Reluctantly, she allowed herself to be drawn a few steps away, but stayed in Andelko’s thoughts to hear more of what they said.
She heard Avrid’s bland response. “It may surprise you to know, they don’t give us extensive lessons in military history. We spend rather more time on their successes since the Cursed represent one of the strengths of the Deojrin and not a weakness.”
Leisha froze as strands of thought tried to weave themselves together in her mind. All around her, ideas tumbled and whirled and the pieces fell into place. Avrid is wrong, she thought. The Cursed are the weakness.
Understanding raced through her, raising a storm that swept away all the pessimism and sadness and resignation. Like clouds parting before her, Leisha saw a way out. She saw salvation.
The Cursed were not simply additional troops in the Deojrin army. They were weapons she could turn against their masters.
***
Zaraki saw the shift. In the feeble light, she stopped and raised a hand to her mouth. He heard a sharp intake of breath and saw her eyes narrow as she thought of something. Light from inside the tent illuminated her face and he saw his sad, war-weary wife fall aside—discarded and unneeded suddenly.
The queen reared up, angry and ready to fight. Time and time again through their lives together he had seen this. She wanted to salvage something, gain some advantage to work from, but more, she wanted to win, and thought she saw a way to do it.
Without saying anything, she pulled her hand from his and strode towards the tent, determined and sure of herself.
“Avrid,” she began without preamble, throwing open the tent flaps. “How far away can you be and still reach into someone’s mind?” Around the table, Ani and the others looked surprised, but Leisha did not notice.
Trailing behind, Zaraki knew in an instant where she meant to go with this and knew he had to put a stop to this reckless line of thought. It would be the retreat from Lida all over again. “Leisha, no,” he said, his voice hard. Grabbing her hand again, he tugged at her. “You can’t defeat an army with just your gifts. Give this up and come back to bed.”
“No.” A smile crept over her face as she looked at him, a plan taking shape in her mind. “Not just my gifts.” She whirled back around to face the table full of confused friends. “Avrid, how far?”
“Me?” Avrid shrugged. “As I said before, a long way. Perhaps three hundred yards.”
Excitement brought color to Leisha’s cheeks and words tumbled out of her mouth. “When a compulsion is removed, can we be reasonably certain the slave will react as you did?”
“We’ve always been taught it’s a truth. It’s been written down and repeated for centuries. Just as it says on the wall of your castle. Until Petrine, I’d never heard of a time when it didn’t happen.”
Leisha rushed on, energized by her idea even as something else tried to snag her attention. “And what if we set them free? During battle? What if, suddenly, thirty, forty or even fifty slaves were suddenly freed?”
“You might assume it would be chaos. Imagine your favorite pack of dogs suddenly turning on you. It would take them time to recover. You’ve seen them in battle. The Deojrin don’t expect anything but complete and utter obedience from the Cursed. However—”
She interrupted him. “And in the meantime, those we freed would be attacking the soldiers around them?” And she realized releasing those mind readers would also mean they were not killing her men.
“Yes. If I hadn’t been locked away when I awoke, I would’ve torn men’s throats out with my hands. I would’ve seized weapons and hacked people to death. I would’ve killed until someone killed me. But—”
Andelko saw what she meant to do now. “We’re still outnumbered. I don’t know if this is enough to make a difference. And it still means a good number of mind readers out there killing our soldiers.”
“You said it before. Smaller forces have exploited the weaknesses of a larger force to win. This is their weakness. You saw them at Lida, you’ve heard from scouts. They rely on the Cursed almost to the point of foolishness. If their strongest weapon is turned against them and they panic, can we beat them?”
When he heard a pause in the excited chatter, Avrid cut in. “It’s been tried before.” All eyes turned on him now. “And it failed.”
Shaking her head, Leisha refused to believe this. “Why? Why did it fail?” she demanded. “And are you sure it did? Or is that just what they told you?”
