'Thank you, Sha-Kaan,' she said. She reached out a hand and touched his muzzle. He could barely feel it through his thick hide but the gesture was enough.
Jonas had sensed a change in the emotional atmosphere. He crawled quickly to his mother and pulled himself up her leg, looking him in the eye.
'Kaan!' he said suddenly, pointing and smiling.
Diera laughed. 'That's right, darling. And soon it will be time to say goodbye.'
'Bye,' said Jonas.
Deep in the plains of Teras, Sha-Kaan's Brood mothers were calling to him. He could feel it.
Chapter 30
The first signs of light were beginning to edge over the horizon and the allied camp outside the east gate was ablaze with activity. Lysternan and Blackthorne guards were being readied to take the field, the night watch was withdrawing and the Al-Arynaar were close to departure. Izack had already taken much of his cavalry to the north gate front, leaving one detachment to defend the foot soldiers. It wouldhave to be enough.
The Raven were eating a quick breakfast. The horses given to them by Blackthorne were being saddled and prepared. Sore, stiff and tired, there was nevertheless an energy about The Raven that came with imminent action.
Denser, having seen to Erienne, cleaning her after the night and checking that Cleress was still hanging on, had joined them, sitting by Hirad who was inspecting his repaired armour.
'Will it hold?' asked Denser.
'It's a fantastic job,' said Hirad. 'Can't say they don't know needlework, these elves.'
Across the fire, The Unknown sat gazing at his boots, one hand massaging his neck.
'She'll be fine,' said Denser, guessing his trouble.
'Of that I have no doubt,' said The Unknown. ‘Ijust can't help feeling it's going to be a long time before I see them again.'
'Just as long as you do one day,' said Denser. He turned his attention back to Hirad. 'Now listen, I know you were right not to wake me when you spoke to Sha-Kaan last night but I need to know cxacdy what he said.'
‘Itold it all to Rebraal. He's spoken to the Lysternans and the message has gone round all the fronts. They are as prepared as they can be which is not at all since we don't know what, if anything,
Xetesk are going to do. But they'll have the shield lattice up and concentrated. That's it.'
'So tell me,' said Denser. 'What did he say?'
Hirad sighed. 'All right. He said he'd been sensing something for a while. Ever since the Xeteskians got home with the information from the Al-Drechar. Initially he was happy because he supposed that they were investigating inter-dimensional space to send him home. Now he knows that wasn't the case and the feelings he gets are as if they're channelling the energy out there. He doesn't know why but it doesn't feel right. He likened it to someone diverting rivers to form a waterfall. Right now, the level isn't high enough but he can sense it growing.'
'Right,' said Denser. 'And did he say anything else?'
'Yes,' said Hirad. 'And this made him happy and angry. Happy because he can sense the dimensions again, meaning the Xeteskians have been successful in realignment and mapping, something like that. Angry, because he says the meddling, which got much worse yesterday apparently, has aroused the attentions of the demons. He said they would be waiting and that Xetesk doesn't understand what it is doing. He said we should stop them.'
'That's going to be difficult,' said Denser.
'That's what I said.'
'And is that all he said?'
'Isn't it enough?'
'Actually, it probably is,' said Denser, feeling his heart sink. As if it could get any lower. 'What I saw in the Laryon hub were papers and maps outlining cooperative spells drawing on the raw power in inter-dimensional space. I couldn't tell how close they were to being ready to cast. But I think the allies need to be prepared for more than the offensive power they've been used to, that's all.
'It's a shame we can't get Sha-Kaan up there. He could probably disrupt it.'
'Why can't we?' asked Hirad.
'Well, because he needs a gateway opening here. He can sense the flows but he can't access them without it. When we do that, he'll be able to travel home, his dimension will be there for him if he's right and the mapping has been successful.'
The Unknown cleared his throat. ‘Idon't understand. How does
Xetesk's knowledge of where the dimensions are currently located translate to Sha-Kaan flying home?'
'Right,' said Denser. 'Good question and forgive my incomplete knowledge. Effectively, what Xetesk's researchers will have done is take the information from the Al-Drechar and use it to read the pathways in inter-dimensional space. Don't ask me how but there are some and its forces are like mana that flow along them, seeking the route of least resistance in a way. Biat to get a complete and ongoing picture, they'll have sent focused streams of mana into space and bounced them off dimensional shells, along pathways and all that sort of thing. Those streams will always be there and the signature of the bounce will give Sha-Kaan his direction because he knows what his dimension feels like.
'It only works from this direction and he'd find other signatures of other dimensions confuse his senses. So his path will be clear because it'll be the only one he can make sense of. That's what I understand from talking to him and my scant knowledge of dimensional research. Sorry if it's vague.'
'Good enough,' said The Unknown.
'For you, maybe,' said Hirad. 'Once again, I thank the Gods I am not a mage.'
He pushed himself to his feet and began to stretch, pushing his arms back and chest out very slowly and deliberately. Denser saw him wince a couple of times but the expression on his face told of pleasant surprise at how he felt.
'Feel all right?' asked Denser.
'Stiff but not bad,' said Hirad. ‘Imay even be able to fight again sooner than I thought. Can't say the same for the young general, here.'
Darrick was spooning broth into his mouth as if he wouldn't be allowed to eat ever again. Torn bread sat by him on the ground and a mug of the elves' enriching herbal tea steamed away by his left boot. His face was pale still, dark rings around eyes that sat deep. He had a slight shiver.
'Can you ride, Darrick?' asked The Unknown.
Darrick nodded. 'Let's just not go at a tan gallop all the way, eh?'
'We'll do our best. Perhaps we can persuade Sha-Kaan to give you a lift,' said Denser. 'When will he arrive?'
Hirad shrugged. 'He can't fly too fast, you know his condition. If we go as well as we want to, we should all arrive at Julatsa at about the same time.'
'That's handy, because I might need help opening this gateway. Assuming the mana focus is strong enough, that's where I'll get it.'
'So,' said Hirad. 'Are we all ready?'
He wandered away a few yards in the direction of Xetesk. They'd found a point where they could see through the trees to the batde front. No doubt he was having a look at the set-up for the day of battle which would begin in earnest any time. Already, a few desultory spells were probing at shield lattices while the lines drew up and closed.
A sudden gust of wind blew through the trees, rattling branches and dislodging leaves and blossom. Denser looked across at Erienne where she lay under the sentinel-like guard of Thraun. A frown crossed her forehead, gone in a heartbeat.
'Thraun?' he asked.
He shook his head. 'Not her. She feels it.'
'Denser, what the hell is that?'
Thraun trotted over to Hirad, and The Unknown and Darrick likewise. No one had to ask what Hirad was looking at.
Up in the partly cloudy sky, two slashes had appeared, moving gently, like seaweed resting on the surface of the sea. But there was nothing restful about the intent behind them. One sat above the east gate, the other to the north. It was impossible to guess exactly how big they were at this distance but the measurement would run into hundreds of feet.