Night Calls the Raven (Book 2 of The Master of the Tane) (51 page)

Everyone seemed to move at once. Jace jumped form his chair, pulling his sword, while placing a protective hand on Ranse’s chest as if preparing to push him out of harm’s way. Jne rose with him pulling free the knife that was hidden under the sash tied around her waste. Dainz pushed back his chair as if preparing to get up while Braxton merely gaped at Thane with an open jaw.

Jack had also risen; his hands outstretched as if trying to delay the inevitable melee. Dor was on his feet too; the wrap that concealed his ears also pulled off while Tam sat agape not understanding what had just happened.

Thane’s eyes widened slightly at the reaction that swept through the room and was suddenly filled with doubt as to whether his decision to reveal his true race had been a wise one.

“Hold!” Jack cried out trying to stall any action that might prove foolhardy or fatal.

“What treachery is this?” Jace hissed back, eyeing Thane and Dor suspiciously while positioning himself a little more in front of Ranse.

Myles’ mouth was still hanging open. He blinked and his eyes darted to Jack. “What have you brought upon us, Jack?”

Jack shot Thane a withering look; his disapproval at what his Chufa friend had done obvious in his expression. “Everyone just hold for a moment until we can explain.”

“Has the whole world turned mad?” Captain Dainz exclaimed. “First dragons and now evil fairy creatures? What’s next, mountains that walk?”

Thane’s eyes narrowed dangerously at the captain’s claim that his people were evil but Jack placed a restraining hand on his wrist. “Once again, Captain,” Jack half whispered, “you have opened your mouth when it would be better served kept shut.”

“And how long have you known that such an enemy was in our midst?” Dainz shot back.

Braxton raised his hand for silence, flashing a warning look at Dainz before turning his glare to Jack. “It is a fair question, old friend,” he said, the building anger he was feeling seeping into his voice. “You know the stories of what these creatures did.”

Jack slammed his fist into the table. “Yes, but stories is all they amount to. If anyone should fear it is not we, but my friends here. If you knew the whole story instead of what your mother told you when you were deserving of a whipping, you might change your mind about them,” he almost shouted while motioning to Thane. And then glaring at Dainz, he added, “And your words.”

Thane placed a calming hand on Jack’s arm. “Know this,” he started, drawing all eyes to him, “you need feel no threat from me or my people. I have not revealed my true nature to rouse suspicion or doubt amongst us but that you may fully understand who I am and from where my gifts come. For, I fear that in the near future I will be called upon to exhibit certain powers I possess for the defense of this fort and our peoples.” Giving Jack an apologetic look, he continued. “I felt it would be better served for you to know now than to suddenly be caught off guard on the field of battle.”

“And what is it you plan to do?” Myles asked, the distrust still heavy in his tone.

             
Thane shrugged. “Whatever it takes, I guess. I’m not quite sure.”

“And you expect us to just believe what you say?” Dainz countered. “And how are we to feel secure in the thought that you are not, in fact,
a spy from the other side come here to cast your fire upon us?”

“Now that is uncalled for!” Jack shouted, but Thane held onto his arm, begging him with a touch to let him handle the situation.

Turning his sharp green eyes fully onto Dainz, he answered. “You may feel secure in the fact that I have been among you for some time now and have not done a thing to harm you or impede what you do to defend this city. You may feel secure in the fact that if I had intended to do you harm I would have done so already. You may also feel secure in the fact that had I been a spy, I would have maintained my guise as a Tjal-Dihn and gone about my business of sabotage. Other than that, I can only give you my word. I have as much interest in destroying this enemy as you do, for should we fail here, it is only a matter of time before my own people are destroyed.” He could have added ‘
As was almost the case when your people tried to annihilate us
’ but he snapped his mouth shut, not giving in to the temptation. He had already caused enough commotion as it was without adding to the fire.

Silence prevailed throughout the room for a long moment as both sides digested Thane’s words. He did have very good points in what he’d said, but whether his logic would penetrate the decades of prejudice that had been built up between them was yet to be seen. Finally, Ranse rose breaking the silence he’d kept since Thane’s revelation of origin.

“Your words are true and wise, Master Thane, yet it is still a difficult thing to give credence after so many years of belief concerning your race. Though I feel a desire to believe all as you say it, I still have nothing more than your word to go upon.”

Jne immediately bristled at Ranse’s question of Thane’s honor eliciting a protective growl from Jace. “Please,” Ranse said, placing a hand on Jace’s shoulder. “Let us put the weapons away and take our seats again.” Jace hesitated for only a brief moment but did as commanded followed, in turn, by Jne but only after his sword was secured in its scabbard.

“If the stories we’ve heard as babes are even half true, then swords of steel would be no match for one such as Master Thane anyway.” He said it with a slight smile and a nod to Thane and Dor and suddenly a collective breath seemed to be let out throughout the room as everyone obeyed and took their seats.

Jack then spoke, his face a hard mask of controlled anger. “I will add my word to Thane’s that he means no harm to any of us. In fact, we should be grateful to have him and his companions here instead of leaving for home as they had originally planned. They may be what
turns the tide in this war yet.”

Ranse raised an eyebrow at Jack’s declaration and turned his look to Myles who only shrugged noncommittally.

“And where might home be?” Dainz asked.

Thane made to answer but Jack cut him off.
“Somewhere safe, Captain.”

“For the moment, that is,” Thane added almost under his breath.

