by James Bee
A group of men sat on the church’s steps, bloodied and exhausted. Gerald relaxed when he recognized them. A man stood as they approached. His hair was matted with blood, and a dark bruise coloured half his face, but Gerald still recognized him.
“Raul. Glad to see that you’re still alive,”Gerald said, clasping the miner by the hand.
“Aye, not near as glad as I am. Can’t say it’s been an easy morning,”The taller man scratched his head, wincing slightly.
“I can see that. What happened here? Looks like more got through than we thought,”Gerald said, looking at the bodies that had been pulled to the side. At least two dozen were lying in the grass. Judging from the sounds coming from inside the church, more had joined the wounded.
“Got here just in time, we did. At least a dozen clansmen were fixing to break inside. Lucan and his men were no match for them. They nearly did for us too. Fought like the devil himself, to the death.”Raul shook his head and sat back down.
“What became of Lucan?”Gerald pressed; he couldn’t see the lanky priest anywhere.
“Dead. Fell keeping them from getting in. Took a fair few of the bastards with him. Might have been too late if he hadn’t been here,”Raul said with reluctant admiration.
Dead…Gerald couldn't say that he had liked the priest — quite the opposite, in fact. Yet he’d been true to his word. The priest had died protecting Redstone and its people. Now he’d have to honour his memory by doing the same.
“He died a hero then. I’d have figured he was too stubborn to go easily,”Gerald said.
“Aye. Have to raise a drink for him once this is all over,”Raul replied. Gerald grunted in reply, walking toward the church doors. He had to find Orland. What he would do when he found him, Gerald didn’t know. Already he could feel the numbness fading, bringing with it oblivion.
33
Chapter 33
“What the hell is this?”Gerald asked, staring down at the figure that had been dragged inside the city chambers. The old man was bound, rendered completely immobile. Marks of abuse were clearly visible all over his face and body. Blood oozed from a dozen different cuts. His eyes stared fearfully around, darting from man to man. Blane and Raul stood staring down at him, having dragged the prisoner in themselves.
“Found him by the north gate. Figure it’s a present from the Sanish,”Blane said, spitting the word out. They’d buried everyone the previous night, and it had clearly taken its toll on the man. Gerald had barely slept. When he finally woke from a fitful sleep, he’d almost gone to see Kayl before he’d remembered. Orland had been worse. Gerald still hadn’t seen him this morning. Nor did he particularly want to face his friend. The guilt was there, even if nothing had been said. Kayl’s death was his fault; he should have done so much more.
“The Sanish are gone then?”Gerald asked, pushing the thoughts away.
“Aye, seems that way. Lost their stomach for battle. Can’t say I blame them too much. Pity them a little, if I be telling truths,”Blane responded.
“Pity? Why?”Raul asked sharply.
“Word will spread to the other clans of their defeat. They hate the Sanish nearly as much as we do. They’ll attack, swarm on them like wolves on a wounded deer. I doubt any Sanish will survive, except for those taken as slaves,”Blane said. How many women and children will die? The thought was sobering, but Gerald pushed it away too.
“Who do you think he is?”Gerald asked, crouching down to look closer. Despite his bonds, the prisoner tried to edge away from him. The man’s terror was apparent, though Gerald couldn’t guess why.
“My guess would be he’s their chief, judging from the markings,”Blane said.
“Seems they weren’t too happy with his leadership,”Raul said, stepping forward to kick the downed man. Gerald grabbed his arm, stopping him.
“Wait! We need answers! Answers only he knows. You can beat him to death after he tells us everything.”Raul nodded and reluctantly stepped away.
“I don’t think that’ll be necessary. He had this with him. Me and Raul can’t read, so it looks like you finally have a use,”Blane said, handing over a scroll. The man’s voice didn’t have any venom left in it. Only gentle mockery. Gerald gently unfurled the cracked parchment. It was weather-stained and dirty, so much so that he had to wipe away the grime to see the words underneath.
“Can you read it?”Raul asked.
