Chapter Nine: Discussing Next Steps
Eledis
The role of the king is harsh and unforgiving. Impossible, even. Your subjects will always find fault with your actions.
-Kinlith, Scholar and Tutor to the Audish heir
As usual, I waited for Raimie in the spot where the boy typically descended from the lattice above to join the mortals below. His insistence on occasionally sleeping in such a dangerous location, the ‘only place where I can be alone’, had been a constant annoyance over the last few months in Tiro, the act of a child who was grasping at something he didn’t yet realize was lost forever.
But that was what Raimie was: a child. At nineteen-years-old, he’d begun to make adult decisions, but they had yet to outweigh the immaturity of his other behaviors.
Then again, when one had lived as long as I had, most people under the age of thirty seemed like children. The circle of my disdain encompassed more than Raimie alone.
Considering that, I thought the kid had done well since our arrival to Auden.
He’d earned his soldiers’ trust, an accomplishment that was usually much harder than it sounded, but for some reason, Raimie’s open-faced honesty and insistence on self-sacrifice had fiercely bound these people to him. He’d also killed an Enforcer, a task I’d learned most considered impossible. He’d convinced Tanwadur, a man who hated him, to not only let him live but allow his army inside of that hostile man’s refuge.
After defusing tension in this city, Raimie had subsequently taken a fortress that Tanwadur and his eldest son had been trying to capture for years. I had yet to meet Kylorian, but if his small list of successes was anything to go by, that teenager would be of little consequence. Raimie, on the other hand, had proven that he had a mind for tactics with Da’kul’s capture.
Overall, I’d been stuck oscillating between pride and disappointment when it came to Raimie’s progress. It had been a frustrating experience all around.
When a body landed beside me in an explosion of white light, I yelped, and as that blinding light evaporated, Raimie mischievously grinned at me. Whatever indecision I might have been fighting before temporarily hardened into disapproval.
“How can I help you, Eledis?” Raimie asked.
Really? The kid was asking if I needed help?
I’d seen how busy Raimie was on a daily basis. The kid lived a life of non-stop activity, one that exhausted me to watch. If he didn’t learn time management soon, he was sure to burn out, and while I could possibly use something like that in the long run, it wouldn’t be helpful yet. I had to encourage him to slow down.
“Don’t you have enough on your plate?” I asked.
“Sure!” Raimie said. “But if you need something from me, I’m more than happy to help. The other stuff can wait.”
By other stuff, did he mean battle plans and handling logistics for his army? Because no, those couldn’t wait. Hell, this kid was an idiot sometimes.
Patiently, I said, “I don’t need anything, Raimie. I’m only here because I’ve been assigned the role of messenger this morning.”
“Oh, really?” Raimie said with his lips twitching. “Must be important to have you leaving your comfortable office behind. I know how much you like that place.”
…One day, I was going to smack the smirk off of this little shit’s face.
“Speaking of that study, a man’s waiting for you there,” I said with an indulgent smile. “He insists that he’s part of your Hand. Says he has important information for you.”
“Fantastic! I’m glad one of them is back,” Raimie said. “Which one’s waiting for me?”
What on Alouin’s green earth was he talking about?
Raimie must see my confusion because he continued.
“What did he look like?”
“Short,” I said. “Actually, he was quite small in general.”
Humming, the kid smiled to himself.
“That sounds like Little. I think Oswin deployed him to the Birthing Grounds,” he said. “Fantastic! I’ve been looking forward to hearing his report.”
…The kid had formed a Hand?! When had this happened? And why hadn’t I known about it?
“Do you mind if I run ahead, Eledis?” Raimie asked. “I can accompany you back to your office if you’d rather, but… I really need to hear Little’s report.”
Numbly, I said, “Please. Do what you must, grandson. Don’t mind me.”
“Thanks! See you there.”
Raimie became a streak of flesh, accompanied by light, and with my nose wrinkled, I clicked my tongue.
Magic. Alouin damned magic. How was it that the person I must rely upon to reach my goals used the one thing that I despised almost as much as the Dark Lord himself? At least Rhylix, the other primeancer, wasn’t here to corrupt the kid any longer.
When I’d read about that bit of news, I’d nearly jumped for joy, but doing so wouldn’t have been polite with Raimie standing ten feet away from me. At the time, the kid had been unquestionably in the clutches of grief. What else could explain how short he’d been with me during that conversation?
Later, I’d shared my glee with Marcuset, and although my friend had expressed sorrow at the loss of life, he’d still joined me in a celebratory round of drinks.
