‘I am Onelle. Please. I want to find my Rydd. Will you help me?’
Resserrak looked at her and Sikaant knew he could see it too.
‘We are changing,’ said Resserrak, his voice hoarse and quiet. ‘Serrin knows.’
Sikaant smiled. ‘Growing. Come, Onelle. We will find Rydd. We will find all the lost.’ There were guards on the Ultan bridge. Ten of them and three mages. The bridge was a beacon of light. Lanterns hung from every hook. Torches burned at each main pile. The guards and their mages seemed relaxed. No doubt they were basking in the success of their raid on the staging camp. No doubt they felt their wards would save them from the TaiGethen gathering just beyond the light.
Takaar surveyed what the mages had done. Pale grey globes of essence sitting on the ground. Shifting and swirling, occasionally sending out sparks of brown and green light that connected one to another. There were eight of them in front of the bridge. Placed such that no one could possibly approach without stepping on at least one and so triggering all of them. He didn’t know what the casting would be but walls of fire had been favoured, so he’d been told.
There were others too. Placed along the rails of the bridge. The humans were not keen to repeat the error of a few nights past. Unfortunately for them, they had no knowledge of Takaar’s gift. And they would die having none.
‘We can avoid them,’ said Takaar. ‘They are laid across the width of the bridge and ten paces towards us. They are on the rails for the first fifteen paces.’
‘Good. Tais to me. Now is the time for any last questions. Speak freely.’
Takaar approved of the targets and the number of cells at each. Five cells led by Estok would attack the harbourside, where the humans stockpiled their supplies and where a diversion would have the greatest effect. Ten cells would move to encircle the temple piazza. Five, led by Katyett and including Takaar, would raid Shorth, where it was believed Garan, leader of the human soldiers, was stationed. There were four other cells and two single TaiGethen whose cells had perished in the attack at the camp. These were to keep the barracks under observation and run messages between Estok and Katyett.
‘You’re sure this Garan is big enough bait?’ Marack addressed herself to Auum.
Auum nodded ‘He’s the leader of the men. Of the soldiers at any rate. He was the only one Sildaan spoke to and he was the one leading the men Serrin and I killed in the forest. We don’t know who came in on the second wave of ships. He’s the only target we know.’
‘Good enough,’ said Katyett. ‘Marack, he’s yours, but you can always take more than one hostage should others present themselves to you. Anything more?’
Marack shook her head.
‘We’re clear. We’re keeping it simple. No one takes down Llyron or any cascarg. This is in and out.’ She looked meaningfully at Estok. ‘None of us can afford to stay too long.’
‘We shouldn’t leave innocents locked up and vulnerable,’ said Estok.
‘Estok,’ said Katyett, and Auum felt the chill in her voice. ‘We have been through this. The balance is right. Keep in mind what we are trying to do, what we must do. Hit your target and get out. We need negotiating power and proof we can attack at will.’
Estok nodded, but Auum could see he was not satisfied. Takaar looked at him, his eyes dark, his brow deep with a frown.
‘We must all follow the orders of our leaders. Else all we have is chaos. And when chaos leads, elves die.’
Estok’s eyes flashed anger and he opened his mouth to retort. Auum tensed. Takaar merely smiled, though Auum saw the slight tremble in his hands.
‘That you care is what makes you TaiGethen. I am proud of your anger.’
All the wind was taken from Estok’s sails. He sagged visibly.
‘It shames me,’ he said.
‘There is only one of us here who need carry shame,’ whispered Takaar.
An uneasy atmosphere grew in the wake of his words. He could feel it like he could feel the pull of the magic laid in front of them at the bridge
Let them sweat. Let them see the real you. Indecisive. Reluctant. Craven.
‘There is beauty in this magic,’ said Takaar, screwing his eyes shut to banish his tormentor. ‘A perfect, pure way to die. Like there is beauty in the taipan strike and the sweat of a yellow back.’
