by Pedro Urvi
Kyra fixed her eyes on Oskas’ helmet. She felt the rage which was consuming her going cold, as if that silver surface were swallowing it.
“May I say what I think?”
Oskas nodded. “With moderation.”
“They won’t be able to enslave us forever. We’ll rise, fight, and one day we’ll gain our freedom.”
The leader of the Shadows shook his helmeted head from side to side. “A mistake: you’ll all die. It’s a beautiful dream, a precious ideal, and it will lead you all to death. Ideals have that unfortunate habit.”
“Ideals, dreams, will unite us, and one day we’ll win.”
“Don’t you understand that it’s useless to confront the Gods? With a snap of their fingers they’ll put an end to you and your revolution alike.”
“I confronted the God you serve, and I’m still alive.”
“You’re still alive because another God protected you with his life. Something which has never happened before. No God has ever protected a slave, still less risked his life for one. It’s an anomaly. An exception, and as such it confirms the rule. It will never happen again. Listen to my words. If you wish to live, if you wish your mother to stay alive, you have to accept the inevitable: there is no hope. The Gods cannot be defeated.”
“I can’t accept it. I never will. Your lord God killed my friend, and sooner or later he’ll pay for it. For everything he’s done, for all the suffering he’s caused.”
“Who’s going to make him pay?
“Me. I will.”
“Do you really believe you could kill a God? You? A slave?”
“I don’t just believe it, I’m going to do it.”
“Kyra…” Solma begged.
“Only a God can kill another God. Not even I, a hybrid with superior power, could do it. Nobody has ever been able to.”
“Just because it hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean it can’t be done.”
“Kyra.” Solma said, “don’t talk like that, I beg you.”
“You should listen to your mother. She’s an intelligent woman.”
“My mother’s the best of women, a wonderful person. But you don’t understand the point of what I’m saying. You only know the will of your masters. To serve and obey, blindly.”
“You’re wrong again. I know and have known a lot more than you think, more than you can even imagine, because at one point I wasn’t so different from you. My life wasn’t very different from yours. My dreams, my ideals, weren’t so different from yours. But the Golden changed all that and made me into what I am today. And let me tell you, I’m much more than what I was, and I never would have become what I am if I’d gone on with my old life. I would have died a long time ago, as will happen to you, led on by foolish, impossible ideals.”
“You and I have nothing in common. Not before, not now, not ever!”
The master-spy clasped his hands behind him and appeared to meditate for a moment. “It’s time I showed you what the power and technology of the Gods can achieve. Only then will you understand.”
He whispered something to the Executors which Kyra was unable to hear. They both left briskly at once.
“Let her be, I beg you,” Solma said, with tears in her eyes.
“She must learn. That’s what Lord Asu has decided.”
“Leave her, please, for the sake of what you once were.”
“That which I was I am no longer, by the grace of the Gods.”
Kyra was listening to this without understanding what they were talking about.
“If there’s anything of you left within you, I beg you to let her go.”
“There’s nothing left, woman. The Gods made sure of that. I’m an Enforcer in the service of the Golden, nothing more than that.”
“I don’t believe you. There’s something in you still, I know it. I beg you on my knees, let her go.”
“I do what must be done. Before I take her into Lord Asu’s presence.”
“No! I beg you, don’t hand her over to him!”
“It’s my duty. It’s my life.”
Solma burst out weeping.
Kyra did not understand why they were talking like that. She did not know what to think.
The Executors came back together with three Oppressors who were dragging a strongly-built slave behind them.
As they passed Kyra she realized who it was. Her stomach lurched.
“Urda!”
Oskas turned to Kyra. “It’s time to learn a lesson in humility.”
Chapter 26
Kneeling on the hill, Ikai stared at the great door which gave access to the city, far to the north. “This doesn’t look good,” he said.
Albana crouched down beside him. “They seem to have secured the capital. They’re searching everyone that goes in or out. The line of carts is endless.”
“Sesmok, or the Enforcers?”
“Sesmok. He must be looking for us… us, and the resistance…”
“I have to get in somehow. They must have taken Kyra, Mother and the others there.”
“Hmm… your instincts are usually good, but before we go into the wolf’s den we need to be sure…”
“I can’t know for sure.” He reached for the pendant his sister had given him for his birthday, which always hung round his neck. “If I had the Falcon Eye I could locate her the way I did in the Eternal City. But I left it behind in the battle.”
“At the Shelter?”
“Yes.”
“Then forget about it. The Enforcers destroyed the Shelter. They burnt everything down to the foundations. They didn’t leave a thing.”
Ikai nodded ruefully. “How are we going to get in? You’re much better at this than I am.”
“Is that a compliment?” said Albana with a sideways grin.
He looked at her, and for a moment the tension in his chest eased. “You know I’m no good at this kind of thing, but I can tell you, if you keep looking at me that way I’m going to end up losing my head.”
The brunette opened her eyes wide in mock-surprise. “At this rate I’ll make a gentleman out of you,” she said, and smiled even more sensuously.
