DarkSkull Hall

by Lisa Cassidy

  “Why doesn’t he refer to you by your title?” Dawn seemed a little taken aback.

  “We’ve known each other since we were children.”

  “So you’re friends then? That explains it.”

  Alyx snorted. “I wouldn’t exactly call Dashan a friend.”

  “Oh,” Dawn replied, glancing at her brother.

  “How old would the Madman be?” Finn asked.

  “His title is Lord Mirren,” Alyx corrected. “He’d have to be fairly old. I don’t even know if he has children to inherit after he dies.”

  “Maybe he doesn’t,” Finn said ghoulishly. “Maybe he’s dead and rotting away in his castle and nobody knows. That’s why nobody has seen him in years.”

  “Shut up, Finn,” Dawn groused.

  They stopped as night fell, and Alyx followed the twins as they left the relative warmth of the carriage to eat by the fire. Roland—the designated cook—had prepared a rough stew but Alyx had never tasted anything so awful in her life. Dashan’s mocking look the previous night when she’d complained about the food kept her silent this evening, though.

  Once she’d eaten, Alyx went straight back into the carriage and lay down on the seat to try and sleep. Dawn stretched out on the opposite seat and Finn on the floor between them. They had thick blankets and the seats were cushioned, so it was comfortable and warm enough.

  Alyx found it impossible to fall asleep, though. The cushioned seats were lumpier than her bed at home, and the space too narrow for her to stretch out properly. It was hours before she fell into a fitful sleep, and even then she kept waking up to shift uncomfortably.

  They travelled on into the next day, and camped much the same way that night. The Bluecoats became more alert once they’d entered the disputed area and kept a tighter guard around the carriage.

  As she retired to the carriage to sleep that night, Dashan and another Bluecoat rode out to scout the area. The sight caused uneasiness to prickle through her, which made her restless and unable to sleep. From the amount of shifting that Dawn was doing Alyx gathered the girl wasn’t sleeping either.

  After finally falling asleep, Alyx was awoken later that night by the eerie howl of a wolf. She sat up, trying to stretch, and noted that the rain had returned and was tapping on the windows of the carriage. The wolf howled again, sounding close by, and Alyx tried to stifle a spurt of fear. Blankets rustled as Finn and Dawn sat up too.

  “Do you think we’re in danger?” Dawn whispered.

  “Not in here,” Alyx said. “But I hope the Bluecoats are all right.”

  “Maybe it’s the Madman’s men out hunting?” Finn said. “Dashan was telling me he owns dogs that are trained to hunt their prey down before killing them.”

  “Finn, please,” Dawn hissed.

  By the light of day, Dashan’s story had seemed silly, calculated to scare Finn and Dawn and annoy Alyx, but now the tale took on a new, eerie feeling.

  “Lord Mirren’s lands are far to the east of here. And that was a wolf howling, not a dog.” Alyx tried to keep her voice steady but failed.

  “Alyx is right,” Dawn said firmly.

  A gust of wind shook the carriage, setting it rocking on its hinges. Both Alyx and Dawn smothered gasps of fright, then looked at each other sheepishly. Finn snorted at them both in amusement.

  Suddenly, in the dark and shared fear, the twins didn’t seem to Alyx quite so much a world away from her. She glanced across at Dawn and saw in the dim moonlight that the girl had gone pale.

  “Dawn? What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know,” she whispered. “I can hear voices on the wind.”

  Finn abruptly scrambled upwards from under his blankets. “You mean like you did sometimes back home?”

  “Yes. Exactly like that.”

  “What can you hear?”

  “You know I’m never able to make out actual words.” A note of frustration crept into the girl’s voice. “They’re too distant… I can’t make it out. They’re not nice voices though. Such anger, such hate. It almost hurts.”

  “When this happened before, what was it you heard?” Alyx asked.

  Finn replied when Dawn merely shuddered and huddled back into her blankets. “Nothing special. Sometimes she’d know when people were in another room of the house, or if our father came home early from work.”

  “I never felt it like this though,” Dawn whispered.

