Blade of the North Page 6

  “I can take care of her,” I say sharply.

  “I’m sure you can,” Aveline replies. She looks amused by something, and it makes me angrier.

  “It’s alright Sara,” Jarryd says. “Aveline only wants to help.”

  I turn to him and clamp my mouth shut. I was about to say something stupid, and I know it. Somehow, so did Jarryd, and his timely words stopped me. His eyes are friendly, but I feel like everyone in the room is mocking me, knowing I was about to insult the person who has been such a great help to us. Even Dain is giving me one of his warning looks.

  I’m in the wrong, and I know it. Aveline has been nothing but a help to us, but… she shouldn’t be able to make friends this easily. It’s not fair! She’s even better at it than Theolin. Furiously I storm out of the room.

  Downstairs, in the common room, I stop, suddenly realising how much of a fool I was. I should be grateful to Aveline – she has helped my best friend to recover. But… but… Aveline is everything I am not. She is beautiful, charming, and everyone is taking to her like bees to honey. Rose is my best friend, and if I lose her, I’ll have… no one. Only Father.

  Leaving the inn, I walk outside into streets that are even more crowded than yesterday. More refugees must have arrived during the night. Forcing my way through the throng of people, I am continually looking up, searching for the high points of the city. I don’t know what use I can be to Father, but I know I am good at climbing. I figure he can always use a lookout, and when the Peace Bringers come, he will need to know what is happening all around the city. I can do that for him at least.

  With my eyes constantly searching the heights of the city, I bump into a lot of people. Too many. Some of them are angry with me, others don’t care. But after bouncing off the back of a horse and only narrowly avoiding its backward kicking leg, I make sure to keep one eye on what’s in front of me too.

  “If they killed Tigranik, this war would all be over,” a voice says next to me. Two men are standing beside the horse, taking no heed of the crowds streaming past them. I stop to listen.

  “They’d never get near him,” the second man says. He is short, with broad shoulders and stubble on his face.

  “If the price was high enough, they’d get him,” the first man replies. Overweight and sweating, he wipes his sleeve across his brow.

  “His security’s too tight. He barely leaves Malikaran, and getting into that city is harder than scaling the Granoc Mountains. When he does venture out, he is surrounded by his damned army of Peace Bringers.”

  “The ghosts of Daishen Forest can get anyone. If they want to.”

  The shorter man grunts. “If they’re that good, Tigranik would have either butchered them or taken them into his service by now.”

  “Can’t,” the fat one insists. “Can’t find ‘em in that cursed forest.”

  “They could – hey, what are you staring at?” the short man spits out, glaring at me.

  I don’t realise I’ve been staring at them. “Sorry,” I splutter. “I didn’t mean to - ”

  “Off with you,” the short one says.

  He raises his hand to swipe at me, but before he can I bob my head and weave back into the crowd.

  The ghosts of Daishen Forest - assassins. I’ve heard of them before, of course – everyone has. But they’re nothing more than a rumour. How could a secretive group of assassins remain secretive when everyone knew where to find them? Mind you, the Daishen Forest is supposed to be near impenetrable. And then… then there are the other rumours. Rumours about the mysterious death of a prominent merchant or banker. Rumours about the disappearance of a rich, cheating husband or an unpopular mayor. Why did they disappear? How did others die so suddenly? Were they assassinated? If they were, who did it? More often than not, the assassins were whispered to be involved. There are even rumours that a former king of Lagon had been done in by the assassins of the forest. Surely though, they are all rumours? The assassins aren’t real. But then, I thought the rumours of Tigranik wanting to invade Hammel weren’t real, either.

  Are the assassins real? Perhaps the fat man had been right. Maybe, for the right price, the assassins could be bought. They could kill Tigranik and end the war. My heart suddenly soars at the idea. Then it crashes down just as quickly. If the assassins do truly exist, they have done nothing to interfere with Tigranik and his war, and probably never will.

  Pushing the thought aside I make my way through the crowds, climbing upwards through the city. The war will continue, assassins or no – but at least I can be a useful lookout.

