Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Krujha
“Well, I think some introductions wouldn’t be remiss,” Gorza said brusquely, once all the cider had been passed around.
Krujha’s gaze followed each of the elves as they turned their attention to her.
Though their faces all wore the same dispassionate expression he’d come to expect from elves, each set of eyes eventually flickered toward the one with walnut-brown hair, who had already given his name as Galred.
“As you know, I’m Gorza Silvertongue,” she continued. “And as I’m sure you also know, Zorvut is my brother. I received this mission directly from him, and I’ve brought my most talented friends and accomplices to assist.”
Krujha had to keep himself from snorting with laughter at that—accomplices was one way to put it, he supposed.
But he knew that on some level these elves were also spies, and they would know all about the Silvertongue.
Where her brother ruled through overt strength, she had a more subtle power, one that came from knowing the right people and listening for the right voices.
She had no official title, and her network was a loosely organized coalition at best; but any orcs who moved through their world with social power, instead of brute strength, sooner or later found themselves before her, either as ally or enemy.
He suspected the elves had a more regimented view of what they were here to do, and Krujha immediately assumed that this Galred must be their leader. Sure enough, the brown-haired elf nodded at Gorza, then gestured to the elves sitting around him as he began to speak.
“We are all High Sorcerers of the Library,” he said. After a beat, he added, “It is the highest rank a mage can receive outside of the Aefrayan military. We are not warriors, but I think it would be safe to say we are all trained in similar fields as your... friends.”
Most of the elves nodded or murmured slightly in agreement.
Krujha watched each of them again. Only one had no reaction, and now that he was looking, he noticed that he was standing ever so slightly apart from the rest. He looked to be the youngest, though it was always hard to tell with elves.
He was plain enough for an elf: short, dirty blond hair, fair skin, and brown eyes; neither his features nor his clothing particularly stood out.
Like the others, he wore traveling clothes that looked finely made, but showed the signs of a long journey.
But instead of watching the orcs with curiosity or caution, the way the other mages seemed to, his gaze remained either down at the cup of cider in his hands or up at Gorza.
For a moment, he considered that perhaps the elf was trying his best to keep up with the conversation in orcish; but after watching his calm, detached expression as the discussion went on, he decided that couldn’t be it.
Krujha didn’t quite know what was different about the plain-looking elf, but there was something; and it was his business to investigate and uncover the peculiarities that others overlooked.
“As I said, my name is Galred,” the first elf continued. He gestured to the elf beside him, a woman with long, loosely flowing hair the color of wheat. “But we all have names, don’t we?”
Krujha chuckled, and the woman gave a slightly nervous but amused smile in response.
“I’m Myrra,” she said, bowing her head politely toward Gorza. “I am honored to be among the few chosen for a mission of such importance.”
Each of the elves followed her example—Daine, Fionia, and Cithrel—all echoing the short sentiment that Myrra had shared. When only the quiet, standoffish male elf was left, his eyes finally moved to the group of orcs in acknowledgement.
“I’m Alwyn,” he said, his voice flat. “Pleased to meet you.”
After a beat, Gorza spoke again. “Pleased to meet you all. As for our crew...” She gestured to the orcs. The one closest to her cleared his throat before speaking.
Torlag and G’mol introduced themselves, leaving Krujha for last. When it was his turn, he swung his gaze directly to Alwyn and flashed his friendliest smile. The elf barely met his eyes, but he could see the barest hint of color rising in his face, which only made his grin widen.
“I’m Krujha,” he said, still keeping his gaze on the elf, who had pointedly glanced away. “Here’s to a quick and successful job together, huh?”
“I like the sound of that,” Gorza chuckled, raising her cup.
The orcs all lifted theirs in turn, and after a beat, the elves raised their cups as well.
“We’re all here because we’re the best at what we do.
And what we’re going to do is end a war before it ever begins.
That’s something I know we can all drink to. ”
They all drank. When Gorza lowered her cup, she sighed and settled back down onto a stump closest to the campfire.
“Well, now that that’s out of the way,” she said, her jovial tone giving way to something more serious. “Let’s talk business, shall we?”
The elves glanced amongst each other before Galred nodded once, looking at Gorza again. “Yes, I think that would be best.”
“As it stands, the goal is this,” Gorza said, clasping her hands in front of her as she spoke.
“We’re going to work together to track down the main rebel camp in the west, where Zesh is gathering his host. We already have a good idea of where it is; once we get there, it will be a matter of getting into the camp without suspicion.
The easiest way to infiltrate will be under the guise of a group of slavers, bringing a tribute of elves to the ‘true warlord.’”
The elves seemed a little unsettled by that, and Krujha couldn’t blame them—pretending to be a prisoner was unpleasant work.
“Once we’re in the camp, we’ll devise a plan based on the intel we gather there,” Gorza continued.
“But for now, I suspect it will be a matter of capturing Zesh alone in his tent while he sleeps, and getting him out of the camp before an alarm can be raised. Without the leader, the camp will dissolve, and the rebellion with it.”
There was no answer from either side of the campfire. An uncomfortable beat of silence passed. Krujha watched Galred visibly considering the idea as if it lay before him, like a map or weapon; then at last, he turned back to Gorza.
“I am sure the details will become clearer as we draw closer to our objective,” he finally said. “But I think the bones of the plan are good. We will need to flesh things out, but we have time to do so before we arrive at the camp.”
