Page 60 of Slaying the Shadow Prince
Drue nodded, crouching by the nearest corpse and rifling through his pockets. Ever the pragmatist.
‘We took them by surprise,’ she said, sifting through a handful of weathered parchment. ‘But they usually plan their attacks. We’ve had reports that groups like these rally all over Naarva, preying on the weakened communities in hiding and offering them to the wraiths as sacrifices.’
Talemir set about sorting through the belongings of the rest, pocketing weapons and supplies along the way. The dead men were armed, but not with quality blades – many of them were rusted and ill cared for – and the rations in their packs were stale.
‘Look at this,’ Drue said, snatching his attention back. From one body, she pulled a folded, battered piece of parchment – a map, covered in a messy scrawl of notes.
‘What does it say?’ Talemir asked.
Drue chewed her bottom lip as she considered it. ‘It’s directions to a stronghold… And…’
‘And?’
‘And plans to attack and kidnap inhabitants of a local shelter…’
‘How far is it?’ Talemir said at once. ‘We can go there now, stop them before —’
But Drue was shaking her head. ‘Not based on these numbers. We’ll need a bigger force. As deadly as you are, Warsword, not even you can take out an entire stronghold.’
‘Then what is it you suggest, Wildfire?’
The corner of Drue’s mouth twitched, as though she may have been tempted to smile at the nickname. But she remained focused on the raider’s plans. ‘We send word with Terrence to the citadel, to Adrienne and my father… Our Naarvian units and your Warsword apprentice can join forces with us here, and we can attack the raiders’ stronghold and rescue the people they’ve captured. It’s even possible Gus and our watchtower guards are with them.’
‘So you want to wait? Won’t it take them too long?’
‘Unlike us, Adrienne has the option to use the Ciraunian ships. They’re in working order. If she travels by the seas and straits, and if the winds are kind, they’ll be here in a matter of days.’
‘Right.’
‘In the meantime, you and I can scout the area.’
‘Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out.’
Another half-smile. ‘Perhaps I do.’ She rummaged through her pack and, to Talemir’s surprise, fished out a small pot of ink and a battered-looking quill. ‘Turn around, will you?’
‘What?’
She approached him and gripped his arms, physically turning him so he faced away from her.
‘If you’d be so kind as to crouch a tad,’ she added, pressing a piece of parchment across the breadth of his back.
Talemir almost laughed at the absurdity of it as Drue made quick work of penning a missive to Adrienne, using him as a desk.
‘You couldn’t have used one of the many walls?’ he asked. ‘Or found a table in one of these old workshops?’
‘But you were right here,’ she replied, the quill scratching against the surface of the parchment.
Talemir didn’t know why, but it made him smile.
When Drue was done, she rolled up her message and whistled for Terrence. The hawk swooped down from where he had been perched on a rafter and patiently waited for his master to tie the scroll to his fully healed leg.
Talemir watched the bird, whose yellow-eyed stare didn’t seem so angry anymore.
Drue stroked his feathers fondly. ‘Take this to Adrienne at the citadel, no one else. Understand?’
Terrence gave her an affectionate peck on the finger before launching himself skyward.
‘We should move the bodies,’ Talemir said, nose wrinkling in distaste.
