It was now so dark that Kargan could only see the glimmer of Zachary’s unworldly eyes.
‘Good night, King of Ilea,’ Zachary said.
Kargan woke when the first glimmer of dawn reached into the cave. He sat up and stretched. His sleep had been filled with strange dreams: stirred memories of the things he’d seen the previous day, reflections on his own life.
He looked around for Zachary, but the eldran was nowhere to be seen. He climbed to his feet, stooping under the low ceiling of smooth rock. Exiting the cave, he scanned the surrounding area.
He smiled to himself, shaking his head. Zachary was sitting just outside, leaning with his back to the rock. The eldran had kept watch all night, alone with his memories. He had a fortitude that belied his age.
‘Zachary,’ Kargan called as he approached.
He crouched next to the eldran’s shoulder and shook him. Bending to gaze into the eldran’s gold-flecked eyes, he saw that they were open.
But Zachary wasn’t seeing anything.
Kargan drew in a sharp breath. He dropped to the ground, sitting beside the eldran. He lifted Zachary’s hand, clasping it in his own. It was dry and cool.
Kargan hadn’t cried when his own mother died, but now his eyes were burning. Zachary didn’t deserve to die in this place, trying to teach a foolish man what it meant to be alive. He should have been in his homeland, with his people around him, and his son weeping over his body.
Zachary had taken him from place to place, flying all day. Kargan knew nothing of the eldran’s magic; he’d thought he was indefatigable. The toll must have been greater than Kargan realized. Or perhaps it was another kind of weariness that had taken him. He shook his head. Kargan hated himself for the fact that Zachary had been alone when he died. The eldran deserved better.
‘May your gods, whoever they are, take your soul to paradise,’ Kargan whispered, holding Zachary’s hand. ‘I pray that right now you are with your wife again.’
Kargan placed another rock, finishing the cairn. He had brought Zachary’s body into the cave and spent hour after hour gathering stones. After wrapping the eldran in his cloak, he had built a wall around him and then gently covered him up to form a rectangular shroud of stone. He was heedless of his broken fingernails and scratched palms. He didn’t stop until it was done.
As he finished and regarded his handiwork, he placed his palm on top one of the stones. ‘Farewell, Zachary. May the gods keep you safe until your people find you. I promise you I will tell them where you are.’
Kargan leaned back. He suddenly realized he wasn’t alone in the cave.
There was a young woman, more of a girl really, sitting and watching him from just inside the entrance. Her auburn hair was wild, and there were streaks of grime on her cheeks. She wore a ragged farmer’s smock.
‘It is good that you honor your friend,’ she said; her voice was soft and sorrowful. ‘We must hold on to who we were. I tried to bury the ones I could. There wasn’t much left of them.’
Kargan was startled; the last thing he’d expected was to see another person. ‘Who are you, girl?’
‘I’m Phoebe. I used to live there.’ She glanced over her shoulder, in the direction of the village. ‘And you? You don’t look like you’re from around here.’
‘My name is Kargan. And you’re correct, I am far from home.’ Looking at the girl, his heart reached out to her. She had lost everything. ‘Are you alone? Is there someone to take care of you?’
She nodded. ‘There are a few of us. We’ve been hiding in another cave.’
He was acutely aware that he needed to get home. ‘Phoebe, can you find me a boat? A sailboat, preferably a fast one.’
She hesitated. ‘There are plenty of boats on the shore. But it’s dangerous. We still see them sometimes. In the sky.’
‘If you help me, I will repay you with gold.’
She shrugged. ‘What would I do with gold? I’ll help you get back to your loved ones. I know that’s what I would want.’ She met his eyes. ‘This is the end of days, after all, and you wish to be home with your people.’
‘I do,’ Kargan said.
‘Then follow me. And pray that the dragons don’t come.’
44
‘You’re putting me in charge of the people here?’ Roxana asked in surprise. ‘Why not Finn?’
‘He’ll help you out,’ Dion said, ‘but you are a natural leader, Roxana. I trust you.’
