The bishop of Coldeberg ascended his podium and began to welcome his unusual congregation. There was something familiar about him, but she couldn’t quite place her finger on it.
Do we know him? she asked Soren.
Soren already had the bored expression he used in churches, but perked up when he heard the question. He placed one hand onto the staff that had become his sight aid and focused on the man who, though young looking, was talking in a rich, smooth voice.
Ancel, he said definitively. The priest who found us in Essenberg and took us to see Decker.
He was right. They had been caught in two minds about where to go, fearing that Emeric’s agents in the city were waiting for them. Ancel had led them to a side door in Essenberg Cathedral, and Decker had then taken them underground, via the Crypt of the Dukes of Kelland, to Baldwin’s Castle.
You’re right, she agreed. But how is it that he is now the Bishop of Coldeberg?
I don’t fully know the politics of it, Soren said. But presumably, the previous Bishop of Coldeberg was the one who crowned Emeric as a king. Baldwin will have wasted no time in ejecting him and needed a replacement. No doubt Decker recommended Ancel, who I suppose is someone they can trust.
Yes, said Belwynn. But that means they have replaced both duke and bishop with Kellishmen. That surely can’t be popular.
Well, they defeated the Barissian rebels in battle. I think Baldwin is more concerned with asserting his authority than being popular.
That said, and with Ancel moving from his introduction to his sermon, Soren placed his staff on the floor in front of him, adjusted his position to get more comfortable, and closed his eyes.
Since the Brasingian Church worshipped many gods, Ancel’s sermon was theologically vague and, Belwynn believed, had nothing in it to offend the ears of most of the guests, be they Middians, Cordentines, or even Caladri. Compared to Elana’s ideas it lacked a singleness of purpose. Belwynn was interested in the references to Lady Alexia, however, who provided protection to the people. She remembered something Hajna had said once, that she had taken little notice of at the time. Hajna had equated her goddess, Onella, with Elana’s Madria, and also with Alexia. Were they one and the same, worshipped by different peoples under different names?
After expounding on the duties that Walter owed to the Barissian people, and on the obligations they had to him in return, Ancel and his audience seemed satisfied with the ceremony and stood up, before filing out of the building.
Their next destination was Coldeberg Castle, as the guests of Walter and Baldwin. It was a short walk to the castle, where Walter’s hall was already set up with tables of food and drink. The Magnians sat around a table with the three Krykkers. Belwynn took something but it was so soon after breakfast that she wasn’t hungry, and anyway, she hadn’t come all this way to eat, drink and be merry. She wasn’t the only one who felt this way and within a few minutes the tension in the hall grew, conversations became muted or stopped altogether, and the gathering waited for someone to speak.
Into the void came a bang from the top table, and everyone turned to face Walter, who had read the mood.
‘Thank you all for being here. I am not a man for ceremony, so I would like to turn our collective attention away from myself and my new responsibilities, and to the real reason why most of you have been invited here. Everyone attending today, in different ways, to a larger or smaller degree, has experienced the threat posed by Ishari. Only recently have we started to unite together to face it. Late, but I hope not too late. There is much we can do here. There are individual alliances to be made. If I know my brother at all, I know the Emperor is itching to speak with the leaders, or their representatives, of the other nations who have graciously agreed to his invitation.’
Heads turned to Baldwin, seated next to the new duke. He looked older than Belwynn remembered, more grey in his hair now, but he was still a formidable presence in the room. He held his hands in the air, ‘he knows me,’ he conceded grudgingly, with a smile, before gesturing to his brother to continue.
‘But,’ continued Walter, ‘we have agreed that first, we must address the most difficult issue, or at least the issue that the Emperor and I find the most difficult. Magic. Whatever anyone’s personal feelings on this issue, it cannot be ignored. Last year Ishari used magic to destroy the Grand Caladri, they used magic to aid their invasion of the Empire, and it has been used in many other ways. In turn, magic had a role to play in the death of Erkindrix, the event that arguably spared many of us from further disaster. Anyone who is not comfortable with the topic is not required to stay and hear this. But the truth is, magic will play a role in the future, too, and if we pretend otherwise, we are giving the enemy an advantage.’
