Orcs First Blood - Legion Of Thunder Part 11

'That's as well. For in my service a responsibility s.h.i.+rked leads directly to consequences. And they aren't of an especially pleasant na-ture.'

'I only make the point that dragons can be an erratic weapon, Maj-esty. They have notoriously obstinate wills.'

'Then perhaps I should find a dam more capable of bending them.'

Glozellan said nothing.

'I thought I'd made my wishes clear,' Jennesta went on, 'but it seems I need to repeat myself. This is for your ears too, General.' Mersadion stiffened. 'Do not delude yourselves that there is any cause more vital than locating and returning to me the artifact stolen by the Wol-verines.'

'It might help, Majesty,' Glozellan said, 'if we knew what this ar-tifact was, and why-'

The sound of a weighty slap echoed off the stone walls. Glozellan's head whipped to one side under the impact. She staggered and raised a hand to her reddening cheek. A thin dribble of blood snaked from the corner of her mouth.

'Markthat on account,' Jennesta told her, eyes blazing. 'You've asked before about the item I seek, and I repeat what I said then: it is none of your concern. There'll be more and worse if you persist with insubordination.'

Glozellan returned her gaze with a silent, lofty stare.

'All available resources will be devoted to the search,' the queen declared. 'And if you two don't give me what I want, I'll be looking for a new General and a new Mistress of Dragons. You might dwell on the form your . . .retirement would take. Now get out.'

When they'd gone, Jennesta vowed to herself that she would be having a much more direct hand in things from now on. But she put that aside for the time being. There was something else on her mind. Something that greatly displeased her.Using another, less obvious door, she left the strategy room and descended a narrow, winding staircase. Footfalls reverberating, she trod subterranean pa.s.sages to her private quarters in the bowels of the palace. Ore guards came to attention by the door as she swept in.

Others were busy inside the s.p.a.cious chamber, lugging buckets to a large, shallow wooden tub reinforced with metal hasps. They finished the ch.o.r.e while she stood impatiently watching. Once they were dis-missed she settled by the tub and rippled her fingers through its tepid contents.

The blood seemed adequate for her needs, but she was vexed to discover that a few small pieces of flesh had been left in it. Whenadvocating this particular fluid as a medium, the ancients had been quite clear on it being as pure as possible. She made a mental note to remind the guards about the need for filtering, and to have a thras.h.i.+ng admin-istered to underline the point.

As the blood's surface was already thickening, she undertook the necessary incantations and entreaties. The glutinous ruby broth hardened further and took on a burnished look. At length a small area palpitated, swirled sluggishly and formed the semblance of a face.

'You choose the d.a.m.nedest moments, Jennesta,' the likeness com-plained. 'This is nota good time.'

'You lied to me, Adpar.'

'About what?'

'About that which was taken from me.'

'Oh, no, not that doleful subject again.'

'Did you or did you not tell me that you knew nothing about the artifact I've been seeking?'

'What you've been looking for I have no knowledge of. End of conversation.'

'No, hold. I have ways, Adpar. Ways, and eyes looking out for me. And what I now know fits only with my artifact.'

She grew thoughtful. 'Either that or . . .'

'I feel one of your bizarre fancies coming on, dear.'

'It's another, isn't it? You haveanother!'

'I'm sure I don't know what-'

'You deceitful b.i.t.c.h! You've been h.o.a.rding one in secret!'

'I'm not saying I did or I didn't.'

'That's as good as an admission coming from you.'

'Look, Jennesta, it is possible that I had something notdissimilarto what you're looking for, but that's history now. It was stolen.'

'Just like mine. How convenient. You don't expect me to believe that?'

'Idon't give a d.a.m.n whether you believe it or not! Instead of per-secuting me about your obsessions you should be concentrating on find-ing the thieves. If anybody's playing with fire, they are!'

'Then youdo know the object's significance! The significance of all of them!'

'I just know it has to be something extreme for you to get so worked up about it.'

