Текст книги "The Raven Collection"

Автор книги: James Barclay

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Текущая страница: 146 (всего у книги 235 страниц)

‘It is strange you and Selik failed to consider this possibility and a more suspicious man than myself might wonder at your real motive for coming here to invite me into the war.’

He paused and Devun felt the colour drain from his face. He thought about protesting but if Tessaya considered him an agent of some unification arm of the colleges, he was as good as dead already. So he decided to take a long drink instead.

Tessaya chuckled. ‘Good. I am glad you feel no need to defend yourself. And I know the beliefs of the Black Wings and share them. I think your only crime is naivety. So, assuming this is not an option, we must hope that the Xeteskians will strike out. Assuming they want to gain dominion over magic as we must, where would they go?’

Devun knew the answer to that one. Selik had told him. ‘Julatsa,’ he said. ‘To finish the job you started.’

‘Precisely. And so help us in our aim and, in the process, take much of the siege army away from their walls to stop them. In that circumstance, I might be persuaded to strike.’

‘So, what must I do?’ asked Devun.

‘Go back to Xetesk. Watch for their move if such they make. Remember. If no move is made and they are weakened by invasion or surrender, this helps us as much as them marching to Julatsa would. Indeed, if they do surrender, I would propose that Julatsa be our first strike.’

‘You seem very well informed already,’ said Devun.

‘No,’ said Tessaya. ‘But I can read the military mind. It is why I am still alive.’

‘I have heard about your heroics,’ said Devun.

‘Just necessities to keep my people from extinction.’ Tessaya waved a hand. ‘Now, the other thing we must discuss before you leave is what the Wesmen will gain from any alliance. I have to be sure you have the authority to grant me what I want.’

‘Tell me what it is and I will do everything in my power to see you get it,’ said Devun.

‘Ah, but there’s the problem. How great is your power? And please do not make the mistake of thinking we will simply melt back to the west of the Blackthorne Mountains when the colleges are thrown down.’

Another chill stole over Devun. He hadn’t thought through the consequences and now Tessaya knew everything about the weak state of eastern Balaia. Too late to put the djinn back in the bottle.

‘The force of the people is with the Black Wings whom I control. With magic gone, east and west can live side by side. We can take Balaia forward to a future of prosperity for us all. We would welcome your people into our lands to live alongside us. Over time, of course. People will be suspicious and even my words might not be enough, should others be seen to be taking advantage.’

‘Indeed,’ said Tessaya and his smile split his face. ‘Now, drink up and go and talk to your men. I have plans to make, a council to call and an army to raise. All in very quick time. I will call you back tonight. Then you will tell me what you offer the Wesmen and I will respond with our guarantees.

‘Don’t disappoint me.’

‘You need not fear that,’ said Devun, getting up, his heart heavy and his stomach churning. He tried not to think about what he might have just begun.

‘Oh, one last thing, just to humour me,’ said Tessaya. ‘You mentioned The Raven. Whatever happened to them?’

With anger replacing his nausea, Devun related everything he knew.

Chapter 12

It was early evening and the cloud was thickening appreciably overhead. It was going to be a fortuitously dark night. The Unknown Warrior, Izack, Darrick and Baron Blackthorne sat around their fire. The latter was a reluctant but welcome addition to the siege army, his normally stern, dark features deepened still further by his enforced decision.

All around them, the elven camp was alive with quiet activity. The Al-Arynaar prepared, the TaiGethen prayed and ClawBound stood sentinel while more of their kind travelled the ground to Xetesk and their planned entry point.

The Raven too, readied themselves. Armour straps were buckled and swords sheathed in silence. Strips of cloth were wound into buckles and cinches, hilts tied down hard, scabbards bound in thicker weave, chain links greased and darkened.

‘Second-guessing Xetesk has never been easy,’ said Blackthorne, one hand smoothing his impeccably trimmed, grey-flecked black beard.

‘True, but we have no choice but to assume a successful raid tonight will hasten their decision to attempt to break the siege,’ said The Unknown.