He shook his head. “You’re impossible. Even in the worst moments you make me blush.”
“I’m what I am, and I’m glad you like me that way. Now let’s concentrate on finding how to get in. First we need to understand what’s going on.”
“And how do we find out?”
She turned and scanned the valley behind them, then pointed. “There.”
Ikai made out the lonely cart in the distance. “All right, I’ll warn the others.”
Drawn by two mules and loaded with barrels, the cart moved along the road towards the capital. All that remained for it to do was leave the forest for the plain which led to the city.
Honus came out from behind a tree and stood in front of it, hands on hips.
At the sight of the giant in the middle of the road, the driver tugged the reins hard. The mules stopped, neighing in protest.
“By the Gods!” he said. He was a middle-aged, bald, chubby man. “What on earth are you doing? Are you crazy?”
“Some people say I’m a bit wrong in the head, yes. But they tend to end up unconscious, with a couple of teeth missing.”
The man straightened, looking frightened. “I didn’t mean to offend you… don’t get me wrong, it’s just that standing in front of the cart like that… there could have been an accident.”
“And an accident’s what there will be if you don’t answer what my friend here’s going to ask you.”
The man, by now thoroughly scared, looked around in all directions.
“Here,” said Karm. He came out from behind another tree, with an arrow ready in his bow.
“By the Moon! Don’t hurt me!”
“That’s not our intention,” Karm said amiably.
The man was trembling like a leaf. “What are you? Pariahs? Don’t kill me, please, I beg you!”
“Take it easy. My friend
’s as big as a mountain and as ugly as a toad, but he won’t hurt you if you cooperate.”
“I might anyway,” Honus said. “I need a bit of fun.”
Karm gave him a withering glare. He shrugged and smiled.
“What… what do you want of me? The beer I’m carrying? It’s yours, but let me go.”
“No, we don’t want your beer.”
“I do,” Honus said. He went to check the cargo.
Karm rolled his eyes. “We just want information.”
“Information? I’ll tell you everything I know.”
“Very well. What’s going on in the capital? Why’s access restricted?”
“Regent Sesmok has sealed the city. Nobody can enter or leave without authorization, and anyone who does must be searched.”
“Why’s that?”
“Haven’t you heard? These are very dangerous times. The rebels have dared to assault the tributes. They fought the Guard and took the taxes. They shared them out among the people, which is something unheard of. And it’s happened in several counties. Organized attacks, which is unthinkable. And they’ve done sabotages in the county capitals, poisoned the water of the barracks, burnt down stables, and more… All very well–thought-out and executed. It’s said they’re getting ready to rise against the Regent. At first it was just rumors, but now it seems they’ve taken action and everybody knows about it. There is talk of their undercover activities everywhere… there are rebels inciting subversion in the Six Counties. They say a great uprising’s being prepared. The Guard and the Enforcers are after them, they’ve killed a lot of resistance members, and they’re taking reprisals. But the people are with the rebels… they protect them, shelter them and help them. And there are more and more, or so they say. The Regent’s beside himself. He’s ordered a house- to -house search of the capital to find the leaders of the rebellion and execute them in the main square. He’s forbidden people to walk the streets at night, and whoever’s found outside after midnight is executed on the spot. This is happening in all six capitals. Things are getting very ugly…”
“Just listen to him talk,” Honus said. “And I didn’t even have to prompt him.” He sounded disappointed.
“What’s your name?” Karm asked.
“Lodi.”
“Very well, Lodi. What else is being said?”
“The latest rumors talk about a confrontation between the Heroes and the Enforcers, something never heard of…”
“Where did this happen?”
“That’s the strangest thing of all… they say it was outside the Boundary… can you believe it? Outside… That would confirm what the rebels say, that they can free us, that we can leave the Boundary. Can you imagine? It’s crazy, but more and more people are beginning to believe them.”
“What do you think?”
“I don’t even dare to dream. It would be wonderful…”
“Those aren’t the words of a slave, Lodi,” Honus said warningly.
“No, forgive me, you’re right. I thought maybe you… well… you look more like rebels… than Pariahs… And it’s difficult not to get carried away by the optimism, the hope… but you’re right, I’ll keep my opinions to myself …”
“How come you can enter the city?”
“I have a safe-conduct.” He searched in his satchel and took out a parchment which bore the seal of the Guard.
“How did you get hold of this?”
“I work for an important merchant in the capital. He’s from a good family… he got it for me.”
“With this safe-conduct and the cart, we could get in,” Honus suggested.
Karm thought about this, then turned towards the trees.
“The Ring,” came Albana’s voice, although they could not see her.
“Show me your Ring,” Karm said.
The beer-carrier showed it to him.
“The Horse, the symbol of the merchant,”
“Do they check the Rings?”
“Think carefully before you answer,” Honus said. “If you lie to us I’ll break your skull.”
The man nodded several times.
“Hell!” cried Honus.
“Let him go,” came Ikai’s voice.
