‘Show me!’ Danil commanded, and Borgulnay pulled his shirt up. Danil gave a low whistle. ‘This is not good,’ he said.
‘It doesn’t feel good,’ Borgulnay agreed.
‘Araas, can you heal this?’ asked Danil as Araas knelt beside him.
‘I can, but unless we clean it first the flesh will go bad and he’ll die anyway.’
Gilgarry opened his pack and took out a flask of vinegar. Borgulnay didn’t move as the fiery liquid ran into the cut.
‘Good,’ said Araas approvingly. ‘Now Tim, if you would hold the cut together for me.’ Timbul placed his hands on the top of the long, deep cut, and pressed the edges together. To everyone’s surprise where the edges of the wound touched, the skin bonded. Timbul snatched his hands away in surprise and stared at Borgulnay. His shirt fell and covered the wound.
‘What’s wrong?’ said Borgulnay. ‘Is it too deep?’
‘No Borg,’ said Timbul accusingly. ‘When I pushed the edges of the wound together, it started to heal!’
‘And you didn’t think you could do that?’
‘I can’t do that! Araas can! Well I can, just not as well as Araas. But it wasn’t me Borg, it was you!’
‘Have I done something wrong?’ said Borgulnay turning to glare at Timbul, not liking the guardian’s tone of voice. He glanced at Araas and saw that he was also staring at him in confusion and discomfort.
‘I can only think of one reason why you should begin to take on traits of the free,’ said Timbul angrily, glancing at Immosey who was staring at him in bewilderment. ‘She’s practically still a child, Borg!’
‘What!’ Borgulnay managed to leap to his feet. ‘Tim I didn’t! I wouldn’t! You must believe me!’
‘Why else would your body be able to heal itself?’ said Timbul challengingly. ‘I know it takes a little more than just holding hands with one of the free before you begin to change!’
Suddenly Gilgarry was in front of Borgulnay and glaring furiously at him. Without warning he drew back his arm and drove his fist into Borgulnay’s face, smashing his nose.
‘No!’ Immosey, Danil and Kelian shouted simultaneously and Gilgarry froze, holding his fist beside his ear ready to strike Borgulnay once again. Borgulnay didn’t move.
‘The next person who moves without my permission will be hung from the nearest tyalla,’ said Kelian ominously, glaring around.
‘Gil, we didn’t!’ Immosey gasped indignantly, starting to cry as blood rushed from Borgulnay’s nose. Gilgarry lowered his fist.
‘Then how is this possible?’ asked Timbul, still sounding accusing.
Araas reached towards Immosey and lifted the little pendant tied around her neck. ‘This must be even more powerful than I imagined.’
‘Borg isn’t the one wearing it!’ Timbul argued. ‘Something must have happened!’
‘Love is a strong catalyst,’ said Araas. He dropped the pendant and placed his hand on Borg’s shoulder, staring into the soldier’s eyes. After a few minutes he withdrew his gaze. ‘You can apologize whenever you’re ready Gil, and you too, Tim.’
‘You never touched her?’ asked Gil, looking mortified. Borgulnay shook his head. ‘Never? Not at all?’ he persisted and Borgulnay shook his head again.
‘So, she’s still…?’
Borgulnay nodded.
‘Ahh…I’m sorry Borg,’ said Gilgarry sincerely. ‘But if you were innocent why did you just stand there and let me hit you?’
‘Actually I didn’t quite know what to do,’ Borgulnay admitted, using his shirt to wipe the blood from his face. He winced as he touched his broken nose. ‘I don’t think hitting you back would have been helpful. It would have made everything worse.’
‘Probably,’ Gilgarry agreed. ‘Did you want to hit me?’
‘Definitely, and the way I was feeling at that second, I probably would have killed you.’
‘Do you want me to...?’ Gilgarry pointed to Borgulnay’s nose.
‘Go ahead.’
‘Sit!’
‘Woof,’ Borgulnay replied, not impressed at being addressed like a dog.
‘Oh just sit down please Borg,’ said Gilgarry impatiently, feeling guilty for his actions. ‘I guess I should be happy about this. At least the Nailmarni blood probably won’t kill you.’
‘Someone should tell Mil to get back here and that we don’t need the Pelgavik,’ said Elena.
