‘She’s a fucking mage,’ Bridget said, ‘a one-year-old mage, more powerful than either of you two sitting here.’ She nodded to Agang and Shella. ‘She can read minds, mess with yer thoughts, and fuck knows what else.’
She put down her mug. ‘Just like Kalayne. That’s what Daphne said. She has the same powers as Kalayne.’
‘Bullshit,’ Shella said. ‘I was there at the birth, and saw Karalyn loads over the next few thirds. They was nothing crazy about her.’
‘And how old was she when Daphne left Plateau City?’ asked Laodoc.
‘Nearly seven thirds. ’
‘She’s grown a fair bit since then,’ Bridget said.
‘I never saw anything out of the ordinary,’ Laodoc said, ‘but I wasn’t the most sociable back then. I didn’t pay much attention to the child, I’m afraid.’
‘Could it be true?’ said Agang. ‘This child of Daphne Holdfast and Killop, could she possess the same powers as Kalayne?’
‘In Rahain,’ Laodoc said, ‘scientists believed that the Holdings and the Kellach peninsula were once a single continent, long ago. If that’s true, then maybe the powers of Kalayne belong to both their peoples.’
Agang’s eyes widened. ‘That’s it,’ he said. ‘This is the answer.’
‘What?’ said Shella.
‘Kalayne may be dead,’ he said, ‘but this girl lives.’
He stared across the table.
‘We need to find her.’
Chapter 24
Rear Guard
S hield Mountains, Imperial Holdings – 7 th Day, First Third Winter 507
‘Kara-bear?’ Daphne called, her eyes scanning the crowded camp. ‘Where is she? Celine?’
The Holdings woman glanced over. ‘What is it?’
‘Where’s Karalyn?’
Celine frowned. ‘She was right here, I just saw her…’
‘Karalyn!’ Daphne cried.
‘Look, here’s her toy,’ Celine said, kneeling by the fire where the girl had been playing moments before. ‘She must have run off.’
‘Dammit,’ Daphne muttered, walking round the fire where the others were eating their breakfast in the dawn light. Kylon caught her eye, and walked over.
‘Help me look for Karalyn,’ she said before he could open his mouth. ‘She was here a minute ago, now she’s gone.’
‘I’ll check the caves,’ he said.
‘Alright, go.’
She turned, and pulled on some battle-vision, her enhanced eyesight taking in every detail around her. She examined the area next to the busy campfire, then searched by the haphazard jumble of tents, trees and carts, extending her vision out to the paths at the edge of their new base as far as the sentries.
Nothing.
‘I don’t understand,’ said Celine, worry creasing her brow, ‘she can’t have just disappeared.’
‘She’s not in the caves,’ Kylon said, his eyes dark. ‘I’ll start searching the tents. We’ll tear this place apart until we find her.’
‘Wait,’ Daphne said. ‘Maybe she’s still here. Maybe we just can’t see her.’
‘What?’ said Celine.
‘If she can hide from the Emperor, she could be hiding from us.’
‘Do you think you can find her?’ Kylon said.
‘I’ll try.’
He nodded. ‘I’ll get a search party organised while you do what you can here. Signal me if you find her.’
Daphne watched the Kell man stride away, as Baoryn stepped out of the crowd to follow him. She sat on the rough ground, and lit a cigarette.
Celine knelt next to her. ‘Should I send a messenger to Killop and Chane?’
‘No,’ she said. ‘Not yet.’
She stubbed out her cigarette, and closed her eyes. She took a few deep breaths, steadying herself. She softened her focus, allowing her mind to break free of her body in the way Kalayne had taught her, rather than use the more forceful Holdings method. Her vision gazed down on the camp. She saw herself, seated, with Celine crouching next to her, biting her nails.
Two yards to her left was a tree, with low hanging branches. Under them Karalyn was crouching, her knees drawn up, her eyes closed. Daphne glided down.
What’s wrong, little bear?
Mummy.
Are you scared? Everything’s all right, you don’t need to hide.
Mummy hide too .
Mummy’s here because I was worried , Daphne said. Please don’t hide from mummy, Kara-bear.
No, mummy hide now.
Why? What are you hiding from?
