by Ian Irvine
“Cythonians are fanatical about cleanliness. Even with all the lime they use, the squatteries stink. They’re all well away from the living areas, with special air wafters and pipework to get rid of the smell.”
“But if they recognise you — ”
“Why would they? Lots of Pale are blonde, and most are small. I’m a common type.”
“Never common,” said Tobry. “I’d better come with you.”
“You’re tanned and weathered! Any fool would know you’re not one of us. Why do you think we’re called the Pale?”
“That’s not the real reason, is it?” said Tobry bitterly. “You’re afraid I’ll crack up.”
Tali couldn’t deal with his troubles as well. The challenge facing her once she got into the Empound — if she did — was too overwhelming. “You said it. I didn’t.”
His look told her he knew exactly what she meant.
“You know what you’ve got to do,” said Tali. “Go down past the subsistery — the Pale’s dining hall — the entrance looks like the mouth of a grinning eel. Then head around and to the right. Break into the weapons stores and the tool stores — ”
“What if we can’t?” said Holm.
“If your lock-breaking skills don’t work, Tobry will have to use magery. Find anything that can be used as weapons — enough for thousands. Especially heatstone — there’s a storeroom full of it, here.” She showed him on the map. “Once you’ve done that, come back, deal with the Empound guard and keep watch. If you run into any of the enemy, and you probably will, you know what to do.”
“Why not deal with the guard now?” said Holm.
“The guards change in an hour, and it’s going to take me longer than that to get thousands of Pale up and talk them into rebelling.” Assuming she could. “Off you go; I’ve got to get undressed.”
They went out. Tali took a length of green rag from her pack, stripped and put her clothes, boots and knife in. She rumpled up her hair and fastened the loincloth around her hips.
And she was a slave again. A half-naked, helpless slave that any Cythonian could strike down. She could feel the slave’s mind-set rousing, the hope draining out of her. Tali fought it. No matter how she was dressed, she was the Lady Thalalie vi Torgrist, here to save her people.
After taking a deep breath, she adjusted her loincloth, readjusted it, then went out, practising the slave’s listless walk, the downcast eyes and dangling arms. Around the corner, up the gentle slope towards the guard post.
It was hard to breathe; a knot tightened in her belly. You look like a common slave, she reminded herself, like all the others here. Why would any guard take notice of you?
She watched him from the corner of an eye as she passed. He looked up, then down again. Slaves went in, slaves went out. As long as there was no ruckus in the Empound, he wasn’t concerned. In a couple of hours there would be a huge ruckus, but by then Tobry and Holm would have dealt with the new guard. If Tobry was still on his feet.
And if he hadn’t had an attack of shifter madness. She should have given Holm the emergency potion, which was in the bottom of her pack in the storeroom. Too late now. She couldn’t go back.
Tali followed the tunnel in. It curved around to the right and the wall art here was ferocious and threatening, full of toothed beasts in savage landscapes under lowering skies.
Her greatest challenge was yet to come, and it was the one she was least well equipped for. What if the Pale wouldn’t rebel? Why would they listen to her, an escaped slave who had stupidly come back to slavery? What if they laughed at her or mocked her? The thought of standing up before such a vast sea of hostile faces almost made her wet herself.
Tali plodded to a stop, feeling the panic rising. The courier could have reached the matriarchs by now; he could be handing them the death order. Would they debate it, wait until the morning, or act at once? Eighty-five thousand lives depended on the answer.
The women’s Empound had the same layout as the men’s quarters, curving slices like honeycomb each containing thousands of little cells arranged around a circular assembly area a couple of hundred yards across. The arching ceiling was held up by thick, octagonal columns arranged in arcs, carved from the native rock. The only difference was that the cells and the assembly area were larger here. On mating nights the Empound had to accommodate many more Pale.
She crossed the assembly area, went to the first cell, shoved the door open and said, “Get up. The enemy are coming to kill you.”
