The Magelands Epic: Soulwitch Rises (Book 7)

by Christopher Mitchell

  Lennox and Leisha hurried to where Carrie stood; Cain ambling behind them as if he didn’t care. They reached the boulder and stopped, each frozen. A few feet in front of them, the ground fell away into a series of great, jagged cliffs, dropping hundreds of feet to where the ocean crashed against them. Rocks pointed up out of the water like the teeth of a gigantic monster, while the raging swell turned the water white around them. Beyond, the horizon went on forever.

  ‘Look at the height of those waves,’ said Carrie.

  ‘The Seablade wouldn’t stand a chance down there,’ said Leisha. ‘It’d be ripped to pieces.’

  ‘Even the imperial warships would struggle,’ said Lennox.

  ‘Struggle?’ said Carrie. ‘The swell reaches higher than their tallest masts. They’d be swamped in minutes.’

  ‘Aye.’ He stared out into the distance. ‘I wonder if there’s anything out there.’

  ‘Another continent, you mean? I hope there is. I hope there’s somewhere nice and peaceful just over the horizon.’

  ‘There’s nothing,’ said Cain, spitting over the cliffside. ‘The ocean’s endless.’

  ‘Says who?’ said Leisha. ‘If nobody’s crossed it, then how would they know?’

  ‘You lot!’ cried the wagon-master.

  They turned. The lead wagon was beginning to pass them on the road.

  ‘Take a good look,’ Johan laughed, ‘but don’t stay too long; I don’t want any of you falling in.’

  Lennox nodded. ‘We’ll catch you up in a few minutes, boss.’

  He watched as the convoy was pulled along behind them. The four supply wagons came first, two of which held nothing but feed for the horses. They were followed by the two wagons belonging to the Rakanese merchants, and then by the grand carriage. On the side of the carriage, a curtain flickered for a moment, and two sets of eyes peered out. Lennox nodded in greeting, but they ignored him, and the curtain was drawn again.

  Lennox turned back to the ocean. ‘Wild but beautiful.’

  ‘I don’t like it,’ said Cain. ‘It makes me feel small.’

  ‘I love it,’ said Carrie. ‘When we get to Domm, or wherever we’re going, I think I’d like to live close to the ocean, then I could see it every day.’

  Leisha laughed. ‘The noise would keep you awake at night.’

  ‘I find it soothing; like a lullaby.’

  The others glanced at her.

  ‘Time to go,’ said Lennox, noticing that the last wagons had passed.

  The four ex-soldiers turned from the ocean and walked back to the road in silence, the crash of the waves echoing behind them.

  They travelled almost due west for the rest of the day, the road winding between the foothills of the mountains to their right, and the ocean to the left. When the sun was above the horizon ahead of them, the lead wagons pulled off the road and followed a track through a patch of forest until they came to a clearing. The grass was stained with a dozen black circles, where previous caravans had halted for the night. The wagon-master organised the vehicles into a row, then he and the drivers untethered the horses, while the guards erected the six tents and built a fire. Within an hour, the camp was settled. The horses had been fed and were tied up close to the trees, and the evening rations for the guards and drivers were being prepared. The wagon-master unloaded a barrel of ale from his own wagon and set it down by the roaring fire.

  ‘This is for you,’ he said, ‘to mark reaching the halfway point on our journey and to thank you all for the work you’ve done. Those of you who have travelled with me before will know that this is a little tradition of mine; I’ve spent many an evening in this forest clearing enjoying a drink and a smoke. One third from now, we’ll be in Threeways, the capital of Kellach Brigdomin, and we can have a real party to celebrate our arrival.’

  ‘And we get paid,’ cried one of the guards.

  ‘Indeed, but until then, I hope this ale will suffice.’

  Two of the drivers lifted the barrel onto a stool, and hammered a tap into its base. The guards queued up, mugs in their hands, and as each received a portion of ale, the wagon-master handed out weedsticks from a pouch.

  ‘We better hope we’re not attacked tonight,’ muttered Leisha as they retook their places by the fire.

  ‘There’s no bandits around here,’ said one of the other guards. ‘These mountains are empty.’

  ‘That’s cause there’s nothing worth stealing on this road,’ said another.