‘But how ready are they?’ asked Darrick.

‘Our view is that they could move any time they wanted to. The TaiGethen have been inside Xetesk every night for the past ten. They’ve seen the cycling of soldiers and mages, they’ve seen fresh units training in the streets. They’ve reported forges pressing more weapons than can possibly be used on the siege fronts and they’re building supply. Damned if I know where the food is coming from but it’s getting in. Importantly, we’ve seen an increase in activity following the Julatsan mana failure.’

‘So, do we assume they’ll attempt to break siege immediately we escape with the writings?’ asked The Unknown.

‘I do admire your confidence,’ said Blackthorne.

‘Never been wrong so far,’ replied The Unknown.

‘I think there’s every likelihood Dystran will mobilise immediately, ’ said Darrick. ‘We know he wants to destroy Julatsa first; that’s why the siege is in place, after all. Second, he knows the elves won’t leave here until they get their sacred writings back from him. And third, he knows we have to use the elven mages to help us raise the Heart of Julatsa. Hence, he’s happy to perpetuate the siege. We force his hand, he’ll come after us, mark my words.

‘But when we make the run for Julatsa, he’ll want to break us before we can establish a defence. He can’t do that if he’s two days behind us. If the TaiGethen are right, we may only be a couple of hours ahead of him when we start to move north.’

‘That leaves the allied forces with a dilemma.’ Blackthorne stretched out his legs.

‘How so?’ asked Darrick.

‘We are not of one accord regarding our field positions to await Xetesk’s expected attack,’ said Izack.

‘What’s not to agree? We’re in position aren’t we?’ Darrick let his shoulders slump. ‘You’d better explain.’

‘It’s another reason the Baron has joined the Lysternan lines,’ said Izack. ‘We’ve been in discussions with Dordover’s military command for days now and reached an impasse very early on. It all rests on where Xetesk will focus their breakout.’

‘The north gate, presumably,’ said The Unknown.

‘Exactly. And defended by Dordovans, as is the west gate. And so far there has been little activity there by the way – no probing, no attempts to get scouts into the field, Cloaked or otherwise. The Dordovans feel their forces at the north gate are going to be hit hard if not routed when Xetesk tries to break for Julatsa and it’s hard to disagree with them.’

‘So what are they proposing?’ asked Darrick, voice a little weary.

‘That the siege is lifted and we make battlefield preparations north of Xetesk. Take them head-on, all of us,’ said Izack.

Darrick was shaking his head. ‘When?’

‘General?’ queried Izack, slipping easily back into his old place in the chain of command.

‘When are they planning to start dismantling their camps and shifting their forces to wherever this mythical battlefield is? And, might I add, I can think of few places where we could use our possibly – and I repeat, possibly – superior numbers to our advantage. ’

Izack shifted on his seat. ‘Well, as soon as we apprise them that the elves are going in to raid.’

‘Gods burning, they are more stupid than I thought,’ said Darrick.

‘But they could be slaughtered,’ said Izack.

‘So what?’ snapped Darrick. ‘This is a war. Sacrifices have to be made for the greater good. We cannot risk Julatsa’s demise. If we lose them, balance is lost forever. Don’t they understand that?’

‘They understand they are in the front line,’ said Blackthorne. ‘They are just men.’

‘In war, no one is just a man,’ said Darrick. ‘He can be greater than his dreams or another passive victim of the conflict.’ The Unknown felt a slap on his arm. ‘You understand.’

‘Yes I do,’ said The Unknown. ‘But we are no longer dealing with soldiers here. Or not just soldiers.’

‘I appreciate that.’

‘Do you, Darrick?’ The Unknown raised his eyebrows. ‘I don’t think you do. Many of the men out there have had their spades, rakes and brushes taken from them and swords thrust in their hands. They aren’t soldiers. They will fight but they will fear. They aren’t like us. We are born to fight. These men will bake your bread tomorrow. Do you see?’

