‘I’m glad to hear we’re expected,’ continued Bel. ‘If you would take us to Gellan?’
‘Of course,’ said Burfurd. Behind Bel, the others got down from their horses to stretch their legs, then took the reins to lead them on. Burfurd stared for a moment at M’Meska, and M’Meska cocked her head at him.
‘Yes?’
‘Apologies,’ said Burfurd, lowering his gaze. ‘My goodness – more than one strange arrival tonight. Please, everyone, follow me.’
Cadmir was a small, ramshackle place, with a smell of wet wood about it. As they made their way along a dirt road, it did not take long for people to emerge from houses.
‘I thought that mage was full of nonsense,’ remarked one shadowy figure on a porch to another. ‘Looks like I may have to buy him that drink after all.’
A dozen houses later, they came to the village square. On the other side lay an inn built like a crate, with windows bright and the sound of merriness within. It seemed this was the place to be once the sun went down in Cadmir. The door banged open and a fat man staggered out onto the porch holding a mug. He leaned on the rail, squinted at the approaching strangers, and gave an unintelligible exclamation.
‘What’s wrong, Derry?’ came a shout from inside. ‘Piss your trousers again?’
‘This way,’ said Burfurd. ‘Gellan is staying at the inn. You can tie your horses up outside – I’ll have them seen to.’
Following him up the steps to the inn door, they passed the glassy-eyed man called Derry who stood clutching his mug tightly to his chest. With his other hand, he reached up to tip a hat that wasn’t there. ‘Er …welcome,’ he mumbled awkwardly.
Bel smiled. ‘Thank you.’
‘I think that man was actually blushing,’ whispered Jaya in his ear.
They entered a high-ceilinged room packed with tables full of carousers, with a fire burning heartily in one corner. As the door banged shut behind them, the room fell silent, save for chairs squeaking as some rose slowly from their seats.
‘I’m beginning to regret having that enchantment removed,’ muttered Bel. ‘Maybe I should shave my head.’
‘It would certainly make it simpler to get around,’ agreed Jaya. ‘You could also buy a hat.’ Bel glanced at her, and she shrugged. ‘Well, you could.’
‘The blue-haired man has come,’ announced Burfurd, rather unnecessarily. ‘Let us welcome him to our village!’
‘What are we supposed to do?’ called someone. ‘Bow?’ There was low laughter, though the question sounded semi-serious.
‘No need for that,’ said Bel. ‘Bowing is for lords, ladies and other la-de-das. I am but a Blade with a fate fallen on me. Besides, I wouldn’t want you to spill your drinks! So please, don’t stop your evening’s pleasure on my account.’
‘That me include?’ said M’Meska. ‘Need a drink before can spill one.’
Alarming nearby patrons with her swinging tail, she bobbed towards the bar and an intimidated barmaid. Patting her side, she realised that she’d left her satchel with her horse, and clicked her tongue in annoyance. After a moment’s thought, she turned to the bar in general.
‘Who want be able say they buy a drink for Saurian?’
Patrons glanced at each other in sudden delight, and there was a mad scramble to the bar.
‘A mug of ale for the Saurian!’ shouted the first man to reach it, slamming down coins.
‘Two mugs!’ said another.
‘Bloodfire,’ clarified M’Meska. ‘Ale for children.’
‘And if the blue-haired man wants anything, I’m paying!’
Merriment erupted again.
‘Excuse me,’ came a voice beside Bel. It was a short, lean man wearing brown trousers and a leather vest, with a certain gnarled quality about him.
‘Yes?’ said Bel.
‘If I may say so, it’s a relief to see that you actually exist. I wonder if you’d join me at my table? I’m Gellan.’
‘You would have passed woods on your way here,’ said Gellan. ‘Further in, they meet the foothills and the mountains proper. It was there, in a cliff face, that I found the cave the little girl spoke of. There were no signs of habitation, but I suppose a burned-up skeleton isn’t going to fix himself tea very often.’ He smiled faintly, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
Bel found himself liking the man. It was odd to see a mage out of robes, but he supposed trekking through woods required hardier wear.
‘I did find traces of shadow magic, however, seeped into the walls,’ Gellan continued. ‘I don’t know how long whatever it was – let’s call it Fazel for the sake of brevity and hope – lived out there, but maybe for some time. There was also a trail of shadow magic leading away, much fainter and tricky to follow.’
Bel nodded. ‘Fahren mentioned you were an excellent tracker.’
‘Modesty prevents me from agreeing,’ said Gellan, ‘though I would if I could. I followed the trail for a time, up into the mountains, before I lost it. If Fazel wants to hide, the Heights are a perfect place. The lower reaches are heavily wooded, and hardly anyone ventures up to the peaks – not only are they barren, but spiny trolls live there.’
There was an uproar at the bar as M’Meska tipped two glasses of bloodfire simultaneously down her throat, then belched loudly.
‘Gluttonous lizard,’ laughed Jaya.
‘Can you find the trail again?’ asked Hiza, bringing attention back to the table.
‘Do foxes have whiskers?’ said Gellan. ‘If Fazel’s still up there, we’ll find him.’
‘Excellent,’ said Bel. ‘We leave at first light.’
‘And now that that’s settled,’ said Hiza, rising, ‘I for one do not intend to let the Saurian have all the fun.’
Along the Ridge
Gellan led the way through prickly woods at the base of the cliff, retracing his own trail from days before. Bel followed closely, with Jaya and Hiza behind him, and M’Meska bringing up the rear, an arrow notched ready in her bow. They hadn’t brought the horses but carried their packs with them, for who knew if they would return to Cadmir. Bel found himself instinctively watching the trees for signs of huggers, even though there were none in these parts. The wood itself was certainly different from Drel Forest – wetter and quieter, for a start.
They didn’t tarry long at the cave, for there was precious little to see. Instead Gellan led them to a steep, mossy slope, from beyond which came the sound of gushing water. Gellan moved lightly upwards, the others clambering after with more difficulty. Eventually they reached the top, suffering only a few slimy scrapes. They found themselves on a rocky ridge overlooking a crevasse through which a river ran some twenty paces below.
‘This is as far as I came the last time,’ Gellan said. ‘The trail faded out a little further along.’
‘So what do we do?’ asked Hiza.
‘I can sense if shadow creatures are near,’ said Gellan, eyes shifting. ‘There is nothing yet …but this ridge is the natural path through this part of the mountains. I say we simply continue.’
‘Sounds like a plan, of sorts,’ said Bel. ‘Lead on.’
For the rest of the day they travelled the ridge, climbing higher into the mountains. The ridge became wide enough to support trees and bushes, and the terrain across the gap was the same. They were not so much journeying into the peaks themselves but along a sort of belt part of the way up. Far above the vegetation died out, and the orange tips of the peaks showed through. Here, between the mountains, the sun disappeared long before the day’s end, and twilight seemed to come early. As it grew darker, Gellan stopped.
‘I think it best we camp here,’ he said. ‘Not much light left in the day – could be dangerous to continue.’
It was too damp for a fire, yet the air was warm enough to be comfortable. They ate dinner from their supplies, and M’Meska moaned that they hadn’t thought to bring any bloodfire with them. Bel offered to take first watch and, as the others hunkered down to sleep, Gellan sat beside him.