Dragonlord of the Savage Empire se-2

by Jean Lorrah

  Lenardo removed his attention, letting Torio and Julia Read what he had seen. “Now what do we do? We can’t fight the whole garrison.”

  “We’ll have to go back to that place where we came through the wall,” said Julia.

  Lenardo turned his attention there, only to find a troop of soldiers headed in that direction to block them. Why did I have to show that to Portia?

  “Then it must be Adigia,” said Torio. “All three Readers there know me, and the relays are not reporting my name.” Lenardo realized that that was true and wondered whether Master Clement had anything to do with the omission. Torio continued, “When we get close enough, I’ll make contact and try to bluff our way through.” “How?” asked Julia.

  “I don’t know,” Torio replied in frustration. “Be quiet and let me think.”

  They were fortunate to be able to steal horses from a pasture just after dawn, although it delayed them while they changed the saddles to the new horses. Then they drank at a stream and rode on while they ate bread and cheese, knowing that they were riding straight into ambush but not knowing what to do about it.

  Lenardo Read over the obstacle ahead, to Zendi, and his heart sank. Aradia had managed to get back there, but the city was under siege. Aradia and Wulfston were atop the Northgate tower, with a young boy whom Lenardo did not recognize but who was unReadable and thus apparently Adept. All three were peering into the melee of fighting outside the walls, obviously trying to figure out where to direct their powers. Aradia made no attempt to Read, and so Lenardo could not contact her, could not tell her that the group of Adepts she sought was circling to the east and that Galen was directing them to join forces to throw all their blows at the top of the tower.

  Quickly, Lenardo superimposed over the true picture Galen was Reading his own version, in which Wulfston shouted, “They’re going to spot us soon. Let’s get down from here!”

  “Keep moving,” his phantom Aradia agreed, and started for the tower stair. As Lenardo carefully Read the strange boy, who seemed vaguely familiar, he noticed the symbol of the blue lion woven into his tunic. Was this Lilith’s son? And where was Lilith?

  He had no time to ponder, for he was too busy making Galen think his quarry on the move, making the Adepts cast their thunderbolts futilely into the street near the Northgate tower. As the strikes made a pattern in the street below them, the real Aradia and Wulfston turned to look in surprise and then stared at each other.

  “Lenardo?” Aradia said in disbelief, and opened to Reading-very weakly. She had been using her Adept powers, weakening her body and thus impairing her Reading ability. It took all of Lenardo’s strength to contact her. //Get off the tower and keep moving. Galen is close enough to pinpoint you. I’m on my way, but it will be hours yet. Stay alive, Aradia. I’m coming!//

  Then he projected exactly where Galen and the circle of Adepts were. But even as Aradia was telling Wulfston and the boy, it was too late. Galen could not help but Read everything Lenardo projected strongly enough for Aradia. “Master Lenardo!” Torio tugged at the bridle of his horse, bringing him back to the fields they were riding through. “We’re not going to be able to help them if we don’t get out of the empire,” the boy said, and Lenardo realized that when he had begun to project strongly, Torio could not help Reading it, either.

  Julia, though, was not Reading. She was struggling to stay awake and in her saddle, which was not suited to a child of her size.

  “Come here, Daughter,” said Lenardo, and lifted her onto his horse before him. “There, now, sleep while you can. We’ll need your help later.”

  With Torio he Read all around them, but it seemed that the attempts at ambush along the way had stopped. They were assumed to be trying to leave the empire, and all exits were blocked by empire troops. Lenardo Read that even far to the west, at the seaports, armed guards were watching the gangplank of every vessel.

  But for the time being they rode swiftly, with Julia so tired that she slept despite the rough ride. And then they were within Torio’s range of Adigia.

