm breath. “If I have to, I’ll put you in a cell to keep that from happening. I’m sorry, but there’s too much at stake here.”

  Tanya sucked in a breath of air to continue the argument, but Miguel put a hand on her arm. She looked at him, and he shook his head. “His mind is made up, hermosa. You might as well save your breath.”

  She glanced at him, eyes still full of fire. Then her shoulders slumped, though only for a moment. Tanya strode across to the desk and leaned over it, glaring in Matt’s face. “Fine. You can do whatever you want, cowboy king, but you listen to me. You are not allowed to die while I still owe you. Do you understand? When you take your last breath, I want it to be because you asked permission, and I gave it, you fucking idiot. Not one second before.”

  There was a sizzling sound from the wood where her hands were placed. Matt glanced at the marks being slowly seared into the desk, and then looked up. He kept his voice even and calm. “I’ll do my best, Maiden. You’ll see.”

  A host of conflicting emotions crossed Tanya’s face. Then she shoved herself away from the desk and stalked out the door, forcing the others to scramble to get out of the way as she went. Jessica gave him one last glare before she followed, with Jordan close behind her.

  Alicia sighed. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Matthew.”

  “I do too.” Matt gave her a half-smile, which she did not return. She left, with Riley close on her heels.

  Miguel waited until the door closed behind them before he looked back at Matt. “You’re sure about this, gringo? It has to be you?”

  Matt nodded, and Miguel sighed. “Fine, then. I’ll keep it quiet, for now. But next time…”

  He left the words hanging in the air and left, the door swinging shut behind him. Matt watched for a few more moments, and then turned to Gorfeld, who had been watching the entire conversation with something like a mixture of horror and amusement. “Well?”

  The Imp sighed. “I’d recommend assigning the lifeguards to them now, if only to make sure none of them do anything… rash.” He looked from Matt to the door, and then back. “You are sure about this, correct? I know the strike must be made, but our Kingdom will be lost without your leadership. Especially if you fall to one of the enemy rulers.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure.” Matt smiled at the Imp. “You’re still coming, right?”

  Gorfeld nodded. The steward had been solemn and quiet ever since Matt had informed him of the backup plan, in case of betrayal or accident on the Circle’s part. He’d also apparently been putting in some combat training on the side, something that had started a few rumors among the palace staff. “I will be by your side, sire, so long as you will have me.”

  “Good.” Matt turned his gaze back to the parchments on the table, trying to avoid looking at Tanya’s handprints now seared into his desktop. “We’ll only have one shot. Then, one way or the other, it’ll be done.”

  They came with the storm.

  It had been a day of rain and lightning, as if the season had wanted to remind them of its fury one last time before it mellowed into summer. Lightning had flashed, and thunder rumbled for half the morning. The people of Redspire had gone about their business as best they could, but many of them had chosen to take shelter indoors rather than brave the elements. Even the work crews had paused, at least until the strongest part of the storm had passed.

  Matt had been practicing his magic in one of the castle’s rooms, using Haunted Dust to make figures dance while he used Thunderous Voice to pretend to be a ventriloquist for them. His lifeguards had been shaking their heads over the display until Gorfeld arrived, breathless.

  He met them in his chambers a short walk later, marveling for a moment at how nondescript they were. Of course, that was probably the point.

  Their leader, a Wizard with grey hair and a pair of too-large green eyes, bowed deeply. Her voice was quiet, but respectful. “King Matthew, I am Namathus, leader of this band. We are sworn to assist you in this strike against our enemies.”

  The rest of Namathus’ group bowed as well and stayed there until Matt motioned for them to rise. Thunder grumbled outside, and an inopportune gust of wind wailed outside. He waited for the noise to die down, and then nodded. “I am happy to see you, Namathus. I was beginning to worry that you would be too late.”

  Her head tilted to the side as if she was studying him, maybe debating where she could strike. “We were delayed by the weather. Only slightly.” She turned and gestured to one of the cloaked Wizards. “This is Psirofel. He will be the one who guides us to the lair of our foes.”

  The other Wizard barely seemed older than Paralus, but his eyes blazed with power and passion in equal amounts. He bowed a second time. “King Matthew, if you but give me two hours, I can have us in Greyhenge immediately. Will that be enough time for you to gather your warriors?”

  Matt shook his head. “We can be ready, but do we have to go now? Can it wait a short while?”

  Namathus seemed taken a little aback. She glanced at Psirofel, and then looked back at Matt. “Is there a reason why, my lord? I thought you eager to accomplish this task.”

  “Oh, I am. I just want to make sure we have the greatest chance of success.” Matt smiled. “And with something like this, I feel like our best course is to catch them while they are sleeping. Literally, in this case.”

  The assassin blinked. Then she gave him a slow, understanding smile. “Of course, King Matthew. We will be ready.”

  The rest of the day was spent getting things ready. Matt forced himself to act normally, though he felt a continual burbling anxiety as he went about his daily tasks. He was careful to set aside plenty of time for an early nap; he wanted the enemy tired, but he wanted he and his lifeguards to be awake and alert.

  It seemed like everyone in the castle knew that something was going on, though Gorfeld reported that the rumors were nothing near the truth. Some of them mentioned visitors arriving, but not from where or why, while others talked about the other Humans being watched for treachery.

  The way Tanya glared at him the few times he encountered her in the hallways must have been feeding those last whispers, but at the very least, it seemed like she and the others were keeping their mouths shut. Their escort of diligent lifeguards might have contributed to that fact, but he tried to think it was their own agreement. It made him feel a little less guilty that way.

  There was only one hiccup in the plan. As he was leaving the kitchens, having scored himself a quick meal before he locked himself up for some desperate early sleep, he nearly ran right into Riley. The woman took one look at him and then glanced around to make sure they were alone.

  Then she stepped in close and whispered. “It’s tonight, isn’t it?”

  Matt froze, despite knowing that his silence was all the answer she needed. Riley watched him for a minute and then gave him a hug. “Good luck. Come back safe.”

  She let go and was gone before he could react. Matt was left staring after her, his heart thumping hard. Would she tell the others? It wasn’t likely that the enemy had spies that could report back that quickly, but he didn’t want to take the chance. The wisest course would be to make sure she was locked in her room for the rest of the day, but that alone would be suspicious.

  In the end, he settled for giving the lifeguard in charge of her a serious look. Then he went back to his bedchamber. He had a long night ahead.