Darkness fell and Byora was quiet. A lingering fear haunted its streets, keeping most people inside. Word of the Farlan Army's approach had spread through the city like a plague; those praying it was nothing more than fancy saw their hopes disappear as every soldier in the city was called to readiness. Companies of Byoran Guard stomped their way through every district, a warning to troublemakers, while mercenaries and household guards from Coin were drafted into the regiments. Any remaining penitents in Hale were disarmed on sight.
'Do you really think he's come for Ilumene?' Sebe whispered. He and Doranei were lurking in the deep portico of the Derager Wine Store, making sure the street beyond was clear before they risked leaving.
Doranei shrugged and continued squinting through the slit-window. 'What else? Can't say whether he's sent an envoy on ahead to deal with Lord Styrax, but his timing's good. Whoever's calling the shots at the Ruby Tower, they can't afford to flee right now, it'll all go to shit so fast…' Doranei tailed off for a moment. When he spoke again his voice was harder, fiercer. 'The game's too far advanced now, there's nothing more they can do about it, and I hope it's eating them up inside. They have to wait and watch how it plays out, or tear up their plan.'
'What can we do, then?'
'Shame that demagogue Parim isn't here,' Doranei said. 'I'd get the bastard to start the whisper that Sergeant Kayel is the reason the Farlan are here – that he's the one who killed Lord Bahl, or something. You never know, people might hang him for us.'
'So what's Plan B then?' Sebe muttered, trying to conceal as much as possible of his weaponry, including the crossbows hanging under each arm.
'That was Plan B,' Doranei said sourly. 'Plan A was asking Zhia to help us get in and kill them ourselves, but she's dropped out of sight and that scares me all by itself. Nothing we can do about it now, though, so we're down to second-guessing what might happen next.'