  By this time, Secundus was on duty with the soldiers. “That’s good,” said Torio. “He thinks I’m still a little kid with skinned knees. He’d never dream I’m one of the fugitives the army is after.” //Secundus,// Torio projected. //Torio. What are you doing in the relay, son?// //I’m not. I’m on my way to Adigia. Master Clement sent me.// Truth, so far as it went. //Why?//

  //Because Master Lenardo was a friend of mine. Portia wants him alive. Perhaps I can persuade him to give himself up.//

  A sad sigh. //Aye, son, I hope you can. Lenardo a traitor. I never understood it, from his day of exile.// //You haven’t located him?// Torio asked. //No, not yet. Come join me on the tower, Torio. You’re a better Reader than I am. Perhaps you can help find him.//

  //I’ll be there in a few minutes.// Torio stopped Reading and said to Lenardo, “So your name came through the relays, but not mine. I’ll ride on ahead and join Secundus on the tower. Somehow I’ll have the gates open by the time you get there.” “Torio.”

  The young Reader turned his face toward Lenardo but could not “look” at him because he was not Reading. “I know,” he said. “I’ll be careful. Use that trick you have of Reading without being Read, and choose the right moment.”

  “I will.”

  Then Torio rode on, Reading only ahead of him, not behind. He rode openly through the streets of the city, greeted by everyone who saw him. Lenardo Read no suspicion. Everyone knew that something was afoot, and so the arrival of a better Reader than their three regulars was no surprise.

  Alerted by Secundus, the tower guards were waiting to take Torio’s horse and let him mount the tower, where he had access to the pulley system that drew up the immense bar holding the well-fortified gates in place. But there were two guards in the gate tower and others on the walls nearby who could turn and cast spears or shoot arrows at the tower. Torio had not chosen an easy task.

  To Lenardo’s surprise, Torio greeted Secundus with a hug, but then he realized that the boy dared act no differently now from any other time when he might meet an old friend after several months’ separation.

  Then Secundus was asking, “Who is with Lenardo, Torio? We were told another Reader has turned traitor and they’ve stolen a child.”

  “I don’t know. Another Reader and a child was all I was told, too.”

  Even though Torio was a better Reader than Secundus, the older man had known Torio since he entered the Academy. Lenardo doubted that the boy could lie to him for long. He was approaching the outskirts of Adigia now, with Julia still sleeping in his arms. He sat her up, but she merely gave a murmur of annoyance and tried to snuggle back into his arms.

  “Julia, you must wake up,” he told her, and touched her on the forehead, between the eyes, the way one woke an Adept. It was the way people accustomed to Adepts also woke Lenardo, and it always brought him wide awake at once. It worked with Julia, too.

  “Where are we?” she asked. “Where’s Torio?” “On the tower. He’s going to try to open the gates for us. Julia, I want you to ride into Adigia alone.” ” But Father-” “Hush! They’re looking for two Readers and a child, together. Torio’s already fooled them. Now you ride on ahead of me. Don’t Read. I’ll be Reading you. There are guards along the way, so try to ride close to a family group. Let the guards think you’re with them. Work your way to the gate tower. You can see it over the houses straight ahead.”

  “Yes, Father. But what about you?” “If I’m taken, you and Torio try to escape. If you want to come back to rescue me, don’t do it until you have Aradia and Wulfston to help you. The important thing right now is to get Readers to them in Zendi-if not all of us, then as many as we can. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, Father,” she said bleakly. She hugged him and then got on her own horse and rode ahead.

  Julia had no problem escaping the notice of the guards. She followed an old woman for a while and then seemed to be part of a family of peddlers. She wa
s well on her way to the gate tower by the time Lenardo entered town. He arranged his cloak to disguise his long, lean silhouette and recalled that the many people of Adigia who knew him had never seen him with a beard. He Read no recognition, although several guards scrutinized him as he passed. He rode boldly forward and Read Torio Reading him, carefully keeping it a visual Reading without recognition, waiting for the moment when Lenardo and Julia would be near the gates.

  “There he is,” Torio shouted. “It’s Lenardo!” In a moment’s shock at Torio’s betrayal, Lenardo almost did not react when the guards at the gate began running at him. Then Torio grabbed one of the guards on the tower crying, “Go get him!” and shoving him down the tower stairs-as if by accident in his excitement causing the man to fall but in reality very deliberately tripping him.

  That guard screamed in pain as his leg twisted under him and broke. His fellow started down the stairs to his aid, and Torio leaped to the mechanism to raise the bar from the gates.

