Pain lanced through the dhemon’s eyes, and he laid his hands over his heart. “Thank you, Ygret.”
After that, a flood of affirmations followed. One by one, Madan watched as the demeanor of the hostile dhemons changed. Even those with broken bonds had hope flare in their eyes long enough to have them agree to follow a half-dhemon King into war.
For peace.
Chapter 19
Azriel surveyed the war room with a mixture of anticipation and melancholy. The number of people who usually sat at the table with him had drastically changed over the course of the last two weeks. At first, there had been a boom of new faces. Now, many were gone. Either side of him and Ariadne were empty, with Madan and Whelan having gone to collect Ehrun’s army. Luce and Phulan left to gather forces in Algorath.
Yet two new dhemons and a lycan had joined them, filling in spaces he hadn’t expected to be vacated quite so soon. H’axinhum, the newly-appointed dhemon Sword Master, sat beside her counterpart, Kholp to Azriel’s right. The two couldn’t have been more different—one with her bejeweled braid, pink-tinged eyes, and tunic stitched with wildflowers, while the other, a massive brute of a man in his plain brown shirt and a resting expression that could kill someone. A new high fae sat beside Edira—Boti, who now trained their recent addition of fae forces,their round face framed by green-tinged blond hair. Dahlia took Luce’s chair, her black-tattooed eyes watching him warily.
He didn’t blame Dahlia. The last time they’d been so close, he’d been more vile than even Ehrun on his darkest days. Nearly killing his own brother would certainly leave a mark on someone he’d just met.
This was, however, Azriel’s first time meeting with his council without said brother. Madan had a way of conversing with others and analyzing data to make plans that he just didn’t possess. Instead, he’d pulled Lord Theobald and Knoll aside prior to the others’ arrival to ask for their assistance. What they’d be discussing was what they would consider to be their realm of knowledge, and he’d need every bit of guidance they could offer.
As such, he shifted his attention to the pair of Caersans and gave them a subtle nod to reassure them that he would be taking their inputs very seriously.
“Thank you for joining us,” Azriel began, awkward as ever. Beside him, Ariadne sat a little straighter in the large throne and set her hand over his on his armrest. “A lot has happened since our last meeting, and I believe we are seeing some positive advancements.”
At the end of the table, Thorin nodded her agreement. “H’axinhum and Kholp do well with soldiers. Impressed.”
The Sword Master glowed, turning her elegant face to survey the clan leader. In the dhemon language, she said, “Forgive me. I’m not fluent in speaking the common tongue, but I am honored to be here with a clan leader such as yourself, Thorin. You are an inspiration.”
Kholp huffed, then spoke in the same language, “We aren’t here to inflate each other’s egos. Focus.”
Azriel sighed and translated the words into common for everyone else. He looked down at Thorin. “May I ask for yourassistance in translating for everyone as we speak? This may become difficult otherwise.”
Damn it, they needed Madan. He should have sent someone else with Ehrun.
“Yes,Vhaltrinja.” Thorin nodded and leaned her elbows onto the table in preparation for her new task.
Nodding his thanks, he looked to Oren Theobald first. “Last time we gathered, we discussed how you would continue to work with your contact within Valenul to provide false intel. Do you have an update?”
Oren flashed his long fangs and proudly announced, “Due to my messages, Colonel Foster has insisted on keeping troops to a minimum. It has been reported back that while defenses are on the rise, he has pushed most soldiers closer to Central Province.”
“Is there a way for us to know about how many soldiers we can anticipate in Eastwood?” Edira asked. “Numbers can make a huge difference.”
“I agree,” Ariadne said. “Even an estimate would be better than nothing.”
At that, Dahlia sat forward. “I have had several lycans keeping watch from the foothills since we arrived. Their reports are as Lord Theobald said: troops are low.”
An uneasy feeling squirmed through Azriel’s gut. By the way others looked at him and Ariadne squeezed his hand, there was no denying he’d allowed his face to show his discomfort. He shook his head. “I don’t trust it.”
“It is not as though their eyes have deceived them,” Ariadne said, looking up at him. “We must put faith in such intelligence.”
How often had she listened to her father meet with soldiers to analyze data? By the way she spoke, it seemed as though she had more military experience than she previously let on.
“Speaking like the daughter of a previous General of Valenul,” Azriel said, kissing her fingers, then turned his attention backto the table at large. “I don’t disagree with anyone. What Idoquestion is why Loren has yet to send more troops to Eastwood.”
Lord Knoll nodded in agreement. “It is most likely that the King is moving his pieces strategically. As he last presumed your location was in Waer Province, his attention may be split.”
“That said,” Oren added, “it would be most advantageous for Valenul to focus more forces around the capital. Your attack on his home put him on the back foot and is forcing him to centralize his soldiers to keep himself and the bulk of Caersan Society safe.”
Ah, the Society. With Loren’s command for the Lords and Ladies and their families to be locked down in Laeton, very few of them would be in their homes around Valenul. What Oren said made sense—and infuriated Azriel.
Now Loren had a way to garner more sympathy from the Society and the influential Caersans there within. Due to their attack on the castle, he could tell them that he’d known something of the sort would happen and that keeping them all in Laeton was for their own good. For their safety.
And they would eat it up. Every word.