Dion had only just returned to the valley in Sindara and already he was preparing to leave. His search for allies had failed – the city of Koulis lay abandoned, and he knew Kargan would never come to his aid. But he had met with success in retrieving the golden orb from the Lighthouse of Aleuthea. Chloe was now studying the artifact. The army would depart for Sindara’s shore in just a few short hours.
Roxana scowled. ‘So you’re keeping me out of the battle.’
‘I need someone dependable here, and that means you. Every officer is going to be fighting. I’m going to be there, and Chloe too. If it goes badly, someone is going to have to take over.’
‘What about the consuls?’ she growled. ‘Don’t try to tell me they’re going to be taking on the dragons.’
‘The common people of Xanthos don’t know them. They know you.’
‘But I’m a foreigner!’
Dion clasped her sturdy shoulder. ‘You are a former slave, who is now the master of Xanthos’s fleet. Everyone knows your face. If the worst happens, you will know what to do. And Roxana? You are not a foreigner to me. You and Cob are both like family.’
Roxana’s scowl faded. Her expression softened. ‘I suppose if it’s what you want.’
‘It is. Lean on Finn where you need to. And Cob of course. By the way, any idea where I can find the old man?’
‘I last saw him talking to one of the captains. Over near the supply tents. I’ll have a look for him, and if I see him I’ll send him your way.’
Dion nodded. He had to go and see his old friend and say goodbye.
But an hour later Dion still couldn’t find Cob anywhere. With time running out he knew he needed to put on his armor and get ready to leave. He entered his tent and stopped in surprise.
Cob and Roxana sat together, side by side on Dion’s cot. Cob was still bandaged from fighting at Xanthos, but the white linen on his shoulder was obscured by leather armor. His arm hung in a sling and his face was pale. He was trying to hide it, but the tightness in his eyes made it clear he was in pain.
Roxana gripped Cob’s other arm and her jaw was set. From the tension in the air, it was obvious that they had been arguing.
‘I knew you’d come here before you leave. I need you to talk to him for me,’ Roxana said.
Cob tried to shake himself free, but his wife was bigger than he was, and she was holding him in an unbreakable grip. ‘Let me go, woman,’ he growled.
‘Not on your life.’
Dion looked from face to face, perplexed. ‘All right. What’s going on?’
‘Cob here thinks he’s going to fight,’ Roxana said.
‘Don’t think you’ll stop me!’
Dion opened his mouth. He knew what he needed to say. Cob was still recovering. His wounds were too serious. The dragons would tear him apart. Of course he was brave, no one could question that, and he was a tough fighter, but he had a wife to think about. He was no longer a young man.
Dion faltered. Cob was proud. He had always looked after Dion, and Dion respected him like no other. If he said those words, it would destroy him.
‘Stay here,’ Dion said. ‘Neither of you move.’
He left Cob and Roxana to argue and went to find help.
Dion finally found Finn standing in the center of a group of children. They ranged in age from toddlers to young boys and girls, and were perched on logs placed in a circle on the grass, a short distance from the main camp. The children sat bunched close together, watching with rapt attention.
Finn had a wreath of flowers on his hea
d. He wore a sky-blue cloak and presently held it wrapped around his body while he stared mournfully into the distance.
‘Please, someone save me!’ Finn cried in a falsetto voice. The children giggled and nudged each other. ‘The evil sorcerer has locked me up in his tower!’
He dropped the edges of the cloak and swept it back behind his shoulders. Crouching and picking up a long stick, taller than he was, he put on an expression that was both gleeful and malicious.
‘Cry all you like, Esmeralda. No one will hear you.’ He gave a sinister chuckle.
Finn dropped the staff. He swept his gaze over the group. He gave a slight nod when he saw Dion, but continued. ‘However, someone did hear the princess. The valiant warrior, whom the gods had gifted with the sharpest hearing of any man alive: Caragon!’
Finn straightened and squared his shoulders. He put a hand to his ear and cocked his head, listening. Then he jumped with astonishment. ‘Never fear, Princess! Though mountains and rivers may separate us, I will come to your aid.’ He pretended to run earnestly.
