The ragged man

CHAPTER 13

Over the darkest hours Doranei's elite company gathered by fits and bursts. Men and women in small, subdued groups appeared out of the mist at the door of a warehouse adjoining the minor gate between Coin, Byora's financial district, and Breakale. At night Breakale was the quieter of the two – all Byora's upscale gambling dens were located in Coin, well away from the disapproving clerics of Hale and the gangsters of Burn.

When he arrived Doranei found most of the company already assembled, but unlike the rest of the King's Men he was unable to sit quietly. He prowled the warehouse, running the plan and escape route through his mind again and again, looking for flaws. The warehouse was crucial to their escape, providing a useful bridge between streets that were not quickly accessed otherwise – certainly not now a cart stood in the alley alongside the warehouse, waiting to block the remaining space.

He ascended the narrow staircase that led to a room above the rear entrance, from where Doranei could see the street and the gate into Coin. The gate was shut at this hour, of course, but since the warehouse was close enough to the wall for a nimble man to jump, that wouldn't be the case for long. Once in Coin a second gate – guarded by Menin troops most likely – would let them into Eight Towers, and to the gate of the Ruby Tower itself.

'More obstacles than I'd like,' Doranei commented softly when Veil joined him. 'This could go badly wrong, my friend.'

'Aye, that it could,' Veil said, looking unconcerned, 'but that's the way of it. On the other side of the coin we've got Cerdin-blessed thieves, mages and a fair amount of brawn, if it comes to that.'

The slim man was dressed in black from head to foot, unlike most of his comrades. They were going to make their way to the Ruby Tower as quietly as possible, with Veil leading the way until the alarm was raised, at which point Coran and Daken would take over.

'What's taking that mad bastard so long?' Doranei muttered, still staring out of the window.

'Peace, Brother,' Veil urged, 'he's not late yet.' He paused. 'You're as jumpy as a raw recruit, Doranei. What's got you wound up?'

'A woman,' Doranei said darkly.

Veil frowned at that. 'You heard from her?'

'No, I kept her well out of this. Last time I saw her we, ah – ' He faltered. 'Well, I don't know how I left it, really, but it felt sort of final. Can't tell whether she's been keeping an eye on me, but there's this itch at the back of my mind.'

'Reckon you'd be able to tell if she was tracking you?'

'I guess not, but I got a burr of something nonetheless.'

'You decided she's our enemy now?' Veil asked in surprise. Last time the subject had come up, Doranei had been emphatic that Zhia wasn't working with Azaer, and her actions had borne his assessment out. 'What's changed?'

Doranei rubbed a callused palm over his face. 'I don't know,' he admitted, 'just a feeling. I could be wrong o'course, she's had a hundred lifetimes to practise giving nothing away, but something's got me thinking all the same. She's a cold bitch when she wants to be – think she surprises herself when she's with me – but there was always a part of her that was closed off.'

'Aye, well that's her reputation,' Veil said. 'She might be a vampire, might be a heretic, but her heart's that of a blood-sucking politician.'

Doranei nodded. 'She's been doing it for too long, it's what she is. I'm just scared she might decide what Azaer did in Scree was a true demonstration of the shadow's power. Cursed with compassion she might be, but she'll still take sides with Azaer if she can break her curse.'

'And if that happens,' Veil finished, 'we're in a whole heap of trouble.'

As Veil spoke there came a quiet knock at the door downstairs. Both men were up and moving before it had even been opened, hands moving automatically to their weapons. When Daken slipped through the doorway, his face more animated than before, it was clear the operation was in motion.

'It's done?' Doranei asked.

'That it is,' Daken replied, lifting his mail shirt in evidence. The white-eye's broad chest was missing the large tattoo of Litania the Trickster; the skin where she'd been looked raw and painful. He grinned. 'She said she'd give me time to get here. I left her slipping into some servant girl near the Menin barracks.'

'Any idea what she's going to do?'

Daken's grin got wider. 'She's not one for plannin' but that girl's hungry for a bit o' fun. They'll be distracted all right!'

'Then we're off. Get moving, Veil.'

As Veil and the youngest of the four Tio He thieves headed for the roof, Doranei turned to the rest of his troops. 'Everyone remember their job? Any questions? All got your equipment?'

