Affinity for War

by Frank Morin

  She looked up and met his gaze. He was startled to see her flush and actually look embarrassed. Had she realized she'd gone too far?

  While Hamish and Jean took a couch nearby, Connor dropped to one knee beside Verena and placed a hand on hers, where it rested on the arm of her chair. She met his gaze and he said, "Verena, I--"

  She shook her head. "Not here, Connor."

  "All right." He pulled another padded chair up to her left side and exulted in the feeling of relief he felt. They'd work things out. The argument had been stupid, after all.

  Then Mattias hurried into the room and pulled up a chair on the other side of Verena. He cast Connor the least friendly look he ever had, and made a point of touching Verena's hand. "Are you feeling any better?"

  "I'm fine, thank you," she said softly, and only barely looked at him.

  So he glared at Connor again.

  Connor winked.

  He had no idea why Mattias was suddenly acting angry. He had seemed to be dealing pretty well with the fact that Verena was with Connor. Had something changed?

  Maybe he felt frustrated because Connor had played a central role in the recent battle, while he'd lurked in the rear in an administrative command position. Connor would be happy to give him some first-hand experience in getting punched in the face, if that would make him feel better.

  "Thank you all for coming so quickly," Wolfram said.

  "What's going on?" Hamish asked.

  "That listening stone you and 'Rena planted in Carbrey's tent, that's what," Saskia grinned.

  "Never underestimate a crafty girl.

  She'll give your heart a nasty whirl.

  When 'Rena wants the truth, she digs better than a sleuth,

  and secrets open to her like shining pearls."

  "You've grown positively poetic today, Saskia," Mattias said with a chuckle.

  "I'm an optimist."

  Kilian added, "And as you so eloquently suggested, the ear-scout monitoring that listening stone heard just moments ago that Dougal has called a war council. It should start shortly."

  Saskia turned to Connor and saluted.

  "I heard you killed old Carbrey.

  Tonight we'll all raise glasses to thee.

  Now Dougal's on the run, his invasion is no more fun,

  and his life is next we'll all agree."

  "It had to be done," he said simply.

  Wolfram saluted. Kilian nodded approval, but his expression suggested he understood how hard killing Carbrey had been. That fact helped ease Connor's lingering guilt at what he'd done. Mattias scowled, and that made Connor feel even better.

  Kilian beckoned, and a young woman dressed in the tan uniform of an ear-scout settled a small piece of quartzite onto a cloth on a low table in front of the fire.

  As they drew closer to it, Verena said, "This is a one-way speakstone. They can't hear us."

  "Can we amplify the sound?" Saskia asked.

  Verena shook her head. "I don't recommend it. This pairing is already fragile. We could drain the stone's power before they complete the meeting."

  "Better to leave it," Kilian said.

  So they all drew even closer, sitting knee to knee in a tight circle around the little table. Connor enjoyed sitting so close to Verena, although he hated the fact that Mattias got the perfect excuse to sit just as close on her other side. He could not read what Verena might be feeling. She stared fixedly at the stone.

  A moment later, sounds of chairs scraping echoed from the little stone, followed by Dougal's voice welcoming people. Connor recognized the names of several high-ranking Obrioner officials, including Captain Rory.

  Aifric said, "He just mentioned one of King Turriff's generals, and Flichity is High Lord Lenox's representative. Rith got a strong sense that he wasn't pleased with the war even before the rout this morning."

  Lord Flichity barely waited for Dougal to complete his greeting before snapping, "Are you mad, Dougal? You can't seriously plan to retreat all the way back to the border!"

  "Have a care how you speak to my father," Shona said. Connor hadn't heard her introduced, and the sound of her rich voice startled him. He glanced at Verena, who was glaring at the listening stone.

  "Certain lapses of protocol can be forgiven during the stresses of war," Dougal said, his voice calm and confident, despite the bad day. "All is not lost, and this retreat is but the process of setting the board for the final trap that will lure Kilian and those cursed Builders to their doom."

