Jen brushed the tent flap to one side and led the way in. A huge table covered with a map of the Northlands dominated the central chamber of the tent. General Kord stood beside it, talking with a soldier who dripped on the floor as the snow melted off his uniform, and adjusting the positions of models representing the Ice Queen’s troops. Jen, Damien, and the rest of the squad stood with their hands clasped behind their backs, waiting for the general to finish with what Damien assumed was a scout.
Finally the scout bowed to the general and brushed past them back out into the cold. General Kord noticed them standing by the tent flap and smiled. “Jennifer, and Damien too, this is a pleasant surprise. Come in, come in, no need to be so formal.”
They approached the map and bowed. John’s father was a big, broad-shouldered man, with a thick beard, dark hair and hard green eyes. He looked nothing like his son, who very much favored his mother. The general came around to their side and hugged Jen when she straightened. He shook hands with Damien and nodded to the rest of the squad.
“Reporting for duty, sir,” Jen said.
“I wasn’t sure your father would send you. Well, I guess everyone’s got to fight their first war sometime.” The general turned to Damien. “Where’s your mentor? You were a year behind John so you can’t be acting alone yet.”
“I was visiting Jen and tagged along. I can’t seem to find a mentor and we did good work together this summer, so I thought I could lend a hand.”
“I heard. Killed a demon, impressive. Still, you’d best report to the sorcerers’ commander after we finish here. I wouldn’t want to step on her toes.”
Damien nodded. He’d check in, but whatever the woman said, he had no intention of letting his sister face whatever was waiting out there without him.
“What’s the situation, sir?” Jen asked.
General Kord returned to the map and the rest of them gathered around. He pointed out two model ogres a few miles north of the kingdom’s border. “They’ve divided their army. Half will attack through Frozen Hell pass and the other half are climbing up and over an ice ridge here. We have to defend the pass, but we need to keep enough men in reserve to handle the force climbing the ridge.”
Jen pointed at another gap in the mountains. “What about this one?”
“We’ve seen no activity in the middle gap. My guess is they’re trying to spread us out. That’s a new trick. Maybe the dragon isn’t as stupid as we hoped. This is the first time she’s divided her army, usually they try to overwhelm us with numbers at one of the passes.”
“What’s our assignment going to be?” Jen asked.
General Kord pointed at six white circles ten miles behind the enemy’s line. “Our sorcerers spotted these supply depots while long range scouting. Food and weapons are gathered there before going on to the monsters on the front line. I want your squad to destroy them. I don’t know if it’ll slow them down much, the ice trolls fight with their claws anyway, but if we can eliminate their food supply it might make them desperate enough to make a mistake.”
“Understood. When do we leave?”
“It’s too late in the day to go now,” the general said. “Why don’t you find a tent, get a hot meal and a good night’s sleep, and head out first thing in the morning.”
“Yes, sir,” Jen said. “Where might we find an empty tent?”
“I have no idea. Ask the pages out front, one of them can help you.”
“Where are the sorcerers camped?” Damien asked. He wanted to get the meeting over with so he could focus on the task at hand.
“When you go out take a right and go until you see the big blue tents. That’s them.”
Chapter 29
Damien parted ways with his sister and her squad and headed toward the sorcerers’ tents. As he walked he considered how best to approach whoever was in charge. He’d be polite but firm. Damien wanted to help and he had the power to make a difference.
The six blue-dyed tents looked pretty near identical to those used by the rest of the army. Unfortunately that made it hard to figure out which one was the command tent. A dark-haired girl in her mid twenties with no visible soul force dressed in a dark-blue tunic and pants left one of the tents.
Damien sighed and jogged after her. “Excuse me.”
The sorcerer turned back to face him. “Yes?”
“I’m looking for the commander. Can you help me out?”
“Who are you?” Her gray eyes narrowed. “I haven’t seen you around camp.”
“Sorry, I’m Damien St. Cloud. I arrived with my sister an hour ago. General Kord sent me to check in.”
Her narrow eyes went wide. “You killed the demon. I didn’t realize you’d been assigned here. The commander’s tent is there.” She pointed at a tent a little ways down the row. It had a plaque with a black tower carved on it above the flap. How had he missed that?
“Thanks.” He left the gaping sorcerer where she stood and jogged over to the command tent.
Some tents had a board outside for visitors to knock on, but not this one. He shrugged, brushed the flap open, and ducked inside. A pale woman with white-blond hair sat at a table with two male sorcerers. The woman looked like the master that had served as Sig’s second in their duel. They fell silent and looked up at Damien.
“Hi. I’m Damien St. Cloud. General Kord sent me to check in.”
The men muttered amongst themselves and he picked out the words demon slayer. Was that
