Can you do it?”
She smiled wickedly. “Where your sorcerers and other servants are lacking, I can provide whatever you need. I am all you need.”
“Be ready. It will either be tomorrow or the next day. I’ll call you when it’s time.”
She bowed.
“And Tailtiu…”
“Yes?”
His eyes were hard. “If you ever do that again, I won’t hold back.”
Her nostrils flared, and she licked her lips once again. “I wouldn’t want you to.”
“No. I mean I’ll blow your goddamn head off if you even get close enough to touch me. I won’t let my guard down around you again.”
Tailtiu’s lips quirked up on one side. “I knew what you meant. It is wise to be cautious with me. I am an abomination after all, just as you made me—master.”
Something about her tone made him want to shiver, but he kept himself still. Unsure what else to say, he responded simply by dismissing her. “You can go for now.”
“Are you aware there is another following you?” she asked suddenly, making no move to leave.
“Another what? A person, or…?”
“A blood drinker,” she answered, her face showing disgust and perhaps a bit of fear.
Will frowned. “One came after me a few nights ago.”
His aunt shook her head. “Not that one. I’ve been following your army since you left Terabinia. This one has been stalking you since you left the city, as closely as he dared.” She jerked her head toward the darkness. “I’m sure he’s out there now somewhere. He can see magic, or he would have blundered into your new defenses already.”
Was it a vampire mage? Could it be the one that put the light protection spells on the vampire in Klendon? Or a different one? Or was it Rob? As usual, he had more questions than answers. “I’m surprised you didn’t do something about him,” said Will.
Tailtiu flinched. “I’ve approached him twice, but he fled both times. I would have chased, but—I didn’t.”
“You were afraid.” After what she had endured at the hands of the Drak’shar in Cerria, any normal person would have been a mental wreck for the rest of their life, but the fae normally didn’t suffer such mental frailties.
She looked at him uncertainly. “I do not know. I don’t like their smell. It brings up the memories of when they held me captive. I would rather not be reminded of it.” After a second, she added, “You might be wise not to order me to battle them. I might not obey—perhaps.”
Will nodded. “You really have become free. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Chapter 36
The next day was an exercise in frustration. Not only was Will short on sleep, but there was very little he could do. Laina was away, riding for Klendon, and he was constantly worried about his cousin Eric. The first messengers wouldn’t arrive until afternoon, and even then their news would be a day old—anything might have happened to Eric and the First Division in that time.
He wanted to be done with Maldon already, but the army needed to rest. Even his sorcerers needed sleep, as he had kept them up late the night before, checking the state of Maldon’s defenses. Most of them were still abed, but Bug had apparently drawn the short straw and it was his job to report what they had found.
“As you suspected, Maldon is nothing like Klendon,” said the lieutenant-sorcerer. “The walls have some wards on them, but they aren’t permanent and there are no enchantments in evidence at all. If you wish to use a tactical ritual, I have no doubt their defenses will—”
“I have no intention of wiping out half the city just to gain a quick victory,” Will said, cutting the young man off. “There are other ways to crack this nut.”
Bug let his breath out in a sigh that made Will realize the man had been far tenser than he realized. “I’m somewhat relieved to hear that, sir. If you don’t mind my asking, how did you know they wouldn’t have the same level of magical defenses?”
“I didn’t,” Will replied immediately. But Arrogan thought it might be the case. “Although Maldon is an old city, in all of its history, it has never come under direct attack. Klendon was built with defense in mind, Myrsta is the capital—and it has been besieged before—but Maldon has known nothing but peace, other than sending its men to war when called on. Moreover, no one expected we would attack here rather than proceed directly to Myrsta. I’m fairly certain the Patriarch has