side, much to Lee’s frustration.
“What you feed him on?” Tau asked as he petted Sloley, who obligingly raised his arms to be tickled.
“The optimal diet for a pharmacon loris,” said Lee “is a variety of plant gums and nectar, but he is rather partial to the occasional piece of fruit.”
Tau considered this information carefully for a second.
“Would he like some bread?” asked Tau.
Lee appeared nonplussed.
“Did you not understand what I just said?” he sighed with irritation. “As I have told you once already, the optimal diet for a pharmacon loris is a variety of plant gums and nectar, with the occasional addition of fruit. I said nothing about bread. He does not eat bread. He’s a loris!”
He turned to Ash shaking his head in exasperation.
“Do these people not educate their children?” he said throwing Ash a pleading look.
Ash appeared to obligingly come to his aid, but Lee quickly noticed that Ash’s face wore the impish grin that often preceded impish behaviour. Lee sighed in dismay and lifted his eyes upward where he saw bunches of dried vegetation hanging from the frame of the bonnet.
“Bread would not be good for him Tau,” said Ash gravely, narrowing his eyes and raising one finger in the air like a chastising teacher. “It would make him sick...”
With a crooked smile, he bent down to Tau’s level, lowering his voice to a loud whisper.
“As we discovered to our cost, when we fed him fruit cake,” he said, looking sideways towards Lee. “When we also discovered that loris vomit stinks like skunk spray and stains everything bright yellow,” lowering his voice further he put his lips to the boy’s ear, “and you are far young for me to mention what happens a few hours later, at the other end. So best not feed the loris mate, okay?”
“Fine, me Lore Ash, I’ll not,” he said giggling infectiously, “but yah mean he got the skits don’t yah?”
“Why’s the sky gone all red?” said Lilly, who was peering out of the back of the wagon between the flaps of the overhanging canopy.
Arjan stood up and pulled back the flap to reveal the hilly skyline of Aureus, just visible over the trees of copse they had driven through. The sky above the city had turned a deep shade of crimson. Auriel gasped, realising instantly what it was. Arjan threw her a questioning look.
“It’s the Afreet,” she said, her eyes swimming. “They’re attacking Aureus and it’s way too soon. They won’t have had time to evacuate the city.”
“What can we do?” said Ash jumping up to take a look.
“We can’t go back,” said Arjan, with glum resignation. “All we can do is send apis to warn the other cities.”
Auriel’s eyes brimmed.
“All those people, the Magisters…” she said, shaking her head in disbelief. “What will become of Lord Dux, Saffron, and Tammy ...our friends…?”
Rose and El-on-ah regarded each other steadily.
“It would appear,” said Rose, fixing her eyes on El-on-ah, “that something or someone has prompted Ka to bring forward his attack.”
“What is it?” asked Vega on hearing the alarm in their raised voices.
He peeked through the driver’s canopy flap, noticing Auriel’s distraught face he followed her gaze to the scene revealed through the flap at the back of the wagon.
A red heaving cloud was rapidly expanding over the city, elements within the mass dived and swooped like great flocks of starlings. Then one section of the red cloud curled, broke away and began heading towards them at speed.
“Close the flap!” Shouted Vega “Then get yourselves down, hold on t’ your hats, an’ prepare for your insides t’ be rearranged.”
Arjan quickly tied the canopy straps as Vega raised the whip, cracking it loudly in the air.
“Haaahhh!” he shouted “Haaahhh! Move yer useless bags o’ bones...”
Arjan was thrown off his feet as the wagon lurched forward. He landed hard on top of Che, who had raised his arms to steady Arjan’s fall. However, the wagon jolted violently, bouncing and jerking along the track and he was unable to steady even himself.
They seemed to hit every rut and pothole, the rumble of the wheels became deafening. Arjan shouted to Ash as he grabbed hold of Lilly and held her to his side.
“HOLD ON TO TAU!”
Ash caught hold of the boy just as he was thrown violently backwards across the wagon. Vega cracked the whip again, and again, as he sensed the hellish red cloud gaining on them. Each time the wheels hit a pothole with another thunderous crack, he feared that they would shatter into a thousand pieces and that all would be lost, but somehow they continued to hold.
