“And the Tarns are waiting for us there,” one of the men finished for him. The truth of their predicament became all too clear.
“By Surgart’s sword,” Karez suddenly snarled. He jabbed his bandaged arm at Valorian. “You’re the one with the magic in your grasp. Use it to wipe out our enemies once and for all!”
Mordan rolled his eyes. “Don’t you pay attention? Lord Valorian will not use his power to massacre other men.”
“I say that’s ridiculous!” Karez roared in reply. “What about us? Are we to be slaughtered because our chief is too squeamish to slay a few Tarns?”
Several of the listening clansmen nodded in agreement and watched Valorian expectantly.
The new chieftain felt his anger flare at the big clansman. Karez hadn’t changed a bit after his defeat. He was as arrogant and abrasive as ever. Valorian bit off a sharp remark and decided he shouldn’t lose his temper now. “Ridiculous or not, that is my vow,” he said adamantly. For the benefit of his other companions, he added, “Even with my power, I cannot defeat half a legion alone. We must get past Tyrranis’s army to reach the Bendwater River. Once we’re over that, we’re out of his jurisdiction. He wouldn’t dare bring his armed troops into Sarcithia without Governor Antonine’s permission.”
Karez spat at the ground. “And just how do you propose to elude the Tarns? Do we fly like birds?”
Something in Karez’s snide words triggered a sudden inspiration. “No,” Valorian said in a voice tinged with satisfaction. “We’ll tunnel like Carrocks!”
The effect of that statement was everything Valorian could have wanted. Karez was effectively silenced with surprise, and the others stared at their chieftain as if he had suddenly lost his sanity.
“Tell the people to make torches and to gather all the firewood they can carry. Fill the water bags, too. If all goes well, we should be underground about three days.” He turned on his heel and quickly mounted Hunnul to hide the shadow of doubt creeping into his own face. “I’ll ride ahead to the cave entrance to contact the Carrocks. Aiden, you and Ranulf bring the caravan as soon as it is ready.”
Hunnul cantered away before they could respond and headed toward the valley and the cave not far away where Valorian and his friends had come out of the Carrocks’ underworld last winter. The chieftain groaned inwardly as they left the Clan behind. He had blurted out his nebulous idea without any consideration, and now he was stuck with hadn’t thought about how he was going to contact the Carrocks or how they would react to an invasion of people and animals into their realm. What if they didn’t agree? Then what would he do?
If his plan worked, however, the Clan would save several days of travel and come out of the caverns south of the Tarns’ position, only a day or two from the Bendwater River. That alone would be worth the risk of taking such a large caravan through the subterranean passages. But only if the Carrocks agreed. Without their willingness to tolerate the intrusion, the clanspeople would be in even worse trouble.
Hunnul slowed to a trot over the rocky trail and passed by a huge old pine with a double trunk. Valorian remembered that tree, and he counted five hills to the valley where the cave opened out of the mountains. They topped the slope of the fifth hill to drop sharply down into a valley strewn with small trees and early spring flowers. The cave opening was about half a league into the valley, disguised by a grove of scrub oak, cedar, and pine. Valorian found its entrance by memory and sent Hunnul clattering into the cool, dim interior.
How will you find the Carrocks, master? Hunnul asked in Valorian’s mind. The sound of the stallion’s hooves echoed in the hollow spaces.
“I don’t think I can,” Valorian answered. “They will have to find me.”
They rode deeper into the cavern until the light from the entrance was a mere pinprick and Valorian was forced to form a sphere of glowing light. In its pale illumination, he stopped Hunnul and let the silence settle around them. After a thoughtful pause, he drew more magic to his bidding, armed a spell, and raised his hands to his mouth. Loud and strong: carried on the power of his magic, his call rang down into the depths like a pealing bell to summon the denizens of the eternal rock and endless night.
He waited for a long time while his hands and feet grew cold and his doubts hardened. After what seemed an endless wait, he called again and continued to listen in the darkness. Hunnul relaxed a hind leg and let his neck droop. Only his ears pointing toward the black passage indicated his alert awareness.
Valorian was considering riding deeper into the tunnel when Hunnul raised his head, his nostrils flaring at a familiar scent. They come, he told his master silently.
Somewhere deep down in the passage, a heavy grating sound grumbled out of the darkness. Valorian’s stomach lurched, and his hands tightened on Hunnul’s mane. He could see only the small area lit by his sphere, but he sensed several large beings moving slowly along the tunnel toward him.
They stopped somewhere out of his sight. “Us you called, magic-wielder. Come have we,” a strange, hard voice said.
Valorian sat back in relief. “Thank you!” he cried. “I did not wish to disturb you, but I must ask for your help.” He quickly explained the Clan’s danger and his wish to travel through the Carrocks’ caverns. “I would not ask this of you if it weren’t desperately important. We are seeking to leave this land, and if we are successful, we will never bother you again.”
A different stony voice responded, “And if successful you are not?” Valorian gave a dry chuckle. “There won’t be any of us left to worry about.”
There was a lengthy pause. No sound or movement disturbed the earth’s silence. Then the first grating voice said, “Come, magic-wielder. For the sake of the Mother, pass may your people. But beware you must! Stray not from the path nor touch the works of the Carrocks. Watch we will!”
The heavy sound of stone moving on stone came again and vanished, leaving the tunnel in emptiness.
Valorian leaned his arms on Hunnul’s neck as his breath slipped away in a ragged sigh. There was barely time to savor his relief before Aiden, Ranulf, and the vanguard of armed warriors came trotting into the cave. Valorian turned back to meet them.
He was surprised to see the afternoon sun shining into the valley, for he hadn’t realized so much time had passed. The long procession of wagons, carts, and riders was already winding its way up toward the cave entrance.
“We have permission to pass,” Valorian called to Aiden. His triumphant smile spoke more than words to his young brother, who raised his fist in a victory salute.
The chieftain quickly joined his leaders and explained the length of the trail, a brief description of things to expect, and the reasons for his drastic plan. “Pass on my words,” he commanded, “but don’t let anyone slow down to think or balk. Keep the wagons and herds moving! Also warn everyone not to stray from the trail or touch anything beside the trail. We must obey the Carrocks.”
One of the family leaders rolled his eyes at the dark tunnel and exclaimed, “Gods above! The Carrocks really exist?”
“Yes!” Aiden replied, the respect from his previous experience with them still strong in his voice. “Believe me, you do not want to anger these beings.”
At that moment, the first of the laden wagons rolled into the entrance, and the driver automatically hauled back on his reins, confused by the idea of entering a cavern.
“I’ll keep them moving,” Aiden said to Valorian.
The chieftain nodded his thanks, and with the vanguard at his side, he grinned at the wagon driver, grabbed the bridle of the harnessed horse, and personally led the first wagon into the cave and down into the buried gloom.