Killop swung his sword down, and drove it through the throat of the Rahain.
‘I understand,’ he said, as the two troopers stared at him, ‘but this is not a pitched battle between two sides who are playing by the rules. This is an all-out war for survival. There are no rules.’
The troopers bowed their heads.
‘Throw her off the cliff,’ he said, ‘then get back to your posts.’
One looked up at him. ‘Are we in trouble, sir?’
He shook his head. ‘Forget it.’
Killop watched as the pair picked up the body of the slain soldier, and carried her up the gorge to where a steep cliff fell down the side of the mountain. A sadness swept over him, and he felt the loss of something within his heart. If someone had to be the monster, he would rather it were him, than a pair of young troopers.
Once the ravine was clear, he assembled his squad.
‘Good job,’ he said. ‘We’re going to move the ambush a hundred yards down the gorge. Let’s go.’
The troopers secured their weapons and scrambled up the side of the slope. At the top, they followed a trail along the ridge, past where they had toppled the boulder. As they were getting settled into their new positions, Killop crouched by a rocky summit and peered down the valley. Low clouds scudded by in the breeze, and all around were the bare peaks and jagged cliffs of the Shield Mountains, threaded with deep ravines and treacherous passes. Thousands of Rahain were in the mountains, pushing up the valleys in search of the rebels, and destroying every village they came across .
Killop gestured to a pair of troopers and they approached, kneeling alongside him.
‘Get yourselves up there,’ he said, pointing to a cliff opposite their position. ‘There’s enough scree for a small rockslide, and you’ll have a better view down the gorge than us. Signal when you see them coming, and I’ll signal back when it’s time to set off the rockslide. Got it?’
They nodded.
‘Off ye go.’
They sprinted back along the ridge, and out of sight.
‘Get some rest,’ he said to the remainder of his young squad. ‘I’ll keep watch.’
He turned and leaned his back against a boulder, his eyes scanning the gorge.
‘Sir?’ said a voice.
‘Aye, trooper?’
‘Will you teach me how to kill like you do?’
‘Just follow my orders,’ he said, looking away. ‘You’ll pick up the rest on your own.’
‘I’m not sure I will, sir. I don’t think I’m cut out to be a soldier.’
‘Did you shoot your crossbow?’
‘Yes, sir,’ the trooper said, his voice low, ‘but I closed my eyes, and nearly peed myself.’
‘Then you’ve already done better than many,’ he said. ‘You’ve nothing to be ashamed of.’
The trooper gazed out at the mountains.
‘This your first fight?’ Killop said.
‘I was in the battle at Red Hills, sir,’ he said, ‘but I was stationed near the rear of the infantry, and didn’t come close to any Rahain.’
‘And did you obey orders when you were there?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘So you’ve been in two fights, and haven’t run away or disobeyed your officers?’ Killop said. ‘It’s too late, you’re a soldier whether you like it or not. Now I’m ordering you to get some rest, so you’re ready for your third fight. ’
The trooper nodded and re-joined the others. Killop glanced at them. Sooner or later, some of them would die, and he needed to harden his heart, and not get attached. He turned back to face the gorge, and settled down to wait.
The signal from the cliffs came two hours later. Killop nudged the trooper next to him.
‘Everybody up. Get ready.’
The squad began to move, scratching their backs and stretching.
Killop scanned the gorge, but saw no one. He glanced back up to the cliff. The pair of troopers were crouching by a heap of loose scree, staffs in their hands.
‘Into position, crossbows checked and ready,’ Killop whispered down the line as he glimpsed the first Rahain make their way up the gorge. As before, he waited until the group of two dozen Rahain were directly beneath them, then raised his hand. There was a rumble of stone as the rockslide began to clatter down the slope, drowning out the sound of crossbows thrumming. The soldiers in the gorge began to fall. Some ran, but they were hemmed in between the rockslide and the enormous boulder they had dislodged in the first ambush.
Killop waited, his squad cutting down the trapped Rahain without any assistance from him. The survivors began to plead for mercy, throwing down their crossbows and getting to their knees, and some of the squad hesitated.
