Closer to Balengrath, trumpets began to blow. At first James thought they were in response to what was happening. Then he reached for his farsighter and trained it on the citadel. A series of flags were flying from the central watchtower. That was his signal.
"Get the men ready!" he shouted. "The second, third, and fourth divisions will attack."
On the valley floor, Gawl was taking a drink of water when he saw the men around him pointing. Unable to make out what the commotion was about, he scrambled up a nearby tree for a better view. What he saw stunned him. The enemy soldiers who hadn't been killed when the wave crashed down on their heads were being pulled back into the river by the receding waters and swept away.
"What is it?" Jeram Quinn called up to him.
"Not what, Jeram—who."
"Fire wall!" someone screamed. The sound pulled Mathew back to the moment.
"Here it comes," said Armand.
Mathew felt it when the Orlock queen reacted, and he barely had time to prepare himself. A massive wall of blue fire sprang out of nowhere a half mile from Balengrath and started creeping forward, destroying everything in its path. On the wall they watched it advance for three minutes and then, without explanation, the fire's progress suddenly halted.
"It stopped moving," the priest said.
Everyone saw the same thing. Mathew's eyes, like theirs, remained fixed on the roaring flames a mere hundred yards from the citadel. So intense was the heat, he could feel it up on the parapet.
He had finally managed to bring the fire wall to a stop, but the effort was draining him. Time passed and the minutes crawled by, one into another.
"Weakening. You are weakening, human," Shakira's voice said inside his head.
Some part of Mathew's mind was aware the trumpets were blowing again, and he heard a man shout, "Nyngary has arrived."
Whoever said it seemed very far away.
The voice might have belonged to Delain. Mathew was no longer certain. At some point he became aware that Lara and Collin were there with him, though he knew he could have been hallucinating. His strength was ebbing and there was little he couid do about it.
Shakira's fire surged again and began to spread across the valley, yet she continued to speak to him, her dead white skin and the blue veins in her face floating in his mind's eye. She was sitting on a chair atop a flatbed wagon in a small glade at the far western side of the field, protected from the battle. A rapidly flowing stream moved through the trees behind her. A number of her subjects and Vargothans surrounded the Orlock queen, all of their attention focused on her. One of the humans was a thin-lipped man of about sixty who wore a thin circlet of gold around his brow. He was well-groomed and had white hair that came down to his shoulders.
That must be Seth, Mathew decided.
He took all this in at a glance, though he was not sure what good the information was. Strained almost to the point of collapse, he refused to give up. This was his world, and the Orlocks would not have it without a fight. Fear gnawed at the pit of his stomach, and he sensed that Shakira knew this. The effort she was expending was obvious from her face.
When the fire wall halted for a second time, he felt rather than saw it. Mathew gripped the edge of the battlements to keep himself from falling.
"Look!" someone yelled.
Shakira's fire wall continued to crackle and dance, rising higher into the sky, but on the western end of the field an opening had just appeared, as though someone had parted a curtain. A man on horseback rode through. De-lain took a farsighter from one of his men and trained it on the rider.
"Hold your fire!" he yelled. "He's carrying a white flag."
It took the rider nearly two minutes to reach the citadel's main gate.
"My lords," the man called up. "His majesty, King Seth, and her Royal Highness Shakira of the Orlock nation, would have words with you."
"Tell them to go to hell," Armand yelled back.
The soldier smiled up at him. "Your feelings are understandable, Lord Duren. But it would be in your best interest to hear what they have to say..We are prepared to offer you and your people your lives. . . provided certain conditions are met."
"And what conditions would those be?" asked Delain.
"It would be better to hear them directly from their majesties, your highness. If you give me your word, I will signal my lords to come forward."
"I'll give you this," Armand said; and he grabbed a crossbow from the nearest soldier.
"No," Delain said, stopping him. "He's here under a white flag. I will not see him harmed."
"It's a trick."