  Alyx shuddered, her stomach twisting into knots. Dawn was probably letting the night and howling wind run away with her imagination, but something about the way she spoke resonated with Alyx. She wanted to dismiss the girl’s words but couldn’t.

  “Dawn, it might just be your imagination. Lady Egalion and I can’t hear anything. Take a deep breath and relax,” Finn soothed.

  “No.” Dawn’s voice trembled. “I wish it was my imagination, but it’s not.”

  “All right, I believe you.” Finn reached out and drew her against him. “Can you tell how far away they are?”

  “Not really.” She shivered. “I think it’s stopped now.”

  “Let’s try and get back to sleep.” Alyx laid back down. “I’m sure the Bluecoats will have us up early tomorrow morning.”

  “Whatever you heard, Dawn, it can’t be close, or else the guards would have raised the alarm.” Finn sounded firmer now. “We’re fine. Get some rest.”

  Alyx settled back down on the seat, unable to get comfortable, jumping every time she heard a noise outside. It was hours before she was able to fall back into an uneasy sleep.

  Chapter 6

  By the time morning came, the light rain had turned into a solid downpour. Casta rapped on the carriage door to politely inform Alyx that breakfast had been made for them.

  The Bluecoats had erected a tarpaulin sheet between two trees in an attempt to stay dry the previous night. It was flapping loudly in the wind as Alyx and the twins clustered around the small fire beneath it to eat. Dashan and the other Bluecoat Alyx had seen ride off the night before still hadn’t returned.

  Alyx stared moodily at her food, any appetite she’d had taken away by the discomfort of the hard ground and itching of her skin. Making time for washing clothes or bathing hadn’t been high on the Bluecoats priority list so far. The twins huddled together nearby and ate in silence. Dawn still looked pale and worried and Finn was clearly concerned for his sister.

  Neither of them took much notice of Alyx, which was fine with her. Apart from their fleeting moment of shared fear the night before, she was unsure of how to relate to them, particularly when they often seemed either awed around her or awkward about how to speak to her.

  As the daughter of a rich and powerful Lord, Alyx had never had to expend any effort to make friends or be well-liked. Her friends – children of equally rich or powerful nobility – had just always been there. Faced with two people her own age who came from such different circumstances, and clearly were uncomfortable with her rank, she had no idea how to even begin making friends. She wasn’t even sure she wanted to try.

  Hoof beats sounding in the distance made Alyx start violently, but her racing heart calmed as Dashan galloped up the road with the other Bluecoat. He hauled his stallion into a sliding halt, spraying mud everywhere. They were both soaked to the skin and their sharp blue uniforms were limp and clinging to their bodies. Dashan looked uncharacteristically grave as his brown eyes scanned their group until they settled on Audern—the unit captain.

  “Sir, I suggest we get packed up and ready to go at once. We should leave the carriage and continue on horseback.”

  “What’s happened?” Alyx asked in alarm.

  Dashan ignored her as his captain asked the same question, stiffly; he clearly didn’t like Dashan’s decisive tone.

  “There’s a Shiven patrol tracking us, sir. They’re a couple hours behind.”

  “You’re certain?” Audern’s stiffness vanished, replaced by concern.

  “Yes, sir. Tijer and I saw their tracks.”

  “Clear
as day, sir,” Tijer added. “It could be they’re just making sure we’re not up to anything, but I don’t like it. If we leave the carriage we can take a more direct route through the forest and get across the border into Tregaya faster.”

  Audern thought through the situation, staring off into the distance. Eventually his face cleared as he came to a decision. “All right. It could be nothing, but I don’t want to take any chances given we’re on protective detail.”

  Audern’s command broke the tense silence that had fallen. The camp became a hive of activity as the Bluecoats prepared to move out quickly.

  “How do you know they’re following us?” Alyx grabbed at Dashan’s wet sleeve; for the moment he hadn’t been given any orders.

  “We saw their tracks.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I know you think I’m good for nothing,” he snapped. “But I am one of the elite king’s Guard, the most highly trained warriors in Rionn. Do you think I’ve been sitting around polishing my sword this past year or something?”

