‘I was joking about the fingers, but not the sword. A very good smith made it and he’s no longer alive. An Engineer, actually, though the sword’s not magical. Look. I’ll be honest with you. I will come and find you. But not for revenge. I have a mission, that hasn’t changed. I must bring you safely back to Anfen. They — my bosses — don’t like Hunters who fail.’
Case said, ‘You can start by telling us which way the road forks ahead, down there.’
‘Middle road goes to Elvury. That’s where the Council of Free Cities meets. That’s where you’ll find Anfen, if you hurry. And if he makes it there. I am telling you, there are so many patrols right now you probably won’t make it far without me. War mages, magpies, Lesser Spirits …’ he sighed. ‘As you like. I hope your luck holds. Stick to the main path but stay off road until you’re out of Aligned country. The road’s right fork goes to Hane. Stay away from there. The whole city is a prison and there’s no food. Ah yes, you’ve seen woods full of nice meat running about, waiting for Siel to stick arrows in its butt, haven’t you? No good if you’re not allowed out to hunt it. If you’re not with me you won’t last long at all. Listen, the pouch on my belt. There’s a green and a blue scale there. Worth more than the ones you have left, the green especially. My share from the dirt cart. Take them, they’ll help you along. Take the coins too.’
Eric did so, knowing full well Kiown had expected them to rob him anyway. ‘Very generous of you.’
‘Isn’t it? You can do something for me now, Eric. Please. Something happened between this morning and last night. What was it? No one came up here and spoke to you. Or did they? It can’t have been a scale vision Loup took you on, or you’d have been wary of me back at the inn. Did you have a vivid dream last night? Something else? Some device from Otherworld? Can you tell me how you knew?’
‘Goodbye, Kiown. I’ll look after the sword. Good to know there’s something you care about. I won’t even stain it with my companions’ blood.’
‘Was it Nightmare?’ Kiown struggled in his bonds. ‘OK, maybe I believe what you said, he reached down. He blessed you? Or did he just tell you what had happened? Come, you can tell me that much. I helped you get past the devils, remember? I helped you get here from the inn. That sword, those scales I gave you. Tell me!’
Eric and Case began their way down the steps, Kiown’s voice eventually fading from earshot. They both held their palms to the tower’s cool flank and tried not to look down, and the view gradually got less dizzying. On the road below, no soldiers passed, just a few travellers eager to keep their eyes low. Eric tried to see in these people any sense of the glory Kiown had expressed, any pride to lay just ‘one brick’ in the grand project. There was only weariness and fear.
43
Panting, they stopped. At last Faul had quit chasing. Luckily the company hadn’t scattered too far — time spent fucking around finding people was the last thing Anfen needed.
The house was now just visible set against the northern horizon’s whitening sky. Faul’s booming threats and admonitions faded with distance as she ambled back there, weeping.
Anfen shook his head, watching her go. She’d had a long association with the Mayors’ Command, and owed them far more allegiance than a dead Invia. That was surely something she’d remember soon, but once roused, giants did not quickly calm down and see reason. As it was, Anfen couldn’t tell if Faul had really meant to catch them or just scare them away.
He sighed. The day had just begun and already he’d twice nearly been killed. At one time, such excitement would have stirred his blood with joy.
Siel had had the sense to stick close to Lalie. Good. Sense had been a touch lacking in this bunch, just lately. The girl looked cagey again, examining the surrounds like she was ready to bolt. She’d been lying low, he sensed, trying to lull them after the insult of being tied to the porch. They’d have to keep her tied from here on lest she stab them while they slept. She would already know how to kill, however young she was; Inferno cultists didn’t go long without performing their first Offering. Nor did they change back to normal people overnight, if ever.
He counted heads. Oh, shit. ‘Loup! Where are the Pilgrims?’
‘Ehhh,’ gasped Loup. He lay splayed on the ground, sucking deep breaths like he might soon expire from the run. And, just a second — who had the charm? Anfen did. He felt his pockets. Correction — he should have it. ‘By Nightmare,’ he muttered, sinking to his heels.
Loup sat up. ‘You upset for the reason I think you are?’
‘Why not try a scale vision and see?’ Anfen walked off, running a hand through his hair. That had been part of this, he knew it, their games with visions. Idiots. In controlled conditions, their own lives at stake, they were welcome to their fun, not in Aligned country with the hornets’ nest kicked. Sharfy should have known better. He himself should have, too; foolish, to think the band had meant it when agreeing to his rules … Calm down. It’s done. Look forwards.
He’d look forwards all right, until they were safely at the Council of Free Cities. But he’d never trust this crew with any missions of importance ever again, and he’d warn the Mayors’ Command not to either, if not get them brought up on charges.
‘Far Gaze’ll find them,’ said Sharfy, referring to the Pilgrims.
‘No, we will.’ Anfen’s voice was harsh as his anger threatened to boil over. It’s all unravelling. Stay calm, or they won’t. ‘First we go back for the charm. It fell from my pocket during the fight.’
Whether or not Faul had meant to catch them last time, she really meant it this time. Lut was digging in the yard’s stony turf with a shovel, making a grave for the Invia, whose body lay nearby under a draped sheet. ‘COME TO ADMIRE YOUR HANDIWORK?’ Faul roared, thundering down the steps, dress rucking up around shins and knees like pillars as Siel neared the Invia’s corpse.
As they’d planned, Siel being the fastest of them tried to lead Faul around while the others hid, but the half-giant’s speed made it risky. If not for her head start, Siel would have been easily caught. Thankfully Faul, already puffed from the last chase, couldn’t keep up her long-striding bursts of speed.
It bought Anfen just enough time to run past the ground where he’d fought the Invia — where he’d marched with relief to his own death, or so he’d thought at the time. The charm had to have slipped from his pocket there. He knew he’d taken it from the house.
Nothing but rocks and soil. Faul or one of the Pilgrims had taken it. It had to have been Case … maybe he’d felt all along the charm was rightfully his. With so much at stake, all of history had been set on a different course thanks to one petty old man. Anfen could only sigh.
For hours they could ill afford they combed through the scrub, calling the Pilgrims’ names and seeking tracks. The day was halfway through when they gave up, and Anfen, eyes nervously on the sky seeking shapes in the clouds, had no more time to search.
‘I don’t fathom it,’ he said, despairing and trying not to show it. The group laid out their mats as night fell on an afternoon’s travel. Two or three hours of sleep was all they could afford — another aspect of life on the road which was wearing very thin on him, as was needing to confide in a crew he was tremendously angry with. ‘The old man wasn’t happy with us, but Eric seemed an ally.’
‘Eric was,’ said Sharfy, sucking the smoke of a reed pipe then coughing horribly. ‘If he wanted to leave, he had plenty of chances before today.’
‘Better country to do it in, too,’ said Siel. ‘They won’t last long here without a guide.’