Gurt gestured for Salt to join him in the command tent. At this early hour it was deserted. They sat down in camp chairs and Gurt poured them each a cup of wine from a jug that had been left on a side table.
“The numbers of soldiers and things in that camp aren’t what’s bothering me. It’s the fact that the squads that went out to inspect their trail said that the Tolrahkali haven’t moved any large number of men for a few weeks at least. That means you were right about them using flyers to ferry troops and maybe even warlocks around to keep us confused and chasing our own tail. I’d guess the bastards just followed the coast south until they got to where they are and made very little effort of hiding their actual trail.”
“So you think they’re just toying with us until we realize where they are and come to meet them?”
“That’s my feeling. And if they’re waiting for us, I wouldn’t want to give them any advantage we don’t have to. So really the question is, Do we move in on them with just the men we have here with us or do we pull the Northern and Western Armies back to us first and risk losing them again?”
Salt shrugged. “If I’ve learned anything since joining the Guard, it’s that doing what an enemy wants is never a good idea.”
“I’m glad you agree. I may need your help convincing the general that we should sit on our hands for a few days and make sure we have every soldier we can get before we move on the bastards. Even if we get word of fresh attacks elsewhere.”
Once the armies came together, the Bialtan force was by far the largest they had assembled in decades. And now here they were, nearly fifty thousand soldiers with a full contingent of Crown Knights and nearly the full complement of Night Guard ready to mete out justice. The Tolrahkali were pinned down near the border with Keral, seemingly unwilling to invade a second kingdom and fight a war on two fronts. Countless scouting parties had reported in, and the Arcanum had confirmed their findings—the Tolrahkali were mustering to meet them at last, moving out of the valley they had been hiding in and onto a wide, flat plain—the clash would come in the morning.
Salt walked through the camp for most of the night, unable to settle. Everywhere he passed, the troops seemed nervous but in good spirits. They outnumbered their enemies at least five to one and would finally be able to slake their thirst for vengeance. No matter what strange equipment the Tolrahkali might have, it was hard for anyone to argue with odds like that. The Arcanum contingent and the presence of the nearlegendary Night Guard didn’t hurt morale either.
Salt was pulled out of his reverie by a scream. Shouts joined in and soldiers scrambled to put on their armor and ready their weapons. Salt stopped a messenger who was running past. “What happened?”
“An attack on the mages, sir. They’re in our camp!” Then he was off, intent on delivering his news to whoever he reported to.
Salt jogged toward the central camp where the mages and commanders were billeted. The whole place was in chaos. Soldiers were running. Officers were ordering them about to little purpose or effect. Fires were burning in the crushed remains of four large tents. A shimmering wall of blue-white energy surrounded the main command tent.
Salt swallowed. The tents had belonged to the Arcanum. They had been ringed with wards above and beyond those that protected the whole encampment in anticipation of a preemptive magical attack against the army’s mages and officers. And yet despite the obvious precautions the Arcanum had taken, as well as their presumed magical superiority, the heart of their encampment had been breached and it had cost them.
“Night Captain Saltig, sir!” called one of the soldiers, recognizing him.
I guess it’s time to earn my pay. “Report, soldier.”
The soldier saluted. “The attack came just a few minutes ago, Night Captain. Four mages were killed, and Archmage Dantic was attacked before he managed to drive off the attackers. He joined the commander and Archmage Lera in the command tent and then that wall of magic appeared.”
“And the attackers? How many made it out?”
“From what we’ve been able to piece together, all of them, sir. There’s talk of them being the Drokga’s mage hunters.”
“If that’s true, they’re living up to that title. It will be our job to make sure we don’t make it so easy next time. So who did we lose?”
“I’m not sure, sir. The other mages took care of the bodies.”
Salt nodded. “Good work, soldier. Get this lot organized. I want a guard of fifty outside the command tents at all times from now on. Send a messenger and have the full Night Guard and all the scout captains join me here.” Salt walked over to stand in front of the command tent.
