This is the last of them to arrive, so Osrik and Ryatt will be here too. It’s taken three days for them to all filter in, and when the final troops pour past the entrance of the wall, the base is going to be crammed full. Normally, when I’ve called most of my army here, they’re only at the base for a short period of time. But with the situation as it is now, I cannot quickly discharge them to return to their homes.
That fact won’t be well received.
They’ve been gone for months, and they’ve been traveling hard. However, their arrival will be stained like the spill of bitter juice when they find out that war is looming and they can’t return home yet.
With the river of the army flowing in, I direct Argo to drop lower when we make it to the base’s wall. Shouts rise up from below, cheers from the soldiers who recognize Argo from the sky.
I don’t deserve their cheering.
Argo’s wings slice through the air, tucking between the limbs of the trees as he gets even lower. With a tug on his reins, he shifts to the right, heading for the building pitched with beams on all four sides, its roof a pinnacle of pine tar, the dark grain of the wood walls blending in with the trees around it.
As Argo begins to circle in his telltale sign of landing, the soldiers below move out of the way, just as the beast touches down, his talons sinking into the grass.
All around me, soldiers bow their heads as I unbuckle from the saddle and jump down. After giving Argo a pat on his hindquarters to let him know he can go off to hunt, I turn around, nodding at the crowd before I head for the building.
My boots tramp up the three sparse steps leading to the door, and as soon as I get inside, four heads swivel in my direction. Judd and Lu are sitting at the left of the table, Ryatt and Osrik at the right. Osrik’s long beard is even more unruly than usual, the hair on his head in much the same condition.
“You look like shit, Os,” I say in greeting.
He grunts, thick arms crossing in front of him. “Sorry I didn’t primp. Been busy dragging your army across the continent through the freezing ass snow.”
I smirk as I take a seat next to him. “I appreciate it. Did you have any trouble?”
“Aside from the expected grumbles every now and then, and a few fights breaking out? No.”
“Good.” My eyes shift to Ryatt. His helmet is on the tabletop, though other than that, he’s still in full armor. “And you and Hojat got back fine?”
“Of course. Good thing too, because the frostbite running through the camps wasn’t pretty. We’ve lost too many fingers and toes,” he says, his tone dripping with displeasure.
“Hojat was worried about that.”
Ryatt levels me with a look. “What’s going on, Slade?” he asks. “Why haven’t we started dismissing everyone who isn’t in the standing army? Why are you keeping everyone here?”
I look between him and Osrik, and then I catch them both up on everything that’s happened, including the dinner we had with Manu three nights ago. Os spools out a string of curses several times during my explanation, but Ryatt grows quiet. I know my brother. The quieter he becomes, the more furious he is.
“Well, fuck,” Os says when I finish. He rubs the back of his head. “This isn’t good.”
“Understatement of the year,” Judd mumbles as he picks at the dry edge of the wood table.
“We knew they’d do something to try and force my hand, but I didn’t expect this. Queen Kaila and the others are going hard.”
Judd yanks a splinter off the edge, using it to pick at the grains on the tabletop. “What I don’t get is why they’re risking pissing off King Rot.”
“Someone has to take the fall for two dead monarchs in one night,” Lu replies. “They’re choosing Auren as their target.”
“They’re scared of her,” Osrik says. “These fucking rumors. No wonder the other rulers have their knickers in a shit twist. They’re worried she’s gonna steal more magic.”
“The rumors and propaganda have spread more than I realized,” I admit. “The public’s opinion is focused on bringing Auren to trial. All while Kaila is quietly trying to sink her claws into Sixth.”
Osrik’s eyes sharpen. “What?”
I nod. “Last report I had was that she took a trip to Highbell. Made some announcement about how she and Midas were betrothed right before he got killed. Had a bullshit ceremony to fucking honor Midas’s life. She’s trying to dredge up support there.”