“Any word of what Arovan is doing?” she asked in equally hushed tones, not wanting to disrupt the discussion on the other side of the room. Having Kiernan Morcaillo’s support was too important to offend him.
“He has sent a few scouts to help in Glis where he can, but his main military is simply not suited for this sort of combat. He controls heavily armored knights for the most part, as well as his navy. Perhaps their elemental magic would be of use if they could find what they were supposed to use it on. Kali has truly out-done herself this time.”
“Do they have any ideas on how to stop these things?” she asked, glancing back to watch the expression on Kiernan’s face as Charm finished his report. As she had expected, he wore the same grim look the Fionaveir council had.
“So far, the best idea I have heard is to burn Gaelyn and that won’t work. The creatures will simply migrate north. Better to keep them in Gaelyn as long as they can,” Remedy replied.
“May I speak?” Shade asked, once Charm had fallen silent. Symphony turned to look at him as did every other person in the room.
“You may,” Caspian said after a considering pause.
“I’m not sure how you will get them out of the wilderness but I can take care of the ones in Eldagar if you can spare a few resources,” Shade said, standing slowly.
“He is insane,” Charm muttered, though there was a grudging respect in his voice.
“I do not have the men to spare to help you and I wouldn’t give you command of them even if I did,” Caspian said flatly and started to turn back to Kiernan.
“I don’t actually need men. It won’t require an army,” Shade pressed, unwilling to be ignored.
“You are going to destroy a hostile force in an impregnable fortress city alone?” Lutheron asked sounding mildly amused.
“Well no, not exactly,” Shade said, pausing, and frowned slightly.
“What resources do you require?” Symphony asked, her curiosity peaked. From the way she saw things any idea was better than none.
Shade tapped his chin thoughtfully and gave her a weak smile. “About two hundred pounds of raw meat, the services of a very good Alchemist, Charm, and Lutheron,” he said, drawing mutters from the room.
“Do you know of this plan?” Caspian asked Charm.
Nodding slowly, the rogue ran a hand through his thick blond hair and gave Caspian a sickly smile. “Yes, and we both agreed to not discuss the details with anyone else so it couldn’t be tampered with if you allowed it. While I think he is insane, the plan does have merit, and very little risk to anyone other than Shade and myself,” Charm said with a sigh.
“I really wish you would stop saying I’m insane,” Shade muttered.
“I really wish I wasn’t endorsing your plan but it’s all we have at this point,” Charm shot back quietly.
“Meat, Alchemy, and me. Interesting. Well, I have to say I’m intrigued,” Lutheron said and glanced at Charm. “Mostly by the fact that this one is scared while Shade is not at all frightened. I say we let them run with it, Caspian. If it works, then we have destroyed a major hive. If it doesn’t, then we can laugh at the two of them if they live, and drink to their courage if they die”
Caspian nodded slowly and glanced at Faramir who nodded as well. Looking over to Symphony’s table Caspian waited for the slow nod from both Vaze and Remedy. With a heavy sigh, he turned his gaze back to Shade. “Very well, we will provide you with all that you ask for and not question the plan, though I will say I have heavy doubts,” he said at last.
“If you knew the plan your doubts would be heavier,” Charm said with a smirk.
“It will work,” Shade said with a smile and nodded his thanks to Caspian before sitting back down.
“Let me know if it does, I’m quite curious about what you are up to, nephew,” Kiernan said quietly and looked back to the Fionaveir council. “I will continue to look for Myth, though I am not hopeful of finding her. For all I know, she is a squirrel wandering through Morcath right now. A changeling in hiding is a very dangerous thing.” He turned to Symphony as he spoke and regarded her with a level stare. “Beware any who try to befriend you now, Symphony. You are in a position to gain much power soon. That will attract Myth’s attention. Be wary of any who seek to get too close to you.”
“I will. Thank you for the warning Kiernan,” she said with a nod. His words rang heavy on her mind and she found herself trying to remember every person she had talked to in the past few weeks and to review those conversations. While it was possible Myth was in the Fionahold, she truly doubted it. To even find the hold, you had to know a Fionaveir and her people were quite paranoid. The only new members they had acquired in the past few months were Shade and his friend Oma and neither of them seemed a likely candidate. Lutheron himself had examined Shade, and Oma seemed too damaged to be dangerous. She would have to keep her eyes on everyone, though. A warning such as the one Kiernan gave shouldn’t be ignored.
Chapter 5
Sanctuary