“I did say those things. But I was wrong. Do you remember the meeting with Lord Ballinaire you missed?”
“I don’t give a ban about Ballinaire or his meetings,” Tsyrke snarled. He wanted a drink again. He muttered a few more choice curses and turned down the pier where his ship was docked. The sound of creaking boats smothered the noise of his steps. He was furious. Things were tumbling out of control. Their carefully laid plan – their most secret plan – was about to be ruined. He risked everything, not least of all his own life.
Tsyrke closed his eyes and tried to steel himself. When you play high stakes in Bones, you trust in your luck. Too many players. Too many risks. Mage walked patiently next to him, waiting for him to master himself again. The Sorian was all ice inside. He had been playing this game for centuries with nations poised as the bet. This little affair with Dos-Aralon was probably too insignificant to get excited about.
“I tried to be back for Ballinaire’s meeting,” Tsyrke explained, more calmly. “But the homestead took longer than I thought and I had to hurry here to meet the knight. You went to the meeting to represent me. Is Ballinaire going to sit still down in the Shadows Wood long enough for the knights to nab him?”
A wan smile flickered across Mage’s mouth. “He’s not planning to sit at all. He’s starting a war with Dos-Aralon. Just like we persuaded him to do.”
“He’s starting it now?” Tsyrke asked. “If the knights of Owen Draw can’t summon their troops quickly enough, they’ll never engage. They keep sitting there, waiting for Dairron’s army to come out of the Kingshadow. I need those knights down here!”
“I know this doesn’t suit your plans, but it suits Ballinaire’s. You cannot change the coming of the tide, Commander. He’s ordered you to bring the Shoreland regiment and occupy Landmoor. You only have a week or so to do it. I told Hallstoy to start mobilizing when I passed through your regiment.”
Tsyrke let the air slowly out of his lungs. “My regiment is not enough to stop Dos-Aralon. When they bring down the Amberdian Army and those fools from Cypher – they’ll crush him. Our plan isn’t going to work if he destroys my regiment by using it as bait and leads a counter-attack from the Kingshadow.”
“It’s the other way around,” Mage explained. “He intends to use Dairron’s regiment as the diversionary one and he’ll attack Dos-Aralon with yours. He plans to do it personally.”
“Is he mad? They’ll see us coming and have plenty of warning!”
“You’re missing the point, Tsyrke. The tides have changed. The waters are deeper now. Miestri found a grove of Everoot in the Shadows Wood and turned it over to Ballinaire. He showed it to us at the meeting. He has cartloads full of it. I’ve seen an army use it before, Commander. Dos-Aralon could send twenty times its number and it would still fall. Every Bandit soldier wounded will be totally healed and strengthened the next day. Some will even come back from the dead. You can’t stop an army like that. And remember, the Sleepwalker had a sample himself. That is why I suspect Dairron is behind this. I don’t think he wants Ballinaire to succeed any more than you do. He’s always wanted to make a pact with the Shae. And it looks like he’s lured this young man out of Avisahn.”
Tsyrke bowed his head as he walked and rubbed his temples. Anger boiled up and steamed inside of him. “Yes, this rings true. Dairron found out about Ticastasy. He sent the Sleepwalker to abduct her and a Shae.” It was just like him, Tsyrke thought bitterly. With Dairron plotting to succeed Ballinaire, he would go to any lengths to be sure that Tsyrke served him or had good reason not to interfere. Tsyrke knew that if he pretended Ticastasy did not matter to him, Dairron would kill her for spite.
Mage nodded. “He mentioned something to that effect at the meeting. He has had eyes on your regiment for a while now. After all, his isn’t nearly large enough. And how else would the Sleepwalker know that I would be here later?”
“Only a Sorian would know a Sorian,” Tsyrke replied. “You people are too devious, it’s hard to keep up with your games. You are right. It’s as obvious as spring after the thaw. Dairron wants Lord Ballinaire dead as much as I do. But for the wrong reasons. The banned wrong reasons.” He knew Dairron wanted to bring the Rebellion to a boil. But not Tsyrke. Tsyrke wanted it finished. “He wants me out of the way, and he would stoop to use a banned Sleepwalker to do it. Of course Miestri would ward him against you. He’d never leave a clear trail. Tell me the rest, Mage. I doubt it could put me in any worse a mood.” He looked up the dock and saw the ramp to his ship just ahead.