The Heartstone Saga by Archibald Bradford (pdf to ebook reader txt) 📗

I don’t know if it’s a crisis, but it is definitely something.

From the grim looks on their faces, the ant girls hadn’t come into the city to sightsee.

Once she absorbed his concern and the image causing it, her reply was succinct.

I will be there as soon as I can.

“Come on.” Nameless tugged at his bond-mates; “We should get to the Bastion, if that isn’t where they’re headed then I’ll eat Milly’s hat.”

“You will not.” The big cow huffed; “I love this hat!”

By taking a shortcut through the side-streets the three of them were able to arrive at the square shortly before the Antlions, linking up with Nina and Ophelia when they got there.

The Gigas had once again been grappling with the Amazons, this time a mixture of Saenga and Brael girls, and had a little bruise under one eye that the studious medic was fussing over.

Before Nameless could ask about it though, the Antlions arrived.

All around the square people watching in bemusement and some concern at their military discipline.

They were armed with tall shields and short spears, with short and broad-bladed swords hanging on their hips.

Much like Oldeera’s hive the individual Antlions were lithe and athletic, though they had well-defined muscles on their shoulders and biceps from their no-doubt rigorous training.

At their front marched their scowling queen: she was fully two feet taller than her warriors, taller even than Milly, with breasts to match her size and a full booty, though both were covered with thick chitinous armour.

A pair of antennae protruded from her short brown hair while she wore a circlet of beaten iron on her brow, at the center of which shone her deep red heartstone.

“Are they here because of Volka?” Milly asked, her grip on Nameless’s shoulder tight.

He shrugged in her grip, knowing as much as she did, but the Empath sent a silent call out to the Valkyrie to see how far away she was, just in case.

Nina planted herself in front of him and shook her head.

“I doubt it. Those girls are looking for trouble.”

From the irate expression on their leader’s face Nameless had to agree, so he and the girls withdrew into the training grounds to join up with the waiting Aegis as the monster girls marched through the square directly towards the Bastion.

The Antlion Queen led her soldiers into the courtyard before the massive structure where they fanned out in two neat ranks to occupy the place. Word had reached the Bastion of their approach and the full council was waiting for them on the steps, most of them frowning at the military display.

The imperious queen lifted her chin as she took in the assortment of Aegis personnel that had come out of the Bastion to greet her, while behind her the soldiers’ march halted with one last unified crunch when they assumed their formation, standing twenty abreast and two rows deep.

Seconds after the sudden silence filled the place, the queen spoke.

“The Aegis has failed in its duties.” She proclaimed loudly, accusingly; “And now my daughter is in grave peril. You are to help me save her.”

Not a great start to a conversation.

Give them credit, Booker and the other councillors maintained neutral expressions at her words.

“I’m sorry to hear about your daughter.” Margaret Bloom said, leaning heavily on her cane; “But I’m afraid we have a long list of missing girls.”

“That is why you fail.” The queen snapped.

To annunciate their ruler’s displeasure the forty soldiers at her back rapped the hafts of their spears against their shields.

Once the unified clatter subsided, the headmistress of the academy tried again.

“We are now facing a crisis worse than any we have ever seen. It is the stance of the Aegis to ask for the cooperation of all monster girls until we can resolve it.”

“Cooperation?” The Antlion Queen declared flatly; “You seek my cooperation when my daughter’s life is imperilled by your negligence?”

Aegis Booker scratched at his eye patch in agitation.

“This isn’t getting us anywhere, why don’t you come inside and we can sit down and discuss this?”

Again the Antlions slammed their short spears against their shields, this time much harder.

“I will discuss nothing! You will do your duty and you will save my child!”

The standoff lasted for several seconds, the flustered councillors struggling to find a way to placate the angry queen.

Then a familiar golden aura washed over them all as a glowing Volka flew overhead and landed between the angry monarch and the council.

The Antlion Queen’s mouth fell open slightly and she let out a slight gasp as the Valkyrie stood before her, eyes awash with golden light.

“You demand much, mighty queen. Yet you offer little. Not even a name.” Volka’s words were stern.

The various insect breeds all had similar hive-like structures, each led by a queen, every one of which behaved, and was treated, as royalty.

But once upon a time they all followed the Dominars of the Valkyrie into battle, and that allegiance was not so easily forgotten.

The ant-girl was taller than the winged angel, but her posture was suddenly cowed.

“I-I must find her.” She said pitifully, for the first time displaying an emotion other than self-righteous anger.

A distraught mother, desperate to protect her child.

“Then cease this pointless display.” Volka cast her hand towards the phalanx of warriors; “And help us do so. Time is everything in war, something you should well know.”

With that she turned and swept towards the Bastion, her wings folding to her back as she took the steps into the building two at a time.

Not for the first time, the men and women of the Aegis council threw each other uncertain and unhappy looks at the way Volka had so readily usurped their authority. But she had meant what she said in