Speaking of my friend, I hoped Marcuset would come to Tanwadur’s house soon. I had the feeling that whatever news this Little had brought would lead to a meeting, one where I’d need allies present if I was going to temper the crazy idea that Raimie would inevitably present.
As hoped, Marcuset was waiting for me outside the house when I reached it about an hour later.
“I’m glad you sent that messenger,” he said as I approached. “You were right. He’s called a meeting to discuss our next steps.”
I strode through the door without replying, heading upstairs with Marcuset on my heels.
“Should be interesting to see what he wants to do now,” he said, laughing under his breath.
Snapping my head toward him, I made sure he saw my glare.
“Don’t tell me you’ve fallen under his sway as well,” I said.
Shrugging, Marcuset said, “You have to admit that he’s performed better than we expected.”
I made a face, even if I shouldn’t be so disparaging of the kid around Marcuset. My friend was already stuck in a difficult position, torn between the kid he’d sworn his fealty to and the friend he suspected might be plotting against his king.
“I’ll do no such thing,” I said in a lighter tone. “Have any hints for me before we go inside?”
“Hmm,” Marcuset said before breaking into a secret smile that I hated to see. “Tanwadur and his oldest son will be joining us today and Eledis? Kylorian… he’ll look familiar to you. Thought you deserved the warning.”
Ominous…
“That’s all I get?” I said, making sure the whine in my voice was evident.
“That’s all you get.”
At the glint in my friend’s eyes, I groaned. Nothing good had ever come after seeing that.
The dining room loomed ahead of us, and reaching it, I shoved through its door and into the room, scanning each of the people present. Raimie and his bodyguard were standing at one end of the room while Aramar stiffly sat at the center of the table, and Tanwadur was with his-
On seeing the teenager beside Tiro’s leader, I clutched at the table, certain I was about to tumble to the floor. It was like I’d been gut-punched because… because Kylorian could have been a twin of my long-dead brother.
Behind me, Marcuset chuckled, and I made a mental note to smack the man later. While he got settled beside Aramar, I straightened.
“You must be Kylorian,” I said.
“And you, Eledis,” the teenager replied.
He’d even inherited my brother’s classic sullenness! Damn, this kid was going to cause me trouble, wasn’t he?
With my eyes still fixed on Kylorian, I said, “So, what did your spy tell you, Raimie?”
“He gave me enough to form a new battle plan,” Raimie said, “I was just waiting for you and Marcuset to explain it.”
“Well, we’re here,” I said. “Let me sit, and we can get started.”
Wandering to the chair beside Kylorian, I gingerly dropped into it, and the younger man barely leaned away. Even slight as it had been, I noticed the motion.
“I’m sorry to have made you wait,” I made myself say.
“Not to worry! We weren’t waiting for long,” Raimie said. “So, where do I begin?”
He tugged on his uniform’s sleeves, one of his newest habits that irritated me to no end. It reminded me of other soldiers from my past, people long dead.
“How about with a target?” Kylorian said.
Raimie jumped upon the prompt with clearly apparent gratitude.
“Yes! Thank you. Yes,” he said. “So, the next place we’ll attack. It’s going to be the Birthing Grounds-”
“Are you insane?” Tanwadur interrupted.
Already, his face was turning crimson, and I mentally groaned. Men like him made me… feel certain things. Unpleasant things. It made dealing with them incredibly difficult.
Apparently not finished, Tanwadur dropped a fist on the table.
“The Birthing Grounds is an impossible goal,” he snapped. “You’d be sending your people to their deaths.”
“Dury.”
Calmly, Kylorian laid a hand on his father’s arm.
“We should hear him out,” he said. “By taking Da’kul, he’s already accomplished a task that we thought impossible. There’s no harm in listening to him.”
Grumbling, Tanwadur leaned back in his seat, and with him taken care of, the room looked to Raimie for an explanation.
“Um…” he said, again tugging on his sleeve.
And seeing this, I discovered an enormous downside to Rhylix’s death. Much as that Eselan might have deserved my hatred, Rhylix had always provided a boost to Raimie’s confidence, and without that, the kid reverted to a shy, self-conscious boy unless someone provoked him.
Fortunately, I was quite good at doing that.
I’d opened my mouth to verbally poke the kid, hoping to get this show on the road, when a knock interrupted me. Although no one had issued an invitation to come inside, the door soon burst open, letting a short stranger through it.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said. “Or am I early?”
The question had been directed at Raimie, who was staring at the stranger, bug-eyed. Given how much the rest of the room had done that, I couldn’t blame the kid for his reaction.
“Early,” he tightly said.