The room fell silent once more except for Dor’s muffled whispers to Tam as he translated what was being said. Tam’s face seemed to have paled somewhat but she kept her expressions neutral. Finally, Ranse spoke again. “Well, it would seem that with old mother’s tales of dragons becoming true and actually flying about our lands we should be thankful that other tales of the Chufa and their magic have also come true and that they seem to be on our side and not that of our enemies. Jack’s word has never been questioned in all the time that I have known him so I will rest my trust on that.” Inclining his head toward Thane, he continued. “You will forgive my doubting of your word alone, I trust, Master Thane, since our acquaintance is short and muddled with tales of terror from long forgotten generations and the stories they passed on.”

Thane just nodded, though Jne still shook her head in disgust and derision.

Ranse smiled slightly. “Then it is settled. Though I still would ask many questions of our newfound friend, our time may be very short so let us continue with the business which this meeting was intended, shall we?” No one seemed to object to Ranse’s words though Thane found it strange that this man should command such authority in the face of the colonel who had charge of Haykon. He determined he would have to ask Jack about it later.

The planning moved along quickly from there though Thane noticed Dainz shooting him quick glances every occasion he thought he was not looking. At first it made him feel a little uncomfortable but he quickly realized that the looks lacked the intensity of mistrust and hatred that had filled the captain’s eyes earlier. No, these looks seemed more out of curiosity now than anything else.

There really was not much left to plan. The wall in the canyon was their only real hope of survival in this fight and everyone knew it. A small force was all that would be needed to defend the wall and troops would be rotated from the city on a regular basis to relieve the fighters there and to resupply the wall’s defenses. The bulk of the army would stay within the walls of Haykon should the need arise to protect the city, though the numbers described by Jack and Thane made the idea of defending the city against an open assault ludicrous. The main drive of the army then would be to protect an evacuation as best they could, if it came to that.

“If it should come to it,” Ranse said, “we will quit the fort and make for Calandra as best we can. There is no other hope for any of us otherwise.” Everyone just nodded, the same dark thoughts brooding through all their minds that the evacuation should have started long past.

“And what if they should choose to attack at Gullet’s pass instead?” Jack asked.

All eyes turned briefly to Jne before dropping to the table. Braxton sighed and shook his head slightly. “We cannot afford the man power to send right now to shore up the pass that leads into the Enn.”

Jne smiled slightly. “The Tjal do not ask for your help.”

“Whether they attack the wall or bleed out of Gullet’s pass doesn’t really matter does it?” Dor added voice to the conversation, no longer content in merely translating for Tam. “Whether you can afford the men or not, something needs to be done about the other pass. It’s like leaving the door at the back open to the thief. If he cannot break through the front, he will soon tire and try the back, if he even tries the front at all.”

“Dor is right,” Jack said. “All of our work will be for not should they choose the Gullet’s pass.”

“But the pass into the Enn is not like that on our end,” Dainz argued. “It is wide and more sloped at the mouth. It would take months to build another wall there.”

              The hopelessness of their situation seemed to be mounting. There was just no way to stop the horde once it decided to move. Whether at Nomad’s pass and the wall or down through the Gullet, the gathered strength of Bedler’s army would eventually make it out and override the land with their filth and hatred.

             
“Be warned,” Jne added, “that should they attack into the Enn, you can be guaranteed no help from the Tjal.”

“Should they choose that route,” Jack said, “then we will bring our armies to your aid there.”

Colonel Braxton glanced at Ranse who just looked down at his hands. The colonel sighed and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Jack, but we cannot help if the attack comes to the plains first.”

“What!” Jack was livid while Jne seemed unbothered by the colonel’s declaration. “You can’t be serious, Myles. We sit here begging for the Tjal to help us while in the same breath declare them on their own should the battle come to their door first?”

“There is nothing he can do,” Ranse said, coming to the colonel’s aid. “You know the king’s orders.” Ranse looked at Jne, his face revealing the inner turmoil he was feeling. “I am sorry, but we cannot help.”

Jne regarded him briefly, her face a blank mask before she simply responded, “We didn’t ask for it.”

Jack opened his mouth to say something more but then shut it with a snap, his face red with the anger that boiled, almost to overflowing, within him. Once again, regret crept into his mind at choices made at a younger age. Could this all have been stopped if he’d not…? No. He pushed the idea out of his thoughts. The horde would still be gathering to attack. However, what was happening in the face of it made his stomach turn. He wasn’t sure which was worse, the enemy preparing to attack or the king’s seeming lack of interest in his people’s survival.

“Now,” Jne continued, “if you have all talked enough, I will take my leave so that I may return all the sooner. I would hate to miss an opportunity to play at swords with trolls and goblins.”

Colonel Braxton glanced at Ranse who nodded slightly before addressing the Tjal woman. “Yes, I believe we have nothing left to discuss. Again I apologize. Were things different…”

Jne raised a hand to stop the colonel but then cut into his words before he had a chance to continue. “Again, we do not look for you to help us. I will rally as many as will come to my call and return as quickly as I may. Whether I return alone or with others will yet to be seen. But I will return.” She glanced at Thane for a brief moment as if trying to make a decision and then quickly spoke. “
Na j’ovta j’udak’yoek bak svaj jafna te. T’ikt jon’te ya’kabuj’keah’onjar.
”

He returned a puzzled look, a question on his lips, but Jne was already rushing from the room. He made to get up and follow her but Jack caught his arm and shook his head. “She’ll be back.”