Southern Fire ac-1

by Juliet E. McKenna

  'Ever hit any of them?' Dev didn't wait for an answer. 'We'll assume you did. Now—'

  'We can't just expect to kill these wizards with arrows,' interrupted Kheda. 'They burn any missiles out of the air. Itrac Chazen told me—'

  'And we've seen them do it ourselves,' nodded Dev, unperturbed. 'But they need their magic to do it.'

  'I don't understand.' Risala was puzzled.

  'I told you their wizardry draws its power from the elements around them.' Dev's smile was cruel. 'Given the sniff of a chance, they steal magic from each other as well. I'm fairly sure that's what happened to our friend who drowned in his own body fluids. Greenleaves cut his feet out from under him, magically speaking.'

  'Fairly sure?' Kheda queried.

  'Sure enough.' Dev sounded entirely confident. 'What we want to do is get all these mages together and then I'll start a fight with Dragonhide—'

  'Why him?' demanded Kheda.

  'Because he's top dog in that pack,' Dev replied promptly. 'I've been watching him and the other mages while you two were off on your pleasure jaunt. Each wizard has a sizeable cohort of their mud-headed troops, most holding a good few islands. The wizards spend their time doing the rounds of their followers, picking up any new loot that's offered. Then the minions go looking for loot to offer up the next time. They're quite happy to take it from some rival camp, if there's no wizard around to put a stop to their nonsense.'

  'No honour or obligation between them then,' noted Kheda with distaste.

  Dev shrugged, unconcerned. 'The wizards with any sense visit Dragonhide as well, banging their heads on the sand and handing over anything up to half of their spoils, coffers and prisoners. That way they get to keep what's left. Dragonhide goes looking for anyone trying to hide his loot up some out-of-the-way creek.' Dev looked around at the tree-choked inlet where the Amigal was hidden with some amusement. 'The ones who realise that game's up grovel and scrape and let Dragonhide take what he wants. Anyone too slow to roll over—' He shook his head. 'These wizards have some inventive ways of killing each other. You haven't seen the half of it.'

  Nor do I want to.

  Kheda shuddered. 'Dragonhide adds their plunder to his?'

  'Captives and food and whatever jewellery they've gathered. He shares some of it with his favourites,' added Dev. 'There are three wizards sniffing round his arse now, and seven left who haven't decided which way to jump yet.'

  'Is that all?' Risala was astounded. 'The Chazen people who fled were talking of hundreds of mages.'

  'Hundreds of them would have rampaged the length of the Archipelago by now. Given the damage even one wizard can do when he puts his mind to it, I think you'll find eleven's plenty,' Dev assured her sarcastically. He looked at Kheda. 'There were probably more when they invaded but the weaker ones are smudges on the sand or beetle food by now. It's the stronger ones who've survived and they've all been on the move over the last few days, drawing closer together and closer to Dragonhide. They've got something planned.'

  'Going north?' Kheda felt cold despite the warm sun.

  'No idea.' Dev shrugged. 'I've listened on the wind but I can't make anything of their tongue, and I speak a handful of mainland languages besides just about every Archipelagan dialect.'

  'Your spells won't have betrayed you?' asked Risala with alarm. 'That dragon-hide wearer, he found you before.'

  'He didn't feel the spell looking at him.' Dev shot her an irritated look. 'He sensed someone new drawing on the elements close by him.'

  Risala was unconvinced. 'What does that mean?'

  'Nothing I can explain to anyone not mageborn,' retorted Dev with unpleasant superiority.

  'I imagine if they were able to find you through your magic, we'd have come back to find you with a spear through your head,' Kheda said, placatory. 'So, tell us your plan.'

  'The key is the way their magic's all instinct and raw power. Dragonhide's people seem to be the only ones who can handle more than one element at a time. I imagine that's what gives him his clout. Well, that wouldn't count for much in Hadrumal. Drawing on all four elements is the first thing we teach the apprentices and I studied with some of the finest wizards of the northern lands. Like I said, I challenge Dragonhide to a fight.'

  Dev cracked his knuckles and grinned. 'That's the way these savages do things and he won't be able to back down, not without all the rest of them turning on him to rip him to shreds. We make sure they're all present and correct to see it. Then, as well as throwing my own magic at him, I'll raise a few wards around the wind and the sea, so he thinks I'm looking to cut him off from the elements around him. What I won't do is touch the other mages, so obviously, he'll draw in their powers.'

