Page 11 of Silver & Smoke
Wren chewed the inside of her cheek to keep from stabbing the smug bastard with her poisoned hairpin. Instead, she cupped Darian’s face with her palm. ‘Your faith means the world to me, my love.’
The words tasted sickly sweet on her tongue, but Wren saw the nobility fawn at the intimate gesture. And so she leaned into Darian, resting her head on his shoulder affectionately for a moment before gazing up at him with what she hoped looked like admiration.
‘Tell me, if Lord Briar is generous enough to offer his support, what then?’ She kept her tone light and bland.A role, she told herself.This is a role you must play.
‘My father’s own bannermen are a force of three hundred strong, and if Lord Briar obliges us, we will journey to Lord Pendelton next to request his assistance as well,’ Darian replied with a patronizing note. ‘It will then be a matter of rallying the royal armies of Aveum, Tver, Harenth and Naarva to our cause and forming a battle plan. Tyranny threatens us all, and a usurper of one kingdom is a usurper of all.’
Wren took a sip of wine as sounds of agreement echoed downthe table. ‘I trust the issues with the supply lines have been remedied?’ she asked. ‘I’d hate for any of our brave fighters to be left without...’
‘Nothing to worry about, Your Highness,’ Lord Briar replied with another condescending smile. ‘A sizable force was sighted several leagues from Drevenor, not all too far from here. But they changed course, splitting into smaller groups and moving on. No challenge has been issued and our supply lines remain intact. The threat is no longer cause for concern.’
Wren caught Kipp’s eye. The strategist was thoughtfully tracing the rim of his goblet with a finger. ‘My intelligence suggests that Silas is avoiding direct conflict for now,’ he said. ‘That he’s rallying and conserving his strength for a more focused attack, be that on Delmira’s heartlands or somewhere else. But we cannot dismiss threats so easily. Whether he knows it yet or not, the silvertide roses are the key to either stopping or amplifying his shadow magic. We can’t afford to underestimate his movements.’
‘My scouts have everything in hand,’ Lucian interjected testily. ‘Princess Elwren, you and your advisers shouldn’t worry yourselves about these things.’
Gentle fingers trailed down her cheek, causing her to start. Warm breath tickled the shell of her ear. ‘My father is an expert in these matters,’ Darian said. ‘Allow him the honour of aiding your cause.’
Her skin crawling at his touch, Wren caught his hand and placed it on the table, covering it with hers, but managing to dig her nails into his skin. ‘Of course,’ she said placidly. But beneath her words, there was nothing placid about her.
Her lightning promised to lay siege to their corruption, as had her poison before.
CHAPTER 5
Torj
‘Throughout the midrealms, it is a sign of respect to raise three fingers to one’s left shoulder in the presence of a Warsword’
– The Warsword’s Way
‘SHIT,’CAL SAIDbluntly as he arrived at Torj and Wilder’s sorry excuse for a camp between villages. ‘I didn’t realize things werethisbad.’
‘I thought you were sharper than that, Whitlock.’ Torj raised a brow and peered behind his former protégé, clapping eyes on Prince Zavier Terling.
‘He’s not half as sharp as he looks,’ Zavier quipped as he dismounted from his horse.
‘Clearly, if he broke you out of confinement against orders,’ Wilder mused, though he didn’t sound fazed.
‘What the fuck, Cal?’ Torj rounded on him. ‘He was in official Thezmarrian custody. You’ve broken a dozen rules by springing him free.’
Cal scoffed. ‘For your information, it wasAudra’ssuggestion. She thought it was only a matter of time before someone tried toremoveZavier from the equation, given his affiliation with Silas.’
Torj sighed and added another log to the fire. ‘Then you may aswell sit down and tell us what you know about him. We need everything, Zavier. Anything that might give us an edge, help predict his plays, weaken him... Why does he want Wren’s crown? Is it just the land he’s after?’
‘No,’ Zavier told them, warming his hands over the fire. ‘Silas blames the Embervale family for what happened to our own. Our mothers were close, but when Queen Brigh Embervale received intelligence about the darkness that was rising prior to the shadow war, she diverted resources to protect only Delmira’s lands, deliberately abandoning Naarva despite her friendship with our mother. Despite the oath of mutual protection they’d shared.’
‘Is it true?’ Torj asked. ‘Did Wren’s family betray them?’
‘I don’t know, and I’m not even sure it matters. But it’s what Silas believes,’ Zavier replied, heavy grief lacing his words.
‘So, it’s revenge...’ Wilder said quietly.
‘It started that way, yes,’ Zavier said. ‘Which was why I stupidly thought that if there was a way to bring our mother back, it would stop him going down this path. That he could be redeemed.’
‘And now?’
Zavier’s shoulders caved inwards. ‘Now... now there’s no saving him. He was the true alchemist of us Terling brothers. And I’ve watched him turn something he loved into the most corrupted version of itself.’
‘Wren says he’s using shadow magic. Is that true?’ Cal asked.