Karalyn’s eyes opened. The bad man’s coming.
Daphne’s vision shot back to her head and she opened her eyes. She could see Karalyn, crouching under the branches of the tree. Daphne held out her right arm, and the girl ran to her.
Celine gasped. ‘Where did you appear from, young lady?’
Daphne held Karalyn close, her mind racing. She needed to calm herself. Karalyn was sniffling in her embrace, but she cleared her mind, and sent a flash of line-vision up to the nearest mountain peak, half a mile to the north. From there, she scanned the approaches to their base. There were only two ways to access the narrow valley where they had camped. Daphne looked first to the west. In a clearing a few miles away lay several Rahain flying carriages, their hatches open. Dozens of soldiers were spilling out of them. Daphne span round, and sent her vision east. The same, except this time the soldiers were accompanied by a tall figure in black armour.
She pulled her vision back and retched, holding Karalyn clear as she threw her breakfast up onto the ground. Several troopers stared at her from the fireside.
‘I need Killop,’ she gasped at Celine, who was sitting open-mouthed, ‘and Chane, Mirren, Kylon, everyone. Now.’
‘Are you alright, ma’am?’ a trooper called over.
Daphne spotted an officer, and staggered to her feet. ‘Lieutenant,’ she cried. ‘Get over here.’
He approached. ‘Yes, my lady?’
‘To arms,’ she said, her gaze steady. ‘Get everybody up and ready. No fuss. Now.’
The lieutenant’s eyes widened. ‘At once, my lady.’
He turned, blew a whistle and began crying out orders to the camp. More officers approached.
‘Send for Killop and Chane,’ she said, rocking Karalyn in her arms .
‘We’re here,’ said Killop.
She turned, and saw him walk into the clearing by the fire, Chane at his side.
‘What’s wrong?’ he said.
Daphne waited until her officers were gathered.
‘Let me take her,’ Celine whispered.
Daphne shook her head. ‘Get me a table.’ She glanced up. ‘Chane. Map.’
Celine carried a folding table to where Daphne stood holding Karalyn, and Chane laid a map on it. Mirren arrived, drawn by the crowd. She pushed her way through the troopers, until she stood by Killop and the other officers.
‘Lady Holdfast,’ she said, ‘are we compromised?’
Daphne nodded. ‘The Emperor’s forces are only a few miles away, blocking both exits to the valley.’
The crowd stared at her, their faces frozen.
‘I thought he was a hundred miles away,’ said Chane.
‘He’s flown in on winged gaien, straight to our location.’
‘The Emperor’s here in person?’ said Mirren.
‘He is,’ Daphne said. Some in the crowd grew restless, looking over their shoulders.
‘Someone has betrayed us,’ cried a trooper.
Daphne swallowed. The trooper was right. She glanced at Killop.
‘We’ll worry about that later,’ he said. ‘Right now we need to hold our nerve and find a way out of this trap.’
‘What do you suggest, Commander?’ said Daphne.
Killop stepped forward and glanced at the map. ‘Show me the position of the enemy forces, my lady.’
Daphne pointed at the two locations.
‘And at which end of the valley is the Emperor?’
‘Th
e eastern.’
He nodded, staring at the map. The rest of the officers gathered closer in silence.
‘All right,’ he said, straightening, ‘here’s what I suggest. I’ll take three raiding squads, and make for this position here in the east. We’ll hold the Emperor up, while every other available trooper attacks the Rahain at the western end of the valley. Chane, you take command of this force. Break through the enemy as fast as you can. Once you’re clear of the valley, head north towards the coast, and I’ll catch you up with my three squads later.’
Daphne stared at him.
‘My lady?’ he said.
‘You’ll catch us up?’
‘Aye,’ he said, ‘we will.’
She faced the others. ‘You heard the commander, those are my orders. The Emperor thinks he’s got us trapped like rats in a bag, but he doesn’t know we’re waiting for him, or what we’re capable of. Let’s show him.’
She stepped back, and the camp descended into chaos. Troopers ran around, pulling on boots or armour, and grabbing crossbows. Officers were bawling and shouting to be heard over the pandemonium, screaming at their soldiers to get into position. Killop and Chane were locked in a heated discussion, their voices low.
