‘Not this time, Dale,’ he said forcing Dale away from the body.
‘I’m fine,’ Dale said grimly. ‘I don’t need any help!’
‘I know. I just don’t need you vomiting all over the place. It stinks.’
‘Go away!’ Dale tried to shoulder Eibhear out of the way. He was already feeling a bit sickened at the sight of the arrow protruding from Garold’s eye.
‘It was a good shot,’ said Rudiger. He dragged Dale away by the back of his shirt.
‘Father always said if execution became necessary, it should be done in the swiftest possible way,’ said Dale. ‘So he taught me to aim for the eye. Of course it’s not so good it you’re a rotten shot. It’s just a very quick way of killing someone, if you get it right.’
‘You got it right. Turn away or I’ll make you turn away.’
Dale gave up. He felt sickened by having to take such action and he wondered if Garold had a family who would miss him. He turned away and walked to Baby and Ebony. He gave a huge yawn. ‘I hope you’re feeling stronger than I am Baby. It’s Ebony’s turn to trot alongside. I’m going to have to find you some water.’
‘There’s water not far ahead,’ said Milgorry, ‘a bit of a waterfall where two streams come together.’ He picked up Garold’s body and threw it into some nearby shrubs. ‘But I’ve seen the land ahead and I don’t think riding’s going to be practical.’
‘Ah. Now I know where we are.’ Dale was relieved. ‘Callian said they were going through Emerald. They’re taking a path where they’re less likely to be seen, but it’s not the path I’d have chosen.’
‘Why? Callian asked.
‘Because for me it’s not a practical option; there are cliffs. I’ve climbed them, but I wasn’t in a hurry.’
‘Is there a quicker way?’ asked Callian.
‘There’s a track not too far south of here which will take us through Muraban and from there...well, we’ve been that way before. I don’t know which way is quicker.’
‘Are you hungry? Rudi can hunt if you need,’ said Eibhear. ‘Or I can.’
‘No. I’ll be fine. We don’t have that sort of time. I want to get to Emerald before the fallen get through. I haven’t worked out a plan yet, but I want to stop them before they leave Alkira.’
‘We left in such a hurry we didn’t bring any food,’ Callian admitted, looking guilty.
‘Idiots,’ Milgorry muttered sarcastically, sliding his pack from his shoulders. He untied the leather cord and from within the pack he pulled out a small cloth sack. He passed it to Dale then drew out a fat water bag and handed this over as well. ‘Actually I wasn’t carrying a lot,’ he admitted. ‘A few travel cakes, some dried fruit, some nuts, dried meat, some rolls of breads, a flint and steel and a little tinderbox, one blanket, and a change of clothing for Dale, though I have noticed that Dale doesn’t change clothing voluntarily.’
Callian nodded to him gratefully. ‘Good. At least one of us was thinking.’
Milgorry raised an eyebrow, ‘One of us?’
Callian ignored the question. He held out his hand and Mil passed him a piece of bread which he handed to Dale. ‘Why were you hanging around East Inlet? I thought you stayed back at the Dwellings.’
‘I went looking for Tim and Araas, who were keeping an eye on Kelian.’
Dale ate as he rode. He desperately wanted to sleep. The night grew cool, and as it did Dale struggled to keep his eyes open. An idea was forming in his mind of how he might sleep without holding everyone up, but he wasn’t sure he could make it work. Eventually he reined Baby in and dismounted. He went into the bushes to relieve himself and when he returned he decided to try his idea.
‘Callian, do you remember when I fell out of the tree last time we were trying to get to Emerald and you were weak after you fixed almost every bone in my body? And we put you on Leon so you wouldn’t be left behind?’ Callian nodded as Dale continued. ‘Well, I don’t want to be left behind but I don’t want to fall off the horse.’
‘Dale, I was unconscious. I doubt anyone can sleep tied to the back of a horse. Not even you.’
‘Maybe not, but you can make me sleep.’
‘Is that an order?’
‘Yes.’
‘I don’t like it.’
‘I don’t care.’
‘Fine. Which horse?’
‘Ebony, she’s stronger.’
