Broken World Book Four - The Staff of Law (8 page)

“
It was. He didn’t understand what would happen if you had done
as he asked.”

“
I thought as much.”

Merina gazed
at Chanter while they talked, and, when a short silence fell, she
rose and headed for the door, saying, “I’ll order breakfast for you
and Chanter.”

Talsy
swallowed bile at the mention of food and looked around for her
basin, cursing her rebellious stomach.

“
Kieran is most likely similarly occupied this morning,”
Chanter informed her while she retched and choked, apparently in an
effort to cheer her up, but the thought of another suffering the
same humiliation only made her heave more.

Law sat on the
soft sand and listened to the sound of the sea. He toyed with the
sand, letting it run through his fingers as he enjoyed the
sunlight’s warmth and the wind’s playful caress. Two weeks of
wandering had brought him to this shore, where he found a new
wonder to explore. The sea crashed upon the beach, hissing over the
sand to lap at his feet. Gulls mewed above, their cries mingling
with the soft humming song of some creatures of this world that
frolicked amongst the waves.

Sometimes he
thought about Letta and Vosh, but already their memory dimmed,
along with the hive and the horror of his eviction. Like all Mujar
his age, Law’s memory was short. He remembered the lessons of life
without the details of their teaching. This ensured that by the
time he reached adulthood he had no recollection of his youth. He
was eager to learn more and explore until his education was
complete, whereupon memories of events would linger. His blindness
put obstacles in his path that no other Mujar had ever had to
overcome before. He could not fly without becoming lost in the
sky’s vast realm, and was forced to remain earthbound and
vulnerable to the tainted Dolana that flowed through the land.

The sea
offered a new world in which he might be safer, and able to find
his way through its glittering blueness. He hesitated to enter it
only because of his immaturity, which imbued a lack of confidence
that would wane in the coming years. His short black hair indicated
his youth, and as yet he had not sprouted a beard. Although
physically full grown, Law was still a child of the world, who had
already experienced pain and been tempered by it. He tended to be
more timid than was normal for his age, and more inclined to avoid
the unknown than to explore it. Having learnt that there were
beasts that would not hesitate to harm him, which was something his
instincts had not warned him of, he was wary of what he might
encounter in the vast watery domain before him.

Twice during
his wanderings, he had heard the drone of filmy wings and hidden as
manants flew overhead. He had shunned the company of friendly
animals, fearing that they would draw the manants to him, and his
loneliness grew each day. The tainted land and the knowledge that
all was not well with the world increased his unhappiness. His hope
for a better life in the sea was mixed with fears that it might
prove more dangerous than the land.

Rising to his
feet, he walked down the beach. The cool waves lapped at his legs,
tugging at him as he waded deeper. Its touch brought new knowledge
rushing into his mind, and he paused to study it. Racial memories
of strange, finned shapes came to him. He chose one at random as he
dived into the waves, and transformed into a sleek grey ray that
slid through the water, powered by undulating wings as graceful as
a bird’s. In Shissar’s gentle embrace, Law discovered peace and the
magical song of the sea, which banished his loneliness long before
he found new, playful friends and took their form. After his
experience of the land, this wild realm welcomed him, and he knew
happiness once more within it.

A few days
after Chanter healed her, Talsy was well enough to leave her bed
and explore the city with her friends. She was still sick first
thing in the morning, but Merina assured her that this was normal.
The good food King Ronos provided helped to strengthen her, and
within a week she was able to travel. By that time, Queen Larina’s
black army had returned with a company of Truemen warriors,
manbulls and manhorses, and made camp outside the city. They
brought wagonloads of provisions and plundered the cultivated lands
for what they lacked. Farmers who dwelt outside the city retreated
into the stronghold to escape the threat, but King Ronos’ messages
to the black army, ordering them to leave, were ignored. They
remained out of range of the defences, waiting.

Kieran, Talsy
and Chanter met the King and his family in his study.

“
We must leave.” Kieran leant against the mantelpiece and
stared into the fire. “We must return to the valley while Talsy can
still travel. Much as we appreciate your hospitality, we can’t stay
here until the child is born.”

“
Larina must have ordered her army to wait for you to emerge,”
Ronos said. “They’re not going to lay siege, and if I send troops
out to fight them, our losses will be heavy. In fact, we have
little hope of defeating a black army on the open
field.”

“
Then we’ll have to find a way to leave without fighting
them.”

“
There’s the postern gate,” Orland suggested.

“
Aren’t they watching it?”

Orland shook
his head. “They’re all camped in front of the city. It’s odd.”

“
That’s the answer then.”

“
Why aren’t they watching the postern gate?” Talsy asked. “They
can’t be that stupid.”

Kieran
shrugged, Orland shook his head, and Ronos looked thoughtful, but
puzzled. They all glanced at Chanter as the Mujar put down the book
he had been leafing through and turned to face them.

“
They don’t need to watch the gate. They’ll know when I
leave.”

“
Of course.” Talsy cursed, making Ronos’ brows shoot up. “I
should have remembered that. They can sense Chanter.”

“
They can sense all living things,” the Mujar said, raising a
brow. “Don’t make it sound like I’m some sort of magnet. But they
can distinguish between Lowmen and Mujar, so in this instance, I’m
the beacon they’ll be watching for.”

“
Damn.” Kieran thumped the mantelpiece.

“
Then Chanter must stay here.” Talsy’s cheeks grew warm when
everyone turned to stare at her with shocked expressions. “It’s the
only way. Just until we’re far enough ahead, then he can catch up.
If he stays in the city, they’ll assume we’re with him, and we can
sneak out the back. The Torrak Jahar will think we’re just a party
of merchants or nobles fleeing the city.”

