‘Tell Kerela we will be there presently.’ The aide nodded and ran back the way he had come.
Barras breathed deep and faced General Kard, raising his eyebrows as he saw the other man’s expression, dark and fearful.
‘Kard?’
‘I think the obvious move may have just occurred to them.’
‘What is it?’
‘Hear it from them, Barras, if they care to tell you.’ Kard moved to the Tower’s door. ‘I’m still praying I’m wrong.’
Chapter 7
The camp was quietening, the cooling wind biting into clothing and conversation as the night darkened to a star-lit black, when Darrick made time to visit The Raven’s fire at the behest of Hirad and, subsequently, The Unknown Warrior. In carefully plotted lines across the hillside and plateau, the cavalry tents flapped gently, lantern light from within a few casting exaggerated shadows on the inside of canvas.
The General, his curly hair pressed flat across his head and his travel-stained leather armour hidden beneath a heavy cloak, sat between Hirad and Denser, nodding at Will as the wiry man gave him a very welcome mug of coffee.
‘I must apologise for the time it has taken me to respond to your invitation,’ said Darrick, his eyes shining from his ever-enthusiastic face. ‘I’ve been in conversation with mages and scouts and you may be very interested in what I’ve heard. But you had something you needed to speak to me about first.’
Hirad smiled privately. Darrick’s tone and bearing, now that he was leading his cavalry across enemy lands, was very much that of the man in charge despite the company in which he now sat. It was easy to see why he was held in such regard by soldier and civilian alike. He simply oozed assurance, confidence and authority.
‘Indeed we do,’ said The Unknown Warrior. ‘Although we might be influenced by what your mages have discovered about conditions in the East.’
Darrick scratched his nose. ‘Tell me your thoughts and I’ll match them with what I know.’
The Unknown Warrior detailed The Raven’s concerns and plans while Hirad watched Darrick for reaction. He shouldn’t have bothered. Throughout the big man’s speech, the General betrayed no emotion whatsoever. Nodding occasionally, he took everything in with a calm detachment. When The Unknown had finished, there was a pause in which Darrick drained much of his coffee, threw the dregs aside and handed his mug to Will for a refill. The thief obliged.
‘Thank you, Will,’ said Darrick as he accepted the mug. ‘The first thing to say is that much of what you have said has occurred to me already, and I thank you for confirming my thoughts. I was already planning to split us above Terenetsa, sending you north and taking my men to the Bay of Gyernath. The reports of the Communion mages this evening have convinced me that I was right.’ He took a sip of coffee.
‘The situation around the Colleges and in Understone is grave. We could make no contact with a mage in the four-College force at Understone so have to assume the town has fallen to the Wesmen. Fifteen thousand Wesmen crossed Triverne Inlet and marched to Julatsa.’ Ilkar started at the mention of his College’s name, Hirad seeing sweat forming on his forehead despite the cool of the night. ‘Notwithstanding the fact that the Wytch Lord magic was taken from them by your actions in Parve, the invasion force didn’t stop its march.’ Another sip.
‘The College,’ managed Ilkar, his voice little more than a whisper. ‘Has it fallen?’
‘Ilkar, you must understand that these reports are coming via Dordover and are at best inaccurate, at worst mere rumour.’
‘Has the College fallen,’ said Ilkar deliberately and Hirad could feel the chill from his body.
‘We think not,’ said Darrick.
‘Think? I’ve got to know. Now.’
‘Take it easy, Ilkar,’ said Hirad, putting out a hand. Ilkar shook his head but it was Erienne who spoke.
‘Hirad, only a mage can understand what this means to Ilkar. General, please, tell us anything you know.’
Darrick raised a hand for quiet and calm.
‘There are reports that the city of Julatsa has fallen but that the College itself has not, but I must stress, these are unconfirmed. There is a Dordovan force on its way to assist the Julatsans but it won’t be able to report for a day at best.’
Ilkar stared into the fire, eyes flat slits, cheeks sucked in, ears pricking furiously. Hirad watched as the elf composed himself, swallowed hard and turned to Darrick.
‘Is there no clue as to how long they can hold out?’ he asked, voice steady but the shake was there, just under the surface. ‘Has no one from Dordover held Communion with the mages of Julatsa?’
‘There has been no direct contact since the Julatsans asked Dordover for assistance. That was two days ago,’ replied Darrick. ‘The report of the city falling was given by a mage outside of the College grounds sometime yesterday, I believe. That’s why I caution you to take what I’m saying with a pinch of salt.’
‘Why?’
‘Because the Communion was broken off before it could be finished and the Dordovan mage suffered backlash. His thoughts aren’t yet clear and he doesn’t remember everything that passed between them yet. When I know more, you will be the first to hear.’
Ilkar nodded and rose. ‘Thank you, Darrick.’ His face was white, even in the firelight, and tears stood in his eyes. ‘Excuse me. I need some time alone.’
‘Ilkar, wait,’ said Hirad, half-rising.
‘Please, Hirad. Not right now.’ Ilkar walked slowly away into the rows of tents and was lost in the night. Hirad shook his head.
‘But if the College hasn’t fallen . . .’ he began.
‘But it might have done by now,’ said Denser, quietly, his tone rising briefly from its emotionless state. ‘The one report is a day old. If the Wesmen sacked the city so quickly, why would they be stopped by the College? That’s what Ilkar is thinking. Believe me, besides his own death, the destruction of Ilkar’s College is the worst thing that could happen to him. To any Julatsan mage. It would mean the end of Julatsan magic and it’s been unthinkable for hundreds of years that such a thing might happen. Leave him be.’
Hirad pursed his lips. ‘But he’s Raven. We can help him.’
‘Yes, but not at this instant. Right now he’s Julatsan only and he’s facing the loss of everything he knows. We’ll help him when he comes back,’ said Erienne.
‘If the College falls, will he lose his abilities?’ asked Will.
‘No,’ she replied. ‘He will always be able to shape mana to cast spells. But what will be lost is the totality of Julatsan Lore, the teaching of ages. And with the destruction of the Tower would go the centre of Julatsan magic. You can’t just build another one and be back where you were. The mana imbues the Tower with magical power over centuries and it would take that long for the Julatsans to recover themselves, if they did at all.’
‘And how much of Septern’s work is kept in the library there?’ Thraun’s voice brought a shiver to the company around the fire.
‘Exactly,’ said Darrick. ‘Which is why you and you alone must cross at Triverne Inlet as soon as possible. You’ve got to get into and out of the College before it falls, if it’s going to, and travelling alone will give you the best chance. The sooner you leave the column and ride north-east, the better.’
‘We’ll stay with you another day,’ said The Unknown. ‘Ilkar won’t leave until he knows the facts and those will only come with the Dordovan relief force.’
‘I can hold Communion with them,’ said Denser.
‘You can’t light your own pipe yet,’ replied Erienne sharply. ‘And I’m not expert enough to commune over this distance. I agree with The Unknown.’
‘Very well,’ said Darrick. ‘One more day and night.’
‘And what about you, General?’ asked Hirad.