  ‘Don’t talk shite,’ said the first, ‘there’s whisky, for a start.’

  ‘Aye, but those convoys are guarded tighter than the Empress’s bedroom. Same with the coal; one soldier per fucking lump.’

  ‘So there’s plenty worth robbing, only it’s impossible to get to.’

  They paused for a moment as bowls filled with hot, thick vegetable soup were passed out among the guards.

  ‘You seem to know a lot about bandits,’ said Leisha.

  The guard glared at her. ‘Aye, probably about as much as you know about deserting from the army.’

  ‘Hey, now,’ said one of the other guards, who was a little older than the others and seemed to be a friend of the wagon-master. ‘You know the rules. No one asks awkward questions of each other. What we all did before signing on for this trip is no business of anyone else.’

  The other guards muttered and settled down with their dinner. They were sitting in three groups, as they always did. The four ex-Army of Pyre stuck together, as did five guards who all seemed to know each other well, including the two who had been talking about bandits on the road. What Leisha had said, they had all been thinking, and Lennox suspected that all five had recently given up a criminal life. The other three guards sat close to Johan, and Lennox guessed that they were old and trusted friends, who had accompanied the caravan on many trips between Domm and the Inner Sea.

  The two Rakanese merchants joined the guards and drivers round the large fire, and opened a few bottles of wine. No one had mentioned anything to Lennox about the cargo the pair were taking to Domm, but from hints dropped here and there, he knew that their two wagons were packed with illicit goods and contraband, smuggled to avoid the high imperial taxes on narcotics, alcohol and other luxury items.

  Lennox glanced over at the large carriage, to see if the Holdings passengers would join them, but its door was closed; its occupants remaining hidden inside.

  Carrie caught his eye. ‘I’d love to know what’s going on in there,’ she said. ‘They’re so secretive.’

  ‘Maybe they’re just unfriendly.’

  ‘There’s more to it than that, there has to be.’

  ‘Up to some dodgy behaviour,’ said Leisha.

  ‘Of the sort that needs twelve guards,’ said Cain, putting down his bowl and lighting a weedstick. ‘The two wagons belonging to the Rakanese guys don’t need a dozen of us to watch over. And look at the size of that carriage; there’s no way two Holdings passengers need all that space. Eight horses struggle to pull that thing up any decent slope; it’s heavily loaded with something.’

  One of the other guards glanced over. She got up and sat next to Cain.

  ‘You noticed that, did you?’ she said. ‘You’re not as stupid as we all thought.’

  ‘Aye?’ laughed Cain.

  ‘So what do you reckon’s in there?’ said Leisha.

  The other guard took a look round the fire, but the wagon-master and his daughter and friends were on the far side.

  ‘I know someone in Westport,’ she whispered, ‘who saw it being loaded.’

  The four ex-soldiers edged closer, listening.

  ‘Well?’ said Lennox.

  ‘Gold,’ said the guard. ‘Chests and chests of gold.’

  ‘What for?’ said Carrie.

  The guard shrugged. ‘Fuck knows.’

  ‘Maybe they’re imperial agents,’ said Leisha, ‘and the gold’s to pay for all the coal they’re taking away from the mines in Kell.’

  The guard squinted at her. ‘That
’s not how it works. The official payments for coal and iron and suchlike go back with the empty wagons on their way to collect more. An entire company of troopers escort those convoys. What we’re doing is basically helping out some crooks dealing in the black market. The wagon-master’s as corrupt as they come. Nah, whatever the gold’s for, it’s not official.’

  She leaned in towards them, her voice low. ‘And there’s no way anyone would employ ex-bandits and deserters to protect an official payment.’

  Cain smirked. ‘I thought we weren’t supposed to talk about that?’

  ‘It’s pretty fucking obvious. We’ve been on the road together for a third. You four couldn’t act more like soldiers if you tried. You,’ she said, nodding at Lennox, ‘you were a squad leader, aye?’ She turned to Carrie. ‘And you’re his second-in-command. See? We’re pretty good at noticing things too.’

  ‘So you really were bandits?’ said Carrie.

  The guard smiled. ‘Such a derogatory term. We prefer to say that we lived free in the mountains, taking orders from no one, and doing what we pleased. That life’s gone now though. Mountains have been swarming with soldiers since the war started, and even before then the damn Empress had been sending forces to clear us out of our homes.’

