I wouldn’t.
Of course, he wouldn’t. Marsh rolled her eyes and came to a halt when they arrived outside the door to the Master of Shadows’ office. Roeglin raised his hand to knock, and both of them jumped back in surprise as the door was wrenched open. Master Envermet looked around it and gestured them both inside.
“It’s about time,” he said. “What did you do? Stop to eat?”
Marsh shot a startled glance at Roeglin, but the shadow mage took the question in stride.
“Trainee had to eat, and I needed to make sure the apprentices were set to practice their lessons.”
The trainee had needed to eat? Marsh struggled to keep her disbelief from her face as she followed Roeglin into the room. Gustav was also there. The Master of Shadows waited for Roeglin and Marsh to sit before he began.
“What we learned from the seeker who attempted to take the artifact means we cannot wait any longer,” he began. “If what he says is true and Ruins Hall is expected to fall, we have to do everything we can to reach them in time to save it. It also means I have to alter the plans to repair the trade routes. We will need an advance force to scout the way and report what they find.”
He looked at Roeglin.
“You will be in that force. Who can you reliably reach, apart from Marsh and me?”
“I can reach Brigitte and the children,” Roeglin told him. He swallowed as though afraid to disappoint the man but unwilling to lie. “I…I haven’t tried with anyone else.”
“How long would it take?”
“To establish a connection?”
The Master of Shadows nodded.
“A week, possibly two. It depends on what the connection is based on.”
The Master frowned.
“We do not have the time.” He drew a breath, drumming his fingers on the desk for a moment before clearly coming to a decision. “I’ll send Tamlin with the second, and Brigitte and Aisha with the third.”
He raised his hand as Gustav started forward, his mouth open in protest.
“I promised protection for the child, and Tamlin is able to conceal himself in the shadows where his sister cannot.”
Marsh refrained from pointing out that Aisha could hide inside the rocks. The Master had a point. If danger struck, Tamlin could escape. Aisha would be stuck inside her rock with no way of knowing what was waiting outside. Without Brigitte’s help, she might step straight out into a raider. Roeglin shot Marsh a sharp look, but the Master of Shadows hadn’t finished.
“As you can see, there will now be three teams.”
He pointed at Marsh and Roeglin, then Gustav.
“You two, and you, will be accompanied by three of the shadow guard to form the first team. Master Leger will lead it.” The Master of Shadows turned to Master Envermet. “You will lead the second.”
He looked at Roeglin.
“And Brigitte will lead the third. Your team,” he continued, “will act as forward scouts. You will go ahead, trying to reach Monsieur Gravine in time to warn him of the coming attack. You will also warn Master Envermet’s team of any forces between here and Ruins Hall—which you will avoid. The second team will be a larger force designed to take out such threats.”
He raised a hand as both Roeglin and Marsh opened their mouths to protest Tamlin’s presence in the team.
“The boy is needed, and he will be protected. There will be two guards with him whose sole task will be to keep him safe. It is the best I can do. Further, they will act as a message unit to the repair team following behind. Without more mind mages, the best I can do is have runners between the second and third teams.” He looked at Roeglin and Marsh. “Tamlin is the first runner for the second team, and he will only leave if it is unsafe for the repair team to continue.”
Silence followed his words as the truth of what he was saying sank in. If the runners had to go, Master Envermet’s team would have fallen. The Master of Shadows gave them a moment to digest this information, then went on.
“Master Roeglin, your team is to go around everything in your path. You are not to engage. You are not to let them know you are present or that you have passed. Your sole priority is to reach Ruins Hall and give Master Envermet the information he needs for the repair team to work safely. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Master of Shadows.”
“And do you accept the mission?”
“Yes, Master of Shadows.”
“Good. Master Envermet will take you to collect your guards. You will leave tonight and travel as far as you can before you rest. Go and prepare for your journey. Master Envermet, I expect you to return with Journeyman Petitfeu so we can discuss your missions in more detail.”
