The Storm's Own Son (Book 2) by Anthony Gillis

cloak. He had his sword in his right hand, and he pointed it to the corpses in purple on the steps of the council building.
    "Why that?" Nissas snapped, and then raised his left hand toward the House of the Prophet, "And why this?"
    Talaos thought that if the Nissas expected apologies or groveling explanations, he was going to be disappointed. Instead, he looked the general in the eye, and replied with a question of his own, "And do you, General, see the iron stake and the pyre? That is where the fire was burning. What do you think was happening?"
    Nissas ignored his questions, and went on, "We were going to discuss terms with them, Talaos! Harsh ones, but terms! That is how it is done, and not just for honor... Now we've got a hostile city to govern with no governors!"
    "I've changed how it is done," replied Talaos. "Those men and women presided over the burning of people alive on that pyre. They watched and approved as these people, the people who governed this House of the Prophet, passed judgment and burned innocents alive. I would not allow it."
    "Not allow it?" replied Nissas with mixed disbelief and mockery. "In this army, this city, you are nothing! You are no one to allow, or not allow, anything."
    "Stop avoiding the point, Nissas. Does what happened on that pyre bother you , or not?"
    "How do you know they were innocents?" snarled Nissas at last . "How do you know they weren't thieves or murderers? The followers of the Prophet do a lot of good works. They're on both sides in this war. We have some of them in Aledri. It was not your place to be their judge!"
    " By that fire and by what was in this house, I judge them," replied Talaos.
    He stood before the general and all his men. Ready, feet apart, weapons still sheathed, but hands not far from them. Behind him stood the Madmen. His Wolves gathered around him, facing Nissas's men with hard eyes and weapons ready.
    "Talaos, you and your men will stand down, disarm, and leave the city until further decisions can be made," said Nissas.
    Talaos considered everything that still must be done. He thought of the prisoners, the victims he and his men had rescued, now sitting helpless in the House behind him. Helpless, and by his own actions, dependent on him.
    "No," he replied.
    Nissas visibly struggled to control his fury. There was a long pause as the two groups of soldiers watched each other. The Aledri officers left their units to join Nissas. They conversed with each other in quiet voices. Lurios was among them, and he looked much disturbed.
    Time passed. The lightning was coming less and less frequently now in the sky. However, the wind and rain were, if anything, picking up.
    Then, Kurvan rode up, with swarms of his hillmen and irregulars all around.  A hard, thoughtful look crossed his craggy face, and he rode at haste toward the House of the Prophet. The warlord leapt off his horse with his huge battleaxe in one hand, and walked like a lumbering bear between the assembled groups of men. He looked one way, then the other.
    Kurvan turned  and walked to stand beside Talaos. His men swarmed all around.
    "There a problem, lads?" he said.
    Nissas stared at his fellow commander for a moment, eyes narrowing, then turned to his officers. "Secure the council hall!" he snapped to his men, "Follow me!"
    With that, the general and his troops turned and crossed the plaza to the council hall. Talaos noted that Nissas didn't so much as glance at the pyre as he passed, though Lurios did.
    "That went well," growled Kurvan as he lifted his axe to his shoulder, watching the departing Aledri troops.
    Talaos, watching them as well, spoke. "Where is Sanctari?"
    Kurvan replied, voice as low as could be heard in the wind, "Sanctari was handling the surrender of General Petani and the remaining Avrosan troops. Most likely he's getting the rest of our lads inside the city now. He'll be around sooner or later, and so will the other commanders."
    The hillman warlord surveyed the death and