by Peter Newman
Words! He’ll give me what I want for words? This is too good. ‘Well, that depends. What do you want me to swear?’
‘To help me escape. To never hurt me, and to answer my questions truthfully.’
‘Of course. I agree to your terms.’
There was a pause, then: ‘You have to swear it.’
‘Yes, yes. I swear it.’
He heard a snort on the other side of the door. ‘That’s not how it’s done. You have to say the words aloud and you have to swear it on your blood and bones. We don’t have any trees to witness it, but we’re from the Wild so we don’t need them.’ There was some scuffling and then the sound of something being pushed under the door. ‘Prick your finger on this first.’
Satyendra felt around at his feet until he found the tip of something sharp protruding under the door. He did as he was told, feeling the tiny prick of pain as he did so. ‘I, Satyendra, agree to help Sa-at escape the castle. I swear to never harm him and to answer his questions with truth.’
‘On your blood and bones,’ whispered Sa-at.
‘I swear it on my blood and bones,’ added Satyendra.
As he finished a shiver ran down his spine. It’s nothing. A coincidence. Words are just words after all. But deep down he wasn’t so sure. He began to worry if perhaps Sa-at wasn’t as naive as he’d first thought.
He heard scuffling and movement back and forth, and the sound of the key in the lock. The door opened and a shaft of sapphire light shone through, stabbing at his eyes. The sooner I am gone from this place, the better.
Sa-at was standing on the other side. Again, he felt a stab of profound hatred. A part of him wanted to tear at the other’s face and rip it off. To pound on the body until it was pulp. Satyendra often disliked people, but this was something else. As if the need to hurt was too big to be his alone. And yet alongside it was an annoying sense of kinship. Sa-at had seen him, really seen him. And he accepts me, like Mother did but without the guilt or the shame.
He played up the pain of his injury to disguise his reaction.
‘You’re hurt,’ said Sa-at.
‘Obviously. But don’t worry, I’m more than capable of keeping up.’
‘That’s good. Before we go, I want to see Tal.’
‘Who?’
‘He’s my friend. I think he’ll want to stay but I’m going to ask him to come too.’
‘Don’t. If he betrays you, we’ll both be stuck here.’
‘But he’s my friend!’
Satyendra grit his teeth. ‘Then we’d best be quick about it. We have to be gone before the guards get back.’
Sa-at nodded and they began to head out.
If our escape fails, thought Satyendra, I’ll have to kill them. Oath or no oath, Rochant must be made to pay.
But, as he watched Sa-at move away, he found the thought of killing them, of hurting them at all, left him profoundly conflicted.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Pari and Arkav put a good amount of distance between themselves and Lord Rochant’s floating castle before stopping to rest. Normally, they would stay at one of the settlements, but Pari opted to wait on the Godroad instead. She didn’t anticipate the road-born giving her trouble, but she wanted to be able to move quickly, should Rochant change his mind and come after them.
Both she and Arkav had decided to remain in their armour, and the Dogkin were still partially harnessed to the carriage, just in case.
She didn’t like waiting, especially when it felt like other people’s plans were in full motion, but it wouldn’t do to over-extend themselves this far from home.
‘Well,’ she said, looking back down the empty Godroad. ‘That was interesting.’
Arkav came over and put a hand on her arm. ‘Are you all right?’
‘Me?’ she asked with mock lightness, a hand across her chest. ‘I’m fine.’
He didn’t say anything, just gave her a sad smile.
The emotions she’d thought had been buried for good threatened to emerge. Rochant had been her lover once. They had flouted the laws of their people to be together in secret. And the risk had been worth it! Such excitement she had not known before or since. But then she had learned that Rochant had taken a similar approach to other sacred laws. He’d betrayed his own people to the Wild and the reasons he’d given were damning at best.
After that, she’d cut her ties with Rochant, and helped Nidra Un-Sapphire get her revenge. She thought this was all behind her. The worst of it was that when she’d seen Rochant on the battlements, a part of her was relieved. A part of her still cared for him.
Sometimes, she thought, I’m my own worst enemy.