Avrid opened his mouth to respond and then closed it again, remembering the other lies his former masters told. “I don’t know why it failed. That’s what we were told, though. That a kingdom tried to defeat a Deojrin force using the strategy you’re discussing and it failed. Then again, it wasn’t you or I attempting it.”
“I don’t think it’s true, Avrid. I think it’s a story to keep you all from trying.” Leisha had no evidence to the contrary, no real reason he was wrong, except for the indoctrination Petrine had shown her. If the compulsions themselves were strong enough to prevent any rebellion, then why would the Deojrin need to exercise so much control over the thoughts of their slaves? She could not be the first to ever consider this strategy. But if they worried about their fine weapons falling into enemy hands, then poisoning them against this approach made sense. And the compulsions were so simple to break.
“Are we strong enough to release fifty?” she asked, her voice filled with hope and excitement. “That’s nearly half that they’ve brought with them, Avrid. We could take away half of their greatest weapon. You and I, can we do it?”
Still looking doubtful, Avrid thought for a moment. “It would be difficult to free that many, you and I. It takes time and effort and I’ve never done it. I think we could, but I’m not sure.”
Andelko held up his hands. “Before we get too excited, let’s all think on this tonight and come back together tomorrow with Ladvik and Vially. Let’s think about what our strategies would be. Because I’m tired and I’m not sure I understand completely how we would do this.”
***
Everyone felt the change in the air when they met at sunrise. Leisha and Andelko both appeared reinvigorated, full of ideas and the hope that had recently abandoned them. No one spoke of abdication or fleeing.
Rushing through breakfast, servants cleared the table and then Symon dismissed them all. Ladvik and Vially laid out their maps and little painted cubes.
For most of the day, Avrid, Leisha, Andelko and his marshals sat locked away. Across the large table, they spread maps of the Tymek and the southern mountains. Over and over, they questioned Leisha and Avrid, trying to understand what they could do, what they would need to make this plan work, what the army would be required to do.
“This all sounds plausible,” Ladvik said, stretching his long legs out in front of his chair and reaching his hands up over his head. “I guess what I don’t understand is, why can’t you just find Gerolt and kill him, Avrid?”
“That would be ideal, wouldn’t it? But, unfortunately, people before you have thought of this,” Avrid explained. “Gerolt will stay well out of our range, keeping the strongest Cursed he has around him—Edvard and a few others. They’ll survey the battlefield and relay his orders to other mind readers to convey to Deojrin captains.”
The others nodded, thinking it made sense. But they struggled to completely understand what it would be like fighting an army of Cursed. Some things they would have to see for themselves.
After another hour of discussion, Andelko stopped them. He hated to do this, but Leisha had to know all the possible outcomes before making a decision. “Here’s my concern. We’re still outnumbered. Even if you remove half the Cursed, they still have more men than us and half their mind readers. We could win but be left with no army to speak of. Is that acceptable?”
Hearing this sobered Leisha, and she wondered if she was wrong. While her instinct said her part would work, she had no control over what her soldiers would do, and she still knew next to nothing
about what happened in battle. Perhaps it would not be enough to bring victory.
Ladvik spoke up now, surprising them as he had nothing to lose if she did abdicate. “Your Highness, I have a wife and children here who I treasure. I have every reason to tell you not to take this route. But I think the plan is sound. We know from some of the scouts that the Deojrin tend to panic at first when their Cursed are killed. The men go into a fight expecting their slaves to create confusion, sow fear and to kill their enemies for them. They rely on that confusion to soften up our men before battle really begins. I think taking that from them would incite panic in their ranks.”
“We would need to choose something nearby, some place we can reach quickly and set up, control how and where the battle happens,” Vially said, surveying the maps.
Remembering previous battles, Avrid considered what might work best. “We would need a high place to overlook the battlefield, but not too far away from the fighting,” he said, thinking he needed to be delicate. “Her Majesty isn’t as adept as Sarika or I and needs to be able to see the battlefield.”
