Tetrarch

That stopped them. Irisis and Jym ran on, on opposite sides of the channel. They were out of range of all but an accidental hit.

'How far is it?' she shouted.

'Best part of a league.'

Irisis forced herself to keep moving, though she could not keep up. By the time she reached the top of the slope, the enemy were back in range. She stopped to catch her breath and a bolt passed between her knees. That gave her just enough impetus to claw her way onto a gentler slope.

Not far on, she encountered the others. Flydd was on his feet now, a trickle of red running from his left nostril. He managed a smile, a horrible, death's-head affair.

Hers was no better. 'How are you, Xervish?' she gasped.

'I can walk,' he said wanly.

'Walking is no bloody good at all! Can you run as though all the hounds of hell were after you? They're gaining fast.'

'I can't,' he said, 'but I may be able to do something better.'

'I look forward to seeing it.'

'You won't. Go on and don't look back.'

'I – But, surr!'

'Do it!' His voice was harsh with strain. 'Now!'

She stumbled after the others, but after a few minutes Irisis stopped. The soldiers must be coming up the rise. What could the silly old fool do in his condition?

Flydd was standing like a spread-legged skeleton, holding his arms out and up so he had the form of an 'X'. He looked as if he was trying to summon a bolt from the heavens.

The soldiers topped the rise. Two went to their knees, pointing weapons at him. The bolts would tear him apart. Why didn't he do something? Or was he sacrificing himself so that they could get away?

A ball of mist emerged between him and the soldiers. If he was attempting some kind of illusion, it was too late. They would just fire straight through it. She took a couple of steps toward him. The mist grew. The soldiers fired.

Two red streaks appeared inside the mist, swelled, coalesced, and white fire burst out in all directions, so bright that it burned her eyes. She blinked and rubbed her eyes but could see nothing at all. Reeling backwards, she fell into the channel, which fortunately held only a trickle of water.

Irisis came to her knees. I can't see, she thought, panicking. I'm blind! She blundered into one side of the channel, then the other. It was as if she had lost all her other faculties as well.

'You bloody fool!' panted the scrutator, pulling her to her feet. 'As if I don't have enough to do. Stand up!'

'I can't,' she sobbed. 'I can't see.'

He struck her across the face. 'You imbecile, Irisis. I told you not to look back. Take my hand.'

She clutched it as if she was never going to let go.

'Take it, I said, don't crush it.'

He dragged her along the aqueduct. It was surprising how hard it was to walk when she could not see. Irisis kept stumbling, and once her balance went she did not know how to right herself.

'What did you do, Xervish?'

'Scrutator magic,' he said with a hoarse chuckle. 'I'm forbidden to speak of it. Keep moving.'

'I don't see what there's to laugh about. I've lost my sight.'

'Serves you right for being such a stickybeak!'

'You might be a little bit sympathetic,' she said forlornly.

'I've got troubles of my own and your stupidity has just doubled them.'

She closed up. This was the old, hard side of the scrutator. She'd forgotten that as their relationship developed.

They caught up to the others. 'Are you all right, surr?' asked Yorme.

'I've been better. And then again I've been worse, though not by much.'

'What's happened to the crafter, surr?' asked Jym.

'Don't stop!' the scrutator snapped. 'Silly cow looked back when I told her not to and has lost her sight.'

Irisis had not expected much sympathy, but a little more than that. 'I was trying to help you,' she sniffed.

'Next time, don't bother. Just do as you are told.'

'There isn't going to be a next time!' she cried, tripping on a broken edge. He pulled her to her feet and they hurried on, faster than before.

'True enough. They're coming again.'

'How did they survive?'

'There must have been fifty or sixty out of sight down the slope. None of them would have been hurt, though it may take them a little time to get… past.'

'How do you mean?'

'Is there no end to your infernal questions? My working of the Art has left the place a little strange.'

No one spoke. Irisis kept going; she had no idea how. She just concentrated on putting one foot ahead of the other, then moving the first up to it and past, and then the other again. She could only think of one thing and it was far more important than the soldiers hunting them, or wondering what was going to happen at the other end – I want to see!

'I've spotted them, surr.' Yorme's voice was deeper than Jym's, a slow, rolling rumble.

'How many and how far back?' asked the scrutator.

'It's hard to count… At least forty. They'd be three hundred paces away.'

'They can still do us harm from there,' said Flydd, 'if they realise it.'

'I think they have, surr. A couple are firing but they're shooting over our heads.'

'Keep going.'

Something smashed into the stone not far away. 'Was that a bolt?' Irisis cried wildly. It would not have bothered her had she been able to see, but unsighted it was terrifying.

'They're shooting up into the air, hoping to drop one or two among us.'

They had been climbing gently for some time. Now they topped a rise and began to move along the easiest of slopes.

'There's the air-floater!' Yorme exclaimed. 'Just across the ravine, among the trees. We'll get there yet.'

'Don't be so sure,' the scrutator muttered.

'How far to go?' Irisis yelled. 'And how far back are the soldiers?'

'The same distance as before. It's not them we've got to worry about.'

A deadly chill settled over her. 'What do we have to worry about?'

'Can't you hear?'

Irisis could hear nothing but their feet upon the stone and the hammering of her heart. No, there was something else – a rhythmic thud-thud, thud-thud, and groaning rattles. A whole symphony of them.

'Jal-Nish's fleet of clankers is coming over the hill. They're heading straight for the air-floater and they're going to shoot it out of the sky.'

T HIRTY-SIX

Fear of Jal-Nish drove Irisis on. She could almost see under the mask; the scarred, unhealing flesh, the foaming yellow muck oozing out and down his chin. Whatever horrors he had endured, she felt no pity for him. Jal-Nish had always been a selfish, unpleasant man, though good looks and an engaging manner had once veneered over his innate viciousness. He was now a monster, inside and out.

'What's happening?' she yelled.

'Don't scream in my ear! I'm right beside you. The soldiers are gaining on us, though slowly. They're wary of me now.'

'What about the clankers?'

'They're closing the gap. The ridge drops away into a little rocky valley with a stream at the bottom. It's stony there, but shallow; they'll have no trouble getting through. Up the other side is a short steep pinch, but not too steep for skilled operators. Beyond that it flattens out and they can get into good firing position.'

'How far is it to where the air-floater is going to pick us up?'

'About a thousand paces.'

'Signal it to come.'

'There's a heck of a breeze out here in the middle of the valley. It'll be difficult for it to put down on the aqueduct.'

'It would be worth it, if it cuts down the time the clankers have to get into position.'

'You're right! I'll call it over.'

He began to wave. Irisis could feel it through his hand. He shook her hand free.

'What are you doing?' she cried, feeling abandoned. They could all run away and she would never know.