A Time of Blood (Of Blood and Bone #2) - John Gwynne Page 0,56
knowing what was to come.
Hating what was to come.
“Greetings, people of the Land of the Faithful,” Kol said. By some ingenious effect of the curved architecture of the hall, his voice echoed around the chamber, effortlessly filling the huge room. “Both humankind and Ben-Elim, I am grateful that you have come so quickly at such a dark time.”
He stepped forwards, everything about him assured and confident.
“Our high captain, Israfil, is dead, slain by a dread conspiracy amongst our own.” He hung his head. “It has been the greatest of tragedies.”
Murmurs rippled amongst the crowd.
A Ben-Elim stepped out from the crowd, tall and finely handsome, dark hair pulled tight to his head and tied at the nape. He wore a cuirass of polished leather, embossed upon it a serpent, body coiling in a circle, at its apex two heads meeting, fangs bared. About his neck was a silver torc of twisted silver, the same two serpents’ heads meeting. Riv recognized him as Sariel, a captain of the Ben-Elim rarely seen at Drassil. He led the legions who guarded the south-eastern border. The crowd hushed.
“Who?” he said.
Kol met Sariel’s eye and waited for the hall to become utterly silent.
“Adonai,” Kol said.
Gasps and outraged shouts rippled around the chamber.
The Ben-Elim Adonai had been one of Kol’s closest friends, one of his inner circle. He was also the father of Fia’s baby. Israfil the Lord Protector had put Adonai on trial in this very room, found him guilty of consorting with a White-Wing. Israfil had drawn a sword and dealt out the punishment himself, hacking Adonai’s wings from his back and exiling him from the Banished Lands.
Kol was telling the truth when he said it was Adonai who had slain Israfil. Riv had seen it with her own eyes. But Kol wasn’t telling the whole truth. He did not say that when Adonai plunged a sword into Israfil’s chest the Lord Protector was on his knees, Kol standing behind him with his knife to Israfil’s throat.
And who is to say different of Adonai now. He is dead, slain by Bleda because Adonai was trying to kill me.
“Adonai did not accomplish this dark deed alone,” Kol said to Sariel, though his voice filled the chamber. “He had help; there were traitors within our own. Garidas, captain of a White-Wing hundred, aided him.”
Riv snorted a shocked laugh. Even though Kol had told her all that he was going to say, hearing him saying it out loud to all of Drassil made her feel physically sick.
I liked Garidas. It is not right that he is blamed for this.
But what can I do to defend him? I am in this too deep now, cannot see a path out of this dark place. There is nothing I can do without breaking my oath to Kol and sentencing Bleda to death.
She realized her fists were clenched, knuckles white and popping.
“These are dark days, and filled with mourning,” Kol continued. “But the Banished Lands are not safe, the Kadoshim are stirring and we must be ever vigilant, must fulfil our sacred calling to protect mankind. We need to elect a new Lord Protector, and soon. Someone strong enough and wise enough to lead us through this war and claim the victory that has eluded us for so long.” He looked away from Sariel now, eyes slowly taking in the vast crowd that filled the hall.
“As his chosen second in command, I nominate myself for the task,” Kol said, spreading his arms and wings wide.
“The appointment of a new Lord Protector is a matter for the Ben-Elim to decide,” he said. “In council.”
“I grieve Israfil’s loss as much as anyone,” Kol continued, voice raised for the crowd, ignoring Sariel. “But we must think of the future. The Land of the Faithful is not home to just us Ben-Elim; the races of men and giants dwell here. They should have a say.”
Murmuring spreading through the crowd, scattered shouts and cheers from many, especially large groups of White-Wings, but not them alone. Many of the free folk of Drassil, too—traders, smiths, farmers, all manner of people.
Sariel frowned. Riv noticed many of the Ben-Elim amidst the crowd shifting uncomfortably.
“This is a new world, a new age, and we should change with it, not keep it leashed,” Kol said. “I propose a new order, where Ben-Elim and mankind rule together. Israfil was a great leader, but he had one foot still in the Otherworld, was clinging to a way