That theywouldwin.
Chapter 33
Standing on the snow-laden battlements of the Hub, Loren did not flinch as the war horn sounded through the cold night air, signalling his troops forward. From his position above the fields, he made sure to witness the clash of the two armies. He gripped the edge of the stone before him with gloved hands, the leather creaking and shifting the layer of snow there as he compared the size of each side. With so many soldiers sent to Waer Province and Eastwood having fallen already, the sheer number of men to fight for Valenul was far slimmer than he anticipated. At the same time, the forces that had been gathered by the dhemons were considerably larger than was previously reported, with far more magic-wielders than any of his soldiers had ever faced.
No matter. Speed, dexterity, and strength would win out as they always did.
The initial convergence of the armies was as Loren always knew it to be: brutal with the force of a tidal wave rather thanthe smooth, seamless integration of an estuary. Even from a distance and with the falling snow, his keen vampire eyes could make out the crimson-clad soldiers hacking through the front lines of the monsters who threatened the cities beyond the Hub. Death cries and the constant crash of steel rang like music from afar, lulling Loren like a content child awaiting a peaceful slumber.
Yet it was selfish to spectate such splendor alone—if he were ever truly alone with the King’s Sword as his shadow.
Turning to the nearest soldier, Loren raised his voice a bit. “Bring me Miss Dodd. She will not want to miss this.”
At first, the soldier hesitated as though unsure whether or not it was he whom Loren directed his command. The imbecile left only after Loren pointed to the turret where the stairs would lead him to the inner workings of the wall, where he had left Camilla to observe the beginning of the battle without her constant blathering.
While he waited, Loren looked out at the battle and gestured for Nikolai to step forward. “How far out are the troops from Waer?”
“Moving such large numbers takes time.” Nikolai clasped his hands behind his back as he stepped in beside Loren to survey the turmoil before them.
“I did not ask for vague logistics,” Loren snapped, a spark igniting in his chest. It was a non-response, and the typical way for soldiers to avoid potentially reporting incorrect information. Loren would not have such nonsense from someone he considered a friend. “I want to know the date of their expected arrival.”
Nikolai did not bat an eye. “Three nights at best.”
“When was the missive sent out for them to join us?” Loren mentally calculated the distances. A messenger from as far asMonsumbra made it to Laeton in two days of hard riding. Surely any other soldier would move with just as much determination.
This time, Nikolai shifted from one foot to the other. The subtle motion had become a habit of his as of late and drew Loren’s attention as the King’s Sword said, “The same night we learned of the attack in Eastwood.”
The corners of Loren’s mouth tensed as he considered this. Plenty of time for the messenger to have arrived and set the troops in motion. Why, then, would they still be three nights out?
“And how long does it take a messenger to get to Armington?” Loren pressed, careful not to give Nikolai his full attention.
“At the speed of the soldier from Monsumbra?” Nikolai paused, his fingers twisting at the small of his back. He turned his brown eyes away from the battle and tilted his chin as he looked to the sky as though silently begging the gods for aid.
The fire in Loren’s chest built each second it took Nikolai to respond. Nikolai Jensen, the King’s Sword. Nikolai Jensen, hand-chosen by the King of Valenul. Nikolai Jensen, the person Loren had believed to be his best friend for as long as he could remember.
NikolaifuckingJensen, theliarwho was now attempting to cover his own traitorous tracks.
When next Nikolai spoke, his words pushed through the hum of blood pumping in Loren’s ears. “Three days and nights. Armington is considerably farther than Monsumbra from the capital, after all.”
“But from where we stand now,” Loren said, struggling to keep his tone even, “we are closer and therefore more accessible to the rest of my army.”
“Indeed.”
Loren turned away from the battle below to level his glare at the man he calledfriend. When he spoke, his voice was lowand smooth and filled with a precariously contained rage. Every horrible piece of the twisted puzzle lay out before him in full clarity for the first time in weeks. “Then, by your thinking, those men should have arrived in the Hub three nights ago.”
The color drained from Nikolai’s face that had nothing to do with the snow-laden wind. “It takes time to get so many soldiers in order. You know this from your time as—”
“Why did I wake up on the floor of the drawing room the night of Ariadne’s escape?” Loren snarled. “Where was my Sword?Youwere the only one with me that night. Onlyyouknew what was happening until those beasts broke into my castle.”
To Nikolai’s credit, he did not stammer. Yet when he spoke, it was not in his typical casual cadence. No, it was in a tone and format that felt rehearsed, as though he had waited for this question since that night. “I was preventing Misses Dodd and Ives from coming to the Queen’s aid too soon.”
“Lies.” Loren shook his head and saw for the first time the truth that lay in Nikolai’s wide eyes. It had been he who prevented Loren from correcting his wife’s behavior. It had been hisclosest friendwho betrayed him.
Something akin to sorrow gripped Loren’s gut. The only other time he had felt the same had been upon receiving the confirmation that Darien was actually dead. As much as he hated his little brother, it was difficult to cope with the idea of never seeing him again.
Now the closest person he had to Darien had not died but instead stabbed him in the back.
“That missive was never sent out, was it?” Loren asked, blinking back the heat building in his eyes. What a pitiful physiological response to such treachery. He would not let a tear fall for someone who clearly never considered him a brother.
