by H. M. Clarke
The humans were at one end of a crescent formed of a crowd of Dymarki that curved around the stack and terminated at the river’s edge opposite them. Everything was quiet. Not even birdsong, as if even the wildlife sensed the solemnity of the event. Wotha stood by the pyre, a lit torch in his hand and he stared, like the rest at the horizon waiting for the first rays of the sun to appear.
Dagan moved his attention back to the forest line in time to see the sun finally creep above the horizon. Light flooded the area, turning the Akella into a river of fire. At the same moment, Wotha touched his torch to the oil soaked wood and soon the body of Serta was engulfed in flames. As the fire grew hot, Wotha retreated back to the Dymarki gathered behind him.
An hour after sunrise, Dagan could detect the whisperings of mind voice tickling against his senses. He looked across the gathered Dymarki and noticed that many of the warriors were looking back toward the city with their black-tipped ears held flat against their head, and their tails lashing the air. His gaze moved to Wotha and found his friend watching him.
‘There is unrest in the city. The camp sentries report that fires are raging in buildings near our camp and is quickly burning towards them. They are calling for all able bodied Dymarki to help bring water to drench the surrounding wood structures to stop the fire from spreading.’
Dagan nodded to him and then looked toward the pyre.
Wotha must have noticed his concern.
‘We will all be going back as our living families are just as important as the dead. Serta would understand. I will leave four warriors to watch the pyre.’
As Wotha spoke, the Dymarki moved away and hurried back along the riverbank toward the river wharves of Kaldor.
“Wotha says that the Dymarki camp is under threat from fire in Kaldor. They are going back to help prevent it from burning.”
“The city’s on fire?” Vannik’s large form turned to Kaldor although the city could not be clearly seen from where they were on the river.
“I’m sure Bron is safe, Vannik,” Donal said as he reached up and patted the big man on the shoulder.
“What are we to do, Magister?” Banar asked as he watched the Dymarki move away. On the breeze, the scented wood smoke from the pyre was slowly being replaced by an acrid burning that tickled the nostrils.
“We are going with them to help. We have three magi, I’m sure we have enough magic and power between us to stop the spread of the fire.”
They hurried after the Dymarki and as they followed the riverbank back to the wharf camp, the smell of fire and smoke grew stronger and thick black clouds rose over the river. As they entered the camp, the roar of fire and the crack of breaking wood as it burned was joined by the sounds of ringing metal and screaming. The camp was in controlled chaos, with females and cubs carting water and blankets from the river. A group of Dymarki carrying buckets saw them and snarled.
‘Deliver that water, these Bareskins are with me.’
The Dymarki nodded to Wotha and rushed away with their sloshing buckets. The Dymarki then fell into step beside Dagan.
‘The camp is being attacked by rioters. They injured some of our sentries with these throwing discs and arrows,’
Wotha pressed one of the metal discs into Dagan’s hand. He glanced at it and then tucked it away into a coat pocket. Wotha’s next words caught Dagan by surprise.
‘The Dhar has taken the warriors of his clan into the city. He plans on showing the King Regent what happens to those who lose control of their citizens and allow them to attack innocents unpunished.’
“The fool. This will not end well.” Vannik starred toward the city, his home, with worry in his eyes. Screams and fighting were heard coming from nearby neighborhoods not yet hit by fire.
“Can you hear it? The Dymarki must be spreading out. They’re attacking the city. What could they hope to accomplish?” Donal said, looking to Dagan.
“Somehow, I don’t think the Dhar cares what happens after this,” Dagan replied. “Whatever it is, we need to do something quickly. But we need some help.” He turned to Wotha. “Stay here and make sure that no more Dymarki enter the city. Especially the Clan Warriors.” Wotha gave him a nod. “If the Dhar can see reason, we may stop this descending into outright war.”