  “No, I just—”

  “I know what I’m doing, Alyx.” He strode away.

  Alyx glanced over at Finn and Dawn, who both looked frightened. Behind them two Bluecoats unpacked rations from the carriage and began stuffing them into their saddlebags.

  “Wait, Dash.” Alyx ran after him, grabbing the tails of his coat and forcing him to turn and face her.

  “What is it?”

  “We should go back to Rionn,” she urged. “If there’s trouble, Finn, Dawn and I can’t defend ourselves, and there are only twenty of you.”

  Dashan’s face darkened, but she spoke before he could.

  “This is not a comment on your abilities. We can go back and take a ship to Tregaya if Lord-Mage Casovar still insists on us going to DarkSkull Hall. He’ll just have to accept us arriving late.”

  “I hear you, but Tijer was right. The Shiven are more than likely just shadowing us to make sure we’re not up to anything. If we turn back now, they might think we’re looking to attack or set an ambush. It’s safer to continue on.”

  Alyx stared at him, fear clogging her throat.

  “We’ll need blankets,” Finn said suddenly, turning and jogging over to the carriage.

  His wiry form reached inside and began dragging out blankets. Dawn caught the one he tossed at her and wrapped it around her shoulders. She then joined her brother in packing a bag for them both.

  “They’ve got the right idea.” Dashan gave Alyx a gentle shove. “Go and help them.”

  Reluctantly, she helped the twins pack a small saddlebag each, and then reached into the carriage and rifled around for the small bag of gold coins her father had given her. She tied that to her skirt belt and reluctantly stepped back, leaving everything else behind. The bag she’d brought was too large to carry on horseback.

  “You okay?” Dawn asked.

  “Yes.” Alyx tore her gaze from the bag and straightened her shoulders. Everything she had left from home was in that bag, but she’d promised her father she’d do her best and whining about abandoning the dresses she’d packed certainly didn’t fall in that category. “I’m ready to go.”

  By then the Bluecoats were organised. Alyx found herself being lifted into the saddle in front of Casta by Dashan. Dashan then helped Finn onto Tijer’s horse before pulling Dawn onto his own. Audern called out the order to ride, then wheeled his stallion around and led them away at a canter.

  Immediately the trees closed in about them. Alyx struggled to stay balanced on the horse’s back as it plunged through the undergrowth. Casta had one arm wrapped tightly around her middle, the other holding the reins. Alyx was juggled around like a sack of potatoes.

  Her awareness narrowed to a blur of slapping tree branches and gripping the saddle pommel for dear life. Soon her arms and shoulders were aching from holding on so tightly, her legs bruised and scratched from bumping into passing trees and undergrowth. The rain made the ground slippery and she almost fell off completely each time the horse slipped sideways in the mud.

  They rode for what seemed like a lifetime until eventually the horses began to tire. The gait of the stallion underneath Alyx slowed to a tired walk, his coat lathered with sweat.

  “I think something is wrong with Dawn,” Dashan called out suddenly.

  The girl sat slumped in Dashan’s hold, her face deathly pale.

  “Dawn?” Finn called out sharply. “Are you all right?”

  “They’re still following us,” Dawn answered, her voice thick with dread.

  “Who is?” Audern asked in confusion.

  “The voices have come back. They hurt now, like a really high-pitched sound in my head.”

  “The what?” Dashan looked incredulous.

  Dawn shook her head, concentrating, then looked at Alyx. “The same voices I heard last night, the ones that hate us. I can still hear them.”

  “I know you’re scared, but are you sure?” Finn said.

  “I am. I’m not imagining it, I promise.”

  “I see.” Audern’s confused expression faded as he regarded Alyx and the twins. “Lord-Mage Casovar has identified you as a potential mage, Miss A’ndreas. What can you tell me about what you’re hearing?”

  “It’s non-specific,” the girl struggled to explain. “Like snatches of words, or sometimes a cluster of voices all at once. I can feel the emotion behind them. Anger, and triumph, a ruthless focus.”

  The Bluecoats looked as thoroughly spooked as Alyx at those words.

