Sharon Shinn - Reader And Raelynx

“That Malcolm Danalustrous considered this invasion by Arberharst troops to be an assault on Danalustrous,” Donnal replied. “I can’t tell property boundaries from the air, but he swore that the Arberharst army had not moved through Tilt land, but instead had marched through unaligned territory between Tilt and Danalustrous. Too close for the marlord’s comfort. So he was justified in-I can’t remember how the captain put it-‘patrolling his borders and discouraging any outsiders from crossing.’ Something like that.”

Kirra practically bounced on her stool. “Well! My father comes through, and most gloriously, I might add! And does us some real good without compromising his principles. Oh, this makes me fonder of him than I have been in a long time!”

Cammon felt Valri approaching and turned to beckon her closer. “Good news,” he called.

She hurried over. “Are they back? Senneth and the others?”

“Even better news,” Amalie said.

Valri’s smile looked strained. “What could be more welcome than the sight of all our friends returned to us unscathed?”

She was worried about someone in the rescue party, Cammon realized. “They’re safe,” he assured her. “Everyone unharmed.”

She was trying not to ask outright. “All of them?” she said. “Even Ellynor? For I know you generally can’t read the emotions of Lirrenfolk.”

“He’d certainly read Justin if something had happened to Ellynor,” Donnal commented.

But, of course, Valri’s concern was for someone else, and Cammon had finally realized who. “Did Lirren men ride with Tayse?” he said. Valri nodded dumbly, and he added, “No one in the rescue party was injured. I would know from the reactions of the others. They are riding back with all speed-in fact, they should be here within the hour.”

“Thank the Great Mother,” Valri whispered and seemed to slump a little.

Amalie jumped to her feet and put her arms around Valri’s waist, murmuring comforting phrases. Cammon could see Kirra’s face alight with interest, though she managed to keep from blurting out any questions. At least right at that moment. As soon as Donnal had disappeared to share his information with Romar, and Amalie and Valri had ducked back into one of the tents, Kirra turned on Cammon.

“Tell me, tell me, tell me,” she demanded. “How is the queen’s romance progressing with the Lirren man? Arrol, is that his name? Handsome enough, but a little too reserved for my taste.”

He couldn’t help but grin. “I would imagine you would be the last sort of woman a Lirren man would be able to tolerate,” he said. “They like their girls meeker, I think.”

“Valri’s hardly meek,” she retorted. “Though I would admit she’s not quite as animated as I can be. But you didn’t answer my question.”

“You know I don’t gossip about things like that.”

She grabbed his throat and pretended she would choke the life out of him. “I will turn you into some kind of repulsive night-crawling creature if you don’t answer me,” she threatened.

“And I’ll send images of Romar Brendyn into your mind every night,” he countered. “I think I can do it, even if I’m a vole.”

She released him. “Oh, now that was cruel! What an awful boy you turned out to be.” She gave him one of her most radiant smiles, clearly designed to dazzle. “Come now, Cammon,” she coaxed. “Just a little information. Nothing too revealing. Does she love him? Does he love her? Is she happy?”

“She’s happy,” he confirmed. “Or she will be when the whole party is back safely.”

“And Halchon Gisseltess is dead,” she said. “So Sabina Gisseltess can be happy, too.”

“I don’t think that’s why Tayse killed him,” Cammon replied. “I don’t even think he did it to help win the war. He did it to protect Senneth.”

“Yes,” she said, “and that’s the best reason yet.”

CAMMONknew the others had returned when he felt them cross into camp. Everyone else knew they were back when fire exploded in the middle of the enemy army. Except for Ellynor, all of them charged straight back into battle-the Riders, the Lirrenfolk, and Senneth. Bent on making up for lost time. Bent on retaliating for the sting of Senneth’s capture.

When the day was over and darkness abruptly descended, they had forced the rebels back another half mile.

The mood that night was one of tempered elation. So much accomplished, so much still to do. They all gathered in Amalie’s tent and discussed how to capitalize on their many bits of good fortune.

“Halchon dead, Rappengrass and Nocklyn soldiers on hand, and Arberharst reinforcements turned back at the border,” Romar enumerated. “The advantage is definitely ours.”

“Our numbers are still no more than even,” Kiernan warned. “And they still possess Arberharst fighters who are immune to our magic.”

Cammon caught the droll look Senneth turned on Kirra. Our magic . As if he would claim it for his own.

“Do you think they have learned yet that Halchon is dead?” Romar asked.

Cammon spoke up. “I believe so. I caught a great sense of dismay emanating from their camp shortly after Senneth and the others arrived.”

“That might break their spirit a great deal,” Tayse commented. “He’s the one who wanted the crown. Why keep fighting if the chief rebel is gone?”

“You’re forgetting Rayson Fortunalt,” Kirra said. She rarely attended these conferences or spoke up when she did, but tonight was a special occasion. Tonight, they all wanted to participate. “He supported Halchon in the bid for the throne, but he’s ambitious, too. Surely he’s saying to himself right now, ‘I would make as good a king as any man from Gisseltess.’ ”

Romar glanced at Kiernan. “Do you agree?”

Kiernan nodded. “I don’t see Rayson being turned aside by this setback. And some of the Gisseltess men might be energized by Halchon’s death, willing to fight even harder to avenge him.”

“The Arberharst men might lose some of their motivation, however,” Senneth noted. “If he was paying them to fight and he’s gone-” She shrugged.

“My guess is Rayson now controls their joint purse,” Romar replied. “So it won’t matter to them that Halchon Gisseltess is dead.”

“What if Rayson Fortunalt were also to die?” Tayse asked.

There was a moment of silence in the tent. “Could that be accomplished?” Kiernan asked finally. “For I’m not above singling out a man and bringing him down if it means the end to war.”

“He stays well to the back-hard to reach even for a skilled archer,” Romar said. “Our attempts to infiltrate the camp in stealth have been so far unsuccessful.”

“Maybe we could try magic,” Justin said. His eyes were fixed on Kirra. “Send in a lone fighter shaped like a night creature. Change him to a man when he’s past all the sentries.”

“If it’s as easy as all that, why didn’t we kill off Halchon Gisseltess before battle was even joined?” Kiernan demanded.

“Because Halchon is-was-immune to magic,” Senneth replied. “I don’t believe I’m the only mystic who found her power useless around him. He could not have been assassinated in any way that depended on sorcery.”

“And I’m not sure Rayson can be, either!” Kirra exclaimed. “It is true I could change Justin’s shape and follow him to Rasyon’s tent, and then change him to a man with a sword in his hand, but there is still some danger. Each transformation takes time. We might be interrupted by Fortunalt soldiers before I could safely change us both back to creatures that could fly away.”

Donnal spoke up from the rear of the tent. Even more rarely than Kirra had he joined these councils, and Cammon could not remember a time he had ever offered an observation. “I have a simpler plan,” he said.