She gave Arkav the brightest smile she could muster. ‘There are bigger things than me to worry about, and you know I don’t say that lightly.’
‘Our duty is clear. We must report to the council of High Lords.’
‘But report what? I’d thought House Sapphire had got through the worst of its madness but now I’m not so sure. Rochant is back. That means Nidra has either taken the last breath of her last life, or she’s in terrible danger. High Lord Vasinidra is also in danger, and without him House Sapphire will fall apart.’
‘You’re suggesting we save House Sapphire?’
‘Well, my dear, they’re not exactly capable of saving themselves, are they?’
He suppressed a chuckle. ‘I suppose not. That boy is another puzzle. I didn’t agree with your kidnapping him, but it’s a shame he got away. I would have liked the chance to talk to him further.’
She nodded. ‘Indeed. We have too many puzzles and not enough time.’ An image of High Lord Priyamvada Tanzanite came into her mind, stern as ever. ‘But you’re right, we go to the High Lords first.’
They decided to enjoy a light meal before travelling on. Throughout it, Pari kept watch on the road behind them and the castle above it. Just as the servants were preparing the carriage for travel, Arkav came and stood next to her. ‘See anything?’
‘No. Should we be insulted that he hasn’t come after us?’
‘Do you want him to come after us?’
‘It just bothers me that I don’t know what he’s up to.’
With a shrug, Pari ordered them to keep going, hoping to leave Rochant and his plans behind. They got back into the carriage and set off.
A little time passed.
Arkav held up a hand. ‘Do you feel that?’
She immediately looked back the way they’d came. Again, the Godroad was empty. If anyone was following them, they were risking the edges of the Wild to do so. ‘Feel what?’
‘I don’t know … It’s …’
‘Come on, Arkav. The suspense is killing me.’
He lapsed into silence and she went back to looking out of the window. The forest running parallel to the Godroad looked quiet. They didn’t meet any other travellers, and while this meant they made good time, it gave her a desolate feeling inside.
Up ahead, she could make out a beacon of blue piercing the sky. Despite its distance, she could see it clearly, where the settlement it was coming from was only a grey silhouette. Normally, a village in need would make an offering to their Deathless Lord and request a hunt. However, in the worst of circumstances, they could use the beacon for a more direct summons. The light was visible for miles around, a call to any Deathless in the area.
‘Have you seen the trees?’ asked Arkav.
She cast her eye over the dense expanse of forest. ‘You’re going to need to be more specific.’
‘Just watch.’
She did so and her eyes widened. ‘It looks like they’re trembling.’
‘Yes. The forest is afraid.’
A growing sense of horror rose in her stomach. The settlement ahead, the one calling for aid, is Sagan. It’s one of Rochant’s.
She leaned out of the window and shouted to her driver to go faster whilst knowing, in her heart, that she would be too late.
Sa-at hurried to keep up with Satyendra. They darted t
hrough the castle like thieves, swift and silent. Satyendra seemed to possess a sixth sense, knowing when to wait and when to move. Avoiding guards and the few people still walking the corridors with ease.
It’s like me, he thought. When I’m in the Wild.
It occurred to him that he didn’t know where he was, that he was completely reliant on his new ally. Satyendra may have sworn an oath, but oaths could be twisted in the right hands. It would not protect him forever.
Satyendra stopped at the doorway to a small room. There were no guards in sight and nothing to stop them going inside. ‘Wait here,’ he said to Sa-at. ‘Keep an eye out, I won’t be long.’
‘What are you doing?’
Satyendra paused, a brief flash of uncertainty on his face that went as quickly as it came. ‘Gathering my strength.’ And with that, he slipped inside.
Sa-at watched him from the doorway, though he often paused to glance up and down the corridor. Inside the room slept a sad little ball of skin and misery in the shape of a boy. He was tossing and turning, clearly in the grip of a bad dream. Satyendra was standing over him, his hands hovering over the boy’s head.
A few seconds passed. Sa-at wasn’t sure what was about to happen but he didn’t like it.