A small eruption disturbed the dark red, coagulated skin. Another face formed and a new voice was added. 'She's right, Jennesta.'

Adpar and Jennesta groaned simultaneously.

'Stayout of this, prodnose!'Adpar snapped.

'Why can we never have a conversation without you b.u.t.ting in, Sanara?' Jennesta grumbled.

'You know why, sister; the bond is too close.'

'More's the pity,'muttered Adpar.

'This is no time for the usual petty squabbling,'Sanara cautioned. 'The reality is that a group of orcs have at least one of the instru-mentalities. How can they possibly understand their awesome power?'

'What do you mean, at least one?' Jennesta said.

'Do you know for certain they haven't? Events are moving apace. We are entering a period when all things are possible.'

'I've got it under control.'

'Really?'Sanara commented sceptically.

'Don't mind me,'Adpar sniffed, 'I've only got my own war to fight. I've plenty of time to sit here listening to you two swapping riddles.'

'Perhaps you don't know what I'm talking about, Adpar, but Jennesta does. What she needs to understand is that the power should be harnessed for good, not evil, lest complete destruction be brought down on all of us.'

'Oh,please,' Jennesta hissed sarcastically, 'not Sanara the martyr again.'

'Think of me what you will, I'm used to it. Just don't underesti-mate what's about to be unleashed now the game's afoot.'

'To h.e.l.l with the pair of you!' Jennesta exclaimed, petulantly slash-ing her hand through the layer of crusty blood. The images disintegrated.

She sat there for some time going over everything in her mind, and it was indicative of her character that she gave no credence to Sanara having a valid point, or giving Adpar the benefit of the doubt. Rather she resolved that the time was near to do something about at least one of her troublesome siblings.

Mostly she burned at the thought of all the trouble the Wolverines had brought down on her. And of the punishment she would exact for it.Haskeer was still not sure if he was travelling in the right direction. He wasn't even entirely aware of his surroundings, and he was indifferent to the worsening northern climate.

All that was real to him was the singing in his head. It drove him mercilessly, impelling him further and faster on a bearing which, if he thought about it at all, he trusted would take him to Cairnbarrow.

The trail he followed dipped into a wooded valley. He galloped on without hesitation, gaze fixed straight ahead.

About halfway through, at the valley's lowest point, water had set-tled and formed an expanse of mud. The path was narrower too, bringing the growth on either side nearer, which despite the wintry conditions was still quite dense. He had to slow to a canter, much to his irritation.

As he picked his way through the bog, he heard a soughing noise on the right. Then a creaking swish. He turned and caught a glimpse of something speeding towards him. There was no time to react. The object struck him with a tremendous crack and he toppled from the horse.

Lying dazed in the mud, he looked up and saw what had hit him. It was a length of tree trunk, still swinging, suspended by stout ropes to a strong overhead branch. Someone in cover had launched it at him like a ram.

Aching, badly winded, he was only thinking of getting up when rough hands were laid on him. He had an impression of black garbed humans. They set to punching and kicking him. Unable to fight back, the best he could do was cover his face with his hands.

They hauled him to his feet and took his weapons. The pouch was ripped from his belt. His hands were bound behind his back.

Through the agony, Haskeer focused on a figure that had appeared in front of him.

'Are you sure he's secure?' Kimball Hobrow asked.

'He's secure,' a custodian confirmed.

Another henchman pa.s.sed Haskeer's pouch to the preacher. He looked inside and his face lit with joy. Or it might have been avarice.

Thrusting in his hand he brought out the stars and gleefully held them aloft. The relic, and another to match! It was more than I dared hope. The Lord is with us this day.' He threw up his arms. Thank you, Lord, for returning what is ours! And for delivering this creature to us, the instruments of Your justice!'

Hobrow scowled at the orc. 'You will be punished for your wrongs, savage, in the name of the Supreme Being.'