‘I see they are defending their freedom.’

‘But understand they see it through different eyes than ours,’ said Blackthorne. ‘Heap responsibility on them as high as you like but one man in every two facing both HellFire and Protectors outside that north gate was not a soldier even a season ago.’

Darrick was silent for a while. Beneath his lank curls, his face creased while he fought to get his thoughts into order. It was clear he was struggling.

‘It makes no difference,’ he said. ‘They have a role to fulfil. And that role is stopping Xetesk marching an army north for as long as they can. To the last man if they have to. And before you break in, there are two factors here.

‘Firstly, I can’t believe the Dordovan command believes it has a better chance of marshalling its bakers’ boys out in the open field in a battle line a mile long than it does here – with or without Lysternan assistance.

‘Second, the moment they pull back from the walls, they announce their intentions good and loud to Xetesk. They hand the Dark College the initiative and sentence all of us inside at the time to death – let’s not fool ourselves. Dystran is clever and well advised. He’ll know what we’re attempting and all attempt at secrecy will be lost.

‘And remember, when the soldiers pull back, they ease pressure at two gates, allowing reinforcement of the others, probable resultant victories east and south, and therefore a lessening of our strength.’

‘Assuming we don’t pull back with them,’ said Blackthorne.

Darrick ignored him, standing and pacing.

‘What are they thinking of? Keeping Dystran’s forces split is the only way. The consequences of defeat in open field are staggering. He would march unopposed all the way to Julatsa. And that would be just the start.’

‘They are thinking of self-preservation,’ said Blackthorne gently.

‘By abandoning their most defensible positions? By dismantling siege coordination? They are panicking. If it were Lystern, we would stand and face them, outnumbered or not.’

‘But it isn’t Lystern,’ said Blackthorne. ‘And that is the point.’

‘I should talk to them,’ said Darrick. ‘They have to see sense.’

‘Sit down, Ry,’ said The Unknown. ‘You’re under sentence of death, remember?’

Darrick paused in his pacing. ‘But there’s—’

‘No,’ said The Unknown. ‘You are not the man to negotiate. You’re Raven now. Sit down.’

Darrick sat reluctantly, unused to taking orders but unwilling to challenge The Unknown’s authority.

‘We’re trying the same arguments,’ said Izack. ‘All they can see is their north gate forces being overrun and Xetesk still having a clear run north.’

‘What can be done?’ asked Blackthorne. ‘This is no longer purely a military decision. Politics is involved and relative strengths of surviving college forces. No college will leave themselves open to future attack at their own gates. Nor should they.’

‘I know, I know,’ said Darrick, waving a hand in a resigned gesture. ‘Remember when we were all together against the Wesmen? That’s the template and it kept us alive. Right.’

Darrick lapsed into thought. Around him, the triumvirate of senior Balaian warriors watched on in silence. He wasn’t long in reaching a conclusion.

‘All we can do is appease the Dordovans. What we can’t do is let Xetesk know we’re anticipating a breakout – and that’s what a reformation to the north will do. It will also leave them with no doubt in their minds. They will attack and hope to end it there and then. Effectively win the war for Balaia at a stroke.

‘Here’s what I suggest. And it’s a risk worth taking. We strip all the reserves from the south and east gates and move them north, leaving just a skeleton Lysternan fighting force here, supported by Baron Blackthorne’s men and the Al-Arynaar now they’ve had a day’s rest. We can do that quietly and over the course of the night. Izack, you know how it’s done so I won’t lecture.

‘Baron, I think it’s down to you to talk to the Dordovan command and make our case. They will respect you and, most importantly, if you can take an idea of numbers to them, it’ll mean that Lystern and Dordover are truly standing together to counter Xetesk. You have to make it stick, my Lord.’

Blackthorne smiled. ‘I can be very persuasive.’

‘We’re all counting on it,’ said Darrick. ‘Meanwhile, the sooner we can get in and get out of Xetesk, the more chance we have. I suggest we don’t waste time.’

