Rise of the Citadel (The Search for the Brights Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

the
peasants that come into his camp are getting trained and armed against their
own countrymen.”
      The King stood
at his paper-covered table and looked at the wizard snacking on fruit. “How
many?”
      “Well, I do
not know. It is hard to count them when they are hurling arrows at you, and
that’s not to mention the veteran wielders trying to knock me out of the sky.
Every one of the men at the fort seem to be wielding an element against me. I
do think they might not have come in force but they came with their very most
experienced. I could only get close to the edges of their fortifications, and I
couldn’t stay near their convoys for more than a few moments before being
attacked, my lord.”
      “How many,
wizard?! I want to know what I'm up against. How many soldiers do they have?”
King Atmos was was so angry he was shaking with fury at Alexander’s lack of
numbers.
      “Well I don’t
know if I would call them all soldiers, but around seventy thousand would be as
decent an estimate as you are going to get now.”
      The King took
in the number a moment before looking down at the map. Everyone was silent
except for Alexander’s open mouthed chewing of a piece of cheese he had popped
into his mouth. He looked around smiling as if nothing were the matter.
    “Is there any news
from my advisor?” Atmos asked.
      “AHH yes my
lord. He says that you should start to see troops arrive within the week. Three
minor nobles and two nobles from the Water Realm have joined the fight. Well,
they are at least coming, we haven’t started the fight so they cannot have
joined it…”
            “Enough, Councilmen. How many troops are they bringing?”
      “Well, the
minor nobles brought five thousand each not to be outdone by each other. The
two Water Realm Nobles brought twenty thousand each. Their numbers should
double what you have here, my King.”
    The entire room
visibly relaxed, and the King sat back into his large oak chair that creaked
under the weight of his armor. They had months left to go before an actual
battle took place and they were already this tense, he had done well. He gaped
about like an idiot, waiting for someone else to ask him a question.
    When no one did he
spoke up Alexander said,”My lord if you do not require my services any longer
today I need to find my weapon bearer to check his progress.”
    He bowed and
started for the tent's flaps.
      The king
shouted,“You are not dismissed, wizard. I have some messages for you to take to
my advisor and then you will check the surrounding area for scouts. I also have
yet to hear back from your wizard trainee, Mica. He was supposed to report back
on other locations on the border. If you complete those tasks, then you may
attempt to find your weapon bearer.”
    Alexander muttered
under his breath a few times to where no one could hear. He looked around with
lips still moving as if talking to someone. “My lord, Mica is no longer a
trainee, otherwise he would be riding my wind as he had in the past. He will
arrive when he can, or you can track him down as a traitor. As far as scouts,
you will not encounter scouts for a month yet if you do manage to keep this
pace with all the added troops. The messages you surely could get a pigeon to carry
for you, as I have matters to attend to.”
      “Wizard…I gave
you a task. If you do not carry out my orders perhaps I will find you as a
traitor.”
    Alexander smiled
back at the King now leaning on his table filled with maps.
    “My lord,” he said
bowing deeply. “Perhaps you have mistaken your power over wizards or your own
councilmen. We are not your subjects for your frivolous daily tasks. I will
spare you the lecture on ordering wizards around, and I might even find time to
complete the tasks that you have REQUESTED. If I do not, it will be my decision
and not punishable by being named a traitor. If you want to find a more pliable
wizard perhaps ask Mica when he returns, he seems