Chapter Seventy-Four #3
“There is no excuse for our failure,” General Fah begins. “We have recalibrated our efforts in surveilling the border from the northernmost point to the southern. Our new strategies will prove impossible for anyone to bypass—”
“Do you know how weak every failure has made us appear to the rulers of every other land on the Continent?” Spittle launches from the Emperor’s mouth and lands on General Fah’s cheeks and lips, and I stare over in awe at how well he hides any sign of disgust. “Do you understand the stain this will bring to my reign? Can you even begin to fathom how this period in Ampara Deicra’s history will forever be a blight?
How every generation to come will look upon these years with shame once they learn how weak our Imperial Army must have been to allow such attacks to occur, only days apart.
” He snatches hold of General Fah’s chin, pressing his pale fingers in.
“Someone here will answer for this. Someone here will pay for this failure.”
Varic’s anger ripples through our connection, and I keep myself from taking any from him. Though my eyes keep flicking down toward his hands in concern.
Emperor Aldritch grabs hold of General Fah’s uniform, and Varic growls in frustration.
He breaks from my side to storm across the stage, and my eyes widen when he leans down to drop to the ground until he stands shoulder to shoulder with the tyrant.
Stars invade my vision as I chase after him, only pausing once Cirrin squeezes my arm twice. Tears prick my eyes with the reminder of Hendry’s missive he used to tap over my skin in affirmation, or at times when I needed to pay closer attention.
“Emperor Aldritch,” Varic begins as he steps around to face him. “I might have some insight to share on where the assailants may be gaining entry to our land.”
His Majesty glares back, and I show him no mercy, piercing his chest with threads of peace and trust I pull from the way I feel about the sorcerer addressing him.
Intervening as well as I can to prevent him from hurting Varic.
My heart skips a beat as I pulse my magic into him, already weakened, even after their healing.
“Go on,” the Emperor says.
Varic stares back with that same confidence I admire in him, though my pulse thrums low and slow in anticipation until he says, “The Yelm mountain pass.”
A collective gasp rises from the highest-ranking military leaders at the mere mention.
“Impossible,” the Emperor claims.
Varic leans in for emphasis. “Your Majesty, the firebombs which were set off—”
My vision fades, and cold creeps up my spine as Cirrin’s magic courses under Varic’s force-shield, which he must have split for my healer to access.
The energy he sends me helps to clear my eyesight, allowing me to stare at the sorcerers facing off before an audience, when Varic could have easily waited to mention this to the Emperor in private.
Meaning he is up to something, and I wish we were telepathic so he could tell me exactly what.
“—someone has learned how to survive among the beasts,” Varic explains.
“General Sal said as much about the firebombs,” Emperor Aldritch says.
But Sal was not out there with us when—
Varic’s face turns ashen, while his ears remain a deeper shade of red.
His eyes flick up to mine with a mix of suspicion and fear dimming the light behind his irises.
Then he blinks and puts on a stern exterior before adding, “I understand you sent your elite team of trackers into the forest, and they returned without having found any evidence.”
“Correct. Now explain why you think otherwise,” the Emperor commands.
Varic squares his shoulders. “It is the only section of our border without an Imperial Army presence. Both because the terrain is too treacherous for an encampment, and we have no reason to suspect anyone would be so bold as to utilize the pass, since only the dwarves have ever been known to do so and live.”
Emperor Aldritch gestures for Varic to make his point.
“Yelm may have sent flying sorcerers with packs carrying ammunition.” The Emperor’s face pales, and he makes no argument when Varic pauses to allow for it.
“What if other lands have joined forces with them to bring their best flying sorcerers together? What if the reason we could not find any trace of footprints on the ground is because they lived in the trees, perhaps stringing hammocks from one to the next to sleep aboveground the whole way?”
Emperor Aldritch turns to Wyrth, and something appears to pass between them as the Philosopher nods. Though their expressions never shift, not even in the slightest.
“No flying sorcerer, aside from our own Imperial Guard Fray, could possibly clear that height, nor remain in the air long enough to clear the mountain on the other side. I refuse to waste even a single Imperial coin to station a patrol near the area, because nothing aside from a Dragon could clear it.” The Emperor waves in a flippant gesture.
Varic’s nostrils flare, and his eyes dart to mine before returning his attention to the Emperor. “Then we must request an audience with an Elder Dragon, wouldn’t you agree, Your Majesty?”