A Clash of Magics by Guy Antibes (read this if txt) 📕

that. “I’ll get to it,” he said, feeling good that Brightwork and Henkari seemed to be working well together.

Trevor left them to the details as he searched out Lissa, who was back at the inn. They spent an hour preparing for more transferring before winding up in Wistfall. They were admitted into Wistfall Castle and waited until Dirk Crater was free from his ministerial duties.

“You have been busy,” Crater said. “I hadn’t expected Kyria to send troops, but I received word this morning that they had joined the Viksaran army headed our way. I’ve already sent out wagons of supplies to meet them as they come.”

“Where are they headed?”

“Major Boarson will head our forces, so they will stop at the northern edge of our border before being distributed among our forces,” Crater said.

“We’ve adopted a different strategy in Jarkan,” Trevor said. “I suggest you consolidate your army and give each force a sector to manage. If you mix the armies up too much, the soldiers will be confused about who is ordering them around.”

Crater’s eyebrows rose. “I hadn’t thought about that.”

Trevor smiled. “That is why I’m here.” He went over the overall Jarkanese border strategy before discussing possibilities on the Sirlandian side. “This is the overall approach. I suggest the army leaders hash out the details. Kyria might want to handle the northern corner since it is closer to their country.” Trevor shrugged. “I don’t know what their sensibilities are, but I’ll need to meet with the commanders to work out the details.”

“Is that all?”

“Not at all. Do you think we can blockade the Maskumite magician enclave in Khartoo?” Trevor asked. “We don’t have to secure the entire southern coast and not even Khartoo’s entire bay. The only naval resources that I can bring to bear are in Sirland.”

“We don’t have much of a navy,” Crater said.

“For a blockade, any kind of ship will do, but they will need magicians on the decks to fight off the Maskumite enclave.”

Crater wrote a name down. “Seek out this man in Berry Port. He used to be the minister of defense, but his heart was always with the navy. He is the best one I know of to help.”

Trevor thanked the prime minister, and Lissa took his arm as they teleported to docks at Berry Port. They surprised quite a few onlookers, but Trevor looked at the crowd for anyone wearing a fancy uniform. He spotted two men standing together.

“I’m looking for Samar Doford,” he said to the two men.

“He’s a friend of mine. Are you an assassin? You wear clothes that are popular in Khartoo.”

Trevor laughed. “My diver’s outfit? It suits what I’m trying to do.” Trevor introduced himself and Lissa to the men. “It is a matter of utmost importance. You can join us in the conversation if you wish. I have nothing to hide.”

“I’ll do just that,” the friend of Doford’s said. “Follow me.”

The man exchanged a few words with his companion, and Trevor and Lissa followed the man across the wharf, turning down a lane a few streets from the sea. The houses became more fashionable with every step.

“Samar!” the uniformed man pounded on Doford’s door.

“I haven’t lost my sense of hearing,” Doford complained as he answered the door. Samar Doford was younger than Trevor had thought, a little older than General Henkari, and younger than Dirk Crater, the prime minister. He nodded to his friend and then turned to Trevor and Lissa. “Who are you?” he said, rather bluntly.

Trevor introduced himself and Lissa, but this time he gave Doford his titles and told him that he was coordinating the united forces against Maskum.

“Serves them right,” Doford said after Trevor’s introduction. “The Maskumite magicians have been involved in nasty schemes for as long I’ve been alive. Come in.”

“To be honest, I have another engagement,” Trevor’s escort said. “Be certain I’ll be back to see what this young man has to tell you.”

Doford led Trevor and Lissa into his sitting room.

“What did Crater tell you?” Doford said.

“I want to blockade the magician’s enclave in Khartoo while the armies converge on Maskum’s capital to destroy the magicians.” Trevor told him about the meddling Maskum’s cabals had done throughout the world. “Since all the ships are in Sirland, he said you’d be able to tell me if such a thing is doable and that you could manage the task.”

“The queen would never allow me to do something like that,” Doford said. “She was the one who dismissed me. Undoubtedly, the Maskumites didn’t want an experienced man in charge of Sirland’s forces. The navy doesn’t have a chief naval officer at present.”

“If Crater appointed you, would you accept?”

Doford snorted. “Of course I would, and I’d get oars in the water and sails in the wind in an instant.”

“What would you do?” Trevor asked.

“I’d shut down Berry Port and commandeer all Sirlandian vessels. We have four naval ships in port, but that isn’t near enough.”

“Work out a plan and an estimate of when your flotilla would be arriving in Khartoo. Keep your strategy to yourself. I doubt Maskum has ignored something coming in from the sea.” Trevor said.

“And what will you be doing while I get all that information together?” Doford asked.

“Getting you permission to invade Maskum by sea. I’ll be back,” Trevor said.

~

Chapter Twenty-Two

~

T he commanders in the room looked down at the map that Trevor had brought east from General Henkari’s garrison. Trevor went over the northern strategy, as he called it. The Brachians would travel through the mountains to Khartoo using multiple paths that Potur Lott and others knew. The plainsmen would support the regular Jarkanese army as a striking cavalry, as Henkari described them.

Trevor stood back and let the eastern commanders present their strategy. Rather than invade as a long front, since