'Marack to the ropes; Ataan, put the bodies over the wall; Uvoll, I need these lights doused. Work fast.'
The cell split. Auum knew darkening the wall section would eventually draw attention but he couldn't risk being seen from the streets now. Soon, the parapet would be full of elves. He tapped the wall again. The next cell joined him.
'Ropes,' he said. 'Quickly.'
A third strike and the fourth cell made the walls.
'Down to the streets. Secure the muster point.'
Auum turned back to the open ground and struck the wall a fourth time. The second stage was about to commence.
Chapter 14
'Thank you,' said Tessaya, raising his goblet high and draining it off in one long gulp, spilling wine from the sides of his mouth.
Beside him, Riasu laughed, refilled both their cups and the two Wesmen lords clashed them together before draining them again.
From the door of his tent, Tessaya watched the flames climbing high into the clear night sky. He could smell the ash and the burned flesh on the breeze. He could hear the terrified shouts for help and the screams of pain. And he could see burning men stumble outside their flaming tomb to be cut down by his warriors before they had gone two paces.
He felt nothing for those he had ordered killed. Not for the men he had never met, nor their puffed-up and astoundingly foolish leader, Devun. A man who had been so happy to tell everything he knew and make himself utterly dispensable.
'What a treasure to have fallen into our laps,' said Tessaya. 'Thank you Devun, and thank you Lord Riasu for bringing him to me.'
He turned and strode back into his tent, an arm around Riasu's shoulders.
'Can we do it?' he asked, dropping into one of the plush sofas. 'Do we have the strength of arms and do we have the will?'
Riasu remained standing. 'That we have the will is certain. It is in our blood to conquer. And the war council will sit here tomorrow. Then you will know if we have the strength.'
‘Iwould know more than dead Black Wings or the Spirits can tell me,' said Tessaya. 'Send scouts to Xetesk. Tell them to count everyone they see. Tell them to memorise the state of the siege.
And, Riasu, tell them to be careful.'
"*
Out beyond the plains grass that surrounded Xetesk, The Raven waited. Despite his convictions, Denser was experiencing mixed feelings. Sneaking into his home city and the college that had nurtured his talent so expertly was making him uncomfortable. Beside him, Hirad was itching to get going. The barbarian could barely contain his energy. It was a good sign. Inside, they would need a Hirad who was unstoppable and who would drag all of them beyond their limits. Never would the heartbeat of The Raven be needed more.
Erienne leaned into him.
'Gets to you, doesn't it?' she said softly, one hand squeezing his knee.
'Eh?'
'Remember how we all broke into Dordover a few years back?'
Denser smiled. They had been after one of the Dawn thief catalysts and had only just escaped with their lives. Erienne had risked everything.
'This is a different situation,' he said.
'Not really. The feelings are the same whether they are declared enemies or not, and whether we are stealing or reclaiming. Makes you feel a traitor, doesn't it?'
Denser nodded. 'Sort of.'
'Don't feel guilty about it, that's all I want to say,' said Erienne. 'It's only natural. I will forever love Dordover. It is the actions of a few people who have destroyed my loyalty but I have my memories and the. hope the leadership will change for the better in the future. You're the same. You grew up under Styliann, Laryon and Nyer. Remember them, for all their faults, and try not to fix on a loyalty you feel you should have but can't recall.'
Denser looked into her eyes, saw the battle going on inside her and smiled.
He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, stroking her hair beneath the hood of her lightweight cloak. ‘Ilove you.'
'What I understand is that you can't afford to think of any of those bastards in there as your people,' said Hirad.
'Your tenderness is overwhelming,' said Denser, turning his attention to the barbarian. Hirad's eyes were bright and fierce, shining from the darkness surrounding them.
'They will feel none,' he said. 'And you are Raven. We are your people. You no longer belong to Xetesk and you can't afford to wonder why.'
'No, that's not it,' said Denser.
Hirad shrugged. 'Doesn't matter what the reason, if you hesitate once, you're dead and perhaps we all are. If you go in there with anything less than total belief, you won't come out. And I am not losing another mage. Understand?'
Denser chuckled, patted Hirad on the shoulder. 'You know I do. Don't worry about me.'
‘Ihave to worry,' said Hirad. 'Like I've said before, it's my job.'
Near them all, Thraun stood up quite suddenly, staring towards the walls. Next to him, The Unknown and Darrick made to grab his arms to haul him down but he was too quick, taking a couple of paces out into the grass. He growled, sniffed at the air, crouched and turned.
'They talk,' he said.
'Who?' asked The Unknown.
'Listen.'
It was ahead of them towards the walls but left and right, not where the TaiGethen and Al-Arynaar mages were clustered. It was a sound they had all heard before but in the depths of the Calaian rainforest. Growing in volume, everything from low-throated growls to high-pitched yowls and whines, the ClawBound panthers let rip, bringing an alien resonance to the heartland of Balaia.
It seemed to echo from the clouds themselves, reverberate through the brush and bounce from the walls of the city. It was at once beautiful and terrifying, carrying with it the mournful quality of lands lost and the taste of great age and reverence. It sent a shiver through Denser's body and Erienne reflexively tightened her grip on his knee.
Hirad added a growl of his own. 'Didn't they think we were playing fair?' he demanded into the noise. 'So they thought they had to announce we were coming, or something? Make sure everyone was waiting for us once we got inside to make a fight of it? Gods burning, have they no idea of stealth?'
Rebraal appeared by his left side, speaking for them all to hear. 'Inside the city, that sound is clawing at every door. Let me ask you, would you rush outside, sword in hand, or make sure the bolts were across and keys turned in every lock? And those few ClawBound are doing something for you right now. They are diverting every eye on the wall. Now run and don't stop until you can slap stone.'
Hirad chewed back his retort and stood. 'You heard him,' he said. 'Raven! Raven with me!'
The Raven ran in fighting formation, The Unknown at the head of the uneven chevron, Hirad and Darrick to his right, Thraun to his left with Erienne and Denser behind the warriors. Streaking away in front of them was Rebraal, the Al-Arynaar skipping through the thigh-high grass as if it barely covered his feet while The Raven struggled behind, forcing the sinewy stems aside as they came on.
For all it was an effort and he felt as if he were running headlong into the teeth of death, Denser felt exhilarated. The damp air was fresh and chill in his lungs, the sheen of rain on his forehead cooled him and the rush of the grass around him, the breeze in his ears and his friends charging on ahead lifted his heart. He would have shouted but for the folly that would have been.
Panting and out of breath, he made the relative safety of the walls. The last TaiGethen cell was climbing a trio of ropes that dropped from the overhang high above, and the only people left were Rebraal, the Al-Arynaar mages and The Raven themselves.