“Yes,”Gerald said absently. Quickly he read the words. Then again, more slowly, disbelief holding back his comprehension. A mark at the bottom of the page caught his eye. A dark red blot, like a thumbprint. Beside it a name was written. One that made the blood behind his eyes pound. Rolan.
Carefully, Gerald rerolled the parchment and placed it on the desk behind him. His hands were shaking slightly, and a deep breath did little to settle them.
“Well?”Blane and Raul were staring at him expectantly.
“It’s a contract, as far as I can tell,”Gerald sat back on his desk, head spinning. How could he do this?
“A contract? Between who?”Blane asked, frowning.
“Between him,”Gerald pointed at the still cowering clansmen. “And Rolan.”Blane swore explosively.
“A contract for what?”Raul asked, sounding sick.
“The scroll is unclear, vague in most parts. But it’s not too hard to guess at the meaning. Rolan hired the Sanish to destroy Redstone. To slaughter its inhabitants and burn the whole town to the ground!”Gerald said. Raul kicked at the captive clansman, and this time Gerald didn’t stop him.
“That spineless little worm. I’m going to tear out his throat and make him choke on his own blood!”Blane growled. “Why? Why would he do this? What does he have to gain with so much bloodshed?”
Gerald shrugged.“What else but gold? That’s all that drives that man. Gold and greed. If Redstone is destroyed, it’ll never return. The Crown is spread too thinly, the king doesn’t have the forces to spend chasing ghosts in the trees,”Gerald said, fists clenched. How could I not have seen it! Not put the pieces together sooner! I could have gutted Rolan and been done with it!
“But the Crown would still need its steel. Without it, the armies will be sorely underarmed. It would be suicide!”Blane protested in confusion.
“The guild would still operate the mine. If I’m not mistaken, a shipment of weapons was part of the deal. The Sanish would be armed with the best steel in the kingdom and would protect the mine from other clans. Then Rolan would keep selling to the king at a higher price and without the taxes,”Gerald explained.
“He brought the Sanish here. Armed them with weapons that should have been ours. Killed the mayor and his family. Tried to kill you. Tried to kill everyone in Redstone. All to get a better price for his steel! He has to be made to pay for this!”Blane said, spit flying from his mouth.
“Aye. How many men does he have in the mine with him?”Gerald asked. Raul stroked his chin, mouth moving as he counted.
“No more than fifty, though some might not follow him. Doubt they know what’s been happening, though. Once they find out, they’ll turn on him right quickly. Rolan ain’t a man who inspires much loyalty. Men’ll only stick with him a far as the gold goes,”the miner said, voice tight.
“And we’ve got half of his gold. Going to be a right bastard getting in there, though. Rolan’s got the mine locked up tighter than a fly’s arse,”Blane said. “We haven’t got the men to storm it, no matter how disloyal his might be.”
“There’s no way of knowing what lies he’s been spreading, what tale he’s concocted for them. We’ll have to wait them out. Keep them penned in until they toss Rolan over the walls,”Gerald said, enjoying the mental image.
“If there’s another way, I don’t see it,”Blane agreed.
“Oh, I think there is.”A slow smile spread across Raul’s face.
“You can get him out?”Gerald asked.
“No. We can get him out. You two are going to be coming with me. Tonight, before he can dream up any more
schemes,”Raul answered.
“Good. The sooner we’re finished, the sooner we can put this behind us. Redstone has suffered enough,”Gerald said.
“What do you want done with this one?”Blane asked, nudging the bound chieftain with his foot.
“Throw him in a cell. Keep him alive. He’s going to go meet the queen. I’m sure she’ll be able to devise a manner of killing him that is suitably unpleasant,”Gerald said, staring down at the man. He very nearly felt sorry for him. His death would be slow and terrible. It would be a mercy to slit his throat and be done with it. Unfortunately for him, Gerald found that he didn’t have any mercy to spare at the moment.
34
Chapter 34
“Just a little farther,”Raul said, torch held high above his head. The light skittered crazily across the inside of the cave, casting eerie shadows. Gerald followed closely, staring at his feet, intent on not falling. He felt out of place underground, the weight of the earth pressing down on top of him. More than once he’d felt the panic rise when the passageway got narrow enough to scrape on both shoulders. He’d fought it down, but just barely. It would have been too embarrassing to be unmanned in front of the men with him. Annoyingly, Blane seemed at ease in their surroundings, as did the three men he’d brought with him.
