by Lisa Cassidy
“Your men have been attacked before, haven’t they?” Dashan’s voice had a challenging note to it, but was more civil than earlier. “That’s why you weren’t surprised to hear about what happened to us.”
Ladan nodded tersely. “Twice in the last six months. The second was only two weeks ago. I had just sent off a message to the king about it the day before you showed up.”
“Why did they attack you?”
“My soldiers were conducting routine patrols just inside the border of the disputed area. Both attacks came without warning, like yours.” Ladan raised a hand as Dashan opened his mouth again. “I don’t know any more than you do.”
“Then why are you travelling with us to DarkSkull?”
Ladan offered no response to that, so Dashan forged on. “Shouldn’t you stay at home to protect your lands?”
Again, Ladan was silent, instead turning to speak quietly with one of his men.
“Did Lord-Mage Casovar go and visit him too?” Dashan turned his questions on Alyx.
“How would I know?” she said tiredly. “Just leave it alone, Dash. Ladan’s not going to tell you his reasons, and it doesn’t matter.”
“Alyx, there’s something odd about Ladan, I’m telling you. If he’s such a hermit, how could Lord-Mage Casovar have even known about him? And he’s so young. How can we know he truly is the Lord of Widow Falls?”
“All good questions,” Finn replied from where he was curled up in his blankets. “But right now we need to get some sleep.”
“He’s right, Dash.”
Dashan shrugged and lay down nearby, pulling his blanket up and over his head.
Ladan proved true to his word. His men reported the following day that the Shiven had dropped off their trail. Alyx breathed a sigh of relief, but this news didn’t seem to make the grim Bluecoats any happier.
“We’re too much trouble for them now, I guess,” Jenka said angrily. “Cowards.”
“Lieutenant, I want to go back to look for the others.” Roland turned to Tijer. “Even if… well, if they didn’t make it, we should at least give them a proper burial.”
“You can’t go back,” Ladan said flatly. “You don’t know where to look, and it will just give the Shiven an opportunity to pick you off.”
“We’re not afraid of the Shiven, my Lord,” Casta said. “You can understand how we feel about leaving our comrades behind.”
“You had a duty to protect your charges, and you carried out that duty,” Ladan said. “None of you have anything to feel bad about.”
“We can look for them on our way back to Alistriem,” Jenka argued. “What if some of them are still alive? They’re our unit-mates, we owe it to them to try.”
“Lord Mirren is right,” Tijer spoke the words with clear difficulty. “My responsibility is to see Lady Egalion and her companions safely to DarkSkull Hall and then ensure the remainder of my unit makes it home. There are only five of us left, it’s not enough to go back.”
Alyx glanced over at Dashan, the only Bluecoat who hadn’t said anything. His face was grim as he stared at the ground, the rigidity of his shoulders telling her he was deeply upset. Knowing him as she did, she decided he agreed with Tijer, or he would have spoken out.
The Bluecoats were nothing if not disciplined, so there was no further argument once Tijer had spoken. Alyx felt for them, but she too agreed with Tijer. These young men had risked their lives to keep her safe and the thought more of them might die on the way home made her feel ill.
“My men will ensure you return to Widow Falls’ lands safely, and from there you can travel back to Alistriem. It will take you longer to go around the disputed area, but it will be safer,” Ladan said into the tense silence.
“Thank you, Lord Mirren,” Tijer said quietly.
Their party crossed the border into Tregaya early the following morning after a long night of riding. Ladan called a halt once they were well inside the border and left to scout the back trail with his men while Alyx and the others accepted the break from riding with relief. The Bluecoats set about making a small fire to boil water and brew some tea.
Alyx was struck again by their small number; of the twenty who’d set out with them, only five remained. It was hard to grasp how badly everything had gone wrong, and how abruptly. Less than a month earlier she’d been taking a walk with Cayr in the sun on the Alistriem docks. Now she’d seen Bluecoats die in front of her. She shuddered, unable to forget the sound of whirring arrows and the panicked screams of horses.