Ten minutes later Dale was securely tied to the back of the unsaddled horse. It wasn’t as awkward as he’d imagined. He closed his eyes.
‘That can’t be comfortable!’ said Rezon, folding his arms and frowning. ‘I can carry him you know.’
‘Rez, listen to his mind,’ said Callian, as a smile came to his face.
‘I can...Supreme Majesty! He’s asleep! How is that possible?’
Everyone laughed and Dale stirred and opened his eyes slightly.
‘When do you want us to wake you, Dale?’ said Eibhear. He threw a blanket over Dale and tucked it around him securely.
‘Don’t,’ Dale murmured. ‘If you do, I’ll ask Callian to throw your body over a cliff and I’ll tell everyone you were attacked and eaten by ngurakin.’ He started to snore.
Chapter 37
Larund
Kelian felt deeply ill. He was lying on the bare ground with a pounding headache. There was a tight circle of warriors standing around him, some facing him and others facing away, and a second group standing to the side in close discussion. He tried to roll onto his side but his arms were uncomfortably tied at wrist and elbow and his legs at knee and ankle. The rope bit into his flesh as he tried in vain to strain at the knots. Regardless of how much he struggled the rope seemed to tighten rather than loosen. He forced himself to relax his muscles. A slightly hazy feeling came over him and he looked up at the nearest warrior, wondering if they were shielding his mind to make it more difficult for anyone to find him. The warrior grinned condescendingly and Kelian took that as a yes. For a moment his thoughts drifted to Elena, back at the Dwellings and he wondered if her fever had relented. The warrior eyed him curiously and he pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind and concentrated once again on how he was tied. He knew it wouldn’t do to be thinking of the Dwellings or Elena. It would be like drawing a map of the Province of the Guardians and passing it to the fallen. He stared up at the overhanging trees. It was a cool night, made cooler by the southerly breeze. They were in a small area of leafy soil between huge granite boulders. Tyallas had dropped untidy piles of sticks and even as Kelian watched a small dead branch dropped from high in a tree above him. The warriors laughed as he cringed when the stick narrowly missed his head and buried its end several inches into the soft soil. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the sounds around him. There was water running nearby, bubbling over rocks. He could hear insects chirping and some distance away there was the growling hiss of possums brawling. The sky was starry and he wondered how long he’d been unconscious. He thought probably for quite some time, as the lump on the back of his head was huge and had bled down his neck. He wondered what would happen if he started shouting. The warrior, who had grinned at him earlier, drew his knife and ran his thumb suggestively along the blade. Kelian turned his head away, wishing he could hide his thoughts. He concentrated on thinking anything he felt would be of little interest to the fallen. With intense deliberation he concentrated on the texture of the tree not three paces to his left. He studied the bark, following the cracks slowly with his eyes, up and down the trunk, over and over, and then one by one he studied each leaf hanging from a low branch, the shape, the size, the color. The warriors lost interest and began to talk amongst themselves. For a while longer Kelian continued to concentrate on the tree, then very gradually he allowed his mind to drift away. His first task was to get these ropes off. His own knife had been taken, so he would have to find another way. He wondered who would be carrying him and if at any time his hands would be within reach of someone’s weapons. One of the warriors dropped his gaze to Kelian who immed
iately returned to studying the shape of the branches on the overhanging trees. The warrior looked away. Kelian squirmed around a little. The ropes were hurting more every second and he knew he wasn’t getting a lot of blood down to his hands and feet. So even if he got hold of a knife he might not be in any fit state to use it. He knew if he didn’t get some blood circulation going soon he would be in danger of one or more of his limbs dying and if that happened he was as good as dead. Upon that thought, the warrior that Kelian had presumed had lost interest in his thoughts leaned down and cut through the ropes binding his elbows and wrists. He hesitated for a moment, shrugged, and then cut the remaining ropes, freeing Kelian’s legs. Half a minute later Kelian’s body was wracked with an intense prickly sensation as blood ran through his veins. He tried not to move and gradually the sensation eased. He looked curiously at the warrior wondering why he had cut the ropes.
The warrior shrugged unemotionally. ‘Nandul wants you alive. And it’s not like you can just run away. Humans have all the speed of galloping snails.’