'Stop fussin' like an old woman,' Daken growled, 'we're good to go and you ain't in charge, remember?'

'The plan's mine,' Doranei reminded. 'If everything's in place, then I'm yours to command.'

'That's the sort o'talk I like.' Daken pointed past Doranei to the smaller of the warehouse's two doors, the one leading to the gate. 'Time to move.'

Upstairs, Veil pulled himself up onto the building's roof and hauled his companion up after him. The greater moon, Alterr, was hidden by cloud, and this deep into the night, the Poacher's Moon was hours off. Veil sensed as much as saw the swift dark clouds sweep east overhead. He made his way to the corner of the building closest to the wall and knelt to check the iron hook they had put there that afternoon.

'Ready, Dirr?' he asked softly.

'Hurry up old man,' Dirr replied, with an obscene gesture.

Veil secured a rope to the hook and slipped over the edge, lowering himself down until he felt his boots reach the jutting edge of a beam that ran down the side of the building, almost the height of the wall beyond. He retreated along the beam a little and let the rope play out, then signalled to Dirr before launching himself forward. He ran a few steps along the beam and jumped forward, pulling hard on the rope, using the hook as a pivot to swing himself up to the district wall.

Reaching it comfortably, Veil hooked his legs over and caught his balance. He found himself just above the guardhouse on the right of the gate. He eased himself down until his feet were touching the roof, then braced against the wall to take the strain on the rope as Dirr came hand over hand down it.

Once they were both safe on the guardhouse roof Veil crept to the edge and peered over. None of the guards were in sight, but the door was half-open, spilling light into the street and illuminating the barred gate where Doranei would be waiting. Veil dropped, using the door and lintel to swing himself into the guardroom and he was on the ground and drawing his shortswords before the guards realised what was happening. There were three, all seated, and only one had a weapon close enough to grab, so Veil lunged like a fencer towards him, catching the man in the throat.

'What -?' was all the next man managed before Veil turned and whipped both swords across him, slashing deeply into face and chest and sending him spinning over a table.

The third had more presence of mind. He grabbed a spear propped against the wall and had almost levelled it by the time Veil made up the ground, but it wasn't enough. One shortsword got him in the stomach, the other pierced his lung from behind, and he fell with an abrupt cough.

Not waiting to check whether there was need, Veil turned back to the second man face-down on the table and stabbed him in the back. The guard arched up, mouth open as though about to scream, but Veil slit his throat and the only sound was his dying breath.

'Gods, you really are fast!' came a gasp from the doorway.

Veil spun around, weapons raised and already moving towards the newcomer before he saw it was Dirr. He stopped dead, but Dirr had already retreated, a look of horror on his face.

'Get that gate open,' Veil hissed, indicating the gate behind him with a flick of a sword.

Dirr flinched as blood spattered across his face, but he obeyed without hesitation and trotted over to lift the bars.

Veil was about to follow him when he saw a key hanging from a nail by the doorway. 'That makes it easier,' he muttered, pocketing the key.

The gate had a postern that could be barred but was usually only locked. If the Brother who was staying at this gate could find a way to blockade all but the postern, they could lock up behind them on the way back and perhaps win one more precious minute. Once the whole company was through Veil pressed the key into the hand of a King's Man wearing the livery of the Byoran Guard.

'Keep the postern open,' he instructed. 'You won't get much traffic this time of night, but let 'em all through as wants to go; that should let you bar the rest and fix it that way.'

A growl from Coran indicated he was supposed to be off and he jumped to obey, trotting through the deserted night-time streets with Dirr and Telasin Daemon-Touch, who ran with his head covered and bowed as always. Instead of the rapier and dagger Veil had expected, Telasin carried a pair of brutal khopesh that looked custom-made, with basket-hilts and runes detailed in bronze on the forward-tilted chopping edge.

Coin was at its quietest, the cold wind and late hour ensuring the streets were deserted. Veil padded ahead of the rest so he could ignore the sound of their footsteps and scout the next section. The pace was slow and patient, his reward continued silence as he moved from one building to the next.

He reached a crossroad and crouched down to peer around the corner. The street was empty, and no lights shone from any of the houses as far as the near-invisible cliff of Blackfang that Coin backed onto. Veil couldn't help but look up at the broken mountain ahead. The steep, impassable slope started its climb up into the sky barely four hundred yards away. Something about it made Veil shiver; the presence of that brooding, broken mountain made him feel vulnerable.