‘No doubt the TaiGethen will agree with you. Right, are we all set and clear?’ The Unknown looked around the fire, saw the nods in response. ‘Baron, Izack, do the best you can. Darrick, let’s go.’

The quartet stood up and shook hands, wishing each other luck and strength. The Unknown walked over to The Raven, sitting together at the edge of the firelight. All had been watching and listening intently.

Hirad stood up as he approached and strapped his sword belt around his waist. The talking, the resting, the frustrating watch of the day’s battle was done.

‘Our turn now,’ he said.

The Unknown nodded. He’d felt like a caged animal all day, anxious to get over the walls but knowing he had to wait his time to begin the process of protecting his family, hundreds of miles to the south across the Southern Ocean.

‘Everyone’s clear about everything, aren’t they,’ he said.

‘We could be little else,’ said Denser. ‘But however tight our plan, I can’t stress enough how dangerous the college will be. Dystran is not stupid. The Protectors may all be outside but he’ll have considerable defence in there.’

The raiding party was gathering as dusk gave way to night. The TaiGethen had been resting and praying all day. Four cells of the elite elven warriors would be taking part, along with Rebraal and six Al-Arynaar mages to supply shield and offensive support. ClawBound pairs were approaching the city to assess the strength on the walls, using the cloud cover that had prematurely darkened the sky. They would direct the elven warriors where to scale the walls and provide what diversion was needed.

‘There’s something else,’ said Denser. ‘Though I may be speaking to the deaf in the case of the TaiGethen. And that is that we aren’t looking to destroy Xetesk and its mages tonight. We need them in the future if there is to be any balance.’

‘I’m not running in there just circling my fists,’ said Hirad. ‘It was bad enough in Lystern.’

‘That’s not what I’m saying,’ said Denser. ‘And I will spare no one who threatens our lives. Just nothing indiscriminate, that’s all I ask. Xetesk is still my college.’

‘A college that would see you dead in a heartbeat,’ said The Unknown Warrior. ‘As they would all of us.’ His face was grim in the firelight. ‘Don’t expect mercy from me.’

The big man checked the edges of his long sword and daggers yet again, walked slowly to Thraun and Erienne while he rebound the weapons in their sheaths. ‘Erienne? You’re quiet. Tell me.’

‘I’m scared,’ she said, her eyes confirming it.

‘So you should be,’ said The Unknown. ‘We’re about to break into the Dark College.’

‘No, it’s not that . . . well, it is but that fear I can deal with. It’s what’s inside me. Every day I have to fight to stop it dominating me and it’s tiring. Consuming. Because one day I might fail.’

‘But the Al-Drechar help, don’t they?’

‘Without them, the power would swamp me,’ admitted Erienne. ‘But they’re so weak. Only one can help me block the One’s force while the other rests. What if one of them dies. Or both?’ She shuddered.

The Unknown frowned. ‘But it will ease, won’t it?’

‘It gets harder and harder to believe that,’ said Erienne. ‘Right now, the One is a barely contained power in an uneducated mind and body. I have so much to learn. Dordover awakened the One prematurely in my daughter and all of us may still pay the price of that stupidity. If the Al-Drechar can’t teach me how to restrain the One on my own before they die, I dread to think of the consequences. ’

‘Shouldn’t you be with them, then? The Al-Drechar, I mean.’

A smile touched Erienne’s lips. ‘And be away from the only people who keep me believing there’s an end to it? Look, Unknown, the Al-Drechar do what they can before I fall asleep, before I get up, and they talk to me in my dreams. It’s enough. It’ll have to be. Anyway, The Raven never work apart.’

‘Music to my ears,’ said Hirad from across the fire. ‘Glad someone listens to me.’

‘We rarely have a choice,’ said Denser. ‘That voice could knock holes in solid rock.’

Erienne put a hand on The Unknown’s arm.

‘I’ll be all right,’ she said. ‘I can suppress the One and cast Dordovan magic. I won’t let us down.’

