Fate of an Empire (Talurian Empire Trilogy Book 1) by Jonathan Pasquariello

middle of the street.
    The crowded
courtyard came into view. It had taken a lot of damage from fire jumping over
the walls, but outside was a firestorm. If the winds didn’t die down soon,
floating embers would soon catch the rest of the buildings on fire.
    People were
running in all directions, dousing their burning clothes and belongings with
water from the well. Then, he spotted the General, leading a woman holding a
baby into a building adjacent to the barracks, closely followed by six guards.
    Where are
you going...?
     Two of the
guards stopped at the door, blocking anyone else from entering. Kaillum decided
it was time to use his powers. The Corporal would be allowed to enter, he
carried a higher rank.
    Did Saris’
guards even care about rank? I have to try.
    He ducked
behind a pile of crates. Being out of sight, he placed his hands, palms open, on
either side of his head. He closed his eyes, and after a moment they shot open,
showing the bright glowing eyes of his race. His body shook and contorted,
falling to the ground.
    Almost
over.
    After an
extremely long moment, he lay still on the hard packed dirt, his body finishing
the transformation. He slowly got to his feet and looked at his new body, even
the uniform had shifted to that of a Corporal in the Talurian army. Satisfied
with his new disguise, he slipped back into the crowd.

Chapter
17: The Changeling
     
    Thandril flew
through the rest of the night and reached the city shortly after Arteus’
caravan. He circled the city in bird form, peering through rising vapors, in
search of any sign of the magic user that he had been warned of.
    The advantage
of surprise would play handily in spotting the imposter.
    He watched Saris
enter the barracks, accompanied by the nurse from his late wife’s labor and
delivery. His Master seemed to be taking a liking to the young woman, putting
on his best manners around her, well; the best manners a man like Saris could
show. Thandril noted the barracks had been evacuated before the General took up
shelter inside, and now two of his guards watched the main door.
    Who would
even be allowed to enter?
    He seemed well
protected where he was, unless the intruder was in disguise as one of his
personal guards, or better yet, the very nurse he was trying to woo, neither of
which he would be able to determine from the air. He needed to land.
    The courtyard
was in complete disarray. Once spotting a lull in foot traffic, he darted
toward the ground, shifting his body seconds before impact. He landed on his
feet, perfectly falling in step with the mob.
    As Thandril
made his way toward the barracks, he noticed Rurik heading in the same
direction.
    He should
be warned of the intruder as well.
    “Rurik!”
Thandril shouted over the heads of the crowd.
    Rurik didn’t
respond to the call.
    Maybe he
didn’t hear him.
    “Rurik!” He
yelled out again—and again, no response.
    Rurik reached
the barracks ahead of him, but the guards looked like they were not allowing
him to enter either. Saris most likely gave them strict orders.
    “It’s okay,
men.” Thandril approached the entranceway and put his heavy arm around Rurik,
“He is with me.”
    “Lord
Thandril, Saris gave us strict orders to not let anyone inside,” stated one of
the guards.
    “You know I’m
not just any person,” Thandril responded, “I’ll take care of anything if he is
angry.”
    Without
waiting for the young soldier to object a second time, Thandril pushed past
him, pulling Rurik in after him.
    Rurik gave Thandril
a grateful look, “Thanks for that. I didn’t know if I was ever going to be able
to get in here.”
    “No thanks are
needed. Some of those soldiers let the prestige of being in service to the
General fill their minds with grandeur. They think they can boss everyone
around. You outrank all of them.”
    The two walked
in tandem through the open halls of the garrison. Rurik remaining silent.
    “Corporal, I
need to warn you. There is the possibility of