by Peter Wacht
“We can’t protect every village,” continued Renn.
He was about to list his concerns once again, but Thomas had heard enough. He tamped down his growing impatience and spoke in an even, clear voice. Though not very tall, his blazing green eyes and stoic strength added to the weight of his formidable presence.
“Then we won’t.”
Renn stopped in mid-thought, surprised by Thomas’ unexpected comment.
“We won’t?”
“No, we won’t,” Thomas confirmed. “We must think differently. We must act differently. We need to concentrate our people and force the reivers to come to us. Then we can fight them on our terms. We decide when we fight and where we fight.”
“You have something in mind, Thomas?” asked Coban, a knowing grin lighting up his normally grim visage.
“When I was a boy, Talyn used to tell me stories before going to bed at night.” Thomas smiled at the memory, recalling one of the few times during his days as a child that he had felt comfortable in the Crag, as if he actually belonged there. “Sometimes he would talk of the great generals. One in particular comes to mind right now. Chen Tzu taught that you must fight the enemy on your own terms. You must dictate the circumstances of each battle, not your opponent. That’s what we’re going to do. We’ll form the Marchers into a handful of raiding parties with the freedom to act on their own. But they will have a single duty. Engage the reivers, inflict casualties, then melt away into the Highlands. We whittle down Killeran’s so-called Army of the Black Sword, improving our odds, until we’re ready to challenge him directly. The more men he loses the more desperate he will become. Then we can take advantage of that.”
“What of all the villages in the lower Highlands?” asked Seneca, the gleam in his eye suggesting that he liked Thomas’ approach, but he was still worried about the potential impact on the Highland people.
“We can only defend so much of the Highlands as Renn said, so we move everyone to the upper Highlands, beyond the higher passes, to the larger villages centered on the Crag. That will be our base for our raiding parties.”
“A good plan, Thomas,” agreed Seneca. “But what of our northern border? More and more Ogren are coming into the Highlands. If we allow them to get a foothold we will never dislodge them.”
“A valid concern,” agreed Thomas. “I already have some friends watching the northern Highlands. I will ask them to take a more aggressive role regarding the Ogren war parties coming across the Northern Steppes.”
Seneca nodded, evidently satisfied with Thomas’ response. “For this to work we need to know where Killeran’s men are going before they do. Otherwise, our raiding parties will fail.”
“Don’t worry,” said Thomas with a sly grin. “I think I can help with that.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Something New
Kaylie Carlomin, Princess of Fal Carrach, followed after the cowled figure who had saved her, the woman requiring her to stay silent as they worked their way cautiously through the streets and alleys of Ballinasloe. She was the princess of Fal Carrach. This city was in her blood. It was her city. Yet she skulked through her home like a thief in the night.
The last few hours had been a blur. Upon learning of the plot to assassinate her father, she had decided to take matters into her own hands, thinking that she could ferret out the culprits on her own. She admitted now that sneaking out of the Rock and then trying to learn the identity of the suspected assassin had been a mistake. If not for her unknown rescuer, she would be lying gutted in an alley right now or worse. Still, though thankful for the help, she was irritated with herself for not thinking things through. Instead of rushing off, she should have taken the time to develop a real strategy.
Arriving at the docks without incident, the woman grabbed her arm, pulling her deeper into the shadows. Several minutes passed, the woman as still as the night as the silence deepened. Diminutive in size and wearing a dark cloak with a hood that hid her features, she seemed to be waiting for something. Kaylie looked out from the alley at the empty square in front of her. On its far side was the long bridge that led out into Ballinasloe’s harbor and would take her to the Rock and safety. Why not just go across now? They could make it if they moved quickly.
Kaylie was about to suggest just that but held her tongue, a bolt of fear striking her heart. The men who had taken her, as well as several others, noiselessly emerged from several alleys, meeting in the square in front of them. She heard whispers and muttered curses before the men separated into smaller groups and crept off in different directions. Thankfully, none of the groups selected the alley in which they hid. The woman waited several minutes more, standing still as a stone, allowing the time to drag on until she was absolutely certain that the way was clear before giving Kaylie a light tug on her sleeve.
They walked quickly and quietly across the square. Kaylie shifted her gaze from one alley to the next, scanning for any movement behind them, fearful that some of the men searching for them would find them once they walked onto the span that connected the harbor to the fortress. But the woman didn’t seem the least bit concerned, striding purposefully across the bridge. It was several minutes before the closed gates became visible.
Kaylie expected that they would have to attract the attention of the guards on duty to gain admittance to the castle, but when they reached the end of the bridge, the gates looming before them, the woman didn’t stop. Instead, she bore to the left across the rocky ground that dropped off into the sea until they were some distance along the wall from the gates.
“What are you …”
Before Kaylie could complete her question, the woman shushed her. Standing in front of the wall for several long seconds, she ran her hand along the stone then pushed in on a barely detectable indentation. A small door-size section of the wall swung inward on silent hinges carved into the stone.