Raimie dragged the stranger to the side, holding an unintelligibly hissed conversation with him, and I raised an eyebrow at Marcuset. Shrugging, my friend didn’t look concerned by this turn of events, but that didn’t mean he shouldn’t be. Marcuset had always been remarkably awful at understanding the political implications of… anything really, but fortunately, I had only one question in this case, something I wouldn’t need Marcuset’s help with. Who was this stranger allied with?
“Apologies for the interruption,” Raimie said. “This is Ryvolim. I’ll introduce him more fully soon enough, but for now, suffice it to say that I asked him to join us, although it wasn’t supposed to be quite so soon.”
He’d said those last few words through gritted teeth, and Ryvolim beamed at the kid, seemingly oblivious to his frustration.
A new, mysterious stranger, huh? For this meeting’s proceedings, I’d guess the man would play one of two roles. Ryvolim would either be an expert in a subject Raimie needed help with, or he’d have knowledge about the Birthing Grounds that Raimie wanted him to personally share.
It was also possible that the stranger had a unique skill set required by Raimie's plan, but on observing the man, I dismissed that notion. Ryvolim was a skinny man, made up of awkwardly proportioned limbs and little-to-no muscle mass. He looked more like the scholarly type than the weapons master that a battle would require.
But…
For a moment, I narrowed my eyes. Was- was this stranger really a stranger, though? Now that the shock of his arrival had passed, I recognized him as the man who’d been hanging around Raimie in the week since the battle of Da’kul. Was he a new friend? That was… curious. Raimie usually didn’t make friends so quickly.
“As I was saying before the interruption—”
Again, the kid glared at the stranger.
“—Little has recently returned from the Birthing Grounds. He brought information with him that… well. I’ll have him explain.”
When Raimie waved at him, Ryvolim opened the door, and the spy I’d met earlier today shuffled inside, supporting his weight on Ryvolim’s arm. At the sight of him, those seated at the table gasped while I pursed my lips.
I’d seen the spy’s face when it had been a mess of weeping splits in flesh, and although I knew the stitches now holding those cuts closed were necessary for his healing, that knowledge didn’t stop the horror of observing what seemed like a further destruction of the spy’s countenance.
The wounds slashed across his forehead and cheeks would have been bad enough, but one particularly deep gash near the corner of his mouth would forevermore draw what had once been attractive lips into a permanent sneer. Another slice ran from the corner of his eye to the join of his neck and jaw, stretching so close to the eye that its lid had partially peeled away from his face.
“Little!”
Stepping forward, Oswin reached out for his subordinate, but Little merely brushed past him.
“I’m fine, Middle,” he snapped. “Let me do my job. We can debrief later.”
Unsteadily pulling a chair from under the table, Little collapsed into it, and Oswin reluctantly returned to his corner.
“Please, forgive the appearance,” the spy said. “It was a parting gift from Doldimar.”
“You met the Dark Lord?” Tanwadur squeaked.
But Little ignored the question, facing Raimie instead.
“I’d like to shorten my report if that’s all right, Your Majesty,” he said. “I can hear a bedroll calling my name.”
At that, Raimie frowned, but I knew his displeasure wasn’t in response to Little’s suggestion. The kid still hadn’t adjusted to his rise in station.
“I’d prefer if you kept it short and sweet,” he said.
Nodding, Little turned back to the table.
“In that case, does anybody need an overview of what to expect at the Birthing Grounds?” he asked.
As that final word stretched his lips, he winced, and while Tanwadur and Kylorian shook their heads, the rest of the table looked lost. Fortunately, one of the Audish natives jumped in, sparing Little from further pain.
“The place where Doldimar creates his Kiraak is based in a pit, one that’s a mile or so deep and wide with sheer drops all around it,” Kylorian said. “The only way down is via temporary staircases, carved from the cliff face by using primeancy.”
Nodding, Little added, “Exactly, although that description isn’t perfectly accurate. There’s another way down. One of your men showed it to me, Kylorian.”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
That had the teenager brightening.
“Ibilfer?” he said. “How’s that old bastard doing?”
“It was Ibelfer’s partner, actually,” Little said with a pained grimace. “He wanted me to tell you he’s sorry he couldn’t protect your friend.”
Kylorian’s delighted smile tilted downward.
“Does that mean…?”
“He’s passed on, yes,” Little said. “An Overseer killed him while I was there.”
“Damnit.”
Slamming a fist on the tabletop, Kylorian sprang to his feet before striding to a corner, there to blankly stare at the wall. After an awkward beat of silence, I cleared my throat.