‘Stop shooting,’ Killop cried. He glanced at the squad. ‘Cover me.’
He got to his feet and jumped down the slope. The five remaining Rahain cowered on the ground before him as he approached.
‘Kellach,’ one cried.
Killop faced him.
‘Don’t kill me, I’m a friend,’ the soldier shouted in Killop’s language. The other Rahain stared at him, their eyes wide.
‘A friend?’ Killop said. ‘Somehow I doubt that. ’
‘I know the fire mage, and I know Kylon, I was in their squad in Kell,’ the Rahain man said, his words coming out in a rush as he knelt, his arms raised.
Killop stared at him. ‘Or you fought against us in Kell, and learned our language.’
‘It’s true, I did,’ the man wept, ‘but I was captured, and Kylon spared me, and I worked for Keira, helping her. And then I went with Kylon to the city of the Rakanese, and after it was destroyed, we went looking for the fire mage’s brother in Rahain, to tell him his lover was dead…’
‘Stop,’ Killop cried, leaning closer. ‘Fuck, I recognise you.’
The Rahain man blinked, his tongue flickering.
Killop almost laughed. ‘I’m the fire mage’s brother. We’ve met.’
‘You’re Killop?’ the man said, squinting. ‘Sorry, all you Kellach look the same to me. I’m Baoryn.’
‘I remember,’ Killop said. ‘When you visited, did you know Daphne was alive?’
‘Yes, I did,’ Baoryn said. ‘I apologised to Daphne for it in person, after I was released from jail in Plateau City.’
‘You’ve met Daphne?’
‘I have.’
Killop frowned. The four other Rahain soldiers were staring at them.
‘These your friends now?’ Killop said.
‘No. I’ve been looking for Kylon for nearly two years. I lost him when he went into Sanang, and only picked up his trail a while ago. I let myself be conscripted, hoping I would find the rebels. Do you know where Kylon is?’
‘I might do,’ Killop said.
He glanced up to the squad on the ridge, and beckoned them down.
‘This is Baoryn,’ he said. ‘Bind his hands and hood him, we’re taking him back to the camp.’
Baoryn stood, and held his arms out to the approaching troopers.
‘Thank you, Killop,’ he said. ‘As the fire mage’s brother, I want you to know that you have my trust. ’
Killop said nothing as the troopers put a bag over Baoryn’s head, and bound his wrists with rope.
‘What’ll we do with the others, sir?’
Killop gazed at the four terrified Rahain kneeling before him.
‘Start making your way to the camp,’ he said. ‘Keep the prisoner guarded at all times. I’ll finish off here.’
‘Yes, sir.’
He waited until their steps had faded into the distance, and drew his sword.
It was a six-hour hike up to the camp, their third base since fleeing Royston. Keep moving, that had been Killop’s first piece of advice to Daphne. Move and strike, move and strike. Never give the enemy a moment’s peace, and put up with whatever discomforts came along without complaint. He had been taking different squads out on raids, sometimes for the day, sometimes staying out overnight for a dawn ambus
h. He had noted the best from each squad, and was compiling a list of names of those he thought capable of more daring and arduous raids.
The four remaining Holdings mages had been split up and sent to locations further up the chain of mountains, close to where the great ocean battered the cliffs. Daphne had positioned herself with two hundred soldiers as the force closest to the Rahain advancing through the rocky valleys.
They retreated every time they shifted base, but they were making the Rahain pay for every step they took, with hundreds of casualties inflicted by the rebel’s tactics. If only he had a squad of veteran Kellach in the mountains, he thought, as he gazed at the jagged, barren peaks, instead of inexperienced Holdings militia, some of whom were barely out of childhood.
The camp was nestled in a flat-bottomed ravine, where a patch of trees stood by a narrow mountain stream, which tumbled down from the grey slopes. A sentry greeted them as they approached, and Killop nodded.
They clambered down the steep slope of the ravine, and walked through the untidy rows of tents. Daphne’s tent was higher than the others, and stood in the centre, a cluster of soldiers on guard outside. They saluted as they saw Killop draw near.
‘Squad,’ he said, turning to face his raiders, ‘good work today, you’re learning. I’m going back out tomorrow, so be ready in case any of you are selected. Dismissed.’