  The highest point of the city couldn’t be called anything more than a large hill, and it is crowned with several bland, stone buildings. The street here is just as crowded as elsewhere in the city, and nobody seems interested in anybody else. So, not having to fear detection, I go behind the tallest building and climb up. Finding handholds is easy as the stone blocks used in this building are large, the gaps in-between them big enough for my fingers. Delicate fingers, my father calls them. I smile at that.

  From the top of the building, I have a commanding view in all directions. All the way east to the Granoc Mountains, south along the Ariven River to the Erwin Forest, north to… I stop, stunned. A slow murmur rises from the people in the street below – they’ve seen it too. A long haze of dust covers the horizon to the north. It can mean only one thing.

  The Peace Bringers are marching for Tolos.

  The crowds are already stirring as I run back through the streets - the news travels faster than I do. Fearful cries, shouts of despair, curses. People are shoved in all directions, some fall and are trampled by the terrified masses. Everyone looks for somewhere to run – but there isn’t anywhere to go.

  Slowly I force my way back to the inn, careless of those around me. I must reach my friends and bring them to the garrison. My father will be able to shelter us there and find work for us to do.

  “Have you heard?” Rose bursts out as I enter the room.

  “Yes. And I saw them,” I reply.

  “You saw them?” Theolin asks, incredulous.

  “How… how many are there?” Bree asks.

  “I only saw the dust cloud on the horizon, but... it looks much bigger than the army that attacked Farley.”

  “I heard today that they have many smaller raiding forces all over Hammel,” Aveline says. “And when they finally come for Tolos they will combine back into one large army.”

  “We have to get out,” Miya says. Her fear is mirrored on the other faces around the room.

  “No!” I say. “We have to stay and help.”

  “Help do what?” Theolin shoots back at me. “Die?”

  “We won’t die here,” I reply fiercely. To admit otherwise would be to admit Father will die here too.

  “We’ve gotta die somewhere,” Alek says softly.

  The door bursts open behind us and standing in the doorway is my father. “You have to leave,” he commands. “All of you.”

  “What?” I say, unable to believe what he has said. “We can’t leave. We need to help defend Tolos. We need to - ”

  “What help do you think you will be able to give?” he asks. Seeing the hurt on my face he softens. “Tolos is strong. The walls are strong, we are well equipped. Supplies are stored and will keep us going for six months, maybe more if we’re careful. We can hold out here. But it will get ugly. I don’t want you around to see that.”

  “But… I can be a lookout,” I protest, but my voice is week. Having my father tell me to leave has put me on the verge of tears.

  “Sara,” he says gently, “by tomorrow morning Tolos will be surrounded. We think there are more than 100,000 men in that army. What will a lookout tell us?” He smiles kindly and I have to wipe away a tear before it falls down my cheek. “I want you all to get out safely while you can. The gates are already closed but you will be able to slip out after nightfall. Promise me you will leave tonight before Tolos is under siege?”

  Despite my resolve to
stay and help, I nod my head. “But…”

  “I love you, Sara,” he says, wrapping me in his arms and drawing me to his chest. “And I want you to survive.” He pushes me to arm’s length and his voice becomes stern. “When this is over, I will find you. You have to take care of yourself and survive. I promise I will do the same. Deal?”

  “Deal,” I agree meekly.

  “Good. Now, I have to go,” he says, and just like that, he is gone.

  Watching where my father has just been, I feel numb. How can we be leaving each other already? How can he send me away so easily? Survive, he said, promising to do the same. Despite his words, I suddenly have a dark feeling that I will never see him again.

  “He’s right,” Jarryd says. “Staying in a besieged city will be… bad.”

  “But I can’t just leave my father here,” I say, whirling around.

  “He wants what’s best for you,” Jarryd says gently.

  “Stay then,” Theolin says to me. “The rest of us will take your father’s advice and leave. Unless anyone else is foolish enough to want to stay?”

