‘It won’t come to that,’ said Denser.
‘When this is over, that amulet goes back to Sha-Kaan,’ said Hirad. ‘Somehow we’ll have to find him.’
‘It’s too late for that,’ said Ilkar. ‘Because we already have the knowledge. But it is down to us to prove that we can use that knowledge wisely.’ He looked hard at Denser. ‘If we don’t, if we abuse what we now know, if it falls into the wrong hands, then we can expect nothing less than the removal of Sha-Kaan’s protection.’
‘I hope you’re listening to this, Xetesk man,’ said Hirad.
Denser nodded. ‘Yes, I am. And I agree with everything he’s saying. Now, please could I have a drink? I’m parched.’
Chapter 13
Thraun brought them to a halt off the track that led directly to the gates of the castle. They made camp about one hundred yards away, hidden from the track by bushes and trees. Rather than risk an open fire, Will unpacked his smokeless stove and set it going. Although very efficient for heating cooking pans, the wood-burning stove gave next to no light and channelled its heat upwards to the hot plate rather than outwards at those crowded around it. As a result, they chilled as a cloudless, breezy night fell.
The journey from the river valley had been made largely in a sullen and angry silence. Thraun had had to comfort Alun’s tears on more than one occasion, and Will’s snarling asides brought with them the threat of violence. Jandyr watched it all from the periphery, wondering how they would pull themselves together closely enough to have any chance of rescuing Erienne and the boys.
With the stove heating a pot of water and one of porridge oats, Thraun spoke.
‘We are only an hour’s walk from the castle,’ he said. ‘I will tolerate no raising of voices and no disappearing without my knowledge of where you are. Now, after we’ve eaten, Will and I will circle the castle, try to find a likely entry point and see if we can make any sort of guess as to the numbers we are facing. Meanwhile, Jandyr, you stay on guard; Alun, try to rest, you look exhausted. Any questions?’
‘When will we make the rescue attempt?’ asked Alun. He could hardly function any more, his anxiety making him jittery and keeping him from rest.
‘Not tonight.’ Thraun raised a hand to quell Alun’s automatic protest. ‘We’ve had a long day’s ride, we’re all tired, and after we’ve done the scouting there won’t be time to plan and execute tonight. If all goes well, we’ll go in tomorrow in the early hours of the morning when the guards will be at their most sluggish. Agreed?’ Heads nodded. ‘Good, now let’s eat.’
It wasn’t until after lunch the following day that Hirad voiced the fear that had nagged at him since Ilkar had read the parchment. The journey had been uneventful. Talan’s wanderings of the previous afternoon had revealed a probable trail, and sure enough, they’d walked their horses into much more usual terrain and conditions well before the sun had reached its high point.
Relaxing slightly now the influence of the rip was behind them, The Raven and Denser had stopped in the lee of a hill they had descended. Richmond lit a small fire and the tendrils of smoke were picked away by a gusting breeze and blown into a sky half covered with slow-moving cloud. When the sun appeared, it was warm too, but a cool mood settled on them all as each had time to reflect on what they had lost and the enormity of what was still to come.
‘We need more people,’ said Hirad.
There was silence around the crackling fire. They were all looking at him, none willing to speak. Richmond pushed a ripple of thick soup around his plate with some soggy bread. Denser relit his pipe, blowing gouts of smoke from the corner of his mouth. Talan, eyes hooded from the sun, was absently sharpening his sword, the whetstone rasping on the metal while Ilkar chewed his lip thoughtfully before speaking.
‘I’m glad to hear that from you. I expect we all are.’
There were nods and grunts of assent.
‘So . . .’ Talan led the train of thought.
‘Exactly,’ said Hirad. ‘Where do we find people good enough that we can trust? Because of our need for secrecy, we’d have to take great care in town.’
‘I’d go so far as to say we can’t risk going into anywhere bigger than a village this side of the mountains and the College Cities,’ said Denser. ‘Too many tongues and too much greed.’
‘That’s all very well, but if we don’t take the risk, we’ll get nowhere.’ Talan had pocketed his whetstone and was examining the edge he’d honed. He glanced up at Denser. ‘You don’t get groups of likely people loitering in the countryside waiting for the would-be saviours of Balaia to ride by.’
Ilkar laughed. ‘It’s an interesting image though, isn’t it?’
‘Ridiculous,’ said Hirad. ‘That anyone could ever see you as a saviour of Balaia, I mean.’ Ilkar held up a middle finger. Hirad’s face became serious once more. ‘So what’s the answer? We just aren’t enough like this. Even with Sirendor and The Unknown, we’d have been pushing it.’
‘I guess the first question is, do we try to recruit now or after the Black Wings’ castle?’ asked Talan.
‘After,’ said Hirad immediately. ‘No one interferes with those bastards’ deaths.’
Ilkar stared at him, tight-lipped. ‘And there was me thinking you were about to be reasonable. Now you’re asking us to storm a castle, just the five of us.’
‘I’ll do it alone if I have to,’ said Hirad evenly.
‘As it happens, it makes sense to do the castle first,’ commented Richmond. He clacked his teeth. There was quiet for a moment.
‘This must be some strange kind of sense I haven’t encountered before.’ Ilkar sniffed.
‘No, I really think we can do it as we are,’ said Richmond. ‘As I understand it, although Travers himself rarely leaves the castle, most of the Black Wings are out doing their questionable deeds. There’ll be twenty at most, I should think. Just enough to keep the castle running. Don’t forget, they never have been a particularly numerous group. Just zealous.’
‘And if you’re wrong?’
‘If he’s wrong, Ilkar, we’ll all die in one big bloodbath.’
Denser sighed. ‘You know, Hirad, that really isn’t the attitude we need to adopt if we’re going to succeed.’
‘Well, bugger me blind, is that right?’ Hirad swung on the Dark Mage. ‘I’d forgotten that correct procedure was to go rip-hopping while carrying the Dawnthief parchment.’
‘All right, Hirad.’ Ilkar raised his hands. ‘But it doesn’t change the fact that we’ll be taking one hell of a risk going in there as we are.’
‘God’s sake,’ muttered Hirad, getting to his feet. ‘You’re at it as well. Just when was it we all got careful? I must’ve blinked and missed it ’cos when he—’ he jerked his thumb at Denser - ‘jumped into the Dragon’s bloody lair we weren’t doing it, and we’re not about to start now!’ He turned and walked away to where the horses were quietly grazing, unconcerned by the troubles of men.
Denser made to rise but was restrained by Talan’s hand on his ankle.
‘Let it be,’ said the warrior.
‘He’s right, Denser, you won’t change his mind now.’ Ilkar dipped his mug into the pot of coffee over the fire.
‘So that’s it, is it? We just go to the castle short-handed and take our chances because he’s got some petty revenge to carry out?’ Denser felt the surge of resentment as he spoke. His heart skipped a beat then began to race, his cat squirming uneasily in his cloak. When he looked round, Richmond, Talan and Ilkar were staring at him, expressions telling him he’d stepped badly astray. At least in that moment he had an inkling of what being a member of The Raven meant to these people. Ilkar’s words reinforced his growing realisation.
‘That is why you are an outsider,’ said the elf carefully. ‘You have to understand the bonds that hold The Raven together. Even in death they are unbreakable. It is the strength of Hirad’s feelings, those that drive him to need Travers’ blood, that is the reason we can trust him utterly.’ He paused to eat some bread. Denser watched him, seeing the thoughts chase themselves across his face as he marshalled his next words.