Page 17 of Secrets of Graves and Gold

He really did sacrifice himself to the fire so that his followers would keep faith in the conspiracy, then. Because he truly believed in the cause himself? Because he knew whoever commanded him would continue their efforts?

“Torstem gave out most of the orders for what happened in and around the college, but he was getting his orders from someone else,” Rheave says. “There was someone overseeing the workshop where this body was made.”

He touches his chest as if he still sees his human body as an object that’s not entirely him. “I didn’t see that man, though. When he came to the workshop, I was already trapped in the body, but the sorcerers hadn’t fully animated it yet. I had no sight.”

Alek perks up with an air of keen interest. “Would you recognize his voice if you heard it again?”

The daimon-man’s forehead furrows as he considers. “Possibly. The sounds traveled strangely when I was encased in the clay, before it became flesh.”

“Do you know where that workshop was?” Stavros asks.

“No. It was a fairly long journey to the city. We were kept in boxes, nothing but darkness.” A slight tremor runs through the daimon-man’s muscular form that makes me want to clasp his hand, as if I can offer some comfort.

“But this leader,” Alek says, “he could still talk to you directly? You indicated that you sensed him calling all the daimon he’d harnessed to attack the palace.”

Rheave hums thoughtfully. “It wasn’t quite talking. It was more like a tug or a push. But I could understand what it was tugging or pushing me toward. My first few weeks guarding the college, I simply had to go along with those tugs and all the other orders they’d imbedded in me.”

Casimir’s mouth curves up into a fond smile. “Until Ivy inspired you.”

The daimon-man’s gaze veers to me. “Something like that. I wasn’t really thinking about what I was doing, just following the orders and wishing I could break out. But Ivy talked about things I couldn’t help wondering about later, and I started noticing what I liked about having this body. And when I questioned the people controlling us at the college about their orders, they didn’t like it.”

I wince. “They threatened to destroy you.”

“Yes.” Rheave’s unearthly eyes remain fixed on my face. “But I knew if there was anyone who would stop them from doing it, it was you. And I was right. If it won’t trouble you to have me around, I’d like to stay with you, wherever you’re going. I know that’s the best place for me to be.”

A strange pang reverberates through my heart. I’m not sure how to be a figure like that in anyone’s life, especially a daimon who’s not used to having a mortal life at all.

But I can’t think of any other answer I could possibly give. “Of course you can stay with us. We’ll need all the help we can get.”

Stavros grimaces, but he refrains from arguing for now. “The more information we have about what we’re up against, the better. Do you know who arranged for you and the other daimon to be hired on as guards? Is there anything else you learned about the scourge sorcerers’ plans, what they intended to do beyond the attack on the city?”

Rheave’s gaze goes momentarily distant. “I’m not sure about hiring us. But for their larger plans—they were making their own army. I heard a few of them say that in the workshop. Building numbers, preparing to overthrow the Melchioreks… But I didn’t hear anything more about it after I got to the city. The others might know more.”

“The others?” I say. “You mean the other captured daimon? You said there were many more. Where?”

Rheave shakes his head. “I’m not sure of that either. Only a small number of us were sent to the city, but where the others went, I wasn’t told. I think the attack on the palace was a sudden decision provoked by the arrests and Torstem’s death. It wasn’t the main thing they were working toward.”

The rest of us exchange an uneasy glance.

“A small number,” Alek repeats. “Just how many daimons did they stuff into clay bodies like you?”

Rheave’s eyes widen. “More were always going out. But the workshop was big. In the week while they were making me, there were at least a hundred others they were animating.”

Casimir pales. “And most of them have been gathering somewhere else? There could be an army of thousands by now.”

The bottom of my stomach drops out. “And who knows how many scourge sorcerers egging them on.”

The conspiracy seemed horrifying enough when I thought it was merely a few dozen villains scheming around the city. If the Order of the Wild stretches right across Silana… how in the realms are any of us going to stop them?

Six

Ivy

For all Casimir’s concern about keeping us warm and dry, he’s the one sneezing when we finally stop for the night.

“I’m all right,” he tells me when I go over to check on him, but his voice sounds unusually rough. His face has flushed with what might be the start of a fever.

Guilt and worry tangle in my gut. I caress his cheek and grab another roll from our stash of provisions. “You should get a little food in you and then rest.”

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