  Connor exchanged a surprised look with Verena. Could Dougal really have contingencies already in place to turn the day's brutal defeat into an ultimate victory?

  Hamish muttered, "I really hate the fact that I used to respect that guy."

  Jean shushed him as Lord Flichity said, "You've made grand promises before, Lord Dougal, but this invasion appears to be faltering."

  "All plans face unforeseen setbacks, particularly when cast across such a vast arena of combat. Adversaries of this caliber do not fall easily."

  "Forgive me if I express lingering reservations. We are in full retreat, Kilian and that Connor together ravaged our army, the Builders unleash new devilry at every encounter, and your promised assassin did little more than run away."

  Shona spoke in icy tones. "Have a care with your tone, Lord Flichity. You're conveniently forgetting that we took the pass with almost no loss of life, razed Harz to the ground, and advanced farther than any other recorded incursion."

  "And yet now we are ordered to retreat and surrender all that hard-fought advantage," Flichity retorted.

  "I'm liking this," Verena said with a predatory smile as she leaned over the stone. "Maybe they'll start fighting."

  Connor was just glad he wasn't the one she was eager to see get hurt any more. She was adorable with that air of danger that often surrounded her, but he preferred kissing her to getting punched in the face.

  "I appreciate your candor," High Lord Dougal said, sounding unruffled by being openly doubted by one of his senior advisers. "But you lack the proper perspective. Ground may be retaken at our leisure once we remove the only true threats to our dominance."

  "And you really expect to give us victory, even though they've stolen all of your sculpted stones?" Turriff's general asked.

  "What better way to defeat them than by snatching victory away in the very moment they think to obtain it? I will raise an ancient elfonnel, more powerful than any seen in three centuries. I will destroy the hated Kilian and the troublesome Builders, and drive the fool Connor back to my daughter for proper management."

  Connor glanced at Verena, whose glee at their infighting again turned to an angry glare. She'd produced a dagger from somewhere and was gripping it as if she wished to somehow drive it through the little stone.

  "Lady Shona, do you think you can control the Blood of the Tallan this time?" Flichity asked.

  "Blame the king for Connor's loss, not me," Shona retorted. "If not for his idiotic decree of second breeding rights, I would have secured Connor to me for all time."

  "The order will be rescinded," Dougal promised. "You must be prepared to draw him gently back into the fold when the time comes."

  "I want nothing more than such an opportunity," Shona said, and Connor cringed at the eagerness in her voice. She sounded so sincere. That would only stoke Verena's anger. "If only that assassin had struck true when he had the chance."

  Connor glanced at Aifric, who cringed at the mention of Mister Five. She looked miserable. "Mister Five orchestrated that attack beautifully. If not for the turbulent air, Verena would have fallen today."

  "I'll kill him," Connor growled.

  "Unless I get to him first," Mattias said.

  "I can take care of myself, thank you both very much," Verena said, her tone brusque, including both of them in her disapproving frown.

  "And who will take Carbrey's place to lead this grand retreat trap of yours?" King Turriff's general asked. Even through the stone, Connor picked up on his eagerne
ss for the position.

  "Captain Rory, of course," Dougal said simply.

  "What?" Hamish and Saskia exclaimed together. Verena and Jean both shushed them, and everyone leaned closer.

  Connor exchanged a surprised glance with Verena. Rory was a good man, but he was only a captain.

  A rumble of surprise from the other assembled officers echoed from the stone, and Rory spoke, sounding a bit shaken. "My lord, I am not the most senior officer."

  Dougal spoke, and Connor could imagine him raising calming hands. "I recognize this appointment is a bit unorthodox, but I have worked hard to position you where I have, Rory. You know the enemy better than any of my other officers. The Grandurians respect you and will hesitate to strike at you like they would anyone else I might appoint."

  He paused, then added. "Although, if anyone would like to volunteer to draw Kilian's and Connor's wrath, such a sacrifice could be useful in drawing them deeper into my trap."

