August Burning (Book 3): Last Stand by Tyler Lahey Read Free Book Online

assault. Two are already being overrun,” Jaxton panted.
    “Four? Where are my men?”
    “Half were leading Leeroy to his exile this morning. North ravines. They were one of the teams that fired the flare.”
    Troy’s red face became incredulous. “A flare? My team would never call for backup.”
    Jaxton finished strapping on his kneepads and fitted two tomahawks to his thighs. “It’s that bad.”
    “Well who’s leading the rest of my team? I haven’t given any orders!”
    “I gave them to Bennett. The Bluffs need reinforcements too. Bennett knows that part of the valley better than anyone still here.”
    “Bennett?” Troy spat, wobbling on his crutches. “How dare you? How dare you take my team from me?”
    “Troy! Enough,” Jaxton growled, drawing to full height in black body armor. “You have command of the Citadel. If it goes badly for us, I’ll fire a flare to signal the retreat. Cover us from above as we come in.”
    Troy chewed on his words and his neck bulged with fury. He mastered his emotions and stood a little straighter. “Good luck Jax. Bring everyone home.”
    Jaxton nodded sharply, furious at his friend but unwilling to continue the argument. The valley was falling. He turned to leave.
    “Jax!” He heard his friend call, the violence gone from his voice. Troy hobbled over and clasped him on the shoulder. “It’s the Hordes, as I warned you. We cannot win this fight.”
    Jaxton felt the Lion troopers around them stiffen. “I have to try. The Lion has never once been broken.” Then he raised his voice till it boomed under the rafters, “Haven’t you heard?!”
    His men, covered in body armor from head to toe, roared their approval in answer. They snatched weapons of choice from the carts, great axes and hammers, makeshift spears, and several antique swords. His burliest drew from the second cart, and hoisted large riot shields over four feet tall onto their arms.
    “Where’s Adira?” Troy asked suddenly, his eyes soft.
    “The Bluffs, near the old resevoir.”
    “My men are with Bennett? Good. She’ll be ok.”
    As Troy disappeared into the swelling mass of men, Jaxton fitted his own helmet, goggles, and facemask. Onto his limbs he strapped armor spray-painted black, and in his hand he felt a spear pressed. His men grinned at him wildly; excited their months of preparation with the Lion would finally come to fruition. His officers chirped around them, their masks muffling voices trembling with anticipation. 
    Liam forced his way through the crowd, still the bear of a man he had always been. But where he had been soft before, now there was only iron. His jacket was emblazoned with a roaring Bear.
    He crossed to his friends swiftly, shoving others around him aside. “The Western Ravine?”
    Jaxton nodded. “We need the carts to get us up there. By the time we get our shit together, who knows if the Wolf will even still be there.”
    Liam nodded sharply. “What do you need from me?”
    Jaxton clapped him on the shoulder. “Bennett has the south. I’ll take the west. We need you on the North and East. How many men do you have here?”
    “At the Citadel? Twenty. Are we evacuating?”
    Jaxton could sense his men listening in. He forced his head to stay up. “No. Not yet.” Then he drew Liam close. “But be ready to move.”
    Jaxton mounted the bleachers and hoisted his spear. “Our brothers are in danger of being overrun in the west. They call to the Lion for aid. They call for their finest to hold the valley. In this, I know we will not fail them. LET’S MOVE!”
    The following thunder was their answer.
    His men, already slick with sweat in the humid air, crowded into the two horse-drawn carts that waited for them in the main drive. Jaxton took a deep breath of it in, hearing the cicadas chirping a constant chorus from the greenery.
    “Mike!” He called to his first officer. “We can only take half, maybe a few more. Pick one of the officers and have them follow on foot,