Shadowheart

Chapter 10

It took The Raven almost three days to reach the periphery of the war zone. Three days in which The Unknown's growing concern for the safety of his family was only tempered by his determination to see The Raven reach their destination capable of making a difference. That was the difference between them, Hirad decided. He would have hurtled down the trail, taking his chances because time was everything. The Unknown knew they would achieve nothing by being caught.

It hadn't made him any easier to live with, though. Whenever rhey rested, hidden in a cleft, river valley or one of the few surviving stands of trees, the emotions he kept in check for the good of The Raven surfaced. He prowled, biting his nails. He irritated Hirad for more and more contact via Sha-Raan and he snapped at Darrick, who had suggested a faster route.

Now, a mile and more from any supply trail and travelling over tricky ground in the dead of night in a direction designed to take them into the Al-Arynaar camp without crossing allied patrols, Hirad felt he should speak to Darrick.

'This is us,' he said. 'The balance we strike between emotion and practicality is one of those things that makes us who we are. Or so Erienne says. She calls me the heartbeat and The Unknown the brain.'

'And what am I?' asked Darrick.

'A friend with a lot to learn about us.'

'But I could have helped. Selected a better route.'

'The Unknown didn't agree and we believe what he says,' said Hirad. 'But in this case it's personal too. And if The Unknown wants us to be cautious, that is what we'll be. He only turned on you because you didn't understand that. We do it our way and you're one of us now but we all have our key strengths. Yours are things like tactics, on and off horseback. One of The Unknown's is always, always doing things the right way. Question him and you question his ability.'

‘Iwould never do that,' protested Darrick. 'The thought is ludicrous. I just wanted to help.'

'And you'll learn the ways. Believe me, Ry, he holds you in high regard. But this is his task we're helping him with and we must let him do it his way. When he needs help, he'll ask.'

Darrick blew out his cheeks and threw up his hands. With a mercenary sword at his side and an oversize leather jerkin over his uniform jacket, he at least looked more like a member of The Raven. But his youthful face wasn't scarred enough for a long-term mercenary. Too pretty. Like Sirendor Larn. Hirad smiled to himself remembering his old friend. A long time dead and gone from The Raven but never forgotten.

In front of them, the way was suddenly full of figures blocking their path. They had melted from the night and were practically close enough to strike. Bows were bent back and the crouched stance of others carried threat and intent.

The Unknown held up a hand and The Raven halted, seeing themselves hopelessly outnumbered. The Unknown kept his hands away from his weapons, Hirad staying his initial reaction and doing the same. A heartbeat later, he heard laughter ahead and saw two figures moving through the line of archers.

‘Iknew I was right,' said the voice in accented, slightly clumsy Balaian. 'And you are predictable.'

Hirad slid from his horse and trotted forwards, clasping Rebraal's shoulders.

'Only Ilkar's brother would have guessed our route,' he said, relief gladdening his heart.

'I can't take all the credit,' said Rebraal indicating Auum, who stood beside him, not a flicker of emotion on his green-and-black camouflaged face. 'He has an eye for the land not shared by our – uh – allies, if we can truly call them that.'

'Oh, we can still call them that,' said The Unknown, dismounting and walking to stand by Hirad, the rest of The Raven climbing a little more slowly from their horses. 'We are still after most of the same things. And don't take any credit, Rebraal. Why do you think I brought us this way?'

Auum wrinkled his nose at that though Hirad was unsure how much he really understood. Behind him, Thraun growled and crouched. A ClawBound panther loped from the shadows and nuzzled him. Its elven partner, face painted half black, half white, impassive, walked close.

'We aren't safe here,' said Rebraal. 'We'have made a secure area near our camp. You can hide there. We must be quiet on the way.'

