by Jo Spurrier
Isidro grimaced, and shrugged. ‘No one sacked the place. Looks like they peeked in and crept out again without touching anything.’
‘Hmm,’ Cam said, ‘I’m not surprised.’ He mopped his brow, sweating with the heat of the cooling stone, and backed away. ‘Let’s get back up there. We’ve got a cursed lot of work to do.’
Once the first round of ships were unloaded and life in the ruined city fell into some sort of routine, Makaio set sail eastwards to make contact with the parts of the country that had escaped the worst of the war. Mira sent with him a few folk who showed talent for diplomacy, hoping to win support for the new king. Makaio left a few of his mages, promising to send news through them.
Since Cam’s Akharian tent was hopelessly inadequate, within a few days the household relocated into the palace. Not to the old royal quarters, which were deep within the interior and still choked full of the wreckage of battle. Instead, the workers focused on restoring just one wing of the fortress to a habitable state. The rooms that were hastily outfitted for Cam and his family were decidedly humble, built of plain stone and salvaged timber, but so spacious that it felt like luxury compared to the cramped tents they’d lived in for so long. It was warm, too, with a stove-wall that heated both the common room and the sleeping-chambers, as well as a sunken stone-lined firepit where they could gather to talk of the day’s affairs.
The household was just settling in for the evening when there came a rap at the door. Anoa, who split her time between serving as Mira’s handmaid and spending nights with Ardamon in his secondary quarters in the barracks, went to answer it and returned with a messenger, who greeted Cam with a bow. ‘Your grace, Lord Ardamon sends to tell you that a caravan is approaching the gates. They’re from the Wolf Clan, sir, and say they’re bearing gifts and supplies from Lady Tarya.’
Sipping on mulled wine, Cam barked a laugh. ‘Gifts from the Wolf Clan? Whatever they’re bringing us is bound to be more trouble than it’s worth.’
‘How many?’ Isidro asked.
‘Sixty-odd warriors, sir, and the same again in unarmed folk.’
‘Any sign of mage-craft?’
‘The mage on duty sensed nothing, but one of the lads is a Sensitive and reported some hotspots among the sleds, sir.’
‘Spies,’ Sierra said.
‘Oh, without a doubt,’ Mira said, dandling Cade on her lap, ‘but I want to hear what they have to say.’
‘Tell Ardamon to bring them in,’ Cam said. ‘We’ll come down to meet them.’
The messenger bowed. ‘Yes, sir.’
As the lad left, Sierra turned to Cam with a frown. ‘Why in the Fires Below are we letting them in?’
‘Information,’ Cam said. ‘Whatever’s happened while we’ve been away, you can bet the Wolf Clan’s at the centre of it.’
‘Keeping them out won’t stop their spies, anyway,’ Isidro said. ‘It’d just deny us the chance to learn anything from them.’
Sierra gave him a look full of scepticism. ‘How can we trust anything they tell us?’
‘We can’t, of course,’ Mira said, ‘but hearing what they want us to know will be a start. Watch and learn, Sirri, you need to know how these things work.’ Mira called one of the nursemaids to take charge of Cade, and stood. ‘Alright, then. Let’s go see what my wretched kin are trying to pull on us this time.’
A short time later, they met the caravan at the palace steps. Sierra called up a chain of mage-lights and sent them floating over the long train of shaggy-coated yaka and weary folk in travel-stained furs.
The soldiers were mounted on fine warhorses, and a soldier came forward to hold the bridle of one beast as its rider dismounted. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with the build of one who’d never known hunger in his growing years and a face that reminded Sierra of Ardamon.
She’d never seen him before, but Delphine went tense beside her.
‘Ah,’ Cam murmured, ‘interesting.’
‘Who is he?’
‘Hespero. One of Dremman’s sons.’
The fellow was already striding towards them, tucking his mittens into his belt. ‘Greetings, cousin,’ he called to Mira.
‘Cousin,’ she said, with a small nod.
‘And Prince Cammarian — or am I to call you cousin, too? I hear you and Mira have made a betrothal.’
Cam cocked his head. ‘Prince, is it? I seem to recall that last time we met, you named me king, Hespero.’
