Crowe heard a voice, distant but clear. It was a voice he hadn't heard in a long time, but he recognised its sibilant clarity. "Protect," it said. "Protect."
A flash of pain exploded in Crowe's cheek and he looked up at Gabriella. She had her hand raised to slap him again. "You all right?"
"Yes. Why did you hit me?"
"You didn't respond the first five times I asked if you were all right. You just stared."
He forced a grin. "Well, you are a pretty girl."
"No…" She looked at him curiously "You weren't staring at me. I can tell the difference."
"Then what was I staring at?"
"Nothing. Nothing I could see, anyway." She gave him that curious look again. "Does 'Freedom' mean anything to you?"
He shrugged. "My freedom means everything to me, why?"
"Never mind, it's nothing."
Another day passed and there was, thankfully, no second goblin attack. The arrival of twenty Knights of the Swords, and a hundred mercenaries of various companies, summoned by Kannis' messengers, had eased the burden of rebuilding the town and the last few goblins nested at the foot of the escarpment were being hunted down.
For all that, Erak Brand couldn't shake the goblin's words from his head. He and Gabriella still had their bed in the cloister cell and when the pair had finally been relieved by the arriving Knights, they had made love. The past few days' events were hardly arousing, but it was somehow natural to counter the nearness of death with the ultimate expression of life.
Afterwards, they had slept as if dead to the world. Erak's dreams had been filled with goblins and fire and he had woken rested, but sweating. Gabriella rested beside him, totally at peace. If she was dreaming of death and destruction, it didn't show.
When she woke, she let out a long breath, as if having to get used to the idea of being in the world again. As they rose and dressed, Erak couldn't help but speak his mind. "If things are coming out of World's Ridge then what else could be behind them? What else might have been driven out?"
"Things like goblins are just animals, Erak. They die under the sword, just like anything else."
"If you say so."
"I do say so. What I want to do is go to the archive at Andon to research this further. I'm sure I've heard the phrase 'glass mountain' before, in an old story that my mother used to tell me."
"So you want to go and ask her at the archive?"
"If the story is a historical one and the goblin was right, then that Glass Mountain of storytime is a real place, and is the same place Kell refers to as Freedom. And if we can find it, we can find him."
"And the archive?"
"May have maps, or at least a description of a route to the place."
Erak looked at her, admiring her beauty, but also troubled by a further thought. "If the story's historical and the goblin was right, then we're going to be seeing a lot more of them soon as well."
Preceptor DeBarres arrived a few hours later, by which time the Knights who had already arrived had taken over a floor of the market square inn as headquarters. A large marquee had been erected across half the square as well, as quarters and mess hall for the mercenaries.
Gabriella saw DeBarres greet Kannis warmly and was faintly surprised; it was obvious that the pair knew each other already. After talking for a few minutes, the Preceptor of the Order came into the church in search of Gabriella and Erak.
The vestry served as a private meeting room, where they could sit and discuss matters.
"I'm glad to see you're both well," DeBarres began. "When I heard about the goblins…"
"They're dealt with. At least I hope they are. There's been some suggestion from one — a deathbed confession — that others are coming."
"Others?"
"It implied that this is some kind of mass migration," Erak said.
"They're going around Fayence. It has a large army…"
"The largest in Pontaine at the moment," DeBarres agreed. "Lord Aristide won't be sparing any effort to keep his city out of the line of fire. You can bet he'll have the strongest magical defences as well. Now, about Enlightened One Stoll…"
"He disappeared a prisoner from under our noses and betrayed our plans to the man who ran the Golden Huntress." Gabriella took a deep breath, unsure how she would feel about this. Scarra had been one thing — an apostate, a heretic, a conspirator to assassination. Kurt Stoll was none of those things. He was just a parish priest. Apostasy, or weakness and mistake? She wasn't sure and sadly conceded that it didn't matter. The laws were clear and the people of this town deserved a real Enlightened One who would really lift them. "He has fallen, Preceptor. Fallen from the Faith. That's why we asked for a Confessor."
"Hasn't one arrived?"
Erak nodded. "I saw him an hour ago. He will begin Stoll's cleansing in the morning
"Which leaves this parish without an Enlightened One in the meantime." DeBarres drew a vellum envelope from inside his robes. "This is an authorisation from Urbicarian Cabbert to invest one of you as Enlightened One for Solnos."
"One of us?" Gabriella exclaimed.
"I'll take it," Erak said quietly.
She looked at him, astonished. "You? You never wanted to be a parish priest before!"
"Neither do you," he said. The lines at the corners of his eyes crinkled. "And if I take it, you won't have to." Gabriella couldn't think of a single thing to say. Her heart, tired as it was, swelled with love and pride in him. "Besides, we've taken the Pledge. Perhaps at least one of us should have a permanent home to which we can both return."
She couldn't disagree with that part of it. "Thank you."
"Truth to tell, I've served the Lord in every other way; perhaps it's time I brought good news to people. Punishing sins is fine, but rewarding faith must have its moments."
"It does," DeBarres said, handing Erak the envelope. Gabriella rose and hurried out into the plaza. She looked up and saw Kerberos looming above her. She drew strength from the symbol of it, appealing to the Lord of All for the strength to at least decide whether she should cry, celebrate, or be furious with someone.
Erak followed her out quickly. "Gabe!" He took her hands in his. "I always wanted to serve the Lord of All, just like you. But bringing the word of truth to new people, not just dealing with those who didn't listen to it, that has its attractions." Gabriella felt the tension ease from her. Maybe it was his explanation, or maybe it was just his touch. She didn't mind either way. "I was thinking…"
"Now that's what I call breaking the habit of a lifetime."
Erak laughed, and then lowered his head, a little embarrassed. "It happens sometimes. Proves I'm not a perfect soldier."
"Nobody's perfect." He opened his mouth to try speaking two or three times, but without success. Gabriella sighed. "There are few Enlightened Ones as enlightened as you, and I don't mean that to denigrate any of the Enlightened Ones. You'll do a lot of good in Solnos, and undo a lot of whatever harm that this Kurt Stoll has allowed to come to pass."
"I'm sure I will."
"Thank you, again."
He grinned. "My life is yours, you know that."
She let out a long breath, shaking her head. "Stoll… I wish we didn't have to do this."
"Me too. It feels strange punishing one of our own like this. Especially after what he did the other night. Without his directions the archers would never have taken down so many goblins and we'd have had a far worse time of it."
"At least the Brotherhood have the guts to separate themselves from the Faith," she said. "He made his own choice when he started going against our basic vows and principles."
"Well, if he wanted to meet the Lord of All, he went the right way about it."
Gabriella thought for a moment and shivered. "No. No, he didn't, really." She gestured towards the door back into the church. "We'd better make sure the equipment still works."