Carnelian considered that it was Lily and her Lepers who ultimately would have to make that decision. ‘I shall go, my Lord, to begin the marshalling of our forces.’
Osidian’s hand made a crisp affirmation. ‘I shall remain here long enough to determine with my Lord Aurum how best we might communicate our tactics to his commanders.’
‘Celestial,’ Carnelian said and, bowing, turned towards the monolith.
When he entered the cistern chamber the Lepers rose to face him. He came to a halt between the first two pillars, wondering if it was because they knew him that they did not bow or kneel or whether they had come to a point where they would dare show such defiance to any Master. Lily was there, Poppy beside her and Fern. Knowing there was not much time, Carnelian launched immediately into an explanation of Osidian’s proposed tactics. When he was done their shrouds did not allow him to see the reactions of the Lepers. Fern’s eyes, however, seemed flint. Lily turned her hooded head to scan her peers as if she was hearing them speak. She turned back. ‘And the Master believes this to be a revelation from his god?’
Carnelian felt uncomfortable discussing the source of Osidian’s tactics, but he could tell from Lily’s tone that what for him seemed a point of weakness seemed to her a source of strength.
‘Do you believe truly his god speaks to him?’
Carnelian squirmed, then remembered. ‘He claims it was his god who told him how to lead us out of the swamps that the waters in your valleys feed.’
This information produced a muttering among the Lepers.
‘I was there too,’ said Fern, his mouth twisting with disgust. ‘He led us, but who is to say we would not have found the way ourselves? Unless you’re claiming that his filthy god has always led him infallibly.’
Carnelian withered. Osidian had claimed it was the Darkness-under-the-Trees that had led him to massacre the Tribe.
Fern shook his head as if trying to dislodge his anger. ‘Talk not to me of gods. Instead tell me if you believe this tactic can bring us victory against the Bloodguard.’
Carnelian stood frozen, unhappy to have his opinion influence the decision upon which these people would risk their blood. His mask was casting glimmers over them. If he was going to tell them what he believed he did not want to do so wearing the imperious majesty conferred by that false face. They flinched as he reached to release it. Fern frowned as Carnelian exposed his face. Poppy was the only one to smile. ‘Look into my eyes and see for yourselves what it is I feel about this. I don’t know if this will work. I wouldn’t have you believe that I do. What I do believe is that the Master has a genius for battle; that if any plan could work, his might. More than that, I will not say.’
He gazed round at them, enduring their scrutiny. ‘Even if it works, it’ll depend on you holding the mounted cohorts of the Bloodguard. Perhaps you know their reputation?’
He looked at Fern, whose father an Ichorian had wounded fatally, whose brother and uncle the same Ichorian had killed. ‘I’m not the only one here who has seen them kill.’
He felt their doubt and saw it on Poppy’s face; it was there too beneath Fern’s coldness. A sound behind him made him jerk his mask up. He paused before it had wholly covered his face, feeling the heavy footfalls of Masters approaching, hearing the scrape of Aurum’s staff. He let his hand fall, the mask hanging from his fingers, and turned.
‘Horns and fire,’ cried Aurum. Carnelian sensed his Quya making the Lepers falter. ‘Is it possible, boy, that you have not yet learned the lesson of the baran?’
Carnelian watched the old Master half turning, his hands rising to give the commands. He remembered how on the baran they had chopped gestures and how, in obedience to those, his guardsmen had massacred the crew.
‘We’re no longer on the ship,’ Carnelian said, deliberately, in Vulgate. ‘And you’re here with none who’ll heed your murderous commands.’ Defiance was sweet.
Aurum turned to Osidian. ‘Celestial, these creatures must all be put to death.’
Osidian’s mask turned to Carnelian, who could see a glitter of eyes moving behind its slits. His hand rose, making a smile gesture that, though it carried appeasement, was also shaded by a dismissive amusement. ‘It would seem, my Lord Aurum, impolitic for me to destroy the commanders of my auxiliaries.’ He rolled an elegant hand. ‘Let us say that these creatures are become members of House Suth.’
Confident his gambit had paid off, Carnelian glanced round. Fern was considering what he had said to them and, Carnelian was sure, Lily and the Lepers were too. The decision was theirs to make. Their enemy was there unarmed among them. They could take him now and return to their valleys and flee the coming battle. Fearing either outcome, he waited, not willing them to decide one way or the other.
It was Lily who first gave him a nod. Others followed. He turned last of all to Fern. As their eyes met, his heart gave a lurch. He dared not name what had passed between them lest he should destroy it. Fern broke the contact with a nod.
Carnelian turned back to the Masters. Their gold faces seemed to float disembodied above their black cloaks. ‘My Lords had best go now down to the camp. It will take my Lord Aurum a while to negotiate the ramps and we must make haste lest our enemy be upon us before we have had time to prepare our battleline.’
Osidian gave him a nod, then advanced on the Lepers, who moved from his path. Aurum was forced to follow him, each punt of his staff gouging the floor. Carnelian watched them until they had disappeared down into the darkness of the stables. He wondered how Aurum, already discomfited, would react to the Oracles and their sacrament.
Lily speaking made him turn to her. ‘Our enemy seems weakened.’
Carnelian was still savouring his victory over Aurum. ‘Don’t worry; he won’t die before we give him to you. We Masters maintain a fierce grip on life.’ Almost he added: and we are made of finer clay. That made him smile and ignited in him a fierce desire to destroy Jaspar. At that moment he felt he had the power to tear down the Commonwealth. Then he saw the people standing before him and his ardour cooled. A large part of the price for victory would most likely be the spilling of their blood. ‘You will fight then?’
They answered him with a cry of assent that made the portcullis counterweights shiver. He felt moved and covered this by going over again the part they would play in the coming battle. When he was sure they understood, he told them they must go and make their people ready. ‘While I’ll do the same for my dragon commanders.’
‘I’ll go with Fern,’ said Poppy.
‘What do you mean?’ Carnelian said, suspicious.
‘I can’t let Krow go into battle without saying goodbye to him.’
The frown Fern gave her showed he was sharing Carnelian’s misgivings. ‘You’re not going to fight in the battle.’ Carnelian pointed up into the tower. ‘You can watch it from up there.’
Poppy’s face hardened. ‘What if Krow should die?’
Fern gripped her shoulder. ‘I’ll take care of him for you.’
Poppy wriggled free and glared at them both. ‘I’m not going to stay here when you’re all out there. Besides, what makes you both think this tower’s safe?’
Carnelian and Fern glanced at each other. She had a point. Carnelian thought about it. He hung his head. ‘You can come with me.’
Poppy beamed. ‘In the dragon?’
Carnelian looked to make sure Fern approved and then nodded heavily. The Lepers were already descending the ramp. Fern gave Carnelian a look he could not read. ‘Take care.’
‘Don’t forget you promised to look after Krow,’ Poppy said.
‘I won’t,’ said Fern. He looked at Carnelian. ‘Make sure we win.’
Carnelian gave a nod, his heart aching. As he and Poppy watched Fern disappear into the darkness, a nausea crept over him that he feared was a premonition of Fern’s death. Poppy took hold of two of his fingers and squeezed them. ‘Don’t worry. While Fern’s taking care of Krow, Krow will be taking care of Fern.’