‘So I did,’ the man said, ‘though I admit it was meant in jest. The Angessovars have suffered harshly this last year — three dead in a few months. Anyone claiming the name is taking his life in his hands, I fear.’
‘Oh, I don’t know. Your esteemed cousin dealt with one of them, and a good friend saw to the other two, and I doubt I’m in danger from either of them. I don’t believe you’ve met Lady Sierra, Hespero. The one they call the Stormblade?’ He held his hand out to Sierra.
‘No, I’ve not had the honour,’ Hespero said. He looked Sierra over boldly and bowed.
Sierra kept her gaze on his face. ‘Who is he?’
‘You remember how Delphi and I struck out after you last spring? Well, Hespero was the one who led the Akharians to us,’ Cam said. ‘He’s Ardamon’s elder brother.’
‘I see,’ she said, still studying him.
Hespero rolled his shoulders in a shrug. ‘Nothing personal, Cammarian. I was only following orders. Though perhaps you don’t have much experience with that sort of thing.’
‘You mean, following the sort of orders that include sacrificing your countrymen for our enemies? I can’t disagree.’
‘The ties of loyalty aren’t easily severed, your grace … at least, not for some of us.’
‘I’ve always found loyalty to be a path that runs two ways,’ Cam said.
Hespero shrugged and turned back to Mira. ‘Now, cousin, I’ve heard you were delivered of a son. Is this true? Is the babe well?’
‘Yes, it’s true. Cadrosec is very well, a fine, strong little lad.’
Hespero nodded, and seemed to be waiting for her to go on, but when Mira said nothing more, he frowned. ‘And may I see him?’
‘Oh, perhaps, at some point. Right now he’s sleeping.’
‘You could, I don’t know, wake him up, perhaps?’
Mira just blinked at him. ‘I don’t think so. What brings you here, Hespero?’
Hespero turned to gesture to the caravan of sleds, animals and people. ‘A gift from Lady Tarya and the clan. Your kin deeply regret the gulf that’s grown between us, Mira. As a gesture of goodwill, the clan has sent you goods we hope may be of use — there’s a supply of seed, bales of cloth and fur and so on. I’m not a man who knows much about household goods, but I’m assured it’s all useful stuff. There’s some very decent brood mares, and the goats and the yaka cows are good stock too. Lady Tarya sent a steward along, and she has all the lists and so on. And these folk are skilled artisans who have agreed to come serve you, should you accept them.’
‘I see,’ Cam said. ‘That’s a welcome gift. I’ll admit I’m surprised to receive it. Prosperity and success are the last things I’d suspect your people would wish on mine.’
‘Oh, come now, Cammarian, do you really think us so petty? You have both a daughter and a son of the Wolf Clan within your walls. The ties of kinship run deep. We wouldn’t risk harm to Mirasada, or the babe.’
Mira narrowed her eyes. ‘His name is Cadrosec.’
Hespero was a fighting man with years of experience at keeping his face from betraying his thoughts, but still, Sierra caught a flicker of irritation. He covered it with an aggrieved frown. ‘Mira, this is childish. I expected better of you — we all did. But it is what it is, I suppose. Cammarian, I have another purpose in coming here. Lady Tarya and my lord father have tasked me with informing you of what has taken place in your absence, if you care to hear it.’
‘I’d be glad to,’ Cam said. ‘We’ve had precious little news from home. Come with me, I’ll hear wh
at your clan has to say. Or did you want some time to rest first?’
‘Rest? After a little ride in the springtime?’ He barked a scornful laugh. ‘Let me give orders to my captain to see these folk settled, and I’ll be at your service, Prince Cammarian.’
Cam thumped his fist on the table, making the glasses and bowls rattle. ‘They’re still here?’ he demanded. ‘How many?’
Mindful of the obligations of hospitality, the servants had laid out a meal of roast meat, bannock and pickled vegetables in the meeting chamber. Hespero unhurriedly swallowed his mouthful before replying. ‘Around three hundred. Most of them mages, I understand.’
‘Why in the Black Sun’s name did your people allow them to stay?’
With a sudden flash of anger Hespero slammed his cup down. ‘How in the Fires Below were we supposed to turn them out? Look, your grace, we had no choice but to make this alliance. Your creature here saw to that,’ he snapped, jabbing a finger at Sierra. ‘After she deserted us at Demon’s Spire, the Akharians could have crushed us at will and taken back the slaves we’d worked so hard to free. We had to make ourselves agreeable.’
