by Jayne Castel
Ryana’s smile stretched into a grin. “Then I do believe you’ve discovered how to prevent yourself from shifting, if you don’t wish to.”
37
Putting Things Right
Half a day’s ride from the foothills of the Shadefell Mountains, the scouts returned.
Asher, who rode in-between Thrindul and Irana behind the king’s party, peered at the four dark specks on the road ahead, approaching fast. The thunder of galloping hooves rent the air. It was late morning, and the sky was the color of slate from one horizon to the other.
Watching the four horses, lathered and exhausted, draw up at the head of the column, Asher felt a pang of misgiving. He could see from their urgency that the news was not good. Next to him, Thrindul’s gaze was as sharp as that of the hawk perched on his shoulder. The High Enchanter had wanted to send Grim forth, to bring back news from the north, but the king had preferred to deploy scouts instead—making it clear he didn’t trust Thrindul, or his familiar’s word.
“At last,” the High Enchanter muttered. “Some news.”
A horn echoed down the line, calling the army to a halt.
Thrindul urged his horse forward and rode toward the front ranks. Irana cast a pointed look at Asher before the two of them followed the High Enchanter.
They arrived at the head of the main army to find King Nathan interrogating the scouts. The king, clad in leather, a dark fur cloak rippling from his shoulders, rode a heavy bay charger. His handsome face was pale as he stared at the scout closest to him.
“Are you sure of this?”
The young man nodded, sweat glistening on his face, his eyes wide. “Aye … saw it myself, milord.”
“And Captain Garick knows?”
“He does, we stopped at the vanguard first.”
King Nathan spat a curse before turning his attention back to the four men upon sweat-slicked horses. “And their numbers?”
“They match ours, milord … possibly more.”
Thrindul urged his horse forward, drawing up next to the king. “How have The Brotherhood managed to gather so many soldiers?”
King Nathan turned to Thrindul, his dark eyes haunted. “It’s not just men who wait for us,” he rasped.
Lilia stared at Asher, the meal of oat cakes and cheese she’d just eaten churning in her belly. “But how?”
Asher shook his head. “Thrindul believes that Valgarth himself is behind it. Once the pieces of The King Breaker started moving, he was able to call his servants to him. That’s why the weather has turned … why we haven’t seen the sun in weeks. The Shadow Army can’t abide sunlight.”
His voice died away and a heavy silence followed. The four of them stood outside the supply wagon. Around them Lilia could hear the low murmur of voices. The sour smell of fear hung heavy in the air. The news that shadow creatures had amassed at the feet of the Shadefell Mountains would have reached all the troops by now. Tension rippled through the Rithmar army. The men and horses were tired from days of traveling. They weren’t ready to engage with such a host.
“Why would shadow creatures fight alongside The Shade Brotherhood?” Dain asked, breaking the silence. “We saw them slaughter those men on the Eastern Highway.”
Asher shook his head. “Maybe … this close to their master, Valgarth is able to wield more control over their behavior. He needs them to work together.”
Listening to this explanation, Lilia swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. “It’s just as well the king has so many enchanters with him.” She attempted a brittle smile and failed. “Iron and steel won’t be enough.”
Asher’s expression hardened. “Aye … although we’ve all been weakened by using our enchantment to protect the camp each night.”
“What’s the king decided?” Dain asked. “Will he press on?”
Asher nodded. “We will advance. At its current pace, our army will reach the enemy by nightfall.”
“Is The Shadow King free?” Ryana spoke up for the first time since Asher had delivered the news.
“We don’t know,” Asher replied. “The scouts said the army still seemed to be gathering. If he’s been freed, he appears to be waiting … for what I don’t know.”
Ryana leaned back against the wagon, tilted her face skyward, and closed her eyes, as if summoning her strength. “None of you will like this,” she said finally. She lowered her face, her steel-blue gaze meeting Lilia’s. “But someone needs to find out if Valgarth has been freed.”
