'Unfortunately, I fear it will be impossible to spare any,' Escanor said. 'The Myth Drannor phaerimm are proving as obstinate-'
'I am sure you can spare half your troops,' the Most High said. 'Our victory in Tilverton must be quick. We must return our largest army to the Sharaedim within the month, before the shadowshell fails. The phaerimm are our greatest threat.'
Escanor glanced at Rivalen, his coppery eyes burning with anger. 'But if our losses are heavy-'
'We will be surrounded on all sides,' Hadrhune confirmed. 'Surely, a conservative approach is wiser.'
The Most High considered this for a moment, then said, 'You are half right. I will send princes to treat with polities more sympathetic to our cause. Lamorak, you will go to see the Red Wizards of Thay. Yder, you will seek out the true leaders of the Cult of the Dragon…'
The Most High continued on, outlining a strategy that would envelop the forces currently surrounding the Shadovar.
When he finally finished, Hadrhune tried again to assert his influence. 'You have taken every wise precaution that can be taken, Most High… but what of my suggestion? Certainly, it is wisest to defend Shade Enclave first.'
'Wait.' The Most High turned to the Seraph of Lies, Malik. To the great credit of the little man's willpower, he did not seem to feel the weight of any unspoken questions, and Telamont was forced to ask, 'You know Ruha better than any of us. Do you think she knows a way into the city?'
Malik's eyes grew as round as coins, and Rivalen thought he would have thrown himself over the balcony rail, had the prospect of a painful landing not been so great.
'In my experience, that witch can get into anywhere,' Malik said. 'She has intruded upon me many times in many delicate moments-and sometimes when I could have sworn she was a thousand miles away.'
The Most High considered this, then nodded. 'I suppose it would be safer to assume that she knows a way into the enclave.' His platinum eyes flared in Clariburnus’s direction, then he looked back to Malik and asked, 'So you would advise me to call Shade's armies home?' 'Indeed.'
For a moment, Rivalen thought Malik would leave the matter at that, then the little man's face contorted into a mask of displeasure, and he said, 'Only, I think it would be wiser to advise you to give all your troops to Rivalen and order him to attack.'
The Most High's hood turned in the little man's direction.
'Because that is what you truly want to do, Most High,' Malik blurted, 'and a wise advisor always tells his master what his master is eager to hear.' 'Is that so?'
Telamont's empty hood swung in Rivalen's direction, and Rivalen felt the weight of his father's question pressing down on his shoulders.
He inclined his head. 'I will capture Tilverton and destroy the Alliance army,' Rivalen said, 'or I will die trying.'
'Die if you must, but death does not excuse failure,' the Most High said. He turned to Malik, and Rivalen could have sworn he saw a smile beneath the Most High's hood. 'Thank you, little man. Not only are you my wisest advisor, you are the most honest.'
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
27 Mirtul, the Year of Wild Magic
The west lay the setting sun, its orange fury igniting a rusty blaze across the darkening sky and painting the jagged Stonelands in a fiery copper glow. Behind the lonely trees and distant monoliths, the shadows were lengthening, stretching their pointed tips across the parched pasturelands toward the city of Tilverton. To the north, purple darkness already cloaked the Desertsmouth Mountains. To the south, a lake of umbral murk was spreading outward from the foot of the Stormhorns. The attack could come from any direction or from all three, and with no more warning than the time a shadow needed to sweep across the plain. Or it might not come at all, though Galaeron knew better than to count on that.
Along with Vangerdahast, Alusair, Lady Regent Alasalynn Rowanmantle, and more aides than was safe, Galaeron was atop an unfinished wall tower in the Knoll District of Old Town, standing on a makeshift scaffolding that creaked every time someone shifted his weight, watching the darkness for the first hint of the enemy. Vangerdahast's attention was fixed on the south, as that was the only side of the city without a gate and he was convinced the Shadovar would want time to form ranks before the battle began. Most of the aides were convinced they would come out of the Desertsmouth foothills, since that was both the shortest route to Anauroch and one of the most sheltered. Alusair was keeping her eye-and her archers' arrows- trained on the sky, for she was troubled by the descriptions of veserab riders and the fact of the Shadovar’s alliance with Malygris and his blue dragons. Galaeron didn't know what to expect, but he felt sure that whatever the Shadovar did, it would be as unexpected as it was devastating.
A soft clatter sounded below as the bodyguard companies at the base of the tower ran through the procedure of admitting a runner. Finally, a herald called for permission to send up one of Vangerdahast's wizards, and a surprised murmur rose atop the keep as the aides nearest the ladder saw who it was. Galaeron looked down to see a willowy woman in a red cape ascending the long ladder. With red hair and golden eyes, even he recognized her as Vangerdahast's favorite aide-and, some said, lover-Caladnei.
The old wizard stepped over to the ladder and, as she neared the top, extended a hand. 'About time, my dear,' he said, pulling her onto the scaffolding. 'What news?'
'Good news.' She turned away and bowed to Alusair, then made her report directly to the regent. 'Ruha has found the flying city, and it appears but lightly defended.'
'Where is it?' Vangerdahast asked. 'On the new lake?'
Caladnei nodded. 'Floating above the north end. There is fresh water, and a defensible camp. Hhormun is preparing a translocational circle now.'
Alusair considered the report for a moment, then said, 'There's a reason the city is only lightly defended.'
Vangerdahast nodded. 'Either Galaeron is right and they're readying an attack…'
'Or they're hoping to lure us into a trap,' Alusair finished. She turned to Galaeron. 'What do you think?'
'The Shadovar are cunning war makers,' he said, 'but the phaerimm are their most ancient enemies. Telamont Tanthul would risk freeing them only if he's allowing his anger to guide him.'
'And angry men don't lie in wait,' Alusair agreed. 'They attack.'
'Unless that's what he wants us to think,' Caladnei pointed out. 'Perhaps Telamont is confident he can defeat us quickly and return his army to the Sharaedim in time to keep the phaerimm in check.'
'In which case, he can't let us set the pace,' Vangerdahast said. 'Either way, he's attacking us. Everything points to it.'
Caladnei inclined her head to the old wizard. 'Ill send word to Hhormun to save his spell.'
Alusair raised a restraining hand. 'Hold a moment.' She bit her lip in thought, then turned to Vangerdahast with a half smile. 'What if we could beat them to the strike?'
Galaeron's brow rose. 'Beat them? If you timed matters wrong, Tilverton would be lost.'
'True,' Alusair said without losing enthusiasm, 'but Cormyr has many cities. The Shadovar have only one.'
Alasalynn Rowanmantle gasped aloud. 'You would sacrifice Tilverton?'
'No, but I'd surely wager it,' Alusair said, not grinning. 'You do have an evacuation plan?'
Alasalynn's already pale face grew even paler. 'I'll activate it.'
She thumbed a ring on her middle finger and vanished in a crackle of magic.
Vangerdahast cocked his bushy brow and started to say something, then caught Alusair's warning glance and cleared his throat instead. Alusair smiled. 'Vangey, can you…'
'Of course, Princess.' Too plump and rickety for the ladder, Vangerdahast simply stepped to the edge of the scaffolding and looked for a clear place to land. 'I'll prepare the device for transport at once.'