‘What does he want me for?’
‘No idea. I just do as I’m told. That’s enough questions, unless you want to make the remainder of the journey unconscious.’
Kelian knew better than to ignore the warning. ‘Can I stand up? Walk around a bit?’
‘Don’t try to escape. Nandul said nothing about keeping your bones unbroken.’
Again Kelian took the threat seriously. The warriors watched him like hawks as he rose to his feet and stretched his limbs. He felt incredibly weak, and the pain in his head did not lessen. He fought back the need to vomit. The warrior gestured towards a little thicket, and watched dispassionately as Kelian vomited into the bushes. He did feel a little better afterwards, but thirsty. No-one offered him water. He wished he could wash out his mouth. The warrior who seemed to be in charge of Kelian, gestured once again and Kelian followed him into the trees. They came to a little stream and Kelian knelt and cleaned his mouth. He moved upstream and drank as much as he could. When he finished he sat back on his heels.
‘What’s your name?’ he asked.
‘Larund. Do you need to relieve yourself? This might be the last chance you’ll get for a while.’
Kelian disappeared behind the trees. When he returned, Larund was staring impassively ahead. Kelian wondered what would happen if he turned and ran. His mouth dropped open in astonishment. Larund’s face darkened.
‘I can silence you any time I wish to, Majesty.’
‘Why did you let me sense what you were thinking.’
‘I didn’t mean to. I just...I have difficulty... It’s really not your business. What did you sense?’
‘I was wondering what would happen if I ran into the forest, and you were wondering if you’d bother to stop me.’
‘Mm. That’s true,’ said Larund. ‘Now all I have to worry about is how long the others will let me live for, when they find out I had that traitorous little thought. Wonderful.’
‘Why would they find out?’
‘They’ll find out because you aren’t exactly very good at hiding your thoughts either. Oh hell...I’m as good as returned if you start thinking about this.’
‘Can’t you hide my thoughts?’ Kelian’s mind was reeling with the shock that this warrior might not be entirely loyal to Nandul.
‘I’m not loyal to Nandul, stupid. There’s just no point in betraying him. It’s...dangerous. And yes, I can hide your thoughts, for the most part. It’s just not by best skill. I have difficulty...like before. Sometimes I convey my thoughts when I don’t mean to.’
‘I’ve known others who have refused to take orders from Nandul, and they’re still alive.’
‘Milgorry? What I’d give to know where he is!’
Kelian frowned and tried to hide his thoughts, wondering if this might be a trick to gain his confidence and try to find out where Milgorry was, but he was too slow. His mind had already flashed to an image of the Dwellings. He glared angrily at Larund.
Larund gave a low whistle. ‘You can stop panicking. We figured that’s where he might be. We’d better get back to the others. And if you want to stay conscious, don’t think about what just happened. Try to imagine I hurt you or something.’
‘Why do you want to find Milgorry?’
‘Actually, I want to find Rudiger of Morlee or his brother. The have business that I’m interested in.’
‘Are there others with you who feel this way?’
‘One other.’ Larund turned his back.
Kelian followed Larund to where the others were waiting impatiently. Every warrior was poised as if ready to move quickly and they looked every bit as dangerous as experience had taught Kelian they were. He stood uncertainly in the clearing between the boulders and waited. Larund remained tense, like he was just waiting for someone to discover his treachery. He opened a small cloth bag he had slung over his shoulder and handed Kelian a peach. Kelian studied the fruit and then glared at Larund, wondering as strongly as he could if the fruit had been poisoned in some way. He drew up an image of himself being kicked by Larund for taking too long at the stream and several warriors laughed at his thoughts. Larund turned away, but not before Kelian caught a look of surprise and gratitude on the warrior’s face.
‘You can walk for a while,’ said Larund over his shoulder. ‘Make sure you’re not so slow this time.’ The warriors laughed again and Kelian spat towards Larund.
