“Yeah, right,” Strout snorted.
“What does that mean?” Lukas asked.
“You really think we’re helping Fen?”
“You don’t?”
“Uh, no. I know we aren’t. We were nothing more than dead weight last night. We didn’t do anything. It would have been better if we weren’t there at all.”
“How can you say that?” Lukas asked.
“Because I was there.” Strout pointed at Noah. “You nearly got yourself killed. To save you, Fen nearly got himself killed.”
“That was only because—”
“Because there’s nothing we can do to help Fen in this fight.”
“That’s brutal,” Cowley said, “even for you.”
“Not as brutal as getting killed,” Strout said. “And that’s what’s going to happen, sooner or later. The Ichthalids are too powerful. There’s nothing we can do against them.”
“You’re saying we shouldn’t go out with Fen again?” Gage asked.
“That’s what I’m saying.”
“No way,” Noah said. “We’re Wolfpack squad. We stick together. Fen needs us to watch his back.”
“No. Fen needs us out of the way, so he can concentrate on what he needs to do, rather than babysitting us.”
“No one babysits me,” Noah said angrily.
“Really? What would you call it then?”
“It’s not babysitting.”
“We filled that creature with crossbow bolts, and he shrugged them off. What else do you think we can do, except get ourselves killed and maybe Fen at the same time?”
“There has to be something we can do,” Cowley said. “We can’t just abandon him.”
“We’re not abandoning him. What we’re doing is not bogging him down anymore.”
“I don’t like it,” Cowley said.
“But you know I’m right.”
Cowley hated when Strout got this way, hardheaded and practical. What he hated most though, was that Strout was right. There was nothing they could do against the Devourers. He knew it. Everyone knew it. They’d avoided talking about it all night, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t true.
“We can still provide support,” Lukas said. “Information. Supplies.”
“See? That’s why he’s the corporal,” Strout said. “Because he uses his head once in a while for something other than a place to hang his helmet.”
“When we meet with Fen tonight we’ll talk about it,” Lukas said.
He didn’t sound happy about it, and Cowley didn’t blame him. He didn’t feel happy about it either. The war had barely begun, and already they were pulling out to let Fen fight alone. Strout could reason all he wanted to, but it still felt like they were abandoning their friend.
“Let’s get some food and some rest,” Gage said. “Like Flint always said, things look better after grub and shut eye. Maybe we’ll think of something else we can try. There has to be something. We’re just too tired to think of it.”
Soon they arrived at the gates of the castle. Other foot-weary squads were filtering in as well, and they had to wait in line. At first Cowley didn’t pay much attention to what was going on. He was tired and only wanted to get to the barracks. When he got up close, though, he saw the reason it was taking so long was because the guards were checking names against a list.
Suddenly, Cowley was suspicious. Were the guards looking for them? He looked around. None of his squad mates had noticed yet. Noah and Gage were arguing about something. Strout was picking at his fingernails. The others looked half asleep. What should he do? If he shouted an alarm, the squad could still flee.
But what if he was mistaken? Then he’d only be giving them away.
Cowley decided he was being paranoid. The guards were only checking for deserters. There’d been quite a few of them so far. The best thing to do was to act as if everything was normal.
He gave his name to the guard, who checked him off the list, and motioned him through. Cowley, waiting inside the gates for the others, saw the guard who’d taken his name nod at a messenger boy waiting off to one side. The boy took off at a run. Instantly, he knew he’d made a mistake.
The last of his squad had been checked off and allowed to enter. As they started walking toward the barracks, Cowley said in a low voice, “They’re coming for us.”
“Why do you say that?” Lukas asked, looking around.
“Because I saw a messenger running for the palace. We don’t have time to talk about it right now. Stay cool. We’ll act like we didn’t notice and head for the north gate. We might still get out that way.”
They hadn’t gone far when they heard the sound of running feet and shouted orders.
“Run!”