‘He’s on his way,’ said Araas.
‘Now tell me exactly what happened at the castle,’ said Kelian to Timbul as they watched Gilgarry set Borgulnay’s nose straight.
‘I followed Borg’s tracks through the new escape tunnel, across to the courtyard and around inside the castle. It wasn’t difficult to see where he’d gone,’ said Timbul.
‘Why?’ asked Danil, knowing that Borgulnay rarely left tracks, and particularly not tracks that could be easily followed.
‘His path was strewn with Nailmarni bodies,’ Timbul explained, and Araas raised an eyebrow. ‘As far as I can tell, he cleaned out all but the two I found. There may have been a few more we didn’t find, but it seems most of them drowned in the wave. Borg found where they were stacking the bodies in the kitchen storeroom. Stay where you are, Borg,’ he added lifting the bloodied shirt. Araas crouched and began to press the edges of the wound together. Immosey and Elena watched in fascination as the wound began to seal. Eventually it was just an angry red mark on the soldier’s back.
‘So, are you saying if we wanted to, we could retake the castle?’ asked Kelian.
‘Yes. I think we could, but who knows how many more might come out of the bush land,’ Timbul said cautiously.
‘Do you wish to return to Castle, Highness?’ asked Danil.
Kelian stood in silent thought for some time. ‘No,’ he said eventually. ‘We’ll continue on to the Dwellings. If we can possibly get there in time to help them, we will. What did you bring?’
‘Blankets, dry clothing for Ellie and Immy, and a few bits and pieces that were lying around that I thought we might find useful,’ said Timbul.
‘Danil how’s the path ahead?’
‘It’s fairly clear. There are some signs of recent activity, but I’d say most of the Nailmarni went down to Castle at the time of the attack.
‘And the fallen?’
‘I saw nothing that made me think the fallen have been through this area. But if Nandul has sent his more skilled warriors, there won’t be any tracks.’
Milgorry made his way down the hillside and stood beside Danil. He stared curiously at Borgulnay. ‘Rudi will be pleased.’
‘Excuse me?’ said Kelian.
‘He was fairly impressed with Borg’s strategic reckoning. I seem to remember him asking if he’d stay in Nyinaku,’ said Milgorry. ‘I imagine he’ll be fairly pleased with the recent changes.’
‘I won’t be going anywhere. Look, I might have picked up a few traits of the free,’ said Borgulnay casually, ‘but I took oath to serve King and country, and nothing will make be break my word. And there are other reasons, just as strong.’
‘Like?’ asked Enri skeptically.
‘Like loyalty to someone as close as a bother,’ said Borgulnay, glancing at Kelian. ‘I think you understand that Enri.’
‘Yes, I understand that,’ said Enri, wondering where Dale was at this moment and whether he would get through to Emerald successfully. He sighed. Borgulnay was right. He continually worried about Dale the exact way he would worry about a brother.
‘And this is my home. This is where I want to be.’ Borgulnay looked despondently at the mess. ‘Even now, this is my home.’
Milgorry unrolled his shirt and drew out a huge bunch of Pelgavik.
‘Ah, we don’t actually need it any more, Mil,’ said Immosey. ‘I thought you could hear my thoughts!’
‘I can. I just thought it might come in handy in the future. I have no idea whether it grows anywhere around the Dwellings, so the more we can take with us the better. It won’t make any difference whet
her it’s fresh or dry,’ said Milgorry. Gilgarry took the Pelgavik from him and stowed it in his pack.
‘There is Pelgavik near home,’ said Araas. ‘But not in great quantities, so it’s difficult to find. We’ll collect as much as we can along the way.’
‘Mil, as soon as I wore this pendant I started to change. And then Borg started to change. Why don’t the human women change when they are taken by the fallen?’ Immosey asked hesitantly.
Milgorry’s face turned hard. ‘Because we don’t let them live long enough after they bear our children.’
‘But if they were allowed to live, would they change?’ Immosey persisted.
‘I don’t know,’ Milgorry admitted. ‘Would they change, Araas?’
‘If they were taken for love, they would change,’ Araas said certainly. ‘But it rarely happens. The men of the fallen take human women for a moment of pleasure or to bear their child, but they seldom love them. They see them as inferior. If the woman was loved, she would take on traits of the free. She would remain human, but she would also be free.’
