Silence met his words. Eventually, Garrett spoke. His voice was soft. ‘Who are those men lurking behind you, Davarus?’
Cole glanced back at the door behind him, where the Highlanders were waiting in the shadows. His palms were beginning to sweat. ‘I was just getting to that. I met them on the way here. One of them, ah, lent me some assistance with the Watch. They needed a place to lie low, so I thought-’
‘Fucking unbelievable. Place is a shithole. What, you want us to hide out here? How about you fuck off. I ain’t staying here. This ain’t fair.’ Jerek emerged into the light and barked the words right in Cole’s face. The young Shard reeled back from the Highlander’s sour breath. Brodar Kayne melted from the shadows an instant later and placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder.
As one, the Shards went to their weapons. Crossbows were raised and levelled at the two strangers. Jerek’s hands immediately went to his axes.
Cole closed his eyes. This wasn’t going quite as well as he’d hoped.
‘Enough,’ commanded Garrett. ‘Lower your weapons. These men are not with the Watch.’
‘Damn right we ain’t,’ said Brodar Kayne. ‘It was me that saved your lad here. He’s got some fruits on him sure enough, but it seems the blows he took scrambled his memory. He was down and out before I intervened.’
‘Is this true?’ Garrett asked. He was using that tone he had so often in the past when his protege had done something to disappoint him. Cole winced. It still held a certain power.
‘Well, yes, but I had a plan,’ he replied. Looking back, he realized all he’d needed to do was distract one of the Watchmen long enough to steal his weapon and then run them both through. He was a hero, after all. Success was practically guaranteed.
The old Highlander’s brow began to furrow. He had that same look Cole had seen back at the Hook. For all of his compatriot’s aggression, something told Cole that getting this man angry was every bit as dangerous as aggravating Jerek. ‘Plan or no plan, I’m grateful for the help,’ he added quickly.
‘Right,’ said Brodar Kayne. The Highlander’s expression turned thoughtful and he scratched at his jaw. ‘The fact is, we’ve got a city full of soldiers searching for us and nowhere to run. Not with the lockdown in effect. Young Cole said we might hide here for a time.’
Garrett suddenly leaped off the altar, his ample gut bulging out of his jerkin and his twin chins wobbling in a manner Cole would have considered comical, were it not for the seriousness of his words. ‘Tell me you gave these Highlanders a soporific before you led them here, Davarus!’
Sudden dread struck Cole like the pommel of the Watchman’s sword. ‘I didn’t think… There were no mindhawks in the sky…’ His voice trailed off before the collective fury in the many pairs of eyes now boring into him.
‘You may have given our location away to the Watch,’ Garrett said quietly. ‘They could be on their way here even now.’
‘Not likely,’ said Brodar Kayne. ‘There ain’t been a mindhawk in the High Fangs for years. Turns out we don’t give up our secrets as easily as you Lowland folk. Stronger wills, I reckon.’
‘You’ve learned to hide your thoughts?’ Garrett asked. He sounded surprised.
‘Can’t say I know anything about that,’ Kayne replied. ‘Thought-mining just don’t work on us. The Shaman roots out dissenters the old-fashioned way.’ His voice trailed off as he spoke. The old warrior suddenly had a troubled look in his remarkable blue eyes.
Relief flooded through Cole. He glanced over at Jerek, who was standing with his arms folded, a dark scowl on his face.
‘Well then,’ said Garrett. The merchant’s panicked expression had been replaced by one of careful consideration. ‘That eases my fears somewhat. I am Garrett, and I lead the men and women you see before you. We are the Shards, a rebel group opposed to Salazar’s tyrannical rule.’
Jerek snorted. His voice dripped with derision. ‘A rebel group. Fucking priceless. I ain’t gonna stand here and listen to this shit.’ Without another word the angry warrior stormed off down the stairs leading to the nave and began examining the ancient stone benches arranged there. He chose one, threw his pack down on the floor next to it, and then lay down on his back, hands folded behind his head.
Several of the Shards had raised their crossbows again. The Urich brothers were red with anger, murder in their eyes. Garrett gestured frantically. They relaxed a fraction at his command but continued to shoot furious glares in Jerek’s direction.
His compatriot looked mildly embarrassed. ‘The Wolf’s just a bit irritable,’ said the old barbarian apologetically. ‘He gets like that when he’s tired. He don’t mean no disrespect. I’m Brodar Kayne-’
A bitter voice echoed up from the nave, interrupting the tall Highlander. ‘Well, ain’t this the very lap of luxury. A just fucking reward for surviving the deadliest places known to man.’
‘Nice place you got here,’ Kayne finished. He cleared his throat. ‘Now that we’re acquainted, you mind getting us something to eat? All this excitement is making me hungry.’
Cole stared into the flames and listened to the rain drumming on the ruined dome of the temple. They’d managed to get a small fire going away from the damp, in a spot where the roof was mostly intact. Loud rumbles of thunder competed with the crackling of fire and Jerek’s snoring to overwhelm Garrett’s droning voice as he informed Brodar Kayne of the finer details of the group. The tension had eased somewhat, though certain of his colleagues still appeared uncomfortable with the presence of the two grizzled warriors.
‘-and this is Sasha, our best seditionist,’ Garrett continued. ‘She plots to stir up resentment against Salazar and his Grand Council. It is a fine line to walk. Hatred, as with every other strong emotion, is like a flare to the mindhawks. We have to be cautious.’
Too afraid to do what needs to be done, Cole thought. If it was up to him, the Shards would be taking the fight to Salazar in a far more direct manner.
‘Vicard here, our alchemist, manufactures the narcotics that allow us to shield our thoughts from those magical mutations in the sky. Consuming too many of the drugs can be dangerous — and our supplies seem depleted as of late.’
‘The more we push, the greater the demand,’ Sasha said, somewhat hotly. ‘We’ve spoken about this, Garrett.’
‘I know,’ Cole’s mentor replied in a soothing tone of voice. ‘It was simply an observation. The ingredients grow ever more expensive and difficult to get hold of. I keep us as well stocked as I can.
‘You’ve seen our physician in action,’ Garrett continued, gesturing towards the thin old man sat opposite him. Cole’s eyes narrowed. He was sure Remy had taken a sick pleasure in clicking his nose back into place. It was all he could do to stop from screaming as tears poured down his face. At least his ribs were only bruised and not broken. Remy had warned against any kind of physical exertion for at least a fortnight, but Cole had quietly decided to ignore his advice. Heroes didn’t sit around waiting for their wounds to heal.
Brodar Kayne gave him a broad grin. Despite himself, he couldn’t help but smile back at the Highlander. Like Cole, the old barbarian was clearly a man of action.
‘And these two strapping fellows?’ Kayne asked, nodding across the fire. Cole frowned. He disliked the Urich brothers, who had given him a hard time as he grew up in Garrett’s care.
‘Aram and Garmst,’ answered Garrett. ‘Twins, if you hadn’t guessed. They’re the fiercest fighters in the group,’ he added, to Cole’s displeasure.
‘If there’s killin’ needs doing, we’s your boys,’ growled Aram, shooting Brodar Kayne another glare.
Cole couldn’t help himself. ‘Just don’t ask them to do anything more complicated than hit something,’ he quipped. ‘I’ve heard they check each other’s trousers each morning to make sure they’re not back to front.’