Footsteps in the street brought him back to the mission with a jolt. He looked around the corner and saw five figures walking towards them. In the darkness it was impossible to tell who they were, but as he frantically waved behind him he heard their voices carry on the night air.

Piss and daemons, Veil thought, gesturing again. They weren't drunks on their way home from some bar but a Menin patrol.

'How many?' asked a strange voice beside him and Veil twitched in surprise, even as he realised it was Telasin who'd spoken. It was the first time he'd heard the secretive Raylin mercenary speak.

'Five,' he whispered.

'Keep clear.'

Veil bit down the question on his lips as Telasin met his gaze for the first time since they'd met. The former Devoted officer hadn't spoken the entire time he'd been among the Brotherhood. His head had remained bowed in shame and he'd allowed Daken to answer for him whenever words had been necessary.

In the darkness it was hard to make out much of Telasin's face beyond a broken nose and a strange difference between his eyes: either they were markedly different colours, or one was milky with blindness. He was older than Veil; a hard forty winters showed in that face.

Veil had an image blossom suddenly in his mind: yellowed ivory skin and long black tusks, rusting rings in the flesh of his cheek, and an eye that burned with orange flames. Veil fell backwards in horror, barely able to stop himself from crying out in shock.

Telasin didn't wait to see if he'd made enough noise to warn the Menin patrol; he had already leaped silently out into the street and gone on the attack. Veil scrabbled to follow the daemon-touched soldier, but as he rounded the corner and saw Telasin engaging all five Menin he faltered. A black cloud swirled around them all, shadows whipping up from the ground. Telasin's cloak lifted high in the sudden gust, revealing tarnished bronze scale-armour, as he hacked at one of the Menin and parried another in the same moment.

In a heartbeat the entire group was obscured by darkness. Veil could do nothing but wait, listening to the muted clash of steel. A hot, greasy wind swept across his face, bringing a sudden stink of sulphur and decay. Both Dirr and Veil gagged as the unnatural hot air enveloped them, and in the next breath it was gone. Veil dry-retched once more and opened his eyes to see Telasin standing over five brutally slain corpses, a red-tinged glow playing about his shoulders.

'Gods,' Veil and Dirr said in the same breath. As they spoke they felt a distant tremble underfoot and a crack of thunder split the sky.

'Don't just fuckin' stand there,' Daken snapped as he caught them up, giving both men a shove. He pointed to their right, where Veil saw a sudden red glow in the distance. 'That's Litania, that is; she's havin' her fun now.'

Veil blinked and realised the thunder hadn't come from the sky at all; it had been somewhere in Breakale and loud enough that it might have been an entire building collapsing. Daken gave a coarse laugh and went on ahead, clapping a comradely hand on Telasin's shoulder. The man jumped like he'd been stung and lowered his weapons, head bowed.

'Five for you, eh? I got me some catchin' up to do!'

Veil upped the pace of his scouting ahead. In the distance an orange glow grew steadily, he guessed somewhere close to the Breakale-Hale gates. When they reached the gate into Eight Towers he found it half-open, but guarded by both a squad of Menin soldiers and some Byoran troops.

Veil passed a signal back and hunkered down to wait for support, which came in the form of Cetarn, the oversized Narkang mage. As usual, he wore a cheery grin on his face, as though what they were about was nothing more than high jinks.

'What have you got for me?' Veil whispered.

'A little misdirection should do,' Cetarn replied.

The mage's attempt to keep his voice low sounded painfully loud to Veil, but he ignored it as Cetarn made him stand upright. Muttering under his breath, Cetarn ran a fleshy hand over Veil's head before repeating the process over himself. That done, the big mage grabbed Veil's arm and dragged him out into full view of the soldiers.

'We don't look any different,' Veil hissed, watching the soldiers notice them.

'Not up close, no,' Cetarn said cheerfully, 'but at a distance, trust me – we appear to be the most magnificently blessed young ladies those men have seen in a long while.'

Veil almost choked at the notion, and he would have tripped on the cobbles had Cetarn not had a firm grip on him.

'That's a good idea; don't we look so pretty and drunk?' Cetarn commented brightly.