“What?” a man’s voice said thickly.
“Kill us?” cried a woman.
Tali did not reply. She ran down several doors and said the same thing, then scrambled up to the next level of the honeycomb of cells, then along and up again, repeating her message but offering no explanation. She crossed to the next section of the honeycomb, then to the section after that.
She could not go to every cell, or even every row; that would have taken hours. Tali was trusting to the slaves’ natural curiosity and ever-present fear to get them outside and rouse their neighbours.
Their lives being mind-numbingly tedious, the smallest bit of news or gossip fascinated them, as did any kind of violence against their fellow slaves. Her well-chosen words offered both and soon thousands of Pale were outside, all whispering at once.
In fifteen minutes, she judged that everyone who was coming out had done so. There were people everywhere along the walkways to the cells and in the assembly area, tens of thousands of them. Such an assembly was forbidden, so she had to sway them quickly. The strong slaves preyed on the weak and anyone who could gain favour by denouncing her was likely to do so, unless she convinced them that their own lives were in peril.
Tali stood at the edge of one of the walkways, halfway up a bank of cells where the maximum number of people could see her. She held up a hand and the talking ceased. She had to be quick, and she had to put it simply, clearly, persuasively.
“You know me,” she said. “I am Tali vi Torgrist, the first Pale ever to escape from Cython. I killed Overseer Banj with mighty magery. I know the way out. I’ve come back to free you, because — ”
“Why would we listen to you?” sneered a familiar voice, off to her right. It was a tall, beautiful slave with a fall of shining black hair and skin like rubbed amber. Radl.
Tali’s heart stopped, then restarted, beating twice as fast. Radl had been her enemy since childhood, and since her man had been executed in the heatstone mine last year she burned with barely suppressed fury. But she was a natural leader who kept the Pale in her group in line better than their masters could, and she had saved many a life by doing so.
“There’s a death order out for the Pale.”
“Explain!”
“Up above, the war’s turning against Lyf,” said Tali. “He has to make sure Cython is safe, in case he has to retreat here. He’s just issued a death order on the Pale.”
“I don’t believe you,” said Radl.
“It’s true,” Tali said desperately. “His courier will be here by now, handing the death order to the matriarchs.”
“How could you know that?”
“There isn’t time for this,” said Tali. “Please, Radl, we’ve got to get them out.”
“Answer the question.”
“I’ve been spying on Lyf with magery. For weeks. I was afraid this would happen.”
“I think you’re lying,” said Radl, smiling thinly.
“Why would I come back to slavery? If they catch me, I’m going to suffer the most agonising death they can create.”
“Yes, you are.” Radl licked her lips. “But the slave who betrays you will be well rewarded.”
“Are you prepared to bet your neck on that?”
Radl frowned.
“If I’m telling the truth, you’ll lose your head to the Living Blade, like everyone else,” said Tali. She reached out to Radl. “I’ve seen the death order. And I saw the courier leaving Caulderon, two hours ago. He’ll be here by now.”
>
“How’s the war going?” Radl said abruptly.
The Pale had only one source of news — what their masters told them. Most of the time that was nothing, though of course they knew there was a war on. Keeping one eye on the gathering, Tali sketched the situation in Hightspall in as few words as possible.
When she finished, Radl just stared at her, and Tali began to sweat. Even if the courier wasn’t here yet, more than an hour had passed since she and Tobry had killed the guards at the pondages. The moment their bodies were discovered, the hunt would be on and all Cython would be roused. Then the rebellion would be crushed before it begun.
“All right,” said Radl. “I believe you. But they won’t listen.”
Some of the slaves were already heading back to their cells, their minds closed.
“Why not?”
“Because I’ve spent all my hours since Mia’s death blackening your name.”
“Why would you do that?” Tali said hoarsely.
Radl shrugged. “She was my friend and you caused her death. And I’ve never liked you. I was working on a similar plan, and your escape ruined mine.”