  “Torio, what are you doing?” cried Secundus, and that brought the second guard back to the top of the tower, sword in hand. Torio turned, drawing his weapon, and closed with the guard as Secundus retreated in shock.

  In broad daylight, Torio took advantage of his disconcerting blind eyes. He had learned years ago to appear to be “looking” at a person he was conversing with, but when he fought, he let his sightless eyes drift where they would, causing confusion in anyone used to seeking advantage by looking into an opponent’s face. Torio’s skill with a sword was well beyond Lenardo’s. He outclassed the guardsman easily.

  Meanwhile, Lenardo fought with the guards below in the narrow gateway, Julia beside him, both knowing that time was against them as more guards came running in the direction of the struggle. They would be surrounded and taken if Torio didn’t get those gates open…

  Torio backed his opponent against the tower railing. With sword at his throat, he pushed the guard over. Secundus, unarmed, nonetheless lunged at Torio, who cried, “Let me go, Secundus. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You’re a traitor,” the man cried, trying to grasp Torio’s sword arm.

  Between a gasp and a sob, Torio said, “Not by my choice. You don’t understand what is happening. I’m sorry.” He swung his arm high, bringing the sword hilt down on Secundus’s head, knocking him unconscious.

  Now Torio turned back to the pulleys, straining to turn the wheel meant to be turned by two men. As the bar creaked and began to rise slowly from its brackets, the guards on the walls, who had been looking into the melee by the gate and trying to decide where to shoot, suddenly realized that someone on the tower was raising the bar. A shower of arrows rained about Torio. Miraculously, none hit home. He ducked down and tried to turn the wheel from there, but he lacked leverage. Reading the archers, he stood, drawing their fire, and then he ducked. While they drew new arrows from their quivers, he gave the wheel one more turn. The bar hung free above its brackets. By their own weight, the massive gates creaked outward a handspan. Lenardo and Julia spurred their horses, surging toward the guards to drive them against the gates, shoving.

  The mighty bar was now dangling by its ropes just over the guards’ heads.

  Torio climbed out atop the gate, shielded behind the pulley mechanism from the rain pf arrows, and with a swift swing of his sword-cut through the ropes. The bar fell on the guardsmen, and those it didn’t hit were knocked over like toy soldiers by those it did. The gates swung wide open. Torio clung giddily to his perch as Lenardo and Julia struggled over bar and bodies. Lenardo swerved to ride directly under Torio, shouting, “Jump!”

  The boy did, landing behind Lenardo on his horse, clutching for a hold, finding it. And then they were riding madly for safety as spears and arrows filled the air about them.

  A shattering burst of pain, a single scream, and then Torio’s dead weight slumped forward against Lenardo, an arrow through his body.

  Chapter Eight

  Lenardo dared not stop. Behind them, the guards left alive and uninjured were gathering for pursuit on horseback. Torio had fainted from the pain, but he was alive.

  The arrow had gone through the boy’s left shoulder, narrowly missing the top of his lung. Still he might bleed to death or fall off the horse before they could ride beyond pursuit. Lenardo clutched at Torio’s arms, aggravating the wound but keeping the boy in place as he spurred the horse forward. Now they were out of range of the bowmen on the walls, but mounted guards were pouring through the gateway. Did I bring him with me only to have him die?

  The brief stretch of smooth road meant that Lenardo could hold the horse steady while he tried to waken Torio. //Keep going,// he told Julia, who had slowed to the pace of the doubly burdened horse. //Ride ahead. Get help.//

  The child did as she was told, fumbling in her saddlebag for something. Lenardo had no time to concentrate on her. The guards were gaining. There were woods ahead; they could try to hide, but with more than thirty men, the guards could spread out and comb the woods easily. Lenardo could never hang on to Torio during a ride over such rough terrain, and so he rode determinedly straight ahead, glad to come to the rutted, uneven part of the road, where his Reading could guide the horse to sure footing while the guards had to go by whatever they could see. The uneven pace, though, jarred Torio, increasing the damage the arrow was doing. Pain brought Torio semiconscious, and he clung to Lenardo with what strength he had.

  //We’ll get help for you soon,// Lenardo assured him, although he could not imagine where.

