It's later than I promised, and shorter than usual, I know! I'm posting it because I need to sort out the sickly-sweet Daine who seems to have appeared in what would be the third part of this chap, and because if I finish the chap as I planned to, it'll be 6000+ words or something equally ridiculous. So instead, I'll just have to stretch it out for you! And I need to get something out!!! If it seems a little rough and/or weak, it's because I've read it through so many times in the past three weeks, I can't see the words anymore. Always handy.
As always, I really appreciate all your reviews, and if I don't thank you personally, it's not because I'm taking them for granted. The more reviews (I get) the merrier (I'll be)! Thanks to all of you!!! And Happy New Year to all of you!
As per usual, the majority of characters used here are the creation of Tamora Pierce – those who you don't recognise are mine. I'm just borrowing them.
Chapter 13
Daine was aching all over. She didn't know what had woken her, but it echoed right through her and made her bones throb with pain. Her first reaction was to cry out to Numair, though she bit her lip and held it back. Something wasn't right though, she could tell that much through the haze of sleep that gripped her.
As she became more awake, it became more apparent what that was. Thousands of voices clamoured across the city, and she realised suddenly that she couldn't only hear the People; she knew what humans were saying as well. Across Corus and the surrounding countryside, animals shrieked, howled or hissed in protest at the upheaval around them. "Hush," she whispered in attempt to calm them all, "you'll scare the two-leggers."
She doubted, though, how much effect the behaviour of the animals would have on the Gifted and Horse-hearted now. She could tell from their own agitated voices that they were scared enough without anything the People did to worsen it.
She murmured soothing words, knowing that her magic conveyed them to all the People that needed them. Kitten, on the other hand, she could hear without any magical assistance, as the dragon's angry whistles and shrieks drifted across the city. She had gone so long without seeing the dragon that the sound of Kitten should have made her smile. Now though, as her senses tingles with discomfort and the dragon's obvious distress only upset her further, she only wished she couldn't hear it.
Now Alanna's voice clearly joined the fray. "Goddess curse it. Kitten, hush! I'll fetch your Ma and she won't be pleased knowing your making all this fuss." This tugged at Daine's mouth, as the dragon fell abruptly silent. "Meeting?" the Lioness asked. She had clearly returned from the south-eastern border.
"Now," King Jonathan's bodiless voice confirmed. Even without the sight of the man, Daine found him authoritative. "All my mages and commanders in the War Council rooms immediately, unless already assigned posts. Those who have been are to stay there until further instructions." His tone made it clear that he meant her and Numair.
Several murmurs of "Yes, your Majesty," could be heard. Many of the human voices abruptly fell silent, until whispers of "The King?" began to reverberate around the city.
"I urge calm on you, people of Tortall. We will gather and distribute information very soon. Until then, please, I pray peace and patience upon you. Mithros and the Mother will guide us if they will it, so mote it be."
Daine whispered her own prayer as the words echoed across the city. For a moment, even the animals seemed to have been moved into silence, but after only seconds, voices, both human and People, filled her ears again.
She was dressing behind her screen when, as abruptly as it had all began, all fell silent. Restricted to only hearing the People, she felt strangely deaf as she made her way downstairs. The household was almost entirely silent; only a few of its occupants had any form of magic, and whilst she doubted they would have slept through that experience, Daine thought they would know better than to disturb Numair when he was no doubt already beginning to conduct experiments and form theories on the experience. The rest would be asleep, enjoying the chance for rest brought by the festival and most likely completely unaware of events so far.
Most knew not to disturb Numair at a time like this, she thought with a wry smile as she eyed his sparkling doorknob, but not her. Gingerly she tested it with one finger, then turned it, smiling as it clicked open. Either he wanted only her to come in, or he wanted to make it look as if he needed to be left alone.
The mage didn't even blink as she entered the room, only gestured for her to close the door behind her with a nod of his head. Both his hands were occupied cupping a globe of magic. A speaking spell.
"What do you suspect?" Harailt of Aili asked through the spell.