Then Finn smiled. His body seemed to shrink, and his expression smoothed. ‘We will continue the story later, children.’ High-pitched cries of protest greeted his words, but Finn waved his arms and shooed them from their seats. ‘Fly, little birds. Play in the fields and find flowers for your mothers. Come back in the evening if you want to learn how Caragon defeats the sorcerer and saves the princess.’
Finn scattered them all, lifting the last reluctant boys and girls off their seats before giving them gentle pushes. He then came over to Dion.
‘Sorry to make you finish early,’ Dion said with a smile. ‘I have to say I’ve never heard that one before.’
‘In truth, I’m making it up as I go,’ Finn said wryly. ‘I ran out of tales a long time ago. I still need to come up with a way for Caragon’s exceptional hearing to help him defeat the sorcerer, so I appreciate the break.’ He saw Dion’s expression. ‘What is it?’
‘It’s Cob,’ Dion said. ‘He’s put on his armor and plans to fight.’
Finn put a hand to his head. ‘Fool of an old man. Where is he?’
‘Roxana’s got him holed up in my tent. I told her to keep him there.’ Dion rubbed his chin. ‘What do I do? I thought you might have an idea.’
Finn considered for a moment. ‘You have two options,’ he said. ‘You can tell him, loud and clear, why you don’t want him to come.’
‘I thought about it. But when I tried, I couldn’t do it.’
‘We both know why. It would destroy him,’ Finn said. ‘He wants to be there for you. Even though you would be telling him what he already knows, he won’t like hearing it. And there’s no guarantee – even if you made him feel as small as a mouse – that he would listen to you anyway.’
‘So what’s the second option?’
‘It’s worse. He’ll like it even less. But at least he keeps his pride.’
Dion led Finn back to his tent. When they entered, it was just the way Dion had left it. Cob still wore his armor, and sat with a pale face and strained expression. Roxana still held his arm tightly, keeping him fixed in place on the cot.
‘What’s he doing here?’ Cob growled when he saw Finn. He then saw the length of rope Finn held in his hands. ‘What?’ he barked. ‘Are you serious?’
Roxana laughed.
‘It’s just for a day or two,’ Finn said with a grin. ‘Roxana, I gather you’re good with knots?’
Cob started to struggle, but he stopped when Dion came forward and stood over him.
‘It’s nearly my time to leave, old friend,’ Dion said.
‘Lad,’ Cob said gruffly. ‘If something happens to you . . .’
‘If it does, then it is the will of the gods,’ Dion said. His three friends were now sober-faced, looking at him with worry. ‘All of you. Take care of each other. If . . . If Chloe makes it and I don’t . . . take care of her too.’
‘You have our word,’ Finn said.
‘Good luck,’ said Roxana. ‘You know I’ll pray for you.’
‘Pray for all of us,’ Dion said.
‘Lad . . .’ Cob began.
Dion interrupted by embracing the old man. He gripped him tightly and then released.
He left quickly, before anyone saw his eyes.
45
The eldren led the way, close to a hundred of them. Following behind were the hoplites of Xanthos, Phalesia, and Tanus, marching side by side. Then after the infantry came the archers of the three nations in a long column. Horses pulled carts loaded up with the ballistae salvaged from the abandoned cities. At the rear a sturdy wagon trundled over the trail through the mountains, carrying an orb of solid gold as big as a man’s head.
The climb to the pass was arduous before the path leveled. Now the head of the army was passing between high peaks, while the rest of the column trailed behind like the wake of a sailboat as it tacks back and forth. Everyone had been marching since midmorning, and the sun hung low in the sky, taking the heat out of the day as it slid toward the horizon.
Walking up front with the eldren, Dion caught his first glimpse of blue water, and then after another bend in the mountain trail he saw a distant white beach. There was one more valley to cross before they reached the crystal sands, and the place they had chosen to fight.
‘I’ve never felt such dread,’ Liana said. Walking beside Dion, she glanced over at him. ‘Tell me you are as scared as I am.’
