(eng) Mitchell Hogan - Sorcery Ascendant 03 by A Shattered Empire

Author:A Shattered Empire [Empire, A Shattered]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

VASILE STAGGERED OUT of his tent in the morning, bleary eyed from lack of sleep. To the east, the sky was beginning to lighten. He yawned. Around him, the Quivers’ army began to stir. Smoke rose from cook fires, men and women coughed and spat, kettles boiled.

Cel Rau squatted by their fire, stirring the pot, which now contained bubbling porridge. He filled two bowls by the fire, then took the remainder with him into Caitlyn’s tent.

It seemed cel Rau had stayed with Caitlyn the entire night. Maybe they were lovers. Or maybe he wanted only to ease her pain.

“There had to be enough left for ten men,” Vasile muttered.

“What was that?” said Aidan as he emerged from his tent.

He looked better, to Vasile’s eye. Less haggard and drawn. And he’d washed his face and hair. Vasile glanced down at his own dirty hands and felt ashamed. He hadn’t thought to clean himself up. What would be the point?

He felt Aidan’s strong hand lift his chin up. “Hold on to yourself,” Aidan said. “It’s all you have. All we have.”

“All right,” Vasile found himself saying. “All right.”

“There’s water and some rags in my tent. Clean up, then eat something.”

A short while later, Vasile emerged feeling somewhat better. Aidan was right. As long as they were alive, there was hope. If he let himself slip into despair, then all was lost.

He moved to the fire and picked up both bowls, handing one to Aidan, who was again sitting on the camp stool and staring into the coals.

Aidan looked at the bowl in his hands with distaste. “Porridge,” he said. “I don’t think I’ll ever eat it again.” He scraped his portion into the fire and looked around. “Maybe someone else would be willing to share their breakfast.”

“Maybe,” Vasile said, spooning in a mouthful of porridge. It was better than anything they’d had in the previous few days, including the stew from last night. “What do we do now?”

“We wait,” Aidan said, shrugging. “We’re at Caitlyn’s mercy, for the moment. All we can do is handle what she throws at us, while keeping our eye out for . . . something. Some way to get out of this mess.”

“We should talk to Gazija. He’s on our side, and he might be able to help.”

Aidan pursed his lips. “I think the only side he’s on is his own. But you’re right: he might be our only hope.”

Vasile was about to ask how they could contact Gazija when cel Rau emerged from Caitlyn’s tent. The magistrate ate more porridge instead.

“She’s asleep now, after eating,” cel Rau said. “She suffered terribly last night, and she needs to gather her strength.”

Both Vasile and Aidan remained quiet.

“The emperor has given her a great gift,” cel Rau said. “One many are not so fortunate to receive. She has been favored and can now continue to fight in the emperor’s name.”

Whatever the swordsman was talking about, he believed it was true.

“What has happened to her?” Aidan said.

Cel Rau’s mouth curled into the ghost of a smile.

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