“I’m sorry for your loss, son. Truly,” I said, “but we should get on with this, considering how our messenger’s appeared to us. So, Little. You mentioned another way down?”
“Indeed,” Little said with a nod. “There’s a sinkhole not far from the Birthing Ground’s pit. Doldimar’s people have carved caves into its walls, and one of these leads to a crevasse that sinkhole has created, one that also has a ladder. The crevasse is narrow and tight, but it would make an easy entry point for a saboteur team.”
Stroking his chin, Aramar said, “A small advantage that could prove useful.”
I suppressed an eyeroll. Leave it to that one to point out the obvious.
Leaning on the table with a grin, Raimie said, “Tell them the best part.”
With the smallest smile I’d ever seen in my life, Little leaned back while folding his hands in his lap.
“I have reliable intel that Doldimar will be departing the Birthing Grounds in the next few days,” he said. “Normally when he’s there, the Enforcers from the regions around the Birthing Grounds—Adrinosk, Betlisa, Dalinasth, and Arabelna—attend to him, but if he follows his established routine, he’ll be taking several of those Enforcers with him, leaving a token force of Overseers. From what I understand, the Enforcer for that specific region, Adrinosk, will stay behind as well, but even still, the Birthing Grounds’ defenses will be much lower than normal for a while.”
“Obviously, you have a plan to take advantage of this, grandson,” I said.
It was best to reinforce our familial relationship before the kid explained his plan. If the idea was brilliant, the others in the room would subsequently relate it to me, even if it was only in the most tangential of senses. If it was terrible, I could berate the plan as much as I pleased while keeping the appearance of a wise mentor intact.
“I do,” Raimie said, “but first-”
“I’m free to go?” Little said.
Patting his shoulder, Raimie said, “Enjoy your well-deserved rest.”
Climbing out of his chair, the spy bowed. His white knuckles around the table’s edge spoke to the effort it was taking for him to remain standing.
“Your Majesty,” he said.
As Little stumbled out of the door, Raimie turned to the stranger in our midst.
“Ryvolim…”
“I’ll be right back,” the stranger said before sprinting after the spy.
As if the delay had never occurred, Raimie continued, “With Da’kul’s capture, we’ve come into possession of several siege machines. I’ve asked around and learned that Tiro has the means to transport them. If Tanwadur agrees to assist us, we’ll take most of the fort’s catapults and trebuchets with us to the Birthing Grounds, leaving only what’s needed to defend Da’kul in place. We’ll use those siege machines to bombard the enemy, softening them up-”
“For what?” Tanwadur said. “An attack? By all means, order your soldiers to charge the Birthing Grounds. Watching them leap to their deaths should be amusing. Or do you plan on sending them into the pit via this hidden ladder? Because it sounds like a chokepoint to me. Your people won’t make it down the ladder alive.”
While holding the older man’s gaze, Raimie said, “Ky, your father must think I’m incredibly stupid.”
When Kylorian merely shrugged from the corner he was still standing in, the kid sighed.
“Or maybe both of you do?”
Slumping, Kylorian took a deep breath before returning to the table.
“After our last conversation, I think you know my opinion on your intellect, Raimie,” he said.
But he spoke not one word more, making Raimie frown, and I… was confused. What conversation had Kylorian been talking about? Had the kid somehow allied with this teenager without me knowing about it?
“Honestly, that’s all right,” Raimie eventually said. “I’m glad to know what you think of me, Ky, and your father is welcome to whatever opinions he decides to keep.”
He bowed to Tanwadur, which had the old man flinging himself into his chair with his arms crossed. Nicely done, appeasing that cranky old man.
Straightening from his bow, Raimie continued, “As I was saying, we’ll soften them up before we attack, as you guessed, Tanwadur, but you were wrong about how I plan to get my army into the Birthing Grounds. I want to send a saboteur team into the pit at the same time as the bombardment. That team’s job will be to activate a staircase in the cliff wall-”
“How?” Kylorian asked. “Whoever you sent would need primeancy…”
Trailing off, he frowned.
With a huff, Raimie said, “Can I please finish? Questions can come later. I promise.”
“He really doesn’t like getting interrupted,” Marcuset loudly whispered.
Rolling his eyes, Raimie said, “The saboteur team will create a staircase so that my people can begin their descent. Once a significant number have reached the pit’s floor, a portion of the team will…”
Pausing, he flicked his eyes to the side.
“Really?” he said under his breath. “I won’t have to stay near the staircase?”
At that, Marcuset exchanged a glance with me. Was Raimie speaking with the splinter that accompanied his magic or someone else? Perhaps… someone we’d hoped never to encounter again?
