The Wasteland Soldier, Book 3, Drums Of War (TWS)

by Moore, Laurence

  There seemed to be no end to the bare-chested warriors. As one fell another took his place. The fighting had died away in the village. Survivors had been chased down by the Shaylighter’s cavalry. Warriors ransacked bodies and dwellings, often risking the flames to steal an armful of possessions. The Hardigan estate blazed yellow and orange. The stubborn resistance was at an end.

  Crunching over dead bodies, Stone dragged his makeshift shield closer to the edge of the lane where the warriors armed with carbines hovered. Two of them began firing at him. Steel balls whipped through the grey smoke and struck the chest of the corpse. A warrior prepared to hurl an axe and Stone plunged his spear into him, tearing into flesh and bone. It became rooted in the Shaylighter’s body and his hand slipped from the shaft. He held his knife. He was only a few paces from the carbine wielding warriors who were rapidly reloading. The side of his face and the back of his neck tingled from the heat of the fire and crackled loudly in his ears.

  Stone gritted his teeth and hurled the body into two men, ramming his knife into the one on the left - once, twice - then spinning around and throwing it at the one on the right, the blade sinking into the warrior’s throat. He slumped to the ground, dropping the metal and wooden firearm.

  Grabbing for the fallen weapon, Stone pumped the carbine. The sling tensed, a fresh steel ball dropped in.

  He reached for the trigger and began firing.

  Quinn spotted them; framed by burning buildings, knee deep in bodies. Blackened by smoke, exhausted and blood drenched, they broke out, Stone spitting steel balls at the Shaylighters, punching a hole, forcing the pursuers wide. Nuria followed, flailing with an iron sword.

  She cupped her hands around her mouth.

  “Stone, Nuria.”

  The village was a raging inferno. Her horse was gone. But she still carried her pistol.

  “I’ll cover you.”

  She opened fire and Shaylighters fell.

  “Quinn.”

  The voice was twisted and barbed, a scream of hate. Quinn whirled around and saw a monster thundering toward her on horseback. Soirese carried no weapon and surged through the coils of choking smoke, leaning from the sandal, one gloved hand clenched into a mighty studded fist.

  Quinn narrowed her eye, and calmly fired twice. Soirese was tossed from the saddle and Quinn grabbed the horse as it bolted past. Stone urged Nuria to run and continued firing at the Shaylighters.

  “Stone,” shouted Nuria, scrambling onto the horse.

  The carbine was empty. There were no other horses. He signalled for them to go. He would make his own way out. He was scooping a handful of steel balls from the ammunition bag when two warriors raced toward him, brandishing axes. He hurled the steel balls, stunning one of them. The other leapt at him and bundled Stone to the ground. Quinn kicked at the horse and steered it toward the two men as they grappled. She passed her pistol to Nuria. She sprang from the horse, jammed it against the Shaylighter’s skull and squeezed the trigger. Stone shoved the man off him, breathing heavy, covered in blood and tissue.

  Nuria pointed. “It’s Boyd.”

  Quinn twisted in the saddle. “You crazy bastard, Benny.”

  The truck swerved along the outskirts of the village and the three of them hurried toward it as the Shaylighters gathered around the body of Soirese.

  Stone felt his eyes roll shut and jerked himself awake. The wares inside the truck were haphazardly stacked; boxes and barrels slid across the metal flatbed as the vehicle pounded the long road back to Brix. Nuria kept watch on the roof, scanning the landscape with binoculars. Great Onglee was an ugly mark on the horizon, fading slowly as the truck crossed meadows and pastures and open fields. There were no more Shaylighters. She dropped down through the hatch and took another long drink of water. Stone was sat with his scarf lowered, grimy face folded in deep thought. No words passed between the three of them, each languished in their own private hell.

  It was Nuria who eventually spoke. “Hog was killed.”

  “And Kevane.”

  “Did you see Maurice?”

  “No.”

  “I never did find Kaya.”

  “Did she confide in you?”

  “Yes.”

