Page 139 of Requiem of Silence

Tai and Ani walked at the head of a group of twelve Raunians, a truck piled high with selakki oil–doused blankets trailing them. They had developed this strategy during the last fight—split all the Raunians into units assigned to quadrants around the city. Each unit was further split into an offensive team armed with cudgels to fend off the wraiths, and a defensive team, watching their backs and covering the downed bodies with blankets or oil so the spirits could not retake them.

While the wraiths had a speed advantage, their superior strengthwas nullified when fighting a Raunian. Tai slapped his club against his palm, remaining vigilant. Ani marched beside him, swinging her club and whistling a sea shanty. She’d donned a prosthetic that looked like a claw and used both to disable the wraiths while her crewmember, Ena, followed with the blanket. Flanking them were their respective second mates, Mik and Leo.

With a screech, a wraith darted from an alley. Tai kicked a leg out, tripping the man, then thwacked him with the club. Mik and Leo were taking on three more and soon had them down. The wraiths were quickly dragged together and a blanket thrown over them.

It was slow work, moving across the city, section by section, taking on those who attacked them. Rosira was a city of hills, unlike flat Raun, and Tai’s unit was mostly quiet as they climbed and descended going from block to block. Everyone was focused and watchful, some more eager for the fight than others.

Ani cackled with glee when two wraiths raced toward her. Tai groaned, moving to her side so that she wouldn’t be outmatched. They took them down handily. Each Raunian also carried a container of oil on them—there were only so many blankets, after all. Since the defensive team was all busy, Tai poured oil over the downed wraiths and kept moving.

A commotion behind him had him turning, club raised. A small figure with a crown of white hair moved toward them swiftly. Tai nudged his sister who spun around to see.

“What is she doing here?” Ani hissed.

“Did you expect her to sit this one out?”

Ani huffed in annoyance as their mother approached. Only two of the king’s guard were with Pia, the rest must be with other units working to protect the city.

Pia held a staff that was taller than her. She wielded it with the expert hands of someone advanced in the martial art of daipuna, twirling it menacingly as she stalked forward.

“We don’t need your help,” Ani called out over her shoulder as she searched the dark shadows between buildings for wraiths.

“I’m the king, I can do what I want,” Pia spat. “I see you’re speaking to me now?”

Ani crossed her arms defiantly. They turned a corner to find a dozen wraiths spread out across the street tearing up cobblestones and pulling out chunks of stucco from a nearby house. All three members of the Summerhawk family raced forward to deal with this scourge.

Clubs and staff flying, they delivered beatings to the creatures. Tai felt some remorse about the bones he was breaking, knowing that they would be felt by the innocent if and when they woke up. But there would be no waking if they couldn’t get a handle on the stream of spirits.

Across the street, a group of Lagrimari emerged from what looked like a basement. Leaving his mother and sister to deal with the few remaining wraiths, he approached. The two women and one man were shouting excitedly in their language, but Tai couldn’t understand. He shook his head, pointing to his ear.

The man held out his hand, palm up and a flicker of flame appeared over it. Tai’s brows rose.

“You have your Song?”

The women chattered excitedly as a strong breeze rose and blew out the flame. They were all smiling joyously. Tai motioned for them to come and join the unit. They had come across a few Elsirans who hadn’t made it to shelters. If they found some more, it looked like these folks could help protect them from being possessed.

“We’re out of blankets,” someone shouted from the truck.

Pia and Ani returned to his side. “Who are they?” his mother asked.

“They’ve got their Songs back, looks like.”

She grinned and turned to one of her guards. “Get them on the truck. Any new wraiths we defeat should be loaded up and the Singers can keep them down.” The man ran off to follow her orders.

“Will that work? Singers aren’t immune from wraith strength like we are,” Tai said.

“No, but your young friend back at the palace said they can put people to sleep and keep them like that. We just need the wraiths disabled.”

Tai nodded. That must have been Darvyn. He had many tricks up his sleeve, Tai just hoped these Singers could manage it.

As they continued their patrol, more Lagrimari joined them, emerging from their hiding places and looking for ways to help.

“Why are you out here, Mother? This isn’t your fight.” Tai looked to his mother’s tattooed face. Her dark eyes glittered with the thrill of battle.

“And it’s yours?”

“Ani and I are both to marry Elsirans.”

“Ah, you and the ambassador are getting married, are you? And no one thought to mention that to me.” Her voice was imperious even as she spun the staff and smashed it onto the head of the wraith racing toward her.

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