Chapter 23
Reynard
Istood beneath a night sky full of stars, my hands held out to a burning brazier. My mind drifted as I half-listened to my soldiers’ conversations.
It had been two weeks since I had seen her, the days filled with endless trudging through snowdrifts while Tova searched for srebrec boxes with maniacal zeal.
He rushed over each time my mages went pale or emptied their guts, treating them as tools for detecting the siphoning effects of the artefacts.
I could only grind my teeth at how it slowed us down, knowing it saved lives.
We were winning, but could take no pride in our victories. The dwarves we encountered weren’t the mighty warriors I’d fought beside in the war against the Lich King. These poor souls were emaciated and desperate, more often collapsing from exhaustion than from our weapons.
I spared as many as I could, but worried for Tova as he tried to hide the pain of seeing his countrymen suffer. He talked with every single dwarf, sometimes only a few words. One conversation after another and his smile disappeared, while his frown deepened.
I wasn’t immune to their suffering, and neither were my men. This wasn’t any kind of war I’d fought before; it was a slaughter, and now my conscience had become a voice that refused to be silent. I hoped it was my conscience. If it wasn’t, then my grip on sanity was looser than I’d thought.
Your soft heart will be your downfall, just like your ignorance.
There it was again, making a mockery of my efforts. Since Tova’s arrival, I’d rarely had the time for soul-searching. Not that I even wanted to do it, facing the possibility of going insane.
Mercy is not weakness. I didn’t come to slaughter men who can barely stand, I answered. A deep rumbling laugh echoed through my core.
So sentimental… Everybody dies, even dragons. The smart ones, however, live longer.
Then I’m a fool! I will always choose honour when the situation allows, I answered, wincing when a gust of wind blew snow in my face and almost knocked the brazier over.
My brother, Orm, had left me a unit of dragons. However, the closer we came to M?ot’s srebrec mines, the more unsettled the beasts became. Eventually, I had to send them away, leaving only two that acted as messengers.
‘My lord, the scouts returned and reported unusual activity around Wiosna mountain.’ Ivar approached with two men, whose sunken eyes and dry, flaky skin betrayed the conditions they’d endured. ‘I sent a message to your dwarf. I thought he could help explain what we’re facing.’
I nodded, having already spotted Tova as he rushed over from the healer’s tent.
‘Tell me,’ I said once he was close enough to hear their report.
The men exchanged looks after I gestured for them to begin.
I’d hoped to make this quick and show them some grace, sending them to bed as soon as possible.
‘We didn’t manage to get closer than the edge of town, but the entire southern slope is bustling with activity,’ the elder tracker said before looking at his companion. ‘You have the keener eye. Describe what you saw.’
‘They were fortifying the entrance to the mine – digging trenches around the road and pouring something into it. There were so many soldiers there that I couldn’t get closer,’ the young man said, head bowed in deference.
I swayed on my feet, dizzy as an image superimposed itself on my vision. Rows of trenches were curled around the mountain like a serpent trying to choke its victim.
I groaned, reaching out to steady myself. ‘For fuck’s sake.’
The tracker fell silent, his mouth gaping open, causing me to frown. ‘Did Sana turn you into a fire lizard?’ Tova said, looking at my hand before pulling off his glove and touching his finger to the brazier.
He hissed in pain, and I looked down, jerking my hand back as fast as he did to search for blisters. There weren’t any. I’d grabbed a burning brazier, yet the hot, glowing metal left no mark on my skin.
My mouth went dry, still waiting for the inevitable wound that would render my sword hand useless.
Only… it never came. It was still my hand, the scars and calluses from years of fighting the same as ever, yet something was different.
I didn’t know what was worse, being maimed before a battle or discovering my body had magically changed in unknown ways.
‘My lord, maybe the healer should take a look?’ Ivar’s concerned voice brought me back to reality.
‘What for?’ I raised my hand to him to show undamaged skin. ‘Berserker’s healing already handled this.’ The deflection came naturally after years of political manoeuvring, so naturally I almost believed it myself.
‘Well, that’s…’ Tova said, eyeing me suspiciously.
‘Master Orenson, let’s focus on the report instead of dissecting my decisions,’ I said, curtly praying to Perun that the nosy dwarf would drop the subject.