Beside me, Kylorian squirmed in place. I could only imagine the younger man's fight to keep from asking the questions surely eating at him. Meanwhile, Tanwadur seemed too wrapped up in glaring his disdain at Raimie to notice said man’s seeming break with reality, and Aramar was merely waiting for his son’s next words.
But then, this had always been how this sort of thing went. Raimie did something that no normal or sane person would do, and because of who he was, people chalked it up to any number of reasonable explanations. It would infuriate the hell out of me if the kid didn’t need that sort of protection in his life.
“Nix the portion of the team idea, then,” Raimie continued with a grimace. “The entirety of the saboteur team will join in the attack.
“A large deterrent to us capturing the Birthing Grounds will be the Kiraak. Those unfortunate souls will be helpless to disobey their orders to defend the place. Until we disrupt that command by cutting their ties with their Enforcer, they’ll stop at nothing to resist us, but once Adrinosk is out of the picture, they’ll be dazed, similar to the walking corpses we saw after Teron’s death. So, our most urgent task will be to pacify the Kiraak. To that end, half of the saboteur team will locate the Enforcer and neutralize him. Leading that half will be-”
“Me!”
Having burst through the door, Ryvolim elaborately bowed with a hand fluttering to the side.
“Applause, hurrahs, and cheers.”
A beat of disapproving silence trailed the man’s entrance, but when appropriate, I cleared my throat.
“And who are you?” I asked.
“Ryvolim. Pleased to meet you,” the man said, bobbing into a bow again.
Tsking, I said, “I know that. I’m asking why you, of all people, should take such a significant role in this proposed battle plan.”
“Oh!” Ryvolim said in an annoyingly chipper voice. “Raimie, do you want to answer that one?”
Collapsing into the chair he’d recently vacated, he kicked his foot against the floor, and Raimie made a face, which only had the boisterous man opposite him grinning wider.
“Rhy’s killed Enforcers in the past,” Raimie tightly said. “He should be able to do it again.”
“Really?” Tanwadur said with a scoff. “Where did you find someone who’s accomplished the impossible?”
Jerking to face the older man, Raimie snapped, “First of all, I’ve killed an Enforcer before, so obviously, the task isn’t impossible. And I didn’t find him. He found me, but must we discuss Ryvolim’s proficiencies? I trust him to do this task, and that should be enough for you.”
The kid was starting to lose his temper. Best to step in before anything unfortunate happened.
“What about the other half of the team?” I ask.
With his teeth still gritted, Raimie forced his eyes onto me.
“They’ll advance on the Birthing Grounds’ center, where Doldimar creates his Kiraak,” he said.
With his eyes shooting wide, Tanwadur practically squeaked, “You’d send your people into that hive of monsters?”
“Who will lead that unfortunate group of soldiers?” Kylorian asked on the heel of his father’s question.
Furrowing his brow, Raimie cocked his head.
“Isn’t the answer to that question obvious?” he said.
“Honestly? No,” Kylorian said.
And several other people around the table murmured their agreement.
“Oh, for the love of-”
Taking a deep breath, Raimie pinched his nose.
“Me. I’ll lead that half,” he said.
And I smiled. At this rate, the kid would get himself killed soon, which while supremely tragic, would further my goals. I hadn’t wanted Raimie’s death to happen so soon or, truthfully, at all, but I wouldn’t pass over such a serendipitous opportunity.
“You want to lead the charge again?” Aramar asked. “Put yourself in real and immediate danger again?”
Pulling away, Raimie said, “Well, yes. But-”
“Damnit, Raimie, why do you keep doing this?” Aramar growled, smacking the table. “You’re the only hope we have of defeating Doldimar, and you court death with your every choice.”
Bristling, Raimie opened his mouth to shout, but before that could happen, he slammed his eyes closed, taking another deep breath. When he opened them again, he held his father’s gaze.
“I can’t help it that I’m the only one with the skill set needed to accomplish my goals,” he oh-so-calmly said.
Thankfully, Kylorian cut in at that moment.
“Which are?” he asked.
And silently, I blessed the teenager.
Raimie rounded on Kylorian, ready to tear into him, but he must have seen something in the other boy to pacify him because tension quickly leaked out of his body.
“In this case, I want to return the Kiraak to their natural state,” he said.
“How?”
The question rang in the room, having burst from multiple lips.
“The process is simple enough,” Raimie said with a shrug. “It’s the opposite of what’s done to create them: draw Corruption from under their skin and dissipate it once it’s free. It takes time for those once afflicted to act human again, but conversion is feasible. At least, it was possible for the small group I’ve tested it on.”
