‘I don’t know what chance of success you have anyway,’ said Fazel. ‘As we’ve just discussed, if it came to conflicting orders between Bel and Losara, I am sure I’d be compelled to follow Losara. Do you really think he’s going to stand there slack-jawed as I aid in the casting of magic against him? Or will he, perhaps, say “Stop that”?’
Gellan nodded gravely. ‘You are right, and we will put it all to Bel tomorrow. Now,’ he rose smoothly to his feet, ‘if you’ll excuse me, I must attend to a certain pressure.’
‘Even that I miss,’ he heard Fazel mutter as he went into the trees.
It was a serene place, this part of the world. It had been several days since they’d found their way down from the mountains, and now they travelled eastwards along the foothills. There was a path, of sorts – overgrown and sometimes invisible, sometimes marked only by the absence of trees. Moisture seemed omnipresent as streams gushed and sent up spray, dew dripped from ferns, and a spot of rain was never far away. It was pleasant enough, however, humid and still, and they did not see much evidence of settlement. Tomorrow, or the next day, they might come across a village, or spy a woodsman’s hut nestled somewhere off the path …but then again, maybe not.
A short distance from the camp, Gellan found some likely looking bushes and untied his trousers. As he relieved himself, he considered the dilemma with Fazel. The undead mage couldn’t stay, surely …having him with them was like walking around with a sword pointed at their backs. Yet how in Arkus’s name were they supposed to work the Stone without him?
Then he sensed something that brought his mind snapping back to his current surrounds. Had he felt …? And then he was sure.
Somewhere in the night, something of the shadow lurked.
Instinctively he put up a defensive ward around him, and for a moment felt ridiculously exposed as he shoved his well-lit manhood back into his trousers. Off in the darkness the thing moved, as if it sensed him sensing it. There , in the lee of a towering oak, it was hiding …but what was it? Shadow magic obscured his own magical sight, but from the gap in his perceptions he could make out its outline. Something small …and making itself smaller? What manner of creature could do that?
Then it was coursing towards him through the trees, and he flung up his hands in readiness, his light growing brighter as he magnified his defence …but the shadow thing, a speck now, cut right through and flew towards him.
Bel sat bolt upright on his bedroll, sword already in hand.
‘Mmf?’ came a sleepy objection from Jaya at his side.
‘Did you hear that?’
He was certain that somewhere, off in the night, someone had just cried out. There was a rustle nearby as M’Meska clambered to her feet, drawing her bow.
‘I hears,’ she said.
Over by the fire, Fazel was staring into the dark.
‘Fazel,’ said Bel, ‘is something amiss? Where’s Gellan?’
‘He …went off to relieve himself,’ said Fazel. ‘I …’ He trailed off, as if listening to something no one else could hear.
‘Fazel,’ said Bel impatiently, ‘what has happened?’
Fazel did not reply. Bel scowled and turned away. Damn mages .
Jaya was awake now, and Hiza too, grim-faced enough to indicate that he had expected trouble all along.
‘Come on,’ said Bel, and strode past the fire into the trees.
He tried to remember the cry, half-heard in sleep: only the last note had crossed over into waking. There had been alarm in it, that was certain.
‘Gellan!’ he called, and quickly the others took up the cry. M’Meska went bounding away into the brush, not at all silently. ‘Stay close,’ Bel told Jaya, whose eyes scanned the night, her sword at the ready. Hiza had brought a brand from the fire to light their way. It was a sensible thing to do. Why hadn’t he thought of that? Shadows danced away from the flame, scattering in strange shapes through the trees.
‘Fazel?’ said Bel over his shoulder.
‘I’m with you.’
‘Can you sense anything of what just happened?’
The mage remained oddly quiet, and just as Bel was about to demand an answer, a group of bushes before him quivered.
‘Gellan?’ said Bel. ‘Show yourself!’
From out of the bushes Gellan staggered, twisting free of their thorny clutches. He looked dishevelled, as if he had fallen. A moment later M’Meska landed by his side and, ‘Found him,’ she informed them proudly.
‘What happened?’ asked Hiza. ‘Have we cause for concern?’
Gellan blinked, as if seeing him for the first time. ‘Ah,’ he said. ‘Hiza.’
‘Yes?’ said Hiza.
‘I am sorry,’ said Gellan, ‘to have woken you all. Everything is all right. I took a bit of a tumble in the dark, is all.’ He glanced past them at Fazel, and for a moment the two of them were silently intense.
‘Are you two communicating?’ Bel demanded. ‘Speak aloud, damn you!’
‘Forgiveness please,’ said Gellan, shaking his head. ‘I am overtired, perhaps. I should have concentrated on where I was putting my feet.’ He paused for a moment, seeming to collect his thoughts. ‘Let us return to the camp. We have another long day in front of us.’
There was something strange about his manner, and Bel could not help but feel he wasn’t telling them everything. Still, that was the way of mages, was it not? He was well used to Fahren and his mysterious airs, it was no surprise to find that Gellan was cut from the same cloth.
‘All right then,’ he growled. ‘Everyone back to camp – we should still be able to salvage some rest from this night. And Gellan?’
‘Yes?’
‘Watch where you’re going.’
It always took a while for the morning light to arrive, with the mountains towering between them and sunrise. In the dimness of the day’s beginning, Bel walked alongside M’Meska, listening to her talk about her homeland in the Furoara Sands. Someday, thought Bel, he would like to try riding a dune claw himself.
‘Rabbit,’ said M’Meska and suddenly leaped away. He did not begrudge her sudden departure, for it was the Saurian and her arrows that kept them well fed.
Ahead Jaya walked with Hiza, chatting easily. He was glad that those two got along, and smiled as she giggled at something and punched Hiza’s arm. Hiza gave a look of mock affront and rubbed the ‘bruise’. The interaction reminded Bel of the way he and Hiza had been until recently. Although everything was perfectly amicable between them, they were no longer the simple, easy friends of days gone by. In fact, ever since finding out who Bel really was, Hiza had treated him almost like a different person, as if Bel himself had changed and not just the world’s view of him.
At least Jaya was in good humour. As she laughed at something Hiza said out of earshot, he found himself chuckling along with her.
‘Must be nice,’ came Gellan’s voice, ‘to share the road with your lady.’ The mage had caught him smiling to himself, and he found he didn’t mind.
‘It is,’ he said. ‘And you, do you have someone also?’
‘Oh,’ for a moment Gellan looked uncertain, ‘…yes. Back home. But I would not risk bringing her on such a dangerous excursion.’
Bel pondered whether there was a subtle slight intended in the mage’s words.
‘Well,’ he responded gruffly, ‘I’m afraid I don’t have much say in the matter. I’d like to see anyone try telling Jaya what she can and can’t do.’
‘I meant no offence,’ clarified Gellan. ‘I simply meant that mine is …well, different from yours. More fragile, I suppose, though she’d no doubt protest otherwise.’
‘I see.’
‘She is very beautiful, though, your Jaya. You must love her deeply.’