Veil recovered himself in time to see four dark shapes ghosting through the shadows on the other side of the street, evading the soldiers' notice. When Veil and Cetarn were ten paces away the nearest soldier gave a cry of surprise and Veil realised the glamour had failed. The soldier reached for his weapon, but he was cut down by the first of the Brotherhood. As Veil ran to join the fight his Brothers were already cutting a path through the soldiers to the gate.

One tried to race through, only to be thrown back by the force of a spear catching him in the side. The next King's Man kicked out and snapped the shaft against the closed half of the gate, lunging with his sword at the holder and pushing on through.

Veil made for the nearest Menin, feinting right to get behind the tip. Keeping his swords close, he ran straight into the man and spun off his shoulder, stabbing him in the hip even as he darted away and trapped the next soldier's weapon. Out of the corner of his eye he saw someone's livery suddenly catch fire. The bright burst of light made the man he was facing hesitate and Veil used the chance to knee him in the groin and smash a pommel into his face. His opponent reeled and Veil chopped down into his arm, then his exposed neck.

As the last man fell and silence returned, Veil checked his surroundings. There were no other soldiers in sight aside from the remainder of their company, who were quickly making up the fifty yards between them.

'It's clear,' called the King's Man who'd gone through the gate as he dropped to kneel at his injured comrade's side.

'How is he?' Veil asked, watching the bulky shapes of Daken and Coran moving side by side as though in competition.

'Fucking hurting,' the injured man grunted, 'but I ain't dead yet.'

Veil turned. It was Cedei, one of the veterans of the Brotherhood. 'Good – but you're not coming with us like that. Cetarn, stop the bleeding and help him up. You'll have to make it back to the gate on your own.'

'Aye,' Cedei agreed in a strained voice. 'Luck to you. See you when the killing's done.'

'When it's done,' Veil confirmed and thumped his forearm against Cedei's as Coran reached him just ahead of Daken.

'The alarm will be raised soon,' Veil said, looking at the bodies on the ground. 'We've got a straight run to the Ruby Tower, so best we get Mage Firnin out in front now to clear the beggars out of our way.'

The white-eyes agreed and they set off jogging in two columns towards the Ruby Tower. The streets were still empty, but there were sounds in the city now, shouts coming from Breakale, and from the main gate between the two districts. Even Daken began to look serious: the real fight was close at hand. Whatever Litania had done, the panic had started.

Dawn was still more than an hour off by the time they reached the wide avenue that skirted the Ruby Tower compound. Behind it was a plateau of enclosed ground a hundred yards across, a series of peaked roofs, and pipes that channelled the floodwaters around the compound. A large statue of Kiyer of the Deluge was positioned at each corner, each with a wide, distended mouth from which the water was channelled into the avenue. The ground outside the gate was open cobbles for fifty yards before reaching the three main streets leading away from the tower.

Veil's company took a road parallel to one of these. It was blocked at the end, to protect the entrances to the houses on each side, but it gave them a concealed route for most of the way, with a narrow passage which took them to the north corner of the open ground. When they were all settled he moved forward with Doranei and Mage Firnin, the woman carrying a saddlebag with enough care that Veil was keen to see the back of it.

Firnin set the bag down and sat cross-legged on the ground, tugging at her breeches and shirt to put them perfectly in order. That done, she pulled a flask from her pocket, took a long slug of what smelled like brandy, and poured the rest down her front, ignoring the expressions on their faces.

'What're you doing?' Doranei snapped as he watched her. This wasn't what she'd outlined to him the previous day when he'd told her to take care of the beggars – that was what the saddlebag was for.

Firnin opened one eye and scowled at him, which twisted a scar down her face into an even more jagged line. 'Trying to avoid the death of innocents; the bag can help you get out instead. Have Cetarn signal me when you want the way cleared.'

'What are you doing now?'

The mage didn't reply, and Doranei realised he wasn't going to get an answer without interrupting her concentration. Camba Firnin's main skill might be as an illusionist, but she was still powerful, and now wasn't the time to anger her. Instead he made himself comfortable and stared out over the white-shrouded figures that even now knelt at the gates in prayer. There weren't as many as he'd feared, and he mouthed his thanks to Cerdin, God of Thieves, whom the Brotherhood had adopted as a patron God.