Daphne glanced at Celine.
‘We’d best get ready.’
Celine nodded, and they walked into the shallow caves where Daphne was based, pulling back the long curtain that shielded the interior from eyes and the wind. Daphne put Karalyn down into her cot, and picked up her armour.
‘Help me,’ she said, and Celine began fastening the buckles at her side.
‘Who do you think…?’ she said, then stopped as the curtain flapped and Kylon walked in.
‘I heard,’ said the Kell, his face stern. ‘This is bad. You know what it means, don’t you?’
‘Yes,’ Daphne said. ‘Either the Emperor can see through Karalyn’s vision shield, or someone has betrayed our location to him.’
‘Exactly,’ Kylon said. He turned, as Baoryn walked in .
Karalyn let out a low whimper, her face crinkling in fear, and Daphne’s eyes narrowed.
‘Celine,’ she said, ‘take Karalyn to the cave at the back, and stay there until I tell you.’
Celine gave a slight nod, picked up the child, and disappeared behind her. Daphne stepped forward, buckling on her sword belt. She smiled, and entered the Rahain man’s head. She ploughed in deep, her power ripping through his thoughts. Baoryn staggered and fell to the ground, twitching. Kylon cried out, and dropped to his knees beside him, but Daphne carried on, searching through the Rahain man’s mind, looking into all the dark corners. She stopped. There, hidden away, she sensed the mage threads of the Emperor, nesting inside his brain like a parasite. She recoiled in disgust, and let out a fierce blast of power, scouring it clean.
Baoryn screamed, and Daphne pulled her vision back.
Kylon stared up at her, his eyes enraged. ‘What have you done?’
She glanced down, her breath calming. Baoryn was lying still with his eyes open. Foam and spittle covered his chin, and the veins in his head were bulging.
‘The Emperor got to him,’ she said. ‘He was watching us through his eyes.’
‘And you killed him for it?’
She shook her head. ‘He’ll live. He might have a sore head for a while. I burnt the Emperor’s presence out of him.’
‘He didn’t know it was there,’ Kylon said. ‘He couldn’t have.’
‘I know,’ she said. ‘That’s why he’s still alive.’
Kylon nodded.
‘I need to ask you something,’ Daphne said, ‘and I want a straight answer. Did you ever speak to Baoryn about my daughter?’
‘I told him it was our job to protect her,’ he said, ‘but not why. Do you think the Emperor was listening?’
‘We’ll have to assume he might have been, whenever Baoryn was in earshot,’ she said. ‘Get him out of here, and get ready to go. We’ll be following Chane’s force down the valley to the west. ’
He picked up Baoryn, nodded, and left the cave as Killop walked in.
‘What happened to him?’ he said.
‘He was our spy,’ she said. ‘How they knew we were here.’
‘Shit. The Emperor was in his head?’
‘Yeah.’
‘How?’ Killop said. ‘I mean, how did he know that Baoryn knew us?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Daphne. ‘I’m guessing that it was bad luck, and that the Emperor was messing with the heads of the scouts he was sending up into the mountains to hunt for us. I dealt with it, though. He’s blind to us again.’
Killop nodded. ‘I have to go. Just came to see you before we head off.’
She put her arm around his waist. ‘Please don’t do anything stupid out there.’
‘I won’t.’ He kissed her. ‘Where’s Karalyn?’
Daphne turned her head. ‘Celine!’
The Holdings woman walked out, carrying the girl.
‘I’ll get out of your way,’ she said, passing Karalyn to Killop and retreating. He held his daughter close.
‘See you soon, wee bear.’
‘Daddy hide from the bad man,’ she said, touching his cheek.
‘I will if I see him,’ he said. He put her down in her cot.
‘Get out of here as fast as you can,’ he said to Daphne. ‘And don’t look back.’
They kissed, and he left the cave.
Daphne sat on the bed and lit a cigarette. Celine emerged from the rear of the cave, dragging two large packs.
‘He’ll be alright,’ she said.
She nodded. ‘Ready to go?’
Celine gazed around the cave. ‘So we’ll be sleeping rough from now on?’
