'Good. I want you to take out the two fastfoxes in the gully as soon as Edeard deals with the watchers.
'Certainly.
Larby glanced up at the sky. 'Do we do this now?
'No, Topar said. 'It's only a couple of hours until dawn, and we haven't slept. We spend the day laying up here in the woods and resting, then tomorrow after midnight we strike.
Edeard had never felt so apprehensive before. All those times he'd sneaked into the House of Blue Petals, rescuing Mirnatha, arresting Buate, even facing down Bise atop his mansion; he'd known and understood what he was facing then. This was different, the bandits were an unknown, and he certainly wasn't as confident as Topar they could bring this off. It would only take one little mistake to alert the watchers, and then they'd be fending off nine rapid-fire guns.
At first light, three of the bandits left their camp, with ge-eagles orbiting high above them and fastfoxes trotting obediently alongside. One of them even sneaked through the edges of the wood where Edeard and his companions were encamped. Thankfully they were well hidden beneath the boughs, and his ge-eagle never spotted them as it flew overhead.
One of the bandits headed back to the pass at the side of Mount Alvice, while the other two went off in completely different directions.
'Picket duty, Boloton decided. 'They're making sure nobody gets close. We were lucky.
'No, Verini said. 'They're good, we're better.
'We'll know tonight, Macsen said sagely.
Edeard didn't manage much sleep during the day. He was
restless, his mind going over the plan again and again. It all depended on how fast he could eliminate the three watchers. That's if they only have three watchers. Suppose they change the pattern each night? I would. No, I wouldn't. He eventually fell asleep in the afternoon.
Larby woke him. 'They picket guards are on their way back, he said as Edeard blinked up at the darkening sky. Buluku was already visible, its swaying violet length beset with waves of electric-blue light. Odin's Sea was rising above the eastern horizon, several scarlet spikes crowning its blue and green nucleus. He found its presence strangely reassuring. I wonder if Boyd has reached it already?. Probably not. Who knows how far away it is?
There were an unusual number of stars in evidence, twinkling away in the wide gaps between the nebulas. At least Honious hadn't appeared in the firmament. The way Edeard was feeling he would probably have taken that as a bad omen. Stupid, because the sky is just the sky no matter what.
They ate together, munching their way through half-stale bread and some cold pasties followed by dried fruit. However, Topar did allow them to use the Jamolar oil stove to heat some water for tea and coffee. They were too far away for a fastfox to pick up the scent.
'No one else left or joined during the day, Macsen said. 'So it's just the nine of them.
'You sure it's only nine? Fresage asked.
'I counted nine, Edeard assured him.
'I want everyone to oil and check their pistols, Topar said.
Edeard was thankful for the distraction, even though he knew he was sure he'd never use the weapon. His third hand was all he needed. But he went through the routine anyway.
Just after midnight, Topar led them out of the woods. It took them an hour to retrace the route Edeard had taken the previous night, moving slowly and cautiously. As they reached the end of the gully they linked hands before summoning up a concealment. Both Larby and Topar had insisted this was the best way of keeping in contact, whispers and strong farsight might be detected by the watchers. It was a strange sensation; Edeard could feel Dinlay's hand in his, yet if he glanced back he could see only a blur of darkness.
Edeard walked forwards very slowly, using the weakest farsight he could to check the ground for tripwires or any other alarms. As he did so, he began to feel uncomfortable. A tremor ran through him. Something wrong.
The boulder-strewn walls rose sharply as the slope carried them down towards the bandit camp. Soon the steep walls were topped by imposing rock cliffs. Below their feet the ground was turning damp. Nebula-light revealed a meandering channel with thick reed tufts growing out between the stones. Edeard's trepidation grew with every step. Cold had claimed him now. He knew what this feeling was. The same as that night in Ashwell, the same as the entrapment atop the tower in Eyrie.
There can't be anything wrong. Not here. They don't know we're coming for them. They can't know!
On top of that anxiety, Edeard began to worry if his longtalk could reach the sentry fastfoxes before they scented him coming. It would be touch and go, he knew, he hadn't realized the gulley was this deep, nor so serpentine.
The sense of foreboding grew even stronger. He thought he could hear a whisper. Not with his ears. His mind. A very faint longtalk?
He walked through a small shallow stream, moving carefully so he didn't create a splash, only to find his boots sinking with alarming speed. Quicksand. 'Shit, he whispered through clenched teeth. He had to reach down with his third hand to stabilize the treacherous ground. His finger tapped three times on Dinlay's hand — caution.
There was a tremendous scraping sound from above, as if the stone cliffs were splitting. Edeard immediately sensed a number of powerful farsights stabbing down, farsights that weren't fooled by concealment. The noise grew even louder.
'Weapons! Topar shouted.
Edeard dropped his concealment and sent his farsight straight towards the sound. What he found shocked him for a dangerous instant. Three huge boulders were starting to roll down the slope directly above them, as they moved they dislodged a whole swam of smaller boulders. Ambush! he bellowed, and immediately strengthened his shield. At once he realized it wouldn't do him the slightest use, not against such a cascade of stone, the mass starting to slide down on top of them was incredible. He instinctively grabbed Dinlay with his third hand and threw him up the slope on the other side.
'Hello again, Edeard, a mental voice sneered.
Edeard was scrambling up the slope as the first boulders picked up speed. He reached for Macsen. But he knew that voice, and the cruelty behind it. The leader from Ashwell, the man who had killed Edeard's village, his life. Akeem's murderer.
Dinlay had recovered from his abrupt flight. He started shooting his pistol across the gully. It was a signal for Topar and Fresage to open fire. Verini began to run back along the gully. The overwhelming noise from the accelerating avalanche was joined by the deadly sound of rapid-fire guns. The three large boulders had been covering the mouths of caves in the cliffs. Now a dozen bandits were spilling out, taking aim on Edeard and his companions. The only thing preventing immediate death was the avalanche itself. To many rocks were interfering with their field of fire.
'The great Waterwalker himself, laughed Edeard's tormentor.
By now the smaller head-sized stones were bouncing down around Edeard. Bullets chewed the ground beside his feet. A screaming Dinlay dived for cover behind a rock. Not fast enough. Bullets chewed his legs, then thudded into his torso.
A stream of bullets smashed into Edeard. His shield held and he instinctively punched back along the line of attack. One of the ambushers flew backwards through the air, spraying blood.
Three big stones crashed into Fresage. His cry was cut off.
Macsen fired his pistol up at the ambushers. The ground around him was ripped apart by rapid-gun fire. Edeard screamed at the massive flare of pain Macsen's dying brain unleashed. His third hand lashed out wildly again at the ambushers, knocking four of them sideways. Two came careering down the slope after the avalanche, bones snapping as they twisted and tumbled.