Fall of Angels

LX

SILLEK WALKS INTO the armory, followed by Terek. The Lord of Lornth spots the assistant chief armsman, sharpening a blade with a whetstone. “Rimmur?”

The thin man looks up from the stool, then stands quickly. “Yes, ser?”

Behind Sillek, Terek closes the door.

“How can I help you, ser?”

“Since Koric remains to hold Clynya, I need you to make sure that our armsmen are ready to travel as soon as the roads firm. I don’t mean an eight-day later. I mean the day I lift my blade. Do you understand?”

“Yes, ser. Where do we make ready to go?”

“I’m not telling you. Nor will I until we start to march.” Sillek’s smile is grim.

“Ser … that’ll make it hard …” Rimmur’s words die under Sillek’s glare. “I mean … the men …”

“Let me explain it,” answers Sillek. “I have Ildyrom and the Jeranyi to the west, and these evil angels to the east. If I announce I’m going after the angels, Ildyrom will be in and through Clynya within days after the snows melt, or the rains stop, and the roads firm. If I go after Ildyrom, the traders will raise their prices and lower what they pay, and the angels will be free to take over more of the Westhorns, including the trade routes and the lower pastures. If I do nothing, everyone will think they can make trouble.”

“Yes, ser,” answered Rimmur. “Which are you going to do?”

Sillek slaps his forehead theatrically and glares at the assistant armsman. “If I tell you and the armsmen of Lornth that I’m going after Ildyrom, then everyone will tell everyone else, and in three days all of Candar will know, and the traders and the angels will make trouble. If I say I’m going after the angels, then Ildyrom and his war-women will make trouble. So I can’t say. You just have to get them ready. I’ll announce where later.”

“Yes, ser. They won’t like it, ser.”

“Rimmur … do they want to know and be dead, or not know and be alive?”

“Ser?”

“If no one knows where we’re going, whether it’s after Ildyrom or the black angels, then our enemies can’t plan. Ifthey can’t plan, then fewer of our men get killed. So just get them ready. Tell them what I told you.”

“Yes, ser.” Rimmur stands and waits.

As Terek and Sillek head up the narrow steps to the upper levels of the tower, the white wizard clears his throat, finally saying, “You never did indicate … ser …”

“That’s right, Terek. I did not. I do not know what sort of screeing or magic the angels have. So my decision remains unspoken until we leave. That way, Ildyrom and the angels have to guess not only which one I intend to attack, but also when.”

“As Rimmur said, ser, that makes preparation uncertain.”

“Terek … before this is all over, we’ll end up fighting them both. So prepare for both eventualities.” Sillek steps out onto the upper landing and turns. “Your preparations won’t be wasted.”

“Yes, ser.” Terek inclines his head.

“Good.” Sillek turns and walks down the corridor to the quarters where Zeldyan waits.