“More and more, I believe I need to meet this spymaster of yours, milady,” Alric said in a tone filled with irony.
“I have set the meeting for this very night, Your Majesty,” Zallra said, bowing her head slightly. “The spymaster will meet with you, and you alone, for this first conference. If all goes well, they may be open to working with the others present here today, but caution has served our people well, and we are loath to be hasty.”
“Understood, milady. I will take the meeting with no expectations, but with high hopes that we can come to some understanding.” Alric set his jaw, and Luc found even more to respect about this King who did not assume all should go his way just because of his position.
Luc felt so strongly, he was inclined to speak up. “Your Majesty, my heartmate and I have discussed what we have learned as emissaries to your land and will recommend full cooperation and alliance with the warriors under the Veil.”
Shilayla nodded. “I have already sent word back to that effect, Your Majesty. I expect you will learn soon of the rest of the Council’s decision.”
Luc was surprised by Shi’s claim. He hadn’t known she could communicate over such a distance. Of course, there were things the dragons kept to themselves. Every once in a while, he stumbled over one of them. This just happened to be one of those times.
“Regardless of what they decide, Luc and I will stay and help. Even one dragon can have a great effect.” Shilayla pledged.
“Make that two dragons,” Zallra added her voice to Shilayla’s. “The Black Dragon Clan stands with you, King Alric. I have sent word for help from my kin, but it will take some time for them to get here. If trouble comes before that, however, know that I will not abandon you or your people. From all that I have seen and learned since coming here and talking with my brethren of other Clans in your city, this is a place worthy of preserving, and your rule a good one for your people. I would see it continue, if it is within my capabilities.”
Alric sat up straighter. He swallowed once before speaking, as if to tamp down the emotion filling him.
“Your words do me great honor,” Alric said slowly, in a strong voice. “A great honor I had not expected but cherish, nonetheless. Thank you, Lady Shilayla, Sir Lucassian and Lady Zallra. I value your confidence in me and my people, and I will work to see it is not misplaced.”
The war council went on most of the day, breaking only for meals. Alric retreated to his private rooms to eat out of sight while the others were shown to a smaller antechamber that had been laid with a buffet for them. Shilayla had hunted on her way back from her reconnaissance mission and was content to eat what she probably considered tidbits—whole melons and a basket of apples—that thoughtful servants had brought for her.
Lilly took careful note of all the information given, yet she was still surprised when the young clerk who had been gathering data for General Brighton was summoned to give his report on the new figures he’d been asked to find. The young man had gone beyond even the last two seasons to find that large mercenary groups had been traveling into the wasteland for more than a year. In addition, he’d tallied all other groups traveling into that area and surmised that the mercenaries could, indeed, have set up whole towns and support systems in the time they’d been gathering, which supported what Shilayla had seen.
By dinnertime, they had a rather depressing survey of what faced them. They also had the beginnings of a defensive plan, though it was rather grim. The kingdom simply didn’t have enough manpower in its own army to repel a group of seasoned veterans of that size. Shilayla admitted that she’d contacted the Veil dragons from the far reaches of the wasteland, which was much closer to her home than they were in the capital city. Her range did not extend far enough to get additional communications to those under the Veil without her traveling some distance northward.
Since she had already sent her view of the situation, there was little point in sending her away from the capital right now. Help would either come—or not—depending on what the Council of Elders decided. Luc was certain that, based on his opinion, which Shilayla had sent them along with her own, they would send something. Whether it was a few dragons or the entire Guard contingent, he had no way of knowing. They would not know what help was on the way until they got into communication distance with Shilayla, and they’d just have to deal with that, for now.
Alric left the room to seek his private dinner, leaving the others to seek sustenance with the court. The captain and general went to their respective commands while Zallra went back into the city to her Jinn brethren. Shilayla went flying to learn more about the lay of the land around the city, or so she claimed, leaving Luc and Lilly to put on brave faces while dining with the court. The last thing they wanted to do was alarm Alric’s nobles. So far, it seemed none of them knew about the threat of war. It had been decided to let that false notion persist. After all, if any of the nobility was in league with those who were plotting against Alric, they might show their hand if left to their own devices for a bit longer.
However, Alric had taken steps to call in people and herds from the farthest border regions under the guise of an early census. He wanted those most vulnerable away from the lands that would be the most likely to be overrun first. There was grumbling from the lords who ruled over those lands in Alric’s name, but the request wasn’t so out of the ordinary as to lead to suspicion or rebellion.
There was a new face at dinner, seated at Luc and Lilly’s table. Lord Orthan was a large man dressed in colorful silks that did not really suit him. Lilly knew of him through his sons, who had both trained with her father. The sons had been bullies when they arrived at her father’s hall for training and had left much the same way, though she liked to think they’d learned a bit of humility at her father’s hands. Lord Orthan made a point to monopolize Luc in conversation throughout the meal, asking all sorts of questions about his land and his people.
He might sound simply curious to most people, but Lilly felt a prickle of irritation when he asked leading questions that probed the military strength of those living under the Veil. Luc was too clever to reveal much of anything to the nobleman, Lilly was happy to note. Orthan might just be a nosey bore, but his manner annoyed her enough so that when dinner was over, she was relieved to be able to escape his presence.
Orthan tried to waylay Luc by inviting him to an after-dinner gathering, but Luc declined and followed Lilly out of the great hall. They had both agreed to stand watch with the Castle Guard as the King met with the Jinn spymaster.
And so it was, sometime later that, under cover of darkness, Lilly stood at Alric’s side in the garden. There were only two small lanterns, mostly shuttered, and they were in the area where the Jinn visitor would stand. The light would be on the spymaster, not on the Blind King. Alric did not need the light, and if there was trouble, the only light in the dark garden would be on the visitor. There were guards stationed all around, though none were where they could see the Jinn spymaster or hear the conversation.
Lilly was tasked, as she had been many times before, with her King’s safety. She had never been solely responsible before, but she felt up to the task, especially knowing that a full squad of King’s guards were within shouting distance and would come on the double should anyone speak above conversational tones. Shilayla was lounging within the bower structure and would stay there during the meeting. Should something go amiss, she would be first on-scene to protect the King.