"Trick or not, he has a white flag. Tell your men to hold their fire."
Armand held Delain's eye for a moment, then handed the crossbow back to the soldier. "State your conditions," he called down.
"If I have your words that you will honor a truce, my lords will meet with you in one hour in the town of Stewart Vale to explain their plan in person. You may bring an escort if you wish. There is a tavern in the village where you will be able to speak in private.
"I am instructed to say further that Mathew Lewin and the priests Father Siward Thomas, must also be present. If you wish to have your people check the area first, we will understand."
Delain and Armand both turned to Mathew, who nodded. Father Thomas did the same. He was standing off to the side, next to Collin. Lara was also there. She joined Mathew and put an arm protectively around his shoulders. "Why do Mathew Lewin and Father Thomas need to be present?" asked Delain.
The emissary responded with an elaborate shrug. "Their majesties did not choose to share their reasons with me," he said, brushing some dust from one of his sleeves. "They did, however, ask that I convey this letter to you."
"I'd like to know as well," Mathew called out, "so ride back to your masters and get the answer."
The man drew a long suffering breath then twisted around in his saddle and waved at the fire wall. "That won't be necessary. If you will train your glasses there," he said, pointing, "perhaps that will answer part of your question."
Mathew took one of the farsighters from a soldier and focused it in the direction the Vargothan had indicated. Another opening appeared in the fire wall and the wagon bearing Shakira pulled through it. She was still seated, and holding a small child on her lap.
Mathew's heart sank the second he realized who it was. The farsighter slipped through his fingers and fell over the edge of the wall, shattering on the ground below.
"What is it?" Lara asked.
Unable to speak, the stricken expression on his face conveyed volumes.
"A child," Armand said. "She's holding a child."
Lara snatched the farsighter out of Armand's hand and trained it on the wagon. She took a step backward, stunned, the color draining from her face.
Delain turned to Father Thomas. "Is that.. ."
The priest nodded slowly.
"All right," Delain called back. "Tell them we'll come. We'll meet them in four hours."
"Four hours, my lord?"
"This is something that involves the entire Alliance. I will send word to both Gawl and James. Part of the decision must come from them as well." That is my answer.
The soldier smiled pleasantly and inclined his head, then turned his horse toward the opening in the fire wall.
Before he left, he tossed a packet on the ground.
59
Stewart Vale
For the first time in over a hundred years the kings of Alor Satar, Nyngary, Elgaria, Sennia, Mirdan, and Ba-jan all met under one roof. It took less than a half hour for the discussion to become heated. Mathew and Lara, on the parapet directly above the main house, heard the angry voices. Though trying to remain calm, Lara was in a near state of panic over Bran. She kept stealing glances at Mathew, wanting him to tell her that everything would be all right, that he had a solution. He knew he had to do something, he just didn't know what. He didn't want to consider what Bran's pres
ence said about whether Martin and Amanda Palmer were still alive. He knew neither one would have given the child up without a fight.
Earlier, while they were waiting for Gawl and James to arrive, Delain had shown him the letter that was in the packet. The enemy's demands were straightforward. Seth wrote that he would send Bran's head back on a plate if Mathew did not surrender his ring. Moreover, if he failed to do so, everyone in the citadel would be exterminated and their countries razed.
Seth's proposal was somewhat different from the one Shakira had laid out in Rivalin, though it hardly mattered. Seth also wrote that Delain and Armand would be allowed to keep their thrones, provided they swore oaths of loyalty to Vargoth and became its vassals. Their armies were to be disbanded, of course. In addition, the Orlocks would assume two-thirds of Elgaria and one-third of Alor Satar as their permanent home. James, Gawl, and Darias Val would then be free to return to their homelands, where they would work to normalize relations with the new regimes.
There were other demands, but it all came down to capitulation. The last part of the letter stated that Mathew and Father Thomas were'to be turned over to the Orlocks, which didn't surprise Mathew at all.
