Wages of War (Tales of Elhaanai Book 3) by Nicole Patrice Thomas

Author:Nicole Patrice Thomas [Thomas, Nicole Patrice]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-05-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

ASHREK GRIMLY WATCHED THE SUN SET on yet another day of inaction from his generals. They sat around the table drinking more than they strategized and he had had enough of the delay. Looking at the faces of the men he had selected based solely on the advice of his father - his dead father, he could not help but wonder if the guidance had been intentionally misleading. None of the men here had seen a day of battle; they were all just as inexperienced as he. His father had kept the older and therefore wiser men for his own army. Ashrek’s remaining eye narrowed in anger, he was done with this charade!

“Who among you has fought in battle?” He said, but they were so deep in their cups no one responded. “WHO AMONG YOU HAS FOUGHT IN BATTLE!” He yelled and slammed his fist against the table causing the cups to spill some of their contents. Still no one answered. They merely looked down in shame, not seeing the slight twitch of his fingers. Suddenly, they began to cough and wheeze, eyes bleeding and hands clawing at throats. A vein in Ashrek’s forehead pulsed as he released his power against the weak men sitting around him. One by one they collapsed across the table or onto the floor as they tried in vain to escape his grasp. He stopped the flow of blood in their veins and killed them as painfully and as slowly as he could. When the room was deathly silent he called for his attendant.

“Clean this mess up and issue a summons to the men of Arcana. I need generals.” Ashrek stalked past the trembling ashen-faced man. “Have them appear before me in two days. We march in one week.”

“Yes sir.” The man said, barely able to breathe over the scent of bodily fluids and death in the dining hall. Ashrek seethed the entire way back to his room, why had it taken him so long to realize the sabotage his father had initiated. He had never wanted him to succeed in ruling, had in fact planned to have him come crawling back for help when battle proved imminent. Crack! The wood framing his door split where his fist made impact, ignoring the blood dripping from his knuckles he paced and finally settled before the fire that blazed. Snow was falling heavily outside and they would need to travel quickly, if they had any hopes of reaching Nuru Manor. The mountain pass would be blocked soon. Traveling by sea would be just as treacherous. The winter sea had claimed dozens of ships over the years, travel by land would take longer but would ensure more soldiers lived long enough to die on the battlefield. They could wait no longer, it was time to move.

Ashrek let his shoulders droop in exhaustion, wincing at the throbbing ache in his hand that echoed the pulsing behind his missing eye. Retiring, he drew the heavy drapes closed around his bed and lay down; in a moment he was dreaming of the clash of swords and revenge.

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