The Severed City

by Christopher Mitchell

‘I need you for something else.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘You’re taking Dominic’s place in my raiding company.’

  Her face went through several emotions.

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘You’re the best I’ve got.’

  She fell silent. He had barely seen Larissa in the third since he had starting raiding again. She had been out hunting every night, while he had spent long stretches away from the city.

  ‘When’s the next raid?’ she asked.

  ‘In a few days.’

  ‘Why not Dyam? She was next in line.’

  ‘Dyam’s in charge of the city defences,’ he said. ‘That’s her job, and she’s good at it. It’s time for you to move up, now that we have enough hunters out each night. Let Brynt handle it. I need you on the raids with me.’

  She looked up at him. ‘Aye, Chief. I’ll do it.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  She flushed and looked away. ‘Do you need me for anything else? I mean, are we going to talk about the next raid, or I am free for the rest of the day?’

  ‘I’m meeting my squad leaders tomorrow for lunch in the hall.’

  ‘I’ll be there, Chief.’

  He nodded. ‘Go get drunk then.’

  She smirked, and left the room.

  As he watched her leave, he realised that if things had been different, he might have been attracted to Larissa. She was a couple of years older than him, and was good-looking, and strong-hearted, but the wound of Daphne still ached within him, and he knew it was pointless to even consider it.

  He left the side chamber to see Bridget waiting for him in the hall.

  ‘You told her then?’ she said.

  ‘Aye.’

  Bridget half-laughed. ‘I thought as much. I saw her face on the way out.’

  ‘She’s the right choice for the job.’

  ‘Raid Commander Larissa,’ Bridget said. ‘I wonder if she’s happy or terrified at the prospect of spending days and nights out in the open with you, facing dangers shoulder to shoulder, seeing each other every moment in the raw.’

  ‘I thought you weren’t going to get drunk?’

  ‘You told me not to get drunk,’ she said. ‘That’s not the same thing.’

  ‘But I asked you to come with me today.’

  ‘Aye, Chief,’ she said, ‘but it’s my day off. I’m only coming as a favour. Anyway, the minding’s over, and Brodie’s taken what’s left of the ale away. I’ll have a hangover in about four hours, so let’s get on with it.’

  They left the hall, and walked through lamp-lit corridors until they reached the great boulevard, a hundred yards from where the rift sheared it away. Killop opened a door to a large cavern, lit by sunlight through rents in the side of its domed ceiling, and they went inside.

  Warriors were training all over the floor of the cavern, the huge space allowing a multitude of different lessons to take place at the same time. It was large enough to be used as the assembly point for the whole army, over four hundred strong at the last count.

  They passed lines of Rahain crossbow teams, practising with their great door-shaped shields. Tiel, the commander of the ex-slaves, saluted Killop as he went by. Beyond the Rahain, pairs of Kellach were duelling with swords and shields.

  ‘What is it we’re doing today, then?’ Bridget asked.

  ‘Liam’s asked for some help.’

  ‘Shit,’ Bridget said, ‘you’re kidding me.’

  He shook his head.

  Killop turned towards a side entrance, and they ascended a long flight of steps. At the top was a door. He knocked and entered, Bridget following.

  Inside was a long bare chamber, with a wide, broken window letting in the sun. At one end was a table, with a lamp sitting on it. It was of the Rahain type, with a ceramic base and upper glass globe, burning oil with a steady yellow flame.

  At the other end of the room sat three people.

  He heard Bridget sigh as the three turned to see who had come in.

  Two were teenagers, a boy and a girl. The other was an adult, a white-haired old man.

  ‘Liam,’ Killop said, ‘thanks for inviting me to your teaching session.’

  ‘Thank you for coming Chief,’ said the old sparker. ‘Please take a seat.’

  ‘How long’s this going to last?’ the girl said.

  ‘Quiet, Lilyann, please,’ Liam said.

  ‘But it’s pointless.’

  ‘Quiet I said, girl. The chief has come to see you, both of you.’ He looked at the boy, who sat sullen and glowering, his legs stretched out.

  Killop sat. ‘I’ve brought Bridget with me. We’ve come to see how your lessons are going.’

