Wayfarer Redemption - Pilgrim Part 19

"And I," Zared said, although his willingness to accept Drago's command clearly had not eased his frustration. "Tell me how to save my people."

Askam, who had finally managed to push the lizard to one side, leapt to his feet. "Fools!" he cried. He started to say something else, but was so angry that he couldn't get any more words out. He stared, then stumbled away, the lizard nipping at his heels.

"I'll speak with him," Leagh murmured, then rose and hurried after her brother.

"Drago," Zared said, "where may we find this Sanctuary?"

"It is somewhere in the waterways -" Drago began.

"Forgive me," Zared said, "but I do not like this 'somewhere'. Where?"

"WingRidge, as indeed the entire Lake Guard and SpikeFeather TrueSong, are already engaged in the hunt for Sanctuary. Trust, Zared. That is all you can do."

The Lake Guard are aiding Drago? StarDrifter's heart began to thump as if it had s.h.i.+fted position into his very mouth. WingRidge and the Lake Guard are working for Drago? Oh merciful Stars above, StarDrifter thought. Ob Stars! Now I understand!

It was as well that no-one addressed StarDrifter at that moment, for he thought himself incapable of speech.

He almost moved a hand to his eyes, then realised they were shaking so much it was impossible.

Across the fire from StarDrifter, Zared was fighting his own doubts. He wanted to be able to trust Drago, but he had the responsibility for hundreds of thousands of people. And what had Drago given him? Just vague mention of a Sanctuary that even Drago admitted he couldn't find. d.a.m.n you, Zared thought, staring at Drago. You demand trust of us, and yet you cannot tell us where it is that - , 151 *

Something jerked within Zared's body, and he had to fight to keep his face expressionless. For an instant ...

for an instant he'd been overpowered with the sweet fragrance of a field of lilies, and the bizarre, but utter, conviction that this was what Drago would lead Tencendor into. Both scent and conviction were so compelling they literally took his breath away.

Zared regained his equilibrium within a few heartbeats, and the scent faded. He could have sworn that somehow Drago had cast an enchantment over him, save that Drago was himself looking at Zared with a clearly puzzled expression.

"Zared," Drago said, watching the man carefully. "I need you to go back to Carlon, taking this army with you. Gather together as many of your people as you can, and ready them for the word I will send when WingRidge finds Sanctuary. Isfrael, will you allow the Acharites in the eastern parts of Tencendor access to the shelter of the forests?"

"As long as they bring their own food with them," Isfrael said, but Drago nodded. It was enough.

"StarDrifter, I need you and Zenith to go to the Minaret Peaks. Tell FreeFall what I have told you, and wait for word on Sanctuary."

StarDrifter's mouth quirked. "The Icarii will not take kindly to news of another exile," he said. "But we will do as you say. Anything you say, Drago."

StarDrifter stared at his grandson, his eyes intense, and Drago looked away quickly, not liking the knowledge he saw there. He began to say something else, but Zared forestalled him.

"I do have one small problem," he said.

Drago raised an eyebrow.

"How do I get myself and my thirty thousand back to Carlon? Isfrael and StarDrifter shall have the forests to protect them, but you seem to calmly a.s.sume I can just wander back across the Plains of Tare with my army and all 152.

their cursed horses as if we are out for a seventh-day picnic. There is no shelter'"

"Shade will protect you," Drago said evenly. "All you must ensure is that your army can access shade during the Demonic Hours -"

"There is no shade between these d.a.m.ned Woods and Carlon!"

"Carry it with you."

"Carry it with me? Carry it with me? Shall I uproot these trees, then, and carry them with me?"

"A cloth against the sun or moon is all you require, Zared. Perhaps stretched over poles. The most basic of tents, enough to shelter you and your horses."

"A tent? How am I supposed to get enough material -"

"I can give you what you need to move your army," Isfrael said.

Zared's eyes widened. "Do you have a thousand bolts of cloth secreted somewhere?"