Dashan brought Alyx and Dawn a steaming cup of tea once it was brewed. He’d been uncommunicative since the previous day, and even now he handed them the tea without a word.
“Why is Tijer in charge?” Alyx asked, trying to draw him out.
“Audern was the only ranking member of the unit. In his absence, leadership goes to the most experienced. That’s Tijer—he’s done three stints on the border already, even though he’s not much older than me.”
“Is that why he’s so serious all the time?”
Dashan hesitated a moment, then nodded. “Get some rest. You’ll be safe here.”
Alyx relaxed back against the trunk of a tree, sipping tea and feeling the heavy burden of immediate terror slowly lift from her shoulders. It was a pleasant feeling, and she allowed her eyes to slip closed. Cayr’s face floated into her mind, and she smiled, wishing he was there.
“Can you believe we made it?” Dawn spoke from beside her.
“It hasn’t sunken in yet.” Finn joined them, clutching his own mug of tea.
“How far are we from DarkSkull?” Dawn asked her twin.
“A few days’ ride. It’s not far, looking at a map.”
“I feel awful for the Bluecoats. I can’t imagine what it’s like to lose so many comrades,” Dawn murmured. “Sometimes I can feel their sadness, it must be strong.”
“The response in Rionn is going to be furious. I hope it doesn’t affect the truce,” Finn said.
“Lady Egalion, are you all right?” Dawn’s concerned voice cut into Alyx’s dozing.
“Oh.” She blinked. “I’m fine. I’m just so exhausted right now I think I could sleep anywhere.”
“I know the feeling.” She smiled.
Casta came over to offer them blankets, which they accepted gratefully. Alyx curled up on the ground under hers and fell asleep almost instantly.
The Tregayan countryside was hilly, the landscape alternating between granite rock face and scrubby forest. Alyx didn’t see a single green field like those that dotted the landscape back in Rionn.
Ladan was in a hurry and forced them to move through both villages they passed, not allowing them to stop. Alyx was happy enough with that. She wanted to get to DarkSkull Hall so she could get this nightmare over with as quickly as possible. Once she was there, she could start counting down the days until she could leave again.
The Widow Falls’ men remained a distant but protective presence. Those riding with Alyx and the twins spoke only when they had to. The lord himself didn’t speak to any of them again. He sat his horse ahead of their group most of the time, and at night when they made camp he slept separately.
Tijer maintained leadership of the grim-looking Bluecoats and ensured Dashan stayed well away from Ladan by sending him out on regular patrols. Finn and Dawn kept to themselves, their awkwardness around Alyx resuming now that the danger had passed. The Bluecoats were unfailingly polite but remained wrapped in a sombre mood.
“Lieutenant, it’s not far ahead.” Dashan’s voice sounded out of the dimness and a few moments later he appeared ahead of them on the road, riding his horse at a canter.
“Any problems?” Tijer asked.
“No.” Dashan reined in. “It all looks clear; another couple of miles and you’ll be there.”
“Look at that, we made it.” Roland gave an echo of his old engaging smile as he glanced at Alyx and the twins.
“It seems so.” Dawn returned the smile. “I can hardly believe it.”
Alyx peered down the road, but the sun had almost set, and she couldn’t make out anything except the trees lining the edges.
“Keep alert.” Tijer spoke to his men. “I don’t want anything happening in these last few miles.”
Night had fallen by the time they approached DarkSkull Hall. Alyx was almost asleep against the chest of the warrior at her back, hanging on to the saddle with exhausted fingers. Her entire focus was on the horse before them, step after step, the steady rhythm rocking her into a doze.
The trees lining the road seemed to press in on them, shadowy and sinister. Alyx would have been uneasy if she’d been able to summon enough energy to think about it, but in her current state of exhaustion, she wondered if she’d ever feel energized again. The sucking sounds of the horses’ hooves on the muddy road were unnaturally loud in the silence since the rain had stopped.
Then, just like that, they rounded a corner and were confronted with a stunning sight.