Satyendra took a breath, and then put his hands firmly upon the boy’s throat and squeezed, leaning down to whisper in his ear: ‘Weep for me, Pik, you traitorous little shit!’
Immediately, Pik’s eyes sprang open, and he began to struggle. He clawed at Satyendra’s hands, but to no avail.
Satyendra held Pik’s gaze, an unpleasant sneer on his face and an unnatural light in his eyes. With each second he seemed taller somehow, stronger.
The urge to enter the room and confront Satyendra vanished. It was not that he was surprised by the display of power. After all, there were many things in the Wild that were far stronger than they appeared. It was that he was surprised by it here in the castle, which had seemed so solid and free of peril. A part of him had started to let his guard down, to believe that he had found a sanctuary. Those illusions scattered like dust on the wind.
He’s going to die. The boy is going to die!
Sa-at cried out, and stepped forward, uncertain of what to do.
At the sound of his voice, Satyendra jolted, and looked shocked, snatching back his hands as if he’d only just become aware of what they were doing.
Sa-at went to the limp body. ‘Did you?’
‘No. He’s alive.’
‘But you were going to kill him.’
‘I …’ Satyendra looked away then added in a smaller voice. ‘Yes I was. He sold me out and I hate him. The funny thing is, it isn’t really his fault. He was just following orders and, to be honest, I was never a particularly good friend.’
‘You took something from him, didn’t you?’
‘Rochant had weakened me. I needed to be strong again for our escape.’
‘And are you? Strong again?’
Satyendra gave him a nasty smile, the glimpse of vulnerability gone. ‘Oh yes. It’s time to get your friend and get out of here. Where is his room?’
Sa-at shrugged. ‘I wanted him to share mine but they wouldn’t let us.’
‘Perhaps he has been assigned his own one now. How does he serve Lord Rochant?’
‘He’s a Gatherer.’
‘A castle has no need for Gatherers.’
Sa-at thought hard. Rochant normally got Tal to carry things but that didn’t seem like a job on its own. Then he remembered. ‘Oh! What’s an apprentice ship?’
‘It’s when you learn a trade. Why?’
‘When we were putting on Rochant’s armour, Tal said we needed a Gardensmith and Rochant said this was his apprentice ship.’
‘It’s Gardener-smith!’ tutted Satyendra. ‘I know where he might be. Follow me.’
He followed Satyendra through the castle. The corridors were empty, and felt very different to how it they had in the day. Like the Wild! he thought, convinced now.
‘That’s odd,’ murmured Satyendra. ‘There should be guards here.’
Sa-at shrugged.
‘It serves us for now but I have a feeling it won’t later.’
The main gates of the keep were shut, but they were able to go out through the kitchen entrance. It was still warm inside, the great slabs of crystal radiating heat long after sunsset. Satyendra pulled a cloak from a hook on the wall, putting it on as he walked to the door. But it was locked and bolted.
‘Do you have the key?’ Sa-at asked. It occurred to him that Roh probably had it. Then he remembered her staring eyes and felt sad.
‘I don’t need one,’ replied Satyendra. He grinned, then flexed his arms. The door groaned, then tore free, hinges and lock still attached.
They rushed out into the night, crossing the courtyard towards another building with doors of glass. Satyendra pointed towards it. ‘See? There are still lights on inside.’
Sa-at nodded.
‘There shouldn’t be. Something strange is going on.’
Wagons and tents were packed along the walls, the traders still trapped here by Rochant’s edict. A few of their tethered Dogkin perked up as they went past, but soon decided the two small figures were of no interest and settled again.
They pushed open the doors and were blasted by a wave of heat. Sa-at saw Satyendra flinch away as if stung, then brace himself and go inside. It was even warmer than the kitchen in here. There were two large pools of glimmering sapphire water, one on each side of the room. Huge plantlike structures grew from them. He could see crystal leaves that were teased into different shapes. Some were being curved into tubes, while others were being stretched flat.
Tal was also there. He’d been dusting an empty armour stand but turned as they entered. His brief joy at seeing Sa-at was swiftly eclipsed by shock when he saw Satyendra was with him.
