Resurrected Soldiers: The Tyrus Chronicle - Book Three by Joshua P. Simon Page B

use any sorcery so they would be more difficult for the enemy to detect.
    “Are you crazy to have a bunch of children working on those? Do you have any idea how much can go wrong if they aren’t careful?”
    Ava spun, ready to go after Zadok and Abigail as horrible images of small limbs lying next to bloody stumps flashed through her mind.
    Myra grabbed her arm. “Aunt Ava. Stop.” She lowered her voice as other eyes from those in attendance were upon them. “I made adjustments based on what Dekar showed us. The traps aren’t the same ones you used against the Geneshans. Just inspired by them.”
    Ava relaxed. “All right. But no more. You’re in danger of almost doing too much. Remember, I still need time to go over any last minute camouflage soon if I’m to save my strength to help cover Sivan’s tracks when he returns and later keep everyone hidden in the cellar.”
    She hated knowing that she needed to recover from such simple spells, especially since they took longer and more effort to perform than before. However, she also couldn’t wait to cast the next one.
    Each spell successfully cast was like rediscovering a part of who she used to be. Since her connection had slowly returned she longed to keep pushing herself, anxious to regain her competence and confidence of before.
    She thought of the people at the outpost relying on her and her skills.
    Am I ready? Have I regained enough?
    * * *
    Sivan and the other scouts returned, stopping just outside the gate on foot, huffing after having hidden their mounts. Beads of sweat rolled down their faces.
    Sivan hobbled over to Ava and Myra, forcing his words through labored breaths. “They’re coming.”
    “How long?” Ava asked.
    “Less than half an hour. We would have been back sooner to give more warning, but it took longer than I would have liked to cover our tracks.”
    “It’s fine. Everyone is already in the basement.”
    He nodded and walked in that direction with the other two men following.
    Myra turned to Ava. “Are you ready to cast another spell?”
    What choice do I have? Either do it or we die.
    “Sure.”
    There was no need to let Myra in on her doubts. She honed her focus, then cast a final spell over any recent tracks while they slowly retreated to the cellar.
    She sagged once finishing.
    I did it. But can I still do more? She breathed slowly. Find a way to make it work.
    Myra touched her shoulder. “Are you all right?”
    She forced a smile. “Just need some water. That’s all.”
    The truth was that she had slowly grown more fatigued with each spell. She had cast more sorcery in the last day than she had since the eruptions began months ago. Under normal circumstances she’d be elated by such a realization.
    But an approaching army puts a pretty big damper on that.
    Ava cursed, feeling a bit light-headed.
    “What?” Myra asked.
    She admitted, “I don’t know if water will be enough.”
    Myra bit her lip. “Maybe we can figure something out once we’re below with the others.”
    If the situation was not so grim, Ava might have snorted. The teen didn’t show the panic one might expect after hearing the plan could fall apart.
    Girl is more mature than her age. She paused. But then circumstances sort of forced her to be.
    Ava blew out a slow breath. “Sure. Maybe.”
    * * *
    The basement was unimpressive to put it politely. It was nothing like what they had taken shelter in below the Hemlock Inn following the second eruption in Denu Creek. This basement lacked headroom to stand, and there certainly wasn’t enough space for people to stretch out. Sitting huddled, or standing hunched were the only two options. Most had opted for the former by the time Ava and Myra joined the others.
    No matter how close people sat or stood, room was still an issue. More than a dozen people stood outside the basement entrance, little more than a hole in the ground, shuffling around nervously while trying to direct others already in the space on where