She felt her breath tighten in her chest at the pros-pect and her palms began to tingle.
What could restrain her? Fear? Perhaps. Responsi-bility? Suppose Jeorg were to wake suddenly and need reassurance? And what would be the reaction of Gryss if he returned to find Jeorg abandoned and her missing?
Or her father’s reaction?
‘Your father’s already lost one person that he loved dearly.’ Gryss’s words reproached her.
Marna’s mouth pursed. She knew all about that, she thought, but no one had ever expressed it to her so forthrightly, and it proved a winding blow now, as she contemplated flight.
‘Damn,’ she said, softly and bitterly. She couldn’t do it. Not yet. Not like that; not without any warning.
For some time she sat motionless, her hands resting on the papers and her mind drifting idly now that it had been released from the torrential rush of her wild plans.
Slowly however, new patterns began to emerge. Calmer, more reasoned patterns. The threat still remained. The fear and the anger still remained. She must still arm herself. And, if necessary, she must be prepared to make the journey to the capital on her own. She found that she could not avoid that final conclusion, even though the prospect of such a journey was already becoming more daunting.
But she was not a principal in this affair. She must do nothing that would jeopardize whatever efforts Gryss and the others were putting forth.
She looked at the papers again. Then, carefully, she gathered them together in order and replaced them in the leather wallet. For a few minutes she looked at the package thoughtfully, then, reaching a decision, she set about scouring through Gryss’s cottage.
Nilsson had spent much of the remainder of the night consolidating the work that he had initially been obliged to leave to Saddre and Dessane, namely the quietening and assuring of his men following their mostly panic-stricken flight from the Yarrance’s farm.
It could have been worse, he mused, sitting down on an embrasure and leaning back against the sloping wall that bounded it. A lighter spirit than Nilsson’s would have sung out to the warmth of the stone on his back, and the warmth of the sun on his face, and the sight of the valley, green and lush, winding away below him into the distance. But Nilsson was immune to such paralys-ing infections. His spirit dwelt in the future that he intended to make for himself in the wake of his new lord; the present was merely a passing irritation.
There had been a few injuries in the crush to escape the power unleashed by Rannick, but in reality the greatest damage had been done to the men’s pride, and it was this that had given rise to much of the trouble as they had returned to the castle in scattered, bewildered groups. As necessary, Saddre and Dessane had soothed injured prides, provided excuses, cracked heads and done the hard work, and subsequently, having stood by his Lord throughout, Nilsson had been able to salve most of the remaining hurts by being avuncular and forgiving:
A friendly hand on the shoulder.
‘It’s been a long time since you saw the likes of that, hasn’t it?’
‘You weren’t there on the palace steps when the old Lord outfaced the southland demon. That was some-thing!’
‘Who’d have thought we’d ever have come across the likes of him again? Chances like that don’t usually come once to a man, let alone twice.’
And so on.
Of course, the destruction of Avak had helped bring a sense of perspective to the proceedings. Pity that. He was a useful fighter, but always apt to be troublesome and, all things considered, he was no great loss.
The recollection, however, brought with it the surg-ing malevolence he had felt focused on him as the creature had hurled out of the darkness and leapt up the wall towards him. Momentarily he closed his eyes against the bright day, and, on the instant, he heard again the scrabbling claws and the thud of its landing.
Now, as then, the fact that he was well above any height that the creature could possibly leap gave him no consolation. He had been powerless to move. The only thing he would have been able to do was scream.
Despite the sunshine, Nilsson shivered. And whether he kept his eyes closed willingly or out of fear he could not have said.
But Avak’s demise had done more than focus the attention of the men. It had in some way restored the Lord Rannick.
‘Good,’ he had said, with a long-drawn-out breath that had chilled Nilsson utterly. Then he had turned slowly, looked at Nilsson and smiled a smile that was rich with the fulfilment of nameless desires. Nilsson had been grateful for the subdued lighting in the room.
‘I need rest now,’ he had said. ‘I shall sleep. You may go.’
Nilsson had bowed. ‘I shall leave a guard outside your door, Lord.’
‘I need no guard,’ had been the faintly amused re-sponse. ‘Go, Captain. Tend your men. They will be needed soon, now.’
Nevertheless, concerned for Rannick’s safety with the men in such an uncertain humour, Nilsson had cautiously opened the door to the darkened room later to see that all was well.
A blast of air had struck him in the face, stinging his eyes and taking his breath away. It had seemed to pour into his mouth and down his throat and as he had staggered back, retching, the door had closed with a soft, sighing hiss.
Nilsson cleared his throat as he remembered the incident. Then, the lights dancing behind the lids of his closed eyes darkened and the warmth on his face lessened. He opened his eyes abruptly, his hand moving to his knife.
‘Sorry to disturb you, Captain,’ said the sentry, who was standing between him and the sun. ‘But there’s a rider coming.’
Nilsson grunted and stood up. The sentry pointed.
‘I think it’s that kid from the farm,’ he said.
Nilsson leaned forward and screwed up his eyes.
It was the lad indeed. What was his name? Farnor or something, wasn’t it?
And coming at the gallop too.
‘Should I wake the Lord, Captain?’ the sentry asked. Nilsson shook his head and then smiled. ‘No,’ he replied. ‘I think we can manage one tearful country brat on our own. If he gets this far without falling off that horse, that is. Throw the gate open for him. Let’s give him a real welcome.’
His smile broadened and unfurled into a low, un-pleasant laugh.
Chapter 34
‘What d’you want, boy?’ Nilsson said, catching Farnor as he jumped down from his horse, missed his footing and stumbled. ‘Charging in like that. Someone’s going to get hurt.’
Farnor, flushed and breathless, did not hear the menace in Nilsson’s voice. He yanked his arm free. ‘Where’s Rannick?’ he demanded.
Nilsson’s eyes darted to the knife in Farnor’s belt. ‘Lord Rannick, do you mean?’ he said.
Farnor scowled, thrown momentarily off-balance by this unfamiliar appellation. ‘I don’t know anything about any lord,’ he said, holding Nilsson’s gaze. ‘Just get Rannick out here. Rannick the village labourer.’ He began to shout past Nilsson, his voice becoming shrill. ‘Rannick the village idiot! Rannick the fly trainer! Rannick the coward! Come out and face me, you murderer, Rannick!’
The circle of men that had begun to form expec-tantly about the protagonists fell suddenly quiet and widened noticeably. Even Nilsson found himself casting a quick glance over his shoulder for fear that Farnor’s petulant abuse might result in a violent reproach being brought down on his own head.
Farnor misunderstood the response, taking it to be due to the strength of the passion and hatred that was so possessing him. He made to step around Nilsson but a powerful hand seized his arm and dragged him back effortlessly.