‘I never doubted you would,’ said the Unknown.

‘They will have watched,’ said Thraun abruptly. ‘They will know we’re coming.’

‘Not The Raven, the elves maybe,’ said Hirad. ‘We’ve thought of that.’

‘No.’ Thraun growled. ‘Beware.’

Around the periphery, the TaiGethen were waiting for them. Two figures moved into the firelight.

‘Are you ready?’ asked Rebraal. ‘We need to leave as soon as we can. The cloud cover is breaking to the south already.’

‘You are sure you must come?’ Auum had been unconvinced of The Raven’s participation all day. Despite his rather grudging respect for them, he hadn’t changed his opinion that they would be a liability, particularly in climbing the walls.

‘Yes,’ said The Unknown. ‘With us, you are stronger.’

‘And we have business to attend to inside,’ said Hirad.

Denser chuckled. ‘A couple of trifling matters, that’s all.’

Darrick cleared his throat. ‘It’s not a laughing matter.’

‘Ilkar wouldn’t have agreed with you,’ said Hirad.

‘No,’ said Darrick. He smiled quickly, embarrassed.

‘Come on Raven, time to go,’ said The Unknown.

The Raven moved to join the elven raiding party. Hirad paused by Blackthorne.

‘Glad you dropped by, Baron.’

‘This conflict threatens us all now, Hirad,’ he said, eyebrows casting his eyes into deep shadow. ‘There is no strength in neutrality. Not any more. Any of us strong enough must fight to stop Xetesk achieving dominion.’

‘Remember there is more than one side fighting Xetesk,’ said Hirad.

‘I’ll continue to forgo the considerable bounty on your head if that’s what you mean.’

The two old friends clasped arms.

‘Be lucky,’ said Hirad.

‘Be careful,’ responded Blackthorne.

‘Hirad, move it.’ The Unknown’s voice came from the gloom.

‘Duty calls.’

Hirad trotted out of the camp. Ahead of him, the TaiGethen had broken into their cells of three. All but Auum’s cell were disappearing fast into the night, making no sound, leaving no clue as to where they had just been. Hirad couldn’t help but be impressed by their grace and speed. And when he turned to Auum, Duele and Evunn, he caught in their eyes exactly why they were so extraordinary, even among the ranks of exceptional elven hunter warriors like Rebraal.

From their black-and-green painted faces burned belief and determination, mixed with supreme confidence. Their faith in their Gods and in their own abilities precluded the notion of failure. And tonight, the Al-Arynaar and The Raven were similarly masked, all pale flesh covered in dark paint. But there the similarity ended.

‘Your weapons are secure?’ asked Auum, his accent thick, his command of the language uncertain.

‘Nothing will move,’ said Hirad. ‘We’ll be as quiet as you.’

A smile flickered on Auum’s face. ‘Do as we do. No talk until we are inside the city.’

He turned and set off at an easy trot, Duele and Evunn his shadows, The Raven following in their wake.

Chapter 13

They had travelled for around two hours, hidden in low brush and scrub and always at least half a mile from the walls of Xetesk. Hirad had kept up an easy stride. Being neither as fit nor as fleet as the TaiGethen he had accepted that he, like the rest of The Raven, would fall slowly but steadily behind.

Periodically, one of Auum’s Tai cell would appear to direct them or run with them. Their faces would betray nothing but Hirad could guess what they were thinking just the same. He smiled to himself. It was true, The Raven weren’t used to running any distance. But they had other strengths and he was determined to make them very apparent.

Now, they were facing the first major risk to the enterprise. Underneath the blanket of heavy cloud, which had just disgorged one heavy shower out of an almost constant mist of fine rain, they sat looking out at the four-hundred-yard wide stretch of open ground that ringed the walls of the Dark College. They had travelled slowly and quietly into the edge of the rough scrub and now all that kept them from a mage with augmented sight was patchy thigh-high grass and the night itself.

