Soul's Reckoning (Broken Well Trilogy) (6 page)

‘Here,’ said Bel, reining his horse to a stop – a mare he’d bought from the fisherman the previous day. The man had been understandably shocked to learn that an army of shadow was about to come calling, and had willingly offloaded the horse in exchange for gold, which he would no doubt need to build a new life – unless by some miracle Losara left his house intact.

Querrus drew up alongside on Taritha. Ahead was Jeddies, close enough to see the brightly coloured buildings of the sprawling river town, with smoke rising from many chimneys.

‘I’d say that’s about a league,’ Querrus agreed.

Bel surveyed their surrounds. To the west the Nyul’ya bustled by, twinkling between two lines of trees, which only broke for a stone bridge. On all sides were open fields, the grass waxy and thick underfoot. To the south .
 
.
 
. it was hard to be sure. A darkness on the horizon?

‘Can you make that out?’ asked Bel, for mages could see further than most.

Querrus followed his squint. ‘It’s them,’ he said. ‘Probably be here by this time tomorrow.’

Bel turned to the east, hoping that the flashing armour of Kainordan troops had somehow appeared there since he’d checked minutes before. ‘Still no sign of ours?’

Querrus narrowed his eyes in the same direction. ‘Not yet,’ he muttered. ‘Although .
 
.
 
.’

‘What is it?’

‘Hard to say, but a smudge in the air – perhaps a swarm of Zyvanix?’

‘Hovering over the ground forces,’ said Bel. ‘Good. They are not too distant either.’

‘The shadow will arrive first,’ said Querrus.

‘So be it. Here I’ll stay. Losara will not sweep into Jeddies as easily as he wishes.’

Querrus had reservations, Bel knew, about what they were here to do – as should anyone, he supposed. He did not, however: if anything, he felt impatient, itching to swing a sword at those who came rolling so boldly across his land. He knew that fighting might not come tomorrow – tomorrow was about delay – but perhaps the day after that, or at least soon. In the meantime, the couple of cards he had up his sleeve made him feel empowered.

‘Blade Bel?’

Querrus had been speaking, but Bel hadn’t taken in the words.

‘Yes?’

‘I asked if there was anything in particular I should get from town?’

Bel shrugged. ‘I see no reason not to pass the time comfortably. Feel free to get some fine food for a picnic.’

Querrus grinned. ‘Best orders I’ve had in a while. You will remain here?’

‘Yes,’ said Bel. ‘I’m not in the mood for being stared at by townsfolk. I’m in the mood for being stared at by enemies.’

Querrus rode away towards Jeddies, and Bel dismounted. He didn’t know if the fisherman had named the horse, and certainly he hadn’t done so either. He did not think he’d bother with such sentiment. The beast would probably wander now, and although Bel could tie her to one of the lone trees that stood here and there, he didn’t see the point. The old thing wasn’t the fastest steed, and for the moment he had no need of her, since he intended to wait right here. Thus he left her to graze, free if she was smart enough to grasp such a concept.

‘So,’ he said to himself.

There was really nothing much to do. He took out his sword and gave a swipe. Maybe the approaching shadow army would send scouts or a vanguard this way, and he would soon have some skulls to bounce together.

Wishful thinking.

He tossed the sword high in the air, watched it spin upwards then scythe back to earth, and turned his hip to catch it neatly in its scabbard. Wishful thinking? Was that wrong, to
wish
for battle?

I don’t care. It’s what I was born for. If I enjoy it, so what? Better than railing against one’s fate.

He wondered how Losara felt about it. If his counterpart filled the gaps in him, and vice versa, then Losara would not share Bel’s excitement at the prospect of battle.

Mindless
, thought Bel.
Automatic, he must be. Brainwashed. And yet he has the gumption to accuse
me
of fighting for the wrong reasons, just because I did not fancy a crystal tree or two.

Did he hate the man? How could he, when Losara was a part of him? If their souls combined, would that mean he’d hate himself? No, he decided, he did not hate Losara. The man was too slight, too fey for hate. But that did not change the fact that Bel would enjoy defeating him.

He drew his sword again and stuck it in the ground, then sank down cross-legged beside it. He did not like being alone with his peculiar and troubling thoughts. ‘Arkus speed you, shadow,’ he muttered. ‘Deliver me from boredom.’