He put his arm on Baoryn’s shoulder, and approached Daphne’s tent.
‘You’re back early,’ said Celine, who was standing outside having a cigarette.
‘Found this guy,’ he said, nodding to the bound and hooded Rahain. ‘Are the rest of them inside?’
‘Yeah.’
Killop called over a couple of guards.
‘Watch this prisoner for me,’ he said. ‘Keep him here until I call for him.’
‘Yes, sir.’
Killop glanced down at the hooded figure. ‘I’ll be back soon,’ he said in Rahain, then stepped into the tent. He went through a small hallway, and entered Daphne’s quarters.
Karalyn squealed, and ran to him, hugging his leg. He ruffled her hair.
‘Hiya, wee bear.’
Kylon grunted at him from where he sat in the corner of the tent. Daphne was sitting on a chair next to Chane, who was lying on a camp-bed, bandages still covering her ribs. They were smoking a weedstick.
‘I see you two are having fun,’ Killop said, smiling, ‘while I’m out doing all the work.’
Chane shook her head and started to laugh. ‘You’re in trouble now,’ she said. ‘Poor Daphne here’s been slaving her guts out all day. ’
Killop slung his sword belt over a bench, and unbuckled his armoured chestplate.
Daphne glanced up at him, her eyes exhausted. ‘I thought you were going to be out longer, I wasn’t expecting you back until tomorrow morning. How did it go?’
He sat on a chair, and unlaced his boots. ‘Fine. Hit two patrols. Forty-seven Rahain killed. No casualties our end.’
She nodded.
‘What you been doing?’ he asked.
Daphne sighed. ‘Ranging,’ she said, ‘and checking in with the other detachments. Our positions to the south-west have become compromised and we’re going to have to move location soon, probably tomorrow.’
‘And the Emperor?’
‘A hundred miles to the east, burning the last of the mining towns.’
‘He see you?’
‘No, Karalyn shielded me. He had no idea I was watching him.’
‘Good.’ He paused. ‘There’s a reason I’m back early. I found someone.’
Daphne frowned. ‘Who?’
‘A man who claims to know us. Says we’ve met, and I think I recognise him, but I’m not sure. It was a long time ago.’ He glanced over at Kylon. ‘You’re going to want to see this.’
He got up and walked to the tent entrance.
‘Bring him,’ he called to the guards.
They all watched as the two Holdings troopers escorted the hooded figure in.
Thanks,’ Killop said. ‘You can go.’
The troopers saluted and left the tent.
Daphne leaned forward in her chair as Killop removed the captive’s hood.
‘Baoryn!’ cried Kylon, rising. He ran to the Rahain man and embraced him, holding him close to his chest. The two men began to weep .
Killop nodded. ‘Guess he was telling the truth.’
He stepped forward, and cut the cords that bound the wrists of the Rahain. Baoryn put his arms round Kylon’s back, sobbing as he hugged the Kell man.
Chane frowned. ‘Are they going to need their own room?’
Killop glanced at Daphne. ‘Do you recognise him?’
‘Yeah,’ she said. ‘He came round to see me once, when I was pregnant in Plateau City. He knew about Kalayne.’
Baoryn broke off, and stared at Daphne. He rubbed his eyes.
Kylon gazed down at him. ‘Kalayne’s dead, old friend.’
‘I know,’ the Rahain man said, ‘or, I guessed, when he didn’t send a vision when he said he would.’
‘He was putting visions into your head?’ Daphne asked.
Baoryn nodded. ‘Just once. He told me that Kylon was going to the Holdings, to look for you. He said he would let me know how to find him, but he never did.’
‘Was this last winter?’ said Kylon.
‘Yes,’ said Baoryn, ‘just after the fire mage’s army was wiped out by the Emperor.’
‘Come and sit down,’ Daphne said. ‘We’ll get some food and drink, and talk.’
The Rahain man nodded. ‘From the moment I left your home, Miss Holdfast, I have been searching for Kylon. Thank you for welcoming me here.’
Daphne nodded.
‘By the way,’ said Chane, ‘it’s Lady Holdfast now.’