  Desperately, he Read ahead and to his astonishment found rescue on the way. Men were running along the road toward him, some armed with bows and arrows, a few with swords, but most with pitchforks, clubs, knives, or other sharp implements lashed to tool handles-whatever they could find to defend their land. And their Lord.

  For they bore Lenardo’s ensign, the red dragon on the field of white. The pennants and ribbons given out at the festival had become the banners under which his people marched. They fluttered from poles, were glued to shields, and decorated the shoulders of troop commanders.

  Directing the enthusiastic throng was Julia, wearing on her brow the golden fillet that marked her as the daughter of the Lord of the Land. “My lord!” They gave a great shout as they saw Lenardo. He raised his hand in greeting, consummately aware of the brand on his arm, seeing them look at it in awe. Then they rushed past him, at the oncoming Aventine guard. The guard might be mounted and better armed, but they were outnumbered three to one by men fighting to protect a lord they loved and were willing to die for.

  I don’t deserve such loyalty, Lenardo thought as the emotions of his people swept over him. Then Torio was saying in awe, “I have never Read anything like that, not even when the Emperor passes,” and Lenardo realized that it was safe to stop now, draw the arrow, and treat the boy’s injury. If only Sandor were here.

  As he drew to a halt, several people approached to help ease Torio down from the horse. A motherly woman said, “My lord, I have healing powers.”

  “Thank the gods,” Lenardo exclaimed. “This is Torio, a Reader. We need his help.”

  “Yes, my lord.” She knelt beside Torio, who was being supported by two men, and frowned as she looked into his milky eyes. “You are blind?” “It doesn’t matter. I’m a Reader.” “Oh. Then can you Read your wound for me?” she asked as she placed a gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder.

  Lenardo Read Torio’s astonishment as his pain disappeared. The “sorcery” was merely stopping the sensation through the nerves. Lenardo now knew it to be a simple and basic technique, but recalled that the first time it had been done to him he had been as awestruck as Torio.

  The boy adjusted quickly and began explaining the injuries the arrow had created.

  “It is good you didn’t have to ride farther,” the healer said. “You haven’t lost enough blood to weaken you seriously, so the rest can be healed to prevent further damage until you can sleep and heal completely.”

  “Just do
as… what is your name?” Lenardo asked the healer.

  “Fila, my lord.”

  “Do as Fila says, Torio. Fila, you have my gratitude and will have more than that after we have driven our enemies from the land,” he promised her, and turned his attention to the battle down the road. Three of Lenardo’s men were dead, but so were seven of the Aventine guard, and the rest were retreating, sure now that they had lost their quarry.

  Julia had ridden to watch the rout, and now she came back, laughing in glee. “They’re running away. They’re scared of us now, Father.” Then she dismounted. “How’s

  Torio?”

  “He’ll be fine. You did well again, Daughter.”

  “Should we ride ahead?” Julia asked.

  Although he was itching to ride on, Lenardo told her, “Sit do,wn and rest until we know whether Torio can travel.” Torio’s injury reminded him of how quickly a single Reader could be put out of action. If possible, he wanted both of them to guide the Adepts in Zendi.

  Torio had all the Reading ability necessary to guide Fila, and so Lenardo sat down on the grass and Read to Zendi. Battle still raged, but the Adepts’ part was over for the moment. They had worn themselves out. It was a typical pattern. Savages began with a battle of Adepts, but after they had used up their strength, their armies continued to fight. Hron and two of his cohorts were now deep in recovery sleep; the fourth Adept was tired but awake, ready to answer any further attack.

  There would be no immediate attack from Zendi, however. In Lenardo’s house, Wulfston slept the sleep of exhaustion, as did Arkus and Josa, who must have been working with him. Searching for Aradia, he Read the infirmary, where Sandor and his aides were working as quickly as they could, but still some of the wounded died before they received attention. Here he discovered Lilith, so deeply asleep that for a moment he thought her dead. She had been placed in one of the family’s rooms, where she lay healing of crushed limbs. It seemed the attacking Adepts must have succeeded in one of their favorite tricks of dropping something-perhaps a building-on her. She was alive and would be well, but she would not wake until the battle was over, unless it went on for several more days.