◆◆◆
Noise and clamor could be dimly heard from within the thick granite walls of Bron and Vannik’s large mansion. Ryn pushed aside a heavy velvet curtain at a large second-story window that looked out toward the center of the city. Thick black smoke billowed up from the north, reflecting the orange glow of fire. Buildings were ablaze in the city.
“The city is on fire!”
Ryn moved to the side as Ashe and Lily rushed to the window to see the fire with their own eyes.
“What is happening out there? Are people rioting?”
Ashe snorted at Lily’s question. “Not rioting. It looks more like a fire burning uncontrolled through the wooden buildings and warehouses there.” Then a frown marred Ashe’s face. “That looks like it is coming from the Tanner’s Quarter.”
“You don’t think those idiots that ran away last night have started those fires in protest, do you?” Ryn’s eyes never left the sight of the black smoke as she spoke.
“Have a look in which direction those fires are heading, Ryn.”
Ryn followed the smoke, craning her head against the glass to get the best look as the fires spread to the right of her view. She then realized what Ashe was getting at. “The fires are heading toward the Dymarki camp.”
“They are? I hope that Banar and the Magister are safe.” Lily said as she pressed her face to the window pane to get a better view as well.
“If they threaten the Dymarki, they are going to push back. And that is not going to go well.” Bron spoke from behind them, making Ryn jump in surprise.
“I can’t feel anything over the Link from Dagan, so whatever is happening might not have reached them as yet,” Ryn replied.
“I can’t feel anything different from Donal either.”
“Nor Banar.”
“The idiots may have enough sense to leave the big cats alone. Even the reprobates wouldn’t dare interrupt a funeral.” From behind her, Ryn could hear Bron pouring himself another drink from the large port decanter that he had been drinking from since they came into the room. It was just past dawn and a little early to start drinking. He did not offer a glass to any of them. Not that she and Ashe actually liked port (she’d never tried it before to know if she did), but she felt a bit put out that he didn’t offer.
“I don’t know about that,” Ashe murmured and Ryn’s sharp eyes quickly spotted what he already had.
“The Wharf district has caught.”
“Can you hear that?” Lily blurted out and pressed her ear to the glass as if that could help her hear.
“Hear what?” Ryn asked.
Ashe flicked the latch and pushed the window open.
A light breeze came in carrying the smell of smoke and ash. It also carried the terrified screams of frightened people and the faint clash of steel.
“Fighting?” Ryn turned worried eyes to Ashe.
“Sounds like it,” Lily said as she leaned a little outside the window, the smoke breeze now stirring her blonde hair and tugged at the silk scarf she wore round her neck.
“But are the people fighting amongst themselves, or with the Dymarki?”
A loud thudding echoed from downstairs. Ryn glanced at Ashe with a look of surprise and was startled as Bron pushed all three away from the open window and leant out of it.
“Who’s down there banging on my front door?” he bellowed down into the street.
Ryn immediately went to the next window and looked down into the street below. Ashe and Lily crowded her on either side. A young man in the livery of the King Regent came away from the front door to stand out in the middle of the street, his head craned up to look at Bron.
“I come from the Palace with a message for Magister Dagan Drake,” the man
said in a rush. He started moving uneasily from foot to foot as if he was uncomfortable being out in the street.
“The Magister is not here and won’t be back for a few hours yet,” Bron yelled down. The young man’s face looked crestfallen at the news, and Ryn watched Bron run his fingers unconsciously down the braids of his beard, his brow creased in thought. “His Blackwatch are here, maybe they can get the message to him.”
“I was told to deliver the message directly to him.” The man’s agitation became more pronounced as his foot shuffling increased.
“If that’s the way you want it then you need to head out past the Dymarki camp. He has gone there with the Knight Commander for the funeral of one of their warriors.”
Even from her window on the second storey, Ryn could see the man’s face visibly pale. He turned to look toward the north of the city which was covered in black smoke, ash and could be heard the faint sounds of fighting. He hopped a few more times from foot to foot before turning back to look up at Bron.