"You will be surprised by what I and mine have secreted within these trees."

Zared almost pressed Isfrael, then realised there was no point. "I thank you," he said, then looked back to Drago.

"I have spoken as I did through anger," he said. "Anger and frustration. Drago, Prince of the House of the Stars, I will give you everything I can and then more, but only if you can provide my people this Sanctuary.

If I watch them shrivel and die because you are wrong, if I watch this land desecrated into nothingness because you are wrong, then know now that I will curse you for all eternity."

"If I am wrong, then I will deserve to be so cursed," Drago said, "and I will embrace it for all eternity. But for now, you will do as I say."

Zared stared at him, remembering again the all-consuming scent of lilies, and he nodded.

As the meeting broke up, Drago moved to speak with StarDrifter and Zenith.

* 153 .

"Zenith," he said low, "I need to know what happened in your battle with Niah. How exactly did you expel her?"

Zenith exchanged a glance with StarDrifter, then told Drago of how Faraday had found her in the shadowlands. Moving back towards the Island of Mist and Memory, where lay Niah, Zenith had eventually forced the Niah-soul into the baby girl that the shared body carried.

"And then?" Drago asked.

Zenith took a deep breath, her eyes stricken with the memory. "Then I forced the child from my body, and killed her."

"And then!" Drago said.

"WolfStar took the corpse," StarDrifter said, sliding a protective arm about Zenith. "Drago, why push Zenith on this? It is over and done with."

Drago rubbed his eyes. "No," he said quietly. "It is only just beginning. WolfStar is in the waterways. He is moving between the craft - with the baby's corpse."

"But why?" Zenith said.

"I think he seeks to reconst.i.tute her in the same way that the TimeKeepers look to -"

"No!" Zenith cried.

"And the Demons?" StarDrifter asked. "How is it possible that WolfStar can -"

Drago looked him directly in the eye. "I think the Demons are allowing him to do it. I do not know the 'why' of it, but I most certainly do not like it."

* 154 * The Donkeys' Tantrum Leagh walked slowly among the trees, smiling at the groups of soldiers she pa.s.sed. Sometimes she found it difficult to believe over thirty thousand were sheltered in these Woods. Separated by the trees into small groups, the entire army seemed to merge into the gloom.

She stopped by one lieutenant. "Jaspar, has the Prince Askam pa.s.sed this way?"

"Through there, my lady." Jaspar, one of Askam's command, was not quite sure what to call Leagh.

Princess or Queen? What did his allegiance dictate? And who did he owe his allegiance to? Askam ... or Zared?

Leagh almost walked off in the direction Jaspar indicated, then paused. "Jaspar, the Prince Drago -" why was it that no-one had thought to accord him his proper t.i.tle, either? "- has just said something that I think is very pertinent. Tencendor can no longer let petty rivalries and bigotries continue to tear it asunder. If nothing else, Jaspar, give Zared your loyalty because Caelum has asked it of you."

Jaspar nodded unhappily, and Leagh sighed, and turned away.

She found Askam standing among the horse lines, stroking the neck of his bay stallion.

"Askam?" Leagh walked up and smiled, giving the horse a 155.

pat herself. "I think the horses appreciate the gentle rest they find among these trees."

He didn't answer her, refusing to even meet her eyes.

"Askam..." Leagh's voice almost broke, and she had to clear her throat. "Askam, we are tied by blood so close that nothing should come between us. Please -"

He turned to stare at her. "Zared has come between us, sister. You gave him the West when you decided to run away with him and marry him against all wishes. You, only you, denuded me of my heritage."

Leagh dropped her eyes, burying her fingers in the glossy coat of the horse in an effort to find strength. "I apologise with every beat of my heart for that deception. But Askam ..." She raised her eyes, and now they were bright with tears. "Askam, it was what our people wanted, too. Can't you understand that? Carlon rang with joy when Zared rode in -"

"He must have paid them to -"

"Oh, d.a.m.n you to everlasting torment in the Bogle Marshes, Askam! No-one can pay for unfeigned joy! It is freely given, not purchased! I struggled for weeks myself, not knowing what to do, thinking that I had betrayed you for love of Zared -"

"You had!"

