“On the contrary, it will be quite easy.”

Lethargy stole into my bones. My lips moved, but no sound came out. I could not walk. I could not speak. Instead, my knees sank of their own volition into the hard soil. I saw King Kance’s eyes widen as he did the same. So did the generals and soldiers, the wounded and the healthy, the asha and the Deathseekers. The bone witch’s mark was on us all, and we were helpless in the face of her Compulsion. Only the Gorvekai remained on their feet, proving their duplicity. Lord Fox was upright too, but he made no move.

The bone witch let out a gasp, her hand flying to her chest. Lord Kalen took her in his arms, his own face grim and strained. “You’re overexerting yourself again, love.”

She grinned wanly. “Nothing you wouldn’t have done in my place.”

“What are you doing, Tea?” Lord Fox whispered.

“What you wouldn’t let me do if you had your way.”

“Tea!” Lady Zoya burst through the crowd but stumbled and fell to the ground as well, her hand dropping. Still she mustered strength to blister the air with words. “Let—us—go! You cannot do this!”

“Zoya. For once in your life, shut up and listen. You want answers?” The Lady Tea’s voice rose, mocking. “You shall have them. You intend to invade Drycht after this victory at the Hollows, to depose Aadil once and for all. Instead, you will face civilians and innocents with the blight. As soon as the first of you sets foot on Drychta soil, they will turn, and you will find nothing to save, only a city of monsters hungering for your flesh. Druj has cast a large net. The Faceless will have the people suffer to kill as many of you as needed. Druj doesn’t intend this to be a war—he intends it to be a massacre.”

21

To his credit, King Kance said nothing of my pale, tear-streaked face, though his heartsglass beat quick, erratic patterns of blue. He had drawn his sword during the battle, its tip bloody, and I wondered if he’d been fighting long, though it was doubtful that General Lode would allow many to get past him.

The bulk of the casualties had fallen to the Drychta, but many of the Odalians were caught in the indar’s deadly acid attack. One look at their heartsglass was enough for me to gauge fatal wounds from the less grievous, and it was a difficult task to move from one fallen fighter to the next, compelling them into sleep knowing they would never wake.