Sacrifice (The Snow Queen #2)(54)

“The Second Regiment has disbanded?” he demanded.

The soldier nodded and leaned back—away from his leader. “The report from Colonel Grimick stated that the officers will arrive in several days, but all the mercenaries left.”

Tenebris clasped his hands together and squeezed them until they shook.

He isn’t just angry—he’s enraged. He never displays actual signs of fury.

Bunny—in her crow body—dropped from the trees and pecked at the dirt. She ruffled her feathers, but neither men took any notice of her as she hopped around until she found cover behind a pile of equipment. Hidden, she wriggled under the canvas side of Tenebris’s tent and disappeared.

Careful, Bunny, Farrin thought. If he finds you in there, he will know you are not a mindless animal.

Farrin shifted his gaze to the shadows, but none of them seemed to harbor Snorri.

“There is good news, though,” Tenebris’s lackey said. “According to the message, a southern village was wiped out. Colonel Grimick believes the resistance sustained major losses.”

Tenebris nodded. “Good.” His charm and smile were back in place. “That is more of what I wish to hear. Make it so.”

The soldier squirmed. “Which colonel do I tell this?”

“To whom would you normally report?”

The soldier dropped his gaze, and Farrin knew the man was thinking of him.

“Ah, yes. Colonel Graydim did a fairly large amount of structural damage when he turned traitor. I guess it goes to show that it doesn’t do any good to be humane to your guard dogs.”

Farrin winced. He thought Tenebris had been kinder when he first met him, and perhaps had turned less and less merciful with the passage of time, but he had to wonder… Did he ever care for any of us?

“Inform Kavon. It is time he took some of his mercenaries raiding again. Scouts found that Tana and a number of the other villages have been receiving supply caravans. Destroy them,” Tenebris said.

“Tana, or the caravans?”

Tenebris gave the soldier a toothy smile. “The caravans, of course.”

The soldier scribbled down Tenebris’s words and saluted him. “Sir.”

Tenebris adjusted his helm and watched the soldier go. When he was left alone, he took off the helm, smoothed his hair into place, and then repositioned it.

For a split second, Farrin thought he saw an oozing scab of crusted blood on Tenebris’s head, but he put the helm back on too quickly for Farrin to be sure.

Tenebris turned on his heels and stalked towards the medical tent. “Sunnira,” he called. “I received word from Grimick…” his words trailed off as he left the area.

“Timing,” Phile whispered. “Is everything.”

“The slaughter of the southern village does not bode well,” Farrin said.

“No, it doesn’t,” she agreed. “But we can hope the losses weren’t as bad as they claim.”

It’s possible, though not likely. His heart heavy, Farrin mimicked the whistle of a song bird.

Bunny hopped outside of the tent, pecked at the dirt again, and then flew off, taking to the sky. Snorri was nowhere to be seen.

“Sir, I have their numbers,” Snorri said.

Years of experience in the battlefield was all that kept Farrin from startling as he turned around to find Snorri nestled with him in the prickly branches.

“Well done, Snorri,” Phile praised. “Now let’s get out of here.” She slipped from the tree, as quiet and sure-footed as a cat.

Farrin—and Snorri—followed her, though Farrin gave Tenebris’s tent one more inspection. What will it take to force him out of Verglas? Killing him might be the easiest way, but I suspect Kavon and Grimick would not give up on the mirror even with Tenebris gone.

Farrin stifled the desire to massage his forehead and slipped through the shadows, refocusing himself on his task.

He needed to get out of the Chosen’s camp, first. Then he would see what General Halvor, King Steinar, and Rakel had to say.





CHAPTER 12





THE BEAUTY IN MAGIC


“Princess, look out!” a soldier yelled.

Rakel spun around, but Farrin was already there, bearing down on the would-be attacker with his speed and two-handed broadsword. In a few heartbeats, he had the soldier disarmed and immobilized.

“Thank you,” Rakel said. She froze the boots of five Chosen soldiers to the ground with chunks of ice, letting the Verglas troops chasing them catch up.

“Of course,” Farrin said. He lunged forward, slicing his sword through the air in front of her. The orb of black fire that had been creeping towards her bounced off his sword and flew back at its caster.

The Chosen magic user screamed in pain.

“We’ve got more enemy soldiers rolling in, Princess.” A reckless grin lit up Pordis’s face as she strode towards Rakel and Farrin. “About thirty paces behind me.”

“Thank you for acting as bait,” Rakel said.

“My pleasure. Tryggvi is going to be thoroughly jealous.”

A squad of Chosen soldiers scrambled around the corner and ran for Pordis, freezing when they realize they had run straight into the street Rakel and Farrin had claimed. Rakel raised a wall of ice behind them to keep them from fleeing, then pelted several dozen ice daggers at them.