  There is silence for a moment until Tom says: “I will.” We all look at him. “I’m good with a sword. I’ll stay and fight.”

  Beside him, Bianca puts her hand on his arm. “I’ll stay wherever you are.”

  “Cute,” Theolin mumbles, with a roll of her eyes.

  “Come on,” Rose says quietly beside me. “Your father’s right. We need to leave.”

  Weekly I nod my head. I know my father wants me to be safe. I know it – but it still hurts to be sent away.

  “Where do we go?” Bree asks.

  “We can try the Granoc Mountains,” Dain says. “The Peace Bringers wouldn’t be able to follow us over them.”

  “They wouldn’t need to – we’d die trying,” Theolin replies.

  “South – it’s the only way open to us,” Aveline says.

  The debate goes back and forth between them for the next few minutes. Where is safest to go? What food can we take with us? Where are we likely to find food? I listen silently, coming to terms with having to part from my father again. I curse Tigranik, his Peace Bringers, and the war. So many lives are being wasted, killed. And for what? Why can’t… then it dawns on me.

  “The assassins,” I blurt out.

  The talk in the room stops and all eyes turn to stare at me.

  “What assassins?” Dain asks.

  “The assassins of Daishen Forest,” I reply. “We need somewhere safe to go – why not there? Tigranik hasn’t been able to penetrate the forest to find them. It’s safe. And… and we could hire them to kill the emperor. They could end this war!”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Theolin scoffs. “The assassins of Daishen Forest are nothing more than an old story. They aren’t real. That’s why Tigranik has never found them – because he hasn’t bothered looking.”

  The others agree with her. Nobody believes the assassins are real, and I feel foolish for mentioning them.

  “No,” Aveline says. “They’re real enough.”

  Now it’s Aveline’s turn to be faced down by a room full of incredulous glares. Unlike me, though, she appears completely unaffected by them.

  “Why do you think that?” Rose asks.

  “I just know,” she replies. “Besides, even if they don’t exist, Sara is right. The Daishen Forest is supposedly so thick and dark no army would want to enter it. It’s as safe a place as any.”

  “Unless they want to burn it down,” Miya says.

  “Who would want to burn down a forest on account of a handful of runaway refugees?” Aveline asks, her voice indicating how stupid she thinks the idea is.

  “Daishen Forest is in Naren,” Rose says nervously. “Naren is under Tigranik’s rule.”

  She doesn’t have to say any more. Everyone knows the danger of going into a country Tigranik has already conquered.

  “Not much choice is there,” Alek says.

  Slowly everyone comes around to the idea. Even Theolin. South, it is agreed, is the only direction we can go, and the Daishen Forest is unlikely to be troubled by Tigranik. Except for Aveline, the others still doubt the existence of the assassins, but at least agree to look for them once we reach the safety of the forest.

  “I’ll see what food Maraise can spare though I doubt it will be much,” Aveline offers as she leaves the room.

  An hour later we are all ready, waiting quietly for nightfall. Aveline was right – Maraise doesn’t have much food to spare. Just a loaf of bread and a couple of rotten potatoes to share between us. Thankfully, she’s also given us a rope from the stables for our planned escape. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing.

  We wait and we watch as, through the window, the sun disappears and darkness descends over Tolos. Then it is time to say our goodbyes to Tom and Bianca. Mine are not very heartfelt.

  “Let’s go,” Aveline says. I don’t know how but she has assumed the leadership of our group. Everyone falls into line and follows her.

  “Sara,” Bianca says, grabbing my hand. A tinge of sadness creases her face - what does she want? “I’m sorry I was never a better friend to you,” she says softly.

  So am I, but it’s a bit late for Bianca’s pangs of conscience. I don’t have anything to say to her; instead, I turn my back and walk out with the others.

  The streets outside have grown calm. A weary resignation seems to have settled over the populace, and it is eerie. They know Tolos is about to be besieged. They know they have nowhere else to go. So the fear and panic have been replaced by acceptance. How can I blame them?

