The Radiant Child

by Duncan Lay

  ‘It is a source of natural magic. If you do not know how to use magic, you will never be able to use it,’ she told him tiredly.

  ‘Can you perhaps make it look as though I am using it?’

  She considered that one carefully. It was going to be difficult. Then a tapping at the window distracted her. She slid open the horn panel that allowed light and air into the small cabin and a gull squeezed its way through and sat on her shoulder proudly.

  ‘What is that doing here?’ Ezok gasped, edging away from the bird’s glittering eyes and sharp beak.

  ‘He’s my friend!’

  Ezok shook his head. ‘He’s a bird. I am your only friend here—trust me.’

  Karia smiled. ‘I know, you’re the only one who’s been kind. But this bird is more than that. He’s brought news from my father. He’s got the Norstaline army and they’re using the dragon to chase after us in the Tenoch ships you left. He’s got Derthals, Rallorans, Norstalines and the Elfarans! They’ll be right behind us when we land!’

  Ezok nodded absently, worrying what would happen when they reached Tenoch.

  ‘Derthals?’

  ‘You might know them as goblins,’ she offered, stroking the gull’s neck gently.

  Ezok wondered what to do with the information. A knock on the door did not give him time to decide.

  ‘Ezok! King Gello wants to see you!’

  Ezok gulped, trying to think what he could say, then looked at the gull and inspiration struck him.

  ‘Tell me, could the Egg let you see across long distances?’

  ‘No, your magic does that. But you could use the Egg’s magic instead of your own energy to do so…’

  ‘Excellent!’

  Ezok opened the door and almost bolted up the steps to the deck.

  ‘Well Ezok, do you have any progress for us?’ Gello demanded.

  ‘Indeed I do!’ Ezok almost gabbled. ‘The Radiant Child has shown me how the Egg can be used to see across great distances!’

  ‘Very useful, I am sure,’ Onzalez said dryly.

  ‘It could save us all!’ Ezok said hotly. ‘For I have seen her guardian and the others who are pursuing us!’

  ‘Tell us,’ Gello commanded.

  ‘They have gone to the Norstalines. These have gathered the ships we left behind and filled them with Norstalines, Rallorans, the goblins, and her guardian and his warrior elves. The dragon has given them magic and they are flying across the waves to catch us. They will arrive at Tenoch barely a day behind us!’

  Gello felt his heart lurch and guessed that, had Onzalez’s face been visible, he would have shown his shock also.

  ‘They’ll have perhaps a thousand archers, as well as the damned Rallorans, Merren’s Norstaline traitors and the goblins—how many goblins did they bring, Ezok?’

  ‘It’s hard to see,’ Ezok hedged, ‘but there are plenty of ships. And we know you can fit two hundred warriors onto one ship alone.’

  ‘There could be thousands of those damned goblins! And even if they only brought a few, there’s no way we can defeat a Ralloran shield wall backed by that many archers! Markuz couldn’t crack them with eight thousand men, and we have barely a quarter of that!’ Gello gasped. What was going to happen? He had thought himself safe…

  ‘This is a valuable gift, Ezok!’ Onzalez said solemnly. ‘Go back and work more with this Radiant Child. Seek ways of destroying our enemies, while we consider what we can do.’

  Gello waited until Feld and Ezok had left, before taking the Fearpriest’s arm.

  ‘How many warriors have you got back at Tenoch?’ he demanded.

  ‘We have a few thousand scattered across our empire. But there would only be about five hundred in the capital. Most left with us and died at the hands of the goblins,’ Onzalez said coolly. ‘The others are too far away to be able to help us. But there are tens of thousands of people living in Tenoch. We shall arm them and swamp our enemies with numbers! I can raise a massive army, easily enough to replace what we lost!’

  Gello paused. ‘But they will not be trained warriors. And what will they be armed with?’

  ‘Whatever they can bring. Spears, clubs, knives. If there are forty to fifty thousand of them, our enemies will not stand a chance!’

