Chapter 16 #2
The sun is beginning to set when we finally reach the approach.
The cave system sits in a bowl of mountains, protected by steep walls of stone, and accessible only through narrow passes that can be easily defended.
From the outside, it appears to be nothing more than scattered rocks and sparse vegetation.
It’s not a fortress like Stonehaven, but a network of natural caves that can double as shelters.
Through my raven’s eyes, I locate the guards watching our approach from concealed positions among the rocks. When Mira raises her hand, they emerge from concealment, weapons lowered but still ready.
“Lord Torran,” one of them says, relief clear in his voice. “We’ve been watching for you.”
The knowledge that they’re here, that at least some of them survived whatever chaos followed after our departure from Stonehaven, settles some of the tension inside me.
They lead us to where the main camp has been established. The largest sheltered area serves as a gathering place, with smaller caves and protected spaces branching off from it.
Varam appears as we enter, and when he sees me, relief floods his features. He strides forward quickly, cutting through the huddled groups of survivors who part to let him pass. He clasps my forearm in greeting, his grip firm and steady.
“When you didn’t return after two days, I feared the worst.”
“We ran into trouble. But nothing we couldn’t handle.”
He frowns, peering over my shoulder. “Ellie?”
I can’t stop my head from turning toward the northwest. “She’s … elsewhere. Report. Did everyone make it out of Stonehaven?”
“Yes, but we had to keep everyone together. Scouts reported that Lockgap was inaccessible. A mountain slide blocked the only path we could take.” He pauses, taking in a breath. “There’s another problem, though.”
I wait for him to continue.
“During the withdrawal, Lisandra escaped. We had to choose between pursuing her and protecting everyone else.”
My jaw clenches. I can’t predict what she will do. She claimed to have betrayed me to protect our people, but now that her life is forfeit will she go to Sereven and trade information for her continued survival?
“You made the right decision.”
“Did I? Because now she’s out there with everything she knows, and we’re sitting here waiting for the consequences.
” He runs a hand through his hair, a gesture of frustration I know well.
“I should have seen it coming. Should have anticipated she’d try something during the chaos, but I had to choose keeping our people safe. ”
We move deeper into the camp as he speaks, passing families huddled around small fires, and Veinwardens tending to their weapons. Children play quietly while their parents speak in hushed voices. The elderly rest on makeshift bedding. All faces are drawn with exhaustion and fear.
Everyone stops what they’re doing as I pass. Some dip their heads respectfully, others whisper my name like a prayer. Looking at them, I feel the weight of duty in a way I never have before. They trust me to protect them. They believe in me when I’m not entirely sure I believe in myself.
“We managed to bring some supplies with us,” Varam continues, following my gaze. “Food, basic medical needs, warm clothing. Enough for a few weeks if we're careful.”
A scout approaches before I can respond, his expression urgent. “My Lord! Six patrols are approaching from the south. At least fifty soldiers. They're marching this way.”
“How long before they reach us?” Varam asks.
“An hour, maybe less.”
I look around at families who have already lost so much, at fighters who have sacrificed everything for this cause. Moving them now would expose them to greater danger than keeping them here. Better to meet the threat head-on than risk a running battle with innocents caught in the crossfire.
“I’ll take as many fighters as we can afford and face them. Leave guards with the families, but we will need every blade and crossbow we can muster.”
“That’s risky,” Varam says, though his tone suggests he already knows what I’m going to say. “If we fail—”
“If we fail, running won't save them. Better to end this threat now, and give us time to consider our options.”
We move to a quieter section of the main cave, where we can speak without being overheard. Mira joins us, along with several of Stonehaven’s leaders.
“We will hit them in the narrows. Force them into a bottleneck where their numbers mean less. Put archers on the high ground, fighters blocking the pass.”
“And if they split their forces?” Mira asks.
“Then we adapt. We can’t plan for every possibility, but we can use the advantages we do have. Knowledge of the ground, defensive positions, and the fact we know they’re coming.”
As I give orders for the fighters to prepare, the connection with Ellie pulls at me again.
Somewhere in that direction, she is making her own choices, facing her own trials.
The thought both comforts and terrifies me.
I want to reach out through the bond, attempt to let her know that I’m alive, that I’m thinking of her, that every choice I make is weighted against the need to see her again.
Come back to me, Mel'shira. Find your way back to me.
The thought goes out along our connection, carrying all my love and desperation. I have no way of knowing if she can sense it, but the act of sending it provides a moment of peace in the chaos of preparing for battle.
Then I push it aside. Right now, three hundred and fifty lives depend on how well we can hold this ground. My personal needs, no matter how vital they are to me, must wait.
It’s time to remind the Authority why they fear the Shadowvein Lord.