Tali shivered. She felt sure Radl was going to betray her.
“But I love my people and I want them to escape,” Radl said unexpectedly. “What’s your plan?”
“I’ve got two allies here. They’re breaking into the armouries right now. We arm our people, as many as we can, and run for the nearest exit.”
“All the exits are guarded and booby trapped.”
“But the enemy are expecting an attack from outside, not inside. Holm knows how to disable traps, and Tobry can blast down the guards with magery.”
“It’s not much of a plan,” said Radl. “The enemy have thousands of trained fighters; we have none.”
“I was hoping not to fight. Have you got a better plan?”
“Not yet.”
“Wait; there’s one other thing.” Tali explained how small pieces of heatstone could be used like grenadoes. “We can attack the enemy with heatstone if we have to, and since they’re superstitious about the stuff, I don’t think they’ll use it against us.”
“I like it,” said Radl.
“Also, when I dropped that huge piece of sunstone in the shaft the day I escaped, it knocked all the Cythonians unconscious — ”
“So that’s how you got away. The enemy cleaned the whole shaft up themselves; they wouldn’t allow us near.”
“They didn’t want you to know how I escaped.”
“But there’s no sunstone near here,” said Radl.
“I’m hoping that heatstone, being stronger, will also knock them out.”
“I wouldn’t bet on it.” Radl thought for a moment. “All right, I’ll help you… if you can beat me in a fight.”
CHAPTER 93
“A fight?” said Tali.
“Right here, right now.”
There wasn’t time to debate the matter. The enemy could be on their way, and the moment they entered the Empound every slave would denounce Tali.
“All right,” she said.
Without warning, or any hint of what she had in mind, Radl struck Tali across the face so hard that it knocked her sideways. She staggered a couple of steps, her head ringing. The low buzz of talk throughout the assembly area stopped. Radl had everyone’s attention. The slaves loved a fight, loved to see someone else’s blood, and loved a winner, too.
Tali hurled herself at the taller woman. Radl struck at her again but this time Tali was ready. And she had learned a lot about fighting since her escape from Cython. She caught Radl’s arm, yanked her forwards and brought her knee up into Radl’s belly, driving the wind out of her. Radl stumbled backwards, fell, and Tali went after her, realising too late that it was a trick. Radl thrust two long feet into Tali’s belly, snapped her legs straight and catapulted her ten feet backwards, knocking down half a dozen staring Pale.
She rose, hurting all over. She’d landed on the wrist she had wrenched earlier and it was throbbing mercilessly again. Was Radl genuine, or was she planning to kill her? It wasn’t uncommon for slaves to be killed in fights.
Tali moved forwards, reviewing the lessons Nurse Bet had taught her and all the dirty fighting she’d learned since. Though how could she fight with only one hand?
Think, think. And then she had it.
“Throw the match,” said Tali quietly as they circled each other, “and I won’t kill you the way I killed Banj.”
“You can’t. Your power comes and goes.”
Tali extended her right hand, the fingers pointing at Radl’s throat. “Want to bet your life on it? I’ve been schooled by some mighty magians in Hightspall.” It was almost true. “I’ve learned a lot from them.”
After a long hesitation, Radl said, “All right.” Then added, nastily, “I was going to let you win anyway. It’s the only way you could ever beat me.”
She struck at Tali, missed. Tali struck back and also missed. Radl aimed a tremendous blow at Tali’s face. She ducked, took hold of Radl’s arm with both hands and, ignoring the excruciating pain in her wrist, threw the taller woman over her shoulder. Radl hit the floor hard. Tali sprang onto her chest with both feet, raised her arms to signal victory, then stepped aside briskly, just in case.
“Cheat,” muttered Radl, but she got up, came to Tali’s side and raised her arm. From the corner of her mouth she added, “In return for my support, I want your man.”
Tali ground her teeth. “I don’t have a man.”
“Well, if you ever get one, old or young, handsome young giant or toothless dwarf, I’m having him.”
