Especially the dragon. No point in going hunting for something like that.
Seersha and Sian Aresh moved over to a promontory on the left cliff wall at the entrance to the valley, just apart from the guards assigned to protect them. The two were now joined by common cause and shared events. Together they had conspired to set aside Phaedon Elessedil as King, rendering him helpless enough that he was now kept under constant watch. He still couldn’t talk, couldn’t make himself understood, and was wrapped in a cloak of apparent madness that had everyone speculating about what had happened to him. Only Seersha and Aresh knew for certain, and neither was saying anything. It was sufficient that he could no longer interfere. He would remain in his present condition for at least another day, by Seersha’s reckoning, and by then the battle would be joined and its course likely decided. That was the best they could hope for.
“They will wait for the moon to rise and attack then,” the Captain of the Home Guard said quietly.
“I don’t think so,” Seersha said in response. “They will wait for dawn. The sun will be at their backs and in our faces. The Straken Lord knows something of tactics. That was clear at Arishaig.”
“We have a bet then. In my view, he won’t have the patience to wait until morning. He will act before then.”
Seersha shook her head in disagreement. “He sees himself as invincible. He chose to attack the Federation first because he believed it to be the strongest force he would face. He’s been scouting the Four Lands since the Forbidding started to crumble, sending out spies through gaps in the wall. This is a sustained invasion, and he intends to see it through. We were told this was his intention unless …”
She trailed off. There was no point in talking about Tael Riverine’s demand for the return of Grianne Ohmsford. Not unless it actually happened, which seemed unlikely. She found herself wondering if Railing and his companions had discovered the fate of the former Ard Rhys or if the search had fallen apart by now. She had never really believed it would come to anything, but she had never entirely discounted it, either. It was a time of strange happenings, and nothing was so impossible that it could be discounted out of hand.
Aresh waited for her to finish and, when she didn’t, said, “I don’t know how we can hold out against so many.”
“We can’t without help. But the Dwarves will come. Crace Coram will bring them. And maybe the Border Legion will join us.”
The Captain of the Home Guard nodded. “I cannot believe it has come to this.”
“Nor I.”
“I wish we had time to ferret out whoever killed the King. Because it certainly wasn’t Ellich.”
Seersha nodded. “More likely his son.”
They were silent for a time, scanning the darkening horizon, peering down the slopes of the cliffs to where Elven Hunters with torches were lighting watch fires that had been built earlier. Pockets of brightness blazed eastward across the length of the cliffs on either side of the pass, providing a shadowy view of the sleeping enemy army and of any creatures that might try to approach under cover of darkness. The fires would burn all night, their wood replenished as it turned to ash, the sentries on duty guarding against surprise attacks.
“What do you think has happened to Aphenglow and her sister?” Sian Aresh asked after a time.
Seersha shrugged. In the firelight, her dark tattoos reflected the brightness of the flames. “It will take them as long as it takes, but Aphen won’t fail.”
“If she finds what she’s looking for. Or if something doesn’t interfere with her search.”
The Druid gave him a look. “She won’t let anything interfere. She’ll find a way back to us.”
Aresh shook his head. “She’s really our only chance. And Arlingfant, of course. The only chance for the whole of the Four Lands.”
“Then we have to give them the time they need. You and me and all those gathered in this valley.” Seersha stepped away. “I think I will try to get some sleep.”
“And me. At least until they attack. I still think it will be tonight.
The scarred face wrinkled with her smile. “Then we have a bet.”
She went off to find a place to bed down. Aresh remained where he was, wrapping himself in his blanket, sitting upright and bracing himself in a depression on the hillside where he could look out over the enemy hordes.
Both did the best they could to fall asleep, but neither had much success.
Seersha won the bet. The Straken Lord did not attack during the night. He attacked at dawn.