Asher raised an eyebrow. “And if he hasn’t?”
“Then someone needs to retrieve The King Breaker before he’s released.”
Asher folded his arms across his chest, regarding her. “And you’re putting your hand up?”
Ryana shifted her attention to Asher before nodding.
He frowned. “You’ll go alone?”
Ryana’s expression turned pained. “Aye.”
“No chance!” Lilia exploded. She couldn’t believe Ryana was suggesting such a thing. “You can’t do this on your own … we’re coming with you.”
Ryana’s gaze met hers once more. “You’ll get in the way.”
“What are you trying to prove?” Dain was watching Ryana with incredulity. “Other than your willingness to die.”
“Nothing,” she snapped. “You all forget that part of the reason we’re here is because of me … because of my stupidity, my poor choices. I lost the first half of The King Breaker. I need to put things right.”
“That’s commendable,” Dain shot back. “But what happens if you discover Valgarth has been freed? How do you plan on killing him?”
Asher ran a tired hand over his face. “Dain has a point.”
“I’ll have the element of surprise,” Ryana growled back. “Once he’s freed of his prison, he’s no longer immortal. If I have just one chance to end him, I’ll make it count.”
A tense silence fell in the narrow space between the supply wagons. Around them the clang of iron and the scrape of blades being sharpened filled the damp air.
“That settles it,” Lilia said finally. “You’re definitely not going alone.”
Ryana let out a huff of frustration. “Very well. Come with me then.”
Lilia cast Dain a look of grim victory. Finally, after so many days of waiting, the time to take action had come.
“However, neither of you can follow me into the camp itself,” Ryana continued, her tone turning stubborn. “I’ll cloak myself in shadow when I do that.”
Lilia glared at her. “What use are we then … if we can’t accompany you into danger?”
Ryana held her gaze before folding her arms across her chest. “It’s much safer for all of us, if I go alone. I’m not arguing with you about this, Lilia.”
Dain huffed out a frustrated breath. “Alright … we’ll do it your way.” Lilia shot him an outraged look, but he shook his head. “We can’t do this without Ryana, Lily. We need to listen to her.”
At his words, the tension on Ryana’s face ebbed a little. “When this army stops for the day, we’ll slip away, circle around, and approach the Shadow Army from the west.”
Asher watched her silently for a few moments. “I should join you.”
Ryana shook her head. “The Enchanters of the Light need their leader. You can’t abandon them on the eve of battle.”
“So I’ll abandon you instead?”
Ryana stepped forward, reaching out and clasping his shoulder. “I’m free because of you … let me make that count.”
Asher held her gaze, his own clouded, before slowly nodding. “Very well, I’ll get you safely outside the perimeter.”
Ryana smiled back. “Thank you.” She paused then, her smile fading. “If we retrieve both pieces of The King Breaker, we’ll need you to destroy it.”
Asher huffed. “The king has ordered Thrindul to do it.”
“I’d feel better knowing you would.”
“Alright then,” Asher replied, his expression guarded. “But if we’re right, you’l
l need to bring it to me by sunrise … I’ll need to catch the light of the morning star, the moon, and the rising sun at the same time … or the enchantment won’t work.”
Ryana nodded. “That’ll be the easiest of the tasks ahead.”
Dusk was settling over the land in a smoky veil when three cloaked figures crept toward the western edge of the encampment. King Nathan’s troops had made camp a few furlongs back from where the Shadow Army gathered in the Vale of Barrows.
The encampment was much smaller tonight, a tight ring of wagons with a small company of troops to defend it. The bulk of Nathan’s men were readying themselves a furlong distant to the north. They would ride out shortly.
Lilia hurried to keep up with Ryana’s long stride, while Dain brought up the rear.
They didn’t have long. Fortunately, it was the turn of the Enchanters of the Light to protect the perimeter tonight, for Irana wouldn’t be disposed to help them. Asher had delayed putting up the light sphere for as long as he could. In a few moments, a ring of enchanters would stride out bearing flaming torches and raise the veil.