  Gello scratched his chin. He would have preferred thousands of veteran warriors. But surely even Martil and the demon guardian could not defeat that many men! They could stiffen the ranks with their trained soldiers and they would just roll over the top of whatever Merren had brought! Still, it never hurt to be prepared…

  ‘And if they brought ten thousand goblins with them?’

  ‘Then we will have lost a few peasants and thus we have lost nothing. We shall withdraw behind the walls of Tenoch and laugh at their attempts to get inside. Tenoch is the mightiest city in the world! Its walls cannot be scaled, its gates cannot be broken. They are a long way from home and will find no friends there. And we shall have learned how to use the power of the Egg by then—and we shall destroy them. With their army lost, Norstalos will be ripe for the picking!’

  Gello liked the sound of that. His heart began to slow down, and he could take a deep breath and gaze across the water without fear. It might turn out well, after all.

  ‘Make sense of this!’ Martil snarled at Barrett.

  ‘I am anxious to see her rescued too! Don’t think that you are the only one worried about her,’ the wizard fired back.

  ‘We are wasting time—’ Martil began hotly, only for Merren to interrupt.

  ‘We are all concerned. Barrett, just explain what the gull has told you.’

  The wizard sighed. ‘It seems strange but perhaps she has found a way to win their trust long enough for us to get there. They think she is the Egg’s magical guardian, after what she did to them back at Dragonara Isle…’

  ‘Yes, we have been over this! But can she do it, can she make them believe…’

  Barrett rubbed his eyes. ‘I don’t know,’ he admitted. ‘They have a mistaken belief that the Egg is a magical weapon, not unlike the Dragon Sword. But, unlike the Sword, the Egg was not designed to be used. Only an experienced mage, sure of their power and with the blessing of the dragons, would be able to try it. For it is aware, as is the Dragon Sword. If Karia had not ridden on a dragon, if she had not been shown the Egg by an Elfaran, its power would have burned her. Teaching someone who has no magical ability to use it is like teaching archery to this ship.’

  ‘Oh, so pretty easy then,’ Dunner muttered, just loud enough for a few people to smile and for Barrett to glare at him.

  ‘Our best hope is to be so close behind them that they do not have time to learn their error,’ Merren declared.

  Martil could not restrain himself. ‘This is all too risky. That bird knows where to find her. Let’s follow it on Argurium. We can smash our way in there and have her back safe before they even know what is going on.’

  ‘But what about the Egg?’ Barrett pointed out.

  ‘We still go after them and take it back. But we shall have Karia back with us first,’ Martil pointed out.

  ‘We cannot risk the last dragon and the Dragon Sword wielder!’ Havell insisted. ‘If one or both of you falls, there is no hope left! Besides, without Argurium, the ships will not be able to sail as fast.’

  ‘We can help them a little,’ Barrett offered. ‘My mages and I. Give you the time to get to Karia.’

  Everyone’s eyes swivelled to Merren.

  ‘If we can get there without them knowing, it could be done,’ she judged. ‘But I shall go too, along with Havell. We do not go in without my permission, no matter what Martil says or does.’

  ‘My Queen! Do you think that is wise, to risk yourself…’ Barrett began.

  ‘I will not be risking myself. That is the point. We shall only attempt a rescue if it is safe,’ Merren told him.

  Havell reluctantly nodded. ‘I trust your judgment, Queen Merren,’ he agreed.

  ‘But it will be on my judgment. Martil, you
understand you must accept my decision, whatever it is.’ Merren stared hard at Martil.

  Martil gritted his teeth. Once he was on that dragon, he was not coming back unless he had Karia with him. But he knew her well enough to realise he was not going to get on the dragon unless he said the right thing.

  ‘Mark my words, Captain, I shall not let the rescue attempt go ahead if it looks too dangerous. Don’t think that your arm and the Sword give you the power to defy me,’ she warned.

  Martil forced himself to look as though he was resigned. ‘I understand,’ he lied.

