Of Darkness and Light (The Bound and the Broken, #2)

by Ryan Cahill

Leaning forward, Dayne rested his elbows on his knees. He looked out over the harbour of Stormshold, sheltered within the mountain beneath the city from which it took its name. The fact that this makeshift group of rebels had managed to find enough Craftsmages to build such a stronghold was impressive enough on its own. But keeping it hidden was even more so.

“I am High Mage Artim Valdock, Exarch of the Imperial Battlemages of the Circle of Magii. And I am here for the Draleid.” The High Mage glanced at Calen, a grin spreading across his face. He extended a finger. “That is him.”

To Calen’s surprise, Tarmon sheathed his sword and clasped his hand around the back of Calen’s neck. The man pulled Calen towards him until their eyes were only inches apart. “You are better than this. I’ve seen it. I’m standing here with you because you are better than this. Tonight, those men and women are not empire soldiers. They are not those who did us harm. They are just people. People who don’t want to die. And they need us. They need you. They need a Draleid.” Releasing his hand from the back of Calen’s neck, Tarmon stepped away, his gaze still fixed on Calen’s. “Show them, Calen. Give them something to believe in.”

Calen reached out to Valerys. The dragon was already in the air, fighting the agony that seared through his side. Through Valerys’s eyes, Calen could see the true enormity of what they faced. The Urak army stretched the whole way back through the long street, out into the courtyard that lay before the gates, and further still, swarming across the rest of the city. There had to be thousands of them, tens of thousands. Calen clenched his jaw. He could not even begin to count the number of times he had thought his life over. But now, as he stood with those he called friends, it truly felt as though this was the end. There was no way out. He would finally get to see his family again. He would finally get to see Haem.

And in that, I do not mean you cannot hold fear in your hearts, for courage is not the absence of fear. It is the will to act in spite of fear.”