The trio needed to move fast.
None of them spoke, and they tried to move as quietly as possible too; the only sound was the gentle scuffs of their boots on the dry ground. Both Lilia and Ryana were unarmed, whereas Dain carried his sword and fighting daggers. He also shouldered a small leather pack, containing some provisions and a water skin they would have to share.
Once they cleared the edge of the encampment, making toward the crest of the hill to the west, Ryana spoke. “There shouldn’t be any Rithmar scouts keeping watch out here, as it’s too dangerous to be outside the light sphere,” she murmured. “Even so, be on your guard.”
“What about shadow creatures?” Dain asked. “Won’t the land be crawling with them as soon as the sun goes down?”
Ryana gave him a hard smile. “The fact they’re all amassing in once place works in our favor. Let’s hope they’ll be looking elsewhere, although once we reach the foothills, the Shadow Army will have their own sentries. We’ll need to be careful.”
Behind her, they heard a familiar whoosh. The light sphere had just gone up, sealing the camp inside.
They were now on their own.
Ryana, Lilia, and Dain reached their destination as the last vestiges of daylight drained from the world. They’d circled west for a spell, away from the road, and then north, before cutting east when they arrived at the foothills of the great mountain range. As they neared the road once more, the three companions halted in the cleft between two rocky hills.
Dain glanced over at Lilia, barely able to make out her features in the enveloping dark. They’d said little during the trek up to the foothills. He wondered how she was feeling. Her courage and tenacity over the past days had impressed him.
“We must be close now,” Ryana whispered to them. “From this point on, keep your wits about you.”
She moved on, leading the way up the hillside. Silently, Dain reached out and took Lilia’s hand. Her fingers were cool, curling around his firmly.
A chill wind whistled down from the grey peaks above them, and the mountains cast a shadow over the foothills, turning the grey dusk charcoal. By the time they climbed the last hill before the wide valley leading into the mountains, the darkness was impenetrable. They were now traveling blind.
Dain climbed the slope, trusting that Ryana’s sense of direction was better than his. There was a sharp, almost wintry bite to the air this evening. The damp smell of ice drifted down from the peaks above. He breathed it in, noting the pungent odor of peat smoke that grew stronger as they walked.
Half way up the hill, Ryana spoke, her voice a low hiss. “Get down … I think we’re almost there.”
On their bellies, the three of them crawled up the stone-strewn incline. Tiny, sharp rocks dug into Dain’s palms and knees, as well as the odd prickle from the clumps of low, thorny shrubs that carpeted the slope. He ignored the discomfort and peeked over the edge of the rise.
His breathing stilled when he saw what lay beyond.
Crawling, skulking, loping shapes carpeted the bottom of the vale, illuminated by the flickering flames of pitch torches. Some were tall and muscular, while others were small and sinewy. Some walked on all fours, while others were bipedal like men. Among them rose black tattered standards that flapped in the wind. Tendrils of mist drifted amongst the writhing, shifting mass, making the Shadow Army appear a single living entity.
Dain suppressed a shudder. Memories of that night on the Eastern Road, when he’d sat and watched a pack of shadow creatures attack The Brotherhood’s encampment, plagued him. He remembered their howling savagery, their utter lack of mercy.
Smoke rose up from a fire pit in the center of the camp, surrounded by a ring of tents. Against the licking orange flames of the fire, Dain could see the dark outlines of men moving around.
“Those tents,” Ryana whispered from next to him. It appeared she’d spotted them the same moment he had. “That’s where I’m going.”
38
Cloaked
Lilia and Dain said nothing as Ryana edged back down the hill.
Tearing her gaze from the vale below, Lilia peered down the slope. She could just make out the silhouette of Ryana’s tall form against the darkness. She watched her, catching a glimmer of movement as Ryana gathered the Dark, muttering a string of words under her breath.