“Yes, Shadow Master.”
As Marsh rose from her seat, intent on following Roeglin from the room, the Master of Shadows added one more thing.
“The artifact will stay in our keeping,” he said, and could only be addressing one person.
“Yes, Master,” Marsh acknowledged.
She did not stop as she replied. Roeglin had reached the door, and she hurried to keep up, Gustav on her heels. As they arrived at the door, Gustav turned back to the Master.
“I’d like to take Henri and Jakob if I may, Master.”
There was a heartbeat of a pause before the Master of Shadows replied. “Yes.”
“Thank you, Master.” Gustav left the office, hurrying to catch up with Roeglin.
“We’ll meet you in Stores.”
Roeglin nodded but continued his quick pace down the hall. Master Envermet jogged after them to join him. He glanced at Roeglin and Marsh.
“I know you have to prepare, but if you would accompany us, I could introduce you to my guards?”
Marsh nodded and Roeglin made a sharp movement with his hand, indicating that Envermet should lead them.
“After you, Shadow Captain.”
Master Envermet obliged, taking them up two stairwells to reach the shadow guards’ quarters. He marched into three rooms in quick succession, not bothering to knock at any of them. The first guard to come stumbling into the hall had a shock of red hair and dark blue eyes. He was buckling his belt and his leather tunic needed fastening, but he was fully dressed with his weapons already at his hip.
The second guard was dark-haired with dark eyes, and his skin was the color of coffee. His belt was already buckled, his weapons settled over his hips, as he pulled the tunic’s fastenings tight. The third guard was dark-haired and blue-eyed, and stood a head shorter than the second. She scanned the hallway as she emerged, her eyes traveling swiftly over Marsh and Roeglin.
When she was done with them, she inspected her two brothers in arms and then went over their armor and harnesses, making sure they were sitting correctly and were secure. When she finished, she stood in front of the redhead.
“Your turn,” she snapped, and poked him with a stiffened forefinger.
He flinched away from it but inspected her in return, adjusting a strap that hung a little looser than the rest. Marsh frowned. She hadn’t seen anything wrong with the strap, but it had clearly needed adjusting. As the guards finished inspecting each other, Master Envermet returned. To Marsh’s surprise, he had one more guard in tow. She was grateful when Roeglin asked the question that ran through her mind.
“I thought the Master of Shadows said three guards….”
“You need a guide,” Master Envermet replied. “This is Clarinay. He knows the caverns better than most and can take you by the fastest route.”
Clarinay had skin the color of stone, tousled mouse-brown hair, and dark gray eyes. He looked at Roeglin and held out his hand.
“Wanderer. It is an honor to meet you.”
Wanderer?
But no one had time to answer Marsh’s questions, and Roeglin did not reply. He took Clarinay’s hand and shook it, not taking his eyes from the man’s face. Marsh did not miss when Clarinay looked over the group before returning his attention to Roeglin, nor did she miss the way his eyes swept ove
r her, taking in her dress, her weapons, and her face.
It crossed her mind that Clarinay might be something more than a guide, but Master Envermet gave her no time to think about it.
“I need to return to the Master of Shadows, but these are the guards for your team. I trust you will care for them as if they were your own.”
Roeglin turned to face Envermet.
“Master of the Guard, while they are under my command, these guards are mine.”
They held each other’s gazes for a long moment, then Envermet nodded and turned away. Marsh wanted to know what Roeglin had really promised the shadow guards’ leader in those few short words, but she wasn’t game enough to ask, and Roeglin was already leading them back to the lower levels.
“This way.”
Their first stop, with the guards in tow, was Tamlin’s room. At Roeglin’s knock, the boy came to the door.
“She’s in your room,” he said, catching sight of Marsh.
“We’ll go there next,” Roeglin told him. “In the meantime, Marsh needs to say goodbye.”
He stepped out of the way so that Marsh could crouch in front of the boy.
“The Master of Shadows is sending me in an advance party,” she said, “and he wants us to leave now.”