Kaylie could barely contain her shock. “How did you know …”
The woman pulled her through the doorway quickly, making sure it closed behind them before grasping the lamp that Kaylie had seen in the then dim now complete darkness. The woman lit the lamp and began walking up the musty staircase. Kaylie knew there were hidden passageways throughout the Rock. She had used many of them, most frequently as a child because of the fun of sneaking through her home, hiding from her father, trying to scare the guards. But she had never found this hidden path.
For several minutes Kaylie followed the woman through tunnels she never knew existed. Finally, her rescuer stopped, shining the lamp so that she could examine the rough-cut stone that appeared to their front. Looking behind them, Kaylie realized that their travels through the castle walls had taken them higher within the keep. They had reached a dead end with nothing but blackness around the top steps upon which they now stood. The woman reached out and touched a notched stone, then stepped back, letting the hidden door open toward them without a sound. They stepped through quickly and the stone slid shut on their heels.
Kaylie looked around in amazement. They had arrived in her private chamber, a single lamp burning brightly by her bed just like she had left it before heading out on her ill-conceived adventure. How did this woman know who she was? How did she know how to sneak through the castle’s hidden passageways? How did she help her escape a gang of roughnecks through alleys and streets that she assumed those men knew better than her? A dozen other questions ran through her mind, making it hard for her to know where to begin. She decided to start with the most relevant.
“Who are you and why did you help me?” Kaylie asked, finally getting a question out as the woman dropped her hood.
Though petite in size, Kaylie sensed an inner strength within her rescuer, a presence that made Kaylie catch her breath. The woman’s sparkling blue eyes, set off by her dark, chestnut-colored hair, mesmerized her, making her think of Thomas. The only difference was the color.
The woman stared at Kaylie for several long moments, seemingly taking in everything about her. Kayl
ie felt as if she were being stripped apart and put back together by the woman’s gaze. That her rescuer was evaluating every good and bad decision she had ever made, every mistake and success, every hope and dream.
So this is the girl who has captured the attention of my grandson, the woman thought. The young princess had blue eyes the color of the sea, her long, raven-black hair, held by a silver clasp, reaching to her waist. She could understand how this beautiful young lady had caught his eye, the mischievous gleam in her gaze likely hard for him to resist. But the cloaked woman also sensed a strength in the girl, a resilience and courage, which no doubt would attract her grandson, as well as an impetuousness and strongmindedness that reminded her of her own daughter. She pushed that thought from her mind, not having the strength or desire to follow down that sad road at the moment.
“I was curious. And a good thing, too.”
“Curious? You helped me because you were curious?”
The woman ignored Kaylie and stepped out on to the balcony, head cocked to the side, apparently listening for something before coming back into the room, satisfied by whatever she had discovered.
“What were you doing following dangerous men at night in the city?” the woman asked sharply. “It’s not something a princess should be doing. It’s reckless and irresponsible.”
“How did you …”
“I’m not a fool, girl. Now answer the question.”
The woman’s penetrating gaze almost overwhelmed Kaylie. But she fought against it.
“Why should I trust you?” she asked, ignoring the woman’s question and struggling to keep the nervousness from her voice.
The woman’s startling blue eyes hardened for an instant, then softened. “That’s the first question you should have asked.”
“Nevertheless, my question stands.” Kaylie was pleased with herself, able to muster an imperious tone.
The woman smiled, liking this young woman’s verve. She reached beneath her cloak and pulled out a silver pendant. The metal shined brightly in the light of the room’s single lamp.
“Do you know what this represents?”
Kaylie stared at the triangular silver amulet, its corners smooth, the gently curling horn of a unicorn carved into the metal. “I do. But I never thought …”
“Most people will never see its like. But for now it should tell you that you can trust me. Now back to my original question. Why were you following those men?”
Kaylie realized that there was no use in lying to this woman, so over the next several minutes she revealed her purpose and all she had discovered about the plot against her father.
“Well, then, we’ll have to do something about it, won’t we?”
Kaylie stared at the small woman, not expecting her to accept her explanation outright. Moreover, her rescuer’s presence unsettled her. Most queens could dominate a gathering. Sarelle Makarin, Queen of Benewyn, immediately came to mind, as she had the ability to capture every eye and silence every conversation just by walking into a room. But none could compare to this woman.
“What do you mean we’ll do something about it?”
“We’ll talk more later. Now get some sleep.”
“But how will you…”
“I said sleep, girl.”
The woman walked out on to the balcony. Kaylie quickly followed after, wanting an answer to her question, but as the cool nighttime breeze struck her, she realized her rescuer was gone. She had simply vanished into the late-night gloom.
Kaylie stood there for a moment, shocked that the woman had disappeared into the darkness. She leaned over the ledge, noting that there was nothing under the balcony but a drop of a hundred feet to the courtyard below. Then again, having seen the amulet, she shouldn’t have been surprised, remembering the tales her father had told her. A strange, unnerving, and extremely competent woman. Kaylie didn’t know what she would have done and what would have happened without her assistance.
