to fight than most, it seemed. Silas was sure that Dink would have tried to talk his wife out of fighting, but he knew they both wanted Marenon to be free as much as anyone else.
Soldiers from Farlaweer and Elysium had brought enough horses to create a large line of cavalry to lead the attack. Silas would ride ahead with the first group while the foot soldiers followed close behind. Kaden had reservations about this plan because he didn’t want Silas to lead the charge, but everyone saw the symbolism in it. The soldiers were looking to him for leadership. At some point, however, when the battle finally broke into the city, the plan was for Silas to move away from the fighting and go to the Red Gate. There he knew he would face his ultimate enemy.
Robin commanded the Royal Army that would be attacking the western side of the city. The Erellens, led by Jiaros, would take the eastern side. As he looked around, Silas saw no sign of Daewyn among them, and wondered where the prince could be. Kaden pulled his horse next to Silas.
“Where’s Julian?” he asked. “People are starting to ask questions.”
Silas shook his head. He had no idea where Julian had gone. When they had talked the night before, he had been dressed in his traveling garb and said something about the Sleepers. “He’s trying to help us somehow,” Silas said.
“I hope he knows what he’s doing this time,” Kaden said.
Silas glanced to his left and that’s when he saw Inga approaching. Behind her were Alric, Coffman, and Nalani. Silas jumped off the horse and made his way to her.
“I’m going with you,” she said. “I don’t care what you say. You need me.”
“Inga, I’m sorry about last night. I just don’t want you to get into something you can’t escape.”
“If that’s your fate, then it is mine as well,” she said.
“No. My fate is my own. You and Kaden can come with me to a certain point, but then I go alone.”
“I’m not going with him to the Red Gate,” Kaden told her.
“Why not?” she asked, placing her hands on her hips in frustration.
“Silas is the only one with the power to fight Anithistor. He doesn’t need to worry about protecting us when they meet each other.”
Silas could tell that Inga wasn’t pleased, but there was no more arguing. He was going to tell her how happy he was that she was coming with him, but they were interrupted by a commotion from the Erellen group.
The Erellens soldiers stirred as many tried to peek around each other to get a better look at something. Even from his high perch on a horse, Kaden gave a shrug, having no idea what the soldiers were trying to see. After a moment, Silas saw that there were several people pushing through the crowd, making their way to the front.
The first to emerge from the sea of soldiers was Daewyn who wore a smug, satisfied smile on his face. The next person to appear was not as happy.
The grim-looking Erellen was Lorcan. He wore a large, bloodstained bandage around his head and looked as though his spirit had been crushed. At first, Silas thought he had been in some kind of accident or a fight until it dawned on him what had happened.
Judging by the shocked expressions of the other Erellen soldiers, and the defeated look that painted Lorcan’s face, the mercenary had just undergone the one punishment that stripped him of his identity as an Erellen. Daewyn had cut off the tips of Lorcan’s pointed ears.
When Lorcan had been in prison, he had explained to Silas and the others that this form of punishment was meant to humiliate the offender. It was a mark that told all others that he had broken a serious law. It was a penalty reserved only for the vilest offenders – and now, for Lorcan Zamire.
Inga brought her hand to her mouth when she saw him. He walked slowly to the group where he was met with looks of sympathy and support. Inga, Alric, and Coffman were the first to walk up to him to see if he was all right. Lorcan assured them that he wasn’t in too much pain and that he would survive.
“I’ve had worse injuries,” he tried to laugh.
When Lorcan saw Silas, he pushed passed his mercenary friends and came within a foot of Silas. Silas didn’t know what to expect from the Erellen. Was he angry?