  ‘Seems a reasonable thing for a ruler to do. She can’t exactly allow bandits to rob her subjects on the highways of the empire.’

  The guard glared at her.

  ‘So you’re on the run?’ said Lennox.

  ‘On our way to a new life,’ she said. ‘Domm’s so remote that it’s like the rest of the world doesn’t exist down there. We can start again; be whoever we want to be.’

  ‘Aye,’ said Lennox. ‘I like the sound of that.’

  ‘And do you know what would make our lives a lot easier?’ she whispered.

  ‘What?’ said Carrie.

  The guard smiled. ‘Gold.’ She stood. ‘I’ll leave you with that thought.’

  Lennox and the others said nothing as the guard went back to her own group, where she began talking to her companions in a low voice.

  ‘Oh,’ said Carrie. ‘Well, I’m not sure how to take that.’

  ‘She’s sounding us out,’ said Cain, ‘I thought that was clear enough. She and her friends are thinking of doing something, and they want to see how we’d react.’

  ‘And how would we?’ said Leisha.

  ‘We’re not getting involved in any bullshit,’ said Lennox. ‘We’re being paid to guard the convoy, not rob it.’

  ‘Agreed,’ said Carrie. ‘Besides, even if we helped them and took the gold, then I don’t trust that they’d keep their promises to us. If they can betray the wagon-master, they’d have no problem sticking a knife into our backs.’

  ‘Aye,’ said Cain, ‘but imagine arriving in Domm with a shitload of gold. We could live like royalty; buy our own castle.’

  Leisha shook her head. ‘If there’s as much gold in that carriage as the guard said there is, then somebody important will miss it if it disappears. Do you want to live with that over your head for the rest of your days? It might sound soft, but I was hoping for a clean break when we get to Domm, and that doesn’t involve giving bandits a hand to rip off our employer.’

  ‘It’s not soft,’ said Carrie, ‘it’s common sense.’

  ‘Fine,’ said Cain, ‘I can see I’m out-voted. Again. You three are making a habit of joining forces against me.’

  ‘It’s not a conspiracy,’ said Lennox.

  ‘Aye,’ said Leisha, ‘it’s because your ideas are always so stupid.’

  Cain glowered at them.

  ‘Look,’ said Lennox, ‘we agreed to stick together as far as Domm. Let’s do that. Once we’re there, then each of us can decide what they want to do.’

  ‘You’re not squad leader any more,’ muttered Cain.

  ‘No, I’m just one vote among four; same as you.’

  The last glimmers of daylight faded, and the wagon-master got a couple of drivers to unload another barrel of ale, as the first one was almost empty. The two Rakanese merchants went back to one of their wagons and returned with more wine, and a bottle of brandy. As they were pouring out measures for the guards, the wagon-master stood and banged the top of a barrel with his mug. He swayed, his grin a little lop-sided.

  ‘I should have guessed,’ he said, ‘that one barrel wouldn’t be enough for a load of Kellach once their thirst was up. I reckon this means that none of us will be getting an early night tonight…’

  ‘I’m going to bed now, father,’ his daughter said, a hint of disapproval on her lips.

  ‘That’s fine, Frieda, my girl,’ Johan slurred, ‘however I also need a couple of volunteers from the guards to make the drink they have in their hands the last of the evening, so that someone remains sober enough to sound the alarm if needed.’ He gazed around the sitting groups of guards. ‘Anyone?’

  Two of the group of five former bandits raised their arms.

  ‘We’ll do it,’ said one, ‘if we get to ride in a wagon tomorrow instead of walking.’

  ‘Deal!’ cried the wagon-master.

  The two guards stood, drained their mugs, and headed off to a tent to collect their equipment. Frieda got to her feet as the second barrel was tapped. She kissed her father and went back to the wagon where she slept each night. The wagon-master filled a mug with ale and walked over to where Lennox and the others were sitting. He grinned at them and found a space on the grass to sit.

  ‘Thought I’d see how you all were doing. Any complaints about the trip so far?’

  Lennox shook his head. ‘No.’

  ‘Good,’ he said. ‘Unusual, but good. Most new guards I hire have an unending list of gripes by now, which is one of the reasons I instigated this little tradition of relaxing at the halfway point. You know, give them a chance to get it off their chests.’

