by Sam Bowring
She coughed as she rose from the water, worried about the noise of her landing, but it was better than breaking her legs. Quickly she waded to the stream’s edge, climbed out on the side furthest from the perilously close army, and dragged up the bank to hide underneath a group of ferns. Mages, she knew, would not become instantly aware of her as they would have with a shadow mage, but that did not mean they couldn’t quest forth with formless sight and find her. Moments went by slowly as she strained her ears, but there came no rushing of feet, no yelling about an enemy being near, and soon the insects she had disturbed were chirping again. She settled down in the mud, part of her enjoying the abeyance of heat. There was nothing to do but wait for the coming of dawn.
•
Grimra wafted through the camp on the lookout for anything tasty. Lalenda usually made sure he had plenty of food, but his hunger was more of a monster than he was. It did not help that he was surrounded by delicious humans and little goblins. Even the tougher Vorthargs sometimes took his fancy, for their bones were hard and did not break easily when he ran his teeth down them to scour every last bit of meat. He did not like stony Graka, so at least obeying Losara was easy on that count.
Behave , he was constantly being told.
‘Grimra does behave,’ he muttered, as he slipped through someone’s legs and made them jump in alarm. ‘He behaves like Grimra, ho ho!’
He discovered a camp in which two Arabodedas women were watching a man skin a rabbit. Not many of those left with such a crowd camping here, so it was a prize indeed for these three. Grimra knew it wasn’t his to take, but still he watched, fascinated and unseen, as the man started to cut the rabbit and toss the pieces in a bowl. When he was done he produced a small pouch from his pocket, and the women glanced at each other eagerly.
‘You brought herbs?’ said one.
‘Of course!’ said the man, grinning. ‘What is food without a little spice?’
The man shook fine brown dust from the pouch into the bowl, and rubbed it into the rabbit with his fingers. Grimra swallowed a growl – he cared not for the subtler flavours of herbs, with the exception of prayer weed, but there was not much hope the man used that, given that it was toxic to humans.
The man finished and set the bowl down proudly in front of the women. Their eyes glistened as they leaned forward to inspect.
‘We can have the first bite?’
‘You may,’ said the man.
Grimra could not help himself. He lunged and grabbed the bowl, smashing it against his teeth so all the rabbit flew into his mouth.
‘Rar, ha ha!’ he laughed, guzzling it up. So surprised were the Arabodedas that they fell backwards off their stones.
‘What was that?’ cried one of the women, clambering to her feet.
‘I’d say it was the Golgoleth we’ve been warned of,’ said the man, stepping in front of her warily. ‘Stay back – they say we need not fear him, but …’
The other woman still lay on the ground, looking mournfully at the smashed and empty bowl. Grimra felt a moment of pity – he knew this was not exactly behaving . Maybe he could make it up to them?
‘Grimra bring you a replacement,’ he informed them, startling them again.
He whirled away to the river to prowl the banks, where a few rabbit holes had escaped being covered by tents or mounds of supplies. Soon he found one, and squeezed into it and along.
‘Little rabbits?’ he said. ‘Where be thou?’
He entered a larger part of the burrow, where three rabbits clustered in the dark. A fine gift they would make for the Arabodedas he had stolen from.
‘Rar, ha ha!’ he cackled gleefully as he rushed in and tore them to pieces, his promise instantly forgotten. Tasty, tasty indeed!
Dawn was breaking, and Grimra decided he would check to see if Lalenda had woken yet. As he breezed into her and Losara’s tent, he was surprised to find she wasn’t there. He knew his amulet was close, however, for he could feel it always, his link to this plane. He drifted up beside the deeply sleeping Losara and tried to pull back a corner of the sheet on Lalenda’s side with his claw. As usual he was lousy at any action more delicate than rending things asunder, and tears appeared in the sheet. Growing impatient, he began to shred it to pieces.
‘Grimra,’ said Losara. He was sitting up, looking perplexed at waking to find the ghost attacking the bed. ‘What’s going on? Where’s Lalenda?’
‘Gone,’ wailed Grimra, having finally revealed the amulet. Slowly Losara’s eyes fell on it. ‘Flutterbug has gone!’
‘Gone?’ Now Losara was truly awake. He fell to shadow and re-formed on his feet. ‘Where has she gone?’
