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Lyrna folded her hands into her gown, unwilling to let hier “If you have intelligence on the enens, I would hear it”
“She would come to me sometimes, down in that cavern of horrors where they carved their binding into e of history, my experience of coarding the Faith and the Realm, but it soon became apparent she knew more than I did It also became apparent that she is quite mad, an inevitable consequence of centuries spent in service to the Ally” He lowered his head for asuddenly shallow “Even a brief exposure is the harshest trial”
“What will she do next?”
“Formulate another plan to kill you, I expect She seereatly irksoeful souls, but none so troubleso bitch’”
“How many more Arisai does she have?”
“Perhaps seven thousand Plus another eighty thousand Varitai and Free Swords”
Lyrna glanced at Verin’s hands, confirh she has hidden lies in truth before, and I failed to see it She said, “I had assumed there would be more”
“The war in the Realrows in every corner of the e revolts across the provinces She also seemed preoccupied with soeneral for questioning the wisdo more troops there”
A mission to the northVaelin He made it across the ice A small smile played over her lips Of course he did
“Tell me more,” she said, “of this discord”
CHAPTER THREE
Vaelin
The tribesman’s naeable given the frequency hich Erlin used them “He’s lost three sons to the Volarians,” he reported “One taken as a slave years ago, the other two in the last week”
“He’s chieftain of theseOthra?” Vaelin asked
Erlin shook his head “Red Axe is an honorific, a title given to the tribe’s principal warrior ‘Champion’ would be a better translation And the Othra are but one of six tribes sheltering here Every chieftain died in the fighting He doesn’t speak for all”
“Does he know if the others will fight with us?”
Erlin related the question to Hirkran, who cast a stern glance back at the cave where the gathered tribesfolk lurked in the shadows, all eyes apparently intent on this
“He isn’t sure,” Erlin translated “Some won’t simply because the Othra will Souide us to the Volarians?”
Hirkran gave a long pause before answering, his gaze fixed on Vaelin “He will but first he insists on being named leader of the arave a derisive snort provoking the tribes forith an upraised axe Vaelin stepped deliberately between them as the cat crouched, teeth bared in a hiss He had noticed Lorkan’s courage had increased considerably since acquiring the beast
“He has a reason for asking this, I assulower
“These people respect only strength If he is not naner, er rival You could call it a ceremonial title if you like These are their lands, Vaelin Diminished as they are, they still deserve your respect”
Vaelin looked at the ragged figures shifting in the gloo weapons whilst the children gathered around the elderly Each half-shadowed face bore the dirt and gri for life; many were plainly exhausted and slumped by the pain of recent wounds But he saw there was still a defiance in their eyes, even the youngsters They ht have been beaten, but were hardly defeated