Tan

Organizing an entire town to vacate took a lot of work. Tan moved the first group to his home, then had to spend a good hour reassuring people that, yes, the First Knight of Goodwine had bartered for his aid and they were now safe, no worries, please ignore all the black, he just went through an emo phase.

Frankly, if it had been any other knight, Tan doubted people would have believed him. Devan’s reputation was something else.

With the first group settled, he had to wait until the next morning to go back to Siset. No portation spells at night—too risky. He spent a good hour cleaning up his bedroom in anticipation for when Devan slept over. It wasn’t that his bedroom was uninhabitable, per se. On a level of one to pigsty, it was maybe at a whirling dervish level? He could still find the bed, after all.

Banishing spells came in handy in moments like these.

He got a good night’s sleep and put on his sexy outfit the next day—the red shirt and black pants that fit him flatteringly. His black jacket flared around the hips and kept him both stylish and comfortable. He did take a second to pack more spell ingredients, just in case the town was attacked while he tried to get people out, but as soon as there was enough daylight to move, he portaled right back.

Devan had not been idle overnight. He had two groups lined up, waiting on Tan’s arrival. Tan barely had the time to put down his box of supplies and tease Devan for the panda eyes before he whisked the next group away.

He’d never, ever admit to anyone that doing this much portaling took it out of him. He was powerful, yes, but not invincible. You could eventually tax him to the magical breaking point. He hoped that with all the ingredients he’d added to the spell—plus the strong sunlight—he could offset the drain. Still…he’d have to eat a lot and sleep in tomorrow to compensate.

Tan paused between groups to swipe a large mug of coffee before portaling back to the town. Devan waited at the fairegrounds, speaking in that calm manner he had. For a moment, Tan just watched him. Devan had the massive build most knights did—broad in shoulder, powerful legs, with biceps that could probably crush boulders. Seeing him speak in a soft, gentle tone was such a dichotomy. Yet it was probably why he was so popular—the man was a gentle giant. He knew how to adjust his speech and tone to match the person he faced. It was such an unusual skill in a warrior.

Sexy as hell, too.

Look, Tan wasn’t the only one in this kingdom crushing on the man. He just so happened to be the one who could capitalize on the moment, was all. Did this crush of his have any future whatsoever? No. Would he at least get cuddles out of it? Hell yes.

It made him a little sad, though. It’s not that Tan wished he was known as a ‘good’ sorcerer—they were only labelled as such because they went along with that overbearing princess—but there were moments he felt the cost of his reputation. Like now.

Shaking the mood off, he pinned a smile on his face and approached Devan. “Coffee?”

“Gods, yes,” Devan grunted and promptly took it before draining half the mug.

“Coffee delivery means I get hand massages later,” Tan tacked on brightly.

Devan eyed him sideways, evaluating. Then drained the rest of the mug.

Too tired to care, huh? Tan was really holding him to that, though.

“Third group?” Devan prompted.

“Yuppers. Is everyone else ready to go?”

“Fourth group is forming up in the street leading to here. They’ll be ready when you are. They’re mostly formed of the town guard, and they’re keeping watch on the pass, just in case.”

“Perfection. Alright, I’ll take the third group on.” Tan held out a hand and wiggled his fingers. “If you give that back to me, I’ll bring a refill.”

Devan promptly handed it over.

Did Tan mention how lovely it was that Devan didn’t even hesitate to take food from him? Did he even suspect Tan might have put something in the coffee? Most knights wouldn’t even approach Tan without serious magical shields up and here this man just ate with him like it was nothing at all. Tan had no idea why the man trusted him so much but, damn, was he going to revel in the moment.

He took the next group over, settled them in with Hans as much as he could without getting bogged down, refilled the coffee mug for Devan, and portaled back. With so much weight in tow, the portation was slower, and each trip took a good hour to complete. Not to mention the off-loading upon arrival as people oriented themselves and figured out where to go. The second and third group went just as easily as the first, maybe even easier, as the townspeople that had come in the night before welcomed them with assurances and open arms. It was fine here, they had plenty to eat, the tents were nice, plenty of clean water to bathe and drink. And the gardens were gorgeous and magical, come see without worries. That was the message his servants met them with. The small legion of friendly cats demanding pets also rather broke the ice nicely.

Tan left them to it, as he had bigger fish to fry. Frankly, getting that fourth group out before all hell broke loose. Either by barbarians or army, either way, it would be bad.

He went back, staggering a moment as he landed. Shit, he really was getting tired. No help for it, though. He still had one group left before he could call this day quits. Damn, when had it turned to midafternoon? Had he really been shuffling people around for six hours?

No wonder he was feeling it.

Tan tried to shake the weariness off as he got his bearings. Hmm. Why were the fairegrounds empty? Shouldn’t the last group be lined up and waiting for him?

This did not bode well.