There was a pause, then, between Walter taking his seat and Gustav getting to his feet. It allowed some to leave the room. Queen Hannelore quietly vacated her seat, along with her children. Archbishop Godfrey left much more loudly, not able to resist uttering dire warnings about the use of magic. But most people stayed.
‘Amid the battles, sieges and other acts of war,’ Gustav started, calmly and clearly, ‘a second conflict raged last summer. It revolved around weapons, and this conflict was started by none other than Duke Emeric, in alliance with Erkindrix. Emeric’s servants attempted to steal a holy weapon, Toric’s Dagger, from Magnia. Not only was this attempt foiled by the Magnians, but a small group of them went further, to Edeleny itself, where they took a second weapon, Onella’s Staff, before Arioc could get his hands on it. The Krykkers, sensing the threat, raised an army and took their own weapon, Bolivar’s Sword, deep into Haskany, where together with the Kalinthians they inflicted a defeat on the Isharites. Finally, this group of Magnians went one step further, getting into Samir Durg itself, where the staff and dagger were used to kill Erkindrix himself.’
Gustav then gestured at their table. Not everyone in the room knew of these events, and many turned to look at Belwynn and the others with curiosity. Rabigar did not hesitate, getting to his feet and drawing Bolivar’s Sword from its scabbard, before holding it in the air for all to see. Somewhat more self-consciously, Belwynn and Soren also rose, revealing the weapons they carried.
‘So,’ continued Gustav, ‘events would have turned out rather worse without these weapons. It turns out, however, that there may be seven of them altogether. As I have said, the Isharites were keen to get their hands on these weapons for themselves, or at least to prevent us from using them. It would be logical to presume, therefore, that it would be in our interests to find the remaining four. To do so, we need to know two things. What they are, and where they are. Master Szabolcs of the Blood Caladri has spent the winter consulting the ancient texts of his people, and has found that these histories will help us in this respect. So, I invite him now to address us.’
The aged Szabolcs stood up and turned to address the room.
‘I have been instructed by my Queen to keep this simple,’ he said with a self-deprecating smile. ‘She believes there may be little general interest in the sources I have used to ascertain my information. So here it is. Many years ago, when the Isharites first invaded Dalriya, they were resisted by the peoples of our world, who fought together. Lady Onella, known in the Empire as Lady Alexia, provided us with the seven weapons that Gustav has mentioned. These weapons were used to fight a war with the Isharites, a war that ended with an event known as the Cracking of the World. The texts say that this is when the continents of Dalriya and Halvia split apart.’
Murmurs greeted this assertion, but Szabolcs continued.
‘Each of the seven weapons was then taken home by a champion, to be kept safe should it be needed again. Time has passed and much of this story has since been forgotten, or corrupted into stories and songs.’
‘Not by us,’ Belwynn heard Guremar say under his breath.
‘And so, to the weapons themselves. The Caladri took away the staff. The Krykkers, the sword. The Lippers had the dagger, later taken from them by t
he Magnians.’
Belwynn knew all this. Now, it was going to get very interesting.
‘The humans took back a shield. It was not easy to find where they took it. Our texts gave them a different name them, but I am now sure that they were referring to the Persaleians.’
Mutterings of dissension could be heard in the room, at the idea that the great enemy and conqueror of Brasingia, the Persaleians, were the heroes of this story.
The Empire grows arrogant, said Soren darkly as he observed the response from the Brasingian nobility.
‘To the north,’ Szabolcs continued, ‘the Jalakh people took a bow. To the west, in Halvia, a people known to the Caladri as the Orias, but commonly known as the Giants, took a spear.’
Now the mutterings in the hall got louder, and there was laughter at the idea of Giants.
Giants? Belwynn asked Soren.
I have read of their existence, her brother replied. But they must have died out years ago.