  Liam snorted. ‘As you know, Chief, they’ve had no training up to now, and are well behind where they should be. Both discovered they had powers in the camp where you found them, but they’ve had little chance to use them, or experiment under any sort of guidance. Also,’ he frowned, ‘neither of them have been particularly cooperative.’

  Killop glanced at the two young mages. The girl sat examining her nails, while the boy stared into space.

  ‘Lilyann,’ he said. ‘Dean. You are the fire mages of the Severed Clan. Soon, I’ll be leading the largest rebellion the Rahain Republic has ever seen. You can help us, if you listen to Liam, and learn to control your skills.’

  ‘I’ll never be like Keira,’ Lilyann said. ‘Not that I’d want to.’

  ‘Mages like my sister come along once every hundred years,’ Killop said. ‘That doesn’t mean all other fire mages are useless. I’ve seen many battles where throwers turned the tide.’

  Lilyann shrugged. ‘I don’t care.’

  ‘Ya whiny wee toerags,’ Bridget said. ‘You’ve no fucking clue what we do for you, or what the chief has done for you.’

  ‘I don’t see much difference,’ the girl said, ‘between being imprisoned back in the camp, and being trapped here.’

  ‘Don’t be stupid,’ Bridget said. ‘You ungrateful cow.’

  Lilyann stared at Killop. ‘Great Chief,’ she said, ‘am I free to leave the Severed City?’

  Killop shook his head. ‘We can’t allow the Rahain to capture a fire mage.’

  ‘Because of what your sister did,’ Lilyann replied. ‘I’m stuck here because you think I’d behave like that murdering bitch if the lizards captured me.’

  Bridget rose to her feet, her fist raised.

  ‘Leave her,’ Killop said. ‘She’s fifteen. You were probably just as bloody-minded at that age.’

  He turned to Lilyann. ‘Some of what you say is true. If the Rahain captured you they might try to force you to use your powers to help them, but it’s more likely that, after Keira, they would just kill you out of hand if they found out you were a mage.’

  ‘I’d rather take my chances.’

  ‘Why don’t you show the chief what you can do?’ Liam said.

  ‘No.’

  ‘Dean?’

  ‘No.’

  They all sat in silence.

  ‘Maybe she’s right,’ Bridget said. ‘It’s a waste of everyone’s time and energy looking after them if they aren’t going to help. We’ve no room for anyone who doesn’t make an effort.’

  ‘Then you’ll let me go?’ Lilyann said.

  Bridget glanced at Killop.

  ‘But…’ Liam said.

  ‘All right,’ Killop said. ‘We’ll remove them both at night. Each in a different direction, blindfolded. Scouts will take them a hundred miles from the Severed City, then dump them in the wild. Then, if the Rahain pick them up, they won’t be able to lead them to us.’

  Lilyann stared open-mouthed, while Dean turned, his face reddening.

  ‘If they’re captured, Chief,’ Liam said, ‘the Rahain may discover they’re mages.’

  ‘How?’ Killop said. ‘If they won’t show us, they’re not likely to show the Rahain. I doubt they have much to show, anyway.’

  Killop stood.

  ‘I’ll make the arrangements,’
he said. ‘Don’t blame yourself, Liam. You tried.’

  He nodded to Bridget, and they started to walk to the door.

  ‘Wait,’ said Dean.

  They turned. The boy was sitting up in his chair, his eyes wide.

  ‘Aye?’ Killop said.

  ‘This isn’t fair,’ he said. ‘I didn’t say I wanted to leave.’

  ‘What’s fair,’ Killop said, ‘is that everybody who lives here is willing to help.’ He pointed to the table. ‘The lamp is there. Come and show me what you can do.’

  Dean’s face went red, and he looked down.

  ‘Come on, Dean,’ Bridget said. ‘Please.’

  He got to his feet, and walked over. He stood awkwardly by the table, avoiding their gaze, while the old tutor joined them.

  ‘Now remember,’ Liam said, reaching forward and removing the glass globe from the top of the lamp, ‘find the flame in your mind’s eye first.’

  Dean shut his eyes, and raised his arm.

  ‘I can’t do this,’ he said. ‘I can’t.’

  ‘You can,’ Liam said. ‘I’ve seen you do it. You just need to practise. It gets easier every time.’

  Beads of sweat ran down Dean’s face as he strained, his hand outstretched and trembling.

  ‘Do you feel it?’ Liam asked.