Vega could see the Burntwood forest up ahead and he knew it was their only chance to make cover before they were seen. They could hear the Afreet now. The beating of hundreds of pairs of wings was like thunder in the air around them and the Afreet’s shrill piercing cries made their blood turn cold in their veins.
“I think they’re turning away,” said Lyra, who was desperately trying to hang on to the side of the wagon as it lurched and bumped dangerously along the road. “I don’t think they saw us, they’re turning to the east.”
“They’ll be heading for one of the eastern cities Aurora or Gelton,” said Vega, “ unless they’ve caught a sight of us.”
The wagon hurtled into the cover of the forest as the swarm of Afreet veered off towards the east. Vega, still unsure whether or not they had been seen, continued to push the horses on until they were deep in the thick of the forest. Finally sensing that they were safe, he gently eased the horses back into a slower, more manageable pace.
Pulling off the road, Vega followed the path of a shallow, rocky stream which led them to a canopy covered glade, deep within the forest. He brought the wagon to a gentle stop and let out a long sigh looking across at his wife with a look of concern.
“Fine?” he said, a worried frown creasing his brow.
She smiled, giving a small sigh of relief.
“Aye, I’m fine,” she said.
Anxiously, Vega peered over his shoulder and into the belly of the wagon, his eyes searching for his children. Arms and legs seemed to be poking up from everywhere. His passengers were busily attempting to disentangle themselves from the pile of groaning bodies on the floor. One by one they extricated themselves until they uncovered two figures at its centre.
Arjan and Ash were locked together in a tight embrace. Auriel’s hand flew to her mouth in an attempt to stifle a nervous giggle. As the boys opened their eyes, they realised almost instantaneously that everyone was staring at them, but instead of embarrassment the look on their faces was one of mutual admiration and respect.
Their faces broke into broad grins, as they moved apart and revealed the two tiny figures of Tau and Lilly, huddled together between them.
Vega nodded, smiling warmly at them.
“Hey, you two,” he said, looking from Ash to Arjan, his eyes narrowing as his face appeared suddenly serious. “Don’t you be breaking rule seventeen now.” There was an almost unperceivable glint in his eye. “No sitting about when there’s work t’ be done.”
Vega chuckled to himself as jumped down from the wagon and walked around the two horses. He ran his hands down each of their legs, giving them an affectionate pat on their neck before checking the wheels and frame of the wagon. Then he unhitched the horses and led them to the stream.
“Woman,” he yelled to his wife, with an impish wink “It’s time we ate. A man canna’ be expected to flee from Afreet on an empty stomach.”
An hour later, they were sitting around a small fire eating corn dumplings and forest mushroom soup seasoned with wild garlic.
“We’ll rest here until dark,” said Vega, slurping loudly as he greedily guzzled his soup. “It’s nay safe to travel by day now. We’ll travel at night and rest up somewhere safe during the day. I’ll plan our journey accordingly. Is everyone in agreement?”
“I canna’ argue with that.” Said Vega, “but I ask you M’ Lady, would you rather be two feet away and completely hidden, or a mile away and in their line of sight? Afreet are airborne and they’re fast. Distance is nought to the Afreet, if they can see you, they’ll have you. So we canna’ afford t’ be seen.”
“At least, it’s to our advantage,” said Arjan optimistically, “they probably don’t know about us, so they’re not likely to be actually looking for us.”
“I wouldn’t be quite so sure of that,” said Rose, glancing pointedly at El-on-ah, who met her gaze head on and without a flinch. “Although they are probably not looking for us here, so I have to agree with Vega, we should stay hidden during the day and travel by night.”
“Do you think Lord Dux and the others would have had time to escape?” asked Auriel, her voice quivering.
There was a sudden crack as Vega snapped a stick in half and added it to the fire.
“Well, I’ve known Lord Dux almost all of me life,” he said. “He’s without doubt the most resourceful wizard that I’ve ever met. If anyone could get out of there safely, it’d be him, and I know that he’d not leave a soul behind… That’s rule number one by the way; we never leave anyone behind.”
“Well, that can’t be right,” said Lee “because if it was, then we have all broken it. We left all of them behind didn’t we?”
Ash shook his head in frustration.
