Spook's: The Dark Army (The Starblade Chronicles) by Joseph Delaney Read Free Book Online Page A

that I was just a commoner.
    Grimalkin, however, was in her usual garb, her skirt hitched up to aid movement. She wore the usual leather straps across her body, but the scabbards were empty of blades in deference to the occasion; only the guards were armed.
    So I hadn’t got the Starblade with me. The weapon had let me down when fighting the shaiksa but had defended me against dark magic on other occasions. There was no reason to expect a threat here but I did feel naked without it.
    Those gathered around the table smiled and nodded at us. They acted in a deferential manner, looking at me in awe. Grimalkin had prepared me for this and I took it in my stride. I had risen from the dead – it was to be expected. A servant offered us glasses of wine the same shade of red as the County rose. Immediately it made me think of the glass that Jenny had seen filling with blood beside the portal and I suppressed a shudder.
    Grimalkin and I politely refused the offers; I simply walked over to the table and, after smoothing the map flat, pinned it into position.
    Prince Stanislaw introduced each member of the company in turn and I nodded politely, trying my best to remember the names, most of which were almost impossible to pronounce. But I had already learned that six principalities were represented. Prince Stanislaw’s Polyznia was by far the largest; the next most significant was the mountainous Wayaland, closely followed by Shallotte, which was near the coast.
    The easiest one to remember was Prince Kaylar of Wayaland, because in addition to his immense stature – he must have been at least seven feet tall – and broad muscular body, he had a long black beard that almost reached his waist, ending in three plaits that curled upwards, pointing at us like a trident.
    This alliance of princes had provided an army which, according to the witch assassin, would total just over seven thousand fighting men. Four thousand would be mounted, and among the infantry there would be two thousand archers. We could also field three eighteen-pounder guns, each pulled by a team of mules. We had sappers too – men who could dig tunnels and undermine fortified walls.
    In addition to the soldiers, two thousand ancillary staff would act in support: they included cooks, smiths, those responsible for stores and a variety of servants to attend the royals. It was a lot of men to lead. And here was I, struggling to lead one apprentice!
    Despite her earlier misgivings, Grimalkin was now pleased by what had been mobilized by the relatively small principalities. She believed that if the larger kingdoms to the south were to provide forces in the same proportion to their size, especially the Germanic ones, we would eventually have a real chance against the Kobalos.
    We were a long way north-east of the County, which was separated from this battlefront by a huge continental land mass and the stormy northern sea. But, if we didn’t defeat it, in time the dark army that we faced would directly threaten the County.
    I turned to face the princes and caught the eye of Prince Stanislaw, who gave me a faint smile and the lightest of nods. Then, trying to speak calmly and firmly, as the witch assassin had instructed, I told the first of my lies.
    I pointed to the map, indicating Valkarky. ‘That is our objective. We should arrive in less than two weeks. It may take another week to successfully breach the walls of the city.’
    Grimalkin translated for the company, but I knew that Prince Stanislaw would already have understood the gist of what I had said.
    ‘However,’ I continued, ‘first we shall make a little detour. After advancing steadily towards Valkarky for two days, we will then swing left and launch a surprise attack on this kulad!’
    I pointed at it on the map and jabbed it forcefully with the point of my index finger. ‘It is called Kartuna, and the tower is of great strategic importance.’
    After Grimalkin had translated my words I noticed that there