Four mages lost. The Tolrahkali had played their hand masterfully. They’d let their enemies move into position arrogantly, thinking their advantages too great for their smaller foe to overcome. And they send a handful of men to kick our teeth in the night before our first real battle. Part of the Bialtans’ magical superiority had been lost. Even the surviving mages would be looking over their shoulders and jumping at shadows from now on. The glowing power put into the shield around the command tent was proof of that. No telling how much of the army’s magical effectiveness would be lost because of this one attack.
Salt sighed. There would be precious little sleep for anyone tonight after all. Gurt was probably locked in the command tent along with the other senior officers. Keeping order fell to Salt. As the Night Guard and scouts started to show up, he sent them out in teams to search for any trace of the intruders.
Two hours before dawn, the great wards flickered out and Gurt emerged from the tent. “Thanks for keeping an eye on things out here, lad. It’s going to be a long day for all of us. It’s been decided, we’re finishing them today. No routes, no second battles. We crush them here and now and don’t let them try anything like this ever again.”
Salt nodded, unsurprised. “I take it there was talk of moving on Tolrahk Esal again?”
“Come morning, if you can believe it. Lots of anger in that tent last night and it hasn’t cooled much in the past few hours.” Gurt stretched and Salt heard a dozen pops from the old lord’s joints. “Go get some rest, lad. Orders have already been issued to form up for the attack. The Guard will need to be on its feet and ready to fight as soon as the sun’s up.”
Salt nodded his thanks and went off to find his bedroll. The Night Guard camp was quite different from that of the surrounding soldiers. The tents were the same, as was most of the equipment. What was missing was the palpable tension and nervousness that Salt had felt everywhere else. The Night Guard had faced so many horrors that the prospect of a battle was nothing. That didn’t mean they were complacent though. Salt noticed pairs of Guardsmen moving around the camp together, acting as unofficial sentinels. Every man and woman was fully armored and had their weapons close to hand, though most dozed while they waited to hear when and where they would be needed.
Dantic sat in the corner of the command tent and tried not to listen to the incessant whining of the other mages. Their confidence had taken a real beating after the night’s attacks. The wards set up around the army, and more specifically around the mages’ camp itself, would be considered excessive by all but the most paranoid practitioner—even given the proximity of an enemy army. . . . And yet it seemed the Tolrahkali mage hunters were able to ignore the most powerful of magical defenses. They had proven their ability during the night by cutting down several very capable members of the Arcanum. Dantic thanked the gods the kladic hadn’t been the target of the attack. The surprise they were preparing for the invaders was hopefully still intact.
Dantic shivered as he recalled how the inhuman thing had shrugged off his power. If I hadn’t thought to hit him indirectly. . . . The mage hunter had walked through Dantic’s strongest weaves and almost completely ignored the wall of power he’d tried to trap the monster in. Dantic could clearly remember the assassin’s smile as he realized Dantic was both helpless and paralyzed by fear. Then a small pebble flew out of th
e dark and struck the Tolrahkali in the forehead. The man flinched at the impact and looked around for the source of the attack. The minor distraction gave Dantic the time he needed for self-preservation instincts to kick in, and a little bit of panic if he was honest with himself. He threw up a massive torrent of stones and dust from the ground. The stones were far more effective, not to mention near impossible to dodge given the exaggerated scope of Dantic’s panic-fueled weave. Pelted with an unending stream of wind, stones, and dust, the attacker had no choice but to retreat.
We’re more vulnerable to these hunters than the least of Bialta’s soldiers. Dantic herded the remaining mages into his tent and summoned up a swirling wall of magic and sand to protect them. With the extra time to think about what he was doing, the wall was a much more refined version of his earlier spell. The magic component did little more than keep the sand moving. The tiny grains of glassy stone were whipped up by incredible magic winds and roared around the tent so fast that it would strip the flesh off anyone who moved too close. Probably won’t do much against armor, but they have to have some exposed skin. The real question is how many of the others will be able to manage a weave like this. They would just have to make do now that he would be able to tell them not to use their power on the attackers directly . . . or he would if the lot of them ever calmed down enough for him to speak. He sighed and lifted his cup for Matchstick to refill, numbly wondering who could have thrown that stone that undoubtedly saved his life.