He checked inside his pack for the sundart statue, which cheeped softly as he moved it. Relieved at the distraction, he pulled it out and touched a finger to the scroll at its leg. Steam hissed out of its beak.

‘Bel,’ came Fahren’s voice from the air. There was a pause, as if that was all, and Bel wondered for a moment if the message had been lost somehow. Then Fahren continued.

‘I have spoken with Arkus. There is an idea about how to deal with the shadowmander, but .
 
.
 
. well, let me investigate further. I am not sure how to accomplish it, or even if it’s possible.’ The man sounded decidedly disquited. ‘In the meantime I thought you should know that our suspicions were correct – the creature is indeed created from legacy magic. That was why Losara took Holdwith, to force our mages to aid him in its building. How he did it I’m not sure, and I don’t really want to know either .
 
.
 
. in fact, I’ll be quite happy if he takes his unnatural methods to the grave .
 
.
 
. ah, well, you know what I mean.’

Bel did not think he had ever heard Fahren sound so frayed. Was it really so affecting, to discover that a great and terrible Shadowdreamer would do such great and terrible things? Or was it the solution that unsettled him?

‘This explains,’ Fahren went on, ‘why the creature’s movement is so restricted. It is tied to the First Slave Tyrellan, built upon the original legacy cast on him by Elessa Lanclara. Therefore the mander can only travel a certain distance from the goblin.’

That was interesting. Although Bel had guessed that the mander was somehow confined, he had imagined its limits were dictated somehow by Losara.

‘I shall inform you when I know more,’ said Fahren. The steam dispersed and that was that – none of the usual good-lucks or stay-safes that usually ended the Throne’s messages. Bel replaced the bird in his pack, wondering what had affected Fahren so.

He tried to occupy himself by thinking about Jaya. If she’d been there with him, the time would certainly pass more swiftly. They could have walked down to the river, retired to the shade of a tree, made love and had an argument or three, in no particular order .
 
.
 
. and yet she was out of reach. He missed her for the first time since parting ways – perhaps he would have done so sooner, but there had been plenty to occupy his mind since then. Despite his immediate desires, he was glad she would not be here when the shadow army arrived – he was free without her, not having to worry for her safety. Free to swing with reckless abandon.

Maybe an advance Graka patrol will spot me
, he thought.
Come in for a closer look.

The next best thing to Jaya might have been Hiza and M’Meska, but they too were out of reach, even further away than she was – probably still in Dennali, many leagues away. They would probably miss the battle entirely, unless it happened a lot later than Bel hoped.

He laid back with a shirt over his eyes and tried to rest. As he drifted into half-consciousness, he dreamed himself in the midst of goblins, fighting with Corlas by his side, united against their common foe. This was how it should have been, except Naphur had banished his father for no good reason .
 
.
 
. yet now they laughed as they culled the enemy, and he saw mirrored in Corlas’s eyes that frenzied joy that grew in him exponentially with each defeated foe. There was a sense of belonging and kinship, a sense of sameness.

As Querrus’s voice roused him from slumber the feeling passed, and Bel experienced a moment of great loss. He opened his eyes to find the mage nearby, pulling packs from Taritha.

‘Slain by idleness,’ the mage observed.

Bel forced a smile. ‘Not much to do around here,’ he said, ‘except wait.’

‘And eat,’ added Querrus, opening a pack to show off a collection of greens and cuts of meat. ‘I also bought us some cover.’

Bel rose and checked his horizons. The shadow was definitely closer now, a great black line in the distance – and thankfully, the flashing armour he had hoped to see was now also visible to the east.

‘Your horse wanders,’ said Querrus, gesturing at the mare, who was now away towards the river.

‘I have no need of her,’ said Bel. ‘Let her go free.’

‘If that is your intention,’ said Querrus, ‘it would be best to rid her first of tack and saddle.’ He waggled his fingers, and in the distance the horse gave a startled whinny as all her bindings fell away. Bel frowned – why hadn’t he thought of that?

‘Well,’ said Querrus, ‘I guess there’s nothing left but to enjoy the ebbing calm before the storm.’

