Chalice Breakers

Tengri's hand drifted casually to his sword hilt as all six of his eyes remained perfectly still, trained on the beast and its riders. "I can kill it," he murmured softly, as if stating the weather. The calm in his tone eased some of the tension that had coiled tight in Daenys's chest.

"I'm here to speak with Wen, the Prince of Crows," Daenys said, her voice steady despite the flicker of nerves she swallowed back. Keep calm. Don't give them anything to latch onto.

One of the men atop his warhorse snorted. "And I'd rather be down in the city, drowning my sorrows in a tavern."

Daenys barely restrained a sneer as her voice turned cool, clipped. "Maybe if you were drunk, you'd have more sense about you."

Her silver hair caught the faint gleam of torchlight as she ran a hand through it, a deliberate motion to remind them of who she was. Silver hair—her telltale mark—was a rarity among the Estil. She had yet to meet another with the same color, and it often spoke volumes before she even opened her mouth.

The man on the strange beast folded his arms, narrowing his eyes as another rider chimed in. "Commander," the second said with a tone of disbelief, "I heard the new Gahkar had silver hair—and that she was quite beautiful. She's rumored to travel with an Enlightened who stalks her shadow. Perhaps this is her…"

"Tengri," Daenys said, her voice a quiet warning to her bodyguard.

Tengri did not move, his posture as unyielding as stone, hand still resting on his blade. The Commander leaned forward, squinting as though trying to confirm what his men suggested. His voice carried both grudging respect and caution. "Totallas take my sight…"

He turned sharply to the horsemen. "Quickly. Fetch two horses. The Gahkar has little patience for petty conversations, and I'll not have her kept waiting. Wake Wen if he's not up."

"Yes, Commander Nergul," the riders answered in unison before spurring their horses. Hooves pounded the dirt as they disappeared into the dark.

Commander Nergul exhaled sharply, his earlier confidence reined in. "My apologies, Gahkar Godren. If I had known you were coming, I'd have had a horse waiting for you." He paused, his tone shifting to something more strained. "A warning next time would be appreciated."

"I don't need a horse," Daenys said firmly, biting back her growing frustration. "Just take me to your Gahkar."

Nergul hesitated, eyes flicking toward the camp's heart. "Gahkar Godren, I cannot in good conscience let you walk to my Gahkar. It's quite a distance."

"Point me in the direction, and I'll walk," she snapped, her patience worn thin. "No more delays."

Nergul sighed, clearly aware that further arguments would be pointless. He motioned toward the far end of the camp. "You'll find him in the central pavilion, near his Vonerys. It guards the area, so I'll escort you to ensure the beast doesn't decide you're a snack."

"I would appreciate not being eaten," Daenys replied dryly, though a fleeting thought stirred in her mind. If she were swallowed whole, would she come back? The woman and her creations haunted her enough in dreams—she wasn't keen to test fate.

Nergul's step faltered, his mouth tightening. "The Enlightened will need to stay behind."

Daenys's silver eyes narrowed. "Why would my bodyguard need to stay behind?"

"For the protection of our Gahkar," Nergul answered quickly, though his tone lacked conviction.

Daenys arched a brow, her words cutting through him like a whip. "I've come here in the midst of a Lunar Storm, in good faith, and you would strip me of my only protection? You insult me."

Nergul seemed to wrestle with the decision before nodding reluctantly. "He can stay."

Tengri said nothing, but Daenys caught the brief flex of his fingers against his sword hilt—silent reassurance.

They passed through the camp, a sprawling labyrinth of animal pens and low tents. Some creatures were massive and monstrous, their forms looming in the mist; others were small enough to fit in the palm of her hand, yet their shrill cries spoke of untamed aggression. One beast—something like a horse but with two thick horns rising straight from its skull—snorted and pawed at the ground as they passed. Its obsidian eyes tracked them warily.

"Never seen Oxen before?" Nergul asked, noticing her gaze. "Stubborn bastards. Bones crack like twigs if they catch you with those horns."

Daenys said nothing, her attention drawn instead to the faint, serpentine outline of a creature coiled near the largest wooden structure in the camp. Its long neck stretched lazily, translucent wings half-open as though preparing to rise. It watched them approach with unsettling intelligence, its eyes glowing faintly in the dark.