  'Obviously?' Kheda couldn't help himself.

  'He'll need to seize the easiest elemental source to cope with the demands I'll be making of him,' Dev assured him with brash confidence. 'Once the other wizards are caught up in his sorcery, their own defences will fail. As long as you two can each use a bow fast and accurate, you can stick an arrow in each one and they'll be down before they realise what's happening.'

  'That's asking a lot,' objected Risala.

  'You don't have to kill them outright.' Dev looked at Kheda. 'Just get an arrow in them that's tipped with whatever poison you used to stifle my magic. That should slow them down long enough for one of you to get a second arrow through their head.'

  'That's not so tall an order.' Kheda rubbed a thoughtful hand over his chin.

  'As long as we can get a clear shot at them all.' Risala was still dubious.

  'Will the loss of their magic help you defeat the dragon-hide wearer?' Kheda asked Dev.

  'No idea.' The mage shrugged. 'That would just be a windfall, anyway. I've my own notions for killing him.'

  And you're anticipating this a little too keenly for my peace of mind. 'Never trust a man too eager for a fight.' That's what Daish Reik always said.

  'Which are?' Kheda fixed him with a stern eye.

  'Meaningless, to anyone who isn't a wizard,' Dev said with more than a suggestion of smugness.

  Kheda swallowed his irritation with difficulty. 'What about the wild men? What if they come after us, after you?'

  'I really don't think that'll happen; minions fight minions, wizards fight wizards and minions get out of the way sharpish. Anyway, once I've dealt with Dragonhide, I'll be scaring them out of their painted skins,' Dev promised with a vicious grin. 'Just till your allies can come and skewer them.'

  Risala was thinking about something else. 'You said we had to get all these wizards together. How do we do that without being caught and killed?'

  'I show them something so disturbing that they all go running to Dragonhide.' Dev sorted through his papers, pulled out a leaf and thrust it towards Kheda. 'If we sail this course, we'll pass close by each of their current camps. Once we've stirred them all up, we have to get to Dragonhide's island ahead of them. Can you and the girl manage the Amigal between you?'

  'I think so.' Kheda looked up from the precisely delineated map. 'What will you be doing?'

  'Gathering my strength,' Dev said frankly. 'Working magic tires a wizard more than anything else in the world. If I'm going to defeat Dragonhide, I need to be fully rested.'

  'What if you don't defeat him?' Risala asked sharply.

  'He'll be your problem, because if he's not dead, I will be, torn to bloody rags all over the deck most likely.' Dev smiled sweetly at her.

  And you can't wait to test yourself against him, to see if you can win the ultimate wager.

  Kheda shivered involuntarily. 'Is there anything to be gained by waiting?'

  'No,' said Dev with abrupt seriousness. 'We have one day to do this or it won't work.'

  'We had better get going, if we're to have light enough for shooting these mages.' Kheda tucked the map into the breast of his tunic for safekeeping. He found his hands were clumsy.

  Then Dev won't be the only one tested. We'll see if I've been reading the omens aright or f
ollowing delusion to lead us all to disaster.

  Dev raised an elbow and sniffed at his armpit. 'I need to bathe and shave now you two can keep an eye out for random savages stumbling across us. Find me some food as well, girlie. My belly's been thinking my throat's been cut regardless.'

  'Where are we supposed to find bows?' Risala demanded.

  'Behind the wine barrels,' answered Dev with a sly smile. 'You didn't think all I peddle is vices?'

  'We'd better make sure they're still usable,' Kheda said with a qualm of uncertainty.

  When he and Risala returned to the deck with long oilskin-wrapped bundles that they found in the straw-packed chests in the hold, Dev was stripping off his rancid clothes. As Kheda untied the thongs around the bundles, the wizard disappeared over the Amigal's side with a splash.

  The oilskin protected fine, supple leather, which in turn covered thickly woven, soft cotton cloth. Kheda studied the weapons within carefully. 'The bows are sound enough. They're just straight staves, not so easy for the damp to damage as a composite bow. Some of the arrows want attention though. Did your father teach you how to fletch?'

