Meta Gods War 3 by B. Miles (the ebook reader txt) 📕

spoken to Elves. I’ve spent time around them. How many do you know?”

Lagon waved that off. “It doesn’t matter,” he said. “They’re not Human. What else do I need to know?”

“They’re our allies,” Cam said. “And you’ve all but admitted to sowing discontent. What do you think I should do with you?”

“I don’t know,” Lagon said. “String me up and kill me? Send a message to all those that think like I do?”

Cam made a face. “That’s not how I do things.”

“I’m sure you think so. But you’re a General now. I’ve met men like you, men that feel as though they have morals, and those morals somehow supersede their duties. But you’ll find that what’s moral and what’s right isn’t always the same thing.”

“Maybe that’s true,” Cam said. “But I won’t fall into this trap of hate for no reason.”

“So you say now.” Lagon tapped a finger against his plate. “But soon enough, you’ll have to make decisions, and they won’t always be easy.”

Cam pushed his chair back from the table. “You’ll stay here for now,” he said. “If you name your conspirators, maybe I’ll be lenient.”

“I have none,” he said, his face flat.

“Think about that some more,” Cam said. “Give them up, let me keep this army together. At least long enough to fight the wolves.”

“And then what?” he asked.

“Then we start rebuilding the world.” Cam shook his head. “It’s not always about fighting and tearing things down.”

“Maybe not to you. But to all those monsters out there?” Lagon shook his head. “The world’s full of monsters just waiting to steal what we have.”

Cam turned from the table and walked to the tent flap. He paused before leaving and looked back at Lagon.

Lagon stared back at him without moving.

“I hope you have a change of heart,” Cam said. “And not for my sake only, but for the sake of the army. For the sake of every man, woman, and child living in this region. I hope you realize that you’re wrong.”

Cam pushed the flap aside and stepped out of the tent.

“Sir,” Arter said.

“How much of that did you hear?” Cam asked.

Arter hesitated. “Enough,” he said.

“And what do you think?” Cam walked slowly across the short central space between Felin’s tents. Three guards remained circled around Lagon’s prison.

“I think a lot of men think like he does,” Arter said. “And he has some points.”

Cam frowned at him. “Explain.”

“The godlings aren’t our friends,” he said. “They can be allies, but in the end we’re all competing for the same things.”

“There’s plenty of land in the world for everyone,” Cam said. “It doesn’t have to be a competition.”

“Maybe not, but it is. And more than that, we don’t know what the godlings really want. We don’t even know why the wolves are here.”

Cam let out a sharp breath. “That’s true,” he said. “We really don’t.”

“I think that angers people the most,” Arter said. “Godlings don’t think like we do. If they did, this would all be easier. We could anticipate their moves and understand their motivations, but because they’re so different…” He trailed off.

Cam nodded as they stopped outside of Felin’s main tent. “Thank you for your honesty,” Cam said.

“The more I’m around Miuri, the more I believe those that hate the Elves are wrong,” Arter said. “But I can still understand their position.”

“I need that honesty,” Cam said. “Thank you for it.”

“Sir.” Arter nodded. “Shall I come in with you?”

“Wait here,” he said, and pushed aside the tent flap, ducking his head beneath the entrance.

Felin sat at a table in the far corner. Several lamps hung from pegs and swayed in the breeze. She stared at a series of maps spread out before her.

“What are those?” Cam asked, nodding at the pages.

She looked up. “The camp,” she said.

Cam walked over and stooped down behind her. The map was drawn in rough charcoal. Each brigade was drawn in squares and circles, with the command tents marked by an X.

“What do you see?” he asked.

“Division,” she said, jabbing her finger down at the fourth brigade. “These men were closest to Lagon. He didn’t directly oversee any armed men, but from what I can tell, these men camp nearest his tents each night.”

“You think they’re involved?”

“I’m not sure yet. I have my men checking in on it.”

“You’ve done well,” Cam said. “I’m proud of all this.”

She nodded and looked up at him. Her eyes were weary and reddened.

“I don’t understand these people,” she said. “I don’t know how they can hate so much, and how that hate can lead to even more.”

“It’s fear,” Cam said. “Fear of losing something they have, and fear of losing things they might have.”

“But they’re starting to hate each other, too,” she said. “For thinking different things.”

“I know.” Cam put a hand on her shoulder. “But we’ll figure it out.”

Before he could say more, a shout rang out nearby. The tent flap flew aside and Arter shoved his head through.

“Sir,” he said. “Problem.”

Cam gave Felin a look. She got to her feet, and together they strode out into the night.

“What’s going on?” Cam asked.

“I’m not sure,” Arter said. “But look.”

Lamp and torchlight flickered along the tents across the dead space. Guards gathered around Lagon’s tent in particular. Cam walked back toward the group. Arter led the way and shoved through the gathering.

Fifty paces away, across the dead space that separated Felin’s small tent grouping from the rest of the army, were men at arms in full leather armor, shield, and spear. They stood in silent ranks, and Cam’s eyes drifted over them, trying to count their number.

“What’s going on?” Cam asked the nearest guard.

“I don’t know,” he said. “They just… appeared. Two minutes ago. Just standing there, not speaking.”

Cam took stock. There were ten guards, ranked side by side. They were armed and armored, but clearly outnumbered by a factor of five to one at least.

He turned to the silent men at arms and walked out into the dead zone between the two groups. Arter bristled but let