The Elder Blood Chronicles – Book Three(201)

Smiling Madren nodded. “That is exactly what I wanted them to think. The Warrens Mercenaries moved a great deal of their soldiers from Northern Goswin to Avanti after the High Lord there signed a contract with them. So in their absence I used their tunnels and made a few modifications to get under Rivana without being noticed. I couldn’t get Kadan to retreat. He was stubborn to the last. I did manage to get most of the ones that were either too old or too young to fight as well as a decent sized escort of Spellblades to protect them, however. It isn’t much, compared to what Delvay used to be, but it is something,” Madren explained, his voice calmer than Shade could ever remember it being.

“That’s great, Madren. I can’t believe you saved Delvay and no one even realizes it,” Shade said with a shake of his head. Smiling, he nodded his approval at his old friend. “I’m impressed, Madren, and proud of what you’ve done.”

Madren blushed faintly and shook his head faintly. “I’d rather have your help than your praise Shade. If you want to help, that is,” Madren said without a trace of the nervousness that he had showed constantly in Sanctuary.

“I’d love to help, Madren. Show me what you need done,” Shade said with a nod. He would head for Glis as soon as he could, but for now Delvay needed him. That had to be the reason Vaze had sent him here. Perhaps the refugees were in greater need than Glis. Either way, Madren had asked him for help and as he had told Symphony, you couldn’t simply ignore a plea for help.





Chapter 33





Arovan





The sun was sinking in the sky as her small column turned off the main road and onto the cobbled lane. Slender trees lined either side of the road at regular intervals, their branches just beginning to show the first spring blooms. Beyond the trees were fields of open grass that spread as far as Jala could see in both directions.

“The last time I was here, the horse herds filled both sides of the road,” Valor said quietly beside her. His Arovanni walked sedately, its head held low as if he too was mourning the change in Arovan. They had arrived in Gaelyn the day before and had not encountered a single person on the ride north to Arovan. Every village they passed was deserted and filled with graves so fresh the spring grass had barely begun to show on the turned earth.

“Do you think anyone will be here?” Jala asked quietly, her eyes still scanning the deserted fields. The grass was waist deep from what she could tell and showed no signs that livestock had been in the fields since long before winter.

“If they have a southern base of operations, it will be here. This is the safest place anyone could hope for near the border,” Valor answered though his voice didn’t hold much hope.

“But you don’t think they will be here,” Jala concluded, her eyes watching his face.

“I think if they were here, riders would have already arrived to meet us,” Valor said with a sigh. He gave her a faint smile and shrugged. “At least we can use it as a secure base until we locate my people or the location of the Blights.”

“I’m not sleeping in a damned stable,” Neph grumbled from behind them.

“Neph, I’m sure the Arovan don’t truly share their homes with their horses,” Jala sighed glancing over at Valor for some sign of the truth.

“Every story I’ve ever heard about the Arovan says they keep their horses in their houses,” Neph said firmly.

Jala sighed and wondered once again why she had left the others behind and kept only Valor and Neph with her. Ash was with her too, of course, but he rode in the back with his small band of Soulreavers. Wisp, she had sent to Faydwer with a contingent of archers to help with the Blight troubles there. Jail, she had sent home with the main body of her army, and Sovann she had given the most important role. She had sent the mage into hiding with her family. Not even she truly knew where he had gone. They had both decided that was the safest course, given that she was going to be hunting Blights and the creatures scanned minds. The loss of her friends was hard. Leaving Legacy was almost unbearable. Other than the short trip to Goswin and then Kithvaryn she had never been from her son more than a few hours a day. Now it would likely be weeks before she saw him again.

“You are thinking about Legacy again aren’t you?” Valor asked, his words echoing her thoughts so perfectly she wondered if he had a talent for mind reading that he hadn’t yet mentioned.

“Is it that obvious?” Jala asked with a sigh.