‘And do I get a say in your arrangements?’ Lily’s voice came from behind, and I tilted my head to look at her.
‘Not this time, princess.’ She opened her mouth to protest, but I shook my head. ‘Lilliana Ordon, you’re staying in the palace, or I’ll ensure Riordan shuts down your business,’ I said, wagging my finger, and she frowned before realising I was joking. ‘Please, Lily. Do it for Irsha and me, and keep an eye on the politics while I’m gone? Besides, it’s time for you to be a proper court lady. Ineed someone to teach me manners and which fork to use when stabbing the nobles.’
My speech was cut short when Irsha locked me in a bear hug, crushing me until I could barely breathe. ‘Thank you,’ he whispered in my ear. ‘I love her, Sana. Gods, why does it have to be so hard?’
‘I know, Blade. You still have a choice. Stay with her. You’re the Disciple now, and you don’t have to follow Boyan’s every order,’ I whispered back, and he exhaled, his body relaxing slightly.
‘Not if I have to abandon you to protect her. In the palace, she will be safe, but you… You’re going against a monster,’ he said quietly before pushing me towards the door. ‘I’ll meet you at the gates in two hours.’
Lily frowned, pressing her hands to her chest, her eyes on Irsha. This time, when he reached for her, there was no hesitation in his movements.
And just like that, the Ice Queen of Truso melted into his arms.
A small sun warmed my heart, seeing them find each other, but even now, I couldn’t ignore the feeling of dread. Because her husband’s lands bordered Tivalaran… and I wondered if I could stop Irsha from making a quick excursion.
Chapter 23
Reynard
Istood beneath a night sky full of stars, my hands held out to a burning brazier. My mind drifted as I half-listened to my soldiers’ conversations.
It had been two weeks since I had seen her, the days filled with endless trudging through snowdrifts while Tova searched for srebrec boxes with maniacal zeal. He rushed over each time my mages went pale or emptied their guts, treating them as tools for detecting the siphoning effects of the artefacts. I could only grind my teeth at how it slowed us down, knowing it saved lives.
We were winning, but could take no pride in our victories. The dwarves we encountered weren’t the mighty warriors I’d fought beside in the war against the Lich King. These poor souls were emaciated and desperate, more often collapsing from exhaustion than from our weapons.
I spared as many as I could, but worried for Tova as he tried to hide the pain of seeing his countrymen suffer. He talked with every single dwarf, sometimes only a few words. One conversation after another and his smile disappeared, while his frown deepened.
I wasn’t immune to their suffering, and neither were my men. This wasn’t any kind of war I’d fought before; it was a slaughter, and now my conscience had become a voice that refused to be silent. I hoped it was my conscience. If it wasn’t, then my grip on sanity was looser than I’d thought.
Your soft heart will be your downfall, just like your ignorance.
There it was again, making a mockery of my efforts. Since Tova’s arrival, I’d rarely had the time for soul-searching. Not that I even wanted to do it, facing the possibility of going insane.
Mercy is not weakness. I didn’t come to slaughter men who can barely stand,I answered. A deep rumbling laugh echoed through my core.
So sentimental… Everybody dies, even dragons. The smart ones, however, live longer.
Then I’m a fool! I will always choose honour when the situation allows,I answered, wincing when a gust of wind blew snow in my face and almost knocked the brazier over.
My brother, Orm, had left me a unit of dragons. However, the closer we came to Mlot’s srebrec mines, the more unsettled the beasts became. Eventually, I had to send them away, leaving only two that acted as messengers.
‘My lord, the scouts returned and reported unusual activity around Wiosna mountain.’ Ivar approached with two men, whose sunken eyes and dry, flaky skin betrayed the conditions they’d endured. ‘I sent a message to your dwarf. I thought he could help explain what we’re facing.’
I nodded, having already spotted Tova as he rushed over from the healer’s tent. ‘Tell me,’ I said once he was close enough to hear their report. The men exchanged looks after I gestured for them to begin. I’d hoped to make this quick and show them some grace, sending them to bed as soon as possible.
‘We didn’t manage to get closer than the edge of town, but the entire southern slope is bustling with activity,’ the elder tracker said before looking at his companion. ‘You have the keener eye. Describe what you saw.’
‘They were fortifying the entrance to the mine – digging trenches around the road and pouring something into it. There were so many soldiers there that I couldn’t get closer,’ the young man said, head bowed in deference.
I swayed on my feet, dizzy as an image superimposed itself on my vision. Rows of trenches were curled around the mountain like a serpent trying to choke its victim.
I groaned, reaching out to steady myself. ‘For fuck’s sake.’
The tracker fell silent, his mouth gaping open, causing me to frown. ‘Did Sana turn you into a fire lizard?’ Tova said, looking at my hand before pulling off his glove and touching his finger to the brazier.
He hissed in pain, and I looked down, jerking my hand back as fast as he did to search for blisters. There weren’t any. I’d grabbed a burning brazier, yet the hot, glowing metal left no mark on my skin.
My mouth went dry, still waiting for the inevitable wound that would render my sword hand useless. Only… it never came. It was still my hand, the scars and calluses from years of fighting the same as ever, yet something was different. I didn’t know what was worse, being maimed before a battle or discovering my body had magically changed in unknown ways.
