Page 57 of An Archer's Reckoning

“Tell me, Danai. You have an update?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Phase one is complete.”

“Excellent!” I slapped the arm of my chair and stood.

When Danai’s expression didn’t match my own, I stepped forward. “What are you not telling me?”

He hesitated.

“Our men made it to the peaks. In total, they reported over a hundred Rangers killed along the range. We did not lose a single man.” He swallowed. “Our scouts managed to eliminate most of the signal pyres.”

“What do you mean, ‘most,’ Danai?”

“One station was manned by a Ranger Gifted with Fire. He was shot multiple times but managed to send flame into the pyre before he died. Our scouts tried to douse the flames, but as you know, water is useless against a flame lit by magic.”

I leveled an icy glare.

Danai took a step back and shrank before me.

I smiled inwardly at his submission.Fear is such a potent weapon.His cowering reminded me of my demonstration before the Council, of the look on Wilfred’s face as his organs began to burn. The terror in the other men’s eyes was even better.

Let them test my will again and see how they fare.

I stepped to the table and scanned the map. “Which pyre was lit? Show me.”

Danai pointed to a peak on the map.

My fingernails tapped a rapid cadence against the cold wooden table. “There’s nothing we can do about that now. What of our men? How did they fare? Are our Mages in position?”

“Our men are all in position, including the Mages.” He pointed to locations a mile from the edge of the forest around Grove’s Pass. “Mages are here and here. They await your order.”

The moment stretched.

As if in answer to my growing exhilaration, the coals in the brazier burst into flame. My tapping accelerated.

A thousand years of waiting. A thousand years in death’s prison . . .

My voice seared hotter than the blazing coals. “Burn themall. I want the Rangers eliminated and their headquarters reduced to ashes. Make sure the scouts get into position on the east side of the town before the attack begins. No one escapes to warn the Triad.”

Danai did not move.

“What?” I glared up at him.

“Your Majesty, it is flurrying outside. In the mountains, winter snows began in earnest two days ago, and the pass through them is six feet deep in places, likely more by now.” His eyes wandered back to the map. “We can take out Grove’s Pass, but there is no way we will get our armies through the mountains before spring. If we attack now, our men will be trapped on the other side with no reinforcements, nowhere to hide or shelter through winter. They will all die.”

“Sacrificing pawns clears the board.” I returned to my chair. “Taking out the Rangers is more than a strategic objective. It’s amessageto the Triad and the people of Melucia.”

He raised a questioning brow.

“Resist, and youwillburn.”

Chapter 21

Declan

Istripped off my heavy coat and began lifting the straps of the pack from my shoulders.“We just walked into another cave. I’m going to put you down so I can look for wood for a fire.”

A second later, a feathery head poked out of the pack that now rested against the wall of the cave in time for a brief gust of icy wind to smack Órla in the face. She disappeared back into the pack.

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