Haskeer's head was clearing a little. The singing had faded and been replaced by this ranting human lunatic. He couldn't move or get his hands free. But there was one thing he could do.

He spat in Hebrew's face.

The preacher leapt back as though scalded, his expression horrified. He began rubbing at his face with the back of his sleeve and muttering, 'Unclean, unclean.'

When he was through, he asked again, 'Are you sure he's well bound?'

His followers a.s.sured him. Hobrow came forward, balled his fistand delivered several blows to Haskeer's stomach, yelling, 'You will pay for your disrespect to a servant of the Lord!'

Haskeer had taken worse. A lot worse. The punches were quite feeble, in fact. But the custodians, probably realising how ineffective their leader's efforts were, also started laying into him.

Over the beating he heard Hobrow shout, 'Remember the lost hunt-ing party! There could be more of his kind around!

We must leave here!'

Barely conscious, Haskeer was dragged away.

Alfray and his half of the Wolverines journeyed in the direction of Calyparr Inlet for most of the day without incident.

He had used his authority to confer a temporary field promotion on Kestix, one of the band's more able grunts. In effect, this meant Kestix acted as a kind of honorary second-in-command. It also meant Alfray had somebody to pa.s.s the time with on a nearly equal basis.

As they rode westward, through the yellowing gra.s.slands of the plains, he sounded out Kestix about the mood in the ranks.

'Concerned, of course, sir,' the trooper replied. 'Or perhaps worried would be a better word.'

'You're not alone in that.'

Things have changed so much and so fast, Corporal. It's like we've been swept along with no time to think.'

'Everything's changing,' Alfray agreed. 'Maras-Dantia's changing. Maybe it's finished. Because of the humans.'

'Since the humans came, yes. They've upset it all, the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds.'

'But take heart. We could make a difference yet, if we carry out our captain's plan successfully.'

'Begging your pardon, Corporal, but what does that mean?'

'Eh?'

'Well, we all know it's important for us to find these star things, only . . .why?'

Alfray was nonplussed. 'What are you getting at, trooper?'

'We still don't know what they do, what they're for. Do we, Cor-poral?'

That's true. But apart from any . . . let's say any magical power they might command, we do know they have another kind of power. Others want them. In the case of our late mistress, Jennesta, powerful others. Maybe that gives us an edge.'

Alfray turned to check the column while Kestix digested that. When he righted himself, there was another question.

'If you don't mind me asking, how do you see our mission to Drogan, Corporal? Do we go straight in and try to grab the star?''No. We get as near to this Keppatawn's village as possible and observe. If things don't look too hostile, we might see about parleying. But basically we watch and wait for the rest of the band to turn up.'

Hesitantly, Kestix asked, 'You think they will?'

Alfray found that mildly shocking. 'Don't be defeatist, trooper,' he replied, a bit sternly. 'We have to believe we'll rejoin with Stryke's party.'

'I meant no disrespect to the captain,' the grunt quickly affirmed. 'It's just that things don't seem in our control any more.'

'I know. But trust Stryke.' He fleetingly wondered if that was good advice. Not that he didn't think Stryke was to be trusted. It was just that he couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that their commander might have bitten off more than he could chew.

His reverie was cut through by shouts from the column, and Kestix yelling, 'Corporal! Look, sir!'

Alfray gazed ahead and saw a convoy of four wagons, drawn by oxen, coming round a bend ahead. The trail the orcs and the wagons were on ran through a low gully with sloping sides. One party or the other would have to give way. It wasn't yet possible to make out the wagons' occupants.

Several thoughts ran through Alfray's mind. The first was that if his band turned around it was bound to attract attention. Not to mention that it wasn't in the nature of orcs to run. His other thought was that if whatever was in the wagons proved hostile, they were unlikely to num-ber many more than his company. He didn't see that as insuperable odds.

'Chances are these are just beings going peacefully about their busi-ness,' he told Kestix.

'What if they're Unis?'