Concern rising, he walked up the hill and toward the remains of the main gate of the town, still not seeing anyone. It looked and felt like a ghost town, with the doors and windows shut and not a sound to be heard. Wait, he took that last part back. He could hear horns in the far distance, a sound that echoed down the canyon, so faint as to barely be heard. Horns did not promise good things. Horns actually promised bad things.

Shit. And today had been going so well, too.

Tan put some pep in his step. He shook off his fatigue as much as he could, pulling his battle face on. Of course these bastards would come after he’d exhausted most of his magical reserve. Tan’s luck normally ran that good. He really had to get an understanding of this situation sooner rather than later. Was the barbarian army already here? Devan had said a few days, but had they made better time than anticipated?

The main gate for the town was nothing more than a skeleton of timbers. They’d framed it out after the fire that devastated it but hadn’t gotten far in the construction. Tan found all the city guard—some hundred or so men and women—standing just outside the frame of it, all staring with grim faces toward the northern canyon pass. Nothing in sight yet, but even Tan could tell that was a matter of time. He could hear the thud of the boots, the stamp of the horses’ hooves, numbering at least in the hundreds if not the thousands. The sound of it echoed and carried toward him in a distant cacophony.

Devan turned from his spot in the middle of the road and spied him coming up. “Tan. Ready for the last group?”

“I am, so why aren’t you all at the fairegrounds?”

“Group of barbarian scouts attacked here. We fended them off and killed them rather than have them chase us to the fairegrounds.”

Ah. Smart decision. Now that Tan was closer, he could see the bodies littering the middle of the road. Scouting party of thirty or so, it looked like. Tan had no mercy for them, nor sympathy to spare.

The guard nearest to him, a thickset woman with greying hair, turned and asked plaintively, “Sorcerer, can’t you put up a ward around the town or something? They’ll ravage and burn this place to the ground.”

And leave nothing to come back to. Tan saw her point but objected, “In…what, an hour or less? With no prep? You ask the impossible, fair lady. Wards of that size would take a full week of prep at the very least.”

Her face fell and she nodded in understanding. “It’s good enough to save the people. Thank you for that. I thought I should ask.”

“I would if I could, I promise you.” Tan meant every word. He remembered all too well what true poverty was like. To literally have nothing to your name. He’d only wish that upon his worst enemy. “I could glamour the front here, so it looks like the walls were rebuilt, but…I mean, it would just be a front. They’d pass through it easily and it wouldn’t do much more than buy you a few hours.”

Devan went still, as if a thought had struck, and he turned to look at Tan with this expression, as if Tan had said something truly interesting.

Why was he getting this look? Tan eyed him back, not sure what would come out of his mouth next.

“How long would it take for you to create the glamour?”

“Uh…maybe thirty minutes?”

“How long could you hold it?”

“Days, if I anchor it. Okay, I have to ask, seriously. Why?”

“I have a thought.” Devan turned and addressed the guard, “Guards of Siset, hear me! I have an idea of how to bluff the enemy and turn them back. I can’t guarantee its success and it might end with us running for the fairegrounds. Will you try it?”

An older man with a captain’s stripes on his coat’s sleeve turned to Devan with interest. “What’s the bluff?”

“We have Sorcerer Tan put up a glamour to make it look as if the walls were rebuilt and stronger than ever. The glamour will show the gates fully open, with braziers lit along the top. We’ll stay out of sight completely, not even a shadow of a head to be seen.”

Tan almost objected—his mouth was open with words poised to spill—when he thought about it. If he were marching on an enemy’s stronghold and saw gates open, lights lit, but couldn’t begin to get a head count on his enemy, it would certainly hint that a very strong ambush was lying in wait for him. He’d second, triple, and probably quadruple the wisdom of not advancing any further.

Oh. Oh, now that was genius. Tan likey.

The captain apparently did too, as he lit up with a slow smile. “Damn, I’d sure like to try it. We’ve got precious little to lose if it doesn’t work, and everything to gain if it does. Sorcerer Tan, can I ask one more boon from you?”

Tan admitted frankly, “I’m actually very curious if this will work or not. I’m game to try. Help me with the prep?”

“Absolutely, whatever you need.”

“First, I left a box of supplies at the fairegrounds. I need it.”

The woman who had asked him for help promptly turned on a heel and ran for the fairegrounds—at a very impressive clip, too. Tan admired those with physical stamina. He had none.

“Second, describe to me precisely how this thing should look? Where all should it touch, how deep should it be. I need good dimensions.”

Tan listened carefully to the answers, but he did make note of Devan’s expression as he walked along with the captain. The knight looked a little concerned, his brows furrowed with a frown, and it seemed more centered on Tan than the approaching barbarians. Was he worried Tan would add yet another demand from him for this service? Or was he worried his virtue might be in danger if Tan actually saved the town?

In order:

Tan would, in fact, demand more things.

Devan should be worried.

If Tan had his say, the knight’s virtue was in mortal peril.

That was only if this glamour worked, though. Tan mentally gave his head a light slap. Focus. Focus on here and now. Possible sexy times could happen later.