by Ian Irvine
Tobry sidestepped her, took her right hand in his and released it at once. He had not forgiven her for using her healing blood on him. She, in turn, had felt her love die when he had attacked her as a caitsthe. Tobry would always be a friend but there could be no more.
“Not when he hears my plan,” said Tobry, answering her previous question.
“What plan? What’s going on?”
Tobry and Holm exchanged glances.
“Can’t talk about it yet,” said Tobry.
“Why did you come back? What if there’s another mutiny?”
“Don’t be silly,” said Holm. “All the plotters are dead.”
“Besides,” said Tobry, “the chancellor has two hundred guards and servants, and if there’s anyone who knows how to control a fortress, he does. If there was one whisper of a plot his spies would tell him about it, and the plotters’ bodies would be dangling from the battle tower within the hour.”
Tali felt foolish for having asked. “Well, there’s still a price on your head – both your heads.”
“I really think you should tell her,” Holm murmured. “Tali has a right to know.”
“If it involves you,” said Tali, hands on her hips, “I damn well do.”
“I can’t,” said Tobry.
“Is it dangerous?”
Again that exchange of glances.
“There are certain risks,” said Tobry.
“Certain risks! You sound like one of the chancellor’s war advisors. This is me you’re talking to. The woman who —” She couldn’t say it; it wasn’t true any more.
“Loved you?” Holm said helpfully.
“Who asked you to interfere?” she snapped. “Go away.”
Holm spread his hands as if to say, I did my best. He gave Tobry another of those enigmatic looks and continued along the wall.
“What kind of risks?” said Tali.
“I can’t talk about it yet. Sorry.”
“Not as sorry as you’re going to be.”
“Why?” he said wryly. “Are you going to cut me open again?”
“I wouldn’t waste my healing blood on you! Now clear out. I’ve got important things to think about. Things that matter.”
“Don’t be like that,” said Tobry. “I’ve had a hard time of it on the run.”
“And I haven’t?” said Tali, not disposed to forgive him that easily. “The chancellor could decide to hack the pearl out any day now. Lyf is also after me, and back at Glimmering I revealed myself to Grandys —”
His tanned face went white. “You did what?”
She related the incident. Tobry gripped her by the shoulders. “This is bad, bad. I wish you hadn’t done that.”
“And then there’s Rix.”
“What’s happened to him? I assumed he’d be here.”
“But… how could you not know?”
“Know what?”
“Grandys used a command spell at Glimmering and ordered Rix follow him. Surely you knew that?”
No – Tobry had dived off the cliff to escape, before Grandys took Rix. And Holm hadn’t been there either – he had been keeping out of sight of the chancellor.
“Holm heard that the chancellor had put a price on our heads,” said Tobry, “but we haven’t heard any other news. What’s going on?”
“Grandys has brought back the other four Heroes, and he’s like a ravening wolf. He killed the lord of Swire, formed an army of villagers then took Castle Rebroff in a couple of hours and put everyone to the sword. He’s called —”
“He captured Castle Rebroff with an army of villagers?” said Tobry. “But… it’s supposed to be impregnable.” He stared over the wall, shivering. “This is bad.”
“Grandys has put out a call for every Herovian in the land to rise in rebellion and flock to his banner,” said Tali. “And according to the chancellor’s spies, thousands have come out of hiding already, bearing their ancient house arms.”
“Martial training is part of Herovian culture, for both girls and boys, from the time they can walk. They’re formidable fighters.”
“The chancellor sent envoys to Grandys. He sent their severed heads back in a bag. What does he want, Tobry?”
“What the Herovians ever wanted. Their Promised Realm, all to themselves.”
“They’re greatly outnumbered by Hightspallers, and Cythonians,” said Tali.
“Maybe Grandys believes a Herovian uprising can destroy both enemies,” said Tobry. “And take the prize for himself.”
“You’re shivering. Here, take my coat.”
“It would hardly fit. I’m all right. I’ve suffered worse. Let’s walk.”
She went to slip her arm through his, then remembered that they didn’t do that any more. They turned the corner and headed down the high wall that ran along the escarpment.
“Grandys built this place for his daughter,” said Tali. “He must have known it well, and maybe it’s important to him, too. Do you think he’ll come here?”
“Yes. Sooner or later.”
“If Lyf’s best general couldn’t defend Castle Rebroff, how can we defend Garramide?”
“Maybe we can’t.”
She looked down the escarpment, at the snow on the leaves of the forest trees. From this angle she could see nothing but forest and mountains. There was not a sign that humanity existed.
Tali wished they’d all go away and take their stupid fights with them. Damn the Herovians, and damn the Five Heroes. They had cheated and lied to start the first war, and two thousand years later innocent people were still dying. It had to be stopped.
“I’ve been thinking about Grandys and Maloch,” she said. “I’m starting to think this business was set in motion a long time ago.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t think Maloch was ever Rix’s. Nor do I think it was ever protecting him.”
“I’ve heard it said that the sword contained an enchantment to protect Grandys, and his direct descendants.”
“But he had no descendants. He was sterile.”
“What are you getting at?”