It felt like they’d been travelling for an hour, though Gerald knew it couldn't have been that long. Time stretched inside the tunnels, each moment passing slowly, grudgingly. The panic flared in him again, more intense than before. He needed to get out, to escape from the choking darkness. At any moment he could get stuck, get trapped in between the unyielding rock. He’d die there, spending his last moments alone and terrified. Maybe that’s why we came here. So Blane and Raul could lead me down here to die. No one would ever find my body, not in a thousand years. Raw terror was coursing through his veins now, made worse by the sudden narrowing of the tunnel. It grew until Gerald was sure he couldn't stand it anymore. His breathing was rapid, out of control, and a scream was building deep in his throat. At any moment it would burst free and they would be lost.
“We’re here,”Raul whispered, holding his hand up for them to stop. Gerald nearly collapsed with relief. Over the miner’s shoulder, Gerald could see the flickering of other torches. He breathed deeply, and the sweetness of fresher air calmed his nerves. “Keep quiet and follow me.”Raul crouched down, extinguishing the torch in a nearby puddle with a satisfying hiss.
The only light now came from in front, and they slowly walked toward it. Over the hammering of his heart, Gerald strained to hear. He didn't fancy walking through the nightmare of the tunnels just to be ambushed at the entrance. Raul better be right about this being a secret.
Crouching lower, Raul reached the opening. So slowly it was almost painful, he peeked his head out and looked around. Apparently satisfied, he slunk out of the tunnel, gesturing for them to follow. Easing his blade loose in its sheath, Gerald stepped out into the open.
They were in a small room, nearly filled with barrels and crates. There wasn’t a soul in sight. Just as Raul said. Behind him, Blane and the others emerged from the darkness, eyes blinking in the sudden light.
“Thank the gods for that, I thought I was going to go mad inside there,”Blane said. Immediately Raul shushed him, pointing upward. In the resulting silence, Gerald could hear muffled sounds come from somewhere in the distance. Blane made a few quick gestures and they positioned themselves by the only door. If anyone were unlucky enough to come down, they’d be in for a nasty surprise.
Now we wait, Gerald thought, leaning his head against the cool stone of the walls. Exhaustion was creeping up on him. Just one more thing. Finish this and Redstone is safe. The rest of the men beside him looked little better. Blane’s eyes were sunken, and blood was seeping through a number of bandages. Raul had also taken a number of wounds in the battle, though he wasn’t complaining. The other three men all carried their own marks.
Gerald knew they would be outmatched in a battle. Patience would have to be their weapon. Any moment they would get the signal. Then we’ll see if Raul’s plan is as crazy as it sounds.
“How will we know when it’s time?”one of the garrison men whispered.
“We’ll know,”Raul growled.
They didn’t have to wait long. Shouts rose up, louder and louder. Moments later a bell began ring out, over and over again. As the moments passed, more and more activity filled the space above them. Sounds like the whole camp is awake now.
“That’ll be it. The boy’ll be attacking the gates. Rolan’s probably pissing himself right about now,”Blane said, grinning grimly in the dim light.
“Let’s just hope they don’t overdo it. There’s a fine line between making it look real and actually fighting. No one else needs to get hurt,”Gerald said. They better buy the diversion. Otherwise we may as well be walking into a bear’s den with beef steaks around our necks.
“Time to go. Best not to wait around too long,”Raul said. The man was visibly anxious, though Gerald didn’t blame him. If I had the energy, I’d be crawling the walls.
“You sure he’s going to be in his office?”Gerald asked. “I’d rather not go around the whole camp looking for him.”
“About as sure as I can be. You think Rolan’s gonna be commanding from front lines? I figure he’ll be hiding with his money. If he’s not there, we can just steal the lot, and that’ll be just as good,”Raul said.