‘What are you doing here?’
‘I—’ Sa-at began, but his old nervousness overcame him again. How could he explain things to his friend when it was all so tangled in his mind?
‘We’re leaving,’ said Satyendra. ‘Sa-at wants you to come with us.’
Tal took a step backwards, starting to circle behind one of the pools. ‘I’m not looking in your eyes, I’m not listening to what you’re saying. Let my friend go, demon, and I won’t sound the alarm.’
‘No,’ said Sa-at. ‘It’s not like that. He told me what Rochant is going to do, Tal. He’s going to kill my soul!’
Tal continued to back away, glancing towards Sa-at but steadfastly not looking at Satyendra. ‘What?’
‘When Rochant dies, he’s going to put his soul in my body and my soul is going to be all shredded and crushed!’
‘Yes,’ said Tal, ‘I know.’
‘But I’ll die!’
‘That’s what being an Honoured Vessel is. You give your life so our Lord Rochant can come back. It’s a sacrifice for your people.’
Sa-at gasped, unable to understand how his friend looked so calm. ‘But …’
‘They’re all in on it,’ said Satyendra softly. ‘All your so-called friends will give you up the moment Rochant asks them.’
‘You won’t come with me?’ asked Sa-at.
‘No.’ Tal smiled proudly. ‘I’m going to live with the Sky-born now. I’m going to be a Gardener-smith. We’ll get to see lots of each other because … Actually, let me show you something. You’ll like this. But tell that demon to stay back.’
Satyendra leaned in so close that his breath tickled Sa-at’s ear. ‘We’re going to have to kill him to get out of here.’
Sa-at shook his head. ‘Promise me you won’t kill Tal.’
‘That’s a stupid promise.’
‘Promise or … or I won’t help you any more.’
‘Don’t be a fool. I’m trying to protect us.’
‘Promise!’
Satyendra shook his head in disgust. ‘I promise I won’t kill him.’
‘Good. Wait here. I want to see the thing.�
�
With a hiss of frustration, Satyendra nodded.
Sa-at followed Tal over to the far side of the chamber. The ex-Gatherer went to a veiled object that was at least six foot tall and nearly as wide. ‘Ready?’
‘Yes,’ said Sa-at, unable to stifle his curiosity.
Tal pulled away the veil to reveal a suit of sapphire armour. It looked exactly like the armour Rochant wore except it was smaller, and some of the plates weren’t fully formed, leaving gaps on the chest and one of the shoulders. ‘This is your set.’
It was beautiful. Sa-at momentarily forgot himself; all his attention had been stolen by the armour.
‘You’ll have to come down for fittings. It’s not finished yet and it needs lots of work to fit properly.’ He smiled. ‘Which means we’ll be spending lots of time together.’
‘But … I have to go.’
Tal’s smile vanished. ‘You can’t go. We all have our duties. Mine is to learn this trade and help the other Gardener-smiths make weapons and armour to fight the Wild. Yours is to learn all about Rochant and be there if he needs you.’ He put a hand on Sa-at’s arm. ‘Don’t look sad! This is what you wanted. You’re going to have lots of friends now and a really good life. You’ll never have to worry about food or being safe or having—’
Tal’s eyes rolled up in his head and he collapsed. Satyendra was standing behind him. Sweat glistened on his face and his breathing was heavy. ‘Before you say anything. I haven’t killed him.’
Sa-at checked to see if that was true. As he did so there was a flash of anger towards Satyendra, followed by a flash of anger at himself.
I should have made better rules when I bound him. I should have told him not to hurt Tal too.
When he found his friend still breathing, he let out a sigh of relief. Then, the sadness came back. ‘He knew what was going to happen and he didn’t care.’
‘Nobody will. You’re the first person I’ve met that understands. That’s why we need to stay together. No more distractions. No more so-called friends. It’s just you and me.’
Unable to find the words, Sa-at just nodded.
‘The tricky part will be escaping the main wall. I used to have rope prepared for this purpose, but it was taken from me by a traitor.’