“Vega means when in battle Lee,” he said, “never leave anyone behind when in battle.”
“Well, he needs to be clearer,” said Lee sulkily, “how am I supposed to follow all these rules if they are not made entirely clear?”
“Just check with me first,” said Ash with an amused snort. “I generally seem to have a good feel for breaking rules.”
Rose moved to sit down next to Auriel and put an arm around her shoulders.
“I know it is hard Auriel,” she said steeling herself, “ but we cannot afford to worry about the others. Remember, they’re relying on us. We have to maintain our focus and concentrate on what we must do. We cannot afford to fail.”
“I am going to find it very difficult,” said El-on-ah, overhearing them, “ to focus on an objective to which I am not privy.”
Rose glared back at El-on-ah making no attempt to hide her feelings regarding the Blood ascendant.
“I was not addressing you El-on-ah.” She said coolly, “but as you’ve introduced the subject, I should tell you that Lord Dux insisted that the fewer people that knew our plans, the better. You will find out eventually of course, along with everyone else if we make it.”
Lyra began collecting the empty bowls. Rose attempted to take them from her.
“We’ll do those Lyra,” she said.
Lyra, embarrassed, shook her head.
“Nay me Lady, ‘tis not your place….”
“Lyra,” said Rose, taking her hand. “My place is where I wish it to be. Please allow us to show our gratitude to you, for your hospitality? It’s the least we can do.”
Reluctantly, after a moment’s hesitation, Lyra allowed Rose take the pots and bowls from her and to take them the stream to be cleaned. Arjan, Auriel, and then El-on-ah, picked up the remaining dishes and followed her.
As they bent down to swill out the bowls in the clear, cool water, dappled sunlight danced upon its surface. Rose was dazzled for a second by a glint of light. Looking up, she squinted into the glare and saw that the sunlight was being reflected off a pendant strung around El-on-ah’s neck. It swung to and fro, catching the light as she leant forward and washed the bowls.
The pendant, a half moon shaped natural stone, had been strung with a cord from a hole at its centre. It had a faint green glow, like a firefly. Rose caught her breath and looked away. Suddenly she understood why she had felt so strongly that El-on-ah should remain with them. El-on-ah carried the incantatio.
INCANTATIO
After they had left Burntwood Forest, the group settled into a routine quite quickly, travelling by night, resting by day, and they made good progress. By the fourth day, the flat, dry, golden plains of Aurum had turned greener and more undulating as they journeyed on towards the western hills.
At dusk, from their campsite on the eastern side of the Hydra Pass, they had begun their journey into the land of Ferrum. Vega had chosen to travel through at an old, disused, border crossing between the lands of Aurum and Ferrum. He knew it to be generally unmanned, as it did indeed prove to be, when the wagon had trundled through earlier in the evening.
They had seen few people since leaving the Burntwood Forest and fewer still had noticed them. Most natives avoided Twocasts and when they couldn’t avoid them, they pretended not to see them, looking through them as if they did not exist. Vega and Lyra were used to it now, but when the others eventually witnessed it for themselves, they had been appalled.
They endeavoured to avoid most towns and villages along the road and when they could not, they travelled through them in the early hours while the streets were mostly deserted. That night, however, they drove through the Ferrish village of Geldholm late in the evening.
Geldholm was a bustling community, even after dark. As they passed the Old Woodcutter’s Inn it was heaving, and the sound of fiddle music and cheerful singing spilled out onto the roadway. The smell of ale, spirits and roasted hog, hung in the air like an invitation to a feast. A crowd of Ferrish natives were singing loudly and drunkenly as they wove their way along the centre of the road. The taunting began as soon as they caught sight of Vega and the wagon.
“Hey youse... Taycast!” one of them shouted “What are yea daein’ out o’ the Ebony Forest?”
Vega took care not to make eye contact as he passed them, but this seemed to aggravate them even more.
“Get thee back there,” said another of them, “ afore yea infects us all with yer sickness, yea disease carryin’ vermin!”
The drunken native spat on the road as they drove by, and then he picked up a stone and hurled it at the wagon. It hit the canopy with a thud.
Another of the men joined in.
“Yeah, get thee gone from ‘ere, yea thievin’ Taycasts!”
