The Tales of the Wanderer Volume One: A Book of Underrealm (The Underrealm Volumes 4) by Garrett Robinson (elon musk reading list TXT) 📕

She rolled her eyes and growled, but she did it. Soon both squadrons came to the bottom of the hill, where I conferred with Mag.

“They are over that crest,” I said, pointing. “Across another open space, and then over one more hill. I would guess the distance at four spans.”

“Excellent,” said Mag. “If they are encamped, mayhap we should leave them be for now.”

“I would agree, but dawn is imminent,” I said. “I cannot imagine they will stay there past sunup. Therefore I think we should either hold them in place or drive them in the direction we wish them to go.”

“How do you mean to do that?” said Mag.

“If we circle to the east and attack them from there, they may think the whole host is coming from that direction,” I said. “Then we can tell Kun to attack from the west, and drive the Shades straight into his arms.”

“A good plan, save for one detail,” said Mag, raising her brows. “Kaita’s raven form.”

“Dark take me,” I said. “I forgot about that.”

“There is nowhere to hide from her in these hills,” said Mag. “Once they are alerted to our presence, we will not be able to conceal ourselves from her sight.”

“Well, first things first,” I said. “Jian. Go back to the captain. Inform him of where the Shades are, and tell him we are devising a plan to hold them in place for his advance.”

“Send Chausiku!” said Jian at once. “He is faster than I am by far.”

I gritted my teeth. “You will be riding a horse. Chausiku’s legs give him no advantage in that.”

Jian’s cheeks flamed, though she tried to hide it. “I mean that he is a better rider,” she said. “I have scarcely even touched a horse in my life.”

“Fine,” I said. “Chausiku?”

“Yes, ser,” he said, glaring at Jian. He set off, loping towards the horses we had brought, and soon was galloping away south.

“That leaves us where we started,” said Mag. “How do we hold them in place?”

An idea struck me. “Kaita is a problem, but she may also be the solution. We should not try to hide at all. Let her see how few of us there are—and let her see that you and I are here.”

Mag’s eyes lit. “She will attack, hoping to kill us. Clever. But what if the other Shades convince her to flee?”

I shook my head. “I doubt it. After all she has been through in search of us, I cannot believe she would resist such a tasty morsel now. We will appear alone and isolated, with only a paltry two squadrons to defend us.” I turned my gaze across our units. “Little does she know we have the two best squadrons in the army.”

Their chests puffed with pride at that. Jian wore a savage grin.

“Very well,” said Mag. “You should advance with one or two archers and bring down a sentry from afar. Make a stink about it so they raise the alarm. Then retreat to the rest of us as quickly as you can.”

“Agreed,” I said. I turned to Hallan once more. “Hallan—”

“I’ve got them, ser,” said Hallan. Then he turned an exasperated eye on Jian. “And you should take this one with you. She’s eager enough, thass sure.”

“I suppose she is,” I said. “Jian, with me. Stay quiet, and do as I say, or I will throw you to the Shades myself.”

Her face went pale. I suspect that when she asked to stay, she had not thought she would be going to antagonize the enemy with only me by her side. I will confess I took some grim satisfaction from her expression, but I only let myself enjoy it for a moment.

Together we set off into the drizzle and the mud. Instead of northeast, where the sentry was, I guided her due north to a hill west of the Shades’ camp. By creeping around the southern edge of the hill, I hoped to keep out of the sentry’s sight for as long as possible. And we would be in the hill’s shadow, weak as it was, so that hopefully he would not notice us until it was too late.

Despite her evident anxiety, Jian followed closely in my footsteps. Soon we were at the bottom of the hill where we had seen the guard last time. I could glimpse a bump I thought was their head, far above us. I turned to Jian.

“Here we are,” I whispered. “I am taking the kill, and then we are getting out of here. Do you understand?”

“S-Ser,” she stammered.

“Good,” I said. “Stay here.”

I crept up the hill pace by pace. Slowly the sentry came more fully into view. They must have been tired, for they faced only south, never turning to look left or right.

Poor fool, I thought.

I nocked, drew, sighed, and loosed.

The arrow pierced straight through their head with a soft thunk. I saw a splash of blood erupt, only barely visible as red against the lightening sky.

I turned and ran back to Jian as fast as I could.

HROOON

A horn sounded behind us. Soon it was joined by others, and then they sang in chorus, screaming the alert, warning of danger.

“That worked perfectly!” I cried as I reached Jian. “Now run for your life!”

After the ambush in the woods the day before, Kaita and Tagata had led their forces into the hills to the north. Their troops were in disarray and greatly hampered by the wounded they had to drag with them in their retreat.

But Kaita cared for only one of them.

“Tagata!” she cried, pressing through the Shades to go to her. Tagata’s wounds were healing themselves, the Lord’s magic melding flesh and skin together. But Tagata had suffered so many grievous injuries that it was a slow process, and she winced and growled through her teeth with every step.

As Kaita came running up, Tagata raised a hand to forestall her worry. “I am fine,” she said. “The Lord’s