Page 80 of Oath of Betrayal
‘Latawce?’ Katja and I spoke in unison, and the man looked at me like he hadn’t realised anyone else was there.
‘Yes, Lady Mage. A flock of latawce have descended on the town, enraging people with their maddening song.’
‘Get the commander and Master Alaric. Tell them to meet me in the town square. Katja, prepare more of your sleeping droughts. We may need to put people to sleep if they become violent,’ I ordered, cursing the current predicament. My weapons were in the castle, and between me and the building was an entire town laid siege by an unknown number of wind demons.
‘My lady, the commander and Master Alaric have already left the fortress. A group of biesy attacked Vodianka …’
I exhaled slowly, trepidation tightening my muscles. Attacking the fortress while the majority of our soldiers were out dealing with another issue felt like too big a coincidence, and I knew only one person who could coordinate monsters on such a scale.
The Lich King was making a move, and the handful of soldiers posted around Varta and I were all the defence this place had left.
‘Vahin?’ I tried in my mind. I could still feel his Anchor, but not his thoughts. My magic should be temporarily safe, but we were too far away from each other to communicate and I wasn’t able to speak with other dragons. Between the groups on patrols and the forces Orm likely took with him, I doubted there would be any dragons resting in the caves anyway.
‘How many soldiers and dragon riders do we have left?’
‘I don’t know, my lady. I’m new. You’d have to ask an officer,’ the soldier stuttered under my glare.
‘Take this,’ Bryna said, passing him a short sword—maybe not the sharpest, but still a weapon—and grabbing one of her heavy hammers. ‘Ani, what do you want us to do?’ I looked at my friends. I could see the expectation in their eyes. They saw me as a leader, but this wasn’t Zalesie and I had no authority here. Would the soldiers even listen to me? Still, it was my home now—our home—and Zalesie’s infamous trio always protected what was theirs.
From their grins, I knew what my friends were thinking, and my own grin slipped out as I stood up.
‘Bryna, gather the remaining men and tell them I’m acting on the authority of Ormond. Lie, bully, or beat them into doing as they’re told if you must, but bring them to the town. Katja, rally the healers. If the latawce are in town, we will have many on thebrink of madness, harming themselves and others as long as the song lasts.’
‘What are you going to do, Ani?’ Katja asked, worry clearly etched in her eyes.
She’s worried I’ll lose control again.
It was a bitter thought, but I didn’t blame my friend. I wasn’t the most stable of mages, and I hoped Vahin was still close enough for our bond to keep me grounded. I had little choice unless I wanted to sacrifice the town while Orm and Alaric were away, but I felt the threads of the bond, and I hoped that would be enough.
‘I will take the wind out from under their wings,’ I said with a vicious smile, knowing exactly what I needed to do.
Latawce were wind demons. They floated on currents, their physical bodies like giant birds with sharp claws and colourful feathers, though they could never be mistaken for birds. They had human heads with faces so beautiful they left people mesmerised, and there was no sneaking up on the demons.
Like owls, they could turn their heads in any direction to capture their victim’s gaze before they started their unearthly song. Once that alluring melody began, people fell to the floor, clawing at their own bodies, ripping away flesh to offer as tribute to their tormentors. Even worse was when they shifted shape, becoming the victim’s most beloved, only to lure them to their deaths.
We left the forge, each of us heading to complete our tasks. I walked the steep path to the outskirts of the town, attempting to spot the demons and learn how many we would face. I heard the song as I approached and shuddered at its maddening beauty.
The soft melody rose and fell on a gust of mountain wind, caressing the mind, luring victims in, tempting you to let go of earthly constraints, then strip the flesh from your bones and throw it into the wind to finally be free.
Latawce didn’t need their claws to feed—their victims did the work for them. I saw people running, senselessly tearing at their ears, but I didn’t pause until I reached the town square. It wasn’t big, but it didn’t need to be.
One side led to the landing field, which in turn was connected to the high castle’s courtyard. Shops, townhouses, the tavern, and the small but popular brothel stood next to the underutilised town hall. A little further on was the boarding house for indentured females, for those who didn’t wish to live in the fortress—a place undisturbed by men. The latawce were there, flying around or perched on the rooftops, flocking, until another victim gave in to the melody and tossed a bloody scrap of flesh into the air.
When I entered the town square, every single demon turned in my direction, knowing smiles lighting their beautiful faces, and the song of the damned was blasted full force in my direction. The melody, however, had changed. It was no longer a wordless tune now, but filled with a tempting call to forget the problems of the world and leave, to leave and go to the Barren Lands. I was trained to detach my mind from worldly distractions as I concentrated on my spells, so their calls washed over me without gaining a foothold.
When it was clear their compulsion was having little effect, the song changed once more, promising to reunite me with Tal and Arno if only I would listen and gonow.
This time, I did react, my concentration cracking, and an angry sob that held my outrage at them desecrating my lover’s memories escaped my lips.
As I fought the compulsion, the biggest of the latawce flew down, transforming in midair. The man had a handsome, timeless face; dark hair slightly dusted with white on the temples; and grey eyes as tempestuous as a stormy sea.
‘Lady Annika, thank you for coming to greet my servants. It is truly a pleasure to finally meet you.’ With a tilt of his head, the demon studied my unwelcoming posture. ‘What lies were you told about me that you look upon me with such anger? I am not your enemy, Lady Mage. In fact, I would like to make you an offer. Join me, and you will never have to worry about losing control.’
Seeing my features darken in anger, the latawiec’s smile widened. ‘Of course, that is not all I offer. I could reunite you with your lost lovers: your paladin mage and your fae healer. I can feel their restless spirits behind the Veil. They are waiting for their conduit to call them back, and I can return them to you. Unfortunately, I cannot do it alone. I would need you beside me, need your power to rip open the Veil for them to rejoin you.’
The demon’s lips didn’t move as he spoke, and as he reached out to me, I came so close to taking his hand …
‘Edoúru ta ere!’1