  "He is so wicked," Saskia murmured, her tone tinged with respect.

  "He's right too," Connor said. "I don't think I could kill Rory."

  Dougal let the silence stretch for a few seconds before saying, "General Rory, you will take command immediately."

  After that, the conversation turned to mundane items of managing the withdrawal. They planned to continue south steadily all the way back to the border, despite ongoing objections from both Flichity and the king's general.

  Finally Kilian gestured for the ear-scout to take the listening stone away, with orders to continue monitoring it. After she left he said, "Excellent work planting that stone, Verena. That was a spectacular intelligence coup."

  "But how can he do it?" Jean demanded. "He admitted the sculpted stones are gone, but he's claiming that he can raise another elfonnel."

  "What does he mean by an ancient elfonnel?" Hamish asked.

  "It sounds like he's bragging," Connor said.

  Kilian rose and paced to the large window. He stared out of it for a moment while the rest of them watched and waited. Finally he turned.

  "The reference to an ancient elfonnel suggests Dougal has learned yet another secret I thought long buried. When a Petralist raises an elfonnel, there have been times when those elementals did not die or expire.

  "Instead they simply leave. In those cases, they fade away and are lost to all elemental senses. The Petralists who raised them are never found."

  Jean said, "So if an elfonnel disappeared like that, you're saying it's almost like they hibernate instead of dissipating? Could it be possible to wake them up again?"

  "Not if you don't know where to find them," Connor said.

  Verena's angry frown had turned worried. "It sounds like Dougal might have figured out how to find one. The way Dougal spoke of it, he seems to think an ancient elfonnel might be even more destructive than the ones raised so far."

  Kilian said, "He might be right. Some of the most powerful Petralists of all time were lost in that way during the Tallan Wars, including my own mother."

  "Really?" Jean and Verena asked at the same time.

  "During the battle that resulted in breaking off part of the continent, she raised one of the elfonnel. When the elements revolted and the land split, her elfonnel was buried in a gigantic explosion of lava. We lost contact with her, and she never reappeared. Either she died or hibernated. No one has ever raised a hibernating elfonnel before."

  "Maybe they have," Connor said.

  His thoughts had turned to the strange pyramid with the stone cairn that formed where he'd killed that elfonnel at the Carraig.

  "That elfonnel that attacked the Carraig was a lot harder to kill than the ones we've faced since. I know there are other factors that might play into that difference, but Evander seemed to know him. He called him old friend, or something. I didn't understand at the time, but maybe that was exactly what we're talking about here."

  "So the Carraig might have been a trial run for more than just Dougal trying to control an elfonnel," Hamish said.

  "If he found one and figured out how to raise it, then that settles it," Kilian said.

  "What?" Connor asked.

  "Some of you have to go visit Evander and find out what he knows."

  "Do you think it's worth such a long trip to ask him that question?" Verena asked.

  "No, but there's only one other possible interpretation of Dougal's words. He might have found a way to raise an elfonnel without using a sculpted stone, and without having access to an ascended Petralist who could do such a thing. Again, Evander might be the only person who might have an idea of how that might be done."

  It took only a few minutes to plan their trip. Connor, Verena, Hamish, and Jean would fly back to the Carraig. Aifric insisted on coming, then Mattias did too.

  "No way," Connor blurted out immediately.

  "It's not your decision to make," Mattias snapped back, and he looked ready for Connor to finally punch him over the river.

  "I don't think it's a good idea," Verena said, snatching the moment away. "Evander doesn't exactly like Grandurians."

  "You're going," Mattias grumbled.

  "She's been there before," Connor said.

  "And she's a lot cuter than you," Hamish added.

  "What does that have to do with anything?" Jean laughed.

  Hamish shrugged. "More than you think."

  Unfortunately, Kilian interceded before the argument could get heated. He ordered Mattias to stay with his troops and urged the others to hurry.

