Maylin's Gate (Book 3) (9 page)

She held Trace’s gaze, but remained silent.

A wave of exhaustion passed over Trace’s face. “I’ll urge you one last time Miss Deveaux. Do not pursue the matter any further. The world can’t afford it.”

Her stomach sank. Either Trace was the world’s greatest liar or she was hearing the truth. She hadn’t the life skill to determine which. She dropped her head and stared at the floor. “You’re a bastard.”

“Yes.” Trace’s eyes glistened, and he seemed lost in another time. “I can’t help you. I’m sorry.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Broken Council

The decking inside the juggernaut groaned under the shifting ice. Titas, the grandest ship in the fleet, sat anchored at the harbor's center.

Outside Titas's war room, sharp cracks came from the ice. The late winter sunshine continued its assault. Icicles hanging from the upper deck continued their steady melt. Water streamed across deck toward the ship's bow.

A gust of wind picked up and fresh air drifted into the cabin. The scent of fresh peat and thawing earth drifted past Tara's nose. Early spring in Meranthia. Ancient memories pricked at her consciousness. Memories of happier times.

She sat before a mahogany table strewn with maps, notes, and half-melted candles. She shifted the wooden splint wrapping her arm sideways until the pain receded. What she wouldn't give for five minutes with the power awarded a white souled knight.

Across from her, General Pietro studied a war map outlining the coastal villages. Along the cabin's walls, Andreas's elite guards stood at attention. A not so subtle reminder of Andreas's rise to power after General Demos's kidnapping.

A prick of dread scuttled her spine. She didn't trust these generals, and neither had General Demos. Both had waged war against General Demos less than three years ago.

General Andreas stood inside the doorway and peered across the melting harbor. "Well done General Pietro. You're foolhardy plan has placed us in an untenable position."

Though Andreas addressed Pietro, the general meant the words for her ears. General Andreas would never confront her head-on. Not with thousands of baerinese souls near her reach.

"How was I to know the Meranthian king could turn himself invisible?" Pietro's red forked tongue flickered twice before retreating. "I'm no more to blame for that development than I'm responsible for the setting sun."

"We lost a third of General Demos's forces in that debacle," Andreas said.

She clenched her jaw shut and her gaze drifted to a candle flame. Worst of all, she'd lost Gregor Demos.

"We still outnumber the Meranthians ten to one," Pietro said. "If we sail —"

Andreas spun on Pietro and pounded a gloved fist on the tabletop. A deep crack sounded inside the wood and the candles bounced under the assault. "There will no longer be a 'We' general."

Pietro stood and pointed an accusing finger at Andreas. "You are out of line. We are one nation united under a single banner."

"General Demos is dead," Andreas turned a murderous gaze on Pietro. "If we were in Baerin, my banner would fly above the war council. I am the strongest living general and the supreme commander."

"Your army blocked General Demos's retreat in the pass," Pietro said. "I witnessed your duplicity with my own eyes."

"Duplicity?" Andreas trembled with rage and appeared ready to split at the seams. "Are you accusing me of treason General Pietro?"

"You let General Demos's men die. All to seize power for yourself." Pietro glared at Andreas. "If we were in Baerin, the war council would see you hang, not raise your banner."

Pietro's accusation came as no surprise. General Demos kept Andreas at arm's length for good reason. "General Pietro, do you have any proof of this treachery?"

"I know what I saw." Tongue flickering, Pietro hissed the last word.

The two had spent years at odds, each trying to gain General Demos's favor. If not for Gregor Demos, Baerin would’ve sank to the bottom of the sea and taken every person with it.

Gregor Demos had cobbled the alliance together through strength but ruled with fairness. Demos had ordered the fleet's construction despite opposition from Andreas.

"I will assume control of the invasion," Andreas said. "Along the coast, the ice is retreating. We will sail south and move inland through the villages scattering the coast."

Pietro's eyes filled with rage. "I'll not submit my forces to your control."

"General Pietro, we can no longer stay in Ripool," she said. "Can you offer an alternate solution?"

A long tension filled moment passed before Pietro sat. "I agree with your assessment my lady." The general spread out a hand-drawn map. "My scouts have reported scant resistance in the extreme north." Pietro's finger slid north following the coastline. "We'll enter here at Cape Minehead." Pietro outlined a plane with a river running through the center. "We'll follow the Lea River and enter Meranthia proper here." His finger pointed to a town marked Winter Haven on the map.

With head shaking, Andreas laughed. "Have you lost your mind? Three feet of snow cover that valley."

Pietro's plan seemed far-fetched. "Our army couldn't advance until spring," she said.

"The region offers room for our entire invasion force to land," Pietro said. "And our civilians wouldn't come under direct attack." Pietro's fingertip slid along a line of mountains stretching to the coast. "These mountains will protect us."

"I'll not have my army cower behind the mountains," Andreas said. "Our forces are superior. There's no reason for us to hide."

At moments like this, General Demos shined. Demos would’ve found the balance between the plans. They would have to find their way alone. "General Pietro, our civilians won't survive a northern winter."

"The winter's more than half done my lady," Pietro said. "By the time we make landfall and organize our forces, the melt will have already started."

General Andreas loomed over the map and glared at Pietro. "That's a coward's path."

"General Andreas, please." she said.

General Andreas spun on her. "My lady?"

"Did you mean to assume command of General Demos's remaining forces?" She said.

"I will assume command of all the forces. Those included General Demos's," Andreas said. "General Demos expressed support for my plan during our last council meeting."