Bel set to work erecting four poles and stretching a canvas between them, while Querrus collected wood for a fire. As dusk fell they cooked meat and chewed on vegetables. It was the best meal Bel had enjoyed in some time. The mage had also brought them bedrolls, quite large and comfortably impractical if they’d had any great way to travel. Despite what awaited the next day, Bel soon found himself drifting off.

•

‘I surely hope, Blade Bel,’ said Querrus, running a hand over his bald scalp, ‘that you know what you are doing.’

‘Just stay behind me,’ said Bel, ‘at all times.’

‘Oh yes, I intend to. Getting quite used to the view from back here, whether there be a horse underneath us or no.’

Bel did not reply, but stood with hands knuckled on hips, exuding a patience he did not feel. Before them, in the morning light, the shadow horde advanced. It was close enough now for Bel to make out individual soldiers .
 
.
 
. and there was order in the ranks, not the screaming unruly mass he had always pictured. Men and goblins marched side by side, whereas Vorthargs seemed more cloistered in groups, and on either flank were Graka and Mire Pixies who could take off at any moment. Groups of black-robed mages patrolled the outer edges, some on horses and others not, no doubt constantly scanning the land around. What did they make of the lone pair of Kainordans awaiting them on the field ahead, unmoving in the face of such oncoming force?

‘Do you see the mander?’ said Bel.

‘No,’ replied Querrus nervously, but even as he said so, it appeared running up the eastern flank, skipping almost gaily past rows of troops, as if this was all a wonderful romp. Then it tore into the field ahead, and there was no mistaking it had spotted them.

‘Bel .
 
.
 
.’ said Querrus.

‘Stand fast,’ said Bel. ‘It won’t make it this far.’

About a hundred paces away, the creature halted abruptly. It arched its back as if to leap, but instead opened its mouth to hiss hatefully.

‘The leash does not stretch,’ said Bel. ‘Nor will it.’

‘The shadow still comes,’ warned Querrus. There was fear in his voice – not unfounded, Bel supposed.

‘Steady,’ said Bel. ‘No doubt it takes a moment or two to rein in an army of such size.’

Shouts began to sound, and although Bel could not exactly hear the words, he knew their timbre. The shadow began to grind to a stop.

I will it
, he thought,
and so it is.

The shadowmander edged forward a little more.

‘Does Tyrellan stir?’ said Bel. ‘Does he seek to move to the front of the queue? Let us deny him that.’

He stalked forward suddenly, not bothering to check that Querrus came with him, heading directly for the mander. He moved with confidence, almost able to feel the way his blue hair must be shining in the light. Let them look upon him, these invaders, let them see who it was they faced – let them quiver in fear, and melt into a black puddle.

The mander stopped again and clawed at the ground, as if it might dig its way under the invisible barrier that hindered it. Had Tyrellan been given an order to stay in place, just as Bel had decided he would?

Control.

He stopped some fifty paces from the creature, and once again took up his bold stance. Jeering rose from the shadow.

‘Oh yes?’ bellowed Bel. ‘Come over here and repeat yourselves, you rabbit-hearts, you crawling worms!’ The concentrated focus of so many eyes sent shivers through him – not of fear, but electric and wild. He felt tightly coiled inside his body, ready to spring.

‘It is well that I’m here to witness this heedlessness,’ said Querrus. ‘If we survive it, someone should tell this story.’

Bel smiled fiercely. ‘Wait to see how it ends.’

He reached into his shirt and lifted the Stone up over his head, then looped the chain around his wrist.

‘Any moment now,’ he said.

Shadows wavered up from the grass, winding around each other to take form.

‘Well,’ said Bel. ‘Fancy seeing you here, Losara.’

Losara stared at him as if confused by his presence. ‘You know,’ he said eventually, ‘I feared something like this. But I did not think you would come alone.’

‘I did not come alone,’ said Bel. ‘I have my friend Querrus here. He’s a bit leery of your presence, but I’ve assured him that while I hold this,’ he raised the Stone, ‘there is nothing you can fling at us.’

Losara sighed and gestured to the east, where the Kainordan army marched. ‘I meant,’ he said, ‘that I thought you’d come with them.’

‘Ah,’ said Bel brightly, ‘but then you would have reached Jeddies first, and I did not wish another town to fall. Considering that you’re going to lose anyway, it seemed rather needless.’