Page 6 of Oath of War
For the first time in days, I almost smiled. His teasing was a welcome reprieve from the grim monotone he’d adopted recently.
Pushing open the war room’s heavy doors, I entered with a scowl.
‘Reynard!’ I barked.
Heads turned in my direction, and I cursed. I’d wanted to speak with my brother alone, but it appeared I’d just interrupted a meeting with his allies.
‘Would you join us, Ormond?’ Reynard asked, his tone measured. ‘It might ease your mind to hear the plans we’ve set in motion.’
I inclined my head to the gathered nobles. ‘My lords, my lady.’ Then, turning towards my brother, I continued, ‘Your plans need to be accelerated. I’ve hired the Dark Brotherhood and some mercenaries. I’m going to attack tomorrow and, as I’ve just promised Vahin, burn that shithole to the ground.’ I flicked animaginary speck of dust from my sleeve, earning an approving rumble from my dragon.
The room erupted in outrage.
‘You—you can’t!’ sputtered one of the nobles. ‘You’re a dragon rider! You swore to serve—’
I cut him off with a sharp glare. ‘I swore to protect this kingdom. If that means protecting it from the king, so be it.’
The room fell silent, their indignation shifting to unease.
‘I see the looks in your eyes. If you think I’m just some wild beast, think again. Lady Annika is the only mage capable of fighting the spectrae, the only one who can save your sorry arses when the vampire ghosts swarm this city, and she’s now in the hands of a madman. My oath to the king died the moment they took her—but I would never betray my country.’
The gathered nobles avoided my gaze, their expressions a mix of fear and disdain. To them, I was still the younger son—the volatile, rage-filled wild card, tainted from birth and destined to be consumed by the magic in my soul. It was Reynard, the calm and steady heir, who had inherited the duchy of Borovio and the title of Lord Marshal. Yet there I was, overriding their carefully laid plans.
‘Reynard, you should muzzle your brother before he destroys everything,’ an older man in an opulent kaftan said, the golden embroidery gleaming in the lamplight. The insignia of the Tarvati family confirmed his identity—the duke himself, unless he’d sent an equally vain emissary.
‘Yes, Ormond, bite your tongue,’ my brother said with a smirk. The bastard looked far too satisfied, as though my outburst against his circle of rebels had somehow played into his hands. Perhaps it had. Judging by the tense silence in the room, they’d been giving him grief until now.
‘Oh, I’m calm, Duke. The fact that I’m here, that the palace still stands, is a testament to how calm I am. But have you consideredwhat might happen if the man you wish to depose uses Lady Annika as a weapon?’
The blood drained from everyone’s faces, the consequences of the possibility dawning on them. Mutters rippled through the group until I raised my voice again, cutting through their disquiet like a blade.
‘Need I remind you that she’s destroyed a swarm of spectrae, frozen half a forest in midsummer, and single-handedly brought down an olgoi worm?1 Do youreallywant her in the hands of our enemy?’
The room fell into a grim silence as they absorbed the implications. Reynard chose that moment to slam his hands on the table, startling everyone.
‘As my brother has already decided to take action, we should support him,’ he said, his voice steady and commanding. ‘We have waited long enough. Each of you will contribute whatever household soldiers you have stationed in the capital. Tomorrow, I will request an audience with the king. That will give us the opportunity to bring your men into the palace as escorts. Once inside, some can slip away and locate strategic positions around the throne room, allowing us to take control of the court with minimal losses. Once the king is detained, it will be far easier to secure the rest of the city.’
It was a sound strategy, but I couldn’t bring myself to trust the nobles. Unfortunately, undermining Reynard’s authority on this would do more harm than good, so I kept silent.
‘Thank you, brother. My lords, lady. I am grateful for your willingness to comply,’ I said, carefully keeping any trace of sarcasm out of my voice, before moving to the corner and pouring myself a glass of wine.
I would have killed for the honey cider brewed by Ian at Varta Fortress. This wine was sweet enough but lacked the cinnamon and honey undertones I’d kissed off Annika’s lips so many times.
They debated for a few more hours, but eventually, Reynard wrapped up the meeting and sent his rebels on their way. After the room had emptied, he joined me at the table, looking more exhausted than I’d ever seen him.
‘I need your help as well, Ormond,’ he said, leaning back in his chair. ‘I need you to speak with the other commanders. Roan and Seren Fortresses will likely join us, but I’ve had no response from Lonra’s commander. I don’t want their dragons coming to Truso in a misguided attempt to defend the king.’
I nodded. I knew Lonra’s commander well—a paranoid old bastard prone to believing conspiracy theories. Reynard’s talk of rebellion had likely sent him into a frenzy. Still, he was a fellow soldier, and I had ways to make him see reason.
‘He won’t join us, but I can convince him to stay out of it. The dragons may come, but they won’t attack the city,’ I assured him.
My brother sighed, the lines of tension in his face deepening. ‘That’s a small mercy, at least. What do you think, Orm? Do we have a chance?’
I hesitated, suddenly noticing how much he’d aged under the load of his responsibilities. Though only two years my senior, he could easily have passed as my twin. His bear-like physique mirrored mine, but while my hair was shoulder-length and often tied up, his was short and perpetually dishevelled from running his hands through it—a gesture of impatience and occasional anger.
‘We do,’ I said firmly. ‘Or I should say, we will—if you give yourself time to rest. What you’ve managed is nothing short of a miracle. You’ve taken this herd of hissing cats and gotten them to work together. It’s impressive, but you look tired, Rey. I only wish we had more time to prepare for a war. After tomorrow, I’m sure the Lich King will move his army of monsters.’
Reynard nodded, his expression grim. ‘I know. Thank you for forcing their hand, even if that wasn’t your reason for doing so.I don’t want Dagome to rot from within like Ozar until all that’s left is the Barren Lands. But they were so reluctant to move.’
