The Risen Queen by Duncan Lay

Author:Duncan Lay [Duncan Lay]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780730445326
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Ezok could feel the thrill of power surging through his veins, stronger than any drug, more intoxicating than the finest wine, more thrilling than the most beautiful woman. The King of Norstalos now danced to his tune. He was the one pulling the strings here, making a vain and arrogant man do almost whatever he wanted. Norstalos was his in all but name. For instance, it had taken but a few simple suggestions about traitors among the nobles for Gello to give Ezok and Prent the right to question—and torture—any minor nobles they wished, in order to ensure Gello’s safety. This gave Prent every opportunity to make sacrifices to Zorva and build his power—and Ezok every opportunity to find weaknesses in Norstalos he might be able to exploit. It was a heady feeling but it was only the beginning: Berellia would be next. After all, Markuz was but a puppet now. He did what Brother Onzalez ordered. And surely Ezok’s reward for delivering this fat, prosperous country to Zorva would be one throne—perhaps two.

Happy thoughts such as these warmed him as he sat in Gello’s war council, feeling the hate and anger coming towards him from the assembled war captains. He needed these fools to give Gello a victory—but not too convincing a victory. Ideally, Gello should suffer massive losses, so his expansion plans were crippled and the captains were disgraced, to further entrench Ezok’s influence. Already the nobles were an irrelevance—only a handful had been invited to this meeting and these were not even seated at the table, filling chairs placed against the walls instead.

‘So, we are all ready?’ Gello said, snapping Ezok’s attention back again.

‘The men have had a chance to rest, and fill their bellies. The horses could use more time—there was little enough hay here and the march north was hard for them,’ Feld reported.

‘It won’t come down to the cavalry anyway. It’ll be close work to force the pass, then the cavalry can chase the survivors down like rats,’ Gello dismissed. ‘I want nothing to stop our march to glory. Beq, Grissum, can we trust the archers and rangers to fight and die?’

‘Absolutely, sire!’ Grissum said immediately, and Beq nodded his agreement enthusiastically. Neither wanted to be the one blamed for stopping Gello’s so-called march to glory.

‘And the volunteer regiments, the criminals and the militia—we can trust them?’

‘Without a doubt, sire,’ Beq said hastily and Grissum echoed his sentiments.

‘Good, good! And, Livett, how are the new recruits going?’

With Livett’s Light Horse regiment shattered at the battle of Sendric, his numbers had been made up from among the infantry. Their numbers had been bolstered by the recruits Gello had assembled for his grand army of conquest and who Livett had assured him were ready for battle.

‘The cavalry is back to full strength, sire—we stand ready to turn an opening into victory for you!’ Livett declared. In truth he was happy with having his regiment brought back to life. And the men chosen to serve with him—seen as being the best and most loyal infantry—were excellent.

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