"You know as well as I do what that was, Harailt," the man said drily. "The barrier between the Realms has vanished completely."
"You're positive?"
"I don't know why we're so surprised," the mage in front of her muttered irritably. "It's been drawn and stretched in so many places by Ozorne and his mages that without strengthening spells of some kind, which I doubt Ozorne would have thought of or wanted to do, then it would have had to happen at some point. Perhaps the weakening of the natural divisions between the realms precipitated it, but it was almost a certainty."
"Them that go on the rack have to break some time." Daine recognised the Lord Provost's burr.
"Charming," she heard a more refined voice mutter. Daine and Numair exchanged glances. That was a conservative, as sure as she was Daine Sarrasri.
Numair continued as if uninterrupted. "The Immortals will now be able to cross between Realms without needing a portal for them." Somebody on the other side of the spell swore. "Exactly," Numair murmured, shaking his head edgily. "For now, there's nothing we can do but wait."
There was a heavy sigh. "Is Daine with you?" Jonathan asked.
"I'm here," she put in.
"Do the animals have much to say on the matter?" Somebody snorted and was hushed immediately.
Numair looked murderous, but she ignored the noise, focusing instead on the People. Listening to their voices even as she spoke herself, she told them regretfully, "No. No more than panic and confusion, from what I can tell. Same as most of the humans," she added deliberately, causing a few chuckles. Numair glanced at her warningly, but his mouth twitched in a smile. "I'll keep an ear on them though, and see if they can find anything interesting for you."
"Thank you," was the reply. "And immortals – can you sense any in the vicinity?"
Again Daine sifted through the coloured spots that were a mark of life in her mind. "None that weren't there before, and most of them harmless. There's a herd of unicorns in the Royal Forest, a few undines here and there, the centaurs we treated with last May, six, seven – no, eight Stormwings flying south."
That brought a rumble of discontent. "Any you recognise?" Numair prompted.
"None. And – Numair, are there such things as winged monkeys?"
"Not that we have experience of. What makes you sure that's what they are?"
"It's just what they feel like. A primate that's not quite right."
"If I've learnt anything in recent years, it's that just because I haven't heard of them before, it doesn't mean they don't exist," Jonathan's voice came. "Harailt, set someone to researching that as soon as we leave."
"Certainly."
"Meanwhile we have to find out whose side, if any at all, they're on," Alanna put in. "Where are they?"
"North of Corus, flying north-west."
"Out to sea?" Buri asked.
"Keep an eye on their movements and keep me informed, Daine," Jon ordered. "And of any other immortals that come into the area that aren't known to be friendly species. The more warning we have of any attack, the more prepared we can be."
"How do we know they'll attack now? They could gain more from waiting," Lord Raoul put in.
"He's right. If they strike after the passes clear, they come with the Carthaki Army," Alanna said steadily. "Almost an advanced guard. They can create havoc, and whilst we're distracted by that, Ozorne can strike elsewhere. Before the passes clear though, and we still have problems – Ozorne might not be able to move an army, but neither can we. They could run riot in pockets without word getting to us, or worse, trap our people in with them."
"Massacre," Thayet said with horror.
"Either way, we lose," Buri finished grimly.
"So what would you suggest we do?" Wyldon of Cavall's voice was dry. "Picket a squad of the Own or a group of Riders in every fief? Spread the army across the country? If the Carthakis attack one point –" He trailed off, leaving them to contemplate the grim consequences.
"'Divided we fall'" Jonathan said finally, quoting part of the old proverb.
"They could pick each group off as they come. That isn't how we operate," Raoul growled.
"We can't afford to send groups out now and keep them out till the summer. Our resources won't stretch to that." Daine recognised the voice of one of Raoul's commanders, Linden. "I'd wager that the Riders and the Regulars couldn't manage that either."
Murmured noises of agreement came from his counterparts.
Jonathan sighed exasperatedly. "And what would you have me do? I've already beggared the country once in my reign. I can buy food for my subjects or for my soldiers. We have no guarantee of support from anyone yet. Not the Gallans, the Marenites – even the Tyrans are unwilling to trade with us with war hanging over our heads, and over theirs too. The Yamani Isles possibly, if Mithros and the Goddess are with the Baron of Mindelan."
