Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
“No more temples have been burned down or priests harmed, they have something with these wolves,” Alfie replied, and a softening came to his eyes. “You have to do what you have to do, True. And this you have to do.”
True turned his gaze away and slouched into his chair.
He could not say he ever looked on with relish to the day he’d be king.
But if he’d known how tedious it was, how rife, there had been times since his mother’s death when he thought he might have wished to escape it altogether.
Though if he’d done that, he would not have found Farah.
“News of Airen?” Alfie asked.
“Nothing from Ophelia. But upon return, Cassius wasted no time. He and a good number of men sailed down the coast, marched inland and attacked the besiegers from behind. It was not what they were expecting. Especially with Nadirii in their midst. They were trounced. Slán Bailey is now as populated as Crittich Keep.”
“This might be a quick victory, but it will not be a quick fight,” Alfie warned.
“I believe he knows that but now the focus is on freeing Fern and, well…the wedding.”
Alfie looked astonished. “He’s prioritizing the wedding?”
“He isn’t, Elena is.”
Alfie now looked shocked. “Elena?”
“Apparently she’s keen to have done with it,” True said, his lips twitching.
Alfie began to look amused.
And seeing his amusement, True’s day, which was not better than yesterday, not worse, but not good, was made good.
“I can imagine she is,” Alfie muttered, but stronger, asked, “Has he heralded he’s prince regent?”
“Yes, after they brought down the siege.”
Alfie said nothing for a moment before he asked, “That’s it?”
“No, he also heralded across the realm the new laws pertaining to women and sent word that all gentry must disband their standing armies. He offered all soldiers released from local militia posts in the Airenzian army or preferential consideration for merchant ship crews.”
“Well, all I can say to that is it is a bold move, not to dole out the bad news over time but to hit them with it all at once,” Alfie remarked.
“Cass leans toward the bold,” True replied.
“And?” Alfie prompted when True said no more.
“Nothing.”
“No word?”
“No,” True told him. “Nothing.”
“They prepare to strike,” Alfie murmured.
“Indeed,” True agreed.
“That’s going to get ugly,” Alfie predicted.
“Cass has a trump. Frey’s dragons.”
“And is he willing to lay waste to his realm by using them?”
“I do not know. Though if it was I, I’d be willing to sacrifice something to make an example.”
“Indeed,” Alfie murmured his agreement.
“It would be good this Rising was dealt with and we could go help.”
“Give it time. I sense they’re suffering. If Serena and the gnomes can find this treasury and you can get a few men placed in their ranks, perhaps things will go much more swiftly.”
True nodded.
“Firenze?” Alfie kept on, and True was even more relieved.
He seemed keen to know.
Indeed, True’s relief came because Alfie seemed keen about anything.
Not listless, most the time, or irritable, which was what he was around Bronagh.
“Mars and Silence have not arrived in Fire City yet, but they’ll be there soon,” True told him.
“And Mar-el?”
True felt his neck muscles tighten when he shared, “Aramus abolished binding altogether. Those taken will work the remainder of the five years, but no more can be taken, and the others who are past that have been freed. There have been uprisings. Not many, but he’s been busy. I know no more as I suspect he does not have time to send many birds.”
“He is doing right, it will settle, and then it will be past,” Alfie said quietly.
He hoped so, but it was his experience it was never that easy.
True nodded yet again.
“In school, I was quite a keen student of history,” Alfie noted abruptly.
“You had told me that,” True reminded him.
“I do not think I told you that, at one time, I did not fancy becoming a soldier. I fancied going to the Go’Da to study history in order to return to Wodell to teach in one of our own universities.”
“No,” True murmured. “You had not shared that.”
“I do not know a single time in history where this much change swept Triton all at the same time,” he declared.
True regarded him closely.
“We have not had any quakes in some time, True,” Alfie remarked. “And I do not wish to add to your plate, but this change…”
His voice trailed away.
“We know nothing of the Beast. Not really,” True said. “But I see what you’re saying. It’s unprecedented, all that’s happening. And if there is some force that does not wish peace and prosperity—”
“But feeds from war and greed—”
“It will rise to put a stop to progress.”
“It is a supposition,” Alfie said.
“It is also a supposition to think the quakes have stopped because the last one was the worst and he no longer rises, he’s risen. And he lays in wait. But I must admit to my mind turning to that and doing it often.”