“The King Regent needs to see him. Urgently.”
“Why? Let me guess: our friends from up North decided to take over the city after all?”
The man paused, his lips pursed as he debated within himself about what to do. After a moment, his body relaxed and Ryn knew he had come to a decision.
“The Tanner’s Quarter is rioting, and it carried across to the Dymarki camp. The Dymarki have taken this as a direct attack on their people and are now attacking the city.”
“They are really attacking the city?” Ryn called down.
“Yes, The King Regent needs Magister Drake’s counsel on how to broker peace with their Leader.” A large crash came from a few blocks away and the man jumped. “I’ve delivered the message. I’ve got to get back!” Without waiting for a reply, the man ran off down the street as fast as his legs could carry him.
“The Dymarki are assaulting the city,” Ashe leaned on the window frame as he looked north across the rooftops of the neighboring houses. Horn blasts rang out across the city from the east and was quickly followed by the deep clanging of the Muster Bell. “It looks like the Kaldor Barrack’s have called out the Blackwatch.”
“Since Dagan is currently with the Knight Commander and is not here, we will answer the King Regent’s call on his behalf. It will take us too long to find Dagan and the others outside the city. We don’t even know where they were burning the pyre.”
Bron stepped away from his window and looked askance at her without a word as he closed it shut.
“You were the one that said we’d go and get Dagan. We did agree to it.”
“Semantics. I can send Peck with a message to find him.”
“I agree with Ryn.” Lily stepped back from the window, leaving Ashe to close it. “We are Blackwatch, we need to go where we can do the most good.”
“Dagan and the others are quite capable of looking after themselves,” Ashe said as he dropped the window latch in place. “They are also a lot safer where they are than we are inside the city walls.”
“You do have a point there,” Bron conceded. It was then that Ryn realized that he had been worried about his brother. “If we are going to the Palace, we had better start now before we get overtaken with the fighting. I have a feeling in my gut that we may have already missed our chance.”
CHAPTER TWENTY Two
They had not gone far from the Osega house before screams and shouting could be heard from a few streets away from them. And beyond that came the distant clang of metal and the feline roar that could only come from a Dymarki throat. Black haze from the fires burning to the north hung low over the streets and Ryn could taste it on her tongue as she breathed in the acrid air.
“You’ll enjoy Kaldor, Dagan said,” Ryn muttered to herself. “It’s the Jewel of the South, he said. And within a few days of me stepping foot here, this happens.”
“You can’t lay the blame for all this at your feet Ryn,” Ashe said and then coughed as he caught his own mouthful of acrid smoke.
“No. It’s probably my bad luck,” Lily sighed. “After all, I managed to find the worst of Brookhaven, and now I’m finding the worst of Kaldor. I think I’m going to attract the seedy underbelly of whatever place I’m in.”
“It’s probably a combination of all of you, so stop your moaning and keep you minds on the task at hand. I don’t want to die at the claws of a Dymarki with the sounds of you lot whining in my ears.”
Ryn glared back at Bron, but kept her mouth shut. The man did have a point.
They moved quickly through the streets, staying several blocks ahead of the trouble. Apart from them, the streets were deserted. The windows and doors of the houses they passed were either locked or barricaded, as people chose to bunker down in their homes rather than risk their families trying to escape the city. As they moved closer toward the Palace, they glimpsed small groups of people taking the chance and fleeing to the safety of the palace. Or to hide in the thick undergrowth of the extensive gardens until the trouble has passed. That won’t help much if the fire reaches the gardens though, Ryn couldn’t help but think as they left the large, manicured hedges behind them and ran quickly up the avenue toward Aileach’s Palace. The conifer, spruce and oak trees planted throughout the park will catch and spread the fire to all its corners quicker than Dagan can eat a scone.
