Chapter 31: Blood In The Soil
"The first casualty of preparation is innocence. The second is patience."
— Niccolò Machiavelli
The Erasure Fort had changed.
When Lira stepped through the world gate with Jake and Amy, the corridors were packed with couriers. Envoys from a dozen factions moved too fast to make eye contact. Screens flashed. Voices overlapped.
"Lira."
Tobey stood in a doorway, excel open.
"Report."
She told him about Neo Westeria. The Blade of Solvain. The woman with the ember eyes. Eloise's Seventh Stance. The retreat.
She didn't mention the vision.
Tobey listened. Nodded.
"Lord Alex," he said. "The commander mentioned him."
"You know the name?"
"No." He looked at her. "You may go."
He dismissed her.
The Divine Temple's declaration arrived seventy-three minutes later.
A broadcast. Every excel. Every screen. Every major city.
The High Judicial's voice filled the command center.
"The Adrianite Church has been declared an enemy of the Divine Order. Its followers are heretics. Its priests are deceivers. Its god is a lie."
Eloise stood frozen.
"All faithful of the Triune are hereby called to arms. This is not a request. This is a command."
The broadcast ended.
Chaos started.
"The Divine Temple just declared war on a religion," Jake said.
"On Adrian's religion," Amy said.
"And Adrian isn't even here."
Lira watched from the edge of the command center. Representatives shouted into excels. Maps redrew. Alliances cracked.
The state of emergency gave the Divine Temple legal authority across most of Gyndal.
"Where is Adrian?" someone asked.
No one answered.
The golden world gate burned.
Adrian stepped through. Calm face. Relaxed posture. Eyes that didn't match.
Tobey reached him first.
"My lord—"
"The Divine Temple."
Tobey nodded.
Adrian said nothing for a moment. The command center went quiet.
"Is the Adrianite Church prepared?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Then let them come."
He walked past Tobey. Toward Lira.
"You saw something in Neo Westeria."
Lira's chest tightened. "I—"
"Eloise told me."
His voice was flat. Controlled.
"What did you see?"
Lira met his eyes.
"I saw our real enemy."
Adrian studied her face. Then turned to Tobey.
"Find out everything about Lord Alex. The Straits of the Lords. The Blade of Solvain."
He walked to the war table. The coalition parted for him.
No one knew why he was angry. But everyone could feel it.
Tobey found Lira an hour later in the observation gallery.
"You knew something," he said. "When you returned. You didn't say it."
Lira didn't turn.
"Would anyone have believed me?"
Tobey was quiet.
"No. Probably not."
He moved beside her.
"But I would have listened."
Lira looked at him.
"Lord Alex. The Blade of Solvain mentioned him."
Tobey's excel opened.
"Alex Solvain," he said. "Alongside Daneel Wallheart and Eloise Suventare, the Vacians and Peaks worship him."
Lira blinked. "Suventare?"
"The same name. Different person. At least..." He scrolled. "I think so."
He closed his excel.
"Why is Adrian really angry?"
Tobey paused.
"Because he wasn't there. Because he pulled Haven out of field operations. Because if he had been in Neo Westeria..." He shook his head. "He blames himself."
He walked away.
The Crimson Peak — High Council Chamber — Later That Night
Constantine stood before the map.
"The Thorne girl," he said.
Strigoire nodded. "Her lance technique has improved. But that's not what stopped Solvain."
"No."
Constantine turned.
"It was the half-breed. The one who screamed."
His smile returned.
"She saw something in Solace. Something that frightened her." He paused. "Something that should frighten us."
Primus Alpha leaned forward. "Then we kill her."
"No." Constantine's voice was soft. "We watch her. We learn from her. And when the time comes..."
He looked at the map.
"...we use her."
The mana-lanterns flickered.