After his last misadventure, Skeg didn’t dare leave Nial alone again. Relieved at having found her still asleep in the cart in front of the inn, he disposed of his bloody rain cloak and washed off as well as he could in a rain barrel behind the stables before handing the innkeeper an extra handful of silver coins. After that, Skeg stopped eating entirely and struggled through each day to control the ravenous hunger that prevented him from sleeping or even thinking clearly for longer and longer stretches. As the Keralan border approached he was desperate to stop. Every moving creature that caught his eye made his mouth water, whether it walked on four legs or two.
“Uncle? When did you last feed?” Nial asked him the next time she woke. “You look terrible.”
“It’s been a few days anyway, probably more. I’ve been hoping to see an open air market on the road where I can pick up a live animal, but we’ve been missing market day in every place we pass.”
“You’re close to losing control, Uncle. I can feel it from here.”
A farmer stepped out in front of the wagon, waving at Skeg to stop. “I represent a mutual acquaintance. A house has been prepared for the two of you.” The man indicated the road ahead. “Please, my friends, allow me to lead you there. Food and shelter are not far now.”
“I don’t know anyone in the area, friend. And I seriously doubt anyone I would want to accept a house from lives in this town.”
The smile on the man’s face didn’t waver. “Well, in that you would be wrong, Mister Skeg. Not that there is any need to worry. The rather shady individual I represent owes the young lady a significant debt. He wanted me to tell you how impressed he was with how his two previous payments were put to use and furthermore how she went above and beyond in executing her last task for him. His home is much the cleaner for her efforts. And while he had expected to provide an altogether different reward, recent events soon led him to the conclusion that a new home would be needed, one far from the capital. While he understands the need, he was sorry to see the two of you leave as you had a not-inconsequential cleansing effect on the entire region, an effect that he is grateful for above and beyond the services that you performed on his behalf. I am to give you further assurances that you will not be disturbed by any unwelcome third parties so long as you reside in this village.”
Sure as hell doesn’t talk like a farmer. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think the man was Arcanum trained. Skeg looked over at Nial sitting in the back of the cart. Not like we have much choice. Skeg sighed and nodded.
The house turned out to be a simple farmhouse, well built by local standards, but not to the point of making it stand out. The farmer offered to help in unloading their wagon but nodded and walked off with a wave when Skeg declined.
Skeg tentatively stepped into the house, both hands extended in front of him, ready to unleash his magic. They may be desperate and all but out of options, but he still didn’t trust Shade or his gifts. The house was simple and included a large vegetable garden and an enclosure that housed dozens of rabbit cages. All in all, it was a house you might expect to find in any number of small towns throughout Bialta. But clearly great effort had gone into preparing it for Nial and Zuly’s arrival—nearly every part of the floor, walls, and ceiling were carved with elaborate wards. Row after row of them circled out from a central point in the main living area in an elaborate profusion. It must have taken months to do this. Even if there was a team of powerful mages working on it. Skeg swallowed. Shade knew we were coming this way weeks before we decided to leave Darien. It was a chilling thought, but they had nowhere else to go and there was no denying the hunger any longer. Skeg pulled a rabbit out of its cage and sank his teeth into its neck.
Life was turning out to be rather pleasant in their adoptive village. Nial and Zuly were relieved to be out of the cart. They curled up with a pile of blankets and cushions on the floor in the center of the wards and spent the bulk of their time dozing in relative comfort. In fact, the house was far nicer than any Skeg or Nial had ever lived in. They had minimal interactions with their neighbors, who were all outwardly friendly and didn’t show too much interest in what Skeg or Nial were up to, which suited them just fine.