“But… that implies an ability to control Corruption,” Tanwadur said. “Isn’t that associated with primeancers, more specifically those who use the dark power?”
“Daevetch,” Raimie said with a nod. “That’s why I must lead the second half of the team. I’d rather give the Kiraak their lives back than wipe them out.”
“Huh.”
Every eye turned to Kylorian, who was sitting with his arms crossed and consternation painted in broad strokes across his face.
“Does that mean the rumors are true, then?” he asked. “I thought they seemed kind of ridiculous, but… you’re saying you’re actually a primeancer.”
“Yes. I am.”
Standing tall, Raimie lifted his chin, as if expecting someone to attack him.
“And I mean to use my primeancy to give Auden’s resistance something they’ve been fighting to gain for centuries. Will that be a problem for you?”
After a moment, Kylorian relaxed, and although it took me a second, I realize that the teenager was… chuckling under his breath.
“Not at all,” he said. “And I like your plan, although I’d like to make a suggestion.”
Relief was practically blazing from Raimie, but somehow, he kept it out of his voice when he asked.
“What’s that?”
“Put me on the team with Ryvolim,” Kylorian said. “I’ve fought Enforcers before-”
Snorting, Tanwadur said, “More like run like a girl from them.”
This had both Kylorian and me tensing, but the younger man merely responded in an even tone.
“In the instance you’re referring to, I wasn’t about to risk my people in an impossible fight, and I didn’t think wasting my life was a fantastic idea either. Of course, we retreated from Betlisa once we could! At the time, you seemed fine with my decision. Why bring it up now?”
Shaking his head, Kylorian turned back to Raimie before his father could reply.
“At the very least, I have experience with fighting Kiraak. You say that you want to save them, but the crazy bastards won’t be obliging enough to lay down their arms while you heal them. You can’t do your job until the Enforcers are gone, and I can watch Ryvolim’s back while he dispatches those monsters.”
Shooting to his feet, Tanwadur shouted, “You will do no such thing! Let’s not get into you ignoring how this man—”
He jerked his arm up to point at Raimie.
“—claims magic similar to the Dark Lord. No. At this point, it seems I must remind you of a fundamental truth. Long ago, you agreed to the purpose I’ve given you, and to accomplish it, you must follow my orders. You aren’t to volunteer your services without my approval, especially not to him. You’re to do as you’re told, boy.”
He raised a hand as if to strike Kylorian, and I was dropped into a nightmare once more. The past superimposed over the present, and my father violently beat my younger brother for a perceived failure.
“Leave him alone!” I snapped.
When Tanwadur jerked his eyes to me, I realized that not only had the protest I’d meant to keep in my head been audible but I’d also risen to my feet. Eyes were boreing into me, and I bowed beneath the weight of them.
At least my actions had stopped Tanwadur from doing something he’d regret.
“Apologies,” I said, sinking into my chair.
But no one was paying me any mind now.
“You’re drunk, Dury,” Kylorian whispered with his posture ramrod straight. “I didn’t plan to say anything while we were here, but your behavior is getting out of hand. Sit down and stay quiet so you don’t further embarrass us.”
Tanwadur blanched, but instead of returning to his seat, he left the room in a daze. The door swung shut behind him, and the room’s occupants politely averted their gazes from Kylorian with their shoulders rising toward their ears.
“Thank you for your help, Eledis,” the teenager eventually said, “but I don’t need your protection.”
Immediately, I said, “Of course. I apologize for presuming.”
Not that I could blame myself for what I’d done. The past hadn’t come to haunt me in years. It seemed I’d gotten out of practice with ignoring it.
Nodding acceptance of my apology, Kylorian turned to Raimie.
“My offer stands,” he said. “Would you like my help?”
“Rhy?” Raimie said. “What do you think?”
Running his eyes over the teenager, Ryvolim said, “I don’t see what harm he could do. Welcome aboard, Ky!”
Smiling, the teenager dipped his head to Ryvolim.
“Thank you. I look forward to lending you my sword.”
And the issue of Kylorian was put to bed.
“I think that’s everything,” Raimie said before turning to Ryvolim. “Wait. Have I forgotten anything?”
“Not that I can think of,” the other man said, “But they might have questions for you. Find out, maybe?”
Which only made me frown. Such familiarity shouldn’t exist between two people who’d only known each other for a few days, and the way they’d acted around one another was reminiscent of a relationship I’d thought concluded. This man couldn’t be…
No! Rhylix had always been reserved, almost haughty, whereas this Ryvolim was energetic and down to earth. Their personalities couldn’t be more opposite.
