by Meg Caddy
Something slammed into my shoulder. I felt impact before I felt pain. I slumped against Lowell. He whirled around and dropped his sword in his attempts to support me. I tried to keep a grip on my own, but it slid from my useless hand. An arrow-shaft protruded from my shoulder. Pain found me then; I screamed against it. I heard a dull thud and Lowell fell away from me. A hand wrapped about my shirt. Hauled me up. I stared into a pair of blue eyes. Met the familiar face. As ever, he was spotless, immaculate, untouched by the chaos. His lips curled into a languid smile.
‘Why, Kaebha,’ Cooper said. My vision swam, and he slapped me across the face. ‘No, no,’ he said. ‘I want you awake for a little while longer.’ He showed all his teeth. ‘It is nice to see you again. Back where you belong. Our master has missed you so. He has hardly been the same since you left.’
‘Wolf.’ I craned. ‘Wolf.’
Alive. Hurt, but alive. He stared at me with dull, dazed eyes.
Cooper stuck a thumb in my wound. I screamed until my voice snapped. Then I kept screaming, but could make no sound of it.
‘Do I have your attention?’ Cooper sounded amused. ‘Not very polite of you, Kaebha.’
I struggled, but I was losing blood, and pain made me weak. Cooper flicked his eyes away from me. Bored. Disdainful. I followed his gaze. The people of the Ultimo were on their knees. It was a fight they could not have won, though they’d fought so bravely.
‘Kill them all,’ Cooper said. I howled. Cooper held up a hand as someone grabbed Lowell’s hair. ‘Except that one,’ he said. ‘Bring him. We’ll have some fun with him later.’
‘No. No!’
Cooper wrapped his long fingers about the arrow shaft and ripped it from my flesh.
Kaebha tucked the papers into her satchel and slung it over her shoulder. She had already been at the camp too long, and she had enough information for the Watchers to act upon. It was time to leave. She did not think Leldh was suspicious, but there was no real way of telling. Cooper certainly thought something was amiss. They had disliked one another on sight, and that had grown into outright hatred over the weeks Kaebha had spent with them in the forest at the foot of the mountains.
Kaebha discarded her cloak and left the tent. She was dressed entirely in black now. The darkness of the forest beyond the camp gave her some ease. Once she was out of the perimeter, she would be safe. After that, it would be a matter of days before she met with Hemanlok, and only a few weeks before she was home.
Picking her way around the tents, Kaebha reached the low wall that had been erected about the camp. It was semi-permanent, there for four months whilst they saw mercenary companies and bought slaves. Kaebha wished she could do something to help the unfortunates that were brought there, but she had to trust Ashe would do his best on their behalf. That much was out of her hands; she had been there to observe, not to intervene.
‘And where might you be going, Kaebha?’
Kaebha’s stomach lurched. Her face felt hot and cold at the same time. She looked over her shoulder at Cooper.
‘Out on patrol,’ she said.
‘With such a full satchel? Without your cloak?’ He smiled and stepped closer to her. He was a handsome man, but the smirk on his face made him cold and ugly.
Kaebha held her ground and shrugged. ‘It’s not that cold.’
‘Empty your satchel.’ He snatched the bag from her shoulder and upended it on the ground. ‘Hm. I wonder what a soldier wants with so many papers.’ He stooped to take them up.
Kaebha bolted.
Cooper did not shout or curse. He laughed. Kaebha flung herself past the wall. The camp behind her was suddenly alive with fire and torches. She tripped and stumbled across the ground before her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Her legs ached and grew heavy. Branches slapped her in the face. She could feel blood on her forehead from where the skin had split. Her feet skidded in the treacherous ground as she reached for a tree, trying to drag herself forwards.
‘It has been years since anyone tried to infiltrate my forces.’ Leldh strolled past her. ‘I must commend you. It was a full week before we realised what you were doing. Whoever forged your papers was quite an artist.’
Kaebha could not move. It felt like someone was standing on her back. She could scarcely breathe, and her pulse felt sluggish as it beat in her ears. She stared mutely at Daeman Leldh.
‘Your mistake, of course, was getting your information from the slaves.’ The look he gave her was pitying. ‘Half-breeds, changelings, elementals. They will do anything to save themselves, and they did not hesitate to turn you in. I am afraid you will not have a chance to do better next time. Cooper.’