  ‘I’ll let Karia know to expect us after dark. It will be harder to see the dragon then,’ Barrett suggested. ‘Besides, even with a little magical help, this bird is going to be exhausted, the distance it has covered.’

  ‘Do so,’ Merren agreed.

  ‘They’re coming to get me tonight!’ Karia could not restrain her joy as she stroked the exhausted gull. Even magic to strengthen and speed its wings for the trip had barely been enough for the bird to make the return.

  ‘What was that?’ Ezok gasped in horror.

  Without the girl, his story about the Egg was going to look foolish and his life would be forfeit. Either he would be killed by Onzalez or by the Egg itself, when the Fearpriest ordered him to use what he had ‘learned’ from the Radiant Child.

  ‘They’re coming to get me on the dragon! You can come too!’ Karia offered. ‘You said they had forced you to do bad things, that you hated them and wanted to get away, so you’d be safer with us than here.’

  Ezok masked his face. He might have fooled her into thinking he was willing to help her but both Martil and the remaining priests of Aroaril had seen him kill their old Archbishop with the help of Prent. That was even before he catalogued what he had seen and helped do in the invasion of southern Norstalos. He would not survive a trial.

  ‘That’s a wonderful idea! I’ll just go and get a few things to bring with me.’ He smiled.

  Karia grinned back, cradling the gull gently. Martil was coming to get her! She would be back with him tonight!

  Ezok slipped out carefully, shut the door gently and then raced to find Onzalez and Gello.

  Argurium shot across the waves at an incredible speed, an impossible speed. This was a risk, in more ways than one. Without the dragon to escort them, the fleet of ships was without the magic that helped speed its progress. Barrett and his mages were doing their best to keep the ships safe and moving swiftly but the speed had dropped away dramatically. The time they were away would mean they were not closing the gap on Gello and his ships nearly as fast. Also, the longer they were away, the greater the chance of a storm or a freak wave striking one or more of the ships. It was just one more thing for Merren to worry about.

  The dragon’s wings beat only irregularly but that did not seem to affect her progress. If Martil thought about it, it was to wish the dragon could go faster. All he could think about was how he could get Karia out and away. Then he could tell her he had lived up to his promise, he had come for her.

  Merren could see what Martil was thinking. It was obvious from the way he gazed hungrily ahead. While she hoped it was possible to bring Karia out of there, she was prepared for anything. Her feelings for Karia could not stop her duty. Not just a few people, not just a country, but a whole world rested on her shoulders. If either the dragon or Martil died, there was no hope for any of them.

  She had tried again to talk to him, but received only one-word answers in reply.

  Now they were both alone with their thoughts.

  ‘Not far,’ Havell said.

  The moon shining on the waves was the only light that night, and often it would disappear behind clouds, though that did not seem to worry Argurium. But ahead was a strange glow, lighting the sky.

  ‘What is that?’ Martil asked.

  ‘It is the ships,’ Havell sighed.

  The glow grew brighter and brighter until Argurium flared her wings and their speed dropped right away. Now they were hovering above the waves, looking at a small fleet of ships, every one of them lit by a sea of torches and lanterns around the decks. The ships were clustered around one in the centre, which was lit even more brightly. On the deck of every ship were scores of men.

  ‘Which one is Karia’s?’ Martil asked desperately.

  ‘The one in the middle,’ Havell said sadly.

  Argurium slowly looped around the fleet, keeping her distance, keeping to the shadows. Merren could see many of the men on deck had crossbows or those strange spear-hurling devices the Tenochs had used. Wherever they went, eyes were looking for them. Merren knew all the torches on the decks would have destroyed the watchers’ night vision and they would be unable to see far from their ship. But they did not need to. To get to Karia, Argurium would have to fly over at least two of the others.

  ‘What are we waiting for? Let’s go in there!’ Martil demanded.

  ‘They knew we were coming. It’s too risky,’ Merren said, a sick sense of despair sliding into her chest. She did not want to fight with Martil but there was no choice here—they could not risk a rescue attempt now. If she had been able to speak to Martil earlier…but there was no sense in what-ifs. She had to deal with this now, whatever the consequences.

