The Shadowglass (The Bone Witch #3) - Rin Chupeco Page 0,92

will persevere, and we will rebuild, Your Majesty.”

“Drychta at Mithra’s Wall was troubling enough,” Commander Selvynt boomed. “Drychta in the Hollows is all but an act of war. And Lady Tea of the Embers, somehow caught up in all this. How fares the mad king?”

“If I am to believe the reports,” General Androvey rumbled, “he graces the mountains with his company.”

“It was a mistake, taking him alive last time.” King Kance spoke softly, but his volume took away none of his harshness. I did not recognize the hardened man from the gentle king the Dark asha recalled in her tale. “And I do not intend to make that same error again.”

“The Drychta may retaliate, Your Majesty.”

“They will not.” I surprised myself by interrupting. “Many live in fear of him as much as you do—even more so. The next in line to the throne is a distant cousin, Jakova of House Gansla. He is a moderate, and wise for his age. I do not know if he is keen on accepting the crown’s burden, but at the very least, he will listen to reason.”

“And who might you be?” The Odalian king’s stare was hard and suspicious.

“Tea’s chronicler,” Lady Zoya explained. “He can tell you many things about our wayward asha, if you wish.”

“He is Drychta.”

“He is harmless, Your Majesty.”

I reached into my coat, eager to show him the letters that proved my value.

“Stop!” He made a fierce gesture, and I was surrounded by swords and spears. The tip of one blade grazed my chin. “I have heard of you. The songs you sing are popular in my own courts, a favorite to mimic among my own bards. But you are Drychta, and that does not change.”

“I can vouch for him, Your Majesty,” Lord Fox said.

“And how certain are you of his loyalties?”

“You’ve asked me about Tea many times these last few months, and I had no answers to give. The letters he holds will alleviate some of those concerns, though I doubt you’ll find all the answers there.”

The Odalian king paused. He eyed the papers in my hand.

“Show me,” he responded.

18

We made haste the next day, packing quickly and making our good-byes so we could make for Mithra’s Wall before Kance’s army could engage the Drychta. I hurried to Likh’s tent when the latter proved slow to appear. “Lord Agnarr is waiting to see us go,” I said abruptly, pushing back the door. “I’m worried about Prince—King Kance, and the sooner we leave, the quicker we can get to—”

Likh and Khalad sprang apart. I stared, focused on keeping my jaw shut, while they both babbled together:

“We were already leaving—”

“Khalad was—it’s cold even with all the Fire runes present—”

“We weren’t—Likh wasn’t feeling well and I was trying to—”

“—we didn’t bring enough warm clothing, and Khalad was kind enough to—”

“—not sick or anything, but I wanted to check the wards in case—”

“I’m going to give you two five minutes to compose yourselves,” I said gently, “and to get your stories straight, but that’s all the time we can spare. We leave within half an hour if we want to find Kance before his army clashes with Aadil’s. We may be in the thick of battle as soon as the azi lands, so prepare yourselves.” Slowly, I closed the door, smiling to myself. It was a start.

“I am sorry that you could not find the answers you seek here,” Agnarr told me as I returned to where he and the other Gorvekai waited with Kalen to see us off.

“So am I, milord.” Likh and Khalad arrived moments later, the couple blushing and taking great pains not to look at me. Kalen raised an eyebrow.

“Your cousin finally got the hint,” I murmured to him.

“Good. I was wondering when he’d work up the guts to make a move.”

“I’m not sure he was the first to do so.”

The azi was quick to answer my call. I saw brief images of forests below and bright sky overhead before the two blurred together as it sped obediently toward me. Seas glittered blue before peaks of white crystals abruptly appeared. I saw an ice fjord, a breathtaking land sculpture of ice and glass, before the azi veered off, making for our small encampment.

Through its eyes, I caught sight of us, small as ants, standing in a cluster at the center of the frozen tundra. The beast landed, crooning and dipping all three heads in a monstrous curtsy.

“Good boys.” I stroked each head in turn as they butted one another for