They left the rocks and crossed the stream, moving at such a pace Kelian was hard pressed to keep up. A strange hope had filled him since his conversation with Larund. He was wary that Larund might be trying to trick him into revealing information, but there was a quiet demeanor about the warrior that reminded him of Ben and Rezon. Kelian knew that it was far easier to hide secrets if you didn’t talk a lot, and Larund barely spoke to anyone. He tried to catch his breath as they crested a hill but as the land sloped downwards the warriors broke into a slow run and Kelian was expected to keep up. He ran downhill wishing with all his heart that Callian, Timbul or Araas knew where he was and as the thought crossed his mind, he felt a strange sensation. His heart gave a leap and he knew it. Callian was listening for his thoughts. He couldn’t help himself.
‘Callian!’ he screamed with all the strength he could muster. A fist smashed into the back of his head and he dropped like a stone.
Chapter 38
Leslie
‘He’s still alive!’ Callian cried out aloud. ‘Thank his Supreme Majesty! He’s alive!’
‘You didn’t tell me you thought he might be dead,’ said Dale accusingly.
‘Would that have helped? Callian asked pointedly.
‘Probably not.’
‘I didn’t think you needed any more distress. You’re already having nightmares about executing Garold, and after you killed that traitorous soldier at Emerald you were sick to your stomach for months. Not to mention how badly you were affected after you killed one of the fallen in Hosatabaht. Eibhear told me what happened and you mightn’t even know this Dale, but you’ve been shouting about it in your sleep.’
‘It’s true,’ Dale said quietly. ‘When someone has to die like that it pains my heart.’
‘You’re human. You shouldn’t have to deal with this type of situation.’
‘Regardless, I won’t pass the responsibility to someone else. That would be… I just couldn’t do that to someone.’
Callian nodded in understanding. ‘Mil, do you know someone called Larund?’
Milgorry pushed his hair away from his forehead. ‘Larund? I do. He was up in Morlee for a while. Let me guess. You could hear his thoughts?’
Callian laughed. ‘How did you know?’
‘He always had trouble shielding his mind. Nandul keeps him close because he’s intelligent. He’s very intelligent. No, that’s an understatement. He doesn’t say a lot, but when he does, it’s worth listening. Nandul always knew that if Larund turned against him he would be very dangerous, but he didn’t want to retur
n him because he was useful.’
‘Explain,’ said Dale. ‘What do you mean ‘intelligent’?’
‘That’s when you use your brains, Dale,’ Milgorry said jokingly.
‘Mil!’
‘He understood things better than most of us do. He could tell you how tall you could build something before it was unsafe. He could tell you how strong your sword would be by sensing the metal you were using to make it. He knew more about plants and what they could be used for than anyone I’ve ever known. And he could take your weapon, look at it and make you a better one. He could balance a sword like no-one I’ve ever known.’
‘That’s right,’ Rudiger agreed. ‘If ever there was someone worth recruiting...’
‘Oddly enough I think you’ve already got him,’ said Callian. ‘He just hasn’t fully grasped that fact yet.’
Rudiger rubbed his knuckles hopefully. ‘Callian if you can get into his head...no, perhaps not. He’s hopeless at hiding his thoughts and the others would return him in seconds if they thought him a traitor. He isn’t exactly the epitome of a warrior - his fighting skills are pathetic. Nandul only keeps him around because he’s unbelievably useful when it comes to weapons and poisons. I’ve often wondered if one day he’ll decide hanging around Nandul is just too dangerous and too difficult.’
‘But you have people who aren’t warriors among the fallen,’ said Dale. ‘Don’t you have hunters? Farmers? Fishermen? People who build? You must have people who make clothing and I’ve seen jewelry that was made in Nyinaku. Why is Larund expected to be a warrior? Why can’t he just learn another task?’
‘We choose our path when we’re very young. Sometimes...more often than not, it’s chosen for us. If we don’t do our chosen task well enough, we’re seen as a failure, so everyone strives to be the best at their appointed task. But Larund was somehow chosen to be a warrior, probably because Nandul wanted to keep him close. It was clear even when he was very young that he had more than our normal share of intelligence. It was a very bad choice. He could have been so much more than just a warrior,’ said Rudiger regretfully. ‘I’d love to know exactly what he’s thinking right now.’
Child Of A Guardian And Of The Free (Book 3) Page 32