Szabolcs persevered, though his voice now struggled to be heard. ‘Finally, a people referred to as the Asrai. They are the most obscure by far. The weapon is referred to as a cloak, or coat. The location given appears to be somewhere in the Lantinen Sea. I could speculate that their lands were submerged when the Cracking caused a great flood, but—I can’t be sure.’
Belwynn could see that this had not gone well. There were those—the Caladri, the Krykkers—who believed everything Szabolcs had said. There were others—the Cordentines, Guivergnais, the majority of the Brasingians—who now thought the entire subject ridiculous.
Baldwin stood. Walter angrily banged a cup on the table for silence.
‘At this point I will pass this matter on to my Archmage, who will discuss it further with those who wish to make a contribution.’
He’s washing his hands of it, said Belwynn.
Don’t be surprised, Soren replied. His head is full of supply requests, military affairs. He has no understanding of this. We should feel lucky he agreed to raise it in the first place.
‘As my brother said, I am now holding talks with the other leaders of Dalriya or their representatives. I will not bring advisers—no Dukes of Brasingia, not even my brother. I hope the other leaders can do the same, to keep the numbers small and the meeting efficient. Please, step this way to my apartments.’
The Krykkers looked at one another.
‘He’s not coming,’ said Guremar, jabbing a thumb at Rabigar.
Rabigar held his hands in the air to signify his acceptance, and Maragin nodded. The two Krykker chieftains stood and made their way to the exit from the hall, followed by Edgar.
‘I’ll see you later,’ said Theron, before following them.
Once Baldwin and the other rulers had left, most of the assembled guests began to drift out of the hall, their participation in the day’s events over. Those who remained in the hall were those with an interest in the subject matter raised by Szabolcs. Belwynn was a little surprised to see that Walter had remained. He called everyone over to the top table and Belwynn and the other Magnians joined him there, along with Gustav, Szabolcs and Rabigar.
‘So, we have an idea what we are looking for,’ said Soren. ‘Can we come up with a plan?’
‘Szabolcs mentioned the Orias, in Halvia,’ began Rabigar tentatively. ‘It might be possible to contact our Krykker cousins in Halvia, and ask them what they know of this people, where they lived. The problem we have had is the crossing of the Lantinen Sea. The Kharovians control the waters now, they sink any ship that is not theirs.’
‘The Jalakhs had a bow?’ Soren asked Szabolcs, who nodded in confirmation. ‘That is perhaps the most precisely identified location. It makes sense for those of us who are based in Kalinth to travel to the Jalakh Steppe. But it won’t be easy, we would have to travel through Haskany. Gyrmund?’
‘There is no easy route. It would be impossible to sail past Kharovia. Overland, it may be possible for a small group to travel unnoticed, through the Dardelles mountain range, where few people live. But it would be time consuming and dangerous.’
‘If myself and a group of companions were to go for the bow,’ said Soren, ‘the Empire can focus on the shield, in Persala. This is the perfect time to send a force there, while the Isharites remain leaderless. The Blood Caladri are also positioned well to help with that.’
Walter and Gustav looked at each other. ‘Don’t count on my brother sending a force north of Rotelegen.’
‘Why not?’ demanded Soren. ‘Now is the perfect time for Brasingia to assert itself to the north—you are unchallenged. The Drobax are gone, the Haskans have thrown off Ishari’s dominion, Arioc is fighting his rivals. Why not?’ he repeated.
‘I will be asking him for resources here in Barissia. Adalheid will do the same, more shrilly, for Rotelegen. Our soldiers, who sacrificed so much at Burkhard Castle, have still not been fully paid. Farred knows what it was like there, what they went through. It is too much to expect him to invade Persala.’
‘If he doesn’t strike at Ishari now,’ countered Soren, ‘he is merely waiting for them to regain their strength. And when they do so, they will return to Burkhard Castle. If he liberates Persala, he can create a buffer state between them. Maybe then form an alliance with Haskany against Ishari. Surely, you both see that?’ Soren asked them, looking from Gustav to Walter.
