If he knew me, he wouldn’t feel jealous, Exeres thought. He had heard them talking last night as he tried to fall asleep. Oh, the girl would have been considered pretty by any human…or Shae for that matter. But the way her life drained so quickly…it made her look like a fading flower. Couldn’t Thealos see that in her as well? He was a Shae, for Achrolese’s sake. His life leaked so slowly that he would live to see her great grandchildren and still be strong enough to bounce them on his knee. Only the Shae taught against the races intermingling. The Druids did not care one way or the other. It made sense to keep them separate, but they found passion a poor excuse for naming something a crime.
He looked at Justin through his blind eye as well. His life raced and slowed, faster then slower, then faster again—as if his body did not know how to respond to the seasons. Something had imbalanced his flow. He looked young, for a Shae, but he would die young if that continued. Without proper balance, the organs would fail. A shame, really.
Flent’s life trickled just as fast as Ticastasy’s did. He had learned in his Druid training that those of the Drugaen race were really humans, only cross-bred specifically for certain traits. Their isolation in the mines had preserved the commonalities, but it was said that in the East Kingdoms some Drugaen were born without the special eyesight or strength. It made sense, since those communities had settled above ground. Having open borders made groups more apt to mingle.
The world makes sense if you stop and watch the ebbs and flows of it. Even the Sorian puzzle would be understood in time. Once he understood it, he would use that knowledge to destroy the rest of them. The thought was a sharp iron spike pounded into his soul.
“Allavin is meeting with some of his Shae friends,” Thealos said as he reached the fires. “He’ll join us soon.” He crouched by the fire and warmed his hands.
Ticastasy gave Exeres a wink and went over by Flent to start stuffing her travel sack.
Exeres studied Thealos for a while. The Shae had an arrogant streak that shone through his expressions. Perhaps it was a stock trait among the Shae—a sense of we’re better than you, just accept it. Exeres never had. He was willing to let Thealos play at being the leader, but only so long as it did not rub against his own interests. A good leader would ask questions and seek advice from those he led. If the Shae didn’t ask, then Exeres wouldn’t tell him about the password to get back into Landmoor.
“Here is the situation as I understand it,” Thealos said, brushing hair from his eyes. He had green eyes—an envious shade. “The Shae army approaches Landmoor from the south. From what Exeres told us last night, the garrison at Landmoor has revolted against Ballinaire and claims to have made a Pax with them.”
“Tsyrke told me that he wanted Ballinaire dead,” Ticastasy said. “He wanted a pact with the knights, but maybe he offered one to the Shae so they wouldn’t attack.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready to take Tsyrke Phollen at his word just yet,” Thealos said. “He may have another motive. Our problem is that Ballinaire’s army is between us and the city.”
“Would the Knight General spare us some horses?” Flent asked.
“Yes, but I’m not sure how much good they would do. Shearmur is going to ride hard around the Shadows Wood, because he cannot ride hard through it. Not with the Bandits clogging the Iron Point Road and with all the Deathbane they’re using. It will take them two to three days of hard riding to flank them. We still don’t know what the Kiran Thall are doing. My guess is that they’ll ride ahead to Landmoor down the Iron Point Road. They’ll get there before Shearmur.”
Exeres nodded. That did make sense. The Shae wasn’t as stupid as he looked. He decided to toss out the secret anyway. “I can get us into Landmoor.”
That got his attention.
“You can?”
“Tsyrke and Mage wanted me to make sure Ticastasy was safe. They thought she would be with the Sleepwalker, with Jaerod. I think they’re expecting another message from him. A deal. They gave me a password that will let me in the city gates.”
A quirk of a smile twitched on Thealos’ mouth. “Really?”
“I think the question is how we’re going to get there before Ballinaire and the Kiran Thall.”
“Do you have any ideas, Exeres?”
He shrugged. “I think I’d like to hear what Allavin has to say.”
He saw the woodsman and several Shae approaching. They wore heavy cloaks and stuffed padded vests, their weapons cinched and strapped tight against their bodies. Small hunting daggers and hip quivers mostly.
Thealos turned and looked at them and said something in Silvan.
“Yes, from Jove Stand,” Allavin said, the crook of a smile playing across his mouth. “They’re willing to fly us to Landmoor.”
Exeres laughed, but he was the only one. He looked at the others, but they didn’t seem to have heard him right. Allavin had said fly. Hadn’t he?
*
Thealos stared at the alerion as it scraped its beak against the plumage scales. It sounded like a blacksmith’s whetstone wheel. The birds were magnificent creatures, taller than wagons, proud and colorful. Their plumage caught the morning sun and made it glimmer; yet the black scales and streaks of smoke and sooty colors made it seem like storm clouds. Long serpentine tails swished in the prairie grass. The alerion opened its beak and hissed, and Ticastasy flinched.
“By the Three,” Thealos whispered. “I’ve never…not this close.”