Valley of Silence by Nora Roberts Page A

idea of the numbers. We know from Larkin’s trip to the caves and his look at their arsenal they were armed for a thousand or more.”
    â€œWe’ll look.” Hoyt laid his hand over Glenna’s. “But what I think Cian isn’t saying is whatever the numbers they have, whatever we have, in the end they’ll have more. Whatever weapons they have will be more. Lilith has had decades, perhaps centuries, to plan this moment. We’ve had months.”
    â€œAnd still we’ll win.”
    Cian lifted a brow at Moira’s statement. “Because you’re good and they’re evil?”
    â€œNo, and there’s nothing so simple as that. You yourself are proof of that, for you’re neither like her nor like us, but something else altogether. We’ll win because we’ll be smarter, and we’ll be stronger. And because she has no one like the six of us standing with her.”
    She turned from him to his brother. “Hoyt, you are the first of us. You brought us together.”
    â€œMorrigan chose us.”
    â€œShe, or fate, selected us,” Moira agreed. “But it was you who began the work. It’s you who believed, who had the power and the strength to forge this circle. So do I believe it. I rule Geall, but I don’t rule this company.”
    â€œNor do I.”
    â€œNo, none of us do. We must be as one, for all our differences. So we look to each other for what we need. I’m far from the strongest warrior here, and my magic is but a shadow. I don’t have Larkin’s skills, nor the steeliness of mind to kill in cold blood. What I have is knowledge and authority, so I offer those.”
    â€œYou have more,” Glenna told her. “A great deal more.”
    â€œI will have more, before it’s done. There are things I must do.” She got to her feet. “I’ll return to work on whatever is necessary as soon as I’m able.”
    â€œPretty royal,” Blair commented after Moira left the room.
    â€œCarrying a lot of weight with it.” Glenna turned to Hoyt. “Agenda?”
    â€œBest to see what we can of the enemy. Then I’m thinking fire. It’s still one of our most formidable weapons, so we should charm more swords.”
    â€œRisky enough to put swords in some of the hands we’re training,” Blair put in. “Much less flaming ones.”
    â€œYou’d be right.” Hoyt considered, nodded. “It will be up to us then, won’t it, to decide who’ll be—what is it?—issued that sort of weapon. Good men should be placed in positions as close to Lilith’s base as we can manage. They’d need shelter that’s safe after sunset.”
    â€œIt’s barracks you’re meaning. There are cottages and cabins, of course.” Larkin narrowed his eyes in thought. “Other shelters can be built in the daylight hours if need be. There’s an inn as well, between her base and the next settlement.”
    â€œWhy don’t we go take a look?” Blair shoved her plate aside. “You and Glenna can look your way, and Larkin and I can do a fly-by. You up for the dragon?”
    â€œI am.” He smiled at her. “Especially when you’re doing the riding.”
    â€œSex, sex, sex. The guy’s a machine.”
    â€œOn that note,” Cian said dryly, “I’m going to bed.”
    With a quick squeeze of Glenna’s hand, Hoyt murmured, “A moment,” then followed his brother.
    â€œI need a word with you.”
    Cian flicked him a glance. “I’ve had my quota of words this morning.”
    â€œYou’ll have to swallow a few more. My rooms are closer, if you would. I’d prefer this private.”
    â€œSince you’d just dog me to my room and pester me until I want to rip your tongue out, your rooms will do.”
    Servants bustled on the route between the parlor and bedchambers. Preparations for the