by B N Miles
Cam walked with Theus toward the front of the column. The group was led by Dagan and Arter, neither of them speaking to each other, while Kraed was sprawled out in the first of the four horse-drawn carts laden with supplies and food. Men walked around the cart, all of them carrying spears, and pushed it where necessary to keep the wooden wheels rolling along the uneven ground.
The line of people that marched out of Cam’s village surprised him. He knew their village was prosperous and relatively large, but he’d never seen them all at once. It was a mass of people, young and old, carrying everything they owned on their backs. He let his eyes wander down the column, at the men wearing their best clothes and carrying bows and spears, at the women hauling children, packs, and staffs. At the old, limping along, and the young, running like they were playing some game.
Life was persisting, despite all that happened to him, despite the danger that pressed at their backs.
“How far can we make in a day?” Theus asked.
“I don’t know,” Cam admitted. “Ten miles?”
Theus let out a breath. “It’ll take us forever to reach the Mansion at this pace.”
“I know.” Cam shook his head. “And the Weres will pick at us the whole way.”
“Maybe we should’ve stayed behind the walls.” Theus sounded nervous, and Cam couldn’t blame him. He’d been having that very same thought himself as the column marched its way into the forest and angled south.
But he couldn’t let himself have second thoughts. He’d pushed for this plan and now the entire village was in his hands.
“This is the right decision,” Cam said, more trying to convince himself than Theus. “My father knew this day would come eventually.”
“I never thought…” Theus trailed off, shaking his head. “The wars up north always felt so far away. I never thought they’d come here.”
“I know,” Cam said softly, shaking his head. “But the Mansions all across Germania have been falling, one after the other. We have the mountains as protection, but sooner or later they were going to come here. Today is just that day.”
“I don’t understand it,” Theus said, pitching his voice low, his eyes narrowed as he stared at the ground. “I don’t know what they want from us.”
“I don’t either,” Cam said. “My father always talked about how the Godlings aren’t all the same, how some of them aren’t bad while others are, just like Humans. But the only things we ever hear about the Weres are horrible, and I just don’t see how they’re anything more than monsters.”
Theus looked up and grinned. “Your father had a lot of good things to say about Elves.”
Cam laughed. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“He really, really liked them.” Theus’s grin got bigger. “Maybe you’re half-Elf? Ever think about that?”
Cam touched his ears. “I don’t know. I kind of doubt it.”
“Come on. You don’t need to have the ears to be part Elf. I hear half-Elf Humans can walk around like regular people and nobody would ever know.”
“If I’m half Elf then you’re half Goblin,” he said.
Theus laughed and shrugged, spreading his hands out. “Could be. I have the disposition for it.”
“Cranky, little bit of an asshole. Sounds right to me.”
Theus grinned. “If we were training today, I’d knock you on your ass, you know that?”
“I’m sure you’d try, little man.” Cam knocked against his friend. “But we’re not training, are we?”
“No,” Theus said, his smile slowly slipping away. “Another thing your father used to do for us.”
Cam stared straight ahead at the men flanking the horse-drawn cart, their spears at the ready, the tips uncovered. Their copper heads gleamed in the afternoon sun, each tip honed enough to slit through skin with ease and oiled to keep it fresh and clean. Cam’s father had trained the men himself, teaching them discipline and the fighting formations that he’d picked up during his years as a mercenary in the Godling Wars to the north, but they’d never actually fought together before, and Cam didn’t know if the men would remember their lessons.
It didn’t matter. They were traveling now and in the open. If they wanted to survive, the men would have to fight, including Cam himself. He only hoped that he could keep his people alive until they reached the safety of one of the last Mansions in the world.
“Key’s worried about you, you know,” Theus said, suddenly changing topics. “She thinks you’re going to do something stupid.”
“Like what?” Cam asked, frowning.
“I don’t know. I think she thinks you’re going to… follow your father. Sacrifice yourself for the village.”
Cam snorted. “I don’t have magic, so I don’t think that’s happening anytime soon.”
“But you do have magic,” Theus said. “We’ve all seen you training.”
Cam clenched his jaw. “I told Key this already, and I’ll tell you too. My father tried to teach me what he knew, but none of it stuck, okay? I don’t know magic, and I don’t think I ever will.” He looked away, a flood of shame washing over his body.
His friend nodded and put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Cam.”
“It’s fine,” he grunted.
“Well, at least Key’s wrong about something.” Theus dropped his hand and Cam looked back at his friend. “Not often we get to say that.
Cam grinned a little. “Good point. Let’s call her over and rub it in.”
Theus laughed and shook his head. “No, I think we’d better leave her alone. She’s having a tough time adjusting.”
“I know,” Cam said, his smile disappearing. It was clear that any joy they could find right in that moment would never last, not with the danger that was pressing down on them at all times. “But she’ll be okay. She’s strong.”
“I know,” Theus said.