He threw a stone and then another. Soon the whole group had joined in and were pelting the wagon with stones and clods of animal dung.
Rose, furious at what she was witnessing, opened the flap on the canopy.
“No!” Vega shouted at her. “Lady Rose, pay no heed to ‘em. They must nay see you.”
Arjan firmly guided Rose gently back into her seat and re-tied the canopy flaps.
“I know Rose; I understand,” he said, “but this is not the time.”
Vega urged the horses on and they responded quickly, leaving the men standing in the middle of the road, cursing loudly and holding tightly onto their clods of dung.
“I promise you this Vega,” said Rose, through clenched jaws, as they headed out of the village at speed, “If it is ever within my power. I promise that you, your children and your people will never again have to suffer this kind of abuse in our lands. You will have the respect you deserve. On this, you have my word.”
“Aye, me Lady,” said Vega as he smiled and shrugged. “One day, maybe”
“Vega’s right Rose,” said Ash, “don’t get yourself all screwed up over them, they’re not so smart. Just look who is left holding the shite.”
Rose presented him with a begrudging smile at this, which seemed to please Ash immensely. He grinned happily at her until he saw her smile slip as her gaze moved, falling once more on El-on-ah, who sat opposite.
Rose constantly scrutinised El-on-ah. She had an intense and morbid fascination for the Blood ascendant, endlessly watching and waiting for the opportunity to take, what ac
cording to the prophecy, was meant to be hers. Rose had told no one of her discovery, afraid of putting them in danger too soon and unprepared.
They slept for the next six hours, lulled by the rhythmic rocking of the wagon on the sandy track and the rasping chirps of crickets. Dawn fast approached as they made their way, seemingly backwards, towards the ancient smugglers cave, where Vega had insisted that they would camp for the remainder of the day. It was the only cover between Geldholm and the Ebony Forest. He did not want to risk them being caught out in the open during daylight.
The wagon turned onto the narrow, stony road that skirted the mountains to the East of Glynisfarne and the Ebony Forest. It bumped between the rivets cut into the rocky ground by the wheels of hundreds of wagons that had passed this way before. The misty air was still and damp, and smelled of earth, moss and wet leaves. The clipperty clop of the horse’s hooves on the hard ground, together with the jarring rumble of the wooden wheels, began to waken them from what had been an unusually restful sleep.
Rose, however, had not slept, she had remained wide awake, watching the pendant rising and falling on El-on-ah’s chest as she slept.
El-on-ah’s eyelids flickered open and immediately, sensing Roses eyes upon her, El-on-ah’s eyes met hers with a challenging look.
“Can I help you with anything?” she said, glowering.
“I was just wondering...,” said Rose pensively. “I’ve been watching you El-on-ah and I see a strong woman, a woman who appears to generate much loyalty in her servants.”
She looked towards Che, who never seemed to leave El-on-ah’s side. Che raised his brows, glancing towards El-on-ah with an enigmatic smile, but El-on-ah’s expression did not alter and her gaze remained steadily on Rose.
“It is obvious that they value you greatly,” said Rose. “I wish to understand. What was it about Lord Ka that made you want to follow where he led?”
El-on-ah pushed herself up onto one elbow and then sitting up she stretched the stiffness from her limbs.
“When I was at the Oratory,” she said wistfully, “I read his autobiographical manifesto ‘The Unification.’ Have you ever read it?”
“Yes, quite recently actually,” said Rose, recalling her last ‘specially tailored’ Cognito class. “I can see why you might sympathise, when he talks of the oppression of the Bloods and the inequality of the cast system, and even his aim to unify the Afterlands. I too can sympathise with these issues, but surely you must have seen how his egotism shone through. He may have preached egalitarianism, but his intentions could not have been clearer. It is so obvious that his intention was always to conquer and rule the Afterlands in their entirety, and by force.”
El-on-ah pulled up her hood and gathered her cloak around her, shivering. She rubbed her arms and as she spoke, her breath misting in the early morning air.
“Rose, I think that maybe you are beginning to see what I see and what Ka and the Ophites have been realising for centuries. We live in a world where everyone is valued and judged according to their cast. We Bloods are seen as
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