“Is there no end to your boorish behaviour? How dare you speak disrespectfully to the High priestess!”
“What? You heard what she said to me! You will throw down your shield and flee! I’ve never been so insulted in my life!”
“You’ve been insulted far worse,” rages Lisutaris. “Did you fail to notice how important this expedition was to me? Is it impossible for you to show respect for others?”
“Not when they’re accusing me of cowardice! What’s the matter with you and the rest of the Sorcerers Guild? How much gold have you given that old fraud over the years?”
Lisutaris’s eyes blaze. It’s probably not a great idea to annoy such a powerful sorcerer as Lisutaris. I’m wearing a good spell-protection charm round my neck, woven from red Elvish cloth, but it’s not strong enough to deflect a spell from the Head of the Sorcerers Guild. Very few things are strong enough to do that. Nonetheless, I refuse to back down.
“This whole enterprise has been a dangerous waste of time. If we get ambushed and killed on the way back, don’t blame me.”
“It was not a waste of time,” says Ibella.
“Really? Lisutaris didn’t even get an oracle!”
“It will be transmitted at the appropriate time,” says Lisutaris.
I laugh. “I notice the High Priestess didn’t mention that before you handed over the cash. If I was paying that much I’d expect quicker results.”
“The High Priestess is not answerable to you!” cries Lisutaris, furiously.
“Seems like she’s not answerable to anyone. Has it not struck any of you that these were the worst oracles ever? No insight whatsoever. She said 'much death' to Hanama. How much prophetic power did that require? Hanama’s an assassin! Hardly a brilliant piece of fortune telling, was it?”
“I took it as an interesting insight,” says Hanama, stiffly.
“I liked my oracle,” says Gurd.
“That’s because she said 'much life' to you! Anyone would like that when they’re going to war. Doesn’t mean the woman has any power of telling the future. As for Makri - 'fortunate or unfortunate queen?' Some chance.”
Lisutaris takes a stride towards me. “Captain Thraxas. I’m ordering you to be quiet.”
Lisutaris is of course, my commanding officer. She can order me to be quiet. Here, on this secret mission, I wasn’t expecting her to. I stare at her.
“Very good, Commander,” I say.
“I’ve got a glorious ending to look forward to,” grunts Coranius. From his tone, it’s impossible to tell what he thinks about that prediction. “We should be going.”
It’s late afternoon. I clamber on my horse, less gracefully than I’d have liked. The atmosphere among us is bad. Lisutaris is still furious, and I’m about as angry as a troll with a toothache. Nonetheless, it’s still my responsibility to lead us back to camp. I turn in my saddle to check that we’re lined up in the correct order. “Move out,” I say, and we head away from the temple. Behind me I hear Ibella talking to Lisutaris.
“The Priestess told me to fear only poison. Not so bad, in the circumstances.”
“Have you properly applied my Spell of Resisting Poison?” asks Lisutaris.
“Yes.”
“Then you’re protected from all known harmful substances. Make sure you maintain the spell.”
That sounds like a useful piece of sorcery. Unfortunately it’s not on offer to me. Many of the Sorcerers Guild’s most powerful spells are only given out to the most important members of the army, and the highest ranking diplomats. They don’t have the power to protect everyone. We pass out of the temple courtyard, through the clearing, and back into the clinging undergrowth. We’re immediately plunged into near-darkness from the weight of vegetation above and around us. It suits my mood. I hate oracles.
Chapter Ten
It seems darker on the return journey. Perhaps the afternoon sky has clouded over, though the canopy of trees reaching over the narrow path makes it impossible to tell. We travel in silence, broken only by a bird cawing somewhere in the forest, a sound that rapidly becomes irritating. I try and forget my annoyance, and concentrate on getting us back to our base camp as swiftly as possible. I still have a very bad feeling about this mission, and I trust my feelings. They’ve helped me survive through many campaigns. I don’t like the noisy squawking from the unseen bird. It stops. I don’t like that either. I hold up my hand, bringing us to a halt, then dismount and squeeze my way past the others till I’m standing next to Lisutaris. She asks me why we’ve halted.
“Someone’s watching us.”
Lisutaris turns her head, scanning each side of the pathway. “I can’t sense anyone.”
“I can.”
“Let me check.” Coranius the Grinder holds up his hand and mutters a few words. After a few seconds there’s a faint flash of light.
“What was that?”
“Standard scanning spell. I can’t sense anyone nearby. We’re alone in this forest.”
“I don’t think we are. I don’t like the way that bird went silent.”
“Maybe it’s having its dinner,” says Coranius, with some degree of sarcasm.
Lisutaris frowns. I’m not her favourite person at the moment, but she doesn’t dismiss my concern out of hand. She speaks a few words in some ancient language. “I’ve scanned the area too,” she says, seconds later. “I didn’t pick up anyone either.” Lisutaris never seems to need much preparation to perform her spells. They just happen instantly. It’s impressive. That doesn’t mean she’s always right.
“Can we move along?” comes Hanama’s voice, from the rear of the column. “There’s no point wasting time here.”
“I’d listen to Thraxas,” says Gurd. “I’ve marched through a lot of forests with him. He can recognise danger.”
I ask Lisutaris if she can put up some sort of sorcerous protection around our group. “I don’t want someone firing a crossbow bolt into you.”
“It wouldn’t touch me,” replies the sorcerer.
“It might if it comes with a spell attached. You’re not invulnerable.”
“I’m aware of that,” says Lisutaris. “But it’s not easy to maintain a barrier when we’re moving. If I put up defences, it will slow us down, and we’re short of time.”
“Time which we’re wasting here,” grunts Coranius. “There’s no one around.”
The Head of the Sorcerers Guild frowns, as she scans the trees again, then turns back towards me. “Are you quite sure this is necessary?”
“Yes. We’re in danger.”
Lisutaris nods. “Ibella, protect our right. Coranius, the left. I’ll protect the front and the rear.”
“Really?” Ibella Hailstorm isn’t pleased. “In this terrain? We’ll be slowed down to a crawl. It will take us hours to get out of here.”
“Do as I say,” Lisutaris tells her. Ibella and Coranius start muttering spells to put up a defence on each side. There’s a slight but noticeable drop in temperature as their sorcery comes into effect. A barely visible blueish light now extends along side our column on each side. Lisutaris does the same, taking on herself the more difficult task of maintaining a barrier in front and rear, a barrier which has to be constantly moved as we progress.
“Makri, get close to the Commander and stay there.”
Makri nudges her horse towards the sorcerer. I squeeze my way along to my horse, mounting it with difficulty in the confined space. We set off, now travelling much more slowly. Ahead of me I can see the faint blue light of Lisutaris’s barrier and I make sure I don’t get ahead of it. No doubt the rest of the party think I’m a fool but I don’t care. It’s my responsibility to look after our War Leader.