Lachlei (28 page)

CHAPTER Fifty-Nine

“We can’t stay here,” Rhyn said. A few hours after caring for the wounded, he had joined the other commanders in an impromptu meeting in a small grove of trees where the army had bivouacked. Each one of the commanders was a familiar face: Lachlei, Cahal, Tamar, Kellachan, Laddel, Ladsil, and Telek. Each one looked as exhausted as he felt.

The strain of destroying Areyn’s Undead, combined with the battle, maintaining an impervious shield, and keeping the mortal guise had left Rhyn’athel with few reserves. He could not access all his powers as a mortal as easily as he could as a god.
So, this is what it is like to be mortal
, he thought. The seemingly endless supply of power was not there.

“Why can’t we stay?” Lachlei asked, but there was no challenge to her voice
—
only weariness. She closed her eyes in exhaustion. Healing what wounded she could had sapped most of her energy. Looking around at the other first-bloods, Rhyn could see that the wounded alone had taken a heavy toll on them. “You said we’d be safe until Caer Lochvaren.”

Rhyn frowned. He had spoken too soon and was now paying for his optimism. “I assumed that I destroyed most of Areyn’s minions. He managed to shield some of them
—
primarily the
Silren
. He’s gone to the
Eltar
and will bring warriors from their kindred.”

“The
Eltar
?” Cahal spoke. “Damn those demon spawn! As if we didn’t have enough trouble with the
Silren
and probably the
Elesil
.”

“The
Elesil
are not our concern,” Telek spoke. He met Rhyn’s gaze.
I believe I’ve taken care of that.

“How can they not be?” Lachlei asked.

“If Telek says they’re not our concern
—
we can assume they’re not our concern,” Laddel spoke sharply.

Lachlei glared. “I can’t simply take his word on it!” she snapped. “I have a whole kindred at stake…”

“Lachlei,” Rhyn said. “Telek has taken care of the
Elesil
.”

“How, Rhyn?” she turned on him. “How could one man suddenly change an alliance? He couldn’t possibly travel to Caer Elesilren and back from here in the time necessary
—
it’s almost a hundred miles.”

Rhyn glanced at Telek, whose face was unreadable. He looked around at the faces. Cahal and Tamar exchanged glances; Rhyn knew that they already had suspicions as to who he and Telek really were. Laddel already knew Rhyn’athel was there, and there were whispers among the
Laddel
kindred that the wolf-god was among them.

“Lachlei,” Rhyn said. “Perhaps it is time for me to explain something…”

“The first-blood
Laddel
are shapeshifters,” Laddel said suddenly. Rhyn and Telek glanced at each other, but said naught.

“Shapeshifters?” Lachlei stared.

“We’ve inherited the ability to change shape just as my sire, Ni’yah,” Laddel said. “It’s been a long-kept
Laddel
secret. Telek transformed into a wolf to cover the great distances between us. He has spoken to Conlan already.”

She turned to Rhyn. “Did you know?”

“I knew Telek was seeking to keep the
Elesil
out of the war, but I didn’t know the particulars,” Rhyn’athel replied, eyeing his brother. “What did you do?”

Telek seemed distracted as he and Laddel were engaged in a private mindspoken conversation. He glanced at the others. “I found a small band of
Silren
renegades, loyal to Rhyn’athel. They’ve spoken to Conlan already
—
I suspect Conlan will stay out of this war or if he does enter it, will enter it on our side.”

“Do you think they would let us cross their lands?”

Telek nodded. “I think it likely.”

Lachlei gazed at Rhyn. “Why didn’t you tell me this about the
Laddel
?”

“He was sworn to secrecy,” Laddel replied before Rhyn could speak. “We guard our secret closely
—
and now that you know, I would ask that you too keep our secret. It has given the
Laddel
an advantage over the many years against our enemies.”

“Shapeshifters.” Lachlei shook her head. “My mother never spoke of it.”

“Your mother, Ladara, had the ability,” Laddel said.

“My mother was a shapeshifter?”

“Indeed
—
quite a good one,” he replied.