  Risala shook her head. 'That was a job for Shek Kul's armoury.'

  'Don't worry; my father insisted I learn, thankfully.' Kheda rapidly assessed which arrows needed work and which were beyond salvage.

  'Throw me a rope!' Dev yelled.

  Risala moved to comply, stepping back as the naked, dripping wizard clambered back on deck. 'Those aren't hunting arrows,' she accused him.

  'No, indeed.' Kheda held up an arrow with a broad-shouldered flat head with vicious barbs. 'For cutting flesh and ripping sinew. And here, for penetrating armour, mail or plate.' He picked up an arrow with a long, square-hammered, chisel-ended head. 'I can't think of a warlord who wouldn't have your head, just for carrying these, never mind trading them to his islanders.'

  'He'd have to know I was carrying them first. You keep my secrets, Daish Kheda, and I'll keep yours.' Dev's glance took in both of them. 'What are you complaining about? You've a sight more chance of killing a wizard outright with those than using some game arrow' Dev grabbed his discarded clothes and swiped at the water running down his muscular torso. 'Get me something clean to wear, girlie.'

  'Get it yourself,' she retorted without heat.

  Kheda looked up, a couple of arrows shedding feathers in his hand. 'The sooner he's dressed, the sooner we get under way'

  Risala sighed as she lifted the trap door to the stern cabin. 'Don't think I'm waiting on you hand and foot, Dev, whether or not you need to coddle your magical strength.'

  Rapidly reappearing, she threw a bundle of well-worn cotton at Dev and then started rigging the Amigal's sails. Kheda laid the weapons carefully aside and went to help. As soon as the sails were raised, Risala took the tiller and Kheda used the heavy stern sweep to shove at the banks on either side, to stir the little ship. The onshore breeze held them back regardless.

  'Just a little magic,' murmured Dev, dragging trousers and tunic over his damp limbs. 'Just to get us moving.'

  The sails billowed obediently and the Amigal slid out into a wider channel where a natural breeze pushed the ship through the water.

  'Think you can handle the tiller, girl?' Dev challenged Risala.

  'Of course.' She didn't rise to his bait.

  'Make sure you keep a watch out while you're at that.' Dev gathered up his discarded clothes and disappeared into the stern cabin. He reappeared with the bowl he'd used for scrying now holding a tightly stoppered jar of liquid soap, a battered razor and a highly polished metal mirror.

  Kheda looked up from sorting through the arrows. 'Do you have any glue?'

  'Down in the main hold, third box back from the prow.' Dev dipped a little fresh water from the cask fixed by the mast and sat down. Rubbing soap into his stubble, where it lathered reluctantly, he fixed Kheda with one speculative brown eye. 'So what exactly will you be putting on those arrowheads to slow Dragonhide's pals down?'

  'It's what I'll be showing to Redigal Coron and Ritsem Caid, to explain how I managed to defeat these wizards.' Kheda wound salvaged silk thread carefully round an arrow shaft. 'So no one comes hunting you, to contain the taint of magic by turning your freshly flayed skin inside out.'

  Dev chuckled, unabashed, before taking his razor carefully to his cheek. 'That's all I need to know, is it?'

  'For the present.' Kheda concentrated on smoothing a ragged quill.

  'Where did you get the hateful stuff?' Dev asked idly, nose in the air as he scraped beneath his chin.

  'In the north.' Kheda stood up and went to find the glue.

  If I can put all our success down to the powder, and Shek Kul can vouch for that, if needs must, then that should answer the most immediate questions. We can turn any others aside as intruding on Daish secrets. I'll still have to find some purification and a powerful one at that, for Janne and Sirket's sake, never mind my own, but we can keep that between ourselves.

  Kheda's spirits rose as he repaired the arrows and he found himself whistling under his breath. Clean-shaven and having decided to feed himself rather than tease Risala any further, Dev fetched a blanket from below and laid himself down on the deck. He was soon snoring softly. The sun climbed higher and higher in the sky.

  They had travelled a good distance when Risala broke the silence hanging over the ship. 'I'm hungry. Can you take the tiller while I find us something to eat?'

  'Of course.' Kheda took a moment to ease his cramped shoulders and then moved to the stern. Ignoring the sleeping wizard, Risala fetched smoked meat and sailer pottage from the stores below.

