"But war?" the marshal said. "How does he imagine he'd win that? His mercenaries cannot outnumber our troops."
"I'm quite certain he hopes to win some of his former men to his side. I'm equally certain he already has, and they are merely awaiting his signal." He gave his marshal a hard look. "You have told me that your warriors are content. Now we will see the truth of that."
"But war?" the chancellor said. "Against shadow stalkers?"
"And more," Ashyn said quietly.
They all turned to her, but she seemed unable to go on.
"He has raised more than shadow stalkers," Moria said. "Ashyn encountered death worms in the Wastes. I fought a thunder hawk. I have a feather in my pack to prove it. That may mean he has plans to do battle with more than men and shadow stalkers."
"Then we must be prepared," the emperor said. "For a war unlike any the empire has seen."