The Pellish man stepped forward, smiling.
‘As I said,’ Leldh went on kindly, ‘you will not have another chance. You will not be returning home to Luthan, Kaebha. But you have some time left, and if you tell me what I want to know then I will ensure that time is not spent entirely in torment.’
The pressure alleviated at least enough for Kaebha to get some words out. ‘What do you want to know?’
‘Who sent you?’
‘I work alone.’
Their eyes met and locked. Kaebha’s heart wrenched at his golden stare, noting a look she knew well but had not seen there before.
He was mad.
‘Cooper, take her back to the camp.’ Leldh’s grip on her limbs faded, but there were soldiers surrounding her before she could take advantage of it. ‘Have her chained well and post a six-man guard. Burn the papers she took and see to it the slaves are questioned further.’
‘When will you see her, lord?’
‘At dawn. Keep her awake until then.’
‘Any other orders, lord?’
Leldh looked back at Kaebha. She stared past the soldiers at him, her heart as quick as a rabbit’s.
‘You know what to do,’ he said.
They took us down the mountain paths, to the Valley. Lowell was unconscious. I was bound, carried by Cooper’s horse as the way broadened and we reached the Gwydhan. The movement of the horse gave me constant pain. They had bound my shoulder roughly; not to give me comfort, but to keep me from dying before Leldh could have his fun. The smell of blood overwhelmed me.
Cooper, behind me, whispered poison in my ear as we went. If I tried to move or speak he jabbed his fingers into my shoulder.
I let my head drop forward and remained still. I could not let myself revert to Kaebha, nor lose myself to pain and fear. There would be chances to escape. If not for me, then for Lowell. Unconscious though he was, he did not seem badly hurt. If I could keep them distracted they might not even pursue him.
He was slung carelessly across the front of someone’s saddle. Limp. Pale. Blood stood out against his white face, stemming from a blow lost in his dark hair. Every so often, his unfocused eyes would open, and fear clenched my throat. Then he would slip away from awareness again. It was for the best. If he was unconscious, they could not torment him. And I knew they planned to.
The rain beat down on us as we followed the river. The Valley unfolded before us, grey and mourning. The trees ached with the tragedies they had seen. Even now, months later, there were traces of what had happened. Shreds of clothing. Decomposed bodies, half hidden by the undergrowth. As if the ground wanted to hide the evidence of the horror. As if the earth itself was trying to shelter and bury its own.
The horses struggled through the mud of the river-bank, their hooves sinking in deep. Leldh’s men whipped the poor beasts until they bled. The lurching of Cooper’s mount made me retch. Vomit spattered across his shining black boots, and he swore. He pushed me from the horse. I rolled to lessen the impact on my wound, but it did not help. I groaned, lay in the mud. Cooper dismounted and grabbed my hair. Hauled me onto the grass, into a sheltered hollow.
‘We make camp here,’ he said. He dropped me again. I saw a man drag Lowell from the horse. They slung him to the ground, and he rolled until he was beside me. I found his hand and held it tight. So cold in mi
ne, but when I slid my fingers to his wrist, I found a faint pulse. Alive, still. All I had to do was keep us alive until the others came for us. Until Hemanlok caught up with us. He would come, this time. I forced myself to believe it.
Cooper’s smell drew closer. I raised my eyes. Tall, blond, elegant. He squatted beside me as the other soldiers built a small smoky fire. The wood was damp, but they managed to get a flame going.
‘He will kill you this time, you know.’ Cooper’s voice was soft. He grabbed my chin, held it in his smooth fingers. ‘He cannot afford to let you live again, even for his own amusement. Sends a message, you know. To the soldiers, and to the filthy half-breeds. He was fascinated by you, but it has finally come to an end. I must say, I will be relieved when we are at last rid of you. Life has been good since you left. It will improve further when you are dead, and Lord Leldh can focus on better things.’
My wolf gave me strength and courage. I spat at Cooper’s face.
‘How does it feel, Cooper?’ I asked. ‘Bested by a half-breed. Even when I’m gone, there’ll be others. You’re just not good enough. You’ll never be good enough. You’re a foot-licker, always have been. He won’t give you your own command, because you don’t have the stomach to take command.’
