Chapter Twenty-SixAridor brought his merych to a halt, holding up a gauntleted fist. Next to him, Warran bellowed, “Company, halt!” Behind him, two thousand men, many carrying torches, followed suit.
The sun had disappeared behind the reesa trees hours ago, but Aridor had his army press on. They were still many miles distant from Thage, and it was imperative they get there before the Elzorath or their Vandan allies did. He had gone back and forth about whether to have his army ride straight through without stopping, but the sight before him squashed that thought.
To his left, illuminated by numerous campfires, a multitude of people occupied a vast, open field. A whisper of murmurs, broken only by the occasional bout of sobbing, drifted through the night air. Men, women, and children clut