  ‘Everything’s fine,’ said Leisha.

  ‘Well, great. That’s great.’

  Lennox and the others remained silent.

  ‘Right then,’ the wagon-master said, getting to his feet. ‘I shall, eh… speak to you later, I suppose.’

  He walked off, heading back to where he had been sitting with the three older guards that he knew. Lennox glanced at the others.

  ‘Should we have told him?’ said Carrie.

  ‘Told him what?’ said Cain. ‘Remember, that guard didn’t actually suggest anything, and even if she was hinting at something, it doesn’t mean they’re doing to act on it. All we’d be doing is spreading gossip.’

  ‘I doubt they’d do anything if they knew we were against it,’ said Leisha.

  ‘Aye,’ said Lennox. ‘Maybe we should make it clear to them where we stand.’

  Carrie put down her mug of brandy. ‘Might be a good idea not to get too pissed tonight.’

  ‘Fuck that,’ said Cain. ‘You lot are over-reacting. Nothing’s going to happen.’ He took a large swig of ale. ‘I’m drinking until I pass out.’

  Lennox glanced over at the group of ex-bandits. The three who had remained by the fire were drinking heavily, while the other two had strapped on their leather armour and were leaning over to talk to their friends. The guard who had come over earlier caught his eye.

  Lennox held her gaze, and shook his head.

  The guard gave a slight shrug, then whispered to her comrades, who nodded and continued drinking.

  ‘Good,’ said Leisha. ‘Now they know.’ She put down her mug and began to rake around in a canvas bag. ‘Here we are,’ she said, bringing out a tight bundle of weedsticks. ‘This’ll wake us up if we need it.’

  Cain raised an eyebrow. ‘You been carrying that all the way from Westport? Never heard of sharing?’

  ‘Keenweed’s not for pissing about,’ she said. ‘It’s for when you have to work but can’t be arsed. I’ve been saving it.’

  ‘Hand it over, then.’

  ‘Nope. If you need it, I’ll give you some; not before.’

  ‘Fine,’ he muttered. He leaned over and pic
ked up Carrie’s abandoned mug of brandy. ‘Cheers.’

  The guards and drivers drank late into the night, while the Rakanese merchants kept them supplied with sticks of dreamweed. The wagon-master collapsed before midnight, and two of his guards carried him over to the wagon he shared with his daughter. Carrie stayed sober, watching everyone round the fire, while Leisha, Lennox and Cain continued to drink. The temperature dropped, and their breath grew hazy in the cold air as the fire began to die down. The seven stars were shining in the dark sky, with not a cloud anywhere.

  Lennox went into the trees to relieve himself, and when he returned the guard from before was sitting next to Cain. Lennox nodded to her as he sat.

  ‘Thought I’d come by,’ she said. ‘Make sure you knew there was no hard feelings about before.’

  ‘Told you there was nothing to worry about,’ slurred Cain, his eyes blurry.

  ‘Aye,’ said the guard. ‘It was a foolish notion. This job’s a good one; it’d a shame to blow it.’

  ‘Alright,’ said Lennox. ‘Thanks for letting us know.’

  The guard yawned and stretched. ‘Time for bed soon, I think.’

  She got up and returned to her two friends by the fire. Lennox glanced around. Most of the drivers were curled up asleep in front of the flames with blankets covering them, while the three older guards were chatting to the two Rakanese merchants to Lennox’s left. The three ex-bandits were on the other side of him and, somewhere in the forest, were the other two of their group on watch duty.

  Carrie leaned over to him. ‘They’re waiting for everyone to fall asleep.’

  ‘Aye.’

  He gestured to Leisha to come closer, then turned to Cain, but he was lying slumped over, his eyes closed. A low rattling snore was coming from his mouth.

  ‘What’ll we do?’ said Leisha.

  ‘We could wait it out,’ Lennox said, ‘and stay awake until they give up the idea, but what’s to stop them trying again tomorrow night? We can’t remain on alert like that for another third; they’d get us sooner or later.’

  ‘What’s the alternative?’ said Carrie.

  ‘We oblige them by going to bed, and let events take their course, only, we’ll be prepared.’