‘Grimra not be knowing. Grimra see her last night sleeping, but now, now, gone!’
He whirled around the tent, knocking things over.
‘All right, Grimra, settle down,’ said Losara. ‘I’m sure she hasn’t gone far.’
‘Why does she take off Grimra’s amulet then?’ keened Grimra. ‘ So Grimra cannot follow .’
Concern showed on Losara’s face.
‘Loves him too much,’ moaned Grimra.
‘What do you mean?’
‘So angry she be! She is watching the other lady every morning, watches her get up from blue-hair’s camp and off through his army, watches her pop out and go to swimming hole, every morning for days and days – such good eyes flutterbug has! Grimra says what be you thinking, and flutterbug says nothing, but Grimra knows, Grimra can tell from the hate in her eyes. She starts trying to go without him, to go and sit and watch the lady, tells Grimra to go find rabbits – but Grimra is watching her anyways, and she doesn’t be knowing.’
‘Grimra,’ said Losara, his voice resonant with power. It caught the ghost’s attention, made him slow.
‘Yes?’
‘Tell me,’ said Losara, ‘where she has gone.’
•
Jaya wandered through the army in no particular rush. No need, for the days had begun to blend, and there was little for her to do save keep Bel company as he sat around on display. It was not exactly boring, but it was sometimes …limited. So she enjoyed these little excursions away, a quiet time to herself, without thousands of eyes upon her. Some of the other folk here knew about the stream, of course, but she found if she visited at dawn when it wasn’t yet hot, between patrol changes, she usually had the place to herself. As she came to the edge of the army, there it was – a small copse of trees hiding a nice secluded spot.
Over the grass she trotted, passing a troop of soldiers on foot heading in the opposite direction. A young man who looked very new to armour glanced at the cloth she’d brought to dry herself, and shot her a quirked eyebrow – no doubt imagining her naked, silly boy – but she found herself grinning and sending him a wink in return. At least he hadn’t been openly lewd, like some of the soldiers around here.
She arrived at the trees and slipped inside, padding lightly through the undergrowth and coming out into a clearing through which the stream burbled. Blessedly there was no one here, and she wasted no time removing her belt and stripping down to her undergarments. She eased into the water and made for a deep spot towards the middle, diving as she reached it and enjoying the rush of cool water through her hair. She surfaced, her feet planting on smooth stones beneath her, and blinked. An odd beating sound reached her, and she shook her ear with a finger to unplug it. As the audibility of the world grew crisp once again, the beating sound descended upon her rapidly. She spun and flung up her hands.
Claws like needles slashed her arm but her cry was stifled as she fell under the weight of her assailant. Her feet kicked for the bottom but she was already off balance, and succeeded only in bouncing along backwards. Clawed hands came at her face, and her own hands shot out to seize them at the wrist. Wings beat at her, and a muddy brown face came close to hers just before she was pushed underwater.
The creature …a Mire Pixie …was pulling in her grip now, trying to get free, but she dragged it down with her. As its
wing tips broke the water’s surface, it collapsed from the air to sink after. She twisted away, pushed it from her, kicked free, and came up gasping. About a pace away the pixie rose, breathing hard and watching her with hooded eyes from under a tangle of sodden black hair. Jaya glanced to the shore – her pile of things, including her sword, was downstream.
‘You will not steal him from me,’ the pixie said, wading into the shallows between Jaya and her gear. Jaya had a moment to really see her – a little over a pace tall, her eyes were a piercing blue that shone with fervour from the darkness of her face. She gave her wings a flick, sending a spray of water in either direction.
‘What,’ spluttered Jaya, ‘in Arkus’s name are you talking about?’
‘Arkus?’ said the pixie, cocking her head. ‘A strange name to invoke to me.’
She launched at Jaya with a whir. Jaya dropped down and her hand closed around a submerged stone, which she wrenched from the water and sent hurtling at the pixie. It glanced off her arm and she gave a little yelp, knocked off course. Jaya dashed from the shallows and along the bank to her things. She fell to the ground to scrabble with her belt, the sword end caught under her clothes, even as she heard wing beats coming closer. Flinging clothes away desperately, she yanked the sword free, and spun just in time to smash away the pixie’s outstretched hand with the hilt, deflecting her claws. The pixie spun in the air and half glided, half fell to the ground. Jaya strode to her even as she tried to rise, and put a boot in her side that set her on her back. The pixie opened her eyes to find Jaya’s sword point glinting over her throat.
