Even Gods Must Fall - Christian Warren Freed Page 0,46

of the rebels had returned. They’d managed to hunt down another score or so of the enemy before turning back. Smiles and exhaustion combined in the former civilians. Any semblance of their old life was gone. Warfare and loss transformed them from meager peasants and farmers to hardened killers with little room for compassion. Ingrid and Orlek ran them through constant drills, for each life was precious to the rebellion leadership.

The striking blond shivered under the warmth of her wolf-skin cloak. The furs would normally have been enough to ward away the cold. Winter was especially fierce this year, almost as if some fell power was enhancing it. Ingrid believed that there was no way the storms could continue into spring the way they had, not without evil influences. She had briefly conferred with Anienam when the two groups met earlier and was left with an unexplainable feeling of dread. The sudden arrival of the Goblins all but confirmed her feelings.

Her eyes were stern, watching silently as dirt was pushed over the mound of corpses. It was more mercy than they deserved. Foreign fighters had no place in Delranan and deserved the kiss of hard steel under the midnight sun. Orlek stood by her side, more for defending the image of her strength than for her well-being. She appreciated all he’d done for her and the love that had sprung from working so closely together during the toughest times. As much as it pained her to admit, her old life was gone. The loss of her late husband faded, replaced by her burgeoning love for Orlek. Never in her dreams had she expected to find another love. It was that fear that led her to the rebellion and into Orlek’s mysterious arms.

“This is unnecessary,” he told her without looking.

“We can’t afford to leave the bodies lying around,” she replied. “Skaning is still out there. If he discovers these bodies we’ll be hunted down for sure.”

“I thought we wanted a stand-up fight? These mercenaries are filth. They don’t belong in our kingdom.” Orlek’s voice darkened with undisguised contempt.

What secret are you keeping from me? Do you hate them because it reminds you of what you once were? Oh, Orlek, I wish you’d trust me. “I won’t argue with that but we have to proceed with caution. Matters have changed. The Goblins threaten to undo everything we have worked for these long months.”

“Do you think Harnin is behind this latest move? I can’t imagine him willingly working with those filthy creatures.”

Ingrid didn’t know. At this point in the rebellion she wasn’t willing to put anything past the One Eye. He was as shrewd as he was spiteful. Lives meant nothing to the current lord of Delranan. “We can’t fight an army of Goblins. The best we can hope for is to destroy the loyalist forces and fall back until the Goblins retire.”

“Goblins keep what they capture, Ingrid. Delranan will become a sordid pit used for their foul purpose,” Orlek warned. “We must find a way.”

She was about to break into tears when a thought came to her. “Do you suppose they’re mixed up in this nonsense with Bahr? He’s heading for the ruins as well. It might just be that whatever evil forces control Harnin and the Goblins is mixed up with Bahr’s quest.”

“To what end? He’s already got the upper hand. None of this makes sense to me,” Orlek said. “We need to get word to Harlan and combine our forces. Should any of the three elements be picked off by Goblins, our strength will be reduced, permanently.”

“I’m going to find out,” she said. Defiance twisted her once flawless face.

“Where are you going?” Orlek demanded.

“To make a deal. Send word to Harlan. I want all three columns to converge before we reach Arlevon Gale,” she called back over her shoulder.

The leader of the rebellion stormed off to confront the Sea Wolf. Too many times she’d been behind on intelligence, leaving her struggling to improvise plans on the run. How many friends were left buried, much like these mercenaries, or shoved away in one of Harnin’s dungeons? More than she cared to acknowledge. The pain of losing so many people she had counted on not only diminished her feeling of value but hampered the rebellion immeasurably. Ingrid needed to find that one key to change her lot. Otherwise….

“Captain Bahr, a word please,” she snapped when he was within earshot.

Bahr winced at the sound of her voice and slowly turned from Anienam. The