On top of that, the difference in their appearances was startling. I knew the Esela could shape change, but not only had I been sure that Rhylix wouldn't have taken on a human form but such a shape change would require intense effort and force of will, or that was what I’d been told. No Eselan could hold it for more than a day straight.
And there were the testimonies. If I asked them, at least a dozen people would swear on what they considered sacred that they’d seen Rhylix’s corpse in Da’kul. My creeping suspicion had no basis in fact, no matter how uncannily similar Raimie and Ryvolim’s interactions might seem to that previous friendship.
Once more, I listened in on the conversation. Not many questions must have come up because the meeting seemed to be wrapping up.
“…anyone objects, I’ll put the plan into motion,” Raimie was saying.
At that, all eyes turned to me, and I snorted. Why did they rely on me to oppose the kid? It was irritating, especially because in this case, I rather liked Raimie’s scheme.
Now that we had a foothold in Auden, we’d want to destroy Doldimar’s military and economic infrastructure. Yes, preserving parts of it would also be a priority, but I couldn’t see our people using Kiraak at any point in the future.
Even if Raimie had been willing to use his magic to place ordinary people under his thumb, I would fiercely oppose it. We’d need the common man’s support in the coming months and years, and one surefire way to destroy that goodwill would be to use something as unnatural as Kiraak to accomplish our goals. Even with it discounted as rumor , Raimie already teetered on that line with his primeancy. There was no need to add more uncertainty to what surrounded him.
So, I asked, “When do we march?”
“We?” Raimie said with his face crinkling. “Eledis, you’ll stay in Tiro. Didn’t you hear me say that?”
…What?
“I can fight as well as you, grandson!” I snapped.
How dare he-?
“I know,” Raimie said with a nod, “but you’re much better at logistics and long-term plans. Look at the army you raised within Queen Kaedesa’s ranks while waiting for me to appear! I need you to coordinate with Tanwadur and Gistrick. I’m hoping the three of you will have several step-by-step plans for how to attack Auden’s capital, Elisk, when I return.”
Huh. The kid had improved on his ability to use his people in a way that maximized resources, and he’d made my omission from the coming battle seem like a compliment. How surprising.
Anyway, it wasn’t as if I’d wanted to participate in this battle. I’d fight when necessary, but I’d much rather leave that distasteful activity to soldiers who’d volunteered to die, seeing no need to risk my own life. I couldn’t, however, show any of the relief I was feeling in this moment.
“Fine,” I said with a grimace.
“Oswin, make sure any further messages from the Hand go to my grandfather,” Raimie said.
Making a face, Oswin said, “Sir…”
“I’ll read them too! When I get back,” Raimie said, rolling his eyes. “Happy?”
Oswin clamped down on a smile.
“Actually, sir, I meant to ask if I’m joining you on your fool quest this time,” he said.
“Oh,” Raimie said before wrinkling his brow. “Why wouldn’t you? Unless you have to be here to transfer reports, I wanted you with me. Is that ok?”
“It is, Your Majesty,” Oswin said with his lips curling.
Ugh. Middle always showed Raimie such disrespect. I should have come to expect it from the spymaster by now, but somehow, that man’s familiarity with Raimie aways found a way to surprise me at the most unexpected of times.
“Good. If so, that’s everything, people!” Raimie said. “We’ll move out as soon as preparations are complete.”
After smiling at everyone, he and Oswin swept out of the room with Kylorian and Ryvolim following them, which left Aramar and Marcuset alone with me. For quite a few awkward minutes, no one said anything, even if the useless one kept shooting significant glances at both me and Marcuset.
In a burst, he eventually asked, “Are you sure it’s a good idea to put Raimie in danger like this? Nylion only emerges when my son’s threatened, whether in actuality or to face a perceived threat.”
Oh, sure. Let’s openly discuss the one thing that the three of us knew we should never speak aloud. That seemed like a great idea.
Now that the Aramar had broached the subject, though, it seemed like Marcuset meant to continue with it, and I forced myself not to sigh or slap my face in frustration.
“And none of us will be around Raimie to contain him if that violent, little bugger comes out,” my friend said, almost affectionately. “Nylion always liked me best, so I can probably minimize any destruction he might unleash if he comes out while we’re marching, but during the battle, I won’t be close enough to help.”
Fine. If we were going to talk about this, then I supposed we should talk about it. Or at the least, it looked like I’d have to reassure these two that nothing was wrong yet again.
