‘Calm yourselves,’ he said. ‘The one you sense is Lord Battu, here under my protection.’
The lightfist leader squinted at Fahren – searching out any illusions, most probably – then bowed his head. ‘My Throne,’ he said.
Warily the lightfists lowered their hands, though several kept close watch on Battu. He shot one young lady a grin, and was amused to see her flinch.
‘My Throne,’ said the leader, ‘with all due respect …are you sure it’s safe to let him into the camp?’
Battu chuckled. ‘Why thank you, lad,’ he said, deliberately misunderstanding the lightfist’s words, ‘for your concern for my safety. I am sure, however, I’ll be all right once you put word about that I’m bound by the will of Arkus to help your sorry lot. And anyone who gets it into their head to seek me out for past misdeeds should realise that I provide better help when I’m alive, and nothing in my oath prevents me from defending myself.’
The leader stared at him a moment, then looked to Fahren, who gave a nod.
‘And now,’ said Fahren, ‘take us to Blade Bel.’
•
‘Bel,’ said Jaya. ‘Look.’
There, emerging from the front lines, smiling ear to ear and spreading his arms wide, was Fahren. Bel rose and jogged across the grass, joyous that the monotony was broken at last. As he reached Fahren he went to embrace him, but only got as far as clasping his shoulders, when he saw who followed behind, and froze.
It was a lot to take in at once.
Elessa Lanclara was just as he remembered her from her grave. Her white Overseer’s dress showed nothing of the time that had passed, or the hardship it had seen. Her blond hair – for a single moment he remembered it wet – hung free and vivid. Her bright eyes did not look dead. In fact, she was beautiful. In sharp contrast, next to her was Battu, a hulking figure with silken black hair, his once-pale skin now blotched with sunburn, his mouth twisting as if it could not decide where it wanted to be. Instantly Bel was fascinated by him, this man who had once been the greatest enemy of his people. It was Battu who had ordered him found when he’d been a baby, had sent Fazel forth to rip him apart, had raised his other off in Fenvarrow, had been defeated by Corlas at the Shining Mines …and who had sent the weaver to trick his father to the detriment of so many. Yet Bel’s deferred anger had always been for some distant shadowy figure, not this person alone amongst Kainordans, looking awkward and uncomfortable.
Side by side stood these two who had helped make him what he was, now here to serve him.
Not knowing quite how to behave, he reverted to an old mask. ‘Welcome!’ he said expansively, smiling. ‘I am Bel Corinas. Perhaps you’ve heard of me?’
Battu gave a half-chuckle. ‘Already I can tell you are different from Losara.’
‘Well,’ said Bel, ‘I should certainly hope so.’ He turned to Elessa. ‘Been a long time, Miss Lanclara,’ he said.
‘Yes,’ she whispered.
‘I cannot tell you,’ said Bel, ‘how grateful I am that you have come.’
Elessa glanced at Fahren, then nodded. ‘I will do what I can to help the people of the light,’ she said stiffly.
‘Throne!’ came a voice, and Brahl bustled out of the darkness. He stopped short, eyeing Battu warily.
‘It is all right, Gerent,’ said Fahren.
‘I know, I know,’ said Brahl. ‘Still, you cannot blame me for having reservations.’
‘You would be a fool not to,’ said Battu. ‘But as Fahren will assure you, I am a scorpion whose claws are bound.’
The gerent stroked his chin. ‘It is the tail that does the harm,’ he said. ‘Nonetheless you, in turn, are safe in camp. I have let it be known that anyone who puts a sword through you will get a very harsh rap on the knuckles.’
‘Come now,’ snapped Fahren, a hint of how frayed his nerves were, ‘let us not begin this way.’
Bel clapped his hands together. ‘Fahren is right,’ he said. ‘And there is much to discuss.’
‘Shall we retire to my camp?’ suggested Brahl. ‘I think it would be wise to get out of plain view.’
Soon they were sitting around Brahl’s fire. They were a strange collection indeed. For Bel it was the first time away from his own camp in days, Fahren erected some kind of spell to keep their conversation contained, but that did not stop others nearby from casting curious looks. Talking about what they would do the next day made it seem very real – finally , things were going to happen – and Bel constandly had to force himself to focus.
‘Next,’ said Fahren, and his gaze fell on the Stone around Bel’s neck, ‘we should speak about whether or not we attempt the …recombining …during the fighting.’
A ripple of nervousness went through Bel. It must have showed on his face, for Jaya took his hand.
‘And you are sure that’s what we must do?’ said Brahl.
‘Arkus was very clear,’ said Fahren. ‘There must be one champion – our champion.’
‘Then it should be tomorrow,’ muttered Battu. He had been quiet for some while, but their plans had not really involved him yet. Now all eyes turned to him. ‘To make best use of the surprise,’ he said. ‘We may not have another opportunity.’
Fahren nodded slowly. ‘Then we must somehow root Losara in place, where Bel can be near, long enough for us to cast the spell on them both.’
‘Tricky,’ said Battu. ‘He can travel in shadowform, which makes him hard to pin down. The only thing I can suggest is …’ he grimaced, ‘…a circle of light. One that encloses him completely.’
Fahren looked troubled. ‘He will be protected, no doubt, by his own mages. We’d need a whole host of lightfists to aid us, which would leave other parts of the army scarcely defended.’
‘If it yields the result we seek,’ said Bel, trying to sound assured, ‘it will be worth it. How long will the …process …take?’
‘Hard to know,’ said Fahren. ‘Battu and I must practise tonight with the Stone.’
Unconsciously Bel’s hand went to his neck. He had come to rely on the Stone’s protection, almost thought of it as a part of him now – but, he told himself, by the morrow’s end, perhaps he would not need it. Could he really believe such a thing? It seemed impossible, after all he’d been through, that the end might actually be in sight. And that that end, for him, was really a beginning, for he would finally become a complete person. What changes would be wrought? he wondered. Would they be small and unnoticeable, or greatly influencing? Would Losara blend with him peacefully, or would inner demons claw at him forever? Would he gain Losara’s magical talent? If so, how would that magic express itself? Not as shadow, surely. Fahren had said it was possible to convert souls from shadow to light, so maybe it was the same with magic.
‘May I see it, Bel?’
Slowly and reluctantly Bel removed the Stone and handed it over. Fahren considered it for a moment, passed his fingers over it, and frowned. He caught Bel watching closely, and slipped it into his robe. ‘You can have it back,’ he said. ‘Afterwards.’ He looked around at the rest of the group. ‘So. Once we have Losara trapped, Battu and I will draw him, and Bel, through the gateway of the Stone.’
Jaya’s hand seemed sweaty in Bel’s. She looked worried, and he tried to give her a reassuring smile, though right then it was hard to muster.
‘And in the meantime,’ said Brahl, ‘the rest of us fight on – so when Bel emerges from that thing, he still has an army to lead!’
Soon everyone was eager to go about their own preparations. Fahren and Battu wanted to test the Stone, and Brahl had orders to give to his officers. As people began to leave, Bel felt uneasy, at a loose end. He was suddenly wary of a night spent worrying, uncertain over what would happen once Losara re-entered him. Surely the changes would be slight – Arkus had said his counterpart was but a shred of a man. Maybe it would be as simple as an end to the blankness? That he could live with.