The Shadow of War by Bryan Gifford

Author:Bryan Gifford [Gifford, Bryan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-05-09T22:00:00+00:00

The rain drove down like nails, sharpened by the cold morning. Silas sighed and tugged his sodden cloak about him. The rain fit his mood. Cold and gray.

He’d considered running away. He was no good here. He should be south—finding Cain, fighting. Anything but this. The war was back home in Kaanos. Ada confirmed that himself. And that bloody man was another matter.

He looked around the archway. Dozens of Vilant huddled here in the entrance way of the southern wall, the rain spilling down the stones to form a river that washed about their boots. Most of the men and women contented themselves with bundling away in their cloaks but a few stood with heads together, their whispers lost beneath the pounding of the rain. Isroc leaned against the wall nearby. The man shrunk inside his cape and stared hard at the mud at his feet.

Silas sank back against the cold bricks. He should have killed Ada when he had the chance. So why didn’t he do it? He’d rushed to stop Isroc instead. Seeing his usually collected and calculating friend in that state—twisted with sheer rage and sorrow—had nearly broken Silas. Instead of wanting to kill Ada, he’d turned to help his friend.

He’d let his one chance for vengeance slip through his hands. He didn’t believe Ada’s sob story, but watching him beg for death, practically groveling for it… well, he didn’t feel sorry. He just couldn’t plunge a knife through a man on his knees.

Silas stepped toward the edge of the archway just shy of the falling rain. Ahead, a packhorse trod through the mud toward the gate, carrying Adriel and a pannier of tarp-covered bags. The woman lowered her hood as she rode under the wall, her golden locks matted and darkened with rain. Every Vilant hailed her with proud salutes. Silas still had to get used to that.

Shara Dralmond stepped up beside Adriel’s horse and the two exchanged whispers. Silas edged closer to listen.

“…thrown a few of them in the dungeons,” Shara was saying. “Three have already admitted to being Aceden spies.”

“Ada gave us reliable information then. What of the rest of the names on the list?”

“We’re still trying to find them. I believe they must have fled once they got wind of what was happening.”

“Have you learned what they planned on accomplishing here?”

“No, but we’ve found notes on our numbers, supplies, and troop movements. Many of them are in some kind of code; it will take us some time to decipher them.”

“You’ve done well, Shara. Thank you.” She nodded in dismissal.

Shara stepped back with a salute. Rainwater dripped down her angular features, her dark eyes stark in the dim gray dawn. She turned and met Silas’ gaze. Had she just smiled at him? Wait, what did that mean?

Adriel straightened in her saddle and looked out over the group of Vilant. “General Dralmond will be in charge until I return. I can’t say how long that will be. It could be days, or weeks. Serve her well, and don’t forget your purpose here.

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