The Shadow Throne (Ascendance 3)

He chuckled. “You can always make things worse, Jaron.”

“I’ve thought the very same thing myself.”

We were silent a moment before he said, “I shouldn’t have become angry earlier. Why did you think the battle felt easy?”

I motioned for him to follow me to where it was quieter, and there explained to him what Fish Breath had said, and about the absence of Avenia’s king. The more we talked about it, the more I was certain that something was very wrong. Vargan wanted Drylliad, of course, but he left Mendenwal to that task. He wouldn’t care who lived or died in the battle because this city wasn’t his real objective.

“The commander I just spoke to believes that Vargan wants to recapture you,” Roden said.

“Well, he won’t. I’ve had enough of Vargan to satisfy me for a lifetime.”

There was silence again, and then Roden said, “How much of my conversation just now did you overhear?”

“From the time he asked if you could win this war. Why?”

“He told me something before that, something you won’t like.”

“What is it?”

Roden drew in a breath, and took long enough at it that I knew the news must be bad. “Fink made his way to Bymar. He’s the one who got their soldiers here to fight.”

“Yes, I know that. He went there on Amarinda’s orders.”

“Every day since we came back from the pirates, Fink pestered me to train him in sword fighting. I finally gave him a wooden sword and told him to come back when he grew a muscle or two.”

“What about Fink?” I couldn’t hide the concern in my voice, or dull the feelings of panic growing inside me.

“According to the commander, Fink was upset about your death but insisted to everyone it couldn’t be true. So he traveled back through Avenia so he could go and find you himself. They believe he was captured at the border. Nobody has heard from him since.” Roden sighed. “I should’ve taught him how to use that sword.”

“They’ll make Fink talk,” I said. “And he’ll lead them to Falstan Lake. It’s the only place where Fink knows I have plans. Vargan wants me and he expects to find me there.”

As I started to run away from him, Roden said, “If Vargan wants to find you at Falstan Lake, you really can’t be going there.”

“Oh yes,” I responded. “That’s exactly where he’ll find me.”

Before leaving for Falstan Lake, Mott, Roden, and I made a plan. Mott and I would leave immediately and arrive at the Falstan camp by dawn. Meanwhile, Roden would take his soldiers east in search of other troubles. Without doubt, he would find them.

Mott had argued that I should sleep for the night and we could start out fresh in the morning, but I told him it would be impossible for me to sleep, so nothing was gained that way. Besides, as my country continued filling with enemy soldiers, I believed we were safer traveling under the cover of darkness.

The ride to the Falstan camp was quiet and took less time than I had anticipated. The commander who welcomed us looked very much like Mott, except for a long braid of hair that went halfway down his back. He said that Mendenwal continued to maintain a camp nearby, but assured me there had been no sign of Avenia anywhere in the area. At least for now, all was quiet.

“I’m not wrong about this,” I told Mott as the commander led us toward the tents. “Avenia will come.”

“Avenia sent Mendenwal to do the hard work in yesterday’s battle,” Mott said. “Perhaps he’s done that again here.”

The commander stepped forward. “My king, you look exhausted. A tent has already been prepared for you, and we don’t expect any trouble tonight.”

“Please go to sleep,” Mott said. “Tomorrow will be better if you can face it with a clear head. Besides,” he added once I started to object, “I can’t sleep if you won’t, and I’m exhausted too.”

I wasn’t sure whether I would be able to sleep, but by then I was willing to try. The aches and stings from the battle had caught up to me and even ducking inside the tent felt like an impossible chore. I collapsed on the cot fully clothed and was asleep before Mott had left.

I slept solidly until first light, when I arose and got to work. I first exchanged the battle-stained coat from Dawn for a simple gray-laced shirt and a belt for my weapons. Then after eating a hearty meal, I went alone to survey the area, eventually finding myself at the overlook of Falstan Valley. Far below me, the Roving River emptied into this valley, creating a beautiful wide lake. Or, it used to, anyway.

The Roving River began somewhere in the mountains of Gelyn and wound southward through Carthya, supplying water to most of our people. This same river ran behind Farthenwood, and was where I had lain after taking a wild ride on one of Conner’s untrained horses, and also where I had confessed my true identity to Mott. Dawn and the women of Drylliad now guarded this river near the castle walls.

As it left Drylliad, the Roving River gradually cut deeper into the earth, leaving high canyon walls on either side. I stood on one of those walls now, not far from my camp.

Falstan Lake, and the valley surrounding it, had been named for an early explorer of these lands. He had commented in his journal on the beautiful sight of coming upon the cool blue waters of the lake. Our people had enjoyed it ever since then. I, too, had many good memories of swinging into the waters from a rope hung from some of the tall trees on the shore.