"What about the fifty-odd beastmen who arrived yesterday? The new members who swore absolute loyalty to you and are currently outside digging defensive trenches for this so-called ’utopia’?"
Kaya winced slightly, rubbing the back of her neck in a rare display of sheepishness. "Right. Well. You could say they... fell for the trap too."
"You accidentally started a cult?" Veer deadpanned.
"It’s not a cult!" Kaya protested, though she didn’t sound entirely convincing. "Look, I needed the rumors to look authentic, okay? I put out a call for the broken, the exiled, and the ambitious. I figured a few drifters would show up, I’d give them some food, and they’d make the camp look busy enough to convince the spies. I didn’t expect them to actually ’believe’ in it so hard!"
Veer burst out laughing, the deep sound echoing off the stone. "You tricked dozens of hardened warriors into joining a fake army, and now they’re ready to die for a nation that only exists in your head!"
"Collateral recruits," Kaya muttered, crossing her arms defensively. "But hey, who cares if they are under the ground or above it? They needed food, shelter, and a purpose. I needed muscle, perimeter guards, and manual labor. It’s a mutually beneficial misunderstanding! Besides, I’m not going to let them die. They’re my idiots now. I’ll protect them, but they are going to help me dismantle the Snake Tribe in the process."
Before Veer could tease her any further, heavy, earth-shaking footsteps thudded from the tunnel. The hyenas in the pool flinched, instinctively paddling backward as a massive shadow blocked out the moonlight at the cave’s entrance.
It was Cutie.
Despite the adorable name Kaya had bestowed upon him, Cutie was an absolute nightmare of a creature. Standing nearly eight feet tall, he was a heavily scarred, hulking bear-beastman. His thick fur was currently matted with dirt and dried blood that definitely did not belong to him. In one massive, clawed hand, he casually dragged the unconscious body of another assassin. In his other hand, delicately held between two giant claws, was a small woven basket filled with wild, fresh blueberries.
Cutie lumbered into the cavern, completely ignoring Veer and the terrified hyenas. He stopped in front of Kaya, dropped the bleeding assassin onto the floor with a wet thud, and then gently offered her the basket of berries with a low, rumbling grunt that sounded remarkably like a puppy seeking praise.
"Aw, thank you, Cutie!" Kaya cooed, her terrifying warlord persona instantly vanishing. She popped a blueberry into her mouth and patted his massive, blood-stained arm. "Did you finish sweeping the perimeter?"
Cutie gave a slow, deliberate nod, pointing a massive claw at the unconscious man at his feet. ’Grunt.’
"Good boy," Kaya praised. "Go wash up. We’ve got a lot of planning to do."
Veer watched the exchange, shaking his head. "Remind me never to let you name our children. If you name a killing machine ’Cutie,’ I can only imagine what you’d name an actual baby."
"I told you, you’re not my husband," Kaya snapped, throwing a blueberry at his head. He caught it effortlessly and ate it with a wink.
Kaya turned her attention back to the pool. The hyenas were barely staying afloat, their teeth chattering violently from the freezing water and the sheer psychological terror of being in a room with Kaya, Veer, and the monstrous Cutie.
"Alright, boys," Kaya said briskly, pulling a crude parchment and a piece of charcoal from her supply desk. "You’ve admitted Lord Siss of the Snake Tribe hired you. But ’who’ isn’t enough. I want the ’what’, the ’where’, and the ’how’. Spill."
The hyenas, terrified that Kaya might unleash Cutie on them, began talking over each other in a desperate bid to be the most helpful. Over the next hour, Kaya meticulously documented everything they knew about the Snake Tribe’s stronghold.
’’The Snake Tribe Dossier:’’
’ ’’Location:’’ The Venom-tooth Canyons, three days’ ride to the West. A natural fortress surrounded by toxic marshlands.
’ ’’Defenses:’’
’ High canyon walls manned by archers with paralytic poison-tipped arrows.
’ The only safe path through the marsh is a hidden stone bridge that is heavily guarded.
’ Night patrols consist of cold-blooded beastmen who can sense heat signatures.
’ ’’Weaknesses:’’
’ They are incredibly arrogant. They rely heavily on their natural defenses and rarely post guards inside the inner compound.
’ Their cold-blooded nature makes them sluggish during the early hours of the morning when the temperature drops.
’ ’’Wealth/Resources:’’ Massive stockpiles of gold, rare medicinal herbs, and high-grade steel weapons stolen from passing merchant caravans.
Kaya reviewed her notes, a slow, predatory smile returning to her lips. She tapped her charcoal against the parchment.
"They have gold, steel, and a fortress," she mused aloud. "And they were stupid enough to throw the first punch. Veer, do you know what this means?"
"That we’re going to slaughter them?" Veer suggested helpfully.
"No, well, yes," Kaya corrected. "But more importantly, it means the Snake Tribe is about to unwittingly fund the very thing they were trying to destroy."
Kaya walked over to the center of the cave, kicking the unconscious assassin Cutie had brought in out of the way to clear some floor space.
"The Snake Tribe thinks they are dealing with a budding, disorganized political movement," Kaya began, her tactical mind operating at lightspeed. "They think the ’Free Clan’ is vulnerable because it’s still being built. They sent these hyena morons expecting an easy assassination. When these mercenaries don’t return, Lord Siss will assume they failed, but he won’t expect us to retaliate. He expects us to cower behind our new, unfinished walls."
Veer stepped up beside her, his eyes tracing the crude map she had begun drawing in the dirt with her boot. "So, we don’t cower. We march."
"Exactly," Kaya’s eyes burned with a fierce, unapologetic ambition. "We don’t wait for them to send a second wave. We strike back immediately. But we aren’t just going to kill Lord Siss. That’s too small. We are going to rip his entire operation down to the bedrock."
She turned to Veer, her tone shifting from casual banter to absolute command. "Veer, you said your Vulture spies are everywhere. I need them to start spreading a new rumor tomorrow morning. I want the entire West to hear that the Free Clan survived an assassination attempt and that our ’army’ is mobilizing."
"Consider it done," Veer said, his blood singing at the prospect of war. "But what about our actual forces? Your fifty collateral recruits aren’t exactly trained soldiers."
"They don’t need to be," Kaya countered. "I’m not sending them to fight. I’m sending them to make noise. They are going to march toward the main entrance of the canyon with banners, torches, and war drums. They’ll draw every single archer and guard to the front gate. Lord Siss will be so focused on the loud, glaring distraction that he won’t notice the real threat."
"Which is us," Veer grinned, already sharpening his blade in his mind.
"Which is us," Kaya confirmed. "While my accidental army bangs on the front door, you, me, and Cutie are going to scale the back of the canyon during the coldest hour of the morning, when their cold-blooded guards are sluggish. We slip in, bypass the perimeter, and gut the Snake Tribe’s leadership from the inside out."
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter