Page 159 of The Wild Prince’s Favorite (The Dragon Empire Saga #3)
Occasionally, one of his men would approach, exchange a few words, and leave with nothing more than a nod or, at most, a blunt three-word reply from him.
For a clan chief, Kassein seemed unusually relaxed, though Alezya could sense his sharp vigilance.
His gaze roamed constantly, silently tracking everyone and everything in the area.
When Tievin finally finished his interrogation of the others, he turned to Kassein, initiating a lengthy discussion.
The two spoke in low voices, with Tievin jotting notes in his ever-present notepad, their conversation marked by an intensity that suggested deeper strategies were being laid out.
She hoped their warriors were ready for the battle ahead because from what they had heard, the fighters that the Munsa had rallied would be in severe danger otherwise.
She understood Ekata’s plan of spreading out their fighters to avoid being cornered regardless of the determined battlefield, but Alezya couldn’t help but think many of the clanspeople were going to die in this war.
It felt like everything had been blown out of proportion in a matter of days, and now, from every corner of the mountains, the clans were taking sides or hiding in fear of the outcome.
The entire future of the clans was going to depend on whoever won this battle.
When she gave herself time to think, Alezya was overwhelmed by doubt. What if her father had rallied even more clans or found a horrible plan to trap them and the Dragon Clan lost? What if Kassein was injured or killed? Or Kiera? What if they lost so many people that the clans held her responsible?
“Alezya.”
Kassein’s gentle voice took her out of her spiraling thoughts as if he’d sensed her inner turmoil. Gently, he brushed her hair back, pressed a swift kiss to her temple, and then got up, offering a hand to help her up.
She hadn’t realized they’d been sitting for so long that her legs had gotten a bit sore, and she stretched, looking around.
Tievin was now chatting with two of the three men who were Kassein’s senior fighters, and they could still hear Kiera fiercely dueling outside.
At another end of the cave, the clan chiefs were having an animated discussion about how to combine their forces best. It made Alezya realize she was the only one without a clan there, despite being a central piece to the upcoming battle.
Strangely, she felt far closer to the Dragon Clan than any of the others, and she kind of liked that. Kassein’s men also interacted with her with extreme politeness, as if she was just as important as Kiera or Tievin. It was a bit overwhelming.
Just then, the voices outside changed tones, and some men came rushing into the cave. Kassein reacted first, pulling Alezya behind him, but after a second, it was clear there was no danger: the pair of exhausted men who had just walked in wore the attire of allied clans.
“Finally!” Ekut exclaimed, walking up to them.
“How did it go?” Ekata asked with a concerned frown. “Did everyone make it back?”
“Yeah,” their man nodded. “The others are behind us. That Deklaan Clan bastard made a big show of sending us back unharmed out of ‘fairness,’ he said. He is confident he will win this war, Munsa Clan Chief. That man’s arrogance was oozing from all his pores.”
“He’s rallied over a dozen clans,” the other man shook his head. “Some of them looked like they didn’t want to be there; I think he threatened them, to be honest.”
“Damn it!” the Samial Clan Chief hissed.
“What else was said?” Alezya asked.
The two men exchanged a nervous glance.
“Well, he made a point of telling all the representatives who attended that this was their last chance to rally to him before the battle tomorrow at dusk. That those who didn’t help him were basically deserters, and he wouldn’t forgive traitors.”
“What?” Alezya scoffed. “He can’t force clans to fight for him!”
“Oh, he is trying,” the scout grunted.
Alezya felt Kassein’s hand on her shoulder, and it helped her calm down a bit. He could probably feel her tension, but she would have to wait to explain to him.
“Fine,” Ekata sighed. “We can send a similar message, minus the threats. That clans are welcome to stay aside, but if they fight alongside Darak, they’re enemies.”
“This might scare some into rallying to him,” Ekut noted.
“And it could convince others to stay out of it,” Alezya insisted. “I’m for it.”
They nodded and turned their gazes back to the scouts, who had taken this opportunity to drink some water. Then, one of them wiped their mouth.
“...There’s more,” he admitted with a serious expression. “They’ve picked a location. ...It’s the Wailing Rift.”
A silence followed his words.
“The Wailing Rift?” Ekata repeated.
Alezya let out a scoff.