  “And?”

  Nuria hesitated. “Later.”

  The truck rocked from side to side. He looked at Quinn.

  “Should I thank you for coming back?”

  “You’d both be dead if I hadn’t. I mean, if we hadn’t. I didn’t want to leave you behind.”

  Stone wiped his blood stained hands against his legs.

  “So this is the promised land of Ennpithia where a man can live in peace beneath the sign?”

  He snorted.

  “At least in Gallen we don’t pretend to be civilised.”

  “The Shaylighters have never killed on this scale.”

  “Then why did they?”

  “It’s like you said, Stone, now we know where they are.”

  “Why do they trust Jeremy? He’s just a boy.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Are there more like him?”

  Quinn shrugged.

  “You need to think about why they really attacked Great Onglee,” said Nuria, yawning, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her palms. “They massacred a village to keep a secret? It doesn’t make any sense.”

  No one wanted to think about it.

  “How did your daughter die if the city didn’t kill her?” said Stone.

  “Daughter?” exclaimed Nuria.

  More silence.

  Stone drank.

  Then he said, “What does the Engineer is Omar mean?”

  Quinn looked at him.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Who’s the Engineer?”

  She shrugged.

  “Omar?”

  “I don’t know anyone called Omar.”

  “What the fuck do you know?” he growled, suddenly losing his patience. He held up his hand, an instant apology.

  “What is it?” asked Nuria, shifting. She suddenly realised she had been leaning against him.

  He told them of the sword fight with Callart and how the Shaylighter had him beat numerous times but chose not to deal the killing blow.

  “It’s a message but I don’t know who he wanted me to give it to.”

  He scratched his beard.

  “And I don’t think I care, either.”

  “You do care,” said Nuria.

  “I really don’t.”

  “You do care. All of you do.”

  She was wedged out of sight, scruffy and frightened, skulking behind the boxes and bags and folded tables. Her pale face emerged, eyes wide, thick hair spilling onto her forehead.

  She repeated, “You do care.”

  “Kaya,” said Nuria, reaching for her.

  It was late in the afternoon and the truck was angled beneath a canopy of trees. Boyd stood in the bushes, taking a long piss. Stone, carbine slung over his shoulder, wandered over to him, and lingered in the shade of a tall tree.

  “She must have snuck on,” said Boyd, rocking on the balls of his feet. “During the attack, I mean. She was always trying to get away. Looks like she made it this time. I’ll miss Stephen, he was a good friend.”

  He shook.

  “You put up quite a fight in there, Stone. I’ll put in a good word for you in Touron.”

  “Why do you have to get there?”

  “I have business there.”

  “You have business in the villages this time of year. Not in Touron. Isn’t that what you told us?”

  “Things have changed,” said Boyd, hiking up his trousers and wiping his hands down his coat.

  Stone nodded. “Things have changed.”

  “That’s right. This means I need to go to Touron. You and Nuria will still be paid, if that’s concerning you.”

  “I don’t care about coin.”

  Boyd laughed. “You need to begin to care about it, Stone. If you want to remain in Ennpithia.”

>   “I seem to be coping quite well without it.” He paused. “Who’s the Engineer?”

  “The who? I don’t know. Why?”

  “What about Omar? Do you know someone called Omar?”

  Boyd shook his head. “No.”

  “Was the message for you?”

  “What message?”

  “The Engineer is Omar. Not all Shaylighters want war. Stop the plan. That was the message. One of the Shaylighters gave it to me. Tall, ferocious looking, good with a sword.”

  “I don’t know what …”

  Stone pinned him against the tree. He shoved his blood caked face toward the merchant, nose to nose.

  “You’re lying.”

  Boyd was unflustered. “I don’t answer to you, Stone.”

  Stone jammed his revolver against Boyd’s chin.

  “Then answer to this.”

  “Stone,” shouted Quinn, and ran to the trees, pulling out her pistol. “What are you doing? Take that gun away from him.”

  “What’s going on?” said Kaya.

