The king was waiting, and as Wista said, he was furious. He stared with crossed arms at the unresponsive army. On the horizon, I could just make out the gray flags marking the border and Mortremon beyond.
“We have a problem, my dear Adelia.” Terym’s voice was clipped, and he began to pace before me, hands clasped behindhis back. “You see, my army has stopped listening to commands.Yourcommands.”
Of course they had, because I’d ordered them to.
Terym’s soldiers surrounded me, a wave of deep blue closing in at my back. Some stationed to watch the enemy, others the spectacle that was me and theirking.My breaths shortened. Wind whipped streaming capes around armored legs, the sound a cacophony of drums beating in time with my racing heart.
“I don’t understand,” I offered, soaking my tone in confusion.
“Your letters aren’t working. Order them to listen!” he barked, pointing at the motionless men and women.
Fuck.What if the phrase didn’t work? What if they listened to my order? Any alliance or help we hoped to gain from King Siro would end before it began.
Swallowing through the dryness in my throat, I approached the army, palming the warm lamp in my pocket so the thrumming vibration echoed through my bones.
I wish Shade were here, at my side.
I banished that line of thinking; I had to be strong. Shade couldn’t be here, not while Terym commanded me. At least Eleanor was out of sight. I couldn’t imagine what he would do to her were she in reach when the army didn’t respond to my command. Because they wouldn’t respond, I had to believe the letter Fallon read to them worked.
Wind seemed to blow harder and faster the closer I drew to the sentient army, or was that just my mind on the brink of an attack?
I aimed my order at who I assumed was once one of Shade’s generals. “You must follow the instructions I have written.” I spoke as loud as I could, though still barely audible over the steadily increasing gusts.
They didn’t move.
It worked.They wouldn’t listen until I spoke the correct phrase. I released a long breath, loosening my chest. My relief was short-lived when Terym gripped the back of my neck, nails digging into my skin when he squeezed.
“Make them listen,” he spat in my ear, and a high-pitched ring pierced my skull.
The tightness in my chest returned with vengeance, my panted breaths growing labored as panic threatened to consume me.
“I-I tried. I-I don’t u-understand,” I said between gasping breaths.
He snarled and threw me to the cold ground. On instinct, I threw out my arms to break my fall and landed on my right hand, twisting it at an odd angle. I cried out—more in surprise than actual pain—as I crumpled in the dirt.
The sound of it rang out, and every sentient soldier moved, their heads turned in time to see me sprawled on the ground, cradling my sore wrist. I was sure it was just a sprain. Still, every soldier drew their weapon in a beautifully timed arc of choreography, every single blade pointed at Terym.
The king stumbled backward, and the sound of his own men drawing their weapons ensued.
What had caused them to move? To take an offensive stance? My letter obviously worked since moments ago they hadn’t even twitched when I spoke. But now, bodies were poised to strike, the once-still smoke shimmering along every silhouette.
I focused on the general before me, whose shadowed face was aimed my way in a familiar tilt. Almost like …Shade. He had often tilted his head when he was first released.
It all clicked.
They were the fallen army of Raiden Emyrdeis. Risen again by Shade’s magic at my request, my command.
Shade, who had been nothing but protective of me since the moment he was released.
Shade, who had done everything possible to shield me from harm.
Some way, somehow, that same instinct was programmed into these corporeal beings, a duty of protection to me, theirmaster.
The realization made me freeze. If Terym triggered the need to protect me, it would end in a bloodbath, a fight his soldiers had no chance of winning. I couldn’t let it come to that, not only because of the repercussions on Eleanor’s position, but many of Terym’s soldiers were innocent despite the man they served.
A strange intensity fueled the air, and the men behind me shifted uneasily, waiting for an attack. A minute passed, then another. And another. All the while, the king remained far away and out of reach of harming me. I stayed where I was, watching the sentient general for any sign of change.
Another few minutes passed, then the sentient soldiers shifted again, sheathing their weapons and returning to stillness once more. I waited a moment, making sure they wouldn’t move again before I rose to my feet. Smearing the dirt embedded in my palms against my pale pants, I ignored the twinge in my wrist to keep from drawing attention to the injury in front of the soldiers.