Leading their horses, The Raven followed the Al-Arynaar and TaiGethen elves in silence. It was a walk of over two miles, close to the Lysternan and Dordovan encampments, but Hirad didn't feel under a great deal of threat. TaiGethen scouted ahead and on the flanks, ClawBound ranged in the deepest shadows. Any inquisitive ally would be turned away. Any enemy wouldn't live to report back. What the elves did beyond fighting at the gates of Xetesk was their business.

The main elven camp was quiet as the early hours passed. The only fires were for cooking and they were positioned in a single area close to the Lysternan forces. Beyond them, and further into the shrub and trees that the elves preferred to the open camps of their allies, The Raven were shown into the secured area, patrolled by Al-Arynaar. Their horses were unsaddled before being led away to the central picketing area.

A small fire lay at the heart of this camp within a camp. Above it dangled two cooking pots and surrounding it, logs had been dragged in for seats.

'Been expecting us?' asked Hirad.

'We have tracked you for a day,' admitted Rebraal.

A single figure sat poking at the fire. He stood quickly and stepped forward, straightening his clothing. Hirad couldn't quite see his face but Darrick knew exacdy who he was.

'Take a wrong turn off the battlefield today?'

'No, General. I just heard you might be making an appearance.'

Darrick and Izack embraced, slapping each other on the back. Izack showed Darrick to a seat, turning and waving the others in.

'Don't worry,' he said. 'I'm acting on my own.'

Hirad shrugged and moved into the glow of the fire, The Unknown at his shoulder.

'Do we trust him?' asked the barbarian, voice low.

'If Darrick does, I do,' said The Unknown. 'Let's eat and talk.'

He seated himself the other side of Izack, Hirad next to him. Denser and Erienne sat across the fire from them. Hirad was worried by them both. Erienne had been so quiet since casting the One spell and her silence had affected Denser. There was more to it than the concerned husband. He didn't want to think they were keeping something from The Raven. Surely Denser had been warned enough about that.

Last into the firelight was Thraun. His face carried a deep frown and he shook his head, troubled in the depths of his mind. If it was possible, the frown deepened when he saw Izack. His agile frame slid quickly around the fire and he dropped to his haunches in front of the Lysternan cavalry commander, blond hair flying briefly. He studied Izack's face the way a predator studied prey before striking.

'Thraun, it's all right,' said Darrick. 'We can trust him.'

'Risk,' said Thraun, focusing on Darrick momentarily.

'I won't betray you,' said Izack. 'Hear what I have to say.'

'Heryst's man,' said Thraun.

He straightened up but, before turning away, pointed to Izack and then to his right eye.

'What's got into you, Thraun?' asked Hirad.

'Later,' said Thraun, his tone so low it was little more than a bass rumble.

A little less confident than when he'd greeted Darrick, Izack ladled out strong herbal tea for them all and pointed to the soup, bowls and bread.

'Report,' said Darrick. 'Please,' he added, remembering himself.

Izack chuckled.

'A pleasure, General, though it makes grim listening. The siege is still secure but we are certain some supplies are reaching Xetesk. We suspect underground passageways but we have found nothing so far and, to be frank, can't spare too many men to look. We suffered heavy losses here on the eastern front as a direct result of the first Julatsan mana-flow failure. This has left-'

'Whoa, whoa,' said Denser, holding up a hand. 'What failure?'

Both he and Erienne were staring at Izack as if he'd just told them the world was about to end.

'You don't know?' Izack gaped.

'In case it has escaped your attention, our Julatsan is dead,' said Hirad gruffly. 'And your glorious leader told us nothing about events elsewhere.'

'I'm sorry,' said Izack. 'Stupid of me. Look, I don't know the technicalities, you'll have to ask the Al-Arynaar mages. The effect was a multiple backfire of the shield net over our front line. The Xeteskians took full advantage. We lost hundreds.

'Right now, we aren't even attacking on this front. The northern gate forces are only just holding because Xetesk have reinforced from here. South and east, it's pretty much as you were but we've taken all their reserve to ensure Xetesk can't punch through here. Not that I think they want to. They're just happy to occupy us.'

