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But I do know there’s a big crossbow at the top of the tower nearest me. Captain Ritcheld let me fire it once, when I was visiting the guards along the wall to boost their morale—Mother’s idea, of course.
“Nothing inspires a man more than the sight of the pretty princess he’s sworn to protect,” she said.
To be fair, my presence did seem to cheer the guards, no matter what their gender. For me, the highlight of that day was cranking the lever to prepare the giant crossbow, rotating it into position, and launching an immense iron arrow into the sky.
Of course, I wasn’t firing at anything in particular then. Today, if I get my hands on one of those great machines, accuracy will matter. I can’t wield a sword or throw a knife, but I’m a decent shot with a regular handheld crossbow. Too bad that skill isn’t so helpful when the crossbow is the size of my four-poster bed and the arrow is as big as me.
I tuck my skirts up as best I can and climb the ladder to the tower. Two guards stand there, flanking the huge crossbow on its rotating mount.
At the scuff of my slippers on the stone, one of the men turns around. “Your Highness!” He and his companion bow hastily.
“No need for that.” I tug a ribbon from my wrist and use it to bundle my yellow hair into a knot so it’s off my neck. “How close is the enemy?”
“The ground troops from Vohrain are not yet in sight. Usually the dragons remain with the Vohrainian army, but today they have flown far ahead. They’re coming straight for us. You should take shelter, my lady.” The first man points to the horizon, where I can make out black winged shapes against the dramatic dark gray and gold of the sky.
At this distance, the dragons still look so small. So harmless. It’s hard to believe they’re responsible for the past weeks of terror and pain among my people.
“I’ll fetch the Captain, Princess,” says the second man. “We can spare a few guards to escort you to safety.”
“But there is no safety, not anymore,” I counter. “Please don’t tell the Captain. I want to stay up here.”
The soldiers glance at each other, unsure. “But your esteemed mother, the Queen—”
“I don’t care what my mother says. I don’t want to huddle in some closet, only to be dragged out and publicly executed. If I must die, I’d rather be up here with you, fighting for my city and my kingdom. Please allow me that dignity.”
With another glance at each other, they relent. “As our Princess wishes.”
“Good.” I step up behind the crossbow and grasp the handles, tilting it up toward the sky. I bend my knees as the Captain showed me, lining up the sights with the tip of the iron arrow. “Be ready to reload after my first shot. I intend to take down at least half a dozen of these overgrown bats.”
The first guard clears his throat nervously. “We’ve got three arrows, Your Highness.”
“Only three?” I lean back from the sights and glance down at the stone recess where the ammunition is typically stored. “We’ll have to get more.”
“There aren’t any more. We were ordered to send everything to Guilhorn two days ago. Three arrows per tower—that’s all we have left.”
“Then I should let one of you take the shot.” I swallow hard and step back. “I’ve only fired this weapon once.”
“That’s once more than either of us.”
“Wait—you’ve never fired it before?”
Both guards shake their heads.
I frown, peering more closely at them. The helmets and the armor make them look older, but now that I’m paying attention, I think they’re both younger than I am. Seventeen or eighteen, I’d wager.
My mother is manning the walls with boys, and sending girls to carry urgent, private messages. She has poured lives into this war like water into a sieve, until our kingdom has nothing but children left.
Hatred for her, for the dragons, and for Vohrain seethes hot in my chest. I feel suddenly, violently protective of these boys, even though at age twenty-three, I’m not much older.
“What are your names?” I ask.
“Listor,” says one.
“Verros,” answers the other.
“And I’m Serylla. That’s what you’ll call me if we’re going to fight together, not ‘Your Highness,’ and not ‘Princess.’ Now, what other weapons do we have?”
“A hand cannon, a longbow, a dozen arrows, a spear, and our swords.” Listor winces apologetically. “We’re just a secondary tower. The towers by the gate and at the corners of the wall have more supplies, more men.”
