He waited, watching for movement, and felt the edge of an arrow against his neck.
'I should teach you some tracking skills,' said Ren, removing the arrow. 'What are you doing here?'
Darrick looked round. Ren was right behind him with another elf just behind her. She had an ugly burn across her right cheek and blood ran from a deep cut by her left ear. She was shivering.
'Looking for you,' said Darrick. 'The Dordovans are at the third perimeter. The Raven can't keep them away for long. We have to do something. Any ideas?'
Ren nodded. 'Just one.'
The surviving six Protectors went three to a door. The Unknown had dragged the table over to block one, its broad top covering it completely. Two of them leant against it, leaving the entrance from the dining room the only option for attack. The Dordovans took it. Blow after blow splintered the timbers and the Protectors stood waiting, Hirad behind them. His lungs felt fit to explode, a piece of plaster had smashed over his head and his skull ached. But behind him, Erienne was sacrificing her life for her child and he was prepared to do the same to allow her to complete the job. Next to
him, he heard tile tap of a blade on the cracked stone flags. He looked across and met The Unknown's determined gaze.
'Ready for this?' asked Hirad.
'What do you think?' said The Unknown.
'What happened to Darrick?'
'He shouted something about going to find Ren. So he should. He put her out there, after all.'
'Oh,' said Hirad. 'He'll make a fine member of The Raven.'
'If he lives,' said The Unknown. 'Which I doubt.'
The Unknown's blade ceased tapping. Aeb was at his left, Hirad his right and Protectors made up the rest of death's welcome. The kitchen door splintered and in they came.
Darrick, Ren, and the other surviving Guild elf, Aronaar, ran across the eerily empty hallway and up to the main entrance. Bodies lay where they had fallen, puddles of blood left the way underfoot treacherous and the sounds of fighting echoed from the direction of the kitchen.
Ren put a hand out and stopped them just inside.
'There, under the trees opposite, like the coward I thought he was.'
Darrick strained his eyes and could see Vuldaroq, flanked by three mages and two soldiers. He was seated, apparently unconcerned by the death he had set in motion, just waiting for the outcome.
'You need to take the mages,' said Darrick. 'Make sure Vuldaroq is incapacitated as far as casting is concerned. They look like they escaped the gale out here. I'll take the swordsmen.'
'Both of them?'asked Ren.
'No problem,' said Darrick.
'Be ready,' said Ren.
She signalled Aronaar and the two elves slipped soundlessly out of the entrance, disappearing immediately into the shrubs to either side of the door. Darrick scoured the area for more Dordovans. He couldn't see any but the cover behind Vuldaroq about thirty yards away was deep. He'd have to trust the elven eyes.
He drew his blade, checked its edge and watched. Vuldaroq was talking to one of his mages, who turned and pointed down towards
the beach. A birdcall sounded from the left, bow strings thrummed and two of the mages fell, arrows taking both in the eye.
Darrick ran out.
'Vuldaroq!' he shouted, deflecting attention for a vital moment.
He closed the gap quickly, watching the two soldiers move forward to block him while Vuldaroq and his surviving mage began casting. The bow strings sounded again. The fat Dordovan Tower Lord shouted in pain as an arrow burrowed into his right arm at the shoulder. His mage was not so fortunate.
Darrick ran on, aiming a blow at the first enemy who blocked clumsily and fell back a pace under the weight of the strike, sword jarring from his hand. A pace further on, the General clashed blades with the second soldier, a scared young man not ready for the fight. Darrick had no compassion. Able to keep an eye on the other soldier as he stooped to grab his blade, Darrick swung left to right, his opponent leaping back, hanging his sword out in a pathetic attempt at a block.
Darrick smashed it aside, stepped up and rammed his blade through the soldier's stomach, pushing the body away with his foot, freeing his sword and reversing it across the chest of the second man whose guard wasn't ready. He fell on to his back, clutching at his ribs, gasping. Darrick stood over him and rammed his blade through the man's heart.
Looking up, he saw Vuldaroq already under the guard of Ren and Aronaar, Ren's dagger to his neck and Aronaar's bow sweeping the area, looking for threat.
'Bring him,' said Darrick.
The trio hurried Vuldaroq back to the house and into relative safety.
'You'll pay for this, Darrick. Desertion and now treachery against Lystern. You'll hang. I'll see to it personally.'
Darrick turned and grabbed Vuldaroq's injured arm, bringing a whimper from the mage.
'One more word and I'll bleed you right here, fat man,' he grated. 'Your unholy alliance with the Black Wings has brought us to this and now you are going to do my bidding. Understand?'
Vuldaroq was scared, Darrick could see it. His face was white with
the pain of his injury and the sweat was dripping from his brow. To exemplify his point, Darrick twisted the arrow. Vuldaroq squealed.
'Understand?'
Vuldaroq nodded. They moved swiftly up the corridor, picking their way over bodies and rubble, the fighting getting nearer and louder with every pace. Darrick had his blade at Vuldaroq's back now, Ren and Aronaar just ahead as they approached the ballroom.
Inside, Protector bodies lay still and Dordovan mages moaned.
'Cover them, Aronaar,' said Darrick. 'Right, Ren, let's stop this thing.'
Erienne flowed gendy over Lyanna's consciousness, feeling her tension and pain, and soothed them away. She burrowed deeper, finding the core of her magic, where the mana writhed and pulsated. She followed its tendrils to where they ate at her body, leaching her strength and destroying her. She reached out to ease the first ones from their hold but they lashed out and she felt a blow as if slapped that sent her mind reeling.
She gathered herself and came in again. Remembering the words of the prophecy. The mother shall stifle the destruction within, laying her mind bare to its power and accepting the death herself that was promised to the Innocent. For the Innocent to fail, surely so must the mother.
She moved in closer. At the centre of her child's mind, a monster was suffocating her. It sucked on the mana and gorged on her life energy, drawing both to it to make itself stronger, a living force with one aim, the death of its host. Dordover had triggered it and Lyanna had fed it unwittingly, the Al-Drechar too frail at the last to protect her from herself. And Lyanna was fading fast. Her last burst had fed it such power and it pulled the spirit from the tiny girl.
Focusing her mind and her mana energy, she surged in, the monster opening its claws to greet her.
No, Mummy.
Lyanna?
Tou mustn't go there. That's a bad thing.
But it's within you, my sweet, and it must be taken away or you will die.
But if you go there, it will kill you, too.
I know, darling. But I'll always be here, inside you to help you as you grow.
You won't. Erienne sensed crying. She crept further down. You'll be dead. You can't die.
There is another way.
Erienne halted. That had been another voice. Recognisable in an instant.
Ephemere, get out of my child's mind.
Erienne, Erienne, haven't you ever understood? This is not your child's mind. It is the mind of the One. The mana construct of us all.
What do you mean? Erienne's heart raced.
The One isn't like a College magic. It has form. It is an entity that, once awakened, joins with a mage mind to bring a single harmony. And now it is awake but it can't stay here.
Why not? Erienne felt a brief confusion before the import of Ephemere's words sank in and she felt herself go cold. Don't you dare hurt her, you old witch, or by the gods I'll kill you myself.