Song of the wolf, p.15
Song of the Wolf, page 15
“No more secrets, my queen,” Red Wolf said. “I promise.”
They stopped at the cliff to the east of the den, which dropped into a valley below, stretching for miles into the distance. Talin was certain she would see the border of their two kingdoms if such a thing were visible.
“Can I ask you something?” she said.
“Certainly.” Red Wolf dipped his head.
“The Hellhounds must have given you your name, yes? Red Wolf. What was your name before then?” Talin asked.
“They did.” Red Wolf’s brow creased. “If I had a name before I was Red Wolf, I do not remember it. My earliest memories are of the Hellhounds’ experiments. I remember nothing of my childhood before then.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Why? You had no part in this.”
“Oh, I don’t know, I—” Talin began.
“You have no need to apologise. It’s alright.” Red Wolf averted his gaze and became intensely interested in admiring the scenery. Talin felt herself growing increasingly flustered in his presence, but leaving now, in the middle of a conversation, seemed rude.
“I’m not apologising, I’m only—oh, never mind. Why did you decide to remain in Belanore all these years instead of trying to find out where you came from?” she asked, desperately trying to change the topic. “You could have turned down the position of lord commander and travelled the Highlands.”
“I’ve no notion of where to even start,” Red Wolf said. “As I said, I remember nothing of my childhood before the Hellhounds. Nothing, my queen. Not even a fragment of a name. Beyond the walls of Belanore, I have nothing.”
They were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. Talin spun around to find one of Kadis’ lieutenants hurrying towards them.
“Apologies for the interruption, Your Majesty,” he said. “We have a situation. Kadis asks you to attend his meeting immediately.”
Talin looked at Red Wolf, who simply shrugged. “Well, we wouldn’t want to keep him waiting. Lead on,” she said.
The lieutenant led them back across the fields and into the den. At the doors to the war room, he stopped, dipped his head and hurried off, and the two Drakels standing guard opened the doors for them. Talin took her spot opposite Kadis, Ettrias hovering by her shoulder, while Red Wolf slid into position on her left.
“We’ve received news of the insurgents’ movements in El’Vane,” Kadis said. “I believe we now know where they are keeping my spy, as well as your squire. It is time we launched our operation to free them.”
“You have a plan?” Talin asked.
“Yes.” Kadis waved a hand, and two Drakels stepped up to unroll a map of El’Vane on the table. “Our attacks on the trade caravans have been a nuisance for the insurgents for months now. They plan to double their guard on the north-eastern gate into the city, here.” He pointed to a spot on the map. “That will leave the other gates less guarded. We can slip in through the south without too much difficulty.”
“And you want our help?” Red Wolf lifted his brow.
“Indeed. We will use another caravan raid as a diversion while a small group sneaks into the city,” Kadis said. “With the resources required to conduct such a raid and make it look convincing, I’m forced to send out most of my garrison here. I’d like you and your companions to help free our targets.”
“What of the danger?” Red Wolf asked, looking at Talin. She stared back, lost in his gold eyes.
“If you’d prefer your queen to remain at the den, I would have that discussion with her, not me,” Kadis said coolly. Red Wolf blinked, and Talin suddenly remembered where she was.
“I’d like to help—if it’s all the same,” she said.
“My queen, this seems to be a dangerous assignment–” Red Wolf began.
“And I will not have you fight all my battles for me,” Talin finished for him. “If this is the price I must pay for an alliance, then I will pay it. I cannot sit behind stone walls and locked gates forever if I want to win the war.”
Red Wolf’s jaw tightened, but she knew he wouldn’t question her authority here, not in front of all these people. She had won this round. Whatever argument he would make about her safety later, he’d so do in private, and as a friend rather than an advisor. But that was a conversation for another time, and Talin was more interested in learning what sort of plan Kadis had concocted.
“Our caravan raid will go ahead as it normally does,” the Draconian prince explained. “The only difference is that our covert team will arrive early under the guise of merchants looking to gain access into the city to sell our wares. When the attack begins, the guards will be forced to usher all civilians inside the walls for safety. That will be our chance to slip away into the crowd.”
Red Wolf crossed his arms, showing his muscled form under that tight-fitting tunic of his, the result of years upon years of swordplay and training. “That’s risky. If they discover the ruse before you can slip away, you won’t get a second chance.”
“This whole operation is risky,” Kadis said. “Bo’Galesh will lead the raid. I will be posing as the head merchant. Bo’Kata, we will need your archers to follow the attack force from behind and provide reinforcements should the situation call for it.”
“Consider it done.” A red-scaled Drakel without horns dipped her head.
Kadis turned to Talin. “Your Majesty, if you intend to join us, I must ask that you and your companions hide your faces when we queue up for entry approval. Elves will raise far too many questions among these Elitists.”
“I understand,” Talin said. “Perhaps I can bring up the rear with Bo’Kata’s archers instead while Red Wolf and Ettrias go with you into the city?” She shot a look at her bodyguard that amounted to: We can discuss the details later.
“Actually, with your injury, you will be better suited to joining us instead of the archers,” Red Wolf said. “But, of course, I leave the decisions to Prince Kadis.”