"- but what he did was not through blind ambition, Askam, but for the people of the Acharite -"

"Yow are blind, Leagh, to so argue. G.o.ds! The man took you because through you he could gain control of the West. Of Achar. And now? Now he has virtual control of Tencendor while Caelum meditates in Star Finger!"

Askam was shouting now, his hazel eyes furious, his cheeks flushed. "No! What am I saying? That eternal traitor Drago has control of Tencendor. Leagh, / cannot believe what I witnessed therel Everyone from erstwhile Enchanters to the be-twigged Isfrael himself rolled over to let him scratch their bellies. What are they going to do next? Learn to crouch before him and beg for morsels from his plate? What about 156*

Caelum for the G.o.ds' sakes? He is the one to whom they owe their ultimate loyalty."

Leagh tried one last time. "If there is one thing I have learned over the past months, Askam, it is that people will willingly tear out their hearts for a man who will do rather than expect."

"I expected loyalty," Askam said flatly, "and I received nothing but treachery. Even from my sister, who I should have been able to trust more than anyone else. But you? You prost.i.tuted yourself for a crown."

Leagh flinched. She tried to think of something to say, then finally turned her back and walked away.

Askam watched her disappear among the trees, then stood by his horse thinking for a long time. Eventually he retraced his steps until he found Jaspar, and the sergeant-at-arms now standing with him.

"My friends," he said, "I need to have a word with you. It seems we find ourselves among a nest of traitors.

If you care for your wife and children, waiting, vulnerable in Carlon, then you will listen well to what I have to say."

Drago and Faraday did not linger. They told Zared they needed to move north as soon as they could.

"Deal with whatever you find as best you can, Zared," Drago said.

"And this Sanctuary?" "I will send word as soon as I can."

"Do not delay it, Drago."

"Be prepared, Zared."

Zared sighed. "Do you need supplies?"

Drago nodded. "I would appreciate it. Who knows what we will be able to scavenge from the plains?"

"Why not stay within the forest for a while?"

"We need to move fast, Zared."

As do you. The words hung between them, and Zared stared at Drago a moment before moving off.

157*

Drago smoothed his hair with both hands, wis.h.i.+ng he had the time and opportunity to bathe and shave.

G.o.ds! How many days since he'd been able to shave? He ran a hand over the stubble on his chin, and grimaced. Enchanted forests were all very well, but Drago truly thought he would gladly bargain one of Faraday's donkeys for an hour in a marbled and steamy bathroom.

As if in direct response to his thought, there was an indignant bray to one side, and Drago turned to look.

Faraday had gone to harness the donkeys to the blue cart - but with obvious lack of success.

Leather harness lay strewn about the clearing, and the cart itself had somehow lost a wheel and was leaning drunkenly to one side. As Drago watched, it creaked, trembled, and then fell apart completely.

Faraday jumped back, tripped over one of the harness collars lying on the ground, and fell over.

Drago walked over and helped her to her feet. "What's going on?"

"I ... I don't know!" Faraday raised both hands, then let them fall helplessly to her sides again.

The donkeys had retreated several paces, and were now staring at both Drago and Faraday with patent stubbornness. For his part, Drago studied Faraday. Over the past two weeks since he'd returned through the Star Gate, he'd never seen her anything but calm and sure of herself. Now her cheeks were flushed, her hair in disarray, and her eyes bright - with tears, Drago realised with a start.

"Faraday?" She jumped as a soft hand fell on her shoulder. Zenith.

As Drago had done, Zenith stared about her, unable to believe what she was seeing. The donkeys adored Faraday. They had comforted her during the time Faraday had planted out Minstrelsea, and Zenith herself had seen their devotion to the woman on their trip from Ysbadd to the Ancient Barrows.

* 158*