The Shadowglass (The Bone Witch, #3)(76)
“—not sick or anything, but I wanted to check the wards in case—”
“I’m going to give you two five minutes to compose yourselves,” I said gently, “and to get your stories straight, but that’s all the time we can spare. We leave within half an hour if we want to find Kance before his army clashes with Aadil’s. We may be in the thick of battle as soon as the azi lands, so prepare yourselves.” Slowly, I closed the door, smiling to myself. It was a start.
“I am sorry that you could not find the answers you seek here,” Agnarr told me as I returned to where he and the other Gorvekai waited with Kalen to see us off.
“So am I, milord.” Likh and Khalad arrived moments later, the couple blushing and taking great pains not to look at me. Kalen raised an eyebrow.
“Your cousin finally got the hint,” I murmured to him.
“Good. I was wondering when he’d work up the guts to make a move.”
“I’m not sure he was the first to do so.”
The azi was quick to answer my call. I saw brief images of forests below and bright sky overhead before the two blurred together as it sped obediently toward me. Seas glittered blue before peaks of white crystals abruptly appeared. I saw an ice fjord, a breathtaking land sculpture of ice and glass, before the azi veered off, making for our small encampment.
Through its eyes, I caught sight of us, small as ants, standing in a cluster at the center of the frozen tundra. The beast landed, crooning and dipping all three heads in a monstrous curtsy.
“Good boys.” I stroked each head in turn as they butted one another for my attention. Behind us, the soldiers’ spears and axes remained raised, unconvinced by the daeva’s show of obedience.
“If I took all the daeva as pets, rather than as beasts to be put into the ground every few years, would I be worthy, regardless of what your mountain tells you?”
Agnarr bowed. “It is hard enough to war with one’s own conscience, but far more difficult to deal with one’s own and another’s at all times. Add six more and insanity is not far off.”
“But if I was successful?”
“I cannot speak for the mountain, but perhaps you can ask it again one day.”
“Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Agnarr. I hope we shall see each other again under more forgiving circumstances.”
“Were you serious about that?” Kalen asked me, as Khalad awkwardly offered a helping hand to the still red-faced Likh, which the asha accepted. My love didn’t look happy—it was the complete opposite of what I’d promised the night before. “Do you intend to control all the other daeva?”
“No,” I admitted. “It took everything I had juggling both the azi and the savul, and I’m not keen on taking on more. But if I keep my hold on the azi, and perhaps Mykkie or another Dark asha she trains take in one or two more, then maybe we could prevent the Faceless from taking their bezoars.”
“That will make you all targets.”
“Dark asha have always been targets. If we divided the tasks, perhaps it would lessen the burden.”
“There usually aren’t more than three or four Dark asha at a time.”
“Four could be enough, as long as the Faceless don’t take control of all seven daeva. It’s the best compromise I can think of.” I sighed. “I’m better now at Veiling, at hiding where people cannot find me. It’s not the most foolproof plan, but at least I can spare Mykkie the exertion of a few more daeva, and both of us would draw in less of the Dark that way.”
“And increase both your life spans.” No longer shy about showing his affection before strangers, Kalen pecked me on the lips. “I can’t think of any better options.”
The Gorvekai drove the butts of their spears against the hard ground, and the others brandished their axes. It was a strange ceremony, a special farewell. The azi acknowledged their good-byes with a thin, approving cry. It spread its wings to full span, a majestic sight against the backdrop of ice and snow, and leaped into the sky. Soon the men and women saluting us were no more than specks as I aligned my thoughts with the daeva’s, charting a new route for us, crossing continents into Yadoshan territory, heading for Mithra’s Wall.
The azi was quick. Scarcely an hour passed before we caught sight of the mountain range destination looming ahead, and I directed the azi to take a circular route over it, trying to determine if there were armies on the ground already locked in battle.
What I saw froze my heart. The black-and-yellow banners of the Drychta already surrounded the base of the largest peak. I saw soldiers in armor scaling its heights, no doubt seeking a cave or entrance within. Not too far away, the gold and red of the Odalian banners marched toward the Drychta. A large portion of Aadil’s troops had already turned, their intent to engage the Odalians obvious.
I felt Kalen’s hands on my waist, anchoring me against him as I ordered the azi to make for the open space that separated both combatants, which was narrowing by the minute. The daeva dipped headfirst, barreling toward the ground at dizzying speed. Just before impact, it shifted abruptly so that its heavy, clawed talons struck up soil and dirt, sending storms of sand rising up to obscure our vision.
The unexpected appearance of the azi was enough to give the Odalians pause, but the Drychta showed no such prudence. They focused on the daeva, yelling battle cries as they pressed forward, weapons at the ready. Among the approaching crowd I could make out the glittering runes of Fire, Wind, and Mud that Drychta spellbinders hurled at us.