The Shadowglass (The Bone Witch, #3)(82)
The southern outpost had been constructed many years ago by the Odalian queen, Bregane, and it has since withstood the test of time, with fortifications added to and improved by her descendants. Though simple and utilitarian in appearance, the star-shaped bastion was heavily defended. Ditches and sharpened spikes surrounded the fort, making it impassable for most attacks.
There was no sign of the Dark asha or her azi. Lord Fox stared into the sky, searching every cloud for the telltale speck of black. I saw his mouth move and had no need to hear his whispered, Where are you, Tea? sent out into the air like an open secret.
“The Gorvekai tell us that this so-called First Harvest is not in the Hollow Mountains,” General Lode rumbled, “so what devilry do the Drychta intend to do here? Invade Odalia? They no longer have the element of surprise. Draw out the Dark asha and her daeva? Surely they could do so in other territories where they could maintain the advantage.”
“Reports tell me that these are Aadil’s most devoted soldiers,” King Kance observed. “All ten thousand members of the Golden Rod, his private army. Then another ten thousand men from his special forces, handpicked for their brutal efficiency. And there may be more.”
“That might pose more of a problem than General Lode thinks,” Lord Fox decided. “We expect them to leave the range and engage us in battle, but they show every indication of staying put. Our defenses amount to nothing if they do not come down the Hollows, milords.”
“We outnumber them five to one,” Lord Balfour pointed out.
“That makes no difference, Sir Balfour. We won’t be able to keep our formation if we go through those narrower paths, and the crevices ensure archers can pick us off before we reach the bulk of their army. If we go in, they’ll have the advantage.”
“So this is going to be a protracted siege?” Lord Aden groaned. “I hate sieges.”
“If you have any ideas for luring the Drychta out of the Hollows, Lord Aden, then I would be more than pleased to let you assume command.”
“What do you think, Althy?” Lord Fox asked.
“There are enough of us asha to try and shake the mountain asunder. But it would destroy the Hollows and cause quite a few problems—landslides, earthquakes, and the like. I would not want to make that attempt until we have exhausted all other options.”
King Kance turned to Lord Agnarr, who’d been silent throughout the deliberations. “You know more about Tea’s intentions than any of us. What has she told you?”
“The Faceless have allied themselves with the Drychta for generations, Your Majesty, but it is only recently that they have infiltrated the ranks of royalty with King Aadil.”
“We already knew that. But what is their purpose here? Where is Tea? Did she intend to attract the Drychta to these mountains long enough for us to arrive?” His eyes narrowed, studying the man like he’d never seen him before. “Or did her lures equally apply to us?”
“That is a possibility.”
He drew his sword at lightning speed, pointed it at the Gorvekai’s chest. “Why did Tea send you with us? Tell me.”
Lord Agnarr took no offense. His gaze was sympathetic. “Lady Tea sent me to ensure that you would come here, milord, and not into Drycht, as your empress wanted.”
From somewhere far off came a thin, toneless cry. It hung in the air, and my blood chilled at the sound. I had spent weeks listening to those howlings while the beasts frolicked along the Sea of Skulls, after their owner coaxed them one by one into semblances of life and bottled their essences into her soul.
From the rocky shores of the Hollows that spilled out into the Odalian Sea, misshapen forms rose from the foam. First came the nanghait, its faces emerging from beneath the roll of the tides, pulling itself through the rocks and silt. Then the taurvi and its crooning voice, and the zarich with its loping gait. One by one, the daeva washed ashore, skins and hides gleaming from the sea, and as one, they raised their heads and roared.
From above, the azi swooped down, tail whipping and talons sharp. Unlike its brothers, it made no sound. The azi had no need for those theatrics. Instead, it made straight for the Hollows, flames streaming from its three mouths.
And as our horrified eyes watched, the mountains caught fire.
20
We expected the Drychta army to attack well before dawn, so the generals spent the rest of the night planning defense strategies. Everyone was tense. General Lode predicted the army would attack the base camp in the hopes of putting King Kance in danger, and we were determined not to let that happen.
In the end, however, it was my azi that sounded the warning cry. I rose from bed but had no need to leave the camp. Ignoring the shouts of alarm as soldiers scrambled for armor and weapons, I entered its mind. A group of Drychta a mile away from the first of the fortified stakes had stumbled onto my pet in the darkness, and my azi let them know what it thought of their insolence. The middle head caught the first of the men, killing him quickly. The other two heads sent waves of fire into the others’ path. By the time the Odalians joined the fight, only scorched, burned remains were left.
“They’re far bigger than a scouting party,” General Lode grunted. “I say this was to test our defenses. Gods be good that your daeva was here to find them, Lady Tea. How they got this close is beyond me.”
“Compulsion,” I said grimly, while Khalad examined the dazed Odalian guards stationed along the outer camp. They’d been asleep on their feet, blank eyes staring out at the plains. Had my azi been slower, they would have been slain. I used my own Compulsion to goad them back into wakefulness but found lingering traces of the mind that had been at work—more powerful than Usij’s or Aenah’s. “Druj.”