  “If we assume what you’re hearing is the Shiven on our tail, maybe it can help us,” Dashan suggested. “Can you tell how close they are?”

  Dawn concentrated. “What I hear fades in and out, it’s not constant. I think they’re far away… but I’m fairly sure they still have our trail.”

  Alyx didn’t miss the concerned looks passing between the Bluecoats around her. This clearly wasn’t normal Shiven patrol behaviour. Her hands clenched tightly around the leather pommel as she fought to stay calm.

  “We’ll keep going as long as the horses can carry us,” Audern said. “Miss A’ndreas, let me know at once if anything changes.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The Bluecoats urged their horses on, though they could no longer move faster than a trot. Alyx kept glancing across at Dawn, shuddering at the thought of the voices the girl kept hearing. If what Dawn was experiencing was her mage power then Alyx didn’t want any part of something like that. Finn kept looking over at his sister too, plastering a smile of reassurance on his face whenever she caught him looking. Alyx shivered again, willing the sick knots in her stomach to relax, wishing for the first time that she was braver.

  For the rest of the day, they travelled through thick forest. All around them was the same unending lines of trees and knee-high green undergrowth. Water dripped down on them from the leaves above as a steady, drizzling rain continued to fall.

  Late in the afternoon, Audern called a halt and sent one of his more agile men climbing up a nearby tree. When the Bluecoat descended, he and Audern held a murmured conversation while Alyx and the twins watched. After some minutes, Audern rode his horse over, and everyone gathered around him.

  “Yirin couldn’t see any signs of pursuit, but there looks to be a storm blowing in. Miss A’ndreas, can you still hear the voices?”

  “They’re fainter than before, but still there, sir.”

  “All right. Who’s got the map?”

  Casta pulled a map from one of his saddlebags and handed it to Audern, who studied it for a few moments. “No matter what their intent, I think it would be best to try and shake the Shiven shadowing us. The Harkness River isn’t far, and once there we’ll need to turn east and follow it for about twenty miles before reaching a suitable crossing point. It’s off our intended path but the wilder terrain should help us lose our pursuers. Once we’ve crossed to the northern side of the river we’ll have a straight shot north to the Tregayan border.”

  Alyx peered ov
er his shoulder to where he was pointing on the map, but it was all just incoherent squiggly lines to her. Audern conferred with two of his Bluecoats for a few moments about scouting back along their trail to see how far behind the Shiven were.

  “Do you think we’ll make it, Dash?” Alyx looked towards the only familiar face nearby.

  His characteristic devil-may-care grin lit up his face. “Of course we will. I’m in this little party, after all.”

  “That’s reassuring.” Somehow Alyx found the energy to roll her eyes.

  “Seriously, Alyx, Captain Audern is one of the best. Your father and the king made sure you were well protected when they chose Audern to lead your guard.” Dashan smiled again. “We should reach the Harkness by nightfall and then we can find some shelter and get out of this weather.”

  But the sky darkened ominously as the afternoon progressed, and soon black storm clouds were gathering overhead. A gusty wind kicked up and snapped Alyx’s hair into her face. The terrain they were crossing became an increasingly steep downward incline and the tired horses had to slow even further.

  Daylight faded into dim twilight as the wind gusted and heavy droplets of rain started falling. Dashan’s unguarded face flashed with relief when they heard rushing water not far off. Minutes later they emerged from the trees onto the banks of a wide, fast flowing river. After the recent rainfall, the turbulent water was flooding the banks, tearing up small bushes and sucking them into the flow.

  Audern slipped down from the saddle, giving orders to the other Bluecoats to set up a shelter. Casta dismounted before helping Alyx down. Her legs gave out as she touched the mud, and Casta had to grab her arm to prevent her from falling.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, his blue eyes smiling at her.

  “Just stiff,” she responded. “I think I’m okay now.”

  “All right, let me help you somewhere a bit dryer.”

  Staggering slightly, she allowed Casta to guide her over to stand under a large tree while the Bluecoats worked. Dawn and Finn soon joined her, but nobody spoke.