‘But can you tame it?’ whispered Marack.
‘Oh no,’ said Takaar. ‘Not yet, anyway. I have too much to learn.’
‘We should make a statement,’ said Katyett.
‘I agree,’ said Takaar.
He stared at Katyett like he found himself doing a good deal when his tormentor was quiet. Strong, beautiful, faithful. She felt his gaze and turned. He didn’t flinch though her eyes held all the regret of a decade gone by.
‘What?’ she asked. ‘That look always has some dreadful words of wisdom in close pursuit.’
‘I’m sorry,’ he said quietly.
‘That doesn’t scratch the surface of the last ten years,’ said Katyett.
‘I was talking about you.’
‘So was I. Thank you for trying, anyway.’
‘What does that mean?’ Never could understand her, could you? Always one step behind. Poor Takaar. ‘No I’m not. I don’t feel sorry for myself.’
‘What?’ Katyett’s eyes rose and her expression hardened. ‘We don’t have time for this. Let’s move. All of us. Forward. If a mage makes to cast, scatter back. Follow Takaar. Do not step in front of him. Do not tread where he does not. Watch. Copy. Live.’ ‘This is some of my best work, actually,’ said Poradz, feigning a hurt tone. ‘Ystormun himself could do no better.’
‘Since your best work so far has been fixing that rodent problem out in the Triverne slums, that doesn’t necessarily fill me with confidence. ’
‘The trouble with you, Dagesh, is that you don’t know artistry when you see it.’
‘I don’t see bloody anything. Can’t see the wards can I? Not a mage, am I?’
Poradz smiled. Dagesh was funny when he was in this mood. The mock belligerence. Any luck and they’d be treated to his impersonation of Garan before long.
‘Ah, my poor blind friend. Such a world is forever closed to you and you are left having to trust me, the poor feeble mage.’
‘Where the fuck did they all come from?’ Dagesh was pointing out towards the rainforest and its diabolical noise. ‘Gather round, lads, we’ve got company. Get some shields up, would you, Adzo?’
Poradz followed Dagesh’s outstretched arm and flinched like he’d seen a ghost. Standing just inside the cast of the lanterns and torches, not close enough to trip his wards, were those damned painted elves. They made him shudder. He’d not seen them fight but he’d heard what others said. Nasty.
‘Jylan, a shield, please.’
‘Yes, boss.’
The guards gathered around Dagesh a few yards from the end of the bridge. The elves clustered behind one of their number who looked a bit of a mess in all honesty. Like someone had shaved him with the jaw of a dog. There was something about him though, something knowing that Poradz didn’t like at all.
They just stared, not making a sound or a gesture. Their eyes didn’t blink. Poradz could feel the cold aggression rising from them. An intent that was hard to deny even though he knew they’d never get across the bridge.
‘What are they doing?’ asked Hadran, booming voice echoing off the river rapids underneath them.
‘I’m thinking they’re not so clever,’ said Dagesh. He wandered down a couple of paces and beckoned to them. ‘Come and join us. Plenty of room up here. Bit early for you to be surrendering. Perhaps your timekeeping is lacking, eh? Dawn’s that bit when the sun comes up. Fucking sharp-eared savages. Not a fucking clue.’
Behind him they all laughed. Dagesh spat towards them and turned, a broad smile on his face. Unseen by him, the elves melted back into the night, silent and smooth.
‘What was all that about?’ asked Poradz.
‘Buggered if I know,’ said Dagesh. He came and stood beside Poradz and the two of them looked out into the night. ‘Who’s to know the mind of a-’
The scruffy-looking one was coming through the air. Poradz watched him bring his body into a tight tuck and turn two somersaults before landing on the balls of his feet not a yard from them. His blade was out in the next breath and before Dagesh’s shouts had registered on the rest. Before Dagesh’s blade was drawn, the elf had stuck him straight in the heart and torn a big gash in his chin.