'Erienne, Denser?' The Unknown was staring across the fire. 'How could this failure happen?'

Both mages shook their heads. 'It's absolutely unbelievable,' said Denser.

‘Ican answer that,' said Izack. 'Julatsans arrived here at the east gate lines this morning to talk to the Al-Arynaar. They say the Heart of Julatsa is failing.'

For a time, all that could be heard was the crackling of the fire and the breeze through the leaves above.

'How can that be possible?' asked The Unknown eventually.

'It isn't,' said Erienne. 'At least, that's what we've all been taught.'

'But assuming it is, what's the result?' asked Hirad.

Erienne shrugged and spoke plainly not really believing what she was saying. 'Julatsan magic dies and the balance of magic on Balaia shifts irrevocably.'

'That's not happening,' said Hirad. 'No way.'

'All right, Hirad, let's keep it calm,' said The Unknown. 'Izack, presumably the Julatsans are here to get help from the Al-Arynaar, being Julatsan-trained initially.'

Izack nodded. 'Absolutely. They say that only the Al-Arynaar can help raise the Heart because they have the knowledge of Julatsan magic. And raising the Heart is the only way to stop this failure becoming permanent. Does that make sense?'

Denser blew out his cheeks. 'Sort of. Bringing the Al-Arynaar to Julatsa to raise the Heart was something Ilkar wanted to do. It's why we went to Calaius in the first place, before the Elfsorrow struck. As for this failure of Julatsan magic, I don't know. Like Erienne says, this goes against all our teaching. Burying a Heart will stop development because the core power can't flow and that's why you'd only bury one if it would otherwise be destroyed.'

'Which is what Julatsa did when the Wesmen invaded.'

'Exactly, Hirad. But it should still beat. The power should never falter. There's no reason why, that's what we don't understand.'

'So we get the Al-Arynaar mages and go to Julatsa. What are we waiting for?' Hirad spread his hands.

'Hirad, please,' said The Unknown. ‘Iknow you're anxious but we have to do this right. Where's Rebraal?'

'I am here.' Ilkar's brother, leader of the Al-Arynaar, walked from the shadows where he'd been leaning against a tree.

'We need to talk to one of your mages. Well, Erienne and Denser do. Find out what timescale we're dealing with here.'

Rebraal nodded. 'Of course. Our lead mage is Dila'heth. I'll bring her to you.'

'Thank you. Now, Izack, what have you been told about us?'

'The official line is that you're outlaws and General Darrick is a condemned man wanted for his execution. But it doesn't add up. We are told not to harm any of you but to bring you back to Lystern alive and well. And the Dordovans have been told the same thing.' Izack smiled. 'Heryst and Vuldaroq may dislike each other but we fight side by side. We're friends, mostly, and we talk.' The smile faded. 'But everyone here knows there's more to it. Unknown, every mage here felt the casting. The elves rejoiced, Lysternans and Dordovans were troubled. And everyone knows the timing of the casting and your escape from Lystern. It's too coincidental.' Izack looked square at Erienne. 'People have drawn their own conclusions. That's why you have to be so careful.'

'And what about you?' asked Erienne, meeting his gaze.

'The General believes in you so I believe in you too.'

Erienne said nothing but raised her eyebrows a fraction in acknowledgement. Denser put a hand on her knee and she returned her gaze to the fire.

'So tell me, have the TaiGethen completed their scouting?' asked The Unknown.

'Yes,' said Izack. 'But I think they're still worried about how to get into the college itself

'That's where we come in,' said Denser. 'Or more particularly, where I come in.'

'You're planning on going in with them?'

'Think we're safer out here among our allies, Izack?' said Hirad.

'Surely in the elven camps-' he began.

'We've business to attend to,' said The Unknown. 'And we're not sitting out here hiding our faces and watching the action.'

‘Itake your point,' said Izack.

'One more thing, Commander,' said The Unknown. 'Just how would this front hold up if the elves were to leave it?'