  ‘I don’t know,’ the boy whispered. ‘Aye, I think so.’

  ‘Good. Now lift your hand, and raise the flame. Slowly.’

  Dean began to move his arm up, inch by inch. Killop looked from him to the lamp. The yellow flames were stretching upwards in thin streams, growing to a foot above the lamp.

  ‘You’re doing it,’ Bridget laughed.

  Dean gasped and fell to his knees, and the flame dropped down to its original height.

  Liam put his arm around Dean, who was panting, his clothes saturated in sweat.

  Killop nodded. ‘Well done. You’ve earned another chance.’

  He glanced over to see Lilyann slouching by the table, smirking and shaking her head.

  ‘You think that was impressive?’ she said. ‘Watch this.’

  With her eyes open, she faced the flame, and raised her arm.

  The flame shot up in a fierce burst of fire and heat, almost reaching the ceiling. Then, after a second ablaze, it died down again, the lamp having used up its fuel in a instant. There was a crack, and the ceramic base fractured into blackened pieces on the surface of the table.

  ‘Pyre’s sake, lass,’ Liam said, as Lilyann staggered, ‘that was wonderful.’

  Killop stepped forward, and caught the girl as she fell.

  He smiled at her as he placed her back on her feet. ‘Does that mean you want to stay?’

  She gasped and coughed, her eyes red. ‘Maybe.’

  ‘Good enough for now.’

  He nodded to Liam, and left the room, Bridget following.

  ‘Killop,’ Bridget said, as they were going back down the stairs, ‘were you really going to throw them out?’

  He shrugged. ‘Aye,’ he said. ‘I would have made sure they had food and water, but I meant every word in there. Let Liam be the nice one, I don’t care if they hate me for it.’

  ‘They’re only bairns, but.’

  ‘Dangerous bairns,’ Killop said, ‘and soon they’ll be adults. I don’t envy them, it’ll be tough, but the fact is they have powers, and there’s nothing anyone can do to change that.’

  ‘I feel sorry for them.’

  Killop glanced at her. ‘There was a good reason why fire mages were taken away into the mountains as soon as their powers were discovered. I was angry when they took Keira, but now I wish we could do the same for Lilyann and Dean.’

  ‘I wish they could live ordinary lives.’

  ‘I wish we all could, but the Rahain invaded, and everything’s been fucked since.’

  They stopped as they reached the huge training hall. The sun was overhead, and shafts of autumnal light shone down on the floor where the warriors practised.

  ‘It’s been a while since I saw the whole place,’ he said. ‘Will you give me a tour, Bridget?’

  ‘Aye,’ she replied, ‘though you’ll owe me a drink at the end of it.’

  ‘Deal.’

  Hours later, the two of them were back in the chief’s hall.

  ‘That’ll temper the hangover,’ Bridget said, belching as she put down her mug. ‘Hey Brodie, when will the first whisky be ready?’

  ‘Depends how badly you want to burn your throat,’ he replied, sitting on the bench opposite. ‘Distilling’s no bother, I’ve already made up gallons of raw spirit. It’s the maturation that’ll need time.’

  ‘And how long will that fucking take?’

  ‘Years,’ he said, shaking his head, ‘but I’ve been experimenting with gin. I should have something ready soon.’

  ‘You’re a beautiful man, Brodie.’

  ‘Chief,’ Kalden said, approaching the table, Tiel the Rahain captain behind him.

  ‘Evening,’ Killop said as they sat and poured themselves ale.

  ‘I’ve got four in the cells, Chief,’ Kalden said. ‘Been waiting for you to get back. We wanted your advice.’

  Killop refilled his mug. ‘Go on.’

  ‘The first two,’ Kalden said, ‘are a man and a woman caught trying to kill each other. One had a knife, the other a hammer. Lovers’ quarrel that got murderous. Seems they were together for a while, then it got insanely jealous and out of control. Can’t work out whose fault it is, or if either are really to blame.’

  ‘Have they made up since?’

  ‘Fuck no,’ Kalden said. ‘They still want to kill each other.’

  ‘Either of them good in a fight?’

  ‘The male’s a warrior in Domni’s company.’

  ‘As of now,’ Killop said, ‘he’s re-assigned to my squads. I’ll take him out on the next raid in a few days, see if some distance calms them. Once we’re gone, release the woman, but keep an eye on her.’