“Whatever you say,” said Tali. It hardly mattered, since they were bound to die anyway.
Radl pushed Tali aside, faced the staring Pale, then spoke, just loudly enough to be heard by all.
“Only two hours ago, Lyf issued a death order — on all the Pale.” Radl paused. “If we don’t rise up against the enemy right now, they’re going to put every one of us to death.”
“When?” said a small, white-blonde woman at the front.
“Maybe tomorrow, Nizzy,” said Radl. “Or maybe tonight! They could come for us at any time.”
“We can’t stop them with our bare hands,” said Nizzy.
“Tali killed her overseer with magery and she’s got allies here who can arm us. Are you going to join us — or lie down and wait to die?”
They stared at her, unmoving. This had always been Tali’s greatest fear. Like mice trapped by a cat, the Pale were too cowed. After a thousand years of slavery, their natural instinct was to close their eyes to what was happening. Not even Radl could convince them to rebel.
“What are you going to do?” Tali muttered.
“Pick the best natural leaders.”
“And then?”
“You’ll see. You, Lenz,” said Radl, pointing to a stocky, brown-haired man. “Come here.”
He obeyed. If there was one thing the Pale knew, it was obedience.
“And you, Nizzy. And you, Balun.”
The small, white-blonde woman came down, then a middle-aged man followed, limping. He had big fists and a slightly twisted left foot.
Radl walked back and forth, picking out another dozen people and calling them forwards by name. When they stood before her, she walked up to Lenz, drew back her fist and punched him in the mouth, knocking him down.
She stood over him. “Round up your people. You’re going to war.”
He got up sullenly, but headed up to the cells.
Radl laid Nizzy low with a vicious blow to the belly, and was turning on Balun when he put his hands in the air. “I get the message.”
Radl dropped him anyway, though with less ferocity. “Bring down your men, and your fighting women. Don’t take no for an answer.”
Nizzy went cheerfully enough, Balun with a ferocious grin, and the other twelve leaders scattered to fetch their own people. Radl sent three of her own loyal followers to guard the exit, to prevent any slave from sn
eaking out and betraying them, then turned to Tali, rubbing her bruised knuckles. For a second Tali thought the tall woman was going to thump her as well. Radl laughed, showing strong white teeth.
“See how it’s done?”
“Was that necessary?” said Tali.
“It’s the only argument they understand. You should try it.”
“I’ll leave it to you. You’re so much better at it.”
“Yes, I am,” said Radl. “I’ve been planning this day for a very long time.”
“Really?”
“I love my people,” said Radl. “And I burn to see them delivered from slavery.”
“But for as long as I’ve known you, you’ve treated them badly.”
“They’re so cowed, nothing else would work.”
Radl proceeded along the rows of cells, beating and bullying selected male and female Pale, and ordering them to do the same. After fifteen minutes, a little over three thousand slaves stood in the assembly area, in groups of a hundred, each behind their captain. Radl went from group to group, giving them soft-voiced instructions emphasised with a punch here, a slap there. Tali could not hear what she was saying, but judging by Radl’s hand movements she was telling them how to fight.
She came back. “There, I’ve done your job for you.”
“But there’s only three thousand. What about the rest?”
“You know what they’re like,” said Radl. “Heads in the sand.”
“We have to save them all.”
“This is all you’re going to get.”
“What about the children, the nursing mothers, the old folk?”
“They can’t fight armed guards. If we win, we’ll come back for them.”
Tali swallowed, stared at the taller woman. Clearly, Radl had decided to take over, but Tali didn’t see how this new plan could succeed. “But… we’re not supposed to be attacking the enemy — just making a run for the exits.”
“That can’t work,” said Radl.
“Why not?”
“Thousands of Pale can’t run for the exits in secret — the enemy would know about it in seconds. They’d signal the exit guards to lock the exits, then they’d attack from behind and butcher us. There’s only one thing to do.”