  'Thanks.' Kheda ate rapidly and returned to his work. By the time the light was perceptibly yellowing, he had the bows and arrows ready for use. He looked at the weapons and pondered a new set of questions.

  How best to load these arrowheads with Shek Kul's powder? I'll have to make a paste of some kind. It'll have to be made of something with no potency of its own, so the powder's still fully effective. I wonder just what's in that mix? If Sirket and I can tease it out, that will truly be a valuable secret for the Daish domain. How much should I keep back, to study and to show Caid and Coron, to still their curiosity? How much should I use on each arrow? It'll need to be enough to be effective but I don't want to be relying on one shot for each wizard. We need enough arrows tipped and ready for several attempts at each one. Hitting a bird on the wing's going to be easy compared to this, whatever Dev says. And I'd better keep back enough to deal with him, if he turns treacherous on us.

  The thought of the struggle to come, lethal magic and howling invaders all around and him with no more than a bow in his hands, dried Kheda's mouth.

  'Can I have a look at that map?' Risala was scanning a maze of islands, thick with knot trees, ahead.

  Kheda joined Risala by the stern, both studying the crackling paper. 'We must be there.' He stabbed a finger down on an irregular lump of land.

  'You'd better wake him.' Risala looked apprehensively ahead. 'We'll be coming up on the first of them soon.'

  Kheda went to shake Dev's shoulder. The mage was awake in an instant. 'Are we there yet?'

  'Soon.' Kheda looked uncertainly at the wizard. 'Do you want anything? Your white brandy, some chewing leaf?'

  'What?' Dev squinted up at him. 'No, of course not. Liquor and magic's a dangerous combination, pal. I'd no more be drunk to work serious wizardry than you would be to read a beast's entrails.'

  For some reason he didn't care to examine too closely, Kheda found that reassuring. He turned to Risala. 'How long till the headland?'

  'Just coming up.' She deftly corrected their course.

  Dev rubbed his hands together and blue light crackling between his fingers startled Kheda. The mage set both palms flat on the deck and azure tendrils crawled away to slip between the tightly fitted planks and disappear.

  'What's that?' Kheda demanded.

  'A little misdirection, to keep them looking the wrong way. Right, my girl.' D
ev stood up and gestured to Risala. 'Hold a nice steady course parallel with the shore.'

  'What should I do?' asked Kheda.

  'Help with the sails if she needs you.' Dev rubbed his hands together and moved to the rail for a clear view of the bay coming into sight. 'Otherwise, stay out of my way.'

  Kheda saw the depressingly familiar pattern of a ransacked village with a rough prison of crudely felled timbers, a deep ditch to foil assault from the sea and the dark lines of the invaders' log boats haphazard as a child's game of picksticks above the high-water mark. A few figures were visible, idling between the huts and the shore defences.

  This is what I'm wagering my life against, in dealing with this wizard, to save my people from such vile destruction.

  Determination driving out his apprehension, Kheda glanced at Dev. The wizard was peering intently at the village, hands cupped as though he cradled something unseen, lips barely moving in some silent litany. Kheda braced himself for some explosion of magic, fire or lightning or nameless horror even worse than the abominations the two duelling wizards had wrought on each other.

  Nothing happened. Dev stayed rapt in concentration, eyes unblinking, his whole body leaning towards the shore. Kheda was wondering how long until he might ask the mage what was happening, or, more crucially, failing to happen, when movement ashore caught his attention. Savages came swarming out of the various huts and storehouses like ants from a nest stirred with a stick. Some took up a belligerent stance by the shore ditch, spears visible, bristling above their heads. Others ran for the log boats, a few launched before some authority summoned them back to the village.

  You can't have been more than Efi's age, no, more like Mie's. Daish Reik caught you up under one arm, grabbing a couple of your brothers with the other hand. Everyone was out in the gardens, servants, slaves, mothers and children. One of the kitchen girls was hit on the head by a falling roof tile.

  While the biggest cone mountains that regularly spewed fire were no closer than the Ulla domain, tremors still shook the Daish islands from time to time. Whenever people felt the ground shaking beneath their feet, they made for the open air. It was one of Kheda's earliest memories and the scene ashore was just as chaotic. Then the frantic activity stilled, everyone gathering around a central hut.