Tamlin’s face became troubled.
“When will you be back?”
Marsh cast Roeglin a querying glance.
Can I tell him?
The shadow mage nodded.
“I don’t know, but,” she said, holding up a hand to still the boy’s protest, “you and Aisha will be following in two separate groups.”
Again he started to protest, and again Marsh held up her hand.
“You’re needed in the second group with Master Envermet so Master Leger can pass messages back, and Brigitte will be protecting Aisha in the third as they repair the glows. Okay?”
It wasn’t okay. It was never going to be okay to send a child into danger to do an adult’s job. Never. Not even if she could do it better than most adults they knew. Tamlin laid his hand on Marsh’s arm.
“Hey, it’s all right,” he said, then, as though reading her mind, he added, “She’ll be fine. Probably better than most grown-ups.”
Marsh bowed her head and cleared her throat, then mimicked his gesture, laying a hand on his shoulder.
“Right. Anyway, Tams, I just wanted to say goodbye before I left, and to wish you the best of luck in your task. Master Envermet is going to be making sure the path is safe, so I want you to look after yourself, okay?”
“Yeah, okay, Mom,” he said, giving her as broad a grin as he could manage before pulling out from under her hand and turning away from the door. “You better go and say goodnight to Aysh, or she’s gonna be really mad at you. I’ll see myself to bed.”
Before Marsh could respond, he’d closed the door in her face. She crouched there a moment longer and then sighed. Resting her head against the door for another heartbeat, Marsh drew a deep breath and pushed to her feet.
“I’ve got to go see Aisha,” she told Roeglin. “See if I can’t get another door slammed in my face.”
The shadow master gave her an odd look and shrugged.
“Sure, if that’s what you want.”
Marsh glared at him and stalked past, leading the way to her room.
“No parent wants that,” she said, “but…”
She arrived before she could finish her sentence and pushed open the door. What she saw made her come to a sudden halt.
Curled along the wall of Aisha’s bed, Mordan raised her head, her lips curling upward in a feline snarl. Snuggled in the curve of the big kat’s belly, Aisha was sound asleep, one arm thrown over Scruffknuckle’s neck, her head cushioned by one of the kits, and the other kit lying around her legs and feet. The mother kat hissed quietly, but it was too late; Aisha stirred, opening her eyes and lifting her head enough to see Marsh.
“Marsh? Look! I sleeped.”
Marsh gave a short laugh and crossed the room to wrap her arms around the child.
“Yes, you did.”
“You sleep now?”
Marsh shook her head, the smile fading from her lips.
“I’m sorry, Aysh, but I have to go.”
“Where?”
“To Ruins Hall.”
Aisha struggled free of the animals curled in her bed and swung her legs over the side.
“I come too.”
“Not with me.”
The girl’s mouth set in a firm line.
“Yes!”
“No.”
“With you!”
Marsh forced herself not to shout back. It required effort, but she managed to keep her voice even as she placed her hands on the child’s shoulders and looked into her large blue eyes.
“With Brigitte. Tomorrow. To fix the glows because I can’t.”
Marsh delivered the order as firmly as she could manage and Aisha stilled. When the little girl replied, it was in a very small voice. “Promise?”
Marsh nodded. “Promise. Tonight, you need to sleep, and I have to go ahead and make sure it’s safe for you to go out, okay?”
Aisha studied Marchant’s face with serious eyes and then nodded. “Kay,” she said, and wriggled back onto the bed, worming her way between the sleeping animals and wrapping one arm around Scruffknuckle’s neck before draping the other one over the kit she was using as a pillow. “Take Dan.”
The animals rearranged themselves around her, all except for Mordan. The big kat stretched and yawned before hopping carefully from the bed to stand in front of Marsh.
“Bye, Marsh,” Aisha mumbled sleepily, turning onto her side. “Love you.”
