The Commanding Stone Part 13

"That's how they're getting so many soldiers!" said Balandrick.

"Yes," said Zaephos. "A brief march takes them from the far side of the sea to this continent."

"Are you here to help us fight the Adversary?" asked Gerin.

"Not directly. There are laws that govern what I may and may not do. But I will give you what guidance and counsel I may."

Later, alone in his tent, Gerin thought about what Zaephos had said. The news that Gerin's creation of Nimnahal was partly responsible for the Adversary gaining power faster than he would have otherwise was devastating. What have I done? he wondered, unable to sleep. Every choice I make, no matter how well-intentioned, goes awry. The guilt and self-doubt that had gripped him after his failure with the Baryashin spell and Reshel's death returned with renewed fury. He felt paralyzed, unsure of every decision. Was this journey to the Watchtowers also destined to end in disaster? Was he sending them all headlong to their doom?

Once more he missed Reshel keenly, with a palpable, physical ache. She would know what to say to help him recover his courage, his determination, his certainty in the rightness of his choices. Something that now, in the dead silence of night, he could not find for himself.

Elaysen was stunned upon meeting Zaephos the next morning. When she was told who and what he was, she began interrogating him with the ferocity of a high inquisitor, asking him questions about the One G.o.d, the strictures of dalar-aelom, the role of emissaries, the heresies of Aidrel, and more.

Zaephos listened to her questions with a decided lack of urgency or interest.

Gerin watched as Elaysen grew agitated with the lack of answers from the One G.o.d's messenger. He either ignored her questions outright or offered unhelpful comments, such as, "It is not for me to reveal such knowledge."

At one point, after receiving that answer for the fourth or fifth time, she threw up her hands and groaned in frustration. "Then why are you here?"

"As I told the others last night, I have come to experience this existence as mortals do."

"But why won't you answer my questions?"

"Because they are questions you need to answer for yourself."

She faced him squarely. "Will you answer this for me? You said to King Gerin once that even a prophet may not fully understand what he is shown. What is it my father does not understand? What has he done wrong?"

"That is something I cannot answer. That message was for Gerin."

"Cannot or will not?"

"That is all I will say."

They kept their course close to the southern border of Threndellen. The lands were less populated, and should they find themselves confronting overwhelming military odds, they could flee back into Khedesh relatively quickly. It was Balandrick's intent to continue on this path until they reached the Redhorn Hills before angling their path more to the northwest, toward the Ozul Mountains and the Hollow, where the Watchtowers stood in their millennial silence.

"We've been lucky," Balandrick said to Gerin one night. "I must say I'm surprised we've come so far without running into anyone."

"It's a big country," said Abaru. "Even with all of these soldiers, we're still just a speck in the wilderness."

"Don't forget that the Havalqa are farther to the east," said Hollin. "Their presence may have drawn off some of the fighting men from all across the country. Most of the castles and fortresses we've seen looked relatively empty."

The company was riding across an open field hemmed to the south with a low line of tree-capped hills, when arrows began to rain down upon them. One Taeraten caught a shaft in his neck, just above his mail shirt, and tumbled from his horse.

Instantly the other soldiers angled their shields and formed a protective cordon around Gerin. Arrows clanged against steel and caromed off armor. Gerin and the wizards formed Wardings to protect the company, overlapping their spells to achieve a wide area of coverage.

The attackers were among the trees atop the line of hills. Balandrick shouted orders for the Taeratens to charge up the slopes and kill whomever they found. Elaysen hurried to the wounded soldier and implored him to be still so she could tend to him.

A third of the men broke away and galloped toward the hills, hunched low behind shields and their horses' armored necks and heads. The wizards raised their Wardings to allow them to pa.s.s.

Gerin saw movement in the trees. He created a Fa.r.s.eeing but could not discern much. He could not make out if the men who'd attacked them were regular soldiers or a band of locals who'd foolishly decided to attempt to drive off a company of well-armed and well-trained men riding through their lands.

"Your Majesty, I think we should retreat to a more secure location," said Balandrick. "We're in the open here, exposed on all sides."

The Taeratens disappeared into the trees. "Not just yet, Balan. We've erected some protections of our own, though you can't see them. We're quite safe."

Balandrick looked displeased, but resigned himself to Gerin's wishes. "As you say, Your Majesty."

The distance and the trees m.u.f.fled any sounds of battle. Gerin strained his hearing, but even his sensitive ears could not make out anything.

A single rider emerged from the trees a short while later. He kept his horse to a quick trot as he crossed the field.

"Your Majesty, Captain Balandrick, the enemy has been routed," the man announced after a quick salute. "They look to be a band of outlaws. Poorly trained, though a few fought well. We killed most of them, but a handful managed to reach their horses and made off. Commander Gertheles decided not to give pursuit. If you decide otherwise, Your Majesty, I'll relay the message to him and we'll give chase."

"No. There's no need for us to spend time hunting down outlaws in Threndellen."

Zaephos had watched the exchange with a stoic expression. It seemed to annoy Balandrick.

"If we'd been attacked by trained soldiers, would you have helped us?" he asked the messenger of the One G.o.d.

"No." Zaephos did not bother to look at Balandrick when he replied, but it did not seem to Gerin to be a slight or a sign of contempt. Zaephos was watching four deer running in the distance and did not want to shift his attention away from them.

Balandrick looked shocked by the answer. "No? You would do nothing?"

His eyes still on the deer, Zaephos said, "There is nothing I could do."

"Doesn't a G.o.d's messenger have magic or power of some kind?"

"I do not use magic. That is a mortal power, consigned to this realm and those who dwell within it. My power springs from beyond, in the realm of the divine." The deer had vanished from sight, and finally Zaephos turned to faced Balandrick. "Divine power is not for use in the mortal world. When I a.s.sumed this mortal form, I severed myself from much of my divine nature. This body could not endure the might of my native power. Even if I were to destroy this form and grasp my divine energy, you would be destroyed along with your enemies. It is too potent. As I told you, there are laws that bind even such as me. Laws the Adversary seeks to overthrow."

"Do you enjoy this mortal form?" asked Abaru.

"I am intrigued by this experience," he replied. "It was difficult and costly for me to a.s.sume it, and if this body were destroyed, it would be a long time before I could enter the mortal realm again."

The Taeratens appeared atop the hills. It did not look as if they had lost a single soldier.

Gerin saw that they'd taken a captive. A lone figure, hands bound together at the wrists, which were in turn connected to one of the Taeraten saddles with a length of rope, ran along