  ‘They’re just on guard! That’s nothing! The dragon’s magic can protect us!’ he insisted.

  ‘They have a Fearpriest down there! He will be able to pierce Argurium’s magic!’ Havell snarled. ‘We cannot do this! Queen Merren, we must leave.’

  ‘No!’ Martil let out a howl of anger and despair that echoed across the waves. Instantly men rushed to the rails of the ship, crossbows in hand.

  ‘We cannot just leave her! It’s worth the risk!’

  ‘Martil,’ Merren warned.

  ‘She’s just down there! Take us in!’ he ordered Havell.

  Merren slipped her dagger out of its sheath. Anger, frustration and fear lent strength to her arm. As Martil reached out to grab Havell, she struck Martil hard on the back of the head with the heavy pommel. Instantly he slumped forwards.

  ‘Hold him,’ Merren snapped, slipping her dagger back into its sheath. ‘Don’t let him fall!’

  ‘What did you do?’ Havell gasped, as he reached back to hold the dazed warrior.

  ‘Saved his life, and ours also. Now get us back to our ships,’ Merren said grimly.

  Argurium gave a shrieking roar of challenge into the night, then beat her wings rapidly and went back the way she came.

  ‘They were out there all right,’ Gello said with satisfaction. ‘Good work, Ezok!’

  They had waited nervously on deck, wondering what was going to come out of the darkness. The men had almost been helpless with fright, for word of the demon with the unstoppable sword had managed to spread across all ships. It had taken all of Gello’s authority, as well as a few threats, to get them ready to defend the ships and not just try to save themselves. Onzalez had been praying all night, and had sacrificed a pair of wounded men to make sure he was ready for whatever the night would bring, which had done little to improve morale.

  After the debacle in the Dragon Hall, Gello had been half afraid the dragon and its riders would prove too much to handle but, evidently, a show of force had been enough to scare it off. Although, judging by the noise it had made, perhaps scare was too strong a word.

  ‘Your work with that magical child is beginning to bear fruit, Ezok,’ Onzalez judged. ‘How soon do you think it will be before all its secrets have been revealed?’

  Ezok controlled his face, glad of the semi-darkness that helped hide the nervous sweat.

  ‘There is much work. We have barely scratched the surface of what it can do,’ he said carefully. ‘We were most lucky tonight. For without the child, the Egg will be useless to us.’

  Onzalez grunted. ‘You need to hurry. That creature down below is summoning pursuers after us. Who knows what else it might call up from Aroaril’s deepest pits? The sooner we can sacrifice it to Zorva, the better
.’

  ‘What happened?’ Martil felt himself reviving. ‘Were we attacked?’

  ‘Keep quiet! You need to rest until Milly has had a chance to see you,’ Merren told him.

  Martil reached up and felt a huge lump on the back of his head.

  ‘What was it? Slingshot?’ he asked. ‘I didn’t think they had seen us properly.’

  ‘Don’t touch it!’ Merren ordered. ‘And it wasn’t a slingshot. It was the pommel of my dagger. I hit you.’

  ‘What?’ Martil tried to turn around. ‘Why did you—’

  ‘It was the only way to save your life. This was a good idea, but they were ready for us. We could not risk Argurium—or you.’

  ‘But Karia!’

  ‘We shall get there as fast as we can, land right behind them. After all, we are able to cut the corner on them by not sailing past Dragonara Isle.’

  ‘We could have got her! It was worth the risk!’

  ‘Don’t you understand?’ she snapped. ‘It is not just about you! Inside that Egg is the future of this entire world! And it is on my shoulders to see it saved! I love Karia, if anything happened to her I would be devastated but, if it comes down to a choice between her and every other child on this world, I have to be able to make the right decision.’

  The vehemence in her voice penetrated Martil’s daze. He could barely believe she had hit him, from behind, to stop him from saving Karia.

  ‘I cannot think that way,’ he said, finally.

  ‘Well, I have to. And I will do it again if I must,’ she told him.