The road ahead of them led onto a bridge stretching across a deep gorge. Wooden support struts crisscrossed down from the bridge to the valley floor, disappearing into darkness. Moonlight shone down on the deserted bridge, which had to be wide enough for at least six carriages travelling abreast. At the other end of the bridge stood a pair of gates and beyond them was darkness.
The gorge stretched away to the left and right, encircling a row of hills. Looking more closely, Alyx caught the glimmer of moonlight reflecting off water far below.
“Where to from here?” Finn wondered.
Ladan kicked his horse ahead, going to investigate the bridge more closely. Tijer joined him, and they had a whispered conversation that Alyx couldn’t quite catch.
“This is your stop, I believe,” Dashan said, reining his horse to a halt beside her. “And here is where we leave you.”
Alyx swung her head towards him. “You’re going to leave us here?”
“I’m sorry, Alyx.” Concern softened his voice. It had been days since their fight, and Alyx was far too tired to be angry with him anymore. It seemed he felt the same way. “We got you safely to DarkSkull, but we can’t stay. Those are the rules.”
“I know,” she managed around the sudden lump in her throat. The despair she’d been feeling for days deepened at the thought that the one remaining familiar person in her life was also about to leave. With a helping hand from the warrior behind her, she slid down from the saddle. He rode away without a word but Dashan kicked his horse closer.
“If it’s any consolation, it means I won’t be around to infuriate you anymore.”
“Sure, I’m feeling better already.” She fiercely fought back tears.
Uncharacteristic compassion flashed in Dashan’s brown eyes, almost undoing her. She looked away, trying to prevent the tears welling in her eyes from falling.
Abruptly, he reached down, pulling her roughly into his arms. “You be strong, Alyx. I know you can do this. Remember who you are, and have faith in yourself.”
Her fingers gripped the rough weave of his shirt and she nodded against his chest. He smelled of damp and soil, yet he felt warm and strong.
He pulled away then, looking almost embarrassed. “That was for Cayr. He would have wanted me to.”
“Thanks, Dash.”
Not far off, Finn and Dawn dismounted too, both looking lost and alone on the dark road. Dashan waved a goodbye to both of them, which they returned dispiritedly. He then leaned down, touched Alyx’s shoulder and dropped a warm kiss on her forehead.
“That one is from me.”
And with that he was gone, kicking his horse into a gallop and heading back the way they’d come.
“Goodbye, Lady Egalion,” Tijer pulled up his horse beside her. “Lord-Mage Casovar gave us firm instructions not to proceed any further than the bridge, but Lord Ladan has assured me he’ll see you safely through to DarkSkull.”
“Thank you for everything, Lieutenant,” she said sincerely. “I hope to see you all again back in Alistriem.”
He tipped his hat. “We hope the same thing, Lady Egalion. Good luck.”
Tijer urged his horse after Dashan and the other Bluecoats fell in after him, each with a wave or a smile for Alyx and the twins as they passed. The Madman’s men, insubstantial as shadows, raced down the road after them.
Chapter 9
Silently, Alyx and the twins turned and followed Ladan, who had already stepped out onto the bridge. The rough stone rasped under her boots and a strong wind whipped around her, ruffling her skirts and hair. They walked down the middle, steering clear of the edges and the enormous drop below.
Eventually they reached the gates on the other side. Lichen crawled over the iron surface, and some of the bars were a deep red with rust. Two enormous trees stood on either side of the gates, their branches hanging almost to the ground, whispering to each other in the breeze.
Alyx couldn’t make out anything beyond the gates except the shadowy outline of the hills. A shiver wracked her, as much because of her damp clothes as the eerie atmosphere.
Something in her felt drawn to this place. It held an air of mystery and quiet power, like nothing she’d ever felt before. Deep down, she tensed at the feeling, unsure whether the instinct was something to be feared or welcomed.
Finn rubbed his hands together and blew on his fingers. “I hope they have warm beds in there.”
“How do we get in?” Dawn walked over to peer through the bars of the gates.
Alyx did the same, grimacing as she touched slimy moss on the iron. Recoiling, she glanced up at a bell hidden amongst the leaves of the left tree. Looking back down, she met Dawn and Finn’s fearful looks.