"So work for now on the basis that the majority of Immortals are working with or are controlled by our Southern friend," George put in, returning pointedly to the subject. "From what we know, that seems most likely. They've worked together before, controlled or otherwise, in Dunlath, at the Swoop, in Legann," George reeled off a list of places that seemed almost endless. "We know for certain they've an allegiance with at least some of the Stormwings. We saw that in Carthak. Some may be swayed to our side, same as with the ogres, if they're willing to join with us again."
"Douglass of Veldine is Regent in Dunlath. Contact him," Jonathan instructed.
Numair nudged Daine and cleared his throat, indicating that she should speak. "You'd be better off speaking to Maura, I'd wager," she said loudly. "She holds the ear of the ogres. Mayhap Tkaa should do it."
There was silence for a moment. "Yes, yes, you're quite right," Jon agreed finally. "Find Master Tkaa," he ordered someone, and a moment later, a door slammed shut.
Someone, Daine wasn't sure who, muttered, "A fine thing, when it comes to asking parentless girls with traitorous families to form alliances for a King."
The comment had been soft, but not soft enough to escape the sharpness of the Queen's hearing. "Do you suggest my Sire's family is untrue to the country? I might remind you that if it were not for Lady Maura, the situation in Dunlath may have been far worse. Or do you just slight our method of rule?"
No conservative, no matter how outspoken he was in private, or when he thought no one heard, would dare answer that. The table fell quiet. Daine could almost picture the look on Thayet's face – she'd seen her talk to trainees like that before – and the daring ones that would no doubt be etched on those of the Champion and the Commander of the Queen's Riders, with their hands resting on their hilts. If anyone was caught saying anything of the like for the rest of the meeting, she doubted they could be held responsible for their actions.
"Lady Maura might also be in contact with Rikash Moonsword of the Stone Tree Nation," Numair said in the silence. "You may also want to speak to her to establish an alliance with the Stone Trees." He exchanged glances with Daine. "We have reason to believe in their loyalty."
There was a murmuring from the speech globe. "I'll prepare that letter later," Jonathan said finally.
"Now, Raoul; what's the situation like in the South?"
It was the first council meeting she and Numair had been privy to for months, and Daine listened carefully, trying to absorb all the details rather than hearing them second, or even third hand, for once. Numair however, fidgeted throughout the meeting, flinching and jerking his head as if he could see something out of the corner of his eye.
"Are you all right?" she whispered to him finally.
"I'm fine," he told her, although she could tell he was anything but. He looked surprised that she had even noticed him doing it. The meeting slowly wound down, tactics discussed. There was little they could do to defend the country until something actually happened, but Daine still felt useless all the same. It didn't seem like she and Numair would be able to help the situation anytime in the coming future. As Numair flinched again, Daine decided that he must be feeling as frustrated as she was; he wasn't normally so restless.
Finally, Numair cleared his throat over the sounds of people leaving. "Jon, I need a word with some of you." He glanced at Daine and away again quickly. "In private."
Daine raised her eyebrows in a silent question, but Numair shook his head, and then nodded towards the door. His student frowned but he gestured towards the door again. This time she complied; sighing softly, she touched his arm lightly in a farewell, before leaving the room. Numair sent a wave of magic after her, sealing the door as she left.
"What's troubling you Numair?"
"I – who's still with you? I need Harailt too. And Sir Raoul and Buri," he added as an afterthought.
"I'm here," his colleague confirmed, and Buri murmured her agreement.
"Raoul's still in the south-east," Jonathan explained. "We were communicating through a spell. Linden of Glebe's Way is Commander of the First in Corus. Will he suit your purposes? Thayet, my Lord Provost, Alanna, George, Myles and Captain Fletcher of the Palace Guard are here as well," the King added. "Why? Do you want them to go?"
"No, stay," Numair instructed. "It's important, a matter of security. When the barrier fell this morning, did you feel anything?"