They drew their weapons and started running. They hadn’t gone far when a squad of soldiers appeared from behind a building, weapons drawn, and blocked their path.
“This way!” Cowley shouted, veering off to take a different route.
More soldiers appeared, blocking off that route as well. Dozens of soldiers came running up behind them. They were surrounded. They clustered together in a circle facing outwards, swords up.
The ranks parted, and Rouk stepped through, Ely at his side. He had a dark smile on his face. “Surrender,” Rouk said. “You’ve got no chance.” He gestured, and a number of the soldiers surrounding them raised loaded crossbows.
“Lower your weapons,” Lukas said to the squad.
“Just like that we’re giving up?” Noah hissed.
“Just like that,” Strout said, tossing his sword down. One by one the rest did as well. Noah was last, and for a moment Cowley thought he would refuse, that he would go down fighting.
“Go ahead,” Rouk said. “I’m supposed to take you alive, but I don’t believe that means I need all of you alive.”
Scowling, Noah threw his sword down as well.
“Bind them,” Rouk said. Soldiers hurried forward carrying manacles.
“What’s this about, Captain Rouk?” Noah asked. “Did someone steal bread from the mess hall again?” Lukas hissed at him to be quiet, but Noah ignored him.
“It’s not captain anymore,” Rouk said, tapping the badge on his chest. “It’s general.”
Noah made of show of peering at the man as a soldier pulled his hands behind his back and began putting on the manacles. “So it is. You bent over pretty fast for the invaders, didn’t you?”
Rouk’s face darkened. “Captain Ely, strike that man.”
“Yes, sir.” Ely stepped forward, rolling up his sleeves.
“They made you a captain?” Noah said with a laugh. “What’s next? Will they make a donkey king?” He made a braying noise. “A donkey would make a better king than you will a captain, that’s for sure.”
Ely doubled up his fist and hit Noah in the stomach. The air whooshed out of him, and Noah bent over, fighting to draw breath.
“You’re a damn idiot,” Strout said.
“Not bad,” Noah managed to gasp out. “I’ve had little girls hit me harder, but not bad.”
Ely struck him in the face twice, the second time in the nose. Cowley heard a crack and was pretty sure the man had broken Noah’s nose.
“Just shut the hell up,” Cowley said to Noah. “You want him to kill you?”
Noah ignored him, spitting out blood. “Better. Still weak, but better.”
Ely drew back for another punch, but Rouk stopped him with a gesture. “There will be time enough for that in lock up.” To the soldiers he said, “Bring them.”
“Hold on,” Lukas said, and there was enough authority in his voice that the soldiers paused briefly in act of taking hold of them. “Under the laws of Samkara and the military code of justice, we are entitled to know why we are being arrested.”
Slowly Rouk swung back around and fixed a cold look on Lukas. Cowley wondered what Rouk would say. He couldn’t charge them with aiding Fen. Not when Fen was officially dead. For sure his masters didn’t want that getting out.
“Stop,” Lukas snapped at the soldier who was trying to take his arm. “You know as well as I do that the law states our charges are to be read when we are arrested. The Fist implemented that rule early on, to stop people being hauled away and locked up for no reason.” He glared at Rouk. “Are you saying, General, that you have the power to supersede the law?”
Cowley had to hand it to him. Lukas was pulling it off. It wouldn’t stop the inevitable, of course, but it would start the soldiers thinking. Men who thought didn’t follow orders blindly.
Rouk walked over and stood in front of Lukas. “Fine. You want to know the charges? You’re being arrested for attempting to burn the ships and for murdering those guarding the ships.” He stuck his face in close to Lukas’. “Is that good enough for you?”
“Not really,” Lukas replied steadily. “But we’ll see at the trial. You have no witnesses who can say we were there.”
“Yes, he does,” Ely put in. “I saw you.”
“Like you saw Fen attack the sorcerers?” Noah said sarcastically.
“I’m everywhere,” Ely said, giving Noah an open-handed slap on the ear.
