'Prepare yourselves, near ones. Hone your blades, bathe your wounds, harden your minds. Our enemies would destroy that which would make Xetesk dominant. We will protect.
'We are one.'
'We are one.'
'By the lore of the Chain, and to the mercy of the Life beyond
Brotherhood, I call upon He who guides us to watch us wherever we may be. We are one,' said Aeb.
'We are one,' they responded.
Another short contemplation followed. Aeb returned to pulsing now action was demanded.
Xye, we must have hot water. The elves may have cloth and balm. Ken 'erei has the ear of the Captain.
It will be done.
Aeb looked around the circle. He could feel the tiredness there. They had been running for days and now, after the fight, they had no Given to channel recuperative energies along the DemonChain.
Sit, brothers and let the air play on your faces. Fin, the door. Brothers, let the dark hide us.
Fin moved to the hatch and slid it shut. It would open only for Xye. One by one, the lanterns were hooded, and as the blackness became complete, Aeb heard the unbuckling of straps as he pulled at his own.
His mask came away and the blessed air played across his raw face. Smooth though the ebony was, sweating skin broke beneath it. He lowered his head, not daring even to catch the glint of a brother's eye. To do so when unmasked brought bad luck and death in the next conflict.
It was the way things were.
'So what have we got?' asked Hirad.
The Baven plus Ren'erei and Darrick were sat around the Captain's table while topside Jevin was talking to his first mate and navigator.
'Good news and bad news,' said Denser, first to respond. 'Sytkan has passed the Bight of Giving for the twenty-four Protectors on board to me. I'll talk to them later but suffice to say that you'll be able to use them as you need to on Herendeneth. They'll be speaking freely and will be as untethered as Protectors can be.'
'Meaning?' asked Ilkar.
'They won't wait to engage in pre-emptive offence if the opportunity arises, they will inform you if they believe you are not making best use of them and they will be in automatic charge of their own formations unless otherwise directed.'
'So the bad?' Hirad drank a mouthful of tea. On plates across the table were hard cheese, bread and dried meat. The galley hadn't been forthcoming with vegetables.
'Balaia is a mess. Politically, it's degenerated into something approaching inter-College warfare. There are skirmishes across the mage lands though so far Arlen's the only non-mage place hit.' Denser paused for breath. 'But that's nothing to the elements. Sytkan's talk with Xetesk revealed reports of tornados in Korina, volcanic activity in the Blackthorne and Balan mountains, more hurricanes to the north and flooding all the way along the Southern Force.
'Balaia's all but run out of time.'
'And Erienne?' prompted Hirad.
'Hold on,' said Denser. T haven't finished the other bad news yet. Sytkan also reported that a Dordovan fleet has sailed from Gyernath in the last couple of days.'
'How big and when?' asked Darrick.
Denser shrugged and poured a fresh mug of tea. The ship rolled slightly, the mug sliding against the raised lip of the table but not spilling.
'Details are sketchy. Gyernath itself has seen flooding,' he said. 'Sytkan will try to contact me in the next two or three days if he finds more information.'
'Can we call on more reserve?' asked Hirad.
'That's something else Sytkan is trying to find out,' said Denser.
'It'll make no difference,' said Darrick. 'Unless my intelligence is badly astray, there are no significant Xeteskian forces within ten days of any southern port and Korina is out of action completely. That's excepting the Protector army, of course, and even if they ran back to Arlen and took ship there, they wouldn't be able to leave for a day or they'd starve at sea.'
'And who do you think it is in charge of the Dordovans?' asked Denser.
'Vuldaroq,' said Darrick immediately. 'That fat idiot was due in Arlen days ago but never arrived. I have a feeling he might have run into trouble in the mage lands.'
'So it's us against however many,' said Hirad. T just hope this island is defensible.'
'There is only one landing point on Herendeneth. The island was chosen with great care,' said Ren'erei.
'It's not something we can worry about now,' said Ilkar. 'What about Erienne?'
'She's being shielded,' said Denser. T suppose we should have expected that. I can't get through – not without alerting the shielding mages.' He looked down into his mug.
'You all right, Xetesk man?' asked Hirad, still reeling from the news he'd been given of Denser's fate.
It was only now, sitting in the relative calm of the Calaitm Sun's Captain's room that the reality was sinking in. Ilkar had told Hirad almost casually that saving Lyanna would cost Denser his life but he could see now that the Julatsan was already grieving. And now he could contemplate it, the fact sat as an ache in Hirad's stomach and wreathed his heart.
He felt a great guilt for how he'd treated Denser in the forest outside Greythorne. All the time, he knew he was going to die and had said nothing. He wasn't sure whether that was bravery or stupidity. The Raven would support him now they knew but he could have enjoyed that support for longer.
For all Denser was a difficult man at times, Hirad didn't want to be without him in the world. It made their arguments and silences over the last few years seem so stupid. But at the time, he'd always thought Denser would be there. Now he knew different and the thought broke him in two.
Denser looked up, smiling sadly. T need her near me, Hirad. We haven't got much time left together.'
T know, Denser, and I'm sorry,' said Hirad. 'We'll get her back for you.'
'If anyone can, The Raven can,' said Darrick.
T haven't quite forgotten it's because of you we're in this particular mess,' said Denser, though there was no anger in his voice.
Darrick said nothing, merely nodded and dropped his gaze.
'Moving swiftly on,' said Ilkar. 'What did the captain say, Ren?'
'He said he'd talk to his crew. He said he'd look at the conditions. He didn't promise anything.'
'Well he's going to have to,' said Hirad. 'I'm not interested in excuses.'
'Can I say something?' asked Ren'erei.
'Of course,' said Ilkar.
'I know the captain of the Ocean Elm very well. I know he'll do everything he can to delay progress without it seeming obvious. There are a lot of tricks he can employ. You must trust Jevin, please. He's an experienced captain and he'll go as fast as he can. But you can't expect him to sacrifice his ship and crew for the sake of speed.'
'But he must take some risks,' said Hirad. 'We've only got three days.'
'He's aware of all this,' said Ren.
'He can always be made more aware,' returned Hirad.
'Don't threaten him,' said Ren. 'That's not the way.'
Hirad pushed his mug and plate away and leant forwards.
'Ren, let me tell you the way,' he said. 'We are all very pleased you're with us. And we respect both your knowledge and what you've already done for The Raven and particularly Erienne.
'But we are The Raven, and we've succeeded by always doing whatever it takes. That will not change because Jevin is a bit sensitive, all right?'
Ren'erei opened her mouth to reply but Ilkar placed a hand on her arm.
'Don't,' he said, managing to smile. 'I'll explain later.'
'Tell you what,' said Denser. 'I'll tell you now, elsewhere. I want to hear all about my wife and daughter.'
Ren'erei smiled. T would like that.'
Hirad watched them go, avoiding Ilkar's eyes and choosing to refill his mug and plate instead. Outside, the force of the wind had dropped, or perhaps it had backed again since the ship's progress was distinctly smoother.