The point, which was not so subtly conveyed, was to get the Alliance leaders to achieve Shakira's ends for her. Mathew saw through the ploy immediately' and had little doubt the others would, too. He knew the leaders would not let him walk out the front gate and hand his ring over to the enemy. They would kill him before that happened, which was Shakira's goal.
"Do you realize what you're asking?" Gawl's voice drifted up to. him from the gathering. ."No man can be asked' to give up his son."
"I realize it," said Armand. "But it's the boy or us. I'll see them in hell before I kneel to that bastard Seth and his creature friends. It's better to go down fighting."
"And what are we going to do if Mathew decides to leave?" asked James. "There's no one here who can stop him."
"His son's life is at stake," said Gawl.
"Look, I'm under no illusions about the garbage they've presented. It might not be next week, or next month, but they'll come for us as surely as the sun rises."
A silence followed.
"You know I'm speaking the truth," James went on. -!3Sfe owe Mathew Lewin a great deal, but he cannot be allowed to hand his ring over to Shakira. Their victory would be a foregone conclusion so I agree with Armand on this point. I would rather go down fighting and end it now."
"As would I," Delain said. "But there must be an alternative. Is there some way we could mount a rescue attempt for the child?"
Abruptly, Mathew took Lara's hand and they started walking. There wasn't much time, and it was imperative that they act now. He looked around the complex for Collin, but he was nowhere in sight. The last he had seen of his friend, Collin was talking to Father Thomas. He assumed they were still together. Unfortunately, there was no more time to waste.
Mathew explained his plan to Lara: They were going to rescue their son. He had considered going alone, but knew it would be useless to try and keep her from coming.
The tunnel the Orlocks had used to enter Balengrath was fairly easy to locate. None of the guards reacted when Mathew and Lara approached. "Any activity, men?" he asked.
"Nothing," replied a sergeant who had seen more than his share of battles. "How are you and your lady holding up?"
"Fine. And you?"
"As well as can be expected."
"Where does this tunnel come out?" Mathew asked.
The sergeant shrugged. "Never been down it. In fact I didn't even know it was here until today, but Davis here says that it runs into town."
Davis nodded in confirmation.
"Is that right?" Mathew asked.
"Yes, sir," Davis replied. "It's about a fifteen minute walk."
"Thanks. The king should be here soon. Tell him that I've decided to go and pay our ugly friends a little visit."
"With your woman?" the sergeant asked, surprised.
Mathew moved closer and lowered his voice so that only the man could hear it. "I promised I'd show her how the ring worked." He added a wink for emphasis.
The sergeant clearly didn't think much of the idea, but he was not about to challenge Mathew, so he shrugged and stepped aside.
"Just don't go getting yourselves hurt," he cautioned.
"It looks like we're going to need you. Best take one of the torches."
"It's not me who's going to get hurt," Mathew replied.
The pursuit started eight minutes after they entered the tunnel. Shouts and the sound of men running echoed down the long corridor. In the distance they could see the glow of torches reflecting off the walls. Mathew and Lara began running, and by the time they reached the opposite end, were out of breath. Then he drew his sword..
"Take this," he said, handing it to her.
"What are you going to .use?"
"My hands, if I have to."
"Mathew, what if they've already—"
"They haven't. Shakira needs Bran for leverage."
"But—"
"We'll figure it out once were there. Right now we need to gather some brush."
"What?"
"Just get it and I'll explain later."
He considered collapsing the tunnel behind them but rejected the idea. Stealth was the most important weapon they had. If he drew on the ring, it would alert Shakira to their presence. Also, he didn't want to injure the soldiers who were following them.
It took several minutes for the two of them to block the ntrance with brush, and when they were through, Mathew lit a match and set it on fire. Smoke began filling the tunnel. Some of it billowed outside, but that didn't jnatter. If the Orlocks or Vargothans came to see what was happening, they would assume the Alliance was trying to seal the tunnel off, and he and Lara would be long gone by then.