“You heard,” Karm said.
“Thank you, thank you, you won’t regret it, thank you so much!” He urged his mules and sped on toward the capital.
Ikai and Albana came out of the undergrowth.
“We should have kept him,” Honus said.
“We won’t see him again, don’t worry,” said Ikai. “And we already have the information we needed,”
“Life always has a few nasty surprises in store,” Honus said.
“The giant’s right,” Albana said, “but just let it be. It’s time to think up a plan.”
“Do you have something in mind?” Ikai asked.
“Of course. But let’s go back with the others. It’s time to split up. The four of us’ll go to the city. The others must hide.”
“All right, I’ll talk to them. They’re not going to like it, though. They’ve fought like heroes and come all the way from the Shelter with us. They won’t want to separate now.”
“I understand, but this is a question of infiltration. We can’t take them with us.”
“Very well,” Ikai agreed.
Honus frowned. “If there aren’t going to be any fisticuffs, you won’t need me.”
All eyes turned to him.
“Don’t be so grumpy. I know deep down you want to come,” Karm said.
“Besides,” Albana added, “it’s more than likely I’ll be needing a tough man.”
“Why didn’t you say so before! In that case I’m in.”
It was nighttime by the time they reached the position, two hundred paces from the foot of the wall. They had calculated their point of entry by watching the movements of the Guard who were patrolling the battlements. The four lay flat on the ground behind a fallen tree.
Albana pointed to the sky, where the stars could not be seen. “Dark clouds.”
“That’ll help us,” Ikai said.
“This is the moment.”
“Are you sure?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll make it,” she said, and gave him a reassuring smile.
But he was not reassured. “Be very careful. If anything should happen to you…”
She put a finger to his lips. “Shhh… nothing’s going to happen to me.”
He was about to say something, but she kissed him with the passion of a hurricane and left him reeling, then set off at a run.
As he watched her go, her silhouette darkened and suddenly melted into the night.
Honus peered over the trunk of the fallen tree. “Where is she? I can’t see her.”
“You won’t see her,” Karm explained. “She’s special… she has skills.”
“I know she’s special. Even a blind man could see that.”
Suddenly her figure appeared against the base of the wall.
“But how is she planning on climbing that damn great wall?”
“Watch,” Ikai said.
Like a black spider, Albana began to climb the wall. Her hands and feet seemed to adhere to the rock as she ascended. Suddenly she disappeared before their eyes.
“By all the wine in the first county!” Honus cried in astonishment.
“Something really special,” Karm agreed.
She certainly was that for Ikai, and in more than one sense. I can’t lose her. Protect her, Girlai, Father Moon. I beg you, don’t let anything happen to her.
They waited, staring up at the battlements. Two guards were patrolling the section Albana had climbed. Ikai was uneasy. If they find her… At that moment one of the guards disappeared behind the parapet and did not reappear.
“It’s her,” said Karm.
Ikai bit his lip.
A moment later the second guard disappeared. There came the hoot of a barn owl.
“It’s the signal,” said Ikai. “Let’s go.”
&nbs
p; They ran, crouching, to the wall, and waited. A rope came down to them.
“It’s too short,” Honus protested.
“That’s why we brought you,” Karm said, and started climbing on to him.
“I knew I could smell a rat. Don’t step on my mouth!”
“Shhh,” Ikai said. He started to climb up over Honus, then over Karm, until he could reach the rope. Not without difficulty, they managed to climb the wall. Albana was waiting at the top beside a watch-tower.
“And the guards?” Ikai asked.
Albana gestured inside the tower. Honus took a look and saw the two guards, dead.
“I think I’ll call you the black widow.”
Albana turned an amused gaze on him. “I like that. Only be careful I don’t sting you by accident.”
“May Oxatsi forbid it,” the giant said, and took a step back.
“And now?” Karm asked.
“We don’t have much time,” Ikai said. “They’ll find the bodies when the watch changes.”
“We’ll follow Ikai’s plan,” Albana said. “I’ll go in search of the resistance. I know where to find a few contacts in the city ‒ well, if they haven’t been killed already, which is quite possible… anyway, I’ll manage. You two guide Ikai to the tavern Romen took you to, where you met Gedrel. He might be there, either he or some of his men. That way we’ll have more chance of success. The important thing is to get in touch with the rebels so they can take us to Gedrel.”
“Right,” Karm said.
She pointed out a dozen Guards in a square nearby. “The guard’s patrolling the city, so be careful.”
“We certainly will,” said Ikai. He looked at her with concern.
Albana winked at him and stroked his cheek, then left at a run and disappeared into the night.
Honus followed her with his gaze. “I’d give my right arm to know how the hell she does that.”
“Better not,” Ikai said. “We need both your arms. Now let’s go. We don’t have much time.”
The tavern was quiet: too quiet. Ikai was restless. He looked around for anything suspicious, but there was nothing: a few regulars, judging by the way they talked about the inn-keeper, and some women of easy virtue who were having no luck.
