Seven thousand lost. Seventhousand.When the allies didn’t have two thousand to spare.
Farel’s four hundred bloodsworndahl’reisenhad just become even more valuable to Rain than before. To him and the Fey.
He shared a troubled gaze with Ellysetta. He wasn’t sure how well her quintet would take the news about thedahl’reisen lu’tan—especially Gil and Tajik. He didn’t even want to think about the reaction of the other Fey. The ones who’d broken with Tenn and the Massan to support him might well reconsider their decision when they found out what he’d done.
«You know we have to tell them about Farel and his men,»Ellysetta said on a private weave.
«I know, and we will,»Rain replied. Just as soon as he could muster the courage to do so.
The conversation was not going to be a pleasant one.
“You letdahl’reisenbloodswear themselves to yourshei’tani?Have you lost your mind?”
Rain and Ellysetta both winced at Eimar v’En Arran’s outrage. He was taking the news much worse than Ellysetta’s quintet had done earlier.
Once thelu’tangot past their initial shock, they had appreciated the benefit of ensuring that thedahl’reisenwould not harm Ellysetta and could not fall farther into Shadow. Just to be sure, however, Rain had sent Gaelen and the rest of Ellysetta’s primary quintet on ahead, to meet with Farel and determine if thelute’ashievabonds would indeed hold strong against the temptation of a restored soul.
“Thedahl’reisensaved our lives,” Ellysetta told Eimar. “Many of them sacrificed themselves so Rain and I could escape the Eld. They aren’t the honorlessrultshartsyou believe them to be.”
“They walk the Shadowed Path!” Eimar exclaimed. “They chose it!”
“They didn’t choose it!” Ellysetta retorted. “At least not the way you mean. They simply chose not to die. They suffered so much in defense of the Fading Lands, they lost the ability to feel anything but pain and anguish. And even then, they chose to stay alive, to suffer unimaginable torment so they could defend the very people who reviled them.”
“Bah!” Eimar shook his head, making the crystal bells in his hair chime. “They had an honorable choice—sheisan’dahlein—and they did not take it.”
“Rain and I had a choice as well—to weave Azrahn or let the tairen die. Didwechoose wrong, too? “
The Air master scowled. “That was different.”
“Not according to Tenn and the rest of the Massan,” she reminded him.
“Those villagers you met on your way from the Garreval—those are the families of thesedahl’reisen,”Rain said. “Among them is a Celierian-born woman who truemated the son of adahl’reisen.Truemated, Eimar. And they have children—including a daughter who possesses Fey gifts.”
The first appearance of doubt eclipsed the outrage on Ei-mar’s face. “That’s impossible.”
“So I always believed, but I was wrong. We Fey have clung to our honor, and our women are barren. Thesedahl’reisenhave clung to their lives, despite their dishonor, and their women bear young—even young capable of truemating. We need to know why, Eimar.”
“You don’t need to let them bloodswear to the Feyreisa to figure that out.”
“Nei,I don’t,” Rain agreed. “But we’re also in a war, and we’re short on blades. Thedahl’reisenleader, Farel, has asked to meet with me and Ellysetta this afternoon. With theshei’dalinsand the other Fey here, Farel and his men aren’t sure how best to honor theirlute’asheivabonds. They will not come near the otherfellanas,but they cannot go far from Ellysetta. Farel also tells me there are otherdahl’reisenwho wish to bloodswear themselves to Ellysetta and fight openly for the Fading Lands once more.”
Eimar spread his hands. “What do you want from me?”
“I sent Ellysetta’s quintet on ahead to meet with Farel and observe the otherdahl’reisenwho wish to bloodswear to my mate. If, after their evaluation, herchakorhas no objections, Ellysetta and I will travel to thedahl’reisencamp to accept the other bonds. I want you to come with us. I want you to see thesedahl’reisenfor yourself, then tell me whether or not you can fight alongside them.”
Celieria ~ Dahl’reisen Camp
Stiff wariness infused the warriors of Ellysetta’s primary quintet as sixdahl’reisenstepped out of the forest and into the open fields of Celieria. Bel, Tajik, Rijonn, and Gil watched the scarred Fey with undisguised distrust, while thedahl’reisenreturned their gazes with defiance mingled with faint hints of shame.
“Which one of you is Farel?” Bel asked.
“I am,” said thedahl’reisenwith dark brown hair and a scar that curved across his neck and up his cheek.
Gaelen had shown Bel an image of Farel before they left camp. Thedahl’reisenwho had stepped forward was indeed the one shown in Gaelen’s weave. “I am Belliard vel Jelani, Chatokkai of the Fading Lands.”
“I know who you are, Belliard vel Jelani.”
Bel’s brows arched. “We have met?”
