UNSHEATHED

Chapter Sixty One

It was still the middle of the night and the armies of Castillon and Kalad were rousing to break camp. As far as she could tell, the plan Elena had set into place was being followed to the letter. Any change would raise concerns with her loyal Castellonian officers, but she knew their discipline would hold until the weight of questions not satisfactorily answered became too much. For this reason, she wished, contrarily, that her army was not so well disciplined. At some point, Alkema would have to deviate from their original plans in order to accomplish whatever it was that he needed her and Liran out of his way for.

She thought of Alkema and his treachery. The Hilliri often expressed their superiority over the Trillas, but this was hubris of an entirely different order. She remembered his self-satisfied expression and she wished she could strike that smug face. Suddenly, Liran disappeared from her sight and she was right beside Alkema as he gave orders and supervised the breaking of camp. He was unaware of her presence. The sudden shift in location unsettled her. After a moment, though, Liran appeared making Elena jump.

"How did you do that?"

"You simply put the image of whomever or wherever you wish to go into your mind. Then you wish yourself to be there. You just figured it out on your own."

That seemed simple enough. She thought of Adina, set the image of her face in her mind, and then she was there, in the infirmary, watching her pull apart the cots and fold up the linens along with the other Marulan. Liran reappeared again.

"Won't they miss you? All the Marulan are here working here save for you."

Liran shook his head.

"I'm often away, when I'm meeting with you to discuss plans. They're used to my absences."

Elena thought of her body. She wanted to check and make sure it was okay. In a moment she was there. Some of Alkema's people were picking up her cot, body and all, and carrying her out of the tent.

Again Liran arrived shortly after. They managed to slip her body directly into a covered wagon without exposing her to the elements, or to the view of anyone who might find their activities suspicious.

The soldiers hopped onto the wagon and urged the draft horses down through the middle of the camp. Elena watched as they rode away.

"I think they're heading for your tent next."

Sure enough, they pulled up close to the opening in Liran's pavilion. The soldiers dismounted and went inside. Elena and Liran watched as, with much more difficulty this time, the soldiers raised up his sleeping body, cot and all, and placed it inside the wagon beside Elena's.

"I don't like seeing our bodies this way. Let's go back and see what Alkema is doing."

Liran nodded and blinked away. Elena followed. It took no effort to picture Alkema's face in her mind, or to aim her emotions to want to see him. In a moment, she was there.

She saw Alkema pouring over a map at his desk. His second came over and they spoke. Elena missed the first few words until she remembered she had to focus to hear. Sound in this form was muffled, like listening through a pile of blankets, but if one got in close enough, it was possible to hear.

Alkema conferred with his second.

"Yes, but we must keep to the original plan right up until the last moment possible. We can't afford dissent from the Castellonians."

The other man frowned.

"But surely we should order them to remain, First Commander? Are they not a liability to our plan?"

"Ordering them to remain will begin sowing doubt too early. We risk them figuring out what we are up to and possibly doing something to prevent our success."

The Second Commander shook his head.

"But I truly wish we could leave these vile Mundatar behind and our misguided brethren, the Castillonian Hilliri, who work by their side."

"Watch your words. While I agree with you that the Trillas are a blight on our world, we can't raise the suspicions of the Castillonian Hilliri by calling the Trillas by such names."

Alkema stood suddenly as a visitor dressed in Paracha grey entered his tent. The visitor was a tall lean man, his white hair and light complexion would mistake him for Hilliri.

Elena put a hand on her mouth in surprise as she realized the visitor was actually Lord Argentia, their old enemy, or rather, the Guardian, Korr. Despite his age he appeared in full vigour, upright and commanding in his presence, but Elena felt there was more -- a mantle of heavy power laid over him, and the world trembled a little with each step he took.

Alkema and his second bowed low to the man.

Elena grabbed Liran by the arm.

"That's Korr, Liran, I can feel it, even in this state."

"Yes, I feel it too. I can see an aura of power around him, although it's cloudy and greenish."

Elena leaned in closer so she could hear Alkema's words.

"Welcome, my Lord. You honour me with your presence."

Korr waived away this innocuous pleasantry with disdain.

"You will ride forth to battle with the Castillonian army in the rear. When you reach the ford in the river, instruct them at the very last moment possible to take the riverside road heading east instead of making the crossing."

Alkema nodded.

"Won't they will think we dishonour them by keeping them out of the battle?"

"Tell them there has been a change in battle plans, and you want to hammer the opposing forces from all sides. Are they not disciplined enough to take orders from their leaders?"

"Yes, yes, of course. I can't fault their Field Marshall for her training program, nor her ability to command, which is of course why we had to take her out of action, but I don't quite follow why we must go to such lengths to keep her and the Prince alive."

"I don't expect you to understand, First Commander, I expect you to obey. If you must know, in my visions of the future, Elena Valeria is one of the few people I foresee preventing us from reaching our goals and the Prince...I'm not entirely certain, but my sense is that he will play a part in our failure, if we let him. So we won't allow it. As for keeping them alive rather than eliminating them forthwith, I don't have to justify my actions to you. You will be satisfied as long as the Trillas are where they belong in the new ordering of the world, will you not?"

Alkema gave him a big, wide smile.

"Most definitely, my Lord."

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I hope you enjoyed this instalment of Unsheathed. If you did, please consider voting so that it has a chance to receive some more attention by rising up the ranks in the Fantasy category. I also enjoy comments, so please feel free to let me know what you thought.

Cheers!

Rebecca