Shadows in the Trees: Book 1

Chapter 52

"Knock, knock." 

Damon looked up from his book. His mother was peeking in the door of his tent. 

"Come in," Damon said, folding the corner of his page before closing his book. 

His mother sat down next to him on the chaise. Her hair was pulled back, and she wore a simple but elegant blue dress that seemed out of place in an army camp. 

"Are you ready for your first war council?" she asked, brushing her fingers over his curls. 

He smiled. "Ready as I'll ever be." 

She laughed. Her smile became wistful. "You have grown up so much since I was gone. I'm excited to have you by our side, but I wish I could have seen you grow into the man you are. I wish I could have seen the man your brother had become." 

"I wish you had been there. Maybe things would have been different," he said. 

"Your brother was always reckless. He never had your knack for logic and forethought." She chuckled sadly. "I'm just glad I was able to see at least one of my babies grown up."

She hugged him tightly. He squeezed her tighter, taking in her smell, something he never thought he would do again. Guilt soured his stomach as he thought of how much Julian would have loved to see their mother again. He wouldn't have questioned Father for a moment if only he had Mother back. 

She pulled away. "Alright, dear, let's go. Your father will be upset if we're late." 

They left his tent, following the torch-lit path to his father's second tent. Inside was a table with an enormous map of the continent spread across it. Figurines representing cities and troops sat on top of the map. Their forces, painted blue and gold, were positioned just west of Greze. 

Everyone was already there. The queen of Khepri stood on the far side of table, her horrible snake asleep around her shoulders. She was just as dramatic as her sister, though in Damon's opinion, far creepier. He didn't see much of a resemblance between the two. Queen Venira had dark, nearly black hair, and far paler skin than her sister. Her protruding eyes were lined with too much kohl, and her dark chitons were far less revealing than her sister's golden ensemble.

"Isn't she dreadful?" his mother whispered. "I heard she murdered her sister and father for the throne. Isn't that just awful?" 

Damon tried to speak, but found his throat was suddenly very tight and his mouth very dry. 

"Terrible," he finally managed to whisper back. 

But nothing was quite so terrible as the Sylph, standing a head taller than even his father. It had stopped bothering to wear a hood, letting its snow white hair flow loose around its shoulders. Damon struggled to look it in the eye. Its lack of pupils were just too terrifying. 

"It seems were are all here," his father said, taking his mother's hand as they came to stand beside him. 

The Sylph nodded, seeming to look expectantly at them. 

"We will reach Zephyrine in a week's time, as long as the river doesn't flood," Queen Venira said, filling the silence. 

"It has been a dry summer," his mother said. "It shouldn't give us any trouble." 

"Are your troops prepared for a siege?" his father asked, raising an eyebrow at Queen Venira. 

She scowled. "Worry about your own soldiers. My men are ready for anything." 

"My men are very experienced with sieges. I am not sure your troops will be of the same caliber." 

Venira laughed mirthlessly. "Experience with laying siege to small kingdoms and villages, perhaps. Thrael will be another beast altogether. Do not pretend to have some sort of superiority just because you were able to crush a few defenseless villages."