Kadis shrugged. “No opposition either way. We set out tomorrow. Bo’Galesh, organise your men and choose who you want to take with us. We will need two more to pose as security escorts. This war council is dismissed.”
Talin watched as Kadis’ officers filed out of the room. The prince was the last to leave, and Talin found herself walking beside him as they made for the main doors of the hideout.
“I confess I’m surprised you decided to join this operation yourself,” he said. “My father often said that leaders should keep themselves out of harm’s way wherever possible.”
“As you do?” Talin said with a smile.
“Ah, you have me there.” He grinned.
“Truth be told, I’m tired of sitting back and letting others fight my battles for me,” Talin said. “I’m tired of not being able to help.”
Kadis shrugged. “Perhaps. But there is a difference between leading by example and charging recklessly onto the battlefield.” He offered her an awkward smile. “I don’t mean to lecture you, of course. My apologies if I came across that way.”
“No, I understand,” Talin said. “It’s food for thought. Though I am more interested in learning about this civil war of yours.”
“Ah. I shall give you the quick version,” Kadis said. “The Elitists are led by a Drakel named Ve’Tehll. He was the face of the insurgency during both civil wars and has been running things in the empire ever since I was driven into hiding.”
“Why did they rebel?”
“Disagreements over my father’s administration,” Kadis said. “It’s always the same. Instead of diplomacy and reason, they resort to violence and bloodshed.” He shook his head. “We pushed them back the first time when I was still a child, but we suffered severe losses—my mother among them. We never thought that Ve’Tehll would come back so much stronger.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s all in the past now,” Kadis said. “We can only pick up the pieces and try to push back.”
“My queen…” Red Wolf called from somewhere behind them.
Gods, I don’t want to deal with him now.
“I’ll leave you two be.” Kadis dipped his head and continued to the training grounds before Talin could open her mouth.
“We have nothing to discuss, Red Wolf.” She reluctantly faced him. “I’m going.”
“I cannot let you put yourself in danger like this,” Red Wolf said. “Remember why you are here.”
“I came here to seek help from the Drakels. Kadis has asked me to help him in return, and that is what I will do,” Talin said. “I’m grateful for your commitment to protecting me and your counsel as a friend, but I cannot rely on you and others to fight my battles for me.”
“My queen…” Red Wolf ran a hand over his chin.
“Why are you so insistent on protecting me?” Talin asked. “You were not like this when you served my father.”
Red Wolf cleared his throat. “I don’t understand.”
“Do you think I can’t handle myself? Is that it?” Talin asked.
“No, that’s not…” Red Wolf’s voice trailed off, and she knew she had him there. “I…my only wish is to keep you safe. You almost died at the border because I failed. I cannot let that happen again.”
“You are not at fault for what happened at the border,” Talin said.
“I know, I…” Red Wolf cleared his throat again. “I should…pack. For tomorrow.”
“Of course.” Talin gave a nod. “I’ll…be at the archery range.”
They parted ways quickly, and Talin made her way to the range. She recognised the red-scaled Drakel named Bo’Kata from the war meeting and a few other officers training their troops.
“Your Majesty.” Bo’Kata dipped her head. Her lack of horns made her seem smaller than most of the other Drakels from the war room, though Talin wasn’t sure it mattered, given that some were almost the same height as Red Wolf.
“Bo…Bo’Kata, yes?” Talin asked.
“Kata is fine,” the Drakel said. “In my culture, ‘Bo’ denotes a military general’s rank. We only use it for formal occasions and as a sign of respect if the Drakel is not present.”
Talin took a light bow from a nearby rack and found a full quiver. “Kadis doesn’t have a title?”
“Bo’Galesh and I hail from the Draconian deserts,” Bo’Kata explained. “As evidenced by our scales. We have a more traditional way with names than others in the empire.” She nodded at Talin’s bow. “You’ve shot before?”
“A few times.” Talin undid her sling and tested the draw on the spare bow before readying an arrow. The tug against her wound was a little uncomfortable but not unbearable, and she sent her first shot into the edge of the bullseye with ease.
“An excellent shot,” Bo’Kata said. “I suppose the stories are true about Elven archers.”
“Well, not entirely.” Talin sent another arrow into the target next to the first. “Southern elves have a natural aptitude for shooting, but not all of us are as good a shot as the stories would have it. Put my brother in the archery range, and he might be able to hit a bullseye once out of ten shots if he’s lucky.”
Bo’Kata chuckled. “Perhaps we could improve on that with some training.”
“He was always fonder of swordplay,” Talin said. She fired off two more arrows in rapid succession, landing them both close enough to each other that the tips almost touched. Her fifth shot split the shaft of her previous arrow clean in two.
“Impressive.” Bo’Kata nodded in approval. “Very impressive.” She made a low rumbling sound in her throat. “I seem to recall you showed interest in joining my archers for the attack. We would be most honoured to have you.”
“Thank you,” Talin said. “Though truth be told, I’m not sure I’d be able to wield a heavier bow with my injury.”
Bo’Kata only smiled. “Rest and recovery are important. You do not want to worsen your injury before it’s healed. When you are recovered, I would be more than happy to have you join one of our operations if you wish it.”