“Love you, too, kiddo. Sleep well,” Marsh murmured, then hurried from the room, the hoshkat padding at her heels with one of her kits following in her wake.
Roeglin, the three shadow guards, and their guide were waiting in the hall, carefully out of sight of the child in the room. They turned and led the way down the hall as Marsh emerged, not a single one of them commenting on the presence of the kat as she quietly closed the door behind her.
Marsh hurried after them, trying to ignore the way her eyes were blurring. She hoped Roeglin and the others wouldn’t notice as she dashed a hasty hand across her face, but if they did, they said nothing as they returned to the stairs and made their way to the Supply Master’s office.
6
One with the Shadows
Gustav met them in Stores as he had promised, and he had both Henri and Jakob in tow. Neither man looked impressed, but they didn’t complain as the Supply Master sent her apprentices hurrying away to gather the supplies they needed. Roeglin introduced them to the shadow guards.
“Clarinay, Zeb, Gerry, and Izmay—Henri, Gustav, and Jakob.” Roeglin fixed them with a stern look. “You are all mine and will look after each other.”
“We will look out for each other,” they answered, but the way they eyed each other looked more like they were sizing each other up as opponents rather than comrades.
Marchant glanced at Roeglin and raised an eyebrow when he met her eyes. He followed the flicker of her gaze and shrugged.
They’ll be fine, he said, accepting the pack handed to him by one of the Supply Master’s apprentices. Out loud he added, “And we need to be going.”
Marsh didn’t have anything to say to that, and none of the guards had anything to add either. Mordan studied each of them carefully. Marsh wished she had time to link with the kat and gain her perspective, but she knew she didn’t. Roeglin led them swiftly through the halls and out of the gates, breaking into a steady jog as soon as they hit the trail beyond.
Marsh adjusted her eyes so that she was seeing mostly through the faint traces of heat blooming from the fungi and rocks in the cavern. Every now and again, something burned bright across her vision; small bats hunted through the air around her. It made her wonder what else might be abroad.
As soon as she’d thought of it, she let her consciousness sl
ide a little, tapping into the energy that let her sense what other life might be nearby. It was harder to do on the move, but Marsh made herself remember that all living things were connected. According to the Master of Beasts, they all were part of a web of life stretching around the planet, even the most insignificant.
Focusing on that thought, Marsh sought those connections. In her mind, the fungi grew and stretched into a single massive forest, the tallest callas linked to the tiniest blue button in a tangle of gleaming threads—and crawling or flying between them were a multitude of brighter points of light: beetles, centipedes, frogs, spiders, and moths. Marsh let their forces flow over her and then moved her focus to the trail ahead and the expanse of fungi on either side.
Her mind assessed her eight companions, absorbing their presence in a flawless display of light as she moved among them. Outside their tightly packed lanterns of life, Marsh sensed Mordan, the hoshkat pacing them through the dense growth to their right, smaller lifeforms fleeing her tread. Occasionally, she’d catch a glimpse of the kat’s brilliant life force moving between the rest.
As soon as Marsh was sure she had the hang of seeing through her mind, she let herself surface enough to register more than the sound of her feet hitting the ground. Hanging onto the sense of life around them was difficult once she began relying on her eyes, but Marsh managed it. It didn’t take long before they reached the place where the glows by the side of the trail were dark.
Marchant’s first instinct was to stop, but she squelched it down as Roeglin kept up the pace. The cavern around them seemed to grow darker and more ominous and Marsh turned her head, using the direction of her eyes to guide where her life-sense focused. They’d been running for an hour before Roeglin slowed the pace to a walk.
By then the lit glows were well behind them and the cavern silent around them. They’d reached one of the small roadside stops the shadow mages provided for caravans, and Marsh regretted not having any rock wizards along to secure the space. She said nothing as Roeglin called a halt, though.
“We will reach the junction in another three hours,” he told them when he’d caught his breath, “but we’ll be walking the rest of the way. Take a breather. We’ll move on shortly.”
Trading into Darkness Page 5