Satisfied that the wood was burning freely, they moved on. He considered the possibilities as they neared town. Negotiating with Shakira and the Vargothans was out of
the question—neither could be trusted. The only thing he was certain about was that he had to save his son.
They were about a quarter mile from the village of Stewart Vale. It was little more than a collection of shops and buildings with forest on either side. A single road ran down the middle. The village sat close to the border between Elgaria and Alor Satar and was the last place travelers emerged after the passes. Near the end of town Mathew saw a building with a sign hanging in front and knew it was the tavern.
No one was in sight yet, which was fortunate. It would give them time to get into position.
The meeting wasn't set for another hour, and he intended to catch Shakira by surprise. He knew the Orlock queen would not come alone, but if Lara could distract her, even for a moment, it might give him enough time to get Bran to safety. It wasn't much of a plan, he conceded, but it was the best he could come up with.
Crouching low, they made their way toward the tavern using the trees for cover. Fifty yards from the front entrance they stopped.
"Do you see anyone?" Lara whispered.
Mathew frowned and shook his head.
The main street was deserted. Except for the sign swaying in front of the tavern, there was no movement at all. Images of what he had found on the Daedalus flashed into his mind.
"Something's wrong," Lara said. "Where is everybody?"
Before he could reply, the sound of horses and a wagon at the north end of the street drew his attention. Moments later a group of Alliance soldiers came into view at the south end of town. He made out Delain, Ar-mand, James Genet, Eldar d'Elso, Gawl, and Father Thomas.
"Damn," Mathew said. "They got here faster than I thought they would."
"Oh, my God," Lara whispered, "there's Bran." She very nearly stood up but stopped herself.
Shakira was in her chair atop the wagon, Bran sitting at her feet. He appeared to be all right. Next to them rode King Seth.
"This doesn't change a
nything," Mathew said. "As soon as they pass us, scream at the top of your lungs, then get back under cover as fast as you can. That will be my sign—"
He stopped abruptly as the point of the sword pressed against his neck, and at the same time, his hand went for his dagger.
"Don't even think of it, lad," a voice behind him said. "There are three crossbows trained on you and the-lady right now."
Mathew started to turn.
"Uh-uh," the soldier said, putting more pressure on the point. "Keep your hands where I can see them. Arid if you try using that ring of yours, the lady and child both die."
Mathew's heart sank when he heard the accent. It was unmistakably Vargothan.
"Now get up nice and slow. You, too, mistress."
They did as they were told and turned around. Four Vargothans looked back at them. Like a complete fool, he realized, he had just led them into a trap.
"Let me relieve you of that weapon," the soldier said to Lara, taking the sword form her. "There's a good girl. I'm Captain Ferrier of King Seth's guard, and I'm assuming you are Mathew Lewin."
Mathew said nothing.
"Cat got your tongue, eh? Well, it doesn't make a difference. I believe their majesties would like a word with you. Let's go."
The moment Seth saw them emerge from the trees, he raised his hand, halting the wagon and his men. Farther down the street the Alliance soldiers began to take up position along the block.
"I told you he would try something," Seth said to Shakira.
Shakira nodded slowly and stood up. One of Seth's men dismounted and helped her down off the wagon. Seth also got off his horse. Delain and the alliance soldiers drew to a halt about twenty yards from them.
"Come forward, your highnesses," Seth called out. "We have business to conduct."
"I have waited a very long time for this, Lewin," Shakira said. Her voice was little more than a whisper. "Do not try anything or the child dies."
The soldier who had helped Shakira off the wagon picked Bran up and walked over to Seth, while another kept his crossbow trained on the boy. Lara started to go to him, but Captain Ferrier raised the sword, aiming the point between her breasts, and she stopped.
Mitchell Graham - [Fifth Ring 03] - The Ancient Legacy(V1.0) Page 43