  “It’s going to be okay,” said Nuria, placing a reassuring hand on her arm. She realised her other hand was reaching for her sword.

  Quinn raised her pistol. “He’s my friend, let him go. He came back for us in the end.”

  “Well, what are you going to do now?” asked Boyd.

  “You’re very calm.”

  “The Lord will protect me. And Quinn.”

  Stone cocked the revolver. “An innocent man would be trying to convince me he’s innocent.”

  Nuria’s sword was drawn. She inched forward.

  “Who are you?”

  “I don’t think so.” Boyd pushed the revolver away. “It’s empty.”

  Stone’s finger was still on the trigger. “Are you sure?”

  “You always know,” said Boyd, calmly walking back to the truck. “Isn’t that what you say, Stone? Now, I’m going to Touron. You can stay here waving your empty gun or you can come with me.”

  Stone dropped the hammer, tossed the empty revolver back into his bag. Suddenly, he moved at Quinn, jamming his left elbow into her jaw and snatching her pistol with his right hand.

  He fired; the bullet pinged off the vehicle. Kaya gasped. The horses snorted.

  “Nuria, check him for weapons.”

  She frisked the merchant without hesitation and tugged out the two pistols. Quinn stumbled to her feet, rubbing her jaw.

  “What the fuck was that for? You bastard, Stone, what … Benny, why do you have those? Where did you get them?”

  “Probably from your workshop,” said Stone. “So who are you, Benny?”

  “There isn’t time for this nonsense.” He began to raise his voice. “We need to get moving. I have to reach Touron.”

  “For once, no one is following your orders. Because that’s all you do, isn’t it? You give orders. When you’re asking you’re telling.”

  Stone took a step forward.

  “First an illegal truck, now illegal guns. You must make some hefty contributions to the Holy House.”

  “You’ll have to ask them. I’m an honest man earning an honest living and minding my own business.”

  “There’s little honest about you,” said Stone.

  “Benny, what’s going on?” said Quinn. “Please tell me you’re not one of them. Not you as well.”

  Stone circled the man.

  “We’re not going anywhere until you cough up the truth, Boyd.”

  “Last night,” said Nuria. “Kaya’s father asked you for help. Can you help, Boyd? Those were his exact words. I remember that look on your face. I didn’t understand it at the time and I’d forgotten about it until now. There was something in that look you gave the Earl. He wasn’t asking an old friend or the local merchant for help. He was asking someone very different. Which means you’re not who you say you are. You have another identity.”

  She nodded, smiled thinly.

  “I’ve played the part before, Boyd. You’re a spy. But who for?”

  At once, Stone and Quinn said, “What?”

  “Look at him. It’s the perfect cover. The friendly travelling merchant. He can go anywhere, be anywhere, and talk to anyone. He’s so obvious which is why no one recognises his true intentions.”

  “Who do you spy for?” said Stone, finger on the trigger. “The Shaylighters?”

  “I came back for you all. Remember? Please, we can talk on the way but I have to get to Touron.”

  “He was talking about the treaty,” said Quinn, suddenly. Her eyes were rimmed with tears. “Getting to Touron and stopping the treaty.”

  She wiped her sleeve across her face. “Is it true, Benny? Are you a spy?”

  The sadness was crippling her. Boyd saw the child he had found lurking in his barn, her belly rounded, terror in her eyes.

  He looked at them all.

  “I couldn’t tell you, Quinn.”

  “Didn’t you trust me? I trusted you. You knew Clarissa was mine. I trusted you. I trusted you.”

  “It was better you didn’t know the truth. Safer for you.” He let out a long sigh. “I don’t work for the Shaylighters. I work for Governor Albury.”

  Stone and Nuria drew blank expressions.

  “Governor Albury is our ruler,” said Quinn.

  “Then who is the Engineer?” said Stone. “And I’m getting really pissed off asking.”

  “A ghost,” said Boyd. “Or so we thought. I began hearing his name before the winter came. There were rumours he was stirring up trouble in the Kiven city.”