“The enchantment was designed to protect one man, Grandys himself.”
“And from the moment Rix took up Maloch,” said Tobry, “it was leading him: to the Crag, to the wrythen, to Garramide, to the Abysm.”
“So what happens if he wins?”
“Hightspall is finished.”
“And what happens if Lyf wins?”
“Hightspall is finished. Which is why I’m going ahead with my plan.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m going to die, Tali, and it won’t be long.The shifter madness is creeping nearer; I can see it from the corner of my eye. I’m not going through what my grandfather suffered, and I’m not inflicting it on anyone else either.”
Before Tali could reply, a trio of guards advanced towards them along the wall from the left, and another pair appeared on the right.
“Then why did you come back?” said Tali.
CHAPTER 77
Tali rounded a corner of the fortress wall and stopped dead. Tobry and Holm were strolling along the wall, chatting as though they weren’t condemned traitors with a reward for their severed heads. She ran down to them, throwing her arms out to embrace Tobry, then froze.
“Tobry, Holm? What are you doing here? The chancellor will kill you.”
She had taken to walking along the top of the escarpment wall, because walking helped her to think. And she had much to think about; not least, what Lyf was up to. There had been no news of him since he fled Glimmering, which allowed her worries free rein. Three times she had tried to spy on him, and three times she had failed. Was he blocking her?
Tobry sidestepped her, took her right hand in his and released it at once. He had not forgiven her for using her healing blood on him. She, in turn, had felt her love die when he had attacked her as a caitsthe. Tobry would always be a friend but there could be no more.
“Not when he hears my plan,” sai
d Tobry, answering her previous question.
“What plan? What’s going on?”
Tobry and Holm exchanged glances.
“Can’t talk about it yet,” said Tobry.
“Why did you come back? What if there’s another mutiny?”
“Don’t be silly,” said Holm. “All the plotters are dead.”
“Besides,” said Tobry, “the chancellor has two hundred guards and servants, and if there’s anyone who knows how to control a fortress, he does. If there was one whisper of a plot his spies would tell him about it, and the plotters’ bodies would be dangling from the battle tower within the hour.”
Tali felt foolish for having asked. “Well, there’s still a price on your head – both your heads.”
“I really think you should tell her,” Holm murmured. “Tali has a right to know.”
“If it involves you,” said Tali, hands on her hips, “I damn well do.”
“I can’t,” said Tobry.
“Is it dangerous?”
Again that exchange of glances.
“There are certain risks,” said Tobry.
“Certain risks! You sound like one of the chancellor’s war advisors. This is me you’re talking to. The woman who —” She couldn’t say it; it wasn’t true any more.
“Loved you?” Holm said helpfully.
“Who asked you to interfere?” she snapped. “Go away.”
Holm spread his hands as if to say, I did my best. He gave Tobry another of those enigmatic looks and continued along the wall.
“What kind of risks?” said Tali.
“I can’t talk about it yet. Sorry.”
“Not as sorry as you’re going to be.”
“Why?” he said wryly. “Are you going to cut me open again?”
“I wouldn’t waste my healing blood on you! Now clear out. I’ve got important things to think about. Things that matter.”
“Don’t be like that,” said Tobry. “I’ve had a hard time of it on the run.”
“And I haven’t?” said Tali, not disposed to forgive him that easily. “The chancellor could decide to hack the pearl out any day now. Lyf is also after me, and back at Glimmering I revealed myself to Grandys —”
His tanned face went white. “You did what?”
She related the incident. Tobry gripped her by the shoulders. “This is bad, bad. I wish you hadn’t done that.”
“And then there’s Rix.”
“What’s happened to him? I assumed he’d be here.”
“But… how could you not know?”
“Know what?”
“Grandys used a command spell at Glimmering and ordered Rix follow him. Surely you knew that?”
No – Tobry had dived off the cliff to escape, before Grandys took Rix. And Holm hadn’t been there either – he had been keeping out of sight of the chancellor.
“Holm heard that the chancellor had put a price on our heads,” said Tobry, “but we haven’t heard any other news. What’s going on?”
“Grandys has brought back the other four Heroes, and he’s like a ravening wolf. He killed the lord of Swire, formed an army of villagers then took Castle Rebroff in a couple of hours and put everyone to the sword. He’s called —”
“He captured Castle Rebroff with an army of villagers?” said Tobry. “But… it’s supposed to be impregnable.” He stared over the wall, shivering. “This is bad.”
“Grandys has put out a call for every Herovian in the land to rise in rebellion and flock to his banner,” said Tali. “And according to the chancellor’s spies, thousands have come out of hiding already, bearing their ancient house arms.”
“Martial training is part of Herovian culture, for both girls and boys, from the time they can walk. They’re formidable fighters.”
“The chancellor sent envoys to Grandys. He sent their severed heads back in a bag. What does he want, Tobry?”
“What the Herovians ever wanted. Their Promised Realm, all to themselves.”
“They’re greatly outnumbered by Hightspallers, and Cythonians,” said Tali.
“Maybe Grandys believes a Herovian uprising can destroy both enemies,” said Tobry. “And take the prize for himself.”