Tova looked like he was chewing on a mouthful of nails, but to my relief, he remained silent. I, however, couldn’t stop thinking about it. An interesting suspicion took root in my mind, my thoughts going back to the strange incident with Vahin.
My brother was resistant to fire, and so was his mate, Annika.
They were bonded to the eldritch dragon, who shared his magic with them.
It perfectly explained the voice in my head, the lack of burns, and my scrapes and bruises healing faster than ever before.
The theory was so plausible, but there was one problem: I didn’t have a dragon.
‘Tell the men to get ready,’ I said, turning towards the scouts. ‘Get some rest. We’ll conduct another reconnaissance tomorrow, and I would like you to lead a unit of soldiers. There must be some weak points in their defences,’ I said before nodding to Ivar. ‘See to it, please.’
‘As you command.’ Ivar nodded, gesturing for the scouts to go back to their tents while he marched towards the camp of the reconnaissance unit.
‘That wasn’t natural,’ Tova said bluntly, pointing to my hand. He pursed his lips at the shake of my head before changing the subject. ‘I have a bad feeling about those trenches.’
I turned towards the mountain. ‘I share your concerns. Let’s hope we discover whatever nasty surprises they’ve prepared before they bite us on the arse.’
Tova nodded, fingers digging into his long, bushy beard.
It had lost its golden sheen since he’d joined the campaign, and his eyes were dark, as if he were already grieving.
‘If they surrender, can you spare them… my kin? They’re suffering so much.
Srebrec poisoning is…’ He trailed off towards the end as if fearing my reaction.
‘You know I will. I’m not here to punish your people. M?ot is my enemy, and mercy will always be shown to those willing to lay down their weapons.’
Tova looked at me before his gaze moved to the top of the mountain.
‘You saw the dwarves we encountered. Calling them an army is laughable,’ he said with a shrug.
‘Sana tried to help them, but that bastard almost killed her. I should have visited the elders, but… dwarves, we get obsessed when confronting a problem. I thought that maybe he’d realise. ’
‘We all have regrets.’ I placed my hand on Tova’s shoulder. ‘I want you to remember one thing. You’re not responsible for the choices of others and can’t take the burden of their actions upon yourself.’
He reached out to the fire, warming his calloused fingers near the flames. ‘That’s what Sana would say.’ He chuckled, shrugging my hand off his shoulder. ‘My Drah’sa is rubbing off on you.’
‘Is she?’ I couldn’t help but smile. His Drah’sa, my Viper, Irsha’s Trouble. So many names for one woman, as each of us loved her differently. ‘I wonder what she’s doing right now.’
‘Sana? Likely sitting in her workshop mixing poisons while pining for you like a simpering maiden.’ Tova shrugged, and I would swear his cheeks reddened, but not from frost this time. ‘I mean, she’s probably fixing all the kingdom’s problems.’
I laughed so hard tears froze on my eyelashes, and when I was done, I patted his back so hard he stumbled. ‘Oh, my friend, I assure you, Sana would never pine for any man.’ My grin turned devilish as I added, ‘But I’ll tell her what you said. She’ll be thrilled.’
‘And who do you think she’ll believe?’ the cheeky sod answered, avoiding my gaze. ‘She likes you. More than is good for her, but I’m starting to understand what she sees in you. So, you have my permission to court her.’
‘Oh, may I?’ The audacity of this dwarf was astonishing. He didn’t answer my jibe, and before I knew it, he was marching away, muttering something about biting a stupid tongue. Dumbfounded, I was still grinning after this strange encounter.
I had a little time before the reconnaissance unit would be ready. It was the perfect moment to write the letter and remind my woman that I left my heart in Truso.
My sweet Viper,
Thank you for sending Tova back. His help is much appreciated. His sharp tongue, though? Not so much. Still, he keeps me in check, and I ensure he eats and even occasionally sleeps.
I had to pause to warm my hands over the brazier, listening to camp life buzzing around the tent.
Why was I writing to her about Tova? Maybe I should just ask Sana to embroider a handkerchief for me, as was customary for courting ladies.
I imagined her sewing one of her fragrant curses, a perfect fit for the War King to wear on his armour.
When I returned to the letter, my mood shifted.
I miss you, Roksana. Every day, I wake up thinking about your smile, wishing I could see the golden glint of your hair splayed over my chest. I miss your jibes, your insults, your counsel…
Fuck, I was sounding like a lovestruck tyro, yet that was exactly how I felt.