'Simple. It wouldn't.' Izack shrugged.

'You do know that once we've finished inside Xetesk, the elves won't stay here,' said The Unknown.

‘Iam well aware of their reasons for joining our fight thus far,' said Izack shortly.

'Then you have to be ready for them to leave – mostly to march north to Julatsa to help raise the Heart.'

'Then the siege of Xetesk will collapse. They can rout us from the east gate at will, and every other front will be compromised as a result.' Izack sighed heavily. 'They know why we're fighting this war. They will benefit from our victory. Gods, I've fought so hard to establish what we have and lost so many doing it. Don't leave us defenceless. You'll be handing the victory to Xetesk.'

'Want to know what I think?'

'About war, Darrick, absolutely everything,' said The Unknown.

Rebraal and an exhausted-looking elven woman who had to be Dila'heth, walked into the camp. The Unknown pointed them at Denser and Erienne and, after brief introductions, the four engaged in fervent conversation.

'The moment we retrieve the elven writings, as we must, keeping us at bay will become unimportant to them. Surely they are doing nothing more than keeping us from the walls because they are researching what they have learned from the Al-Drechar and those same writings,' said Darrick.

'Well, I like to think our forces are keeping them from surging north to destroy Julatsa, which I take to be their first goal,' said Izack.

'Let me ask you something, Izack,' said Darrick, now every inch the general of the armies. The position in which he so excelled. 'What is the purpose of your engaging the Xeteskians in this combat?'

'To probe for that weak point. To try and make the breakthrough. Turn the battle in our favour.'

'Wrong. That is the Dordovan command holding sway over you, if that is what you really believe.'

Hirad leaned forward, rapt despite his tiredness.

Izack stared at the floor. 'We have to beat them,' he said. 'Time is short. I've always known the elves would leave one day.'

'In a siege you're just wearing them down,' said Darrick. 'Bit by bit. Otherwise, why engage them at all? Why risk your own men? What you have to believe is that they will crack under the pressure, living in the prison you have created for them. This siege is being fought just as much in the mind as it is on the battlefield.

'Now your defeat the other day was damaging. It allows Xetesk to rest because you can't afford to fight them on this front. If he's clever, Dystran will be making sure his generals are rotating duty on all fronts now.

'His men are fresh out there in front of you, aren't they?'

Izack nodded, mute, sucking in his top lip.

'You won't break them,' said Darrick. 'That isn't where we will beat Xetesk. Whatever Vuldaroq and Heryst believe, we can't win here.'

'So what the hell am I doing!' Izack bit down on his temper. 'General?'

'You're showing them we won't be beaten and you have bought us and the elves the time we need. You've weakened them, make no mistake. And when we get out of Xetesk with the writings, having done whatever damage we can to their research, they are going to come after us. And not just because of a few ancient texts.'

'How so?' asked Hirad.

'There is more they will want. The power of the One, which they surely crave will be lost unless they break the siege. And if the Al-Arynaar succeed and raise the Heart of Julatsa and we can protect it while it strengthens, they will be on the brink of losing the war.' Darrick raised his eyebrows.

'And what makes you so sure they can break the siege?' asked The Unknown.

'They're keeping plenty in reserve, I can feel it,' Darrick said. 'They have made no move to break out because they don't need to. Not yet. But mark my words, they will be mobilising for a move north soon. If they start to push at all four gates you'll know it's imminent because they'll be striving to occupy every enemy they can. What we can do by getting in and out of Xetesk is force their hand. We don't want them ready, believe me.'

'So what do we do?' asked Izack. 'How do we stop them?'

'Now's the time.to be fighting harder than you ever have at every gate. Every one of them that dies or is forced to fight until exhaustion is a victory. I know we'll suffer losses too but we'll have the psychological edge. And when they try to break through the north gate as they will, we need to have enough men and mages in reserve to chase them. Don't forget, we can't abandon the siege or we'll be just inviting more Xeteskian warriors to chase up to Julatsa. We cannot allow them to know we are reinforcing the north gate lines. We must make them fight to keep their city even while they run to attack Julatsa and reclaim the writings and, if they're lucky, Erienne, when they guess her identity.'