Fury twisted his handsome features as the spit slid down his cheek. He wiped it away and released my chin.
‘Play the Rogue all you want, Kaebha,’ he said. ‘You and I both know who you really are. And so do your companions. No one will come for you, or your flea-bitten companion. Just like last time.’ His face contorted into a smile. ‘You will die, like your precious little half-army. One woman tried to fight our soldiers off with a frying-pan.’ He laughed. ‘For her cheek we killed her slower than the others.’
He stood and moved from me. He dealt Lowell a solid kick to the chest. I heard bones crack, and a muffled yelp. Cooper smirked and went about posting guards for the small camp. Once he was far enough from me, I wriggled closer to Lowell.
‘Wolf,’ I whispered. Lowell groaned and opened his eyes.
‘Lycaea?’ he croaked.
‘We’re in the Valley,’ I whispered. ‘Lie still. Don’t draw attention to yourself. They’re taking us to Caerwyn.’
‘Home.’ He closed his eyes, and a pained smile curved his lips. ‘I am home.’
‘Wolf. Listen. They’re taking us to Caerwyn.’
‘Home.’
‘Wolf. Listen to me.’
‘Home,’ he said again, and I let him have the moment. It would be fleeting.
Lowell
I awoke to the sound of water, and the touch of sweet wet grass. Trees stretched above me, long and loving. They ached and creaked with the fresh wind, leaves sighing. My head throbbed and my side shot sharp pain through the rest of my body, but I could smell sheep and rabbits, and oncoming rain. For the first time since the beginning of winter, I was home. I breathed deep, ignoring my ribs. Home, in the Gwydhan Valley. There was even a golden moon to greet us, ripened almost to fullness. I kept my eyes skyward. I knew Leldh’s soldiers surrounded us. I knew the Valley was no longer a place of peace. Looking at the moon, though, half-hidden by the trees, I could almost forget.
I could hear Lycaea breathing beside me. With difficulty and pain, I rolled over to face her. Her lips were blue with cold, and her shoulder was bound with a rag. She reeked of blood and sweat. Her green eyes met and held my gaze. Why had she not Shifted? It would heal her wound over. I moved my tied hands over the mud and took hers. I had vague memories of waking before now, but nothing my mind could grasp. Our fingers were cold. Hollow haunted our every moment.
‘They’re taking us to Caerwyn,’ she whispered.
‘The others will come for us, Lycaea.’ I searched her face, waiting for confirmation. She said nothing. ‘Hemanlok will come for us,’ I tried again. She nodded, but seemed unconvinced. No one had rescued her last time. We lay in silence. I watched emotions play out on her face. Fear. Despair. Potent anger. The last stayed, and relief coiled in my stomach. She knew how to use anger.
‘I’m going to get you free,’ she said.
‘Both of us.’
‘If I can. If not, you need to meet with the others. Find Hemanlok, and Melana.’
‘I go nowhere without you. Can Melana help us now?’
‘Hard to say.’
‘Up. Get up!’
A horse-whip snapped on my back. I choked and struggled to my feet. My hands, bound by thick, coarse rope, gave me little aid. Standing was agony. Lycaea supported me but she was injured herself, and there was only so much she could do. My head swam and throbbed, and I had to lean on her to stay upright. The soldiers jeered at us. I dropped my gaze and clenched my fists. They called Lycaea names that broke my heart. Anger roused the wolf in me, and it was all I could do to fight it back. For once, it would do us no good.
They dropped rope coils about our necks and tied the other ends to saddles. We had to thrust our bound hands through the loops to keep from being strangled, and even then there was so much pressure it was hard to breathe as we were half-dragged behind the horses. I stumbled to keep up. We walked uphill, pulled forward sharply by the horses. Fear kindled my anger, kept it hot in my belly. I imagined them dealing such treatment to Kemp, and could not see beyond the red haze of my eyes. The only way to clear it was to think of Lycaea, and of what the Valley had been before the attack.
As we neared the village, I recognised buildings and farms. Some were burnt and in ruin. Others stood as if nothing had happened. I saw people move in and out of what had been the baker’s house and realised with a shock that soldiers and their families had moved into our homes. I saw a pregnant woman kissing a man in the uniform of Leldh’s men.