Talin gave a nod of thanks.
That night, after one of Kadis’ servants had dropped off some warmer clothing for the Draconian winter and Talin began packing, she noticed that a familiar-looking Elven bow had been left on her bed, along with its equally beautiful quiver of arrows. Assuming that Red Wolf had left it lying around somewhere and someone had mistaken it for hers, she picked up the bow and quiver, intending to return them. A carefully folded note slid off the quiver and landed unceremoniously on the bed. Curiosity quickly set in, and Talin set everything down to unfold and read it. It was scrawled in an elegant flourish that could only have come from Red Wolf or Ettrias, and she had her suspicions even before she started reading.
I cannot stop you from joining Kadis’s operation, and it is not my place to question your decisions. Consider this gift an apology. I suspect you will make much better use of it than I ever could.
–RW
Talin blinked. She hadn’t expected an apology from him at all, much less something so…personal.
Who are we to each other, then? Friends, or…
She dismissed the thought.
It is a sweet apology, though.
Talin propped the bow and quiver against the wall with a faint smile and continued folding her clothes.
XIX
Talin had thought the cold nights in Kies Tor were the worst sort of weather. How wrong she was.
By morning on the second day of their journey, she had discovered just how cold the Draconian lands could be. Frost covered everything when they woke and didn’t dissipate until midday. Even Red Wolf, who was only ever bothered by the storm season, had huddled himself in a thick tunic and cloak. Talin was forced to put on a pair of gloves to keep her fingers from freezing as they walked.
“I didn’t think it was possible for the temperature to get this cold,” she muttered, when they settled down again that night and lit a fire in front of their tent.
“If you think this is cold, give it a few more days,” Ettrias said, limping up and taking the seat beside her. His leg was healed enough now that he could walk but not run, and he had insisted on joining them in the city.
“I remember riding with the king to Castle Blackrun,” Red Wolf said. “It was the dead of winter. You could feel the cold as soon as we crossed the White River. We were gods-damned lucky it didn’t snow.”
“We set off at the usual time tomorrow in our positions,” Kadis said, on his way past them. Red Wolf gave him a nod of acknowledgement.
“I don’t suppose you have any more stories to share before bed?” Talin asked, looking at her brother.
“Truth be told, I didn’t do very much.” Ettrias picked up a stick and poked the fire. “My first few years were spent roaming the Draconian border villages, getting drunk and wallowing in self-pity. The rest I spent on a wasted effort to bring you down. Have you thought about what you’re going to do about me after all this is over?”
“Seems obvious to me,” Red Wolf said. “I confess to my crime and prove your innocence in front of the court. I’ll probably be sentenced to death or branded a criminal for the rest of my life; you go free.”
“I can’t tell if you’re joking,” Ettrias said icily.
“I’m not.”
Ettrias didn’t respond.
“I can’t sentence you to death, Red Wolf,” Talin said.
“You must do what is right,” Red Wolf said. “I’ve lived with my guilt for ten years. This is the only way to fix things.”
“We can discuss this when we return to Belanore,” Talin said. “Whenever that will be.”
“As you wish, my queen.” Red Wolf dipped his head. “Whatever happens tomorrow, promise me you will not do something irrational. My place is at your side, but I cannot guarantee anything, especially if it comes to a fight.”
Talin sighed. “I’ve told you, Red Wolf, stop overthinking this. I will be perfectly safe with you and Kadis.”
“You’d better be, I’m not interested in taking another arrow to the leg for you,” Ettrias muttered. “Why were you so insistent on joining us, anyway? Nobody would have thought any less of you if you chose to remain at the den.”
“I…” Talin wrestled with her thoughts for a moment, trying to decide how best to explain. “I guess I’ve lived a sheltered life until now, even compared to you, Ettrias. Father expected me to lead my people, but I knew so little of the outside world that I couldn’t possibly understand what was truly best for them. I’m starting to realise that being queen involves far more than sitting on a throne, solving domestic disputes, and dividing our resources in the battle against the Hellhounds.”
“Wise words,” Red Wolf said. “You’re learning well.”
“I…appreciate that,” Talin said with a slight smile. The two of them quickly focused on the fire instead.
“Gods, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you two were courting.” Ettrias snorted. “I’m going to bed, lovebirds. Don’t stay up too late.”
What—
Talin practically felt her mind grinding to a halt.
“What in the seven hells—” she began, but her brother had already disappeared into the tent. She went back to staring at the fire instead.
“We, ah, we should retire, too.” Red Wolf cleared his throat and climbed to his feet. “Not coming, my queen?”
“I…” Talin tore her gaze from the flickering flames to look at him. “Are we…” She frowned. “Who am I to you?”
Red Wolf blinked. “You’re my queen. The ruler of Kies Tor. The woman I’ve dedicated my life to protect.”
She felt…something…flicker in her chest at those words.
“That’s who I am to the lord commander,” Talin said, frown deepening. “Who am I to you?”
Red Wolf hesitated.
“A…friend, if you like,” he finally said.
The flicker in her chest turned into a twisting knife.
“Of course.” She offered him a strained smile and stood. “Thank you.”