Ladan looked at the three of them contemptuously and reached up to pull the bell hard. Alyx and the twins startled as the bell pealed much louder than expected, sending a nearby flock of ravens flapping into the air in alarm. For a few seconds, the echoes of the bell through the hills competed with the thudding of her heart in her chest.
Then, a loud screeching broke the silence.
Alyx and the twins scrambled backwards as the gates slowly swung open, the horrifying screeching only growing louder. In under a minute, they stood open, the shadows beyond beckoning.
Ladan strode inside without another word, leaving them standing there looking at each other. Tired, hungry, and cold, Alyx simply straightened her shoulders and walked after him. The twins followed behind. They continued along the road, which took them straight ahead and through a canyon that had been etched out of the hillside.
They kept walking, the summit of the valley wall towering over them on each side. At one point, Alyx glanced up and swore she could see two shadowy figures standing at the top of the eastern valley wall, staring down at them. When she rubbed at her tired eyes and looked back though, they’d gone.
It felt like they walked forever, but eventually they reached the other end of the gorge, where the road began winding steadily downwards into a wide valley.
DarkSkull Hall became visible down below them, a massive, hulking shape in the blackness. Tiny flickers of light indicated torch-lit rooms, but there weren’t many of those at this late hour. The main hall sat in the centre of the valley, at the top of a wide lake which glimmered in the moonlight. The school’s grounds fell away on all sides, and Alyx could just make out the shadows of other smaller buildings in the distance.
“It doesn’t look very welcoming, does it?” Dawn said.
Another shiver skittered down Alyx’s spine. “No, it doesn’t.”
A bobbing lantern light appeared on the road below, making its way towards them. Alyx tried to quell her nerves and look calm as the light resolved into a person holding a lantern. It wasn’t long before a woman stood before them. Short and slightly stooped, her grey hair was tied back sharply in a bun.
“What do you want?”
“We’re here to study at DarkSkull Hall.” Ladan spoke for all of them, his voice as terse as the woman’s. Alyx flicked a glance at him, Dashan’s que
stions about Ladan’s intentions echoing through her mind. She was close to certain Casovar hadn’t approached Ladan to study at DarkSkull, so what was he doing here?
“More initiates.” The woman sniffed. “You’re late. The study year started two weeks ago.”
“We know.”
The woman waited a beat, but when Ladan provided no further information, she turned and began walking back the way she’d come. “Come with me, please.”
Finn and Dawn shared a glance, then followed the woman down the path. Ladan and Alyx followed suit. The woman said nothing further as they walked down the long road to the base of the valley floor and followed a turning that took them towards the buildings Alyx had seen. Then she led them up the front stone steps of the main building and past a pair of leering gargoyles decorating the front entrance.
Without pause, the woman took them up a wide staircase to the left and along the first floor landing to an open area. Several tables—some with paperwork stacked neatly on them—were scattered across the area, and three closed doors led into adjacent rooms. None of the torches were lit, but light shone from under two of the doors. The woman crossed purposefully to one of them before knocking sharply. Raising a hand for them to stay where they were, she went inside, closing the door behind her.
It wasn’t long before the door opened again and she re-appeared, waving them over. “Come in, please.”
Alyx filed in behind Ladan and the twins, her gaze taking in a richly appointed working space—not unlike Astor’s, she thought. A short, thin man was rising from behind the desk, wearing a black robe also similar to Astor’s.
“I am Master Romas, head of DarkSkull Hall,” he said. “Madame Grange tells me you’ve come to study here?”
“That’s right,” Ladan replied. “I am Lord Ladan Mirren. This is Lady Alyx Egalion, and Dawn and Finn A’ndreas. We’re from Rionn. You should be expecting us.”
Romas had known who they were from the moment they’d walked in, Alyx thought instantly. There was no surprise on his face at Ladan’s words. His eyes shifted slowly between each of them, studying. Alyx’s skin crawled when he looked at her; his pale brown eyes saw more than just her face, she was sure.