Shaking my head, I said, “We don’t have cause for concern yet. Some parts of the spell must be clinging to Raimie, otherwise, he’d have murdered us in our sleep by now. If at some point Nylion approaches one of us, we should restrict Raimie’s activities, but in the meantime, let’s take advantage of his unique abilities, yes?”
Because said unique abilities were currently the only thing granting us any measure of success in this hostile kingdom, much as I despised admitting to that.
Still, both Aramar and Marcuset looked unsure, and while I’d gotten used to that from the useless one, seeing it on my friend was disconcerting.
“You disagree?” I said.
“No, only…”
Sitting back in his chair, Marcuset sighed.
“Raimie’s a good kid, better than most who’ve come from your family line, and he’ll make a magnificent king someday. I know that idea makes you unhappy, Eledis, because you want the throne for yourself, but for once, you need to think about Auden’s people, not what you desire, my friend.
“If he’s allowed the chance, Raimie has the potential to become one of the greatest rulers Auden’s ever seen, but if the spell ever frees Nylion… it’s safe to say that unpredictability isn’t a desired quality in a leader. Forgive me if I’m wary of that chance.”
Marcuset’s confidence in the kid only hurt a little. My friend had always let passion rule his life, and since Raimie had displayed characteristics that Marcuset associated with nobility, he’d latched onto the kid as the next king. He didn’t understand that sometimes, nobility wasn’t enough when running a kingdom, and he probably never would. Still, his naivety was manageable, so long as I was around to remind him of what real life was like, and that situation was unlikely to change anytime soon.
For now, my friend needed reassurance that the Nylion situation was under control.
“I understand where you’re coming from, but I promise you that there’s no cause for concern yet,” I said, “and if there ever is one, we’ll deal with it. Together.”
“Just try to remember that Raimie’s family, Eledis,” Aramar said on those words’ heels.
Ever had he been eager to remind me of that sometimes annoying as hell fact.
“I will.”
Not that this fact would change what we’d eventually need to do, but I’d never say that to the boy’s Alouin damned father.
“Now, we have busy days ahead of us, yes?” I said, eager to move on from what should have been a taboo subject. “Shall we tackle them?”
----------------------------------------
A week passed in a blur of activity. As the residents of Tiro and Da’kul prepared for their new siege machines’ transport, a flurry of messages flew between the bases. Two days ago, Marcuset had led the army out of Tiro to meet the parade of trebuchets and catapults rolling out of the fort.
Conversely, Raimie and his saboteur team would be departing for the Birthing Grounds in the next several hours, meaning to arrive there before the bombardment began. I should probably see them off, but considering what Raimie had left me to struggle with, I couldn’t be bothered to do that.
The kid had given me a unique challenge. He wanted Elisk captured in the next six months, a time long before Tiro’s limited resources would fail and we’d be forced into raiding towns for food.
This unnecessary rush had a sneer pulling at my mouth. With it, Raimie showed such weakness!
The people in the villages he wanted to spare were the subjects of the Audish king. Their food technically belonged to whoever had a legitimate claim to the throne, but Raimie insisted that we should let these peasants keep something that wasn’t theirs.
No matter. I could figure out a way of ending this war in half a year. Ignore the enemy’s overwhelming numbers. Ignore Elisk’s impregnability when defenders were manning its wall. Once again, the old man would fix these problems by himself.
A knock interrupted my thought, and I nearly flung the piece of parchment I’d been reading at it.
“WHAT?” I shouted.
At the invitation, a messenger hesitantly stepped inside.
“I have a report for you, sir,” the man said. “It’s from Thumb. He’s-”
Alouin damnit, I knew who Thumb was, and that certainly wasn’t because a certain imbecilic kid had decided to introduce us.
“Give it here,” I said.
Impatiently snatching the proffered document from the messenger, I scanned it with my mouth going dry.
“Shit!” I whispered once I was done.
“What is it, sir?” the messenger said.
At that, I jerked my head up, narrowing my eyes at the man. What was he still doing here?
But in the end, his presence wasn’t truly important, besides the fact that he might help me now.
“I need to speak with Raimie. Right now,” I said. “Where is he?”
Cocking his head, the messenger said, “On his way to the Birthing Grounds, sir. He left a while ago. Is there a problem?”
I had no obligation to answer this man’s question. He was just a messenger, but despite how much I’d rather keep this information to myself, panic forced the words out of me.
“Oh, it’s nothing too serious,” I said. “I’ve received news that a fleet of warships has weighed anchor at a nearby port. They’re offloading troops, and Thumb believes their destination may be Tiro.”
Sucking in a gasp, the messenger breathed, “Fuck…”
“Indeed,” I said with a nod. “If this is true, we’re screwed.”