  ‘Aye, Chief,’ Kalden said. ‘The next’s another male. He’s been warned about slinging insults at the free Rahain in the city, but several days ago we arrested him for assaulting an old Rahain man.’

  Killop took a drink. ‘Have there been other cases like this?’

  ‘A few,’ Kalden said. ‘There are always some arseholes, but this was the worst.’

  Killop glanced at Tiel, sitting next to Kalden.

  ‘Is he repentant?’

  Kalden shook his head.

  ‘Then keep him locked up,’ Killop said. ‘If he shows remorse, then he can work off his debt to the old man he attacked.’

  Kalden nodded.

  ‘The last one,’ he said, ‘is a woman, Lindie ae Lydia ae Lach, who we caught trying to poison her neighbours over some old feud, dating back to the homeland.’

  ‘How do we know it was poison?’

  ‘We have a score of witnesses, we have identified the herbs the woman was using, and we have a confession, freely obtained. Bridget was at the hearing, she can corroborate.’

  ‘Aye,’ Bridget said. ‘She admitted it in front of everyone.’

  ‘Fuck,’ Killop said. ‘Imagine carrying a grudge with you all the way from Lach. I take it she’s not remorseful?’

  Kalden shook his head. ‘Said she’d try it again if she gets the chance.’

  ‘Throw her from the rift,’ Killop said. ‘Do it quietly, but take a few witnesses, and let it be known that I commanded it.’

  ‘Aye, Chief,’ Kalden said, rising, ‘I’ll see to it.’

  Killop turned back to Bridget as Kalden walked away.

  She caught his eye. ‘Nothing like an execution to put a dampener on your mood.’

  ‘My first as chief.’

  ‘The other Lach will be happy,’ Bridget said. ‘No, not happy. They’ll be satisfied.’

  He frowned, then realised that the sun had set while he had been talking. The large shutter was now letting in the dark night air, and oil-lamps were being lit around the hall. Many of the clan were
in the large room, sitting, chatting and eating. As he drank his ale, Bridget gestured to a couple close by.

  ‘Some better news,’ Bridget said. ‘This is Briac and Brenda. They’ve come to ask if they can be married.’

  Killop glanced at the young pair standing before him.

  ‘How old are you?’ he asked.

  ‘I’m twenty, Chief,’ the woman said. ‘Briac’s twenty-four.’

  ‘Are you in love?’

  ‘Aye.’

  ‘Any relatives in the city?’

  ‘No, Chief.’

  ‘Aye, then,’ Killop said. ‘Away and get married.’

  Bridget smiled. ‘Chief,’ she said, ‘they want you to marry them.’

  Killop blinked. ‘Me?’

  ‘Aye, Chief,’ Brenda said. ‘There are no priests here to do it, so we were hoping, please, if you’ve got the time.’

  ‘Of course,’ he said, failing to keep a grin from his face, ‘I’d be honoured. Before I go out on the next raid?’

  They both nodded.

  ‘The day after tomorrow, then,’ he said, ‘here in the hall at noon. That suit you?’

  ‘Thanks Chief,’ Briac said.

  ‘I’ll see you in two days,’ Killop said.

  The pair smiled and left.

  ‘You should have seen your face,’ Bridget laughed. ‘Leave the planning to me. A wedding will be good for the clan. We’ll get some flowers in, and I’ve already asked Brodie about extra food and ale. The Damin twins have offered to sing.’

  ‘Sounds like you have it under control.’

  There was a roar of laughter from the entranceway, and Killop turned to look. A group of hunters came into the busy hall, many looking drunk.

  Killop narrowed his eyes.

  ‘Relax, Chief,’ Bridget said. ‘It’s their night off.’

  He noticed Larissa among them, her cheeks flushed. She staggered over to the large limestone table and sat, her hunters gathered round her.

  ‘I did tell her to get drunk,’ Killop said to Bridget under his breath.

  ‘Looks like she took your advice.’

  As the hunters poured more ale for themselves, Larissa looked up and saw Killop. She stared at him for a moment, then said something to her friends and stood.

  ‘Chief,’ she said, walking over. The other hunters continued to drink, their laughter echoing above the noise in the hall.

  ‘Larissa.’