The Gates of Memory, стр. 88

She woke early, the growling in her stomach reminding her it had been over a day since she’d eaten a full meal. Unable to ask the Falari for directions, she followed the scent of cooking food until she found a long hall where an assorted collection of Falari and imperial guards broke their fast. Seeing the different people together made her think her initial thoughts about the fall of their alliance were overly pessimistic.

Alena saw Ana sitting alone and joined her. The former wolfblade gave her a wan smile and gestured to the open chairs.

The whole village felt as though it was waking up from a long and luxurious sleep, but Ana looked as though sleep was a distant memory.

“It’s good to see you,” Alena said.

“And you,” Ana replied.

“You also look like you fought the battle for the village yourself.”

Ana didn’t respond for a heartbeat, and Alena worried she’d offended the other woman. She liked Ana and had all the respect in the world for her, but they rarely spoke alone.

“I haven’t been sleeping well lately,” she confessed.

Over the course of the meal, the truth spilled from Ana, and Alena saw, for the first time, the other half of Brandt’s life. Ana spoke of their disagreement, leading to the fight that drove a wedge between them.

“I’m sorry,” Alena said, feeling guilty for her role. “I—”

Ana shook her head, interrupting Alena. “I’ve blamed you, Alena, but this isn’t your fault. He would have discovered the knowledge eventually. He’s pursued it too long not to find the answer.” She sipped at some tea. “Once, I admired his dedication.”

Ana focused on her. “Will you teach him?”

The other woman’s lack of condemnation pained Alena more than an outburst would have. Had Ana raged at her, Alena could have fought back. This, she had no defense against.

She didn’t know the answer to Ana’s question. No doubt, Brandt would come to her, probably today, to ask for instruction. Before Ana’s tale, she had decided to teach him what she could, trusting Brandt to use it wisely.

Alena thought of the Falari reaction to Hanns’ abilities, their deep-seated fear of what the gates and affinities could do. Didn’t she believe the gates were too powerful a tool for humans? How was her knowledge any different? Like the gates, it allowed for humans to possess powers not meant for them. And who knew how it twisted people?

Had the queen once been an honorable warrior like Brandt?

Alena shied away from that thought. Better to think of the queen only as an enemy, devoid of history or personality.

She decided she wouldn’t teach Brandt. And that was what she told Ana.

The relief on her friend’s face helped Alena believe she had made the right decision.

Their conversation turned to lighter topics. Eventually others joined them. Brandt and Jace came in together, sweaty and dusty, no doubt the result of an early morning training session. Alena thought Jace looked a bit like a dog following his new master. Ever since he was young, Jace had adored the wolfblades, and now he had the chance to train with one of their best. Jace might sometimes hate her for pulling him on this journey, but he’d thank her now. Toren and Sheren joined the table not long after.

Alena, already finished with her breakfast and feeling pleasantly lethargic, leaned back and enjoyed the conversation. It was awkward, with speakers coming from three different languages, and many people strangers to one another. And yet, Alena felt something here. On instinct, she dropped into a soulwalk. Her bonds with Jace and Brandt appeared first, but she saw the web already growing between others.

Not long after, Ren came to them. He looked annoyed. “The emperor has summoned the imperials.”

The mood around the table soured. With a single sentence, Ren separated what had been coming together. Alena and the others said their apologies, then followed Ren out of the hall and into town, stopping at the house that held the emperor and many of his guards.

Alena had expected the emperor to receive better treatment. Despite the mixed feelings surrounding his actions, he was still the emperor of the most populous lands in the world. But his chambers were no larger than Alena’s.

Hanns gestured them in. If his actions the day before had exhausted him in any way, he didn’t show it. He gathered them around a table. “We need to discuss our next steps. This morning I’ve spoken with Olen. He’s mobilized many of the empire’s forces. Their orders are to approach the Falari border. He and I are in agreement; our best option is to march the army down to Faldun and besiege it.”

Alena took note. Hanns had been in conversation with Olen, so he knew at least that much about soulwalking.

Brandt spoke quietly. “Faldun’s never been taken.”

“It’s never been attacked by a man with the power of two gates before.”

Alena thought of what she had learned of the Falari from Sheren. “You’ll face resistance every step you take through these mountains. Your forces will be decimated by the time you arrive, even if you accompany them. You can’t protect everyone constantly.”

“Which is why we need the blessing of Weylen. He’s considered one of the wisest warleaders in Falar. We offer him an alliance. In exchange, we’ll help him crush his enemies.”

In a flash of insight, Alena saw the plan behind the plan. Hanns’ alliance would be designed to win him Falar. Alena didn’t know exactly how it would happen. Perhaps after the siege of Faldun, Hanns would leave units of his military scattered about the land. Perhaps his methods would be more subtle. But if Weylen agreed, Falar would be the newest addition to the empire within Alena’s lifetime.

She trusted Weylen to see the same, but he might not have any choice but to agree. Refusal of Hanns’ offer was essentially surrender to Regar and his allies. And Weylen, as far as Alena knew, was interested in closer ties to