'But that's the trick, though, isn't it?' said Izack wearily. 'How do we manage our resources to manufacture a meaningful reserve? How can we take most of our men from the fight east, south and west and still keep the pressure up on Xetesk?'

Darrick smiled. 'Well, that's why I'm here, talking to you now.'

'Good,' said The Unknown. 'Then I suggest we leave you two to it. We're going in tomorrow night so work to that timescale. I'm sure Auum will agree we should wait no longer. Meanwhile…' He stood up, his eyes on Thraun who had remained completely still, staring into the shadows beyond the fire. 'Thraun, come and talk to me. I want to know what's wrong.'

The shapechanger fixed him with a sullen look.

'Now.' The Unknown's tone brooked no dissension.

Hirad watched The Unknown put an arm round Thraun's tense shoulders and firmly but gently guide him from the fire. Deciding to get himself some soup, Hirad brushed himself down and ambled over to the cook pots. He caught Denser's troubled gaze.

'How bad?' he asked, stirring the thick broth. 'Want some of this?'

Denser shook his head. 'Very bad. Very bad indeed.'

'How long have we got?'

Denser half shrugged and glanced at Rebraal who was translating for Dila'heth.

'That's the problem,' he said. 'We can't know. They've had one instance of mana-flow failure and the focus around the Heart isn't complete. They say it's like a shadow, leaching colour from the Julatsan mana spectrum. One day, soon probably, that shadow will deepen enough to stop the Heart beating and even now it's spreading out, weakening every casting they make. Put it this way, the longer we delay, the harder it will be to reverse. It's terrifying.'

'Is it?'

'Yes, Hirad, it is. To a mage, losing contact with the mana spectrum is the worst tiling that could possibly happen. It would be like a living death. Like living in a Cold Room the rest of your life. How can I make you understand? I don't know… for you the closest thing would be like losing the use of your sword arm. It would be hanging there, you'd know it was there but you just couldn't use it. Send you mad, wouldn't it?'

Hirad nodded. 'Well, let's not spend too much time in Xetesk, eh?'

'I'm with you there.'

The Unknown Warrior didn't take Thraun far. Just beyond the firelight and into the trees. He'd looked anxious; perhaps the woodland, such as it was, would calm him.

'Thraun?' The Unknown stopped and turned the shapechanger to face him. 'What's bothering you? Even for you, this is quiet and withdrawn. We need you with us all the way inside Xetesk. It's going to be tough in there.'

'We can touch our enemies,' said Thraun, leaving The Unknown momentarily at a loss.

'No, Thraun,' he replied. 'These aren't our enemies. They still want what we want but with regard to us they're misguided.'

'He will betray us,' said Thraun, nodding his head toward the camp.

Tzack? You've got that wrong. He's as loyal to Darrick as we are to each other. He's-'

Thraun gripped The Unknown's arm hard.

'He won't mean to,' he said, and The Unknown could see him struggling for the words that just refused to come. His green eyes, yellow-tinged, shone with moisture in the dim flicker of the fire to their right and his face was pinched, angry. He swallowed. 'He won't mean to, but he isn't Darrick.'

'What? Thraun, please. Try to explain what you mean.'

But the shapechanger was looking away towards Xetesk, sniffing the air, tasting its quality.

'I see what the wolf sees,' he said.

The Unknown started. It was the first direct allusion to Thraun's acceptance of his other self that he'd uttered in years. Somewhere inside his mind, another wall had fallen.

'You've lost me,' he said.

'The air is not good here,' Thraun continued, turning back to The Unknown. ‘Iwill fight with you. I am Raven. But wolves do not hunt where they will find no prey, only rotten meat. Do you see any other wolves here?'