“While this is very interesting, it doesn’t change the matter that we should be heading back towards Caer Lochvaren,” Telek said impatiently. “That will be the first place Areyn will bring his troops once he summons the
Braesan
again. He’ll wait for the
Eltar
and
Silren
reinforcements, but that still doesn’t give us much time. ”

“How far will he push us?” Cahal asked.

“As far as he thinks he can,” Rhyn replied. “Areyn doesn’t want to bring Rhyn’athel into this war.”

Lachlei shook her head. “We could use his help about now. Our scouts tell us the passage through the Lochvaren Mountains is almost snowed-in. It’ll be slow going if we take the King’s Highway in our retreat.”

“Then we’ll have to chance the
Elesil
lands,” Laddel said. “We’ll only be running through a short cut before we enter
Haell
and
Laddel
lands.”

“Risky
—
we might enter a trap if the
Elesil
decide it is in their best interest to fight alongside the
Silren
,” Lachlei replied.

“We could send
Laddel
scouts ahead,” Rhyn suggested. “They should give us advanced warning.”

Lachlei turned to Rhyn. “If we do get caught, can you destroy the
Braesan
again?”

The commanders fell silent as all eyes turned to Rhyn.

“You’re asking me to challenge Areyn Sehduk again,” he said softly.

Lachlei’s eyes were cold. “Yes.”

“I was successful because I surprised him,” Rhyn replied at last. “Even so, it took more power than I anticipated. What’s more, he’ll be expecting my challenge now.”

Lachlei met his gaze. “Can you do it again, Rhyn?”

Rhyn’athel nodded grimly. “I can.”

CHAPTER Sixty

Imdyr walked from the
Lochvaur
council’s hall. Laewynd was a fool
—
greedy and power-hungry
—
one who was easily twisted to Areyn Sehduk’s purposes. She knew not all the
Lochvaur
were like him, but as long as there was one or two willing to betray the rest, the
Lochvaur
were defenseless. She smiled at the irony. A great kindred would be brought to ruin over one man…

“Lachlei!”

Imdyr turned to see Kieran approach. She looked at the warrior, trying to recall the names Laewynd had briefed her on. “Kieran?” she said. “What are you doing here?”

“I heard you had returned,” he said. He stared at her quizzically with his one good eye, as though trying to determine what was different.

Imdyr smiled wanly. Perhaps this was not going to be as easy as she thought. “We need our army,” she said. “We took massive casualties against the
Silren
and there are rumors that the
Elesil
may enter the battle.”

“What about Laewynd and the rest of the council?”

“I was in the chambers talking with him,” she said. “I convinced him that we needed the troops. He’ll talk to the others on the Council.”

Kieran stared. “We’ve never been able to get the Council to agree
—
especially Laewynd.”

“Well, Laewynd was the stumbling block, and now it’s all clear,” she said smoothly.

“That’s good,” Kieran said. He paused. “How bad is the damage? Who’s commanding the army now?”

“Cahal’s in command for the moment,” she said. “We’re retreating toward the plains.”

“What happened to Rhyn?” Kieran asked.

Imdyr hesitated. She did not recall Laewynd mentioning someone named Rhyn. “Rhyn? He’s dead.”

Kieran stared at her. “Are you all right?”

Imdyr began walking. The conversation was not going the way she intended it to. “I’ve been very tired,” she said. “Perhaps I’ll get some rest.”

“No doubt you’ll be seeing Wynne and Haellsil.”

She nodded wordlessly and left.

*****

The
Laddel
scouts had returned telling Lachlei that the
Silren
were on the move again. More
Silren
reinforcements were only a few hours behind them. Exhausted, Lachlei, Rhyn, Telek, Laddel, and the other commanders roused the warriors for a forced march southward towards the Great Plains of
Elesilren
. As they rode forward, the trees soon became sparse and the mountains diminished into rolling hills. A cold wind blew from the north, making the slow trudge southward more unpleasant.

“We should find more defensible ground,” Rhyn’athel said as he rode beside Ni’yah. “We can’t afford a fight here.”

Ni’yah nodded, glancing over at Lachlei. “She seems aloof,” he said.