“
It might work, but it’ll still be risky,” Ronos said. “They
may send men to see who you are, and if they recognise
you...”

“
Then we’ll wear disguises.”

“
They might still use you for sport, and to feed on. I’ll send
a company of soldiers with you, led by Orland. If they do stop you,
he can tell them he’s on some sort of mission. A large enough party
of men should put them off engaging you in battle. What do you
think, Orland?”

The Prince
nodded. “An excellent idea, Father.”

“
Good. Chanter?”

The Mujar
inclined his head. “It should work, but I would like you to send
more than a company of men. The journey back to the valley will be
dangerous. I must be sure the First Chosen is safe.”

Talsy shot him
a smile, and Ronos said, “Of course. Two companies then, or a
battalion.”

“
A battalion,” Chanter said. “We can no longer use the mountain
pass, it’s too dangerous, and we’ll never get wagons through it.
We’ll have to go through the woods to the south of the mountains,
which will double the journey to the valley.”

“
That means it will take two months to reach the valley,” Talsy
protested.

“
Yes, and that’s using horses. I’ll have to remain here for at
least a month. When they see me leave alone, they might send men
after you. I’ll lead them over the mountains, which should delay
them further.”

“
A mounted battalion,” Ronos said, “plus wagons for supplies
and equipment. It will take a few days to organise.”

Orland rose to
his feet. “I’ll go and give the orders.”

Three days
later, Chanter stood with Talsy on one of the castle’s rear
parapets and looked down at the courtyard where a seething mass of
mounted men formed up into ranks. She had tried to count them, but
had long since given up and now merely admired their handsome blue
and yellow tabards and shining armour. Kieran was somewhere in the
melee, seeing to it that the pieces of the Staff were stowed aboard
one of the supply wagons.

“
I had no idea there were so many men in a battalion,” she
murmured.

“
Nor had I,” Chanter replied.

“
But you were the one...”

He shrugged.
“It sounded good, and the more the better.”

Talsy giggled.
“Don’t tell King Ronos.”

“
I won’t.”

She considered
the soldiers again. “Do think that’s enough men to keep me safe?
It’s a small army.”

“
I hope so. The chaos is worsening every day, and travelling
through the forest has many perils too. The mountains have become
unstable, with the ground shaking so much, and many of the trails
have been blocked with rocks. But the forest is full of chaos
beasts, and I fear you’ll need this army there.”

“
You’ve been talking to the wind again.” She shivered. “I wish
you could come with us now.”

“
So do I, but this is the only way to get out of the city. I’ll
join you before you reach the valley.”

The soldiers
formed up into their ranks, and Kieran looked around. Talsy
smoothed the dress Merina had given her and tugged at the short
cloak on her shoulders.

“
Do I look all right?”

“
You look very nice.”

She hugged him
and kissed him on the lips, and he patted her back awkwardly and
smiled when she stepped back. “Be careful.”

“
I will. I’ll see you soon.”

Chanter
nodded, and she descended the stairs to the courtyard where the
soldiers waited with Kieran and Orland. Kieran helped her onto her
horse, and officers shouted orders, setting the battalion in
motion. The cavalrymen clattered through the city towards the
postern gate.

Chanter
watched until the cavalcade was lost amongst the buildings, then
went to the front of the castle to study Queen Larina’s army. The
Lowman soldiers had pitched their tents between strings of tethered
mounts, and the manbulls and manhorses stood together in separate
herds, some lying down on the soft grass. The manhorses carried
long bows slung across their backs and quivers at their waists,
while the manbulls were armed with massive spiked clubs. The black
army camped closest to the castle, and stood like hundreds of
statues, waiting.

Talsy
experienced a twinge of unease as they rode through the postern
gate. Already she missed Chanter, even though he was not far away,
the fact that they left him behind made her unhappy. She wondered
how trustworthy King Ronos was, and whether he would try to trap
the Mujar with gold as so many had done. It still seemed strange to
have found a king who was so different from all the others. The
lack of tar in the city spoke volumes about the nature of its
people, however, and she thrust her doubts aside.

They left the
city wall and rode along a little-used road, judging by its poor
state of repair, running parallel to the cliff. Talsy gazed up at
it, marvelling at the massive amount of power it must have taken to
create it, but then, to a Mujar such a feat was simple. It had the
familiar smooth appearance of a Mujar-made formation, a little
weathered in places now and pitted along the top, and scree had
fallen to clutter its foot. The end of the cavalcade was still
emerging from the postern gate when a group of enemy soldiers,
accompanied by a number of manhorses, came towards them from the
front of the city. Talsy was relieved that there were no Torrak
Jahar with them. They stopped on the road ahead and spread out
across it. Prince Orland raised his arm, and the cavalrymen behind
him halted in an imposing bunch bristling with lances. The entire
battalion was forced to stop, and soldiers galloped past Talsy’s
group to join the leaders in the confrontation.

An officer
with gold braid on his sleeves and collar approached Orland, his
words carrying to her on the wind. “Why are you leaving the
city?”

Prince
Orland’s voice rang with authority. “I’m escorting my cousins back
to their father in Jarima, not that it’s any business of yours, now
get out of my way.”

“
Where are the thieves who stole my queen’s Stone of Good
Fortune?”

“
Still in the city.”

“
We demand that they be given to us.”

Orland
snorted. “We’re not giving you anything. If you want them, go and
get them.”

“
I could take you hostage, then your king would be forced to
give them to us.”

Talsy cast
Kieran a worried glance. They had not considered that possibility.
He ignored her, listening to Orland’s scornful reply.

“
I’d like to see you try. You may have noticed that you’re
badly outnumbered.”

“
A simple matter,” the officer sneered. “If I call the black
army, your defeat and capture is assured.”