Cam gripped the haft of his heavy spear and let his eyes scan the column as it made its way south. They followed a cart track that had been worn into the dirt from years of making this exact trip, though never with so many people. After the harvests, the men would load up the four carts and take their tribute to the Mansion for tallying and distribution, then return with the village’s share. The cart track made the going easier, but it put them at a disadvantage, since their route would be clear. But taking the carts through the thick underbrush wasn’t an option either, since it would get stuck constantly, and they’d make no progress.
Though they were exposed, they were moving as fast as they could. Cam felt it was the better option of the two, although he knew there was some discussion among the group about it.
Cam was about to ask Theus how he was handling things when a call went up along the line. Cam instantly tensed as two men came jogging up along the column, both of them slick with sweat. Cam recognized Brith and Marap, brothers that lived on the edge of the village and were refugees from the northern wars. They’d joined the village three years ago, and were hard men that took wives and settled down to farming and a quiet life. They hurried toward the Elders that led the front of the procession. Cam glanced at Theus then followed, lingering close so that he could overhear their conversation.
“More farms burning,” Brith said. His dark hair was braided and hung over both shoulders. A thick beard covered his cheeks and chin, and his dark eyes were wide with fear. Cam could smell smoke and sweat wafting off the brothers as Dagan glared at them.
“How many?” he asked.
“All of them.” Marap barely managed to gets the words out, he was breathing so hard. “When we saw, we just…”
“We ran back,” Brith finished. “I’ve seen this, Elder. Back home, before we left for the south, the Weres burned what they could and took what they wanted.”
“Will they go now?” Dagan asked, a strange note of hope in his voice.
But the brothers only exchanged glances and shook their heads.
Dagan nodded. “Very well. Good work. Get rations, water, and rest,
then I need you both back out scouting our rear. Any hint of the wolves, you come running back so we can prepare, understood?”
“Yes, Elder,” Brith said, and the brothers trotted off back down the column toward the third cart.
Cam caught Dagan’s eye and the Elder walked over to him. They moved side by side for a few steps, heads down, watching the ground.
“They’ll come soon,” Cam said.
“I think you’re right,” Dagan agreed.
“Small groups at first. They’ll want to test us.”
“Question is, can we reach the Mansion before they come in force?”
“I suspect that won’t happen.” Cam shook his head. “We are an easy target. They’ll hit us before we reach safety no matter what.”
“What do you propose?” Dagan asked.
“We need to be a difficult target. When the Weres hit the first time, we need to kill as many as we can, and make them think twice about coming back. I don’t think it’ll scare them off forever, but it might make them hesitate long enough.”
Dagan nodded, his face tight. “So it’ll come to that, then.”
“It has to.”
“I know you’re right.” The Elder smiled at Cam. “You sound so much like your father right now, do you know that?”
Cam shook his head. “I’m only saying what’s true, Elder Dagan.”
“Sure,” he said and his smile vanished. “I’ll spread the word. Double guards, double scouts during the trip. And I’ll suggest that we arm as many women as we can. All extra bows and arrows will be at the ready.”
“Good,” Cam said, nodding. “I just hope it’ll be enough.”
“It’ll have to be.” Dagan gave him a look then squeezed his arm and left, barking orders at some nearby men.
Cam stood still for a moment and watched as the column rolled past. Behind them, smoke began to rise up over the trees, and he knew that was his former life turning to ash. The village would burn next, sure as anything. The walls might still be standing when the people returned, if they returned, but Cam knew the Weres would tear through the empty houses and burn everything they could, just because it was there for the burning.
His father always said Godlings were like people. But Cam found it hard to believe there were any Weres that weren’t just bloodthirsty monsters. He found it hard to believe anything decent could slaughter his sick father in cold blood, or destroy a farmstead just because it was there.
Cam let out a breath and rejoined Theus as the column moved on.
11
As the sun began to set several hours later, men lit lamps and hung them from the ends of their spears. The light cast long shadows, and as the lamps shook and flickered, they made the forest look alive with spirits. But the spear lamps kept the way illuminated enough to keep the horses from breaking a leg or people from tripping and breaking their noses, so the procession continued along.
When night finally fell thick and true, Dagan called a halt. There was a short argument between Dagan and Arter, but soon the wagons were drawn up and people began to cast their tents across the old cart track. Watches were set up with sentries placed further out into the woods and toward their back to keep watch. The camp was nearly silent as families cooked their meals over small fires and settled down for the night.
It was cool, but dry and comfortable, so Cam decided not to put up his tent. He found a spot away from the main body of people, off the cart track and into the woods. He unrolled his furs and skins at the base of a wide tree and sat down on them, his legs crossed under him. The lights from the lamps just barely reached him, and for a moment he felt like he was alone in the forest. He closed his eyes and took a deep, long breath.
He’d spent hours meditating with his father. That was the first thing he’d learned when his father started him down the path toward becoming a shaman. He’d been told, again and again, that the secret to touching the priori was a still mind, clear of everything else but the Urspells his father tried to teach him, but nothing seemed to work.