It was hard to gauge in the darkness but he guessed there were a little more than a score of them, perhaps thirty faithful, all in a circle with heads bowed. Along the wall fluttered scraps of paper and cloth, reminding him of prayers to Sheredal, the Aspect of the Goddess Asenn called the Spreader of the Frost. From the sheer number on show Doranei realised it wasn't just a handful of Byorans who were praying for intercession with the Gods. He couldn't begin to estimate how many prayers had been attached to the wall, but it looked like hundreds.

The scene of still reverence continued for a dozen heartbeats, until, without warning, a white misty figure stepped out from the compound gate. Doranei's heart gave a lurch. It was a child, robed in cloth-of-light, and resembling the ghostly Aspect of Vasle inhabiting Morghien, King Emin's long-time ally. Even before the praying figures had noticed it the figure set off down the main avenue, oblivious to the gasps it provoked as it passed the beggars. By ones and twos they struggled to their feet, looking around in bewilderment – one reached his hand out to the illusion, but when he tried to speak the words faltered in his throat.

'Karkarn's horn,' Doranei spat, 'you've just reaffirmed their faith, you stupid bitch!'

'Stop your whining,' Firnin said in a breathy whisper. 'Are they following?'

Doranei looked at the beggars, who were all staring after the child as it reached the top of the street and started off down it. When it became clear the child was leaving, they stumbled after it, a few crying out in wordless fervour.

'Yes, they are.'

'Good. Leave me here.' He could hear the strain in her voice now. 'I'll lead them as far as I can, then give them a nightmare that's hard to worship.'

Doranei opened his mouth to argue before realising it would waste precious time. 'Damn. Okay.' He signalled the rest of the company forward, carefully draping the saddlebag over one shoulder.

They came in a sprint, with Daken and the battle-mage Ebarn at the fore. There was no time to talk; everyone already knew their established positions, and they all knew how vulnerable they were out in the open. It was reasonable to think that news of the fire in Breakale had already reached the Ruby Tower – with luck the gate wasn't barred but they couldn't afford to make assumptions. Once she was standing in front of the gate Ebarn planted her feet firmly. Doranei gently placed the saddlebag on the ground to one side and took his place in the second rank.

'Close your eyes.' She stretched her arms out and braced herself while the soldiers immediately behind her, Telasin, Coran and Veil, were careful to give her room. The silver thread and crystal shards attached to her tunic began to glow, and sparks darted through the air around her. A moment later her skin glistened pale green and Doranei, knowing what was coming, ducked his head.

With a great gasp Ebarn threw her hands forwards and a flash cut the darkness, twin streams of magic leaping forward and exploding on the compound gates with an ear-shattering crash. The gates were ripped from their hinges and launched into the compound, while Ebarn staggered backwards into Veil's waiting arms.

As Doranei blinked and cursed at the effect on his night-sight, the white-eyes leaped eagerly forward, weapons raised. Telasin followed, into the stink of the Dark Place that filled the air and the chaos caused by the inrush of Brotherhood troops. A roar of wordless rage that could only be Coran cut through the clatter, shouting and screaming.

Once Doranei met the bewildered Ruby Tower Guards inside, his training kicked in. A spear jabbed out of the dust-filled gloom and he dodged to the side, feeling it catch the side of his brigandine. The fear flaring inside him came out as a shout and he launched himself forward before the Byoran had a chance to withdraw. His sword had pierced the man's throat and before he'd even fallen Doranei had turned and chopped with his axe into the arm of the next guardsman.

Past him there was only empty ground, and though Doranei looked around, there was no further threat. The wave of Brotherhood had crashed over the outnumbered defenders and slaughtered them with savage speed. It was only a matter of seconds before the attackers were the sole people standing, taking great gulps of air as Daken's laughter echoed around the compound walls.

'Let's go find more,' he roared, heading for the main entrance to the tower. Doranei followed him, as did Telasin, whose body now appeared to have fat strands of dancing black smoke attached. Osh, the Mystic of Karkarn, joined them, together with the four thieves and Mage Cetarn. The mage-killer, Shim the Bastard, hurried along in the rear, his axe as yet unblooded.

Coran led the rest to the barracks, in the other direction.

