Page 76 of Path of the Dark
The guard raised his right hand, revealing a small scroll of parchment. “An urgent message has come from the northern border, sire.”
“Give it here then.”
The guard approached him, keeping his gaze averted from the smoldering corpses nearby, and handed it over.
Reoul snatched the goshawk message, broke the black wax seal—which heralded an urgent missive—and unfurled the scrap of parchment.
And as he read the message within, he forgot all about Gael’s rodent and his slaughtered men. An icy finger trailed down his spine, and he read the missive once more just to make sure he’d understood.
“What is it, Your Highness?” Gael asked when the silence drew out. “What news from the north?”
Reoul raised his gaze. After today’s display he’d planned to rid himself of Gael; the enchanter was too powerful, too ambitious. Yet he couldn’t now. Shadows take them all, he needed the bastard.
“Nathan has mobilized his army,” the king replied, a rasp to his voice. “He’s just hit The Royal Highway leaguefort and razed it to the ground. The Rithmar army is now marching south … Ninia of Thûn is with them.”
Gael frowned. “Wasn’t your son supposed to kill her?”
Reoul’s fingers tightened, crushing the message.
“Clearly, he failed,” Gael went on. “And now Nathan of Rithmar is enraged and looking for blood … yours most likely.”
Reoul drew in a slow, deep breath, seeking calm. He didn’t need the situation spelled out to him.
“This is our chance, Your Highness.” Gael took another step toward him, and the rat rose up on its hind legs, nose twitching, revealing a soft pink belly. “We are ready. Ride out to meet them and unleash your enchanters.”
“No,” Reoul replied, revulsion penetrating his rising temper, although this time he managed to master his body’s reaction. “Let them come to us. We will remain here and defend this city.”
“But if we meet them on the road you can push north after we defeat them … take Rithmar.”
“If Nathan falls before the gates of this city, his kingdom will be leaderless all the same. The north will be there waiting for me whenI’mready.” Reoul’s voice had turned soft and ice-cold. Behind him, he sensed Saskia shift nervously. She knew what such a voice meant—all who’d spent time with Reoul did.
But Gael evidently didn’t know, or care. Recklessly, he pushed on. “Why the hesitation, sire? We should strike when they’re at their weakest.”
A fire started to kindle in Reoul’s belly, a rising heat that he knew to be deadly. Gael’s enchanters would be of great use in the battle to come, but Reoul wished he’d had one of his assassins cut this weasel’s throat days ago. Gael had gone too far today.
“We remain at Veldoras,” Reoul said finally, enunciating each word as if speaking to a dull-wit. “We will fight them here.”
Not waiting for Gael’s response, the king turned to the guard who still waited a few yards away. Pale faced, the man was deliberately keeping his gaze fixed upon his boots. The stench of burning flesh was stomach churning now, but Reoul was too enraged to even notice.
Elias had failed him.
Nathan was marching on him.
And Gael was daring to question him.
“Get this mess cleared up,” Reoul ordered.
The guard nodded, his throat bobbing. “Aye, sire.” He then turned on his heel and marched out of the yard, almost running in his haste to be away from the carnage.
Reoul turned his attention back to Gael. “The Rithmar army will be here within the next four to five days,” he said, his voice expressionless. “We need to start preparing for the attack. You and the Veldoras enchanters will move into the Swallow Guard barracks. Return to the House of Light and Darkness and make the arrangements.”
Gael’s jaw clenched. He wasn’t used to being refused. He didn’t like taking orders from anyone, even kings.
“Did you hear me?”
The enchanter pulled a face. “Aye, sire. With respect though … I think you are making a grave mistake.”
“This discussion is at an end.”