Noah gave him a murderous look. “You’re going to be sorry for that.”
“I already am. Sorry I didn’t hit you harder. Why are you still talking?” He smacked Noah again.
“Captain!” Rouk said sharply. “Bring the prisoners.” He turned on his heel and strode away.
The soldiers closed in around the squad and herded them after Rouk.
“I really hate that guy,” Noah said. “Once we get out of this, I’m going to gut him like a pig.”
“Shut up already,” Strout said. “You’re making me want to hit you too.”
“I know most of you are still loyal soldiers of Samkara,” Cowley said, speaking quietly enough that Rouk and Ely couldn’t hear. “Maybe all of you. I hope it’s all. You need to know that today it’s us, but tomorrow it might be you. Think on that. Our only chance is to stand together.”
“Ain’t no chance at all,” one of the soldiers muttered. He was an older man, his hair turned mostly gray. Cowley had played dice with him one night. “You’ve seen what the alien bastards can do, same as I have.”
“There is a chance,” Cowley said, “because Fen is still alive.”
“How do you know that?” the soldier replied.
Cowley could feel the other soldiers around listening in. “Because we’ve seen him. That’s why we’re being arrested. They’re going to torture us to tell them where he is.”
“Fen’s alive?” one of the other soldiers said softly.
“Any of you hear about those buildings that collapsed last night?”
“I did,” a soldier said. “I heard one of them melted.” There was awe in his voice.
“Who else could do that?” Cowley asked.
“Captain Ely said it was the Ichthalids.”
“That’s a lie. It was Fen. He nearly killed one of them last night. Next time he will. He’s going to kill all of them. He’s going to take our city back.” At his words, the soldiers began to mutter amongst themselves.
“No talking to the prisoners!” Ely yelled. The mutterings of the soldiers died out.
They were passing the mess hall now. Soldiers were outside it, waiting in line. Others were approaching.
“They’re trying to silence us because Fen is still alive!” Cowley called out, loud enough for all of them to hear. “They’re going to try and force us to tell them where he is, but it won’t work.” He saw Ely coming, his face dark, and yelled, “Fen lives!” He managed to turn enough that Ely’s punch didn’t catch him square, but it still hurt plenty.
“Shut up,” Ely said. “Or I’ll knock you out, and they can carry you to your cell.”
“I’m done,” Cowley said. “I said what I needed to say.”
“You’ll say a lot more before you’re really done. I promise you that.” Ely’s smile was ugly.
They continued on. Cowley realized they weren’t heading for the stockade where prisoners were normally held. There was one other place Rouk could be taking them. Cowley hoped he was wrong, but he had a sick feeling he wasn’t.
“I think you missed a turn,” Cowley called up to the two officers.
“Nope,” Ely said over his shoulder. “Got somewhere better for you.”
As they swung around to the back of the palace, Cowley knew he hadn’t been wrong.
They were being taken to the dungeon.
It hadn’t been used in years, not in Cowley’s lifetime anyway. The late king preferred his enemies be tortured at the prison, where he wouldn’t have to hear the screams or smell the blood. And the Fist didn’t torture people. He’d outlawed it.
Cowley’s blood ran cold. When he was a child, he and the other children used to scare each other with stories about the dungeon. He’d never been in there. Nor did he know anyone who had. But that only made the stories that much more frightening. That much more fun. They’d speculated endlessly about what was in there.
Now he was going to get to find out firsthand.
He looked around at his mates. Gage had a sickly look on his face. Lukas’ jaw was set, but it was trembling. Strout looked angry. Noah looked like he was about to make a break for it. The brothers’ expressions were unreadable.
Stone steps were set into the earth, leading down. At the bottom of the steps was an iron door. Ely swung it open with a flourish, bowing to the prisoners. The door opened silently. Someone had been preparing for this.