‘Looks like it,’ Daphne said, ‘unless you can get everything packed up in the next two minutes.’
Celine dropped the packs. ‘Two minutes?’ She raced round the cave, gathering blankets, clothes, and anything lying around, and stuffing them into the already bulging luggage.
An officer parted the curtain. ‘Ma’am, Captain Chane’s force is preparing to leave.’
‘Thank you, Lieutenant,’ Daphne said, picking up Karalyn. ‘Time’s up, Celine.’
Troopers entered the cave. They began to lift the packs, and Daphne walked back outside into the morning light. Only a few tents remained where dozens had stood ten minutes before, and the campfires were out. Troopers were lined up, their weapons and kit strapped to their belts and backs.
‘This way, ma’am,’ said the officer, and they followed him passed the first rows of troopers, towards the western entrance to the valley. They reached Mirren, who was surrounded by her personal guard. Kylon stood close by, brooding.
‘Here we are, ma’am,’ said the officer.
Daphne stopped, and her own guard formed up round her.
‘Where’s Baoryn?’
Kylon nodded ahead. ‘Up with the sick and injured.’
Daphne gazed down the long line of troopers. Twenty yards ahead were a dozen carts, laden with bags, crates and those unable to walk.
‘I’m sorry I had to hurt him.’
The Kell man shrugged. ‘You did what you thought was right.’
Mirren strode over to her.
‘Quite a morning, Lady Holdfast,’ she said.
She nodded, glancing up the line ahead, which was just starting to move off.
‘I suppose you wish you were up there?’ Mirren went on. ‘Leading the charge.’
‘Yes,’ she said. ‘It’s what I do best. I’m not used to being at the rear.’
‘You may be needed here,’ Mirren said. ‘If the Emperor breaks through your commander’s blocking force, then I imagine the rearguard could get a little busy.’
They began moving, their guards flanking them by the sides of the path. They crossed the campsite, walking between the abandoned tents and equipment, and the extinguished fires, where breakfast dishes lay stacked. The line slowed as they reached the narrow neck of the valley, and
began to descend the long gorge. The carts had to be lifted over several large boulders blocking the way, and Daphne opened her cigarette case while they waited.
‘It was very brave of your commander,’ said Mirren, taking an offered cigarette.
Daphne lit Mirren’s, then her own.
‘Especially considering the fact that he gave Captain Chane his best squads.’
Daphne frowned.
‘You didn’t know, my lady?’ Mirren said. ‘They had quite the row about it. Captain Chane felt that Commander Killop should take them, but he insisted.’
Daphne said nothing, a knot forming in the pit of her stomach.
‘It makes sense,’ said Kylon. ‘He wants us to have the best chance of escape. The quality of his soldiers won’t make any difference against the Emperor anyway.’
Mirren stared at the Kell man, a mixture of contempt and distaste in her eyes.
They began to move again.
Daphne held on to Karalyn, and kept her eyes fixed on the path.
They walked for over an hour through the long and narrow gorge, high cliffs on either side. Troopers hauled the carts ahead of them, while behind, the rear guard marched in silence. Water from the early rains of winter was tumbling over the sides of the cliff to their left, joining a stream that ran along the foot of the gorge. Caves had formed behind the waterfalls, and Daphne gazed at their beauty, for a second forgetting why she was there.
A shout rang out from far ahead, and she looked up the gorge. The other troopers were also staring, as the sounds of steel and the cries of the wounded and dying reached them. Squads began to move up the line, rushing towards the fighting.
‘Chane’ll smash them,’ said Celine. She glanced at Daphne. ‘Your arms must be aching.’
‘Thanks,’ she said, passing her Karalyn. The girl tried to cling on, but Daphne pulled her fingers from her hair.
‘Don’t worry, Kara-bear,’ she said, stretching her right arm. Her left, ensconced in its Rahain armour, was stiff and painful. She reached into a pocket and took out a stick of keenweed. Kylon lit a match for her, and she smoked, her pain receding, and her senses quickening. She gazed upwards. The sun was behind a bank of clouds, somewhere overhead. Impatience spread through her. She turned, facing the way they had come. Over the heads of the rear guard, the cliffs loomed, casting deep shadows across the floor of the gorge.
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