Fires of Lothia: The Coldwood Saga, #2

By Katherine Bryant

In the year following the rescue of her brother, Branna tries without much success to adapt to her new life in Coldwood. But when the war spills onto her doorstep, she is forced to flee the battle-ravaged land with her husband and overbearing brother-in-law. Dodging enemy soldiers isn't the only obstacle Branna has to contend with. Enemies both near and far threaten her plans to reunite with her brother Oren and friend Sahil to seek safety beyond the borders of Lothia.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Little Monster Press
• Release date: Oct 16, 2018
• ISBN: 9780998185040

Katherine Bryant

Katherine Bryant is an author and artist hailing from Minnesota. When she is not busy writing tales of mayhem and adventure or creating miniature monstrosities from wool, she spends her time tending her menagerie and playing too many video games for her own good.

Book preview

1

Tebald, wait!

As Branna ran to catch up with him, the sound of her footfalls along the stone corridor was swallowed up by the din outside.

Branna? Why aren’t you in the tower? Tebald’s surprised expression turned to confusion as he looked her up and down. And what are you doing dressed like that?

Rather than a dress, Branna wore breeches, a tunic, and a chainmail shirt. With the addition of the sword at her hip and shield at her back, she looked more like a soldier than the noblewoman she was. She readjusted the bag slung over her shoulder and ignored his second question in favor of the first.

Because I’m trying one more time to convince you to talk some sense into your father and brother, she answered.

They’re not—

I know you agree with me. We’re not going to survive this if we stay.

As if to punctuate her statement, a loud crash echoed through the hall. Even the candlelight seemed to shudder, casting wild shadows around them. For weeks the clamor of soldiers fighting and siege engines hammering against the walls tested the nerves of everyone within the castle. The only thing more persistent was the smoke that hung in the air, its stench now infused throughout every inch of the stronghold. Coldwood Castle would be breached within a matter of days, at best, and Branna’s only chance of living longer than that was to get out before the castle was flooded with Covengrich soldiers.

Branna took a deep breath, a vain attempt to slow her racing heart. She stepped closer to Tebald and took a hold of his hands. Your father is stubborn, but he doesn’t want to lose the last of his sons. You can help him see that this is the right decision.

Tebald tightened his grip on her hands. Elias won’t be so easy to convince.

You only need to convince your father. Elias will do what he says.

Tebald nodded slowly, conceding the point. I’ll speak with him. But if he wishes me to stay, I will.

I understand. Branna wasn’t lying when she said it; ever the faithful son, she knew if he failed to convince his father to send them away he would be ready to die with what remained with his family in his home. But she had no intention of dying for a cause she never agreed to support, or for a family she was forced into. She would flee the castle alone if it came to that, though she’d greatly prefer not to traverse the expansive wilds of Coldwood alone.

Tebald placed a quick kiss on Branna’s lips, and together they made their way to the great hall. There they found his father, the earl of Coldwood, and his elder brother Elias. Out of six sons, he and Tebald were the only ones who still lived.

Past the usual gathering of guards, advisors, and commanders Tebald strode, Branna at his side. Some of the soldiers gave her quizzical looks when they realized who she was, but it was only Elias’s reaction she paid attention to. According to the expression he wore, she might as well have pranced into the hall after rolling around in a freshly fertilized field. In return, she gave him the sweetest smile she could muster.

Tebald took his place beside Elias, who stood next to their father. The three men wore swords at their hips and tabards of yellow and grey over their chainmail, emblazoned with the ram’s head Odibrand crest. Standing together, their faces grim but determined, Branna couldn’t deny that they made an impressive sight.

As women didn’t typically attend war meetings, Branna took it upon herself to assume a spot next to Tebald, an action that—to her perverse delight—deepened Elias’s sneer.

Tebald, why have you brought your wife here? Lord Odibrand asked. Though the siege had been hard on everyone, it was he more than anyone else who bore the responsibility of protecting the castle. The ongoing strain of it had taken its toll; his words were low and drawn out, a mark of his exhaustion.

Having had much practice in doing so, Branna brushed off the question and fixed her features into a pleasantly neutral expression. Tebald, however, had to give an answer.

In these dangerous circumstances, I’d prefer to have her in my company.

Branna kept her expression passive as Tebald told his lie. Letting everyone think it was his idea would make her presence more palatable.

To what circumstances are you referring, exactly? Elias asked.

You know my opinion, Brother, Tebald answered. This battle has turned against us. If we want to survive it we need to flee.

Elias shook his head slowly, the disappointment in his eyes bearing down on Tebald.

The battle isn’t over yet, he said. I’m not willing to abandon our home so easily.

They’ve breached the outer walls. They are at our door as we speak, Tebald said. I don’t speak of this lightly. I truly think this is our only option.

I agree with the younger Odibrand, my lord, one of the advisors said, addressing the patriarch. He was a wiry man with thinning grey hair. Because she wasn’t involved with the dealings of the court until now, Branna never bothered to learn his name.

I doubt they would even accept our surrender, he went on. They don’t want to make the same decision your father did and allow any of your line to survive. They won’t want to fight any contenders for your throne in the future.

Then we don’t let that happen, Elias said, nearly shouting. We don’t surrender. We can still fight them off!

In the face of Elias’s chasm of denial, Branna’s internal censor faltered. Before she could stop herself, she was addressing him. If you’re so sure of this victory, why did you send your own wife and children away the moment you saw the Covengrich army descending upon the castle?

Elias seethed. It’s a wonder you still haven’t learned to control your wife, Tebald, he said through gritted teeth.

Branna managed to hold her tongue this time, but she didn’t bother trying to hide her contempt as she glared at Elias. Tebald gently placed a hand at the small of her back, a gesture meant to encourage her quiet, yet only made it more difficult to bite back her words. She hadn’t expected Tebald to stand up for her to Elias, but that didn’t make his silence sting any less.

All around them, the soldiers squirmed in their skin. They must have known the battle had grown hopeless, but hearing it spoken aloud by their superiors would have shattered what