‘I don’t entirely understand,’ Elena admitted.
‘Their choices determine their changes,’ Araas explained. ‘Imagine you were taken by one of the fallen. If you were loved, you would want to be with them, and you would change. But this never happens. The fallen don’t love the women who bear their children. The human women taken by the fallen are kept in submission, terror, humiliation and contempt until their child is born at which point they are killed. They hate the fallen, and justifiably, so there are no changes.’
‘Is there any reason we shouldn’t leave now?’ Kelian asked Danil.
‘No. In fact, the sooner we get away from here the better. Even now, we need to be a bit more careful or we’ll all end up sick,’ said Danil. ‘And it’s only going to get worse around here as bodies decay.’
‘We should find some clean water and bathe,’ said Enri, looking uneasily at the filthy water and mud.
‘We’ll bathe in the first clean water we find,’ Kelian agreed. ‘In the meantime, everyone should wash their hands and faces with the water we have, but be sure you leave some for drinking.’ It was almost midnight when they left the ruined city.
Chapter 33
Muraban
‘This is a good place,’ said Lias, looking across the stream. The land they had passed through was far greener than the land near Castle, and as they moved towards Emerald there were an increasing number of streams and little rocky pools. There were low hills to the south, which prevented them seeing more than a mile ahead.
‘We’re not far from Starly Forest,’ said Dale. They had stopped to rest and find some food.
‘Have you been this way before?’ asked Lias. He had spent the morning with Dale at a muddy little creek, searching for yabbies. Throughout the morning they trapped enough for everyone to have a reasonable meal.
‘I have,’ Dale replied, removing one claw from a yabby and releasing the crustacean into the water. ‘Not long after I was taken to Emerald I tried to go back to East Inlet. I didn’t want to be found, so I crept through Starly Forest and headed east. At the time I thought I could return there, and somehow reclaim my old life.’ He sighed and shook his head. ‘You can never go back.’
‘Just one claw?’ Lias asked.
‘If you only take one of the claws, it will grow back. I already have enough whole yabbies, and we don’t want to take too many,’ he explained. He placed the claw in the camp fire. ‘There’s a place not far ahead I want you to see. It should be amazing at this time of the year.’ He took a stick and tried to remove some of the cooked yabbies and claws from the fire. Rudiger and Ben walked up the slope. ‘Where’s Raline and little Rezon?’ he asked.
Lias paused and concentrated for a moment. ‘With Eibhear,’ he said pointing north. ‘They’re on their way back. I’m hoping they caught something. Other than yabbies, I mean,’ he said looking at the yabby claws dubiously.
Dale laughed. ‘At least they make a change from travel cakes,’ he said positively. He gave up trying to use a stick to remove a cooked claw from the coals, and attempted to flick it from the fire with his fingers. He gave a shout of pain as he made contact with both the claw and the hot coals. He straightened up with a curse, accidently stood on the hot claw, cursed again and limped at full speed into the creek. Eibhear appeared seconds later, followed closely by Rezon and Raline.
Eibhear’s mouth dropped open in surprise. ‘You can’t have injured yourself again!’ he said, staring at Dale who was hopping about uncomfortably in the water. ‘Surely that’s not possible!’
‘He did,’ Lias confirmed. ‘He burnt his hand and his foot. You’re not making this easy for me, Dale,’ he added irritably. ‘I gave Callian my word that I would get you safely back to Emerald.’ Their progress has been slow as Dale led Leon with Callian lying along the horse’s back. Dale allowed time for the horse to graze when needed and this slowed them considerably. At first Dale wondered if Callian’s unconscious body would slide from the horse’s back, but after Rezon lifted him onto the horse he remained steadily in place, and Leon didn’t object to carrying him. Rezon carried Raline every time she began to tire. Raline made no objection any time Rezon picked her up, and Rezon seemed to be quite pleased about this. Most of their gear was now being carried by the mare, who Dale was calling Amy.
‘So who found you?’ asked Lias. ‘Or did you make it through to East Inlet?’
‘Duke Li. He found me just south of here in a place he called Muraban, but we did keep going to East Inlet together.’
‘Muraban. That means flowers,’ said Lias.