Baoryn bowed. ‘My lady.’
The sun was setting over the mountains to the west as dinner was prepared. Celine came in, and they gathered chairs and a table next to Chane’s camp-bed. A hot wood-stove was brought in to heat the tent, its chimney poking up through a slit in the canvas ceiling. Their rations were small and bland, but the ale was plentiful.
Baoryn stayed quiet most of the time, listening to Kylon tell the long tale of Keira’s invasion of the Plateau. Whenever Killop glanced at the Rahain he would be gazing up at the black-cloaked Kell man, his wide eyes looking like they wanted to consume him.
Daphne and Killop gave a shorter account of their lives, which entertained Chane and Celine more than Baoryn, whose attention remained fixed on Kylon. Chane passed round a few weedsticks. Killop abstained, preferring to keep his mind unclouded. He picked up Karalyn and sat her on his lap.
Baoryn glanced at her.
Karalyn smiled, and the Rahain man glanced away, his tongue flickering.
‘She’s beautiful,’ he said, ‘just like her mother.’
‘Thank you,’ said Daphne. ‘In your vision, what else did Kalayne say to you?’
‘He reminded me that many years ago I pledged my life and service to Kylon, and told me to help him in any way I could.’
Daphne turned to Kylon. ‘Did you know about this?’
‘No,’ he said. ‘To be honest, I had no idea that Kalayne was in contact with him.’
‘It was only one vision,’ Baoryn said. ‘I was in Rainsby at the time, on my way back from Rahain.’
‘What were you doing in Rahain?’ Daphne said.
‘After I left Plateau City, my lady, I discovered that Kylon had been enlisted in the alliance army, and was fighting down there. But by the time I got to Rahain, he was no longer with the army, and I lost track of him completely. I wandered through the Grey Mountains, thinking that maybe he and the fire mage had been living in the wild up there, but found nothing. When I got to Rainsby all everyone was talking about was the invasion of the fire witch from Sanang, and I realised what had happened.’
He glanced at Kylon. ‘I’m sorry it took so long to find you. ’
‘I knew you would in the end,’ Kyl
on said.
‘And how did you find him?’ said Daphne.
‘I travelled up to Plateau City, though didn’t get too close to it. The Emperor was in Rakana, hunting for mages. I heard that a Rahain army had been summoned, so I walked up to the border with the Holdings, and waited. It was easy to fall in with the soldiers that arrived from Rahain, though I stuck out at the start. The rest of them were raw recruits, and most hadn’t been given any training, and I was about the only veteran who knew what he was doing. So I played dumb, and mingled in.’
‘Did you fight at Red Hills?’ Killop said.
‘I was there, sir, but I stuck to the back. I just wanted to survive. After it was over, we were led to the mountains, and I made sure I was sent out with the lead units, hoping that if I got to speak to the rebels, then I could talk my way here. I was lucky it was you that found me.’
Daphne narrowed her eyes and took a draw of her weedstick.
‘I’m going to look inside your mind,’ she said. ‘Nothing personal.’
‘That’s unfair,’ said Kylon. ‘I believe him, and I trust him.’
Daphne shrugged, and her eyes hazed over for a few moments, as Baoryn sat still. She shook her head and grimaced. She picked up a mug of ale and took a long swig.
‘Well?’ said Chane.
‘He’s telling the truth,’ she said.
Kylon glowered. Baoryn glanced at him. ‘It’s all right, I understand why they need to be sure. I’ve been away a long time.’
‘So he’s a good guy?’ said Celine.
‘Of course he is,’ said Kylon.
‘Don’t get your knickers in a twist,’ said Chane. ‘You’d have done the same.’
‘It’s settled,’ Daphne said. ‘Baoryn can stay. Kylon, you look after him for now. I’ll have a think about where to assign him later.’
‘Thank you, my lady,’ the Rahain said, bowing.
Kylon stood. ‘I’ll get you kitted out, come on.’
Baoryn got to his feet, bowed at Daphne again, and they left the tent .
‘I don’t like him,’ said Chane.
‘Did you see the way he was looking at Kylon?’ said Celine.
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