He would know what to do.
It was the same that night. While the fire burned and The Raven waited, Denser tried and failed to make contact with Erienne. If anything, the fog obscuring her was thicker than either of the times he'd tried before.
He dispersed the Communion and lay still, desperation beginning to steal over him, a feeling of tears behind his closed eyelids. He was tired. He had never found Communion an easy spell and his three attempts so far had left him depleted of stamina. He needed to rest and pray, to rebuild his strength for another casting, but his mind
raced with possible solutions and he could see sleep would be a long time coming. He didn't have time for this. None of them did.
'Denser?' It was Ilkar. He didn't open his eyes. He could feel the fire warm the left side of his body as he lay, its flickering glow orange on his eyelids.
'C'mon Denser. I know you've released the spell. There's tea here for you. Herbal. It should help you sleep later.'
Denser opened one eye. Above him, through the trees that part sheltered them from the strengthening wind, he could see cloud tumbling across the sky. It was darker than the night it covered. There was going to be heavy rain. Very heavy.
'I hate herbal tea,' he said. He tried to smile but nothing happened. He dragged himself to a sitting position and accepted die mug Ilkar offered, wrinkling his nose at the heady, sweet smell. Across the fire, The Unknown was building a makeshift spit and he could see Hirad laying snares through the gloom about fifty yards away.
'Food could be a while,' said The Unknown, following his gaze.
They lapsed into silence. Denser forced his tea down, wincing at its syrupy texture. He could see Ilkar smile but it was an effort. Denser looked back at the sky. There were no stars at all now, just thick darkest grey cloud. The wind blew chill through the evening air and despite the shelter of the trees, it would get cold. The Unknown clearly intended to keep the fire stacked, not considering the blaze as a risk.
'Anyone in Greythorne who wants us that badly will find us anyway,' he'd said. 'And anyone coming from Arlen is too far away to get to us tonight.'
Too far away. The words haunted Denser.
They were two days' ride from Erienne and that was a day and a half too many. He felt angry that he couldn't reach her, frustrated she wouldn't hear his warning and scared of what they might find in Arlen if he failed in his contact at dawn.
Bloody Hirad. This could prove one indiscretion too many. And despite the barbarian's confidence, Denser still boiled inside. His wife and daughter were at stake here. Hirad seemed to forget that and he clearly had not grasped how desperate Dordover was to get hold of them both.
The wind ratded the branches and blew dying leaves over the ground. The rain was in the sky now and the odd spot hit his face. Dust kicked into the air and the flames of the fire blew hard, tinged with a telltale blue-brown corona.
It was so wrong. Denser wasn't a man of the woods but he was a sensitive mage. And this was deeply disturbing. It even tainted the air they breathed, or so it seemed to him. Perhaps it would be better if the Dordovans found Lyanna first. At least then…
He quashed the thought, ashamed it had even arisen. But the rational part of him acknowledged it as a solution to the ravages Balaia was increasingly suffering. Hideous, but a solution.
Hirad walked back into the firelight and sat down. He dumped an armful of leaves and roots on the ground by him.
'There's not exactly a mass of wildlife around here. I've set for rabbits but it might not be rich pickings tonight.'
Ilkar chuckled. 'Get your excuses in early, Hirad.'
'You're funnier than usual tonight, Ilks,' returned Hirad. 'Which isn't hard.'
'Right,' said The Unknown and the moment's levity was banished. 'We have to face the possibility that Erienne will sail straight into Dordovan hands.'
T take it the Communion was no better?' Hirad looked up at Denser who shook his head, his eyes not quite holding contact. 'Maybe in the morning.'
'Maybe,' said Denser.
'But the worst case is that Erienne is captured,' said The Unknown. 'What then?'
'Well presumably the Dordovans will demand Lyanna and that means all of them going back to Ornouth with her,' said Ilkar. 'It's pretty simple.'
'Agreed,' said The Unknown. 'But there are variables.'
'Aren't there always?' grumbled Hirad.
Ilkar patted his knee. 'Wouldn't be the same otherwise, would it?'
'No indeed.' The Unknown drew a mark in the soil. 'One. We don't know whether the Dordovans are there in sufficient numbers to take the ship. Even if they are, it will take two days to resupply, maybe more, depending on exacdy how unhelpful Erienne and the Guild are able to be.
'Two. The Dordovans may only be able to stop the ship putting back to sea themselves. Given Darrick's arrival at Greythorne it's clear they aren't there in the numbers they'd ideally like in order to go to sea. We also have to assume that Dordover are working with Lystern on this. But that leaves us still not knowing the numbers in Arlen now.
'Three. The Guild could manage to put back to sea having rumbled the Dordovan presence. We need to think how to get out to sea and meet them – assuming Denser still can't get in touch with Erienne.
'Four. Earl Arlen. He isn't going to sit around and watch people fighting on his docks. He may be a good starting point for us because he may well not be aware what is happening in his town. On the other hand, of course, he may be entirely complicit in the whole thing.
'Five. Because of that latter point, we can't be sure that anyone we meet or talk to is with us or even neutral. One thing that we can be sure of is that the Dordovans in Arlen will be looking for us. And it all means that getting to and helping Erienne is going to be extremely difficult. There are other possible factors but I think you get the picture.'
'And what help can we be if the odds are overwhelming?' asked Denser. He shook his head. The rain began to fall steadily. Not hard but that was just a matter of time.
'We can always help,' said Hirad. 'We're The Raven.'
'Well you'd better start thinking how. This mess is all down to you in the first place.'
Hirad nodded, brushed his hands together and stood up. He walked past Ilkar and The Unknown, heading for the horses.
'Where are you going?' asked the elf.
'Away.'
'What do you mean?'
'I mean I don't need to hear his smart-arsed superior remarks any longer. I made a mistake and it was a bad one and I'm sorry. But I can't undo it, only try and make it right. But every opportunity, he's going to remind me and I don't need it. So you people who never ever make mistakes can rescue Lyanna on your own.'
'So you'll find your own way to the Al-Drechar, will you?' asked
Ilkar, ears pricking. A gust sent rain thrashing around the clearing, stinging the face and sending spats of dirt from the ground as it struck. The fire hissed and crackled in protest, shadows speared across the ground, flickering and jumping.
'I expect we could work it out, me and the Kaan,' said Hirad. 'All I'm asking is a little respect for the fact that I'm helping a man who hasn't lifted a finger to help me in the last five years.'
'A little respect, I can grant you,' said Denser.
'Drop it, Denser,' said The Unknown, his voice a growl.
'One more word, Denser,' Hirad raised a finger. 'And you'll be riding to Arlen alone.'
'Run off to your precious dragons, Hirad. And you can all die together in your chilly cave while I try and save Lyanna, and Balaia along with her.'
Hirad spun round and ran at the Xeteskian, hurdling the fire and kicking over the pot, scattering water to steam and hiss in the hot ashes. Putting a hand up he pushed Denser in the chest, knocking him back a couple of paces. He might have been a few years older than when The Raven last rode together but he'd lost none of his speed; there had been no time for Denser to react.