Just don’t get soft, Skeg told himself. It was too easy to forget that this home had been given to them by Shade, and a couple weeks’ leisurely travel was certainly not enough to put them beyond his reach.
Just as he was finishing that thought, Skeg walked into the house to find Shade standing across the room. “What are you doing here?” he said. The tone of his voice brought the girls out of their doze. They moved awkwardly, propping themselves up as they prepared to defend themselves.
The masked figure made no move.
“Well, Shade? What do you want now?”
“I applaud your caution, Mister Skeg. Trust is something that should never be given too quickly. But do not fear, my motivation for coming is, as ever, curiosity. I have no demands, no new tasks for you. I was simply curious to see with my own eyes how my three friends were settling in to their new home.”
Skeg looked sideways at the runes around the doorway.
“Oh, come now, Mister Skeg! Your own runes could not keep me out before, why do you now imagine that I would be barred by those carved by my own hand?”
Zuly growled. “We finished the work you gave us. We owe you nothing now.”
“I see you haven’t learned nearly as much as I might have hoped since our last meeting.”
Shaking his head, Shade continued, “Foolish children. You owe me everything! It was my nudge that allowed the two of you to find each other. A she demon—lost in the nether, doomed to starve until her hunger consumed her. One among many. . . . And a dying child, a shining spirit rising out of Darien, admirable raw talent reaching out for salvation. I wasn’t close enough to intervene directly. And so, with few options available to me, I chose. A small nudge in the right direction and the two of you took care of the rest. I admit I didn’t have high hopes of a positive result, but you both managed to surprise me.” He looked over at Skeg: “Little takes place in my city that I am not aware of. And yes, it is my city. I am by far its oldest inhabitant, though it was not my first home. Every so often something new comes along to make existence interesting again. I made use of your talents for a time, and I enjoyed watching you work. You may not know it, but the effects of your hunting will likely endure for some time.”
The featureless mask looked back and forth between Skeg and the girls. “I am, as I said, here to satisfy my curios
ity and also to offer my assistance should I be needed when the time comes. I know as well as you do who the father of that child is. You will need my help. I imagine you don’t know any better than I do what will come of the child itself. Whatever it is, it is powerful. More powerful than its mothers? I can’t say yet. At the moment of birth, you will be at your weakest. Even though there are two of you in that body, the pain and effort will likely distract you. And unfortunately, your uncle is not quite up to the task.” He looked down at them in silence for a moment. “So there you have it. It is me or nothing. The choice is yours. You don’t need to decide just yet. I think we’ll have a few more days before the inevitable. I will spend a little time around the house now and then. Try not to overreact to my presence every time, won’t you? I’ll just be double-checking the wards and perhaps reinforcing them. You never can be too careful when you deal with gods and demon lords.” Shade walked toward a wall and just faded from existence.
“Is he gone?” Nial asked, her voice shaking.
Skeg shook his head. “There’s no way to know.” He ran his hand over the warded stone of the wall. “He may be right. I don’t think I’ll be able to help enough.” He kept his back turned to the girls. “The decision is yours, but for what it’s worth I don’t think we have a choice.”
CHAPTER 22
The day of the battle dawned with the vast majority of the Bialtan force having spent a sleepless night. The Tolrahkali army awaited them as the sun crept over the horizon. Tactics would play a small role in this battle. The invaders had chosen the field of battle and, again, it was a choice most strategists would scratch their heads over. The numerically smaller force had moved to confront the greatest army in the known world in a relatively clear area near the border, the trees of the Keralan forests darkening the far side of the green plain. But the lesson of the Eastern Army had not been lost on the Bialtans. The attack and losses they had suffered during the night only reinforced the conviction that there was more to the Tolrahkali than numbers. The day’s work would be bloody, none doubted that.
The Bones of the Past (Books of Dust and Bone) Page 44