She could not go to every cell, or even every row; that would have taken hours. Tali was trusting to the slaves’ natural curiosity and ever-present fear to get them outside and rouse their neighbours.
Their lives being mind-numbingly tedious, the smallest bit of news or gossip fascinated them, as did any kind of violence against their fellow slaves. Her well-chosen words offered both and soon thousands of Pale were outside, all whispering at once.
In fifteen minutes, she judged that everyone who was coming out had done so. There were people everywhere along the walkways to the cells and in the assembly area, tens of thousands of them. Such an assembly was forbidden, so she had to sway them quickly. The strong slaves preyed on the weak and anyone who could gain favour by denouncing her was likely to do so, unless she convinced them that their own lives were in peril.
Tali stood at the edge of one of the walkways, halfway up a bank of cells where the maximum number of people could see her. She held up a hand and the talking ceased. She had to be quick, and she had to put it simply, clearly, persuasively.
“You know me,” she said. “I am Tali vi Torgrist, the first Pale ever to escape from Cython. I killed Overseer Banj with mighty magery. I know the way out. I’ve come back to free you, because — ”
“Why would we listen to you?” sneered a familiar voice, off to her right. It was a tall, beautiful slave with a fall of shining black hair and skin like rubbed amber. Radl.
Tali’s heart stopped, then restarted, beating twice as fast. Radl had been her enemy since childhood, and since her man had been executed in the heatstone mine last year she burned with barely suppressed fury. But she was a natural leader who kept the Pale in her group in line better than their masters could, and she had saved many a life by doing so.
“There’s a death order out for the Pale.”
“Explain!”
“Up above, the war’s turning against Lyf,” said Tali. “He has to make sure Cython is safe, in case he has to retreat here. He’s just issued a death order on the Pale.”
“I don’t believe you,” said Radl.
“It’s true,” Tali said desperately. “His courier will be here by now, handing the death order to the matriarchs.”
“How could you know that?”
“There isn’t time for this,” said Tali. “Please, Radl, we’ve got to get them out.”
“Answer the question.”
“I’ve been spying on Lyf with magery. For weeks. I was afraid this would happen.”
“I think you’re lying,” said Radl, smiling thinly.
“Why would I come back to slavery? If they catch me, I’m going to suffer the most agonising death they can create.”
“Yes, you are.” Radl licked her lips. “But the slave who betrays you will be well rewarded.”
“Are you prepared to bet your neck on that?”
Radl frowned.
“If I’m telling the truth, you’ll lose your head to the Living Blade, like everyone else,” said Tali. She reached out to Radl. “I’ve seen the death order. And I saw the courier leaving Caulderon, two hours ago. He’ll be here by now.”
“How’s the war going?” Radl said abruptly.
The Pale had only one source of news — what their masters told them. Most of the time that was nothing, though of course they knew there was a war on. Keeping one eye on the gathering, Tali sketched the situation in Hightspall in as few words as possible.
When she finished, Radl just stared at her, and Tali began to sweat. Even if the courier wasn’t here yet, more than an hour had passed since she and Tobry had killed the guards at the pondages. The moment their bodies were discovered, the hunt would be on and all Cython would be roused. Then the rebellion would be crushed before it begun.
“All right,” said Radl. “I believe you. But they won’t listen.”
Some of the slaves were already heading back to their cells, their minds closed.
“Why not?”
“Because I’ve spent all my hours since Mia’s death blackening your name.”
“Why would you do that?” Tali said hoarsely.
Radl shrugged. “She was my friend and you caused her death. And I’ve never liked you. I was working on a similar plan, and your escape ruined mine.”
Tali shivered. She felt sure Radl was going to betray her.
“But I love my people and I want them to escape,” Radl said unexpectedly. “What’s your plan?”
“I’ve got two allies here. They’re breaking into the armouries right now. We arm our people, as many as we can, and run for the nearest exit.”
“All the exits are guarded and booby trapped.”
“But the enemy are expecting an attack from outside, not inside. Holm knows how to disable traps, and Tobry can blast down the guards with magery.”
“It’s not much of a plan,” said Radl. “The enemy have thousands of trained fighters; we have none.”
“I was hoping not to fight. Have you got a better plan?”
“Not yet.”
“Wait; there’s one other thing.” Tali explained how small pieces of heatstone could be used like grenadoes. “We can attack the enemy with heatstone if we have to, and since they’re superstitious about the stuff, I don’t think they’ll use it against us.”
“I like it,” said Radl.
“Also, when I dropped that huge piece of sunstone in the shaft the day I escaped, it knocked all the Cythonians unconscious — ”
“So that’s how you got away. The enemy cleaned the whole shaft up themselves; they wouldn’t allow us near.”
“They didn’t want you to know how I escaped.”
“But there’s no sunstone near here,” said Radl.
“I’m hoping that heatstone, being stronger, will also knock them out.”
“I wouldn’t bet on it.” Radl thought for a moment. “All right, I’ll help you… if you can beat me in a fight.”
CHAPTER 93
“A fight?” said Tali.
“Right here, right now.”
There wasn’t time to debate the matter. The enemy could be on their way, and the moment they entered the Empound every slave would denounce Tali.
“All right,” she said.
Without warning, or any hint of what she had in mind, Radl struck Tali across the face so hard that it knocked her sideways. She staggered a couple of steps, her head ringing. The low buzz of talk throughout the assembly area stopped. Radl had everyone’s attention. The slaves loved a fight, loved to see someone else’s blood, and loved a winner, too.
Tali hurled herself at the taller woman. Radl struck at her again but this time Tali was ready. And she had learned a lot about fighting since her escape from Cython. She caught Radl’s arm, yanked her forwards and brought her knee up into Radl’s belly, driving the wind out of her. Radl stumbled backwards, fell, and Tali went after her, realising too late that it was a trick. Radl thrust two long feet into Tali’s belly, snapped her legs straight and catapulted her ten feet backwards, knocking down half a dozen staring Pale.
She rose, hurting all over. She’d landed on the wrist she had wrenched earlier and it was throbbing mercilessly again. Was Radl genuine, or was she planning to kill her? It wasn’t uncommon for slaves to be killed in fights.
Tali moved forwards, reviewing the lessons Nurse Bet had taught her and all the dirty fighting she’d learned since. Though how could she fight with only one hand?
Think, think. And then she had it.
“Throw the match,” said Tali quietly as they circled each other, “and I won’t kill you the way I killed Banj.”
“You can’t. Your power comes and goes.”
Tali extended her right hand, the fingers pointing at Radl’s throat. “Want to bet your life on it? I’ve been schooled by some mighty magians in Hightspall.” It was almost true. “I’ve learned a lot from them.”
After a long hesitation, Radl said, “All right.” Then added, nastily, “I was going to let you win anyway. It’s the only way you could ever beat me.”
She struck at Tali, missed. Tali struck back and also missed. Radl aimed a tremendous blow at Tali’s face. She ducked, took hold of Radl’s arm with both hands and, ignoring the excruciating pain in her wrist, threw the taller woman over her shoulder. Radl hit the floor hard. Tali sprang onto her chest with both feet, raised her arms to signal victory, then stepped aside briskly, just in case.