The Path of Giants, B.T. Narro [the speed reading book .TXT] 📗

In fact, I could see everyone giving me looks urging me to stay.

I turned to Hadley. She looked so worried that her eyes were glistening.

“You know Rohaer better than the rest of us. Do you think Souriff’s right?”

She let out her breath as she tore her gaze away from me. She glanced over all of us, everyone’s eyes on her.

“Lycast can’t possibly be prepared to stand against Rohaer’s full forces right now. They have a massive army of sorcerers and trained combatants, and a king who is eager to use them because he cannot continue to support them all financially. His desperation is palpable. Rohaer has lords, knights, commanders, generals, officers, and hordes of men and women who are just as desperate as the king for power. They have all been promised something. Even their troops will be granted land upon victory. Everyone in Rohaer has been waiting for this battle. They thirst to pillage and rape. It’s been on their minds for months. They taste victory already. Like Souriff, they know that as soon as the road here is clear, it will be as easy as picking up pie from the bakery.”

The mood was somber in the following silence. I didn’t see another choice, then.

“These are all things I would’ve said before meeting all of you.” Hadley popped a smile.

“What?” Michael muttered as many heads picked up.

Hadley seemed to be beaming with pride as she grinned. “I’ve encountered heaps of dark sorcerers,” she said. “They are powerful. There are many of them. But they lack heart. They lack empathy, precision, and careful planning. They are like Valinox himself. They are headstrong and overconfident. That is precisely why we can beat them.”

“Hell yeah,” Michael said.

“I’ve seen what Lycast can do,” Hadley continued. “But most of your enemies haven’t. The enemies who’ve seen what you’re capable of have either been put behind bars or in the ground! I say, let the bastards come!”

There was a cheer all around.

“Let the bastards come!” Leon repeated. “Souriff, get your sister the hell out of there.”

Souriff was the only one who seemed displeased. She looked at Eslenda. “Are you coming with me, then?”

“I agree with the humans,” Eslenda said. “They have surprised me. They will surprise our enemies as well. It would not be right to throw away any lives for this endeavor. Get Failina to safety.”

Souriff scowled for just a brief moment before she took off out of the forest at blurring speed.

“What’s going on here?” asked Syrah, as she came through the trees with many of the Thieves’ Guild behind her. “We’ve been waiting at the battle site for ages. We’ve got prisoners, you know? There isn’t time to stand around doing whatever you’re doing.”

I thought Leon might scold her, but he wore a goofy grin instead. “You’re absolutely right. Are you ready to meet the king?”

“If he doesn’t mind some blood on my hands.”

“He won’t mind at all.”

“Damn you, Leon!” yelled a woman a bit far off. We all turned to see Jennava stomping toward us about thirty yards away. “I was waiting in the city for news of what happened, thinking all of you were dead, and what do I find but you standing here doing nothing!”

He put up his hands. “We just finished—”

“You could’ve had someone come to tell me! Do you know how worried I was? I thought all of you had been killed. Killed! I was certain I would find your bodies here. Do you know what that feels like?” I was surprised to see a tear roll down her cheek even though she had a face of rage. But then that rage broke into sadness. She wiped her eyes. “Damn you, Leon.”

“I’m terribly sorry, Jenna,” he said. “We just finished with Souriff, I swear. She just took off.”

“So everyone’s okay?” she said with a softer voice.

“We all are,” he said.

“Thank the gods.”

Leon groaned in disagreement. “I don’t feel like anyone should be thanking them much these days.”

“Does this mean we’re finally going back to the castle?” Michael asked.

“Shit yes,” Leon said. “We just have to fetch our horses and belongings from the city, then I never want to go back there. It will be up to Syrah to keep Koluk safe and support our cause.”

We all started back toward the city. I heard Jennava muttering softly to Leon, “The people are not going to be happy with the thieves in charge of safety and production for war. That’s on top of them having to pay the crisis tax when the collectors reach Koluk on their way back from the other towns. Syrah will have insurrections against her. We might be sent back after all.”

“Can’t you let me enjoy this moment? The sweet taste of victory is already fleeting without your sour mood.”

“Fine.” She paused. “Tell me about the battle.”

“Gladly.”

“Wait,” Jennava said as she stopped. “Why is Eden walking with us?”

We all stopped as well. Eden had a nervous expression.

“Look everyone,” she said. “I was still trying to figure out how to…um, address what I did. I’m…there isn’t even a word for what I’m feeling. Sorry isn’t enough. Regret doesn’t accurately describe it.” She paused as she took a shaky breath. “I think the best way to describe it is that I was disillusioned by Valinox. I met him long before I met any of you. He changed the way I saw the world and the way I saw Lycast. I already hated the rich and powerful. I had struggled all my life, poor, while they hardly had to lift a finger to have everything I could ever dream of. Valinox convinced me he was going to make a change to all this, and this change would be swift. He promised punishment to the greedy and riches to me and my family. I’m sure he gave the same speech to everyone who decided to help him, and I’m sure much of his promises are lies. I don’t mean to say this as an excuse. It’s just an explanation.