The Conqueror's Shadow by Ari Marmell Read Free Book Online Page B

wondered if anticipating it now was worse than the day it had stopped bothering him entirely.
    â€œMy lord?” Valescienn prompted. “This is it, Lord Rebaine. Can I assume that your intricate plans and strategies call for more than standing here staring at it? Because I’ve got to tell you, we could’ve done that without fighting first.”
    The expressionless skull turned coldly toward one of the fewmen undisturbed by its gaze. “How long would you estimate before Lorum’s armies reach us?”
    â€œWell, he’s
finally
got the Guilds whipped into line, and they knew we were headed this way. Probably no more than a couple of days, and possibly less than one.”
    â€œThen we’d better make every minute count. Get the men to start searching. And Valescienn?”
    â€œYes, lord?”
    Inwardly, Corvis sighed. “We can’t afford to waste any time on heroes and patriots. Put up the usual deterrents.”
    Valescienn grinned, tossed a casual salute, and was gone. And for many moments more, Corvis watched as the heads and the bodies of the dead were hoisted high, raining gore down upon the streets in a foul monsoon, to hang as a warning to any who might yet be inclined to resist.

    THEY DID INDEED ATTEND the town meeting, though there was, as Corvis glumly predicted, a great deal of fear and shouting and little in the way of meaningful results. Frankly, he didn’t even hear much of it, for his mind was so thickly swaddled in the stifling blanket of old, uncomfortable memories. Tolliver, his face and voice calm, moderated the gathering, keeping as much order as he could. It wasn’t much, but he tried.
    â€œHow could this happen?” one hysterical voice in the crowd asked him.
    â€œAccording to a few who escaped,” Tolliver told them, “Audriss slipped some of his men into the city during the celebration. They took the walls from the inside.” He didn’t feel the need to point out the irony involved: The celebration that opened the door to the city’s conquerors marked the anniversary of a previous invader’s defeat.
    â€œThis Audriss is as bad as Rebaine ever was!” someone shouted.
    â€œMaybe it
is
Rebaine!” suggested a third voice. “How would we know?”
    I know
, Corvis thought to himself.
But somehow, I don’t think you want to hear
how
I know
.
    In the end, the consensus was to wait, to keep an eye on which way the invaders turned from Denathere, and to prepare. The same thing they’d decided after the previous meeting, and the one before that. The same thing the rest of Imphallion was doing.
    Corvis remained silent throughout the meeting and during the walk back home. They shared a late supper, put the children—who’d escaped with only a brief scolding for their stunt with the water bucket—to bed, and Corvis and Tyannon retired as well. And still, he said nothing.
    â€œSweetheart,” Tyannon whispered to him, some moments after he thought she must have fallen asleep, “what troubles you?”
    He actually smiled, then. “The news is not bad enough? I need more to disturb me?”
    â€œNeed? No. But I know you, Corvis. Something
is
bothering you.”
    He sighed, rolling over to face her. “You’re right.” He shook his head faintly. “I’ll tell you if you ask, Tyannon. But it means talking about … then.”
    She frowned. “I hate thinking of Corvis Rebaine, Terror of the East, but I haven’t forgotten him. Tell me.”
    â€œAll right. When I was first planning my campaign, I couldn’t know exactly when the Guilds would grow frightened enough to push Lorum into action. I knew I had to fight my way to Denathere—”
    â€œWhy?” she asked quickly; it was, after all this time, the one secret he’d never told her. What could he possibly have been seeking in that city that could inspire him to make the worst tactical