Enchanter by Sara Douglass Read Free Book Online Page B

Faraday had given him to tie about his biceps catching his eye.
    Perhaps the Mother's magic still protects us, he thought. Whatever the reason, there had been a few halfhearted attacks on stragglers and nothing else.
    While they were still close to the Icescarp Alps the Icarii farflight scouts had kept in contact, occasionally sweeping down to share a meal in the evenings. Only Belial and Magariz had ever seen the Icarii at close range previously -during the tragic meeting atop Gorkenfort's Keep - and the first evening two of the farflight scouts had alighted in the camp had caused a sensation. Scores of men suddenly found pressing need to consult with either Belial or Magariz.
    The Icarii had taken the curiosity of the men in good humour — indeed, they had been almost as curious themselves. They were fascinated with the type and composition of the armour the Acharite soldiers wore, and Belial had to restrain them from stroking the soldiers in much the same fashion as they had the strange and wondrous horses.
    Whenever they'd visited, the Icarii gave Belial what news of Axis they had, although he spent so much time with his father that few of the Icarii had yet seen him. They did have news of Azhure, however, and Belial fully intended to wring an apology from her for clubbing him unconscious in her bid to free an Avar man and child from their cell in Smyrton.
    The Icarii had disappeared as Belial led his force into the central WildDog Plains some two and a half weeks ago. They were as yet reluctant to fly too far from the relative safety of the Alps, and Belial missed their company as much as he missed dieir mobility.
    Belial was looking for a suitable site to base Axis' rebel army. On farewelling Axis at the Icescarp Alps he had thought to move down to Smyrton with its extensive grain fields. But Sigholt was far more defensible and had better facilities for training and barracking troops. And the daily company of the stolid villagers of Smyrton held little appeal for Belial — not to mention that his army now supported a cause which their beloved Seneschal found heretical.
    Had Sigholt been destroyed by the advancing Skraelings who even now lurked in its cellars? Was there a contingent of Borneheld's command there who would resist their arrival? Too many unknowns - and Belial did not like unknowns. He chewed his cold-chapped lip and cursed when it cracked and split in the bitter wind.
    So now here he sat, anxiously awaiting the return of Arne and his men, the bulk of his army lying half a league behind, as anxious as Belial was. All wanted to find somewhere to dig in for the inevitable attack from the Skraelings and to shelter from this cursed weather that roiled down from the north. If nothing else, the worsening weather conditions - not as bad as they had endured in Gorkenfort, but still abnormal for this part of Ichtar - told Belial that Gorgrael's influence was finally spreading south after the fall of Gorkenfort.
    And with the wind and ice would come the Skraelings.
    Belial shifted in his saddle. Five days was plenty of time for Arne to ride to Sigholt, scout the garrison from a safe distance, and return. If they weren't back by this evening then Belial would be forced to admit that something was wrong.
    He hunkered down a little further in his saddle, pulling the hood of his cloak far over his face in an effort to keep the freezing wind out.
    They waited.
    At dusk Belial finally stirred and turned to Magariz, the man only a dark shape in the deepening twilight.
    "My friend," he croaked, his voice hoarse from the cold. "We have waited long enough. Tomorrow we will break camp, turn for Smyrton, and take our chances with homespun village life."
    Magariz kneed Belaguez closer. "Yes. Only adversity could have kept Arne from returning by now."
    "Only adversity or a good meal," a dour voice interrupted from behind them.
    Belial and Magariz both swore in surprise and swung their horses about. Only a few paces behind them