Sierra narrowed her eyes. Does he think we’re fools? she said to Isidro. He doesn’t expect us to believe this, does he?
Hopes more than expects, I’d say, he replied, leaning on one arm of his chair.
Cam raised one eyebrow. ‘Don’t try to tell me the Wolf Clan hoped to have Sierra as an ally. Not after what they’d done to her.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘You tried to sell me back to Kell,’ Sierra said, tipping her head to one side and studying him, unblinking.
‘I did nothing of the sort.’
‘Don’t play the fool,’ she snapped. ‘You’re speaking for your clan, aren’t you?’
‘The clan had no part in that debacle. It was perpetrated by spies and traitors within our ranks. Why would we seek to deliver so powerful a weapon into the hands of our enemies? It makes no sense.’
As Hespero spoke, a page silently entered the room and set a waxed tablet on the table beside Mira. Mira looked it over with an idle glance as Cam spoke, a note of sarcasm in his voice. ‘So, let me see if I have this correct. You’re telling me that the Wolf Clan never meant to deliver Sierra to Kell, or hand her and Isidro to the Akharians, or even to give them the books and other treasures of Demon’s Spire. And when Lady Tarya and War-Leader Dremman were negotiating with the Akharians to deliver up Vasant’s stronghold, they secretly meant to use Sierra to destroy them?’
‘I’m afraid I wasn’t privy to all the chieftain’s plans,’ Hespero replied, ‘but that’s the truth as I understand it.’
‘It’s rather odd they never informed us of this plan,’ Mira said.
‘I believe it was felt your security could not be trusted, cousin. After all, you had taken an enemy mage captive and we had no reason to believe she couldn’t feed information back to her own people. We couldn’t take the risk.’
Mira made a note on the soot-stained wax and slid it across to Isidro. ‘And when you came hunting us in the White Tiger Ranges? What was the plan then?’
‘We meant to lull the Akharians into a sense of security once you and the Akharian were captured, and deal with them then. We had poison on hand for the Battle-Mage, and the rest of them would’ve been put down easily enough.’
Isidro flipped open the tablet.
What does it say? Sierra asked.
Ardamon’s men have been talking to the folk Hespero brought. Apparently they’re Mira’s sympathisers from Ruhavera, the ones who were sending her information last spring. The clan didn’t send them as a favour to us, they’re purging the clan of informants. They’ve been exiled from the Wolf lands.
So that’s why Hespero is telling us all this — we’d find it out, anyway.
Mm.
‘In my experience, plans work best when everyone understands their role,’ Cam said, ‘but perhaps that wasn’t the problem. I don’t believe Delphine and I had any confusion over the role we were expected to play.’
‘Cammarian, I must say, I know Valeria saw plots and enemies in every shadow, but my clan hoped that that particular sickness had passed you over. It seems that we are to be disappointed.’
Cam cut him off with a wave of his hand. ‘Enough. So, you came to tell us your clan’s alliance with the Akharians still stands, and that several hundred of them remain in Ricalan in defiance of the treaty with Akhara. What does the clan want?’
‘Isn’t it obvious? We want to be rid of them. We forged the alliance because we lacked the strength to stand against them and now we’re trapped. We can’t free ourselves, you must see that — only you have the strength to turn them out. There are only three hundred of them. It should be a small matter for Lady Sierra to deal with.’
Cam laughed, a short and humourless bark. ‘I don’t think so.’
‘She doesn’t have the power to face them?’
‘No, I don’t think you believe we’d be foolish enough to trust you. The Wolf Clan has dealt with mages before, Hespero, don’t tell me you’ve forgotten how.’
‘They’re well aware of what happened in the Great Purge. Your foster brother saw to that. They guard their supplies well, and have taken our kinsfolk for food-tasters. Well, if you won’t give us Sierra, what of your other mages? I know you have them. Can’t you spare a few for the sake of your kin?’
Cam shook his head. ‘No, Hespero. I’m not giving you any mages to deliver up to the Akharians. I will find a way to be rid of the Akharians, you can count on that, but if you want your clan to survive the purge, I suggest you get to work on convincing me to trust you. Otherwise, you may wake up one day to find a volcano under your feet.’