The cackling Daken was first to reach the entrance. He sidestepped a spear point with surprising agility and rammed the spiked tip of his axe into the guard's gut, driving him back through the tall double-doors. Doranei raced to follow and found himself staring at an empty throne in a dimly lit audience hall. There were no guards in the room so he followed Daken across the hall and headed for the smaller of the two doorways on the far wall.

Beyond it was a bare room with three more open doorways. It looked like this was the way to the rear buildings where the servants lived and worked, so he backtracked to the main hall. In the gantry above he saw a soldier with a crossbow looking down at him, and an unmistakable figure in mail and a steel skull-cap: Ilumene.

'Catch me if you can, puppy!' Ilumene yelled as the soldier levelled his crossbow.

Doranei ducked back through the doorway, shouting a warning to his companions caught in the open. The bolt went through the throat of the nearest, one of the thieves, who fell without a sound.

'Damned traitor!' Cetarn roared, his face scarlet with sudden and rare fury.

The mage looked around for a moment before his gaze alighted on Telasin Daemon-Touch. As Doranei ran for the other door to find a staircase he saw Cetarn run around the possessed soldier and place his hands on the man's back. Telasin, knowing what was going to happen, tensed, weapons at the ready.

With a burst of green-tinted light Cetarn punched forward and Telasin was propelled up to the landing. He hooked a leg and arm neatly over the balustrade as he reached it, in the same movement hacking at the archer's neck.

Instead of fleeing, Ilumene threw himself forward with a roar, his bastard sword swinging at Telasin's head with such ferocity that the daemon-touched soldier was almost driven back over the balustrade by the blow. Ilumene didn't give him a moment to recover, cutting again and again at Telasin with his longer sword and forcing the soldier back against a wall. In desperation Telasin smashed at Ilumene's sword with both weapons, knocking it to one side to avoid a killing blow, but he was head-butted by the bigger man.

Telasin grunted in pain and rode the blow, throwing himself to one side and half-falling back through the open doorway behind him. His khopesh crashed against the stone pillars on either side as he fought to remain upright.

'Where the fuck did he find you, freak?' Ilumene laughed, lunging with his long sword as he spoke.

Telasin batted the blade away, but succeeded only in deflecting it down and it nicked his thigh. He staggered and slashed wildly at Ilumene's head, forcing him to retreat a precious pace. They found themselves in a corridor where long, densely embroidered tapestries covered the inner wall. It was narrow, but still high enough for Ilumene to raise his sword without impediment. Telasin continued to retreat, a quick glimpse behind having shown him a short flight of stairs before the corridor widened.

He leaped down the half-dozen steps and raised his khopesh again. The stench of decay filled the corridor and a sudden hot wind blew past him towards Ilumene. The darkness wrapped around him was raised by the wind and grew to become thick tendrils that rapidly spread through the corridor.

'You think shadows can cow me?' Ilumene called contemptuously, and launched himself into the swirling black mass.

Holding his sword in both hands, Ilumene struck once, twice, matching Telasin's speed and continuing to drive the daemon-touched soldier back. Telasin tried to lure Ilumene on too far, but the big man caught one khopesh on his sword and leaned away in time to watch the other flash past his chest.

Telasin kicked out, but Ilumene rode the blow and smacked an elbow into his opponent's shoulder – then he surged forwards to slam Telasin into the stone wall, where he pinned one arm down. With his sword still locked with Telasin's other khopesh, Ilumene again lunged forward, skull-capped head leading, and caught him a glancing blow on the chest.

This time he followed up with a hefty punch in the stomach, thumping Telasin back into the wall, before grabbing a dagger from his belt. Quick as a snake Ilumene drove the knife up between the scales of his armour to pierce Telasin's stomach, then he made sure of his kill by slashing at Telasin's throat. He stepped away and Telasin staggered clumsily sideways, unable to bring up his free khopesh in time. The bastard sword hacked down and Telasin fell, a shriek of supernatural rage exploding through the corridor as the daemon was banished.

Ilumene wiped his sword, panting for breath as a sly smile spread across his scarred face. He looked around for threats and found none. The others had clearly taken the wrong stairway, or run into more guards. Then his face froze.

'They're not here to kill me,' he muttered, looking up and summoning a mental picture of the Ruby Tower's many staircases. On the east side was a servants' stair – though it was steep and narrow, it was the faster route up. 'They'll have to check each room; Ruhen's small enough to hide anywhere. We still have time,' he muttered.