The Shadowglass (The Bone Witch, #3)(75)

“Tea.” On his lips, my name was an anguished prayer. “Don’t cry.” He kissed my eyelids, the salt on my jaw. “Don’t cry.”

Have you ever loved anyone so fiercely you were afraid it might shatter you? It was a blessing and a burden I carried.





The Odalians are some of the fiercest fighters in the world; they have to be. With the seafaring Arhen-Kosho to their west, the magic-wielding Kions to their east, and the unpredictable Yadoshans up north, their exceptional fighting prowess kept their kingdom from being whittled down to its barest parts, and in this, their defenses were second to none. I’d heard stories of fortresses built overnight on sand dunes and rocky beaches, of soldiers trained to form impenetrable barriers of shields. The first kings of Odalia famously traded the profits of their runeberry patch to hire purple-hearted craftsmen, who wove expensive spells into their shields that could deflect all but the strongest asha. It was the best investment for those early years when the continent had been fragmented into wars and territories long before the diplomacy of kingdoms.

I’d never met King Kance, and the dark asha’s infatuation was understandable. The young man was dressed not in the satin and ermine preferred by his father, King Telemaine, but in chain mail shaped to his form, decorated with the marks of previous battles and none of the shine that comes from the novelty of wear. His handsome face was molded after his notable ancestors. He had a bit of King Kareth along the jawline and Queen Bregane from his cheekbones to his brow, where King Lorek’s features then found dominance. He looked nothing like his father save for his keen and intelligent green eyes. Perhaps the lack of similarity was good.

King Kalen had gathered the Isterans to his cause—General Androvey, King Rendorvik’s military commander and right-hand man, was present, and ten regiments stood with him. Commander Selvynt, Queen Lynoria’s most trusted adviser, represented Arhen-Kosho, and I had no doubt that his ships were stealing along the southern coast, awaiting the order to strike. But King Kance was the only monarch present in this unexpected alliance.

The king’s expression relaxed as Lord Fox approached. “I was wondering when you would join us, Fox. I see you’ve brought more Isterans with you. How are things in Kion?”

“We will persevere, and we will rebuild, Your Majesty.”

“Drychta at Mithra’s Wall was troubling enough,” Commander Selvynt boomed. “Drychta in the Hollows is all but an act of war. And Lady Tea of the Embers, somehow caught up in all this. How fares the mad king?”

“If I am to believe the reports,” General Androvey rumbled, “he graces the mountains with his company.”

“It was a mistake, taking him alive last time.” King Kance spoke softly, but his volume took away none of his harshness. I did not recognize the hardened man from the gentle king the Dark asha recalled in her tale. “And I do not intend to make that same error again.”

“The Drychta may retaliate, Your Majesty.”

“They will not.” I surprised myself by interrupting. “Many live in fear of him as much as you do—even more so. The next in line to the throne is a distant cousin, Jakova of House Gansla. He is a moderate, and wise for his age. I do not know if he is keen on accepting the crown’s burden, but at the very least, he will listen to reason.”

“And who might you be?” The Odalian king’s stare was hard and suspicious.

“Tea’s chronicler,” Lady Zoya explained. “He can tell you many things about our wayward asha, if you wish.”

“He is Drychta.”

“He is harmless, Your Majesty.”

I reached into my coat, eager to show him the letters that proved my value.

“Stop!” He made a fierce gesture, and I was surrounded by swords and spears. The tip of one blade grazed my chin. “I have heard of you. The songs you sing are popular in my own courts, a favorite to mimic among my own bards. But you are Drychta, and that does not change.”

“I can vouch for him, Your Majesty,” Lord Fox said.

“And how certain are you of his loyalties?”

“You’ve asked me about Tea many times these last few months, and I had no answers to give. The letters he holds will alleviate some of those concerns, though I doubt you’ll find all the answers there.”

The Odalian king paused. He eyed the papers in my hand.

“Show me,” he responded.





18


We made haste the next day, packing quickly and making our good-byes so we could make for Mithra’s Wall before Kance’s army could engage the Drychta. I hurried to Likh’s tent when the latter proved slow to appear. “Lord Agnarr is waiting to see us go,” I said abruptly, pushing back the door. “I’m worried about Prince—King Kance, and the sooner we leave, the quicker we can get to—”



Likh and Khalad sprang apart. I stared, focused on keeping my jaw shut, while they both babbled together:

“We were already leaving—”

“Khalad was—it’s cold even with all the Fire runes present—”

“We weren’t—Likh wasn’t feeling well and I was trying to—”

“—we didn’t bring enough warm clothing, and Khalad was kind enough to—”