“I destroyed the entire
Braesan
army — including Fialan. Lachlei does not forgive me for that,” Rhyn’athel said, using his power to make certain that none could overhear their conversation.

“Most unfortunate,” Ni’yah remarked.

“In her eyes, I am no better than Areyn.” Rhyn’athel fell silent.

Ni’yah shook his head. “I can’t advise you on this, brother. This is something Lachlei will have to come to terms with herself. Logically, she knows you did what you had to. Emotionally, the rip in the mind-link is too new. Every time she sees Fialan, it becomes a reminder of what she lost.”

Rhyn’athel nodded, pondering the wolf-god’s words. “The others are beginning to suspect who I am.”

“Well, you don’t destroy an enemy’s army in flames without drawing some attention to yourself. Frankly, I’m not surprised.”

“Except Lachlei,” Rhyn’athel remarked. “She of all my warriors should recognize a god’s power, and yet she’s convinced herself that I’m a Guardian or a very talented first-blood.”

Ni’yah chuckled. “Indeed, those whom we are closest to we are often blind to as well. Perhaps deep inside she realizes who you really are, but she is denying it. After all, how can a mortal fall in love with a god?”

Rhyn’athel smiled ruefully. “And how can a god fall in love with a mortal?” He fell silent. “Despite your trickery to coerce me into this world, I must admit I’ve been away from
Elren
for far too long. I can feel their loyalty, Ni’yah. What’s more, I’m not just their god anymore
—
I’m one of the
Chi’lan
. Their loyalty is not to some detached deity, but to me. I’ve experienced what they’ve experienced, and now I’ve earned their respect. By becoming mortal, I’ve become worthy of them.”

“Ironic, isn’t it?” Ni’yah grinned. “Despite the shortcomings, mortality does have its advantages.”

Rhyn’athel chuckled. “But what to do about Areyn?” he said, becoming somber. “The
Braesan
are a concern.”

“Areyn now has the upper hand,” Ni’yah agreed. “We could create more warriors…”

Rhyn’athel shook his head. “Each warrior I bring forth will take power I need to fight Areyn directly. And each of those warrior’s deaths will feed Areyn. I can destroy the
Braesan
, but what victory does that give me? Areyn has grown too powerful for me to directly wrest the
Braesan
from his control. And yet, I must find a way to deprive him of the dead.”

Ni’yah grinned.

Rhyn’athel glanced at the wolf-god. “What are you thinking?”

“That occasionally, my brother, you show flashes of genius, despite yourself.”

Rhyn’athel considered Ni’yah thoughtfully. “What did I say?”

“You must deprive Areyn of his dead.”

Rhyn’athel gave Ni’yah a long, measuring look. “If I remove Areyn’s source of power, I will weaken him.”

“Indeed, and Areyn’s penchant for destroying his own warriors could be his downfall,” Ni’yah replied. “Returning a hundred thousand warriors from the dead takes power
—
power that Areyn must replenish.”

“And he insists on controlling them, especially Lochvaur.”

“Especially Lochvaur,” the wolf-god agreed. “Your son is draining Areyn’s power. But Areyn dares not free Lochvaur for a moment or risk losing control of a dangerous enemy.”

Rhyn’athel leaned back in his saddle. “Holding back Lochvaur would take vast amounts of energy. That much energy would drain even me. Could Areyn be relying on something else to bring the
Braesan
to
Elren
?”

“A Runestone?”

Rhyn’athel thought for a moment and then shook his head. “Areyn wouldn’t use it
—
it resonates too much with my own power. It might actually burn him to use one.”

“The Gateway, then,” Ni’yah said. “The Gateways are neutral ground.”

Rhyn’athel nodded slowly. “If I were wishing to conserve my power
—
I would use the Gateways.”

“Rather archaic, don’t you think?” Ni’yah remarked. “And not very defensible.”

“But very much like Areyn,” Rhyn’athel replied. “Areyn uses what he can against me, such as it is.”

“The Gateway would stop travel both ways
—
if Areyn is indeed using it.”

Rhyn’athel smiled thoughtfully. Perhaps there was a way to defeat Areyn.