  We make our way through the dark, crowded streets. A city this large, overflowing with so many people should be a constant riot of noise. But now it is quiet. Unnaturally quiet. Having accepted their fate, all that is left for the people of Tolos is to wait.

  Nearing the defensive no man’s land which rings the inside of the city walls, we pause in a side-street. Ahead of us, a hundred yards of tightly pressed humanity lies between us and the high walls surrounding the city. Those walls are manned now with soldiers, the defenders of Tolos standing behind the parapets, looking out.

  Pressing, elbowing, and weaving through the crowd, we finally arrive, breathless, at the wall beside the city gate. Next to us is a set of stairs built into the wall, leading up to the battlements. We had planned to sneak up the stairs to the top of the wall, then use the rope Maraise had gifted us to climb down the other side. But now those stairs are guarded. Our way out of Tolos is blocked.

  “What do we do now?” Bree asks.

  “I don’t know,” I answer. What are we going to do?

  “Sara?” a voice calls out softly. “Sara Fairgrey?”

  One of the soldiers guarding the gate is looking directly at me.

  “Yes?” I reply, barely managing to keep my voice steady.

  “The Captain, your father, told us to watch out for you.” He moves aside and opens a small door in the side of the gate. “You need to be quick. We’ll be surrounded very soon.”

  His words fill me with foreboding. “And then what?” I ask him.

  “Don’t worry about us.” He smiles but it looks forced. “We’ll hold out. But you need to go – quickly!”

  He ushers the others through, but I remain until last. I cast one final glance back into the city, to where I think the garrison is. To where Father is. I don’t want to abandon him, not now, not with the city about to be besieged. But he said the city can hold out for six months, and he wants me to escape, to survive. Well, I’ll do better than that. Survive, Father. Survive, and I will come back for you. Taking a deep breath, I walk through the door, back onto the plain surrounding Tolos.

  The others are in front of me, frozen, looking to the north. I follow their gazes and am immediately seized by fear: Tigranik’s army is bearing down on the city. They have moved faster than my father had anticipated. The host of the army must be no more than an hour’s march from us. From left to right the horiz
on is blanketed with row after row of marching soldiers – tens of thousands of them. It’s like Farley all over again, only much, much worse.

  “Run,” I say to the others. But no one listens – they’re all transfixed by the approaching army. “Run!” I shout.

  That gets them moving. As fast as we can we all rush south.

  “I haven’t got the strength to run for long,” Rose says breathlessly.

  “You’ll have to find it,” I tell her.

  She nods then sets her face determinedly.

  We run across the plain for what seems like an hour, slowly approaching the Erwin Forest. Glancing over my shoulder, I can’t see much, but I can hear the footsteps. Thousands of feet are marching together, creating a loud, earth trembling rumble that reverberates in my chest. It’s terrifying.

  We’re all breathing hard, flagging. The colour is draining quickly from Rose’s face, but she doesn’t complain. Her physical strength might be failing, but her strength of will certainly is not.

  The safety of the forest is drawing nearer. The army will stop to camp around the walls of Tolos, so we will be safe when we reach the forest. But then I hear another sound behind us, growing louder. My throat tightens as I recognise the sound – horses. I glance back and see them, three soldiers on horseback, galloping after us.

  “No!” Rose screams, seeing them too.

  “They must be scouts,” Dain says. “Just keep going – they won’t follow us into the forest.”

  I don’t believe him, but I keep running. We pass the first of the trees and are quickly into the deeper woods. A loud, piercing scream comes from my right - I look across to see Bree on the ground, an arrow in her back. A whizzing sound makes me duck then there is a thud as the arrow embeds itself in a tree in front of me.

  Alek and Dain pick up Bree and carry her between them.

  Screaming as arrows speed past my head, I keep running. Jumping over logs, dodging around trees, weaving left and right. The others are near me, shouting too. Dain and Alek are struggling, the burden of carrying Bree slowing them down. The soldiers are still following us, leaning low in their saddles, their bows now on their backs but their swords drawn.