“Something big has happened,” Sermas muttered. “But Janis didn’t seem worried.”
“Do you think it could be good news for a change?” Hern wondered hopefully.
“We’ll find out soon enough,” Khollo replied. “I’ll fill you in at dinner.”
“Say hi to Wilkes for me,” Sermas called. Khollo snorted in reply.
Khollo made his way up the steps of the keep and across the hall, then up the winding stairs to the council room. The guards waved him in without any questions, a mark of his new rank and growing power in the fortress. Janis was waiting with Ondus, but the others had not yet arrived.
Khollo nodded a greeting to the two leaders and took his assigned seat at Janis’ left. The table had been cleared of the usual stacks of documents, reports, and maps, save for a detailed map of the Renlor Basin and the Fells.
The rest of the council arrived in ones and twos. Sergeant Wilkes arrived with two other soldiers, captains judging by the stripes on their shoulders. Khollo did not know their names, but he recognized them as watch officers who organized the fortress sentries. After Wilkes’ crew came Garren, who was responsible for the day to day operation of the fortress, the supplies, and the domestic staff. He was a newcomer to these meetings and looked out of place among the muscular warriors who were armed to the teeth. Last to arrive was a man Khollo did not recognize, a gray bearded man who leaned heavily on a gnarled staff. Warm brown eyes peered out from beneath eyebrows that resembled small thunderclouds.
“Who’s he?” Khollo murmured to Janis.
“He is the commander of our scouts,” Janis replied. “Leon is his name. The information you interpret every day is gathered by his efforts.”
Khollo nodded, filing the information away. Janis stood and the low buzz of conversation died suddenly.
“The council is convened,” Janis intoned. “These are grave times, my friends. All of you are aware of the threat we face, and the fact that we may be outmatched. I will not waste time rehashing what has already become common knowledge.”
“The reason you are gathered here today is that I believe the next phase of the vertaga’s plan has begun,” Janis continued. “Sometime yesterday afternoon, a large force of the beasts raided Holwey Village.”
A murmur ran through the assembled leaders. Khollo was stunned. He had been there not so long ago.
“Unfortunately,” Janis continued. “Our man only arrived after the massacre, and massacre it was. We do not know how many of the enemy there were, but there were no vertaga corpses on the battlefield. As near as we can tell, the whole village was wiped out. All that remains is a charred patch of earth. Did I miss anything, Leon?”
The wizened man shook his gray head mournfully. “No, I believe that covers it. A terrible tragedy,” he murmured.
“No survivors?” Khollo asked, just to be sure.
Janis shook his head. “Not that we know of.”
Khollo slumped back in his chair.
“There is some good in this,” Janis said. “Based on what we know about the vertaga, they will begin raiding more often in the Renlor Basin, trying to spread our forces. It’s what I would do in their place. But we will not dispatch forces.”
“What?” Wilkes demanded. “We hide? We give up? We let them have the South?”
“Did I say that?” Janis snapped. “We are not leaving the South to the vertaga. The villagers are being advised to retreat north at the first sign of invaders. Putting them on their guard will help them survive.”
“Why not just pull everyone back?” one of Wilkes’ companions asked.
“Because then we won’t know where the vertaga are attacking,” Ondus replied. “And we need that information to predict their movements. Because when they believe our forces are spread thin enough, they will strike with everything they have at a larger target and destroy us.”
“You mean the West Bank,” Khollo said quietly.
Janis nodded approvingly. “Precisely, Khollo. Here, the East Bank, and Ishkabur are the obvious targets. At some point, we should see the raids drop significantly in one area, and that will precede a larger assault.”
“And, contrary to their expectations, we will be ready, fully manned, and waiting,” Ondus added.
Khollo had some doubts about this new plan, though the others in the room were murmuring agreement.
Except for Wilkes.
“How can you know what the vertaga are planning?” he demanded. “How can you believe that you understand their tactics?”
The room fell silent.
“Why should we believe this is how the vertaga will operate?” Wilkes pressed.
“Why shouldn’t you?” Janis replied.
“That’s not a good enough answer, and you know it,” Wilkes growled. “I want facts, not guesses.”
Khollo stood. This was his element after all. He had been studying every scrap of information they had on the vertaga for weeks. “If I may, sergeant,” Khollo began. But he was immediately cut off.
“No, you may not!” Wilkes growled. “Learn your place, street rat!”
The council dissolved into chaos. Janis was yelling something unintelligible at Wilkes, Ondus holding him back. Wilkes’ companions were on their feet and shouting as well. Garren appeared to have been stunned into silence. Of all the other people in the room, Leon was the only one besides Khollo who was calm and collected. The old man turned towards Khollo slowly, and nodded once. Then he stepped forward, raised his staff, and slammed it against the table with all the force he could muster.
CRACK!
The arguments ended abruptly. Everyone turned and stared at the leader of the West Bank’s scouts.
“Thank you,” Leon said softly. “Now, if everyone would sit and behave like civilized beings again, I would like to say something.”
There was a scraping of chairs on the stone floor as the council sat. Leon paused a moment longer before continuing.
“I do not know Khollo. I do not