As they rushed up the path, a commotion came from behind one of the hedges and three large black and white furred figures appeared on the path ahead, carrying something kicking between them. Then that something let out an ear-piercing scream. The group stopped in their tracks and Ryn and the others drew their weapons.
One of the Dymarki snarled and lifted the woman to her feet by the scruff of her neck. Ryn heard a male voice slip into her head.
‘Quit your struggling, woman!’
Ryn felt a small twinge of fear shoot down her spine, which wasn’t helped by the feeling she felt building across her Link with Dagan. She firmed her grip on her sword and stepped forward. One of the cats looked up from the woman. His black-tipped ears flattened against his head as his muzzle crinkled in a snarl, baring his teeth.
‘We have company.’
The other two warrior’s heads jerked up in their direction and snarled. The furred hand holding the woman’s neck opened, and she staggered forward. She whimpered and looked about her with wide, frightened eyes and noted that her captors were no longer concerned with her. She took her chance and ran as fast as she was able and disappeared back into the hedges.
“Three large, hulking Dymarki against four humans?”
Ryn gave Ashe a grin. “It’s a fair fight. At least they don’t have a mage with them.”
Lily gave them a nervous giggle and stepped back from between them. The glyphs on her runestaff flared awake and cast a pink glow on Bron as he stepped forward to take her place.
Ryn wished again for the umpteenth time that she had her shield and slipped her dagger from its sheath without taking her eyes from the Cat’s before her. For someone whose primary weapons were sword and shield, she was relying an awful lot on her dagger lately. If they survived this, she was going to sweet talk Bron into giving her knife fighting lessons.
‘Surrender and come with us to the Palace,’ The largest of the Dymarki stepped forward arms spread on either side with his long, sharp claws unsheathed. The two warriors behind him mirrored the action.
Ryn stepped forward. “No. You surrender and come with us to the Palace.” She watched the yellow eyes blink back at her in surprise. She then noted that the three were fairly clean and unbloodied and realized that they had not met much resistance to get here.
An aggressive swish of a tail was the only warning given before the Dymarki were upon them. The lead Dymarki moved with startling speed as he feinted to one side as Ryn swung at the creature’s abdomen with her sword. He snarled and rushed towards her, his two hands raised, claws out and dripping fangs bared.
“Ryn!” Lily shouted.
The warr
ior batted her sword away with one forearm, almost succeeded in tearing it from her hand. She then swiped at the cat with the dagger, but in two quick movements he grabbed each of her wrists in his furred hands and wrenched them apart with enough strength that Ryn thought her chest might explode. He then lunged forward, fangs flashing from his open mouth. A flash of pink hit the Dymarki’s arm with the instant smell of burnt hair and her dagger hand was suddenly free. The weight of the cat carried her back as its teeth pierced deep through the scale of her amour on her shoulder. She screamed out in agony and felt a faint answering cry through her Link.
She and the Dymarki staggered back past Lily, and Ryn grunted with the effort of keeping herself from being toppled. The teeth were sinking deeper into her shoulder and Ryn twisted her wrist and stabbed her dagger at the Cat’s eyes. The first blow glanced off the brow bone, but the second felt no resistance. The pressure on her shoulder was gone and Ryn hissed as pain flooded into the traumatized flesh. She pulled her dagger back as the Dymarki jerked away from her and released her sword arm, roaring in pain, using his hands to clutch at his bleeding eye. In a flash of movement, Ryn plunged her sword into the Dymarki’s side, just under the ribs, gritting her teeth with the effort. The creature’s body shivered, and then he whipped around more quickly than Ryn could react, his fist striking her in the injured shoulder and sending her tumbling back along the ground.
Ashe leapt forward and kicked the Dymarki solidly on his blind side, knocking him over onto the dirt. Even as the cat scrambled to get out of reach, blood gushing from his wounded eye, Ashe stepped on his chest, using his weight to hold it still and thrust his blade down into the Cat’s heart. He then bent and pulled both his and Ryn’s sword from the body.
