Wyrd: Book One of the Witch War Trilogy - WATTYS 2018 WINNER!

Chapter 35: In Which the Winnifreds Split the Party

Fred was in her favourite watch tower, situated in the western-most corner from which she had the best view of the winding streets, with the sun rising over the pink and golden shining rooftops of the Citadel. She had set up a cozy journaling corner on the bench under the stone-cut window. From here she could see the houses and the sandstone wall, and then the desert sands that ebbed into brush and gave way to a deep jade and lime green jungle moving it's way from a gentle incline to  steep rocky slope. Gray mountains with cleft in the middle rose into the clouds.

From her spot, if you looked hard enough at just the right angle, you could see out all the way to the ocean; a bright turquoise twinkle cradled between the peaks of the two behemoths, a hint of the expanse of healing water beyond.

Fred was writing, excitedly, about how Rica had just been asked out by Gilian. Rica had gotten out of her last COTR class yesterday, one on magical history, and she had been leaning on the carved railing looking down at the stained windows on the first floor when it happened.

Gilian, with his floppy brown hair swept into his eyes, the dreamiest guy in their year, had asked, nervous as a rabbit, "So maybe you might want to be my girlfriend, then?"

And Rica had said, "Yeah, that might be cool I guess."

So now, Rica was the first of the triplets to have an official boyfriend! As Fred chronicled the momentous event for posterity's sake, she was momentarily distracted by movement along the coast. It looked as if black ink had spilled into the ocean, making it murky, as if the darkest red wine filled the goblet-like crevice. Fred squinted, trying to make out what had muddied the clear crystalline waters of the sea. Then, like ants streaming down the far sides of two sand piles, she realized what she was witnessing. Fear surged through her.

She let out a panicked moan, breaking the silence of the dawn. She leaned her torso out the window trying to get a better look.

She knew what she was seeing.

Fred took a big breath, summoning her courage. She closed her eyes and tried to focus. The adrenaline hijacked her concentration. She took another deep breath, then pulled on the telepathic link that she could feel somewhere in her gut, the one that kept her tethered to her triplet sisters.

Winnie! Rica! Wake up now, she yelled, loud and commanding.

Why the hell are you screaming at me so damn early, sis! Winnie began. You know I hate morn...

Shut up and listen Winnie, Fred interrupted.

And then there was silence. Fear on the other end.

Fred never swore. Never yelled. She was the reasonable, unflappable one.

The Epicurean army is marching towards the Citadel. They have a fleet and they're coming around the Northern crest. Fred sent a brief flash of the horrifying image she was looking at, the soldiers streaming around the mountains. Get up and tell High Commander Wumble! You can reach him much faster than I can. I'm going to make my way to you now.

Fred glanced one last time at the crimson and gold banners of the infantry as they grew gradually larger, then at the sky above the mountains.

Those weren't birds. No. They flew like hawks, gliding above the peaks.

They weren't birds. They were Wyverns. The predators were circling their prey, banking on the wind, coming in for the kill.