A ClawBound panther padded into their circle and nuzzled Thraun before eyeing the rest of The Raven with something verging on contempt and moving to its partner, who squatted next to Rebraal and Auum. Animal and elf gazed deep into each other’s eyes, their silent communication flowing between them. Hirad watched them intently, seeing nothing but the occasional flicker of their eyes. The ClawBound elf, the white half of his painted face unnaturally bright, turned his head to Rebraal and Auum only when he was ready.

Both warriors asked him questions, their elvish rapid and incomprehensible. Mostly, the ClawBound would reply with a nod, shake of the head or a hand gesture. Very occasionally, he would utter a single word, voice rough and unused to speech. And finally, he stood abruptly and led his panther away.

‘So what’s the verdict?’ asked Hirad.

‘There are more guards patrolling the walls than on previous nights,’ said Rebraal. ‘We will not get in without confronting some.’

‘That’s not good,’ said The Unknown. ‘We can’t afford our cover blown until we’re inside the college.’

‘We don’t see a choice,’ said Rebraal. ‘The TaiGethen will handle it. At least then we can ensure silence.’

Auum began to speak, lost his words and asked Rebraal a question which the leader of the Al-Arynaar translated.

‘Denser, your entry point to the college. Does it involve travel near the walls?’

‘It does not,’ said Denser. ‘I’ll show you the best route when we get inside, just like I said. If we die getting in, at least you know where you’re headed. Just as we agreed.’

Rebraal held up his hands. ‘Auum just wanted to know. In that case, our entry into the city being discovered at some point before we reach the college may work in our favour.’

‘You’ve lost me there,’ said Erienne.

‘No, he’s right,’ said Darrick. ‘If they know we’re inside the city but not yet in the college, they’re bound to increase patrols on the streets and strengthen guards around the college walls. Only we aren’t going in the front door and all those men will be outside.’

‘To begin with, at least,’ added Denser.

‘Any advantage we can gain is good enough for me,’ said Hirad. ‘So what’s the plan?’

‘You wait here with me until the TaiGethen have cleared passage to the base of the walls,’ said Rebraal. ‘There’ll be a diversion as well and we’ll make a run. If you get seen and challenged it’s down to you.’

‘And what about you, Rebraal?’ asked Hirad.

The elf shrugged. ‘I’m Ilkar’s brother. I owe it to him to help you get there unharmed.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Believe me, I’d rather not have to. You are putting yourselves in great danger and risking our mission.’

Hirad bridled but The Unknown spoke up quickly.

‘We understand your feelings but we have to do this as much as you do. Those we love are at risk.’

Rebraal nodded. Next to him, Evunn and Duele had come to Auum’s sides. The cell bowed their heads in prayer, acknowledged Rebraal with the briefest of hand contact and ran away into the dark towards the walls of Xetesk.

Hirad sighed. There wasn’t even going to be anything to see. Right now, all he could do was wait.

Auum led his Tai into the thick stalks of the plains grass and dropped immediately to his haunches. Evunn was five yards to his right, Duele the same distance left. The rest of the Tai cells were spread in a loose arc with Auum as the centre point. All had the same brief. Reach the walls unseen, unheard. Once there they were temporarily safe; the outward slope of the walls ensured that. It had made climbing a little more tricky but nothing a TaiGethen elf couldn’t deal with. About certain members of the Al-Arynaar and the Raven, Auum wasn’t quite so sure.

While he wouldn’t normally give chance any credence, Auum confessed to himself that they had been lucky thus far. Tonight was as perfect a night for the raid as they could have wished. Above, the cloud was deep, lowering and unbroken. The rain that fell light but steady added to the gloom and a breeze ruffled the grass around him, further masking his progress from watchful eyes on the walls.

He became still and listened to the sounds around him as he knew his Tai would be doing. He tuned into the low ambient noise that surrounded him; the rustle of the wind through the grass, the movement of animals within it, the buzz of night’s insects. He concentrated on the movement of the grass itself, the waves that spread across it, their frequency and scale.