‘How could they?’ I muttered.
‘We’re waer. To them, we’re not people.’ Lycaea spoke through gritted teeth. Perspiration gave her skin an unhealthy sheen. ‘Far as they’re concerned, they’re just happy to have a house for their families. Spoils of war.’ Her eyes flicked in my direction. ‘Your house, beyond the village? Who knows what they’ve done with it.’
The rider in front of her, the blond man who had caught her in the mountains, looked over his shoulder at us. Cooper, I reminded myself. The other soldiers called him Cooper. A Pellish name. We lowered our heads and fell into silence. I had thought about my own home, of course. Our little house on top of the hill, surrounded by gentle hills and the relief of the forest. I longed for it, and dreaded seeing it again. My last glimpse had seen the house shrouded in smoke and flame.
We passed through the village, paraded along the dirt street. I saw that some of the buildings had been turned into bawd-houses and taverns. My horror mounted when I recognised some of the women working there. Valley women. Waer. Girls I had been friends with, women I had known from the market. Pity eclipsed any disgust or anger I might have felt. They did not look at me. They were cowed and thin, dressed in rags that showed too much flesh. I could see bruises.
Oh, my people.
The place stank. I had never been at ease there but still, it had been a place of worth and community. My family had come here to trade goods and gossip. We had gone to worship-house on the outskirts, but I could see even from the middle of the village it had been razed. The beautiful spire, of which we had all been so proud, was gone.
We spent the night locked in a cellar. It was a strange relief, with the guards on the other side of the door and no longer as watchful. I propped myself against the wall. They had given us water and tough bread. Lycaea and I ate without a word. Nausea rose in my belly with each bite, but I knew I would need the strength and be thankful for it before long.
‘You should Shift.’ I broke the silence.
She let out a pained breath of laughter. ‘Doesn’t matter much,’ she said. ‘They’re not going to let me die unless it’s by Leldh’s hands.’
She removed her clothes all the same, and Shifted. It was agonisingly slow, but by the time she was in her wolf shape again, the shoulde
r-wound had stopped bleeding and was starting to close over. I stripped and followed suit. Energy flew out from me as I did, then powered through my body. The regeneration sealed my head wound. It was still there, and still painful. But no longer a threat.
I paced the cellar until Lycaea’s eyes closed, unable to settle. When she was still, I forced myself to calm and lay beside her. My intention was to warm her and perhaps protect her if I could. She moved closer to me, resting her head on my back. I did not stir, and I did not sleep. I found myself praying; seeking hope from Freybug. Seeking strength from Hollow. Seeking luck from Felen. Just for that night, I was a waer of the Valley, and I remembered the faith I had followed for so many years. The faith of my family, and of my people.
I waited for dawn, and dreaded it.
The new day brought rain, sweeping down from the mountains and pelting the earth. We reclaimed our human shapes and pulled our clothes on before the guards could open the cellar. They bound us again and half-dragged us up the stairs. Cooper was standing outside. He bared his teeth into something that could have passed for a smile.
‘My lady Kaebha,’ he mocked. ‘I trust you slept well.’
She met his gaze, unfaltering, and his smile slowly died into a sneer as he shoved her forwards. The soldiers tied her to the horse’s saddle again, this time by her hands, then did the same to me. I stood quietly and allowed it. We could do nothing in the heart of the village, I reasoned. Our chance would come when we were closer to my home. Near the forest, and the caves. The rain would cover us, help us to run and to hide. And there was always the chance aid would come.
I could smell home before we even crested the hill on the other side. I knew the grass, and the sheep, and the earth beneath my feet. Lycaea kept her eyes on me, as best she could. She had to crane her neck and pull against the rope to catch my gaze. I wanted to Shift. I wanted to be wolf, in my own home, with my family. My teeth ground. I could not focus. My heart was irregular, pulsing too slow and then too fast. I stumbled along behind the horse, trying to keep my attention on putting one foot in front of another. Lycaea had told me not to look at the hill, to avoid seeing what had become of my home. I tried to keep my eyes on the mud. But something drew my head up, and I stopped where I stood.