Nergul kept his voice low. "Let's move. I'd rather not test the Vonerys's mood tonight."

Daenys pushed open the doors to the pavilion and stepped inside.

At the far end of the long wooden hall sat a man dressed in immaculate black, his clothing trimmed with raven feathers that seemed to shimmer faintly in the lamplight. A thick chestnut braid fell over his shoulder, and an emerald ring caught the faint glow of a nearby brazier as he lifted a chalice to his lips.

"You've brought me guests, Nergul," the man said, his voice smooth but edged with faint amusement.

Nergul immediately dropped to one knee. "My Gahkar, I present Daenys Godren, who seeks words with you."

Daenys and Tengri remained standing, unmoving.

Daenys's voice rang out clearly across the room. "I wish to speak with you, Gahkar Wen."

The chalice lingered at Wen's lips, obscuring his smile. "I didn't expect you to come to me first. Most Gahkars dismiss me as nothing more than a breeder. A coward."

"My Gahkar!" Nergul protested quickly, voice sharp with alarm. "They would never—"

"Be at peace, Commander," Wen said with a sigh. "I know the talk of the warbands."

Daenys seized the opportunity. "Then they're fools who do not see what truly carries their warriors into battle. You tame the beasts that make Estil a force to be feared. I've heard your mounts run faster than any in the known lands."

Wen snorted softly, though his dark eyes gleamed with interest. "Truer words have rarely been spoken." He waved a dismissive hand. "Leave us, Nergul."

Nergul hesitated, his gaze flicking toward Tengri. "My Gahkar, the Enlightened—"

"Now," Wen said.

Daenys gave Tengri a subtle nod. Reluctantly, her bodyguard followed the Commander out of the room, leaving her alone with the Prince of Crows.

Wen set the chalice down with a soft clink, leaning forward. "Why are you here, Daenys Godren?"

She took a measured breath, careful to mask any hesitation. "I seek an alliance."

Wen studied her for a long moment, the silence between them thick enough to choke on. "Why me? Gahkar Rev would have been the obvious choice. You pass up the strongest Gahkar for one of the weakest. Why?"

"I will not be anyone's figurehead," Daenys answered simply, though there was far more she would not say. To admit her vulnerabilities would be to expose herself.

Wen chuckled darkly. "So, you'll unite the two weakest warbands. A bold strategy. I'll look forward to watching it burn."

"I see what others refuse to acknowledge," Daenys said, undeterred. "The Chalicebreakers provide the beasts Estil is famed for, but you lack a mobile infantry. Your men fight with halberds on mounts, which does little for raiding settlements."

Wen's gaze sharpened. "Careful how you speak, Godren."

"I speak only the truth," she replied calmly. "Spears are your worst enemy, and every Gahkar knows it. Even Astad knows it."

Wen's tone turned poisonous. "And what of you, Heartrender? I've heard the reports. A band of the injured and deserters—men who won their battles through sheer luck."

Goosebumps prickled Daenys's skin, but she stood firm, folding her arms. "The title means nothing to me. I'm not here to trade insults. I came for an alliance."

Wen tilted his head, a shadow of amusement in his gaze. "And what will you offer me, Heartrender?"

"If I take the town on the bridge by tomorrow, will you join me?"

Silence stretched between them as Wen swirled his drink, watching her carefully. At last, he spoke. "Yes. But it must be done by the end of tomorrow."

Daenys inclined her head, holding her posture straight as Wen offered her the chalice.

"A washing of ill will," he said, "and a pact to solidify."

She took the chalice, ignoring the burn as the liquid seared her throat, faint traces of resin tickling her nose. She handed it back.

Wen drank deeply before setting the cup down. "You have another request, don't you?"

"To take the town, I'll need armored war-creatures from the Chalicebreakers."

Wen arched a brow, his grin faint but knowing. "A request I could deny."

"Think of it as a show of good faith," Daenys said. "When this alliance succeeds, you'll see its worth."

Wen considered her for a moment longer before leaning back. "We'll see, Godren. We'll see."