Rouk passed through the doorway, Ely on his heels. Six soldiers in front of the prisoners, six behind. The rest went back to their duties. As Cowley stepped through the doorway, the first thing he noticed was the smell, mingled odors of cold earth, rusted metal, and blood.
The door slammed shut behind them. The sconces lining the passageway were already lit. The walls were rough-cut stone. The ceiling was low, and Strout had to duck to avoid hitting his head. Huge spiderwebs clung to the corners. A rat stared at them malevolently before scurrying through a crack in the wall.
The passageway led downward. On each side appeared iron doors with tiny, barred windows. Water seeped down the nitre-encrusted walls. The smell of blood and pain grew stronger, and under it was an odor of rot and feces.
Cowley expected them to be locked away in the cells and was surprised when Rouk did not slow but led them to the end of the passageway, where stone stairs led down. At the bottom of the stairs was another door. Ely opened it and swung it wide.
Lanterns were burning in the large room beyond, revealing a room filled with things that turned Cowley’s guts to water.
There was a small forge in the middle of the room, a fire burning in it. Metal rods rested in the flames, their ends glowing red hot. There were two tables covered in thick, leather straps. Metal cages hung from the ceiling on heavy chains. One whole wall was covered in implements of torture, hanging on metal hooks driven into the stone. Another wall had chains attached to it. In one corner was a rack. A man was bent over it, dripping oil onto the mechanism. He looked up, startled, as they came in.
“Is it ready?” Rouk asked him.
“Still binding a bit, but it’ll turn now,” the man said.
“Leave.” The man scurried out, giving the squad a wide-eyed look as he passed.
Cowley envied him, envied him more than any man alive. He wasn’t sure how well he would hold up under torture. He was glad he didn’t know where Fen was hiding out. For all he knew he would break right away. At least this way he couldn’t betray his friend. In the ballads and the plays the hero was always brave under torture. Usually he had something bold and defiant to say to the villain too. For sure the hero never screamed.
Cowley thought it likely that he was the screaming type. He could hardly bear to even look at the implements of torture in the room. Since he’d begun his soldier training, he’d been hurt plenty of times,
and several times fairly seriously. Pain didn’t bother him that much, at least no more than anyone else in the squad. He could suffer quite a lot and continue to function.
But it was one thing to take a sudden injury in the midst of a fight and find a way to overcome it and keep going. It was quite another to know it was coming, that there was no way to stop it, and that it would keep on coming.
“Chain them over there,” Rouk said, pointing to the chains on the wall. The soldiers hauled them over there and began chaining them. When they were done, Rouk dismissed them. Only Ely remained behind.
“When I came in here yesterday,” Rouk said, clasping his hands behind his back and walking down the line of them, “I was happy to see that there were exactly seven sets of chains here. It was as if whoever put them here knew that someday you would all be imprisoned down here. See, I knew you were helping Fen. I knew it all along. I was just waiting for the orders to come down. Imagine my happiness when they finally did this morning. I’m going to enjoy breaking you. You’re the Fist’s pet soldiers, his golden boys. You got the best of everything, and it made you think you could do whatever you wanted, that the normal rules didn’t apply to you. But I knew there would come a day when you’d go too far. I promised myself that when it did, I’d be there.” He reached the end of the line and turned on his heel. “It looks like that day is today, doesn’t it?”
“Is this the torture?” Noah said. “You talking? Because if it is, I want to confess right now. This is worse than anything I ever imagined.”
Rouk walked over to him and looked him up and down. “Good. You still have some spunk left. It will be fun ripping it out of you.”
“The fun part will be when I drive my sword through your face,” Noah said.
“You’re like one of those little dogs that never stops yapping, all fierce and bold. At least, until someone kicks its ribs in. Then it’s just another broken little dog. I’m going to break you. I promise you that.”
Noah spit on him. Rouk wiped it off. “How predictable. What did you think that would accomplish, little man?”
“I was hoping you’d get mad and come close enough that I could break your teeth with a head butt.”
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