And then he began to move himself, matching his low crouched steps with the grass, and stopping as it stilled. All the time, his eyes never left the walls as they grew closer, rearing into the sky, bleak and tall. He could see the light from torches and lanterns hung on their parapets or carried by guards. Away to the left, one of the dozens of small guard towers that studded the circumference was lit up by braziers within, luminescence spreading out from the narrow arched windows and the open door, picking out the mist of rain.

The ClawBound had been very accurate in their summation of the extra presence on the walls. He could see lights moving at intervals more regularly than at any other time. There was no doubt that there would have to be an entire stretch cleared to allow them all enough time to lower themselves to the other side and get to the relative safety of the muster point which was an empty house crushed between a bakery and a small disused stable block.

Closing on the base of the walls, Auum slowed still further. His pin-sharp eyes could make out the features on the faces of the guards walking seventy feet above. He could hear snatches of conversation above the susurration of the grass all around his head. And he could smell the stone and the city beyond. It was a mix of age and smoke, cold and fire, life and death. Ahead of him, shapes moved against the dark grey stone. ClawBound. The panthers padded noiselessly up and down the base of the wall, their partners shifted minutely, noses sampling the air, eyes sweeping the grass, watching the TaiGethen approach.

Soon, Auum was standing with them. They had briefly acknowledged his presence. Two of three pairs had set off along the walls, one left, one right. The third remained, the panther now sitting, licking its paws, growling quietly in its throat. Evunn and Duele emerged from the grass.

‘Climb,’ said Auum. ‘You know where the fastenings are.’

Duele moved immediately to the base of the wall. He took the coil of rope from his shoulder and tied one end to his belt. Pausing only to check his route, he began to climb.

Auum watched him go, seeing his sure movements make nonsense of the seemingly smooth surface of the wall. Age had forced small cracks in the stone cladding. Most were covered by moss but Duele’s fingers found them all, digging in and holding firm. His feet did likewise, fine leather boots edging their way into tiny crevices. One toe was enough to give him purchase enough to push further up.

Of course it was a climb he’d made many times before but Auum enjoyed watching him. Tual, lord of the forest denizens, had blessed him with a skill few could match. Auum had never seen him so much as hesitate.

The coil of rope unwound steadily. Evunn dropped to his haunches and bound his own length to Duele’s. It was the best they could do. The Balaian rope was coarse, thick and heavy. Strong enough, but cumbersome. Two lengths of something over thirty feet left enough play to loop it over the fixings they’d driven into the base of the overhang on previous visits and leave the bottom end at around head height. Simple for an elf to climb but Auum wondered, not for the first time, how the humans would fare.

Above him, Duele clung to the walls like a lizard on the underside of a branch. He was at the steepest angle of the overhang now, one move from the nearest hook that they’d had fashioned by Lystern’s battlefield smiths. He said a quick prayer to Yniss to keep Duele safe. He need not have worried. Duele untied the rope from his belt with one hand, swung deftly out to the fixing, looped the prepared rope end over the hook in the same motion and lowered himself easily to the ground.

‘Well done,’ said Auum. ‘We’ll use three ascent points tonight. Check your weapons again now. You won’t get another chance.’

The Tai tested blade edges, bowstring tension, arrow feathers and jaqrui throwing crescents, ensuring the whisper blades were foremost. Every heartbeat, more TaiGethen appeared from the grass, emerging as if from underground tunnels, the movement in the open was so slight.

Duele and Evunn took ropes from four Tais, Evunn binding the lengths, Duele attaching ends to his belt. Swiftly, he climbed the first rope, hand over hand, his movements strong and smooth. A few feet below the fastening, he stopped. Locking his feet on to the rope from which he was hanging, he took the free end of another rope from his belt and leant out at arm’s length, balanced like a dancer. Below him, Evunn began to swing the rope like a pendulum. In total control, Duele swung closer and closer to the next hook, looping the rope end over on the fourth pass and switching ropes to repeat the process. He finished on the furthest right of the three ascent points and hung there, waiting.