Cam thought it was all foolishness. He tried his hardest and meditated from sunup until sundown for weeks on end, but never once could he make an Urspell work. His father never gave up and never spoke to him in anger or impatience, but as the years slipped past, Cam could see the fear and disappointment in his father’s eyes each time he failed to produce so much as the smallest flame.
Now Cam could let all that go if he wanted. His father was gone, rejoined the Urspirit, and he could release all his anxieties about magic. For a long time, Cam had been focusing on training his body above all else, years ago having realized he’d better train in physical combat since magic wasn’t going to work for him. But even despite that, his father never gave up on him, and now Cam found it difficult to let all that go.
So he closed his eyes and reached for his center.
It came to him easier than it ever had. The blackest dark, the heavy nothing that hung suspended in every Human, washed over him, blanketed him, and his thoughts receded into a pinprick of consciousness. He embraced it, let it wrap itself around him, and he fell into the same trance-like meditative state he’d gotten better at reaching over the years.
He stayed like that, hanging between two worlds, between the no-world of the spirits and the physical world of his people. Magic was somewhere in that space, in the cracks between the worlds, and all he had to do was reach out and touch it, draw the priori through his body, shape it and form it and command it. That was what the Urspell did: it gave shape and form to the wild energies he could siphon in from the other world.
Hanging in that blackest dark, he reached and thought he could feel something just at the edge of his awareness, something soft but horrible, hot and cold, everything and nothing all at once. He had the strangest urge to draw it all into him, to suck it deep into his body, but before he could touch it he jerked back away from the stuff, fear ripping through his body.
He opened his eyes. It was darker than before, much darker. There were no lamps lit and only a few low fires still burned. He realized he’d been in that trance state for at least a couple of hours and hadn’t noticed the time pass. He turned his head and looked around before spotting a form reclining nearby.
He jerked back and let out a sharp breath as Key sat up. “Cam,” she whispered. “It’s okay. It’s me.”
He blinked and stared at her. “Key? How long have you been there?”
She shrugged. “You’ve been… away, in your head. I don’t know how long.”
“You could’ve said something.”
“I don’t know. You looked so peaceful. I didn’t want to ruin it.”
He shifted on his furs and leaned toward her. She sat up, her legs crossed underneath her, and leaned toward him. Her blue eyes blinked in the night and she smiled a little bit. “Make the magic work yet?” she asked.
“No,” he grunted. “And I won’t.”
“You will. Keep practicing.” She let her smile drop as she shifted closer to him. He didn’t say anything as she moved herself onto his bedroll and leaned back against the tree. Her leg pressed up against his and her body was so warm. The top button of her tunic was undone and Cam could see the swell of her breasts, and he knew her perfect pink nipples were hard in the cool evening air.
He forced himself to look up from her body and to meet her eyes.
“I don’t know why I do it,” he said.
“Do what?”
“Meditate. I just… it’s never worked for me.”
“Your father used to say it’s not an easy thing, making magic work. That you just needed time and the right trigger.”
Cam snorted. “I don’t know about that. I think he started making things up at the end when we both realized it wasn’t going to work for me.”
“Are you sure?” She tilted her head. “Your father didn’t seem like the kind of man to tell tales.”
“Maybe not.” He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter now. Without him, I can’t learn anything
new. And I barely know anything to start with.”
“I’m sorry, Cam,” she said with a sigh.
He nodded once and looked down at her legs. He put his hand on her thigh and met her gaze, his head tilted to one side. “I’m sorry too,” he said. “I know this has been hard for you.”
She looked away, but she didn’t pull back. “It’s been hard on everyone.”
“True. But it’s okay if you’re having a hard time. We just left our entire world behind us.”
“At least I have my family,” she said.
He nodded. “How are they holding up?”
“They’re okay.” She shrugged. “Mother’s worried. Father’s on watch right now. They’re doting on me a little too hard at the moment, but I guess I can’t blame them.”
Cam smiled to himself. “Remember when they caught us swimming two summers back?”
She snorted. “You were trying to dive off a tree branch. My father shouted your name, you slipped, and you fell straight on your stomach. Oh, my gods, you were bright red for hours after that.”
Cam laughed and nodded. “Hurt like hell. Worse than getting a beating in the training yard.”
“My father hated you for a little while after that. Thought you were taking my purity.”
“Unfortunately for you, I was just showing off my diving skills.”
“I remain impressed to this day.”
Cam stretched and smiled. “Your mom always liked me, though.”
“True. But I don’t know why.”
He shook his head. “I think she wants you to marry me.”
She snorted and pushed against him with her shoulder. “Of course she does.”
“I’m a catch, after all.”
“No, you’re just one of ten eligible men, and she doesn’t care which one I take, so long as I get married.”
Cam laughed and leaned against her. “Okay, fair enough. Although that doesn’t make me feel great.” They drifted into a comfortable silence for a long moment. “Listen, if you want to talk about what’s bothering you—”
Key cut him off by shaking her head. “No, thanks.”