Darkness Rising (The Endless War Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

times.”
    Lachen shrugged. “There are other ways I lead, especially regarding the war. And the council serves well enough, for the most part. I provide guidance, but they don’t always care for my interference.”
    Jasn thought that a strange way to phrase it. “You’re the commander.”
    “And you sit among the order. You know that I lead only when it comes to war.”
    Jasn took in another line of wagons making their way through the street. “All of this is for war?” he asked. “Rens is mostly settled.”
    “Settled, but still they attack. Strange that the people of Rens retreat, yet still we’re attacked. Draasin drop from the sky, appearing as if on a shaping. The ground trembles, swallowing shapers too slow to change it. Floods sweep men away. And the wind tears at unprotected flesh.” Lachen’s eyes narrowed. “The borders might be settled, but we still fight. That’s why we must remain ready.”
    Jasn counted the wagons and stopped when he reached two dozen. Whatever Lachen claimed, this was more than about readiness. This was a continuation of full-on war, but why?
    “We’ve never been able to reach deep enough into Rens to understand completely,” Lachen said. “Not with the way the draasin attack anytime we get too close. You of all people should understand that.”
    “And something has changed? You think our warriors can penetrate places we’ve been excluded in the past?” He was surprised by the open way that Lachen discussed the plan, as well as the casual manner in which he spoke.
    “Yes.”
    Jasn looked over, waiting for Lachen to go on.
    “Places like the barracks have helped,” he began, and Jasn noted he said “places.” Were there others? “The draasin can be contained with stone and water. Fire held by earth. Wind counters water, strengthened by fire. Each element has weaknesses, and it is those we will use.”
    Jasn found his heart pounding faster in his chest. Would Lachen notice? Probably. He was a more highly skilled water shaper than Jasn, a more skilled shaper in general, so it was likely he would pick up on the way Jasn’s heart rate changed when he spoke of containment.
    Cheneth had mentioned other elementals, creatures like the draasin but different, creatures that used the power of the elements in ways he didn’t fully understand. Was that what Lachen intended to attack?
    “How do you think I can help?” he asked.
    “What makes you think you aren’t helping?”
    “I’m here rather than in the barracks.”
    Lachen nodded. “Yes, you’re here. I would prefer that you master the barracks first, then we will see how you can help with the others.”
    Lachen started down the street and didn’t bother to glance back to see whether Jasn followed. Likely he sensed it, but what was his old friend playing at?
    Jasn had to remind himself that the man walking in front of him wasn’t the same one he’d known as a child. Lachen might share those memories, but there was none of the bond they’d shared growing up, climbing along the hills as they chased deer and rabbits. There was none of the connection that should be between them from the experience of coming to Atenas together, brought by Renis after he’d stopped in their village. All that he was left with was this shell of a friend, a man who shared those memories but didn’t seem to have any of the same connection to them that Jasn had.
    “What other places are there?” Jasn asked as he caught up.
    Lachen glanced over, his eyes narrowing.
    “You said places like the barracks. That means there are others.”
    The corner of Lachen’s mouth quirked slightly. “You can be clever, can’t you?” he said, more to himself. “But that is what I said.”
    “Other places.” Jasn glanced around and lowered his voice. “To hunt draasin?”
    “Not draasin.”
    That meant there were other elementals, but there hadn’t been attacks by anything else that Jasn knew. Lachen might mention the way the wind flayed at flesh