‘I would be a fool if I wasn’t,’ Dion said. He glanced at the green valley below them. ‘Tonight we’ll rest down there. We’ll be safe while we prepare.’ He then looked farther, past the final ridge separating the valley from the beach. ‘But once we’re on the shore . . .’
Liana was silent for a time, gazing ahead with the shadow of fear in her eyes. She suddenly glanced at him, as if something had occurred to her. ‘Are you sure you want me to keep you company?’ she asked. Dion was puzzled, but then she smiled. ‘It’s good to see you both happy.’ Her smile broadened. ‘Finally.’
Realization dawned. ‘Chloe’s busy,’ Dion said. ‘She’s trying to figure out the orb.’
‘You think she will?’
‘I hope so.’
They were both pensive for a moment while they worried about the future. ‘Any news of Zachary?’ Dion finally asked.
‘He often spends time alone.’ Despite her words, Liana looked concerned.
‘Still, I’m surprised he isn’t with us.’
‘To be honest, so am I,’ she said.
Dion glanced ahead at Eiric, whose head was tilted as he spoke quietly with another eldran. Turning back to Liana, he saw her looking over her shoulder, shaking her head as she took in the size of the force descending into the valley.
‘Zachary would love to be a part of this,’ Liana said. ‘I see eldren and humans. I see banners of all colors. Truly this has never happened before.’
While there was still enough light to see, the marching soldiers came to a halt to make their camp. Men stretched and groaned, throwing off their packs, and then followed their officers’ orders to pitch tents and dig latrines. Hunting parties entered the forest. Scouts dispersed to confirm their route and check for any threats.
Chloe walked beside a sturdy wagon, her eyes on the golden orb that once guided ships on the Aleuthean Sea. Around her there was a flurry of activity as the army made camp, and she instructed the driver to head for the middle of the field. The wagon was so heavy that even with two draft horses it was struggling over the uneven terrain. Every time a wheel struck a rock, she tensed.
The orb rested in a wooden frame. A supporting stand, fashioned by the carpenters, lay alongside it, but Chloe’s attention was on the golden sphere. Her gaze traveled over the strange designs and symbols decorating its surface, engraved in the metal. She had no idea what they meant.
Would her plan work?
She knew enough not to attempt a trial; her experiences with magic told her that there might be consequences. Dion had as
ked her if there was any chance harm might come to her from using her abilities, and she had lied and said that gold was simple to work with; after all, what could be dangerous about light? The truth was that all of the four materia carried the risk of feedback. Iron could burn, hence her savage fever. Copper could make a sorcerer become deaf. Silver confused, to the point of madness. If something went wrong when Chloe tried to summon the artifact’s power, she could become blind. And these were just the immediate consequences. Her power, if she lost control of it, could kill her.
‘Is here all right, lady?’ the wagon’s driver asked.
Chloe glanced around and nodded. ‘This is good. Thank you.’
She gave the orb one final inspection, and then decided to find Dion. But when she looked around, she didn’t know where to begin. He had been at the front of the column, while she was at the back with the supplies. Men were rushing in all directions, some carrying shovels and others water skins. Every time a tent went up, it obstructed her vision. She had never camped with an army before. There were so many people that it was far busier than the agora on a feast day. The soft ground was swiftly being churned into mud.
She was still scanning the area, looking past the other wagons containing crates and barrels, when something caught her eye.
A stone’s throw away was a cart containing barrels with a black ‘X’ on the side. A small figure, wearing a boy’s tunic, had just emerged from between two of the barrels. Though she had a felt cap on her head, she couldn’t hide her long dark hair. The girl quickly glanced around her and slipped off the side of the cart.
Chloe walked toward her with long strides.
‘Sophia!’ she called.
Hunched over, furtive in every way, the girl looked over her shoulder and then sighed and straightened as her older sister approached.
‘What are you doing here?’ Chloe demanded.
Sophia lifted her chin. ‘I’m here to fight.’
Chloe shook her head. She tried not to look too angry: Sophia could be even more stubborn than her. ‘You want to fight? You’re no warrior.’
Iron Will Page 28