‘If Baldwin and I tried to raise an army to invade Persala, no-one would go. Our people have had enough of war, and your arguments won’t work.’ Walter looked at them all and sighed. ‘Look, Baldwin’s meeting with the other leaders will decide the extent of his participation. But I am warning you. Don’t expect too much from him.’
‘Theron will persuade him of the need for more,’ said Belwynn.
‘What about you?’ Soren asked Gustav.
Gustav spread his hands open. ‘I serve Baldwin. But I will do what I can.’
‘And the Caladri?’ Soren persisted, turning to Szabolcs.
‘We do not have the power to invade Persala, with our enemies pinning us down. Further, we cannot easily enter the country unnoticed. But my queen will decide what our contribution is to be.’
Leave it for now, Belwynn warned her brother. She knew he was angry, but if he kept pushing for more it could do more harm than good.
‘Then there is the cloak,’ Farred reminded them all.
‘Yes,’ said Szabolcs. ‘Owned by the Asrai people. I am afraid I don’t know who they are.’
‘What is said of them?’ Soren asked.
‘Virtually nothing. They are mentioned by name by two different writers, neither of whom take the time to explain who they are. By all means, Soren, I can show you my texts. But what I have told you is all that they reveal, and I have exhausted all my sources. It is possible the Grand Caladri had other books, but those are now gone.’
So that was it. Soren had volunteered to lead a perilous mission to the Jalakh Steppe. Beyond that, nothing much, except to hope that more would come from the Emperor’s negotiations than his brother expected.
4
It Takes an Assassin
MONEVA LET THE SHARP TIP of the knife slide along her neck. She had come close to shoving it in since her time in Samir Durg.
She should have been happy to have escaped, that was the part of it she didn’t get. Why was she feeling so low all the time, so tired of it all?
Maybe it was just as well that she’d found an enemy in Heractus. It had given herself something to focus on.
She had noticed the same faces on three separate occasions, watching Elana. Moneva had been trained to kill people and she knew exactly what to look for. But even when I was thirteen I wasn’t as inept as these fools.
She shifted her position on the warehouse roof, stretching her legs and then giving them a good rub to make sure they didn’t go to sleep. She then turned back to the alleyway that Elana took when she walked from her house to the church.
She heard them first, talking to each other, then saw them. It was E
lana with one of her new disciples: the big, dopey man called Bemus. He was the size of a warrior, but instead spent all of his time praying and all the rest of it. They might try it now, even with him there.
Yes, behind them, at the top of the alleyway, Moneva made out a third figure, trailing them. Elana and Bemus were too busy talking to each other to have noticed, exiting the alleyway into the courtyard. Then, to her left, Moneva saw two more figures emerge from the direction of the Church of Madria, walking towards Elana. It was a simple trap, but it had worked, and Moneva knew she had to act fast.
Jumping to her feet, she leapt off the warehouse roof, over a wall, and landed on all fours in the courtyard. Grabbing the knife from her boot, she stood and looked around. The two figures, a man and a woman, had drawn wicked looking long knives of their own, and were staring at her. Bemus had put himself between them and Elana. The third assailant had remained in the alleyway, ready to cut off their escape.
‘Moneva?’ said Elana.
The man lurched towards Moneva.
‘Kill them!’ he shouted to his partner.
Moneva made a feint towards him, making him thrust forward with his weapon, before, in one fluid motion, jumping sideways and throwing her knife at the woman. It hit her in the chest and she fell over from the force of it, dropping her knife. Moneva then drew her short sword from her hip and spun around to face the man. She sensed behind her the third assailant coming at her from the alley and knew she had to act quickly. The man was wary of her now, backing away, and she used that to her advantage. She ran at him and instead of thrusting his knife at her he tried to sidestep out of her way. But his footwork was clumsy, and she hacked the length of her sword into his neck with considerable force, knocking him to the ground in the process.
She whirled around to see the third assailant stop in his tracks, turn around, and run for the alleyway.
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