‘Caught me by surprise, shadow,’ said Jaya, breathing hard.
The pixie hissed, but Jaya let the blade touch her flesh, and she quieted instantly – though her eyes were still brimming with accusation.
‘Why have you come here?’ demanded Jaya. ‘Do you realise I won’t feel safe in this nook again? You have ruined my bathing time. Who are you?’
The pixie slumped a little, her body finally seeming to realise the fight had halted. ‘Lalenda,’ she said.
Jaya frowned – she had heard the name before, but where? Then she remembered.
‘You’re Losara’s lover,’ she said, surprised. Her eyes travelled down Lalenda’s small form. ‘What peculiar taste he’s got.’
Lalenda scowled. ‘You can talk, Sprite.’
‘My love is also part Sprite,’ countered Jaya, then wondered why she was defending herself. ‘Why have you come here? You tried to kill me – why shouldn’t I run you through right now?’
‘Why do you always ask more than one question at once?’ spat Lalenda. ‘Decide what answers you really want before wasting my time.’
‘What did you mean by saying you would not share him?’
Lalenda stared up with pure malice. ‘What do you suppose will happen,’ she said, ‘if the men we love are made into one? What do you think will happen to their love for us ?’
Jaya frowned, unsure what to make of that – in truth, she tried not to think too deeply about Bel’s plan to absorb his other into himself. Always her concerns, when she dared to have them, were dismissed with talk of how Losara was the lesser part, and Arkus had told Bel that he would remain dominant, and she should not worry.
‘We are bonded,’ she said. ‘Our Sprite souls entangled. Bel will never stop loving me.’ She laughed. It was true.
‘Bitch,’ said Lalenda quietly. ‘We know you think Losara is nothing. You are fools. You believe that because of some quirk in your heritage, your love is special? Losara and I did not rely on tradition to match us – we chose each other .’
‘You must not be overly confident,’ said Jaya. ‘After all, you are trying to kill me. Why do that, if the love of your man is so unshakeable?’
‘I felt sorry for you,’ said Lalenda. ‘Knowing how kind and compassionate my Losara is, and thus knowing Bel is without those qualities, I thought to put you out of your misery.’
‘Compassionate? After what he’s done? I should run you through where you lie.’
And why not? she thought. She isn’t on the ‘must not kill’ list.
Yet this talk of Losara and Bel combining had disturbed her. Their fates were uncertain but intertwined, and they involved both her and this angry pixie as well. Also, Losara had saved her from the Mireforms – admittedly ones which he had sent in the first place – but that did not change the fact that without his actions, she would be dead. Would she repay him by destroying his happiness? And if she did, would he not be angry with her, vengeful – and then what if Bel combined with him? Would that fury cross over as well?
Something yanked the sword from her grip and sent it spinning into the stream. She looked up and there was Losara, his torso floating upon shadows issuing up from the water. Lalenda scrambled to her feet as Jaya backed away, but before the pixie could do anything further, Losara beckoned his finger and she gave a cry as she lifted off her feet. He moved her through the air and set her beside him. She struggled for a moment, then gave an exclamation of frustration. Losara glanced at her and she stilled.
‘My apologies,’ he said, turning back to Jaya. ‘This was not done with my knowledge.’
‘Well, now,’ rang a jolly voice through the trees. All three pairs of eyes slid to the sound of its approach. ‘Just thought,’ said the young soldier, appearing out of the trees, ‘that I’d come here for a wash, for no particular …’ The smile faded from his face as he saw the dreamer and Lalenda floating over the stream. Jaya recognised him as the one she’d winked at on her way here. She rolled her eyes.
Should have known better , she thought.
‘The …the dreamer,’ stammered the soldier, pale as snow. He glanced at her and she felt suddenly exposed, her undergarments clinging to her slickly. The sight of her seemed to make him find his spirit.
‘Stay back!’ he warned, and reached for his bow, falling to one knee and notching an arrow.
