The Rising (The Rising #4) - Kristen Ashley Page 0,70
and it would be done,” Fern stated irritably. “And if I could do that, it would be done.”
“You cannot, I know this. But you have dragons,” Melisse returned. “Use them.”
“Melisse,” Elena whispered, never having been at one with the idea of using the incalculably destructive powers of those creatures.
“It is not only castles and keeps you can reign fire upon, sister-daughter,” Melisse told her. “There are fields of grape and groves of olives, mines of salt, and much more, the loss of which will be felt dearly.”
“Cassius is bestowing the land to the people who work it,” Elena replied. “If it is destroyed, now it is they who would feel it most.”
“Right.” Melisse considered this as she looked amongst the witches. She then came to a decision. “We have the power to come here. Lena, you and I will use it to go to Lord Felix’s hall. We see to it that it’s cleared. And then Frey can call his dragons.”
“The stones strengthen us as we’re here,” Rebecca pointed out. “Such transport would be incredibly draining if it is not done to the stones. It would take months to replenish it. This is why we do not do it.”
“And we are saving our magicks for what?” Melisse asked.
“To defeat the Beast,” Rebecca answered.
“And what do you think I’m talking about?” Melisse pressed. “Cassius and Elena, and the rest of them for that matter, cannot have their minds divided. Nor their efforts. If this unrest is not quelled, the Allied Gentry could use Cassius’s distraction with the Beast to press forward their interests.”
“That would be foolhardy,” Lena murmured.
“And these men are bastions of intelligence?” Melisse queried.
For the first time, the women amongst the stones quirked smiles.
“Should you be in the field on such a mission?” Nandra asked. “After what befell you from The Rising, are you at your full strength?”
“Does it matter when things need to get done?” Melisse asked back.
“Yes, if you were to fail in the mission,” Nandra returned.
“I will not fail,” Melisse declared in a manner that not another woman thought to press that particular subject.
“I will hasten to bring to fruition my mission in Dunlyn,” Fern decreed.
“You should abandon it altogether,” Elena advised.
“I do not intend to remain in the services of my Regent’s forces after this is over, Elena,” Fern replied quietly. “Thus, if he wishes to punish me for insurrection when all is said and done, I will accept whatever punishment he chooses. But the work of my women must reach completion in Dunlyn.”
“Can you explain why?” Farah queried.
Fern looked to the Dellish Queen.
“Lord Felix is the only one who has come forth to share he is officially of this insurgence. Others were identified by their militias battling your forces in the Night Heights and at The Enchantments. We have strong reason to believe, however, that not all have come forward to state where their allegiance lies. We also have strong reason to believe that a council of all those united to depose Cassius, restore Gallienus to his throne, and resume the ways of Airen meets there to plan their war,” Fern shared. “And we have reason to believe that orders are coming from the Bailey, direct from Gallienus himself.”
Her voice dropped when she continued.
“You do not kill a weed by picking off its leaves. You must dig it out of the dirt. We must know who our enemy is, Farah. All of them.”
Farah could not argue that point, so she didn’t.
But Elena entered the conversation.
“Serena has become quite skilled at being a spy.”
“She is very well known by this faction,” Fern replied. “As such, it would be difficult for her to spy.”
“She is very well known everywhere, but she still managed to strike a crippling blow to The Rising,” Elena replied.
“I will consider this,” Fern murmured.
“And consider using her lover, Chu,” Elena added.
Fern’s chin lifted. “We need no man.”
“He taught Serena much of what she knows. And Serena has a crew. Two gnomes. And everyone knows that gnomes are exceptionally skilled at espionage.”
Fern appeared most interested in this idea.
“Someone must volunteer to track down the Beast,” Melisse noted at this juncture, her eyes on Rebecca and Nandra. “It will be dangerous, and Lena and I can join in the search when we’ve completed our assignment. But we cannot delay in searching to ascertain if he has, or has not, come to ground.”