“This is true,” Gorza agreed, nodding. “I hope that as we get to know each other, we can come up with a better plan based on the specific strengths and skill sets of each person here, and how we can best collaborate.” She paused, glancing at Krujha and the other orcs, then turned to Galred again.
“I will speak plainly. Every person around this fire has been trained as a spy. Some, perhaps, even as assassins, though our plan is one of extraction. But we all have the kind of skills that will allow us to join this camp unseen, and with any luck, get our target out unseen, too.”
Krujha’s eyes scanned the elves again. There were assassins among them, of that he was sure—it was just a matter of how many, and who. At the word, the plain and standoffish elf seemed to wince—subtle, but it was there. For an assassin, Krujha thought, the boy needed better control of his face.
“I trust that we all have experience in coming up with plans in less than ideal situations,” Gorza continued.
“While we must work together on this, I also have to trust in the instincts each of you have developed in your own line of work. If you see an opportunity, take it. If you see a flaw in a plan, speak to it. We must succeed in this—the stakes are too high to fail. I’m not so proud to think that I can execute this like a commander, giving orders without compromise or discussion.
This is a group effort, between us—between our nations—and I am trusting each one of you to contribute the best you can. ”
“We, of course, have the same intention,” Galred said, the elves beside him nodding in agreement. “And we are prepared to make decisions in the moment. But ideally, with our collaboration, we will develop a plan that will stand on its own merit.”
“Then we’re all in agreement,” Gorza said, smiling again. “Let’s rest until tomorrow, then we’ll start making our way toward the camp. I’d estimate it will be close to a week away in this terrain, so we all need to be well-rested. Sounds good?”
When the elves nodded, she reached for the cauldron of warm cider again. “Then let’s get a second round in before we start on food. I hope everyone’s hungry.”
The sun had set, and a fresh batch of hearty stew was bubbling over the fire, when Gorza gestured for him to join her by her tent. She smoked a pipe that streamed hazy, fragrant smoke upward into the starry sky, offering it to Krujha as he sat down beside her. He waved it away.
“Tell me your thoughts,” she said, her eyes darting briefly toward the group of elves still clustered mostly together by the fire.
They had set up their tents while it was still light in a neat line opposite the orc tents, and were now talking quietly amongst themselves as they waited for supper to be served.
“I think the elf king sent us the best he has to offer,” Krujha said, shrugging, though he grinned as he said it. “We have to trust his word, hm?”
Gorza snorted at that, smoke pouring from her nostrils. “You know what I meant.”
Krujha chuckled. “I think they seem capable. They’re all cagey, but we expected that. I think at least one is a trained assassin, like you said. The small male with the light brown hair. Probably a contingency from the king on the off-chance our plan doesn’t go as expected.”
Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t look surprised. “I’m not happy about it. Zesh may be inciting sedition, but he is the elf king’s kin through marriage. To be a kinslayer is among the highest dishonors among elfkind. He must have serious doubts about us, if he sent an assassin amongst his spies.”
Krujha remained silent. There was truth in her words, but it was far from his place to comment without being asked directly.
In the end, she only sighed and took another puff of her pipe before speaking again. “Keep close to that one, then.”
“Of course.”
She smirked over at him, her dark mood seeming to pass. “Think you’ll be up for the challenge?”
“Of keeping an eye on a single elf?” he teased, and she laughed.
“That too. But I meant everything else. This will be the hardest thing any of us have done, I think.”
Krujha kept the amused smile on his face. Putting an end to the bloodshed once and for all would be difficult, of course, but the hardest thing he’d ever done? As much as he respected Gorza, something like that made her sound as out of touch as—well, as royalty.
“I’ll be fine. You know I’m the best at what I do,” he said simply, shrugging off the annoyance. “You wouldn’t have asked me to be part of this if I wasn’t.”
“Can’t argue with results,” she agreed. “I’m glad you’re on our side, at least. I have to admit I was a bit taken aback when I heard you’d been following the rebel camp.”
“To track it, and listen to its whispers,” Krujha protested, laughing. “You think I’d really join up with them?”
“I trust you entirely, of course,” Gorza said. “But being a double agent has its detriments, unfortunately.”
“I suppose all jobs have their downsides,” Krujha chuckled.
They sat together in silence for a beat longer; despite their lighthearted tone, he knew Gorza said nothing without intention.
This was no different. He had been connected with her network of whisperers for many years; if she didn’t trust him now, then bringing him along for this mission was foolish.
This was less a test of his loyalty and more a reminder that she did trust him, and that trust was a hard-won prize few others could claim.
He felt a pang of guilt at the thought that if things went his way, he would lose that trust for good. But the rebellion would be ended, one way or another, and that was all that mattered.
“Gods, I’m starving,” Gorza finally muttered, standing and stretching with a groan. “I hope this goes smoothly, just so I don’t have to be eating rations for weeks on end in the middle of winter.”
Krujha chuckled. “We can only hope, hm?”
He watched her as she stepped toward the campfire: the smell of the cooking stew had suffused the air, which he hoped meant it would be ready soon.
His eyes darted back to the elves. The assassin—on that guess, Krujha was more than ready to trust his instincts, which were usually correct—was sitting silently just a step too far from the rest. Even if he wasn’t an assassin, there was something holding him back from integrating with his companions.
He would have kept a close eye on that one, even without Gorza’s command, but it was just as well.
Even if he was just bad at making friends, Krujha had more than enough charisma for the both of them.