‘No!’ Jaya shouted, and ran at him. At the moment the arrow left the bow she collided with him, knocking him to the ground and sending the arrow wide. He looked up at her in confusion, and she rolled off him quickly. Meanwhile Lalenda was staring at her with an odd expression on her face. Jaya felt a strange moment between them.
‘I would not want Losara to die,’ she said quietly, ‘just as you would not kill Bel.’
Sounds of yelling came from the direction of the army, growing louder fast.
‘I am sensed,’ said Losara. Without another word he shot along the stream, dragging Lalenda with him. A moment later lightfists skidded out of the trees, but Losara and his pixie had already disappeared.
‘Why did you stop me firing?’ whined the young soldier, rubbing his arm.
‘You think that one arrow can kill the Shadowdreamer?’ she said, stooping to gather her clothes. ‘I probably saved your life.’ As the lightfists came towards them, she sighed. ‘All I wanted,’ she said, ‘was a little damn privacy.’
Preparations
Bel had his sword in hand, and yet there was nothing to strike. ‘I warned you,’ he shouted, ‘about leaving the army!’
‘Don’t snap at me, Blade Bel,’ said Jaya levelly, crossing her arms. ‘I was the one who got attacked, remember? And, I might add, it only happened because I put up with you on such a regular basis.’
‘I’m not snapping at you!’ said Bel, unsure of who he really was most angry with. Jaya for her insistence on leaving the safety of the camp, himself for allowing it, Lalenda for initiating such maliciousness, or Losara for failing to control her …or even for being the one to rescue Jaya once again? It seemed, when he thought about it, that he was angry with all of them in equal measure. He was confused, too, over Lalenda’s motives. Losara had been curious about Jaya, he remembered, from the time his counterpart had spent disguised in their company …should he in turn be curious about Lalenda? But why, when he already knew he could never love anyone but Jaya?
‘I’m just angry I wasn’t there,’ he said, forcing hi
mself to put away his sword. ‘Instead I sat here dumb and bored, ignorant of you in danger elsewhere.’
‘Well,’ said Jaya, ‘you do insist on remaining here, my stubborn friend, even though surely Losara won’t try to trick you with any more mander-ish illusions. Surely you can now allow yourself a wider range?’
‘If I saw him leave with the mander again,’ said Bel, ‘how could I be certain he’s not actually doing what he only pretended to before, this time banking on my disbelief? That’s what I’d do.’
Jaya placed a hand on Bel’s shoulder. ‘Exactly why he won’t.’
Bel calmed a little at her touch. ‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘I’m just so utterly out of my mind with tedium here.’
‘Well,’ she gave him a squeeze, ‘careful what you say, or I’ll start to think you’re unhappy you missed the excitement for the wrong reasons.’
From Bel’s pack there came a chirp. As he knelt down to fumble inside, Querrus, who was snoozing nearby, said something unintelligible in his sleep.
‘Ridiculous.’ Bel scowled. ‘This is what I have to deal with! To be in plain view of the enemy, yet comfortable enough to nap. No wonder I’m going mad!’
He produced the bird, and touched the scroll.
‘Bel,’ came Fahren’s voice, ‘I thought you’d like to know we are drawing close, and should arrive around nightfall. Perhaps you could let Brahl know as well? See you in a short while.’
That was all, and the steam hissed to an abrupt end. Bel did not care, for his mood had instantly improved tenfold.
‘Finally!’ he said, his eyes flashing eagerly. ‘Fahren will be here by evening!’
‘I heard,’ said Jaya, not seeming to share his mood.
For a moment Bel’s exuberance faltered. ‘Which means she’ll be here too,’ he added, almost to himself.
He wasn’t quite sure how he felt about that.
•
As they approached the Kainordan army, Battu couldn’t help but feel trepidation. That, he thought angrily, was a side effect of his encounter with Arkus. Iassia had said he must be sworn to serve because there was a risk he’d change his mind – and then proceeded to take away the very aspect of him that kept him so focused. To sharks, consequences were not high on the list of things worth considering. Now, alone with his thoughts, he found himself more greatly fearing the consequences of failure. What would the Dark Gods do to him, if he should return to them? He shuddered to think. Was that Arkus’s motivation, then? To punish him, by making him fear the choice he was locked into? Was the Sun God so petty?