Lilia felt the air churn around her, and then something whispered by, brushing like cobwebs against her face. The shadows were answering Ryana’s call, rushing to her.
A moment later the woman’s silhouette winked out of sight.
“Ryana?” Lilia whispered. “Are you still there?”
“Yes,” Ryana replied. Her voice was close, barely more than a few feet distant, yet Lilia couldn’t see her.
“I don’t like this,” Dain murmured from next to Lilia. “You can’t go in there alone.”
“You don’t have to like it.” There was wry amusement in Ryana’s voice as she answered. “The plan hasn’t changed.”
“Aye, but now we’ve seen the size of that army, it feels like a cracked one. There must be another way.”
“There isn’t.”
“Then send me in there instead.”
Lilia sucked in her breath.
“You can’t go,” Ryana countered, her voice edged with irritation. “Without a shadow cloak, they’d rip you to pieces in a heartbeat. Only I can do this.” There was a faint crunch of boots on gravel as Ryana moved past them, cresting the ridge of the hill. “We’re wasting time … stay here, and if I don’t come back, return to the camp.”
Neither of them replied. Ryana’s tone made it clear she wouldn’t be changing her mind.
Lilia moved back onto her belly, her gaze returning to the carpet of bobbing heads and writhing forms which covered the wide valley below. Her breathing quickened at the sight of the host.
Ryana had been gone a few moments when Dain spoke. “Will you do as she says?”
Lilia inclined her head. “What?”
“Are you going to return to the camp, if Ryana doesn’t come back?”
She heard the challenge in his voice but was ready for it. “There’s no going back,” she whispered. “If Ryana doesn’t return, I’m going to shift and go find her. Are you with me?”
There was a smile in his voice as he answered. “Always.”
Ryana moved off down the hillside, her boots slipping on the loose shale and pebbles that scattered its surface. She walked with exaggerated care, aware that each step brought her closer to danger.
Idiot, she cursed herself as she walked. This was a terrible idea.
Despite the brave face she’d presented to the others, she was terrified. Her pulse raced, her stomach was in knots, and her legs felt like they might give way at any moment—yet she pressed on.
It’s the only way.
She passed her first scout halfway down the slope. A man, clad in boiled leather, a h
eavy cloak hanging from his shoulders, stood with his back to her. He was scanning the hillside below, and Ryana circled wide around him. However, a few yards farther down, she encountered a hunched, lanky form: a Nightgenga.
Feral eyes, glowing in the darkness, flicked from side to side as it surveyed its surroundings. It was sniffing, trying to catch the scent of intruders on the wind. Ryana slowed her pace. The night breeze blew in from the north, so luckily she was downwind. Even so, she was wary.
Sweat slid down her back and between her breasts. She forced herself to take slow, measured breaths. One misstep, the scuff of a boot against stone, and the Nightgenga would know it was not alone. Luckily, it did not mark her passing, and Ryana reached the bottom of the hill unseen.
Mounds of stone stretched before her, like the homes of some giant insect. Yet Ryana knew what these really were: barrows.
So many.
Like most folk growing up in the Kingdom of Rithmar, she knew of this land’s violent past, of the thousands of men and women Valgarth had enslaved. However, it was only now, as she looked out upon a sea of cairns that the sheer scale of it hit her.
Ryana clenched her jaw and squared her shoulders, forcing down horror.
He can’t be allowed to walk free again.
Heart pounding, she walked through the cairns toward the edge of the Shadow Army, slipping into their midst through a ring of prowling Hiriel.
Ryana’s shadows enfolded her in a cool cloak, their nearness giving her comfort and strength. They were her allies, and they made her feel a little less alone—which was just as well for the moment she stepped beyond the Hiriel, her courage deserted her. Ryana stopped, her heart racing, her vision blurring with terror.
A wave of stench—hot iron mixed with the rank odor of the slaughter house—hit her.
Shadow creatures pressed in at her from all sides. Leering distorted faces and beastlike eyes; she could sense their impatience.