“You’re shivering. Here, take my coat.”
“It would hardly fit. I’m all right. I’ve suffered worse. Let’s walk.”
She went to slip her arm through his, then remembered that they didn’t do that any more. They turned the corner and headed down the high wall that ran along the escarpment.
“Grandys built this place for his daughter,” said Tali. “He must have known it well, and maybe it’s important to him, too. Do you think he’ll come here?”
“Yes. Sooner or later.”
“If Lyf’s best general couldn’t defend Castle Rebroff, how can we defend Garramide?”
“Maybe we can’t.”
She looked down the escarpment, at the snow on the leaves of the forest trees. From this angle she could see nothing but forest and mountains. There was not a sign that humanity existed.
Tali wished they’d all go away and take their stupid fights with them. Damn the Herovians, and damn the Five Heroes. They had cheated and lied to start the first war, and two thousand years later innocent people were still dying. It had to be stopped.
“I’ve been thinking about Grandys and Maloch,” she said. “I’m starting to think this business was set in motion a long time ago.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t think Maloch was ever Rix’s. Nor do I think it was ever protecting him.”
“I’ve heard it said that the sword contained an enchantment to protect Grandys, and his direct descendants.”
“But he had no descendants. He was sterile.”
“What are you getting at?”
“The enchantment was designed to protect one man, Grandys himself.”
“And from the moment Rix took up Maloch,” said Tobry, “it was leading him: to the Crag, to the wrythen, to Garramide, to the Abysm.”
“So what happens if he wins?”
“Hightspall is finished.”
“And what happens if Lyf wins?”
“Hightspall is finished. Which is why I’m going ahead with my plan.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m going to die, Tali, and it won’t be long.The shifter madness is creeping nearer; I can see it from the corner of my eye. I’m not going through what my grandfather suffered, and I’m not inflicting it on anyone else either.”
Before Tali could reply, a trio of guards advanced towards them along the wall from the left, and another pair appeared on the right.
“Then why did you come back?” said Tali.
CHAPTER 78
“Ahh! That was glorious,” said Grandys after Castle Rebroff had been secured. “I love the smell of blood on the battlefield. It makes me feel so alive.”
Rix’s mood broke. He had fought beside the man like a barbarian of old, glorying in his own ability to face seasoned warriors, yet survive. He had felt the euphoria of fighting against impossible odds, of being part of a team that had pulled off an astonishing victory.
Now vomit rose up the back of his throat as he walked past the heaps of butchered men. Men like himself. Good, decent men, most of them, he felt sure. They were the enemy, but had they deserved to die this way?
Grandys was obsessed by winning, by proving himself the best, over and again, and war was just a game, one where his strength and magery gave him an unfair advantage. He did not care how many men died, on the enemy’s side or his own. The more bloodshed, the better he liked it, and his own men were just ciphers. All that mattered was that he prevail where no one else could have.
No, there had to be more to it. Grandys was here for a reason. What he really wanted was the Promised Realm – though how did he plan to set it up? There was only one way to find out; by spying on him.
Rix fought the spell and felt it slip a little, though it still bound him. Would it allow him to spy
on Grandys? Or would it lure him in, only to betray him?
“Hoy, you!” Grandys said to a tall young fellow from the town of Swire, a lad who could not have been more than sixteen. “I’ve got a job for you. Come in here.”
Grandys put an arm around the young man’s shoulders and led him into the Great Hall. Rix followed, curious to know what he was up to. He looked around the hall and lost his breath for a few seconds.
Though the enemy had only held Rebroff for a month, the hall had been beautifully decorated in the Cythonian manner, with paintings large and small, wall carvings, vases and sculpture, and simple but exquisitely carved tables and chairs. Their art was vital to them and Rix wanted to see more of it.
He turned, gazing in wonder at a wall sculpture in a niche, a leaning, weathered tree carved from stone. It was astonishing.
Crash! Crash!
Rix turned as Grandys thrust Maloch through a lovely painted vase. Two others like it lay shattered on the floor.
“What are you doing?” Rix cried.
“Disgusting, decadent rubbish,” said Grandys, smashing another vase, and another. He tore a tapestry off the wall, a woodland scene in scarlet, blue and gold that must have taken a team of weavers months. He threw it over a table and hacked it to pieces.
“Get a gang in here, lad,” said Grandys, “and destroy the lot. Take nothing; leave nothing; hide nothing. Understood?”
“Yes, Lord Grandys,” the boy whispered.
“You know what happens to people who disobey me, don’t you?”
“Yes, Lord.”
“Of course you do,” said Grandys, smiling menacingly. “Run! The Great Hall must be cleared before the feast, and that’s only two hours away.”
The boy ran. Rix went up to Grandys.
“Lord,” he said, though the title was bitter in his mouth, “these are priceless works of art.”
A thin smile stretched Grandys’ bloated lips. “You think so? You know about art?”
“Yes, I do. And I —”
The blow came out of nowhere, driving so hard into Rix’s belly that the air was expelled from his lungs. He hit the floor and lay there, gasping. In all his life he had never taken such a blow. It felt as though a stone pile-driver had been driven into him.