"That was before General Pietro laid out an alternate plan," she said. "Besides, General Demos has a written succession plan in place for his army. He meant for General Stanis to take charge should he fall."

"Stanis my lady?" General Andreas said. "Forgive me, but General Stanis doesn't have the experience to lead an invasion of such import."

"I have to agree with General Andreas on this point my lady," Pietro said. "General Stanis is a fine man, but he hardly seems prepared to lead."

She suppressed a smile. General Demos predicted both men would take this stand. "General Demos made his intent clear. That decision is final."

Anger flashed behind Andreas's eyes. The general turned away and moved toward the open door. "Where do you stand my lady?"

"General Demos believed in your plan General Andreas," she said. "I can't speak for General Stanis although I believe you would find his support."

Pietro's shoulders sagged and he removed his glasses. "My lady, General Demos would've believed prudence our best option given the circumstances."

"Our supplies won't last the winter," she said. "We need to act now and take control of the resource rich lands to the south. At the moment, hunger is our worst enemy."

Triumph washed over General Andreas's face. "Make preparations. We set sail at dawn."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The General’s Offer

The chained draco hissed and pushed away as if trying to disappear beneath the haystack.

The hair on Ronan’s arms and legs bristled. He craned his head toward the voice. “Did you say something?”

General Demos shifted and peered over the rickety wooden stall. “Judging by that wound, you’re in no position to travel to your ultimate destination. However, I can command the draco and lead us both from this village.”

“You’re not taking him anywhere.” Rika stood between him and General Demos.

“Rika, wait,” he said.

“No,” Rika said. “I don’t trust him. He could dump you off the draco and leave you for dead in the middle of nowhere.”

General Demos’s expression remained neutral. “Doing so would serve to hasten my own death. I’m certain the king can defend himself.”

“Rika, help me up,” he said.

“You can’t walk with that wound,” Rika said. “You’ll make it worse.”

“It’s not bad, and I need to speak with this…creature eye to eye,” he said.

“I’m a person, not an animal,” General Demos said. “Though my appearance might frighten you, I’ll assure you that I’m a man of honor.”

Rika helped him to his feet. “Lean on me.”

He wrapped his arm around Rika’s shoulder. He hobbled from the draco’s stable and perched himself on a double stack of hay in the corridor. He would’ve sworn Rika mumbled something about ‘stubborn’ and ‘mule headed’ under her breath.

General Demos stood at the detention shield’s edge and waited for him to speak.

“Why?” He winced. Sharp pain flared along his thigh.

“Because this creature wants to kill you,” Rika said. “Why do you think?”

He ignored Rika’s chiding and kept his gaze locked on General Demos. “Is she right? You want to leave me for dead?”

“As tempting as that sounds, it’s not my primary motivation,” General Demos said.

“I’m listening,” he said.

“I don’t wish to see any more of my people die by your hand,” General Demos said. “Your actions today cost thousands of baerinese lives.”

The answer caught him off-guard. “So your reasons are purely altruistic?”

General Demos paused before speaking. “I’m not a man accustomed to lying King Latimer. My reasons are not purely altruistic as you might imagine.”

He smiled. “If I’m away from here, your kind has a greater chance of conquering Meranthia with fewer lives lost. Am I right?”

General Demos nodded in acknowledgment.

Rika’s eyes flashed with anger. “Ronan, you can’t be considering this.”

“Do you have a better idea?” He raised his hand stopping her from answering. “That doesn’t involve you or Connal flying me away.”

Rika bit her lower lip and shook her head.

“How do I know you won’t try to kill me once I drop the shield?” He said.

General Demos glanced between him and Rika. “I don’t think the lady would allow any harm to come to you.”

Rika nodded and glared at General Demos. “Finally, we agree on something.”

He lifted his wounded leg and straightened it letting the blood flow through to his toes. His leg throbbed. “If I were in your situation, and given the opportunity, I would do the same.” His breathing came hard and labored. “But make no mistake. I won’t allow the slaughter or enslavement of humanity.”

General Demos stared ahead stone-faced, but anger ticked behind the general’s eyes. “Of course.”

“And, if you make the trip with me, don’t expect to ever return to your people.” He held the general’s gaze letting his works sink home. “You’re as dangerous to humanity as I am to the baerinese.”

“As much as your words might bolster my ego, I can’t make entire mountainsides collapse,” General Demos said.

The words stung. Images of Devery Tyrell begging him to cut off the energy flows flashed through his mind. “There’s more than one way to bring down a mountain.”

General Demos held his gaze for several long seconds as if considering the proposal. “I accept your conditions.”

Rika folded her arms and smiled. “You’ve forgotten one important part Ronan Latimer.”

He raised his eyebrow. “That would be?”

“He can’t command the draco from inside the shield, and you can’t release the shield without channeling magic,” Rika said.

He sighed and nodded. “You’re right, and I won’t drop the shield until you’re far away.”

General Demos turned away and returned to the haystack.

“I need to talk to you. Alone.” He pushed himself from the haystack and hobbled toward the open door.

Rika moved in beside him. “Let me help you.” Rika guided him to the stable door and pushed it open.

A shock of frigid air washed over his face and body distracting him from the pain.

A dozen yards away, soft light flickered inside the frosted panes of Mistress Henley’s cabin.

He squeezed Rika’s hand and pushed the stable door closed behind them. “Rika, wait a second.”

Rika shook her head unwilling to meet his gaze. “I’ll not let you send me away.” Her voice trembled. “I don’t work without you. You know that.”