He could hear the frown in Harailt's voice. "'Feel'? Other than the complete magical chaos?"
"It was a slight feeling." For once, Numair struggled for the words to describe the sensation. "There's something – someone – out there with a great power of some sort. Didn't you sense them? It was malicious, whatever it was."
"Was it a human?" Alanna asked.
"Yes – I mean, I think so. Did your ember not warn you of it?"
"It was too busy warning me about everything else that was going on for me to notice," the Lioness snapped.
"Alanna," Numair heard George's soft voice, then the Lioness's frustrated sigh.
"Did any of you feel anything?" Numair pressed.
"I didn't," Jon replied. "Did your Sight alert you to anything, George?"
"Nothin'," the man replied. "But you know it's not much use in things like this. You'd be better asking my Ma if she felt it than me."
"My lady never said she sensed anything 'malicious' this morning when she described it," Myles put in. "However, she was quite overcome by the entire thing, so there's a large chance she missed it. I'll ask around and see if anyone in the Palace felt anything like you related."
"We need to hurry," Numair emphasised.
"Is this – sensation – a threat to the city?" Linden enquired.
Numair sighed in aggravation. "Yes," he replied finally. "It's dangerous."
"Can you feel it now? The 'sensation'?"
"Yes, it's – it's –" he broke off, frowning. Whatever it was, it was moving.
"What is it?" Harailt prompted.
Numair frowned, trying to pinpoint the source of the feeling as he did other's magical Gifts. "It's on the Conté Road, not far from where it crosses the Olorun."
"How close to the City Gates?" Alanna enquired.
"A mile, maybe two. Can you scry for it?"
"I'll do it," Alanna volunteered.
"Can we close the Gates?" Captain Fletcher asked.
"Will the Gates be enough to stop it?" Thayet enquired.
"Only if they don't want to draw attention to themselves by attacking," Numair replied.
"Closing the Gates will only cause panic in the Lower City," George put in. "The rest of the city'll hear of it, and they'll want to know why they were shut, an' why their relatives can't get in an' out, and what's goin' on. Do we have an answer?"
"No," Jon said frankly. "We don't want to draw attention to it if at all possible."
"If it's as serious a threat as Numair suggests, then we don't want to provoke an attack if we can help it."
"We need to do something, though," Numair argued. "If I can get to Balor's Needle, or somewhere high, I can pin-point the source for you."
"You must stay where you are, Numair. That's an order." King Jonathan's stern voice came floating through from the glowing ball of magic.
He hadn't expected his suggestion to be taken seriously, but he had to at least try. "But there's someone out there, Jon. Whoever it is needs to be taken care of now."
"If it was so important, why didn't you say something earlier?" Thayet asked.
"I've had Daine sitting next to me the whole time," he explained. "I don't want her to be more worried than she needs to be. She's done enough of that recently."
"Perhaps," the Commander said thoughtfully, "the best thing you can do is to wait. If they sense movement, then surely they'll know they've been detected. And if they don't, maybe we can use that to lure them in."
After a moment's silence, Numair uttered in disbelief, "Do you propose to use us as bait?"
"It's a sound enough plan," Buri mused.
"No. No!" Numair exclaimed. "You can't use us to draw them in! I thought the entire point of us being in this gods-forsaken hole was to keep us safe and hidden."
"I don't like it," Thayet said. "He has a point."
"But the best way to draw a fish is to keep still, is it not?" Myles put in.
Numair was speechless for a moment in anger. Finally he managed to string together a few words. "Not with Daine in the house."
"We can't move her," George said. "For the same reason that we can't move you."
"So we have to wait for whoever this is to come into the city? If they start wreaking havoc in the Lower City, it'll be too late for us to do anything about getting to safety, because we're in it." Normally he wouldn't question George's suggestions in matters like this, or anyone with any real military experience really, but this was something different altogether. This was his and Daine's safety.
"You're staying put," Jon reiterated. "And that's final," he added sternly when Numair let out a hiss of anger. "We'll discuss this more later. Contact me when you know more, Numair. Anything."