“Is that a joke?” she said. “The Wailing Rift doesn’t exist. It’s just a legend to scare children. ...Right?”
The twins’ expressions looked far too somber for her taste. They exchanged a look, and Ekata shook her head.
“No, it does exist,” she muttered after a bit.
“It’s located in the west, about... twenty-five miles away.
With our load, the terrain, and the size of our group, it’s a fifteen-or-so-hour trek from here.
We’ve never been there ourselves, but we’ve heard from other clans that it does exist, and it sounded as treacherous as the legends say too.
By all accounts, it has to be one of the worst possible locations for a battle of this scale. ..”
“Darak has made allies with the clans located near the rift,” Ekut groaned.
“That’s the only possible explanation for them picking that area.
They’ll take full advantage of the terrain while we are in the dark unless we find another clan that knows something useful.
But it might be too late for that. If they want us to arrive by dusk, we’ll barely have enough time to make the journey. ..”
“We can ask around,” Ekata shrugged, ”but I’m betting they already know we won’t find anyone.
As you said, they probably picked a terrain that gave them the upper hand.
I bet it’s too deep and too narrow for the dragon as well.
According to what we know, it has large rock towers that are pointed at the sky, high and sharp.
Our people who have seen it describe it like a giant crevice with fangs.
.. Darak’s so shit scared of the dragon he will have picked a narrow rift to minimize the dragon’s attacks. ”
“He picked somewhere that’s far enough that our men will be tired by the time we get there too,” Alezya muttered.
“That bastard!” the Samial Clan Chief hissed. “He is acting confident of his victory in front of the clans while setting this battle like a spineless coward! I’d like his nasty tongue ripped out of his throat!”
Alezya was just as frustrated. She hadn’t anticipated this while letting her father pick the terrain, even if she was sure he wouldn’t have gone with anything they suggested anyway.
But his decision was a significant blow.
A twenty-five-mile trail through the mountains was no promenade.
Kassein’s men and the clans would have weapons, equipment, shields, and camp supplies to carry.
Alezya clenched her fist, frustrated. It was just like her father to use every single tool at his disposal to weaken his enemy rather than risk facing them on equal footing.
“Let him pick whatever terrain he wants,” she hissed. “My father will always play dirty either way. We shouldn’t think this will be his only trick.”
“Understood,” Ekata nodded, “and it’s not like we have much of a choice anyway. We should focus on how to keep our forces strong enough for battle after a fifteen-hour journey!”
“We’ll find a way,” Alezya muttered. “We can make them wait. Even if we do take fifteen or sixteen hours, we don’t have to arrive right away to fight.
Let’s make him wait for us instead. Not long enough for him to set traps, but just enough to unsettle him.
My father is forced to wait for us anyway.
He might have picked the battle location, but we should use that to set the pace.
He might have decided on dusk, but he won’t have anyone to fight until we arrive; let him wait and simmer in the fear he’s trying so hard to hide.
I know my father enough to know it’s all an act.
He’s always acted more confident than he is to hide how much of a coward he is.
Tell the other clans and our men. We might have to get up at dawn and get moving right away.
We need to gather as many supplies as we can and be ready for an early departure. ”
“Sounds like a fine plan to me,” Ekata nodded, her brother agreeing quietly.
“I’ll explain to the Dragon Clan meanwhile,” Alezya said.
While the twins left, she turned to Kassein; Kiera and Tievin gathered too, having visibly understood some big discussion had taken place. Alezya took her time to explain, to be sure they had understood most of it.
The fifteen-hour hike, the treacherous battleground, and the plan to have their allies surround their enemies.
She was certain Ekata and the clan chiefs had already sent scouts, and she knew some of them would use birds to have messages cross long distances shortly, so she knew their other allies would be moving too.
“ Fifteen? ” Kiera tilted her head, not looking all that troubled about the long journey.
“ A day, ” Alezya emphasized with a nod, worried they didn’t understand. “ Long day. ”
Kassein and his sister exchanged a few words, out of which Alezya only briefly caught the words “dragon,” “Kein,” and “flight.”
“Kassein?” Alezya asked, perplexed.
Without explaining, he suddenly began grabbing the different bags of supplies he could find around the cave, Tievin talked to their senior fighters quickly, and Keira stepped away, leaving Alezya utterly confused.