Dark One Rising(159)

“Things are worse.”

“Your instincts have honed as well, I see. Yes. Things are worse. Fallon’s troops are on the move. We just got news that the Triple Cities have fallen and Lachlan has been besieged.”

“Oh my God! I knew coming to bring me news was folly. Look at what it has cost him, and us.”

“He did what he felt was right. We don’t have confirmation as to what has happened to his army. If they are dead then Kevaan’s trip to Drydon may have saved his life. He may not have a throne, but we still have a king. That is what took so long to get here. The men and I escorted him to Charbonneau. I was certainly not going to take the chance of Fallon’s troops ambushing him while in route home. He’s alive and safe, and the fortress on the Charbonneau border is fortified. He’ll stay holed up and prepare his garrison for war. Fallon will have to prepare as well. If I know your brother, he will not let Fallon sit in his seat long. Brogan has gained us allegiance from the dwarves. Now I must go to Isamar to speak with Jaxon, Chancellor of the Free Cities. I’m here to ask the council for warriors to escort me and my men into Salador. With them with me, I think our plea will be better received. I fear that war will start sooner than anticipated. Time is running out.”

“Well then, let’s not waste time. Come with me.” She hooked her arm with his as they went into the city to speak with the king.



***



The council members and Elders, at the request of the king, joined in the council building in the center of the city. Alek sat next to Sol, and Tomaz was to Sol’s left. The council members and Elders were sitting in their respective places, listening to Alek relay the news that he had up to this point. They were silent as they heard the news and waited until he voiced his request of them before speaking.

Pyramus was the first to speak. “The time line for us to make ready has obviously been shifted forward. Fallon’s strength is greater than perhaps we anticipated. We are ready to stand with you, but I do not know if I can spare men to escort you all the way to Salador. The road is long, and I do not think we have enough time to enlist the help from the Isamarians.”

“We are in a rush, yes, but we can’t hope to win this war without them. Just like we did with you, we would never think to ask for allegiance from people that have not allied with us for centuries. However, we are in desperate need of men. The Isamarians may not have the steel and weapons at their disposal, but the sheer number in their ranks makes up for that. The dwarves are with us, and we need the chancellor to join, too. We cannot hope to gain power over Fallon’s troops if we don’t have ample resources. The outlook is bleak even with the alliances we have made, but we have to try. I only ask for two or three representatives to accompany me into the city of Salador. Our alliance together will make our proposal more solid.”

Pyramus looked to the rest of the Elders and then to each council member. They nodded, and he rubbed a hand over his chin in thought. He looked to Sol now, who had been keeping silent vigil between Alek and Tomaz.

“King Dainard seems to be as honorable as Tomaz has said in order to set before you this desperate task. Please allow the council and Elders to discuss this further amongst ourselves. Would you please step from the building and allow us to talk and pray.”

“Of course.” He stood and bowed to the council and elder members, then stepped from the dark building into the light of the late morning.

He had spent the evening in residence with the elves and woke early this morning to convene with the council and Elders to discuss the proposal. He had slept well. Better than he had in more than a year and wondered whether it was a calm he couldn’t describe from being here, or just the fact that he was beyond exhausted. He didn’t like to admit often that he was getting old, and soon he would need to settle down into a full-time role of King’s Counselor and leave the bounty hunting to the younger men.

His thoughts veered to Maddon for the first time in a couple of weeks, hopefully in the company of Alban and his garrison. He had heard no news otherwise and tried to make himself believe that no news was usually good. He hoped he hadn’t made a mistake by sending a youth to do a man’s job and hoped that Maddon would live to see himself made squire by the king.

Melenthia, who had not been invited to attend the meeting, came around the corner from the far side of the city center and approached Alek. He was seated on a stump near the common garden. He rose when he saw her, and when she reached him, she kissed him on the cheek.

“The meeting has not adjourned yet?”

“No. They are discussing matters as we speak.”