Back in their chambers, Sierra paced. ‘We need to do something. We need to act, now. We can’t sit around waiting for them to strike.’
Isidro drummed his fingers against the table. ‘Mira,’ he said, ‘how far is Ruhavera from here? How long would a caravan of that size need for the journey? A month? Six weeks?’
She rubbed a hand across her forehead. ‘More like six than four, I’d say.’
‘That’s what I thought. But six weeks ago we’d only just reached terms with the Akharians. Did they truly set out for Lathayan within days? That’s not much time to make a plan.’
Mira frowned. ‘You’re right. It’s not.’
Still pacing, Sierra turned to him, her eyes flashing in the darkness. The only light in the chamber was from the fire and the cluster of mage-lights hanging over the table where everyone else sat. ‘What are you saying?’
‘They set this in motion before we negotiated the truce. They anticipated it. They knew we were coming home.’
‘It was no great deduction,’ Mira said with a sigh. ‘We wanted our land back, the Akharians lacked the supplies to hold it. Makaio and his uncle didn’t want the north in Akharian hands. Everything we’ve done has been quite predictable.’
‘Mm,’ Cam mused. ‘The question is, what are they planning?’
‘In the morning I’ll talk to the exiles,’ Mira said.
‘They won’t know much,’ Isidro said. ‘The Wolf Clan knew those folk would pass along everything they heard. They’d have taken every care.’
‘I’m afraid you’re right,’ Mira said, scowling and slumping down into her seat.
‘So what do we do?’ Sierra said as she began to pace again. ‘March on Ruhavera?’
Mira straightened. ‘And do what?’ she demanded. ‘Melt it into a puddle?’
Sierra shot her a dark glance. ‘If that’s what it takes.’
‘By the Black Sun, Sirri, there are thousands of folk living there who have nothing to do with any —’
Cam cut Mira off with a shake of his head, but he kept his gaze on Sierra. ‘Sirri, they’re not at Ruhavera. It’s too far away and too obvious a target. They know what you can do, they’re not waiting for you to come to them.’
‘No, but we are.’ She swapped her glare to h
im, still pacing. ‘All I’m hearing here is a lot of talk, but no action. We need to move on this! I can’t sit back and wait for them to strike! Not again! By all the Gods …’ She raked her hands through her hair, and the movement sent threads of power rippling over her hands, sending crackling sparks raining down to the floor.
‘We’ll find them, Sirri. Now that we know what’s happening we —’
‘It won’t be enough! They’ve had weeks to plan this! It must be in place now, and the only reason they’re telling us is because it’s too late to do anything about it.’ Glaring, she swept her gaze across the table as though daring them to deny it. No one spoke.
She turned away with a wordless growl, letting her spilling power cover her in a mantle of lightning. ‘We need to get out of here.’
‘No,’ Cam said, ‘we’re not leaving.’
‘So we just wait for them to strike, like a goat staked out as tiger-bait?’ She shook her head. ‘You said it yourself, Isidro. We can’t defend this place. We can’t keep them out. We have to leave —’
‘No!’ Cam slammed both palms down on the table, and stood. ‘We’re not leaving. I’m not running anymore. I won’t abandon the folk who’ve followed us halfway around the cursed world, who trusted us to take them home and who’re trusting us to keep them safe now we’ve brought them here. Look, we can’t keep running like a stag ahead of wolves, we have to make a stand somewhere. This cursed place might be crumbling and in ruins, but by the Fires Below, it’s mine and I’m going to fight to defend it. I’m not going to let my children be harried through the snow, scavenging for scraps and shelter, never feeling safe and never knowing where they’ll sleep the next night. This is our home now and we’re going to fight for it.’
Sierra was shaking. Isidro could see it in her hands, the restless clenching of her fists, and he could feel it in the power coursing through her, a jittery, brittle current. ‘I can’t do this again,’ she said. ‘I can’t wait like this, bracing for the first cut. I can’t do it, Cam.’
Leaning back in his chair, Ardamon folded his hands behind his head and scowled at her. ‘Now look here,’ he said, ‘if you’re planning to run out on us again —’