“What about assassinating Tenebris and his top men?” a magic user asked.
Rakel warmed to the idea.It would spare the people of all the bloodshed facing him head-on would cause.
General Halvor looked to Farrin, who shook his head. “Can’t be done.”
“Why not?” Rakel asked.
“For as long as I have known him, men have been trying to kill Tenebris. He’s never been caught off guard. It is conceivable that somewhere in the world there is an assassin good enough to kill him, but it would take a long time to find such a person.”
“But our scouts manage to get close to him,” Eydìs argued.
“Yes, but the scouts also lack the necessary attack power,” Farrin countered.
“What about you?” Frodi asked.
Farrin shook his head. “My magic does not work well against his cursing powers. Mental attacks are hard to counter. I’ve managed to deflect his attacks, but only when he is in direct contact with me. I can evade them, but that won’t help us. As far as I know, Rakel is the only being alive who can stop his curses before they are placed. Liv’s ability to purify his magic is extremely rare as well, particularly because Tenebris often kills anyone who can do so.”
The room—once bright and exuberant—turned quiet and grim.
“We will win,” General Halvor said. “Our goal, however, must be to limit our losses and prepare ourselves for the possibility of another invasion in several years if we do not stamp out all the Chosen officers.”
Rakel’s stomach rolled.This isn’t what I thought it would be like. I thought it would grow easier, and everyone would be happy and free afterward. All of this fear and death—blast that mirror!
Rakel rubbed her eyes. “We will need to face Tenebris in the next two to three weeks,” she said. “Any later, and everything will be in bloom.”
“We are limited to the locations to which Tenebris flees,” General Halvor said.
With this exchange, the room began to lighten again.
“Our Snow Queen,” someone murmured.
Rakel smiled in affection, but at the back of her mind, their reaction nagged at her.
“We will pull out of Tana in three days and march south,” General Halvor continued. “During our march, we will stop at one of the villages that were razed so we can witness what Tenebris has done.”
He means we have gotten complacent. If we don’t see the slaughter, it is easy for us to brush it off.Rakel thought.
“That is all I have to say. Thank you.” Halvor bowed stiffly.
The meeting adjourned; the crowd began to disperse. Rakel, however, remained sitting, contemplating Halvor’s words.
“Is everything alright?” Farrin asked. His eyebrows were raised in a subtle expression of concern, and he brushed her shoulder with his fingers.
“Yes, it’s just…we’re winning.”
Farrin nodded.
“But it doesn’t feel like it. Towns are razed; villagers are slaughtered…” She trailed off.
“Life is far more complex than humanity would want. Just because you win doesn’t mean everything will turn out well,” Farrin said.
Remembering her talk with Kai, Rakel said, “But there are still things worth fighting for.”
“Of course,” he agreed. “Unfortunately, Tenebris lacks mercy and will do his best to bring as much damage upon Verglas as possible even as he loses.”
Recalling the way he had very obviously wounded Farrin when Farrin was stillin his services, Rakel pressed her lips together. “He’s searching for the mirror. That’s why he sent the teams north.”
“Presumably.”
