Page 68 of Oath of War
He nodded his agreement. ‘That’s a good idea. Were you planning the war just then? I remember that expression from when we were kids. That unfocused thousand-yard stare, as if you were weaving the fates in your head.’
‘Yes,’ I answered distractedly, ‘and if the Lich King still can’t leave Katrass, we should set up camp right on the other side of the bord—’
He raised a hand, stopping me. ‘You’ll have to find a way through the mountains first,’ Rey said. ‘Anyway, we have the war council to attend, remember? You can discuss it there with our allies.’
He continued as we made our way to the stables, ‘Invading the Barren Lands is a sound idea. I’m assuming you want to avoid civilian casualties? Still, only the archers would be agile enough to cross the mountain using existing footpaths. Everyone else would have to go the long way around, and that will take time.’
‘If we can enlist the mages’ support, we can widen the mountain passes to go straight through to the Barren Lands,’ I said. ‘A few elemental mages can widen it enough for the small row of cavalry to pass. I can ask Annika to help. If she has her three Anchors present, she shouldn’t have trouble ...’ I stopped, realising one of those Anchors was gone.
Reynard nodded, and I took the reins of my horse before it bit off the stable boy’s hand.
‘My king ... a message.’ A soldier ran towards us with an outstretched hand, fighting for breath while holding a missive in his hand.
My stallion snorted, likely sensing my disquiet. The parchment was splattered with blood. Even if it had dried, the pattern of the rust-coloured spots was unmistakable.
Reynard took it from the messenger, ripping away the seal impatiently. His lips tightened, and I saw his hand shake slightly as he read the letter before passing it to me.
He stood there silently while I read. I could barely believe the words on the page. Zalesie had been attacked.That doesn’t make sense. It was a small town of no strategic value.But it’s Annika’s town ...
Rey clenched his jaw, and I knew what he was going to ask.
‘I’ll fly there after the meeting, Reynard. I’ll have my soldiers and dragons hold the border as long as we can, but you’ll need to send your men as soon as possible.’
‘I will,’ he said. ‘Take Annika with you. Maybe it will help settle things between you.’
I nodded as we urged our mounts forward. The silence, disturbed only by the snorting of our horses, hung heavy between us. We could have planned and strategised, but we both knew the truth.
The Lich King’s army was on the move. We were out of time.
Two hours later, I stood in the palace’s war room, wondering if Annika had shown up. The room was large, yet with so many people crammed in there, I doubted it’d be possible to have a productive meeting.
A carved oak table with a large map dominated the space, its surface not just showing Dagome but all of the Lowland Kingdoms. Reynard sat at the head of the table, dressed in black leather armour, Talena seated next to him on what looked like a throne with a permanent scowl on her face.
On Reynard’s other side sat the representative of the light fae court, Prince Iasno’ta. He needed no introduction as his long, golden hair and eyes—as blue as a cloudless sky—revealed his origins. And next to the prince was Iron Hammer, or Mlot, as his kin called him, king of the dwarves, whose prominent nose was the main feature on all dwarven coins.
‘Let’s get started,’ Reynard said.
We were already late, and as much as I wanted to wait for Annika, we couldn’t postpone the meeting any longer.
As if called by my thoughts, Ani walked in dressed in an outfit I knew all too well. Her practical, mossy-green velvet battle mage robe accentuated her feminine figure. My eyes were drawn to the slits that ran up to her hips to allow for freedom of movement and easy access to her daggers, but my attention soon focused on the tight breeches that fit her like a second skin.
A cough that sounded suspiciously like a laugh escaped my brother’s lips, and I looked away from her thighs. I studied the rest of her uniform, convincing myself I was simply assessing the outfit’s usefulness.
The silver embroidery on her collar guaranteed protection against bites from the undead, while the same pattern on her sleeves offered better protection than any leather vambraces. Annika had told me it was a practical outfit that had been improved over the ages and made conduit mages almost indistinguishable from other battle mages. The only difference was the small conduit pin on the corner of the collar. As she’d braided her hair into a peasant crown, the pin was exposed, reflecting soft rays of autumn light.
‘Conduit mage Annika Diavellar,’ a guard announced, and everybody in the room turned their attention to her.
‘Better late than never. Is this the behaviour we can expect now that you are the Dark Mother’s chosen?’ Talena didn’t bother hiding her distaste, and I felt myself bristle.
The dark fae empress seemed oblivious to the redness that rimmed Annika’s eyes, but I could see it clearly, as well as her slightly swollen face and the tension in her shoulders. My Nivale looked miserable, but she had raised her mental wards, and I wasn’t privy to her feelings.
‘You can take your attitude and shove—’ she started before taking a deep breath and composing herself. ‘My apologies, everyone. Important family matters delayed my attendance.’
I watched as Valaram suddenly moved and approached Annika, bowing as he took her hand. I couldn’t fault the courtesy, even as I wanted to roar in anger.
‘My lady, please join me,’ he said. She gave him a surprised look, but after the slightest pause, let him lead her to a seat occupied by another fae. After one look from Valaram, the terrified male promptly leapt up and left the room.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her. The tension in the air made everyone unsettled, but just as I was about to get up, throw her over my shoulder, and leave, Annika’s gaze met mine and she shook her head.