  “What kind of trouble?” asked Nuria. She could feel the sweat on her forehead as the sun rose in the sky.

  “Advanced weaponry,” said Boyd. “Ten years ago there was a war in our lands. Between Ennpithia and Kiven. It was an ugly time. Many were killed. But a peace was brokered by Father Devon and a treaty was signed and for a decade there has been no violence and no threat of any violence. Rumours persist that the Engineer is attempting to rupture the peace. But now I know who he is.”

  “Omar,” said Stone.

  Boyd nodded. “If it’s true, then it’s shocking. Omar is the newly appointed governor of the League of Restoration, one of three factions that form the Alliance of Kiven. As Omar, he plays the political game. But as the Engineer, he develops new and dangerous military projects. You have to understand that the League is the most influential faction within Kiven. Thousands are swayed by them.”

  He cleared his throat.

  “We are different people, Stone. They live in the past whilst we aim to build a future. Creating a new world, a better world, not trying to resurrect an old one.”

  “Your truck looks pretty much like a relic of the past,” said Nuria, shaking her head.

  “So what is this new treaty?” asked Stone.

  “A trade agreement. Between Ennpithia and Kiven. Food from Ennpithia in exchange for iron.”

  “We have iron mines,” said Quinn. “Why do we need more of it?”

  “Do you really want a discussion on the worrying depletion of our iron mines?”

  She fell silent. Stone lowered his pistol.

  “So why do you want to stop it? Isn’t that what you’re all about? Trade?”

  Boyd shook his head.

  “The carbine you bought out of Mosscar is Kiven made. It was one of the weapons they used during the war.”

  Stone took the slingshot off his shoulder; metal and wood efficiently welded together.

  “The Shaylighters never made that,” said Boyd. “It’s a Kiven weapon.”

  “But a few days ago you thought Mosscar was a city of sickness and that the Shaylighters were no more than a handful of bandits. You were wrong on both counts. How can you be certain of anything?”

  “I am certain. I believe this man – Omar – has smuggled weapons into Ennpithia and armed the Shaylighters. The proof is in your hands. He must have gained access to the old stockpiles. Quinn told me you fought with Essamon and he attacked you with a box of burning l
ight. Omar gave him that weapon. A contact informed me that the weapon was in Kiven during the autumn and was being worked on by a man he knew as the Engineer. I never heard from my contact again and now the weapon is with Essamon. The Albury’s need the facts before they sign this new treaty. Great Onglee might have been attacked by Shaylighters but they were using Kiven weapons supplied by Omar.”

  Stone walked away, saying nothing.

  “What if this Shaylighter was lying? What if he’s trying to provoke you?”

  “Did you think he was lying?”

  Stone said nothing.

  “I need you to escort me to Touron,” said Boyd. “Jeremy has betrayed us but I can’t believe he’s alone in this.”

  No one spoke.

  “You three are the only ones I can trust. With absolute certainty.”

  He waited.

  “Hundreds are dead from Kiven weapons. The Engineer is using the Shaylighters to beat the drums of war.”

  “Why don’t you call on that for an escort?”

  Boyd curled his hand around the cross on his chest.

  “You don’t understand faith, Stone.”

  “I understand faith pretty well. I have faith in Nuria. And she has faith in me. That’s good enough.”

  “I’ll help you, Benny,” said Quinn, her voice frayed at the edges. “It’s what I’ve always done. Why stop now?”

  “We’ll help you as well,” said Nuria, suddenly.

  Stone whirled around, eyes blazing.

  “But at a price.”

  Boyd nodded. “You’re beginning to understand Ennpithia, Nuria. I knew you would. How many coins will it take?”

  “None,” said Nuria. “But when we reach Touron you release Sal Munton and drop all the charges against him.”

  “What? He’s a monster. He kidnaps children, turns them feral.”

  “Don’t call him that,” said Kaya, speaking up. “He’s the only one helping. Tell them, Nuria.”