The Grand Design Read Online Free

heard another concussion from the far side of the city, and fear sped her on. Daevn impatiently waved her forward. Outside the wall, everything was silent. The din of battle was oddly quieter here. Lorla spared a sad look backward as the hidden gate drew slowly closed. Remarkably, it seemed to disappear.
    “Come on,” Daevn ordered. He began speeding for the hills. It would be thick there and dark. Dressed in black, Lorla and Daevn quickly became part of the shadows. Fast and silent, they rode toward the looming unknown of Dragon’s Beak.
    Duke Lokken stepped out onto the balcony of his tower and brooded over his falling city. Reports were coming in faster than he could comprehend them, and his private chambers were flooded with aides. Vorto’s legions had broken through the gate and were swarming into the city. The glow of flame cannons told the duke how near they were. Larius, his Counselor-at-Arms, was tugging at his shirtsleeve like a little boy, begging for guidance or any semblance of life. But Duke Lokken was a million miles away. His eyes had glazed over with dreadful visions, and his thoughts had slowed to a crawl. His boy Jevin was on the main gate. Dead bynow, surely. And in another hour or so his daughters would join him—but not before they lost their virtue to the marauders. Very quickly, Goth was becoming a Naren ruin.
    “Larius,” the duke said quietly. “Take my wife and daughters to the throne room. Wait with them there. I will be down presently. Just a few moments alone …”
    “No,” cried his wife. Kareena rushed up to him and took his hand. Throughout the siege she had been resolute, but now the dam of her emotions was crumbling. “I won’t be away from you.”
    Lokken smiled forlornly. “Kareena, do this for me. I want to watch the city. Alone.”
    “We will stay with you,” his wife offered. “Send the others away, but not us. Please, the girls—”
    “Will have their father with them in minutes,” Lokken said. “Go to the throne room. Wait for me there. And have the guards wait outside.” He turned to his counselor. “Larius, you hear? I want no soldiers in the chamber. You alone will stay with them, understood?”
    “I understand, my Duke.”
    Lokken took his wife’s face in his hands and pulled it close, his voice a whisper. “I have to be strong, Kareena, and there’s not much time. Just let me have my moment of weakness, will you?”
    Kareena’s lips shuddered. Without a word she slipped from the duke’s embrace, gathered her daughters, and led them out of the chamber. Larius was silent too. The old warrior gave his duke a sad smile before leaving the balcony and ordering the others out of the chamber.
    Alone, Duke Lokken of Goth cast his eyes out over his burning city. Goth the fair. Goth the strong. Built by slaves, mortared with blood, it had been the only home the duke had ever known. Tears trickled down his cheeks. Soon Vorto would come for him, and by then he wanted to be purged of tears. He would face the butcher of Nar with the same contempt that hadmade him shred Herrith’s hateful flag. This day, even as Goth collapsed, he would give his enemies no satisfaction.
    On a thousand armored feet and breathing flame, Vorto’s imperial legions rolled through the city of Goth. Above them rose the granite towers thick with archers, and the streets were barricaded with human flesh—Lokken’s wild, sword-wielding defenders. Naren cavalry pushed through the narrow avenues, slicing down Gothan infantry with their sabers while flame cannons cut them a blazing path. Overhead the dawn was breaking red and harsh. Men were barking like dogs, ordering advances and retreats, and the screams of the burning echoed down the stone corridors.
    Fighting street to street, Vorto’s legions had nearly made their way to Lokken’s castle. Now the fortress could be clearly seen, tall and impressive in the snowy dawn, its two flags wet with ice in the chilling wind. General Vorto rode