Rise of the Shadowcouncil (Heir to the Darkmage Book 4) by Lisa Cassidy

Author:Lisa Cassidy [Cassidy, Lisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tate House
Published: 2022-11-23T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

Lira stood on the battlements, shoulders hunched against the bitter cold, breathing in the still morning air. The old Hunter base was surrounded by a carpet of stark white after a heavy snowfall the night before and the trees of the surrounding forest were equally laden with it. Every now and then there was a distant thud as a clump of snow fell from a tree branch to the ground, but otherwise everything was eerily quiet.

Almost like the world was holding its breath.

There was no reason for her to be out here. Hunters manned the walls and patrolled the forest surrounding the base. It was too cold to be comfortable. But she hadn’t been able to stay indoors any longer, had needed to feel the endless sky above and the fresh bite of winter air.

Lira’s gaze settled on the single set of tracks in the otherwise unbroken carpet of snow, hoofprints that marked Shiasta’s departure earlier that morning. Her Hunter had been away from the base tracking more Hunters … those who’d still been undertaking their training when Leader Astohar had learned about the program, and who’d escaped Anler’s purge.

But the news he’d brought with him had anxiety eating at her bones.

The Mage Council’s search for them was shifting away from Tregaya and back to Shivasa. They’d figured out the false trail Lira’s Hunters had left for them. Soon, Egalion, A’ndreas, and any other telepath at the council’s disposal would be honing their efforts on Lira’s location.

She stared harder out at the snow, the forest, wondering if Taliath and mage warriors were creeping through it towards them right now. It was foolish thinking. Her Hunter scouts would have picked up the approach of any attacking force. But she couldn’t help worrying.

If they were found, they’d have to run, but there was nowhere like this to flee to. They’d have to break up into smaller groups, which would make coordination of her forces much more difficult. Without a secure base, they’d be on the run from council mages constantly, always looking over their shoulders.

She had Egalion’s secret to wield … but given even Lucinda hadn’t been able to wield it as a successful threat against her, Lira worried that it might not be enough to make her back off entirely. And if Egalion found them, it would all be over.

The success of winning the loyalty of the Shiven lords was a double-edged blade. She needed them, but she’d awakened their bloodlust, their hunger for power. After so long waiting, the realisation that victory might be in their grasp had galvanised them. She’d promised them she had a plan, but now they wanted to see it enacted.

Anler kept pressing her to announce themselves to the world. To make the new Shadowcouncil public knowledge, to begin instilling fear in those loyal to Astohar and joy in those loyal to her and her grandfather. But if she did that, it would only widen their exposure, increase the threat of being discovered.

To succeed where

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