‘Ent resting while there’s work to be done,’ he told her, and she knew from his tone that he had his back up. Arlen Bales could set his heels as deep as any mule.
But there had been work aplenty, and now, with barely an hour to dusk and thanks in no small part to him, it was all done — or as done as it was going to be. The net of greatwards was weak in places, but it was active and linked, each ward distributing power to the others. No coreling, even a mind demon, could set foot in Hollow County, or fly less than a mile above it.
A hush went through the crowd as Arlen took centre stage. It wasn’t everyone in Hollow County — most were already at their posts, protecting workers who would be piling fortifications to strengthen the weaker sections of the greatwards right up to sunset and beyond. But the leaders were all there, waiting on Arlen’s final words.
Cutters, seasoned and raw, stood at attention. Most were the thick-armed men that grew so abundantly in the Hollow, but there were many with features that spoke of faraway places. There were also hundreds of women, many clad in tapered pantaloons and vests similar to the one Wonda wore beneath her armour. Most carried bows and stroked the fletching of their warded arrows the way they might caress a lover. All wore bandannas painted with mind wards.
Backs straight, the Wooden Soldiers sat mounted on sleek coursers. Their long spears had been fitted with special grips to allow them to be used as lances. Shorter stabbing spears hung from harnesses in easy reach. Count Thamos, resplendent in his enamelled armour, towered over them atop his heavy destrier, its barding warded glass over fitted wood.
Kaval’s Sharum, armed once more with spear and shield, stood in a neat square. Renna watched them, half expecting trouble, but they seemed the most disciplined of all.
A knot of Herb Gatherers, marked by their pocketed aprons, surrounded Leesha to one side, and the Jongleurs stood by Rojer and Hary Roller to the other. Even Inquisitor Hayes and his acolytes waited in silence to hear his words.
‘We done good work this month, getting ready for the demons.’ Even without magic, Arlen’s voice carried far and clear. There was clapping and cheering, and Arlen waited for it to die down before going on, his face grim. ‘But I ent gonna lie to you folk. Demons know we’re getting strong, and they’re going to rise in numbers like you never dreamed tonight, determined to stomp us back down into the mud. Worse, they’re gonna fight smart — attack where we’re weakest and they can do the most damage. All of you,’ he looked pointedly at the Krasians, ‘are gonna see fightin’ tonight like you never saw before.’ His eyes scanned the crowd, seeming to meet everyone at once. ‘And you can’t count on me to save you tonight.’
There was a murmur of shock at that, and Arlen let it sink in a moment before going on. ‘We can kill all the demons we want, but so long as their minds are out there, it’s slappin’ at raindrops. I’m huntin’ mind demons tonight, and ent always gonna have time for the little fights.’
His voice hardened, and his eyes flashed with intensity. ‘But if there’s anyone in all the world I trust can take care of themselves, it’s the folk of Hollow County. Can I count on you to do that?’
The crowd erupted in a roar, holding aloft their weapons.
‘Ent gonna let you down!’
‘Don’t you worry about us, we’ll still be cuttin’ wood demon when you get back!’
Arlen held up a fist, and they fell silent again, though the energy was thick in the air. ‘Had the honour of standing with a lot of you in this very place, shedding blood and more than our share of coreling ichor right on the cobbles beneath your feet. Lost some good people, and still more came out with wounds they carry to this day. But we gave better’n we got, beat those demons down and watched them burn when the sun rose.’ He looked back to the Krasians. ‘In Krasia, that makes this sacred ground, and it makes us all family.’
There were nods and grunts of agreement from the crowd, though none dared speak, hanging on Arlen’s words. ‘For more than three hundred years, we been waiting for a Deliverer to come and save us from the demons. And while we waited, we forgot that we, each and every one of us, was strong. Strong enough that together, ent nothing can stop us. But the Deliverers of old didn’t do it alone. They get the credit, ay, but they wouldn’t have had a chance without the thousands, nay, millions, of good folk like you at their sides.
‘So you stand up for you and yours tonight. You stand proud, and come Waxing, when Hollow County’s still standing tall, someone asks who the Deliverer is? You can give honest word when you say “Ay, that’s me.”’
The crowd cheered again, shouting, ‘Deliverers!’ again and again. The Krasians did not join the chant, but they clattered their spears against their shields to add to the cacophony, and seemed mollified by the words — a careful dance that avoided any claims that Arlen was the Deliverer, or that Jardir was not. Now was not the time for division.
Arlen let the energy flow through the crowd, driving away their fears, then held up his hands, patting the air until there was silence once more. ‘Don’t know where the attacks will come. The outer boroughs, I expect, but it’s hard to say. That’s why we’re staging here. Cutter’s Hollow is the centre of the net, and we’ll be able to move swift to support the folk that need it. Demons will be on the rise soon, but the minds won’t come till later, when the dark is long and full. For now, keep your weapons ready and look to your commanders. Be ready for a run.’
With that, he hopped lightly down from the stage to join Renna.
‘Hunting mind demons?’ Renna asked.
‘Much as I can,’ Arlen said. ‘Same goes for you as the Cutters, Ren. Can’t hold back tonight. Ent leaving you behind ’cause I think you ent got what it takes, but come night I’m gonna have to go where I’m needed, and fast. Maybe faster’n you can keep up.’
The words grated on Renna, a reminder of the warning Arlen had given her when they first left Tibbet’s Brook. You either keep up, or I’m dropping you at the next town we come to. Harsh words, but Renna had worked hard and sacrificed much to keep pace. It still wasn’t enough. Arlen could dematerialize and slip into the greatward, travelling to anywhere in Hollow County in the time it took to take a deep breath and let it out again.
‘Could if you’d teach me the trick,’ Renna said.
Arlen shook his head. ‘This ent like embracing pain or knowing how to twist a demon into a throw. Took me years of absorbing magic and eatin’ demon meat before I could even dissipate, and months from there to learn to do it at will and pull myself back together. And that’s just learning to tread water. This is swimming in current so strong it can sweep you along like a twig.’
Renna frowned. ‘Can’t say I like the sound of that.’
Arlen shrugged and smiled. ‘Can’t say I do, either. But I’ll do what needs to be done to keep the Hollow safe. Need to know you will, too. Cutters are strong, but with me out of the picture, you’re the strongest one in the Hollow. Without you to shore the line, they may break. No running off on your own tonight. They need you.’
‘Think I don’t know that?’ Renna snapped. ‘Hollowers been good to me. Good in ways I never knew folk could be. Die before I let ’em down.’
Arlen touched her face. ‘That’s the woman I promised. Just,’ he kissed her, ‘don’t forget to breathe.’
She stuck a finger in his chest. ‘And you don’t forget that you belong up here,’ she pointed to the cobbles, ‘and not down there taking on every demon in the world. You leave us, I’m coming down after you and dragging you back by the stones.’ She reached between his legs and squeezed tight for emphasis. Arlen let out a sound that was half squeak and half laughter.
‘Honest word,’ he said, his voice tightened to a squeak, and Renna laughed.