  It would take a few days for the enormous Obrioner army to retreat back to the border, with Wolfram, Kilian, and the Grandurian host in careful pursuit to make sure they didn't change their mind. There would be enough time if they didn't dawdle.

  "And we can drop off our families in Alasdair on the way south," Hamish said.

  "They can't stay," Connor objected.

  Jean said, "Of course not, but they'll have time to pack. We can pick them back up on the way north."

  That was actually a really good idea. They could transition leadership of the women's circle and appoint a new Ashlar. With a proper good-bye to their homes, maybe they'd be ready to leave forever. Connor didn't even have a new home yet, but maybe they could find one together.

  Besides, Dougal had no idea they were returning. In the short time they'd be in Alasdair, they'd be safe.

  Chapter Seventy-Three

  "Shades of the past walk shadows and whisper truths that few have ears to hear."

  ~Evander

  Night had fallen hours ago. Connor shivered with cold as the Storm soared through a high pass in the Tairseach Mountains in central Obrion.

  The Carraig came into view as they rounded a flank of the towering Mount Murdo. A partial moon and thousands of glittering stars shone through the clear, cold air, making it easy to scan the Carraig with his enhanced vision.

  The sight of the recent destruction shocked him. He hadn't really internalized how much damage the Carraig had sustained from the elfonnel. The plain that had concealed the hidden ruins of the ancient city was all cleared away. Debris was piled along the western stretch of the broken outer wall. The three lakes nestled in the ruins that had been concealed for so long glittered in the moonlight.

  That broken western plain, and the extensive damage within the inner city gave the Carraig a lonely, desolate feeling that made Connor shiver again. Repairs were clearly underway within the many palaces of the inner city, but it looked like the first steps had been to tear down several additional damaged palaces.

  He counted eleven gaping holes in the Carraig skyline where familiar towers and spires should have stood. Mounds of rubble still clogged many of the once-beautiful streets.

  Hamish let out a low whistle from his seat in the second row beside Jean. "What a mess."

  Verena said softly, "It's a shame that Dougal has caused so much destruction even in his own homeland."

  "It feels quiet," Aifric muttered with a frown from the third row.

  "B
ecause it's nearly midnight," Hamish said.

  She shook her head. "Even at night, there's a feel to the Carraig, a sense of life. It's missing."

  Connor felt it too and realized what it was. "The students are gone. Remember, Ivor mentioned the older students were all recruited, and the younger ones sent home during repairs?"

  "I had forgotten about that," Verena asked.

  She was piloting the Storm and hadn't protested Connor sitting beside her. She still hadn't spoken about their fight. He had tried to broach the subject, but she had only told him she needed more time.

  Did girls just need a minimum amount of time to feel angry after an argument? Or was that troubled look that had often clouded her face mean there was something else he'd done wrong that he wasn't even aware of? He debated just apologizing for the unknown infraction in advance. It might save time later.

  "So much for blending in," Aifric said with a wry smile.

  "As if any of us know how to do that," Connor chuckled.

  "I am quite talented at blending," Aifric objected.

  Hamish said, "You do blend nineteen people all the time. Must be a simple thing to blend with people not already in your head."

  "Usually."

  "This should actually make it easier for us," Verena said as she slowly descended, the lift thrusters barely throwing enough air to keep them from falling from the sky.

  The Swift on its long tether trailed after, like a shadowy bird gliding in their wake. As they drew closer to the soaring towers of the Carraig, Connor heard the distant chorus from the city's many musical gargoyles.

  They caught and channeled the winds around the palaces. The sound seemed unusually discordant with so many gargoyles missing. Instead of the normal pleasant melodies, the sound was more like a lament from the battered palaces, mourning their fallen comrades.

  "This place sure has gotten creepy," Hamish muttered.

  "Wait till we get to the under city," Jean said. She shifted closer to him, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

  "Where do you think we're most likely to find Evander?" Connor asked.