The general knew the complexities of managing such a huge force, even under the best of conditions. “Do you think the men will be frightened enough to abandon the siege? Is their confusion such that they’ll panic and scatter?”
Shocked by the suggestion, Enoch gave him a disappointed grimace. “Of course not, General. They will never desert. Each man is yours, heart and soul. But they’ll look to you for explanations. You have to give them something before too long.”
Utros’s smile was muted by his skin’s stiffness. “Send messengers among the troops and tell them to wait for word from me.” As he scanned the crowded ranks, he noted the few loose horses. “Send riders throughout the valley, have them inform each company that General Utros still leads them and that we will be victorious. I will avenge whatever needs to be avenged.”
Enoch nodded. “They already know that, sir.”
“Tell them anyway. First I need to assess our situation.” Before Enoch could depart, Utros snapped more instructions. “It appears we’ve lost everything, so we have to act swiftly. Don’t show panic, don’t even let the men consider the implications, but we have no camp, no firewood, no shelter. If storms should come, we need to have tents. Send crews into the hills to cut down trees, bring supplies back, hunt food. Have them use their swords and battle-axes if necessary.” He knew that the streams across the valley would provide plentiful water, but his soldiers needed a great deal more.
He looked behind him, dismayed again to see the empty space that had held his large tent. “I need a new command headquarters erected immediately. If they can’t find any fabric for a tent, then have them use wood to build a structure.” He placed his hands on his hips, and the orders continued to flow. Enoch received them all in silence. “Also, launch raiding parties, a hundred of them with twenty men each. Have them ride in all directions and scout what lies around us. Find cities and towns, where they can commandeer the supplies and tools we no longer have.”
Enoch made a mental note of every instruction. “Yes, General.”
After Utros dismissed him, Ava and Ruva stood close, silent and calculating. The soldiers milled about, but none dared to approach, not yet. They were awed by General Utros, even though he wasn’t a cruel or ruthless commander, as Iron Fang was a ruthless emperor.
No wonder sweet Majel had needed a soft touch, love and compassion, even if it meant the two of them were betraying Kurgan in their hearts.
Utros longed to see her again. It had been half a year since he’d been home to Orogang, the capital of the empire. It seemed like ages since he’d touched Majel’s soft skin, run his fingers through her lush hair, kissed her sweet lips.
He locked those thoughts in a separate mental compartment. Often as he drifted off to sleep at night, Utros would open that cabinet in his mind to review and rejoice in his times with her. Now, though, he couldn’t afford the distraction. He felt a genuine urgency, which he hoped his soldiers didn’t realize yet. They didn’t have much time.
With so many thousands of fighters filling the plain outside of Ildakar, entirely without supplies, they would all understand the urgency as soon as they began to starve.
CHAPTER 4
As the awakened soldiers continued to pound on the walls of Ildakar, Nicci judged that the city had time, but perhaps not much. Such constant battering might damage the defenses, though the gifted wizards could summon strengthening spells to keep the stone solid.
The watchers on the high wall didn’t need Nathan’s air lens to see the immensity of the enemy out there. When she served Jagang, Nicci had traveled with the huge armies of the Imperial Order, which had spent decades conquering the Old World, eventually moving north and crossing into the New World. But she had never seen an army such as this.
She turned to the kind sorceress Elsa, who stood nearby, deeply worried. Other duma members had not yet arrived at the wall, but Nicci knew they had to begin their work soon. “After the revolt last night, the people of Ildakar must work out their political differences, rebuild the city, and strengthen its leadership.” She nodded toward the immense siege force moving toward the city. “Even with their simmering resentments, the factions of Ildakar have a common enemy. Now is the time you can forge a permanent internal peace, make your city strong enough to defeat General Utros. I’d suggest you use this opportunity to solve your problems.”
Elsa remained troubled. “If that’s what the people really want.”
Barking orders to the city guard, High Captain Stuart ordered standard siege defenses, using boulders, sharp projectiles, boiling oil, and flaming arrows against the soldiers below. From their high strategic position, they could bombard the attackers with no risk to themselves.
Nicci knew the defenses were in good hands, for now. “Call an emergency meeting in the ruling tower. The duma has been torn apart, but you have to establish a new one. It’s a time of crisis, Elsa. You, Quentin, and Damon still sit on the council, but we have to rally all of Ildakar’s gifted.”
Elsa said, “We should have added more wizards to the duma a long time ago, ever since the sorceress Lani was turned to stone. We need them more than ever with Wizard Commander Maxim gone, Andre and Ivan both dead, Thora defeated, and Renn off on that fool’s quest to find the Cliffwall archive.”
Nathan rubbed the center of his chest. “Chief Handler Ivan’s heart still lives within me. I am as gifted and powerful as I ever was, so let’s count our blessings. We’ll work together to defend Ildakar.”
Bannon frowned, considering. His skin looked paler than usual, which emphasized his freckles. “The revolt still isn’t over in the city. If you have a war council, you can’t call only the gifted nobles. They were part of the problem. You need to listen to the rebels and the freed slaves, as well as the arena warriors. If it comes to a real fight, those are the best soldiers Ildakar has.”
Lila shot him a glance. “And the morazeth, boy. We are the best fighters.”
Nathan raised a hand to stall further debate. “It is not a competition. Everyone will defend Ildakar in their own way. I agree with you, dear Elsa. The duma needs to appoint replacement members as soon as possible, and someone has to lead the city, now that we’re at war.”
Gliding past Nicci, Mrra placed her feline head between the crenellations and peered out at the awakening army in the morning light. The panther growled at the booming of the hardened fists.
When Nicci and her companions entered the main chamber of the ruling tower, the two stone sorceresses had awakened and were locked in battle.
Sovrena Thora, whom Nicci despised, had been punished for her abuse of the people of Ildakar. Rather than being executed, Thora had suffered the same fate as Utros’s army, cursed by the stone spell. After pronouncing her sentence, Elsa, Quentin, and Damon had petrified her, leaving Thora a defiant statue in the ruling chamber.
The only other sorceress who had suffered that fate was Lani, after her failed challenge to Thora’s rule, centuries ago. Nicci had never seen Lani as anything other than a stone figure.
Now both women were reanimated and attacking each other on the open floor in the ruling tower. Nicci recognized Lani’s broad shoulders, the squarish yet pretty face, and the long locks of hair that had been marble before, but were now the color of smoked honey. The revived sorceress threw herself upon Thora, who looked just as furious. The dissolution of the stone spell that had thawed General Utros’s army must have also released these two from their fates.
Hearing the clash of the physical battle, Nicci rushed into the ruling chamber with Nathan and Elsa close behind, calling for the two sorceresses to stop fighting. The wizards Damon and Quentin came in, accompanied by other powerful wizards, who had answered the call for the war council.