“All right. Let’s get this over with. You three stay here. Guard the tunnel. If things go badly, we might have to make a hasty escape,”Blane said the three garrison men.
“If you insist, sir. We’ll just stay put right here. Guard these barrels for ya,”one of them said, giving Blane a lazy salute. The old soldier glared at but said nothing. He must be truly burned out.
Raul led them up the stairs, each striving to make as little noise as possible. Yet their effort were likely unnecessary. The camp was in an uproar. Bells were thundering, challenged by horns booming from outside of the walls. Orland better make a damn good show of it out there. If they sense a trick, we’re finished.
The stairs came out in a small hut, not much bigger than a water closet. Raul opened the door and led the three of them through. They were at the back of the camp. Nearby, Gerald could see the main entrance to the mine. A massive gaping tunnel, dark and uninviting. All around it was a cluster of buildings, huddling in the shadow of the mountain. The entire camp was a confusing mess of tents and small buildings. It looked as though it had been hastily constructed. Turning behind them, Gerald could see a commotion at the gate. Men were running to and fro, brandishing weapons and ducking under shields.
“In there.”Raul pointed to a building that Gerald hadn’t seen at first glance. It was a squat thing, lurking in the shadows. “Follow me. Stay close.”Raul ran forward, hugging the darks sides of the buildings. Gerald followed behind him, crouching low to avoid being seen.
At first all went well. The camp was empty, all the men drawn to the gates. No doubt fear of reprisal for betrayal was weighing heavily on their minds. As well it should be. Gerald hadn’t had time to think of what the punishment would be, though only one seemed appropriate. As they drew closer to the building, Gerald’s confidence grew. Perhaps it would be as easy as Raul had said. Perhaps they would actually be able to snatch Rolan and escape.
Raul hissed, holding up his hand. Gerald froze, and Blane knocked into his back. What is it? Gerald wanted to yell. He couldn’t see anything; the camp was empty. Raul pointed to the side of the building that Rolan was supposedly in. Gerald followed it, still unseeing.
Finally, sunlight breaking through a cloud shone down and glinted off a piece of metal in the shadows. A spearpoint. A man was lounging in the shadow of the building. He was garbed in dark clothing and had black hair. Gerald resisted the urge to whistle. I’d have walked right up to the front door and never seen him. Behind him, Blane cursed.
Raul turned back to them, pointing to the ground. Then at him
self and the guardsman. He’s going over there alone? Barely armed! Without waiting for their approval, Raul strode out, walking confidently toward the building. The guard spotted him nearly instantly, yet reacted lazily, slowly walking out into the light. He knows him.
A terrible suspicion went through Gerald. He could be double-crossing us! If he tells the guard we’re here, then it’s all over. He’ll raise an alarm, and we’ll be dead or captured before we can get back to the tunnel!
Heart hammering, he watched Raul walk up to the man. The guard dropped his spear and embraced the tall miner. Smiling, Raul pointed backward to the shack where the tunnel lay. Gerald’s heart sank. Immediately, the spearman’s face changed. Snatching up his weapon, he made to run toward it.
Raul’s hammer took him in the back of the head before the man took two steps. Two more strikes and it was over. Smiling, Raul gestured for them to come over. Looking around desperately, Gerald ran over, Blane right behind him.
“Never did like the bastard. Was always leering at my wife,”Raul said, nudging the corpse with his foot. “Help me drag him over into the dark.”Gerald grabbed one arm and together they pulled the dead man into the darkness. He’ll be found soon enough, but hopefully we’ll be long gone before that happens.
“Shift it! The battle ain’t gonna last forever!”Blane said, looking back at the gate. The sounds of combat were still loud. Enough so, that Gerald worried that his orders to avoid any actual fighting might be ignored. There’s a lot of anger, more than could be contained, perhaps. I should have considered the possibility they would just simply try to storm into the mine and kill everyone. I wouldn’t blame ’em.
Sliding out his sword, Gerald followed Raul up to the doorway. There were no windows, no way to see inside. The miner put his ear to the door and listened for a moment, eyes screwed shut in concentration. After a few moments of effort, he shrugged and grasped the door handle. And pulled.