‘It does,’ Dale agreed. ‘And when we get there, you’ll see why.’ Dale waded out of the water and took off his clothing. He hung his trousers and shirt over a small burgundy queen bush which was covered in a profusion of red blossoms. Eibhear filleted the two fish he was carrying and placed the pieces on hot rocks amongst the coals. Raline and Rezon sat under the shade of a large tyalla tree with Rudiger and Ben, nibbling on the pile of yabby meat Dale offered.
‘And Duke Li took you back to East Inlet?’ said Lias, looking surprised.
‘He seemed to think I needed to resolve a few issues. He was right – he usually is. It was the first time I saw Duke Li for who he really is. There I was, camped in the middle of Muraban, next to a really nice rock pool. It might possibly be the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. But I barely saw it. I was so consumed by anger and resentment for-’ He stopped and looked sadly at Lias, ‘for the attack on East Inlet, for the death of my parents. I lost everyone I knew, and I was certain I’d never forgive the fallen for what they did.’
Lias did not comment as he stared into the fire.
‘So Duke Li rode right up to my campsite. He got off his horse, dropped his swag beside mine and said we’d have to hunt if we wanted to have enough food to make it through to East Inlet. I had expected to be given a good beating before being dragged back to Emerald, so I just stood there staring at him in complete confusion. I couldn’t believe he came to find me. And that he was serious. He went with me all the way to East Inlet, and he never once admonished me for leaving by myself. It was horrible returning to the town, but I needed to see it again. King Dannicus had people cleaning up the mess, and most of the bodies were gone. There were a few of the women from Storm Haven helping with the clean-up.’ Dale paused and gazed glumly into the fire. ‘One of the women found the body of her son buried under the ruins of a burnt building. That was the most hideous incident in the entire aftermath. She was screaming and trying to drag his dead body free, but he’d been dead for so long his hair and teeth were starting to fall out and his body just burst apart as she tried to pull him from the wreckage.’ Dale grimaced as he remembered the horrible sight. ‘And the smell was absolutely atrocious. I’ll never forget it. The poor woman threw herself from the northern wall.’ The wall around the small keep at East Inlet had been built at the edge of the rocky cliffs and it was a
very long drop to the sea. ‘The only things that were not badly damaged were the wall and the keep, though everything inside was ruined.’
‘I remember,’ said Lias, wishing he hadn’t been there. ‘Nandul’s purpose was to return Tebur, but he chose to destroy East Inlet as he passed by. There was no need. You are right to be angry. It was unforgivable.’
‘I’ve taken a lot of thought and I hold Nandul responsible for what happened, Lias. I doubt he gave you any choice.’
Lias shook his head. ‘There’s always a choice Dale. We never even thought to question him, and that in itself was wrong. Dale, I really am sorry.’
‘As I said, we can never go back to a past life. Did you try the yabbies?’
‘It’s fairly certain I can never safely go back to Nyinaku, at least not whilst Nandul is still alive,’ Lias agreed. ‘They could do with a little salt.’
‘I’ll return to East Inlet one day,’ said Dale, cracking open a claw.
‘Did you choose to go back to Emerald or were you told to go?’
‘Both. I took Duke Li with me up into the keep. Practically everything was destroyed or burnt, but mother’s jewelry was untouched, and a few things belonging to father were left lying about, so I took what belonged to my family. I didn’t want to leave, but King Dannicus said I was to serve Duke Li as his Squire and Duke Li had to return to Emerald, so I had to go with him. East Inlet was all but gone, and everyone I loved was gone, but it was only after I went up into the empty keep that I found that I wanted to go too. I planned to return to East Inlet and rebuild when I was older, and King Dannicus agreed that I could. And one day I will. But it will be a new start - not a return to the past.’
Dale fell silent letting his mind wander over his childhood in East Inlet, and all that had happened to him since. He was remembering his brief journey through Nyinaku when a strange but familiar feeling brushed his heart. His eyes opened suddenly and he barely stopped himself from crying out in surprise. Across his heart, in the gentlest of soft strokes came the feeling of someone searching his soul. As if in answer to his memories of Nyinaku, the sensation which he had first experienced outside Weema returned with force. He felt he was frozen in place, fearful to move a muscle lest the feeling should end. He steadied his breathing and glanced up at Eibhear.
The Guardians (Book 2) Page 25
