The Shadowglass by Rin Chupeco

Author:Rin Chupeco
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2019-01-31T05:00:00+00:00

“She said nothing of her location?” Lady Altaecia studied me like she could discern my thoughts from my expression alone. The Dark asha gave me no reason to believe that she wanted our conversation to remain a secret. She abandoned me while her brother offered sanctuary, though he had every right to turn me away. I was loyal to her tale first and foremost—let her politics hang.

“She wanted to pay her respects to Lady Mykaela, milady.”

“She’ll make for the Hollow ranges,” Lord Fox predicted grimly. “Kance’s army is there. If he’ll lead the charge, so will she.”

“But will it be on our side and Kance’s? It’s easier to treat her as a foe rather than as a friend nowadays.”

“I would much rather ignore them both and attack Drycht instead,” Empress Alyx fumed. “Every hour that we do not set foot in the desert kingdom gives them more time to prepare.”

“I’d rather not have an army attacking us from behind, Your Majesty,” Lord Fox disagreed. “We’ll have to muddle through them first. I’d choose a delay over lives lost. And whatever Tea says, she believes there is a trap waiting for us in Drycht. The Hollows will be good middle ground.”

Lady Altaecia turned back to me. “I don’t suppose you will agree to stay behind.”

“I hope you would permit me the honor of accompanying you, milady.”

“You are dedicated, which is admirable. What do you say, Your Majesty?”

“We shall take Lord Knox’s soldiers and half our army and make for the Hollow Mountains,” the empress decided. “The rest will stay behind. I do not want to see what remains of Kion lost to either more dragonfire or blighted folk.”

The beautiful woman gazed at her daughter and her consort. “What say the both of you? Whatever her intentions, Tea attacked my kingdom. Any other ruler would have considered that an act of war. What reason should I have to spare Tea’s life, rather than have her hauled up in chains—or killed—before she can work her compulsion on anyone else?”

The princess spread her hands helplessly. “You trusted her once, Mother. You saw the lies the elders wrought to make her bitter. You saw her thrown out of home and kingdom, seeking refuge in other nations like a vagabond, despite everything she has done to protect us. She minimizes our casualties as she directs her anger against the elders. She bears us no ill will. Read her letters, as I have.”

“Her letters could easily be a plant, created to soften our stances and put us off our guard. I understand that Tea is a friend, Inessa, but I have a responsibility to do what is best for Kion, as will you when you take my place. You cannot let your heart rule your head in these matters, especially when she has shown no signs of conciliation toward us. She may still nurse a grudge, despite her accusations. And she may have spared most of us from death, but there were deaths all the same. She is losing her self-control.

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