Another nod.“They are gone now.In the dirt with Eyros.Worms eat them both.”
Weryn had this wild desire to shriek his dismay at Eyros’ demise.But why?Hadn’t he always despised the man?Well, perhaps not.But he had tried to take over his mind so dying in a field at Kaly’s hand wasexactlywhat he deserved.
Wasn’t it?
So why did it feel like he couldn’t breathe when he thought of Eyros gone?Of Wyvern missing?Of Mirryr’s shattering?Of Seeyr’s capture?
I want them back, he realized.I want them all back.I want this to end.Oh, Ashyr, what has happened to all of us?
“And Elgar just told you this?”Weryn forced the questioning to continue.
“Yes, it was when Elgar still thought we were friends,” Legion explained.“He thought that I could take this jewel and use it some time.He could not leave his Master’s side.”
Elgar the Whisperer.That’s what he had been called.He had been capable of making entire armies set down their weapons and weep.He had been helping Eyros try to calm everyone, even him, but that had not worked.Nothing had worked.
And what did Legion say of him?The worms have him and Eyros both… I am alone.
He shook himself.“It must have been when we werestillallies.Elgar would have ripped through your mind like wet paper, Legion!”
Legion cringed.“I’m not–not sure of the timing, Master!I–”
“Youknowthe exact timing of when you obtained this, Legion!You didn’t tell me about this, because you wanted to be the hero!”Weryn hissed as he stuffed the gem under Legion’s snout.A trickle of shame coursed through them as they continued to back away from him.This hugethingcowering to him.“I could have used thisbefore!I could have set up a trap for them, but now this is likely one forus!”
His voice echoed under the trees.Birds burst out from under the trees because of his loud voice.He could end Legion now.Heshould.The fool had kept this from him.This incredibly important piece of intel that if he’d had before he could have ended this whole goddamned war.
Possibly.
Maybe.
But no.
There was more than one Kaly.
His anger though still seethed and coiled in on itself like a serpent.But Legion must have seen that there was some lessening of it, because they move towards him, almost as if tonuzzlehim.He drew back and they stopped moving.
“It is still our trap, Master!Kaly does not know we are coming!”Legion argued.
“I thought this was a fool’s errand!”Weryn growled.“Why do you think I came here with justyou?”
Legion’s silver eyes slowly blinked again.“Because I–I am the Childe of your Heart, Master.You wished for us to spend time together.Alone.To do this great thing just the two of us.”
Weryn nearly laughed out loud at that.It would have been so cruel.Even in the state he was in now managed to pull it back.That hopeful, horrid look on Legion’s hideous face continued on even in light of his silence.
“We can do this, Master.We can take down this very important Kaly slice together,” Legion urged and gestured for him to go down the steps.
“Why is this avery importantKaly slice?”Weryn asked, eyes narrowing again.
“From what I have observed, not all of them are capable of strategizing as well as they were when they were one soul.But this one is.I believe if we take this one down that it will have an almost domino-effect on the others,” Legion said with disturbing glee.
But why was it disturbing?The thought of going after Kaly–even an unimportant slice–was cause for rejoicing.In a way, Weryn was thrilled that Kaly had sliced their soul into countless pieces, because his grief and rage over Ashyr’s loss could never be quelled at killingoneKaly.No, he needed to kill them again and again.And this way, he could use one of them to revive Ashyr and kill the others to stem his rage.
“Won’t Kaly sense us coming?”Ryder asked.“Using their own tunnel and all?”
But Legion shook their head.“Daemon’s presence obscures us.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“I am not.Kaly was,” Legion answered with a shrug. “That is why we are entering the city this way rather than over the wall or through one of the gates.Daemon’s presence is more concentrated here.”