She decided to take the strange woman’s advice and get some sleep after failing to stifle a yawn. Why did that woman seem so familiar? That thought continued to play through her mind as she lay on her bed and finally drifted off to sleep just as the sun began to peek above the horizon. Her dreams brought her back time and again to Thomas’ sparkling green eyes and when she had seen him for the first time in the Burren.
CHAPTER SIX
First Lesson
The following day seemed to drag on, time barely moving. Woken up early and not having slept well because of the late hour she went to bed, Kaylie had barely made it through the day. Sitting at the desk in her chamber and going through some of the materials she needed to review now that her father was away from the Rock, ranging from proposed contracts to legal claims that needed to be settled, she had a difficult time concentrating on the various matters that demanded her attention. Instead, time after time, despite her best efforts, her focus drifted to the plot against her father and the woman who had rescued her. How had she found her in Ballinasloe? Had she followed her when she snuck out of the Rock?
“I tracked you through your ability in the Talent.”
Kaylie almost fell out of her chair, astonished to see the diminutive woman from last night walk through the open doors leading to the balcony. Her rescuer appeared refreshed, energized, as if the events of the previous night had had no effect on her. Her commanding presence filled the room, and Kaylie felt a small twinge of jealousy in that she could not yet do the same.
“What are you talking about?” asked Kaylie, unwilling to confirm or deny the woman’s assumption about where her mind had wandered.
The woman appraised her with a knowing smile, appreciating the girl’s stubbornness.
“Come now, Kaylie. If we’re going to work together, then we need to trust one another.”
“Can I trust you?” she asked. Even after all the woman had done for her the night before, even after recognizing the amulet that signified that the woman was a Sylvan Warrior, doubts remained.
“You can’t,” the woman replied. “Not completely. Not yet. Better to be wary until we’ve worked together a bit more. Trust is earned, not given. I’m sure in your position you’re aware of that.”
“Yes,” Kaylie replied. “My father says much the same thing.”
“A smart man, your father.”
“You know my father?” asked Kaylie, the possibility surprising her.
“Yes, though it’s been some time since we last saw one another. Some time, indeed. I’ve always liked him, you know. A good head on his shoulders, but he also knows when to follow his heart. The mark of a good king.”
“How do you know my father?” The woman’s revelation had aroused Kaylie’s interest.
“A question for another time, young lady. Now I don’t have all day, nor do you. You have two more questions. Ask them quickly, then we can begin.”
The longer Kaylie engaged in conversation with this woman, the more unsettled she became. But there was something about her that she liked even with the woman’s hardened exterior. Something that suggested she could be listened to and trusted. She didn’t come across as one of the many hangers-on who circulated through her father’s court, more interested in what Kaylie, as heir to the Fal Carrach throne, could do for them rather than building a real relationship or friendship. Trusting her instincts, Kaylie decided to take a risk.
“What’s your name?”
“Rya.”
Kaylie waited expectantly, wanting more. Instead, the woman’s sharp gaze remained on her, a quick motion of her hand suggesting she get on with it.
“Work together? What do you mean work together?”
“If you’re to learn the Talent, then you need a teacher. I’m your teacher.” The diminutive woman stood in front of Kaylie, an inner strength emanating from her, a challenge in her eyes.
Kaylie took some time to consider the situation. The woman had saved her life last night. Moreover, she knew the inner workings of the Rock and had done her no harm, and s
he had shown her an amulet that was still valued here in the Rock. But with all that had happened, the fear of an assassin still in the back of her mind, what was she to do?
“Why should I trust you?”
“You’re growing tiresome, child,” replied Rya sharply. “It seems we’ve stepped back to last night. We’ve already been through this. As I said, better to be wary. Trust is earned, not given. We can begin your training in the Talent now and after a time we can both decide if we trust one another to continue the lessons, for if I don’t trust you to follow my instructions and heed my warnings our work together will end.”
Kaylie sighed in resignation, admitting to herself that she had already made up her mind. The thought of touching the natural magic of the world again thrilled her. “How do you know I can use the Talent?”
“You tell me.”
Kaylie bit back an angry retort, thinking for a moment rather than allowing her irritation to get the better of her. She knew that interacting with Rya would require patience, certainly not one of her stronger qualities. “Because you can use the Talent as well.”
“Correct. And so our trust between one another begins to build.”
“How did you disappear off the balcony last night? That is a skill I would really like to learn.”
“A question to be answered on another day. We have much to do and not much time so let’s get started.”
Rya stepped into the room, taking off her cloak and settling herself in a chair facing Kaylie’s desk. She stared at the young woman for several minutes, seeming to take in everything about her in that one glance just as she did the night before. Then for the first time since Kaylie met Rya, the older woman smiled.
“You’ve acquired some basic skill in the Talent,” said Rya. “And that’s a good thing. It gives us something to build on. But if you’re truly going to reach your potential, which I believe could be substantial, you need more consistent instruction.”