“Here near Dabrova and Novy. If you think he’ll come, we could get to this ridge, camp there and force them to come to us. We give you lot the height Her Majesty needs and we have the advantage of charging downhill at them. We can reach it in a few days and rest our men.” Ladvik pointed to a spot on the map where two small towns sat with a long sloping ridge between them.
Zaraki stared, looking from one person to another, thinking they had all gone mad. “Leisha, you’re not standing on a hill, taking part in a battle. That’s just ridiculous even to consider. They have archers.”
“And she can stop them.” Sensing a new game about to begin, Avrid grinned.
“Don’t try to feed me that bullshit, Avrid,” Zaraki snapped, not interested in dealing with him. “You think she can. I heard what you said before about it. She’s never even seen a battle, much less tried to stop an arrow fired at her.”
Avrid shrugged, looking as though he could not imagine anyone protesting. “Then let her practice with your archers.”
Leisha felt Zaraki’s annoyance boil over into dangerous anger. “Are you suggesting that we shoot arrows at her?” he asked.
Time to intervene, she thought. “Enough, both of you. Enough. Avrid, stop baiting him. Zaraki, stop overreacting. I’m not going to be anywhere near enough for their archers to reach me. And if they do get close enough you have my permission to drag me off the ridge.”
As they conferred with one another, the military men seemed oblivious to the bloodletting that nearly occurred. Vially looked up from the map. “Could you start with the front lines and move back from there once they are in chaos? That would soften up the front ranks as we send down the heavy horses.”
“Certainly,” Avrid said, still smiling.
Another hour of discussion about tactics and strategies followed before Andelko and his marshals seemed satisfied. “The question then is, will he come?”
Avrid nodded, remembering what Petrine showed him, the speeches, the pontificating, the sermons all directed at Leisha. Find her, bring her to me, whatever the cost, Gerolt had told the Cursed.
“Without question. He simply must capture you. It’s become his obsession. You’re an affront to the god he worships.”
***
As they all filed out, heading back to their own tents, Zaraki leaned back against the table, arms crossed over his chest—a sure sign something still bothered him. Leisha waited until they were alone before saying, “Tell me what’s on your mind.”
“You can read it there yourself, if you want to,” he said curtly.
Because people in Embriel did not like her and because of her rank, Leisha grew up isolated and often she did not understand people and their emotions at first glance. After returning to Lida, she learned a great deal by watching the interactions of those around her. Through their years together, she saw how Zaraki managed her moods, letting her vent her frustration without getting angry at her words. As much as she wanted to be annoyed at his outburst now, she forced herself to wait.
“I hate this idea,” he said, slowly at first and then building up speed as the words fell from his mouth. “I hate everything about it. I almost lost you once. You’re not a soldier or a fighter. Gerolt wants to torture and slaughter you, and we’re putting you right in front of him. Dangling you like a prize for him to win. You should be miles from any battle. You should be with Symon and the others, somewhere safe.” Having said his piece, Leisha thought he might relax.
Instead, remembering the confrontation in Lida, he set his jaw and glared at her. “Promise me,” he demanded, steeling himself for a fight and ready to have this out with her. “If it turns against us, promise me you’ll retreat with the rest of us. Promise you won’t fight me.”
With no hesitation Leisha said, “I promise.” She hated the terror in his eyes and hated knowing she caused it.
He did not seem to hear her as he continued with his threat. “Because I’m warning you right now, you’ll come willingly or I’ll drag you away. Scream and kick all you want. You will listen to me.”
Only a few months ago, as winter yielded to spring, before any ships rode over the horizon to their shores, the queen would have roared her fury at him, refusing to be threatened, rejecting this idea that she behave herself and do as he commanded. But so much had happened and so much had changed. Most of all her. At times, she barely recognized herself anymore.
