‘Ah,’ said Bel brightly, ‘but then you would have reached Jeddies first, and I did not wish another town to fall. Considering that you’re going to lose anyway, it seemed rather needless.’
Losara gave an odd little smile at that. ‘So,’ he said, ‘perhaps you would have excelled at Battu’s lessons on taunting.’ He began to pace, emulating the mander behind him as it ran back and forth, trying to discover a way through its trap. ‘Tell me,’ he said, ‘have you ever wondered what life would be like if I had been the baby to go to the Open Halls, and you had been stashed away in Skygrip Castle?’
Bel felt his sense of control slip a notch with the unexpected question. He was not in the mood to delve into deep thought. He was here to act, not to think.
‘No,’ he said. ‘And I see little point in such conjecture. Another dearth in you, Losara – spending your time in fantasies, failing to address the here and now.’ He shook the Stone at his other , who regarded it with some apprehension. ‘It won’t matter who was brought up where, when we are one again.’
Losara nodded. ‘I’m sure you’re right. As for the moment, I wonder if you would be so good as to stand aside while my army passes?’
Bel laughed. ‘What makes you think I’m inclined to such kindness? We both know you cannot sic your ill-gotten creature on me.’
Losara’s eyes flickered to Querrus, doing his best to stand in Bel’s shadow. He raised a questioning eyebrow at Bel, which Bel ignored.
‘And,’ Bel continued, ‘you can cast no spells to boot me out of the way.’
‘Perhaps,’ said Losara. ‘But there are always indirect ways.’
He flicked his fingers at the ground, and a rent appeared, ripping towards Bel. Bel dropped to one knee, dangling the Stone in the path of the crack and, just before it reached him, it crumbled to a stop.
Losara nodded. ‘What about wind, then, I wonder? Cast the magic up there,’ he raised a hand to the sky above, ‘away from the Stone, but send the result down here.’
Even as he spoke, a gust sprang up. It quickly grew in strength, whipping Bel’s hair like the grasses beneath, and Querrus dropped to a huddle behind him. The air became like a wall pressing against him, yet he stood firm, his vision blurring as all liquid was blasted from his eyes.
‘Losara,’ he shouted, ‘it will have to be a fast wind indeed to lift me from my feet!’
‘As you wish,’ called Losara.
The wind howled stronger, and the Stone thrashed about in Bel’s grip, bruising his knuckles as it thwacked against them. A cheer rose from the shadow army.
‘Querrus?’ called Bel.
The mage, who was holding Bel’s legs, removed a hand to gesture. He conjured a bubble of stillness, and the wind divided suddenly around them. Losara dropped his hand in frustration, and the wind died abruptly.
Bel smoothed tousled blue strands back from his forehead. ‘A good reason to have a mage around,’ he said. ‘Querrus tells me that indirect magic is about the easiest there is to defend against. And he doesn’t need to worry about watching his own back because I,’ he dangled the Stone, ‘have it covered.’ He glanced away towards the river. ‘What else could you do? Maybe hurl some trees, or bring the river gushing? Or …well, I’m out of ideas, but I imagine you’ll come up with something, Losara.’
His gaze intensified on his counterpart, who quickly wiped the look of consternation off his face.
‘I can’t think of anything right now,’ Losara said, and folded his arms. ‘Bold moves, Bel.’
Bel tapped his head. ‘Born to do great things.’
Losara drummed his fingers on his elbow. ‘But what’s to stop me,’ he said, ‘sending a battalion of soldiers at you? Even,’ again he eyed Querrus, ‘just to shift you?’
‘Nothing,’ said Bel, and rested a hand on his sword hilt. ‘Please hurry and do so.’
‘I know you are a great warrior, Bel, but surely you do not think you can stand against the totality of Fenvarrow?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Bel, ‘I’ve never tried it. However, I would warn the Shadowdreamer that, amongst so many swords, sometimes people get hurt. Even people we may just be trying to shift . You cannot guarantee the course of every blade.’
‘The thought has not escaped me,’ said Losara. ‘Perhaps I will merely send them heavily armoured, without weaponry, in waves – enough to pin you to the ground and drag you away?’
‘Send your folk disarmed against the blue-haired man?’ said Bel, letting false amazement creep into his voice. ‘You must command soldiers with strong spirits indeed, Losara! My congratulations on garnering such unquestioning loyalty.’
‘Has it occurred to you,’ Losara said quietly, ‘that if a certain fact became widely known, it would place us both in peril?’
‘Of course.’
‘Yet you stand here with a mage, meaning by rights he is not as dense as cobblestones, tiptoeing around the truth so heavily you leave its outline clear?’
‘He already knows,’ said Bel. ‘How else could I convince him to stand here with me? But as you say, Losara, he isn’t stupid – he will not turn against me just to get to you, be assured. That would be but a short-term solution, and you want to see the shadow defeated for good, isn’t that right, Querrus?’
‘That’s right,’ said Querrus, eyeing Losara warily over Bel’s shoulder.
‘Risky,’ said Losara. ‘I hope you are not so open with everyone you meet.’
‘Necessity dictated in this circumstance,’ said Bel.
‘Meanwhile,’ countered Losara, ‘you leave me no choice but to return to my people, who do not know our little secret, and will therefore wonder why I haven’t killed you. Why do I tolerate you standing here in plain sight, why do I order them to cease their advance, why don’t I send forth the shadowmander to tear you apart? Do you not think it dangerous for both of us if I have to tell them why?’
Bel shrugged. ‘Not my army,’ he said. ‘Not my problem.’
Losara gave him a reproachful look, then fell to shadow and disappeared.
Querrus edged from behind Bel a little. ‘Did that go well?’
‘Of course,’ said Bel. ‘Didn’t I tell you to trust me?’
‘So what do we do now?’
‘We’ll sit and watch this army a while …and stay on the lookout for any sudden moves.’
A Troublesome Secret
Losara found himself uncertain about where to appear next. As soon as he did, there would be explanations required, and he was not sure what he could tell anyone. Certainly he did not want his entire army knowing that if they stabbed him in the back, Bel would fall also. It was not that he considered the ranks full of potential traitors, but out of thousands, there were surely one or two who might think that such a move would be the best solution for all.
And even if he told them exactly why he could not crush Bel where he stood, the news would no doubt soon spread to the enemy. All it would take would be one of his soldiers captured, or one light mage to snare an errant thought, and the secret would be out for both sides.
As he pooled between the bandy legs of a group of Vorthargs, a shadow mage glanced in his direction. He reminded himself that he was not invisible to everyone, and should not dawdle while his army waited. It was time to be decisive. Making up his mind, he went looking for Tyrellan. The First Slave was in the centre of it all, where Losara had bidden him to remain, thus keeping the shadowmander a safe distance from Bel – though even Tyrellan did not understand that yet.
Can’t keep being mysterious forever , thought Losara. My second at least should know the reasons for his master’s inactions. Bel is willing to tell people when it suits him.
Tyrellan, who seemed restless, was receiving a report from one of his subordinates, a goblin called Turen. Lalenda was nearby, conversing with a couple of her race.