Stepping in close, Leisha put her arms around his stiff shoulders and filled his mind with reassurance. He stood like a stone, refusing to return her embrace. Anger and terror stampeded through his thoughts. “Zaraki, I love you. I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you, wherever that may be. I promise, for once, I’ll do as you say. I’ll leave with you, without arguing, whenever you decide.”
For a moment, he barely moved and then his hands were in her hair and on her back, pinning her against him as he kissed her roughly. After a week of sadness and resignation, of painful vulnerability and the meek, timid acceptance of her fate, Leisha responded in kind, dragging his head down to hers. She needed this. He needed this, and she moaned as she read his thoughts, brimming with longing and yearning for her.
“Here,” he demanded, his voice hoarse in her ear.
He pushed her back until she felt the edge of the table behind her.
“Yes, of course,” Leisha panted, her hands already tugging at the laces on his trousers. His hand roamed over her breasts and his mouth left a fiery trail down her neck.
Zaraki scattered maps and dishes, forks and piles of paper, sweeping them all aside. He held her close and kissed her again as he bore her backwards, down to the table. He grabbed her skirts and pushed them up. One hand unlaced her underthings and he tore them off in a frenzy.
Her legs went around his waist and he watched as she arched towards him, drawing a shuddering breath, eyes wide.
They collided, crashing into each other, seeking refuge and reassurance. She moved with him, eager and demanding as her hips rose to meet his. Her hands swept under his tunic and he moaned as she raked her nails down his back. Zaraki used his tongue and his teeth as he drew his mouth over her collarbone and over the tops of her breasts.
Leisha heard the cry rising from the back of her throat and tried to keep quiet, to be discreet. In the middle of the day, people would hear. But he moved inside her and whispered, “I love you,” against her neck. She was lost, crying out his name, begging him not to stop and not caring what anyone outside heard. Pleading, incoherent words tumbled from her lips.
Zaraki felt himself borne along on the crest of her need and heard his own wild, inarticulate cries. Wave after wave of her pleasure rolled over him as he spent himself inside her, collapsing across her shoulder, his breathing ragged. After a long minute, he reached out with one hand and held her face close to his as he whispered fiercely, “I won’t lose you.”
Panting, Leisha dragged
fingers through his hair and down his back, not ready to let him leave her. “You won’t,” she agreed, still gasping for breath. “We’ll win this and we’ll go home.”
Sleep claimed them after they returned to their tent, and Leisha rejoiced as it took her. A week of insomnia did not sit well.
***
As they waited for the servants to finish dismantling camp the next morning, Avrid fretted over their plan, over his part in it. He wondered if he had given Leisha the tools she needed for the coming battle, and worried what provisions she had made for him if things turned against them.
By mid-morning, the army began moving, continuing its slow trek towards Dabrova. Avrid watched and waited for a chance to get Leisha alone. He had wrestled with his question for days, growing more unsettled the closer they got to their destination. Finally, he saw her husband pull his horse out of line and ride back to deal with one issue or another. He urged his own mount forward, wanting to speak his question aloud so that she might not see the terror that lurked in his mind. “Your Highness, may I ask a favor? In private?” he asked as he rode near to her.
“Of course, Avrid,” she said, waving her guards back a bit.
“I heard about the promise your spies have made. To kill you if Gerolt breaks through the lines.”
Leisha nodded, startled to hear him speak of it so casually. It took her breath away for a moment. The promise never left her when she thought about the upcoming battle. I don’t want to die, she thought. And she did not want Zaraki to have to do it.
She gave no voice to any of those thoughts, however. “Yes,” she said.
“Gerolt will kill Sarika and I, as well. If she agrees, would it be possible to have guards set on us? I’ve no desire to be tortured to death.”
Leisha cursed herself. “I should have thought of that. Yes, of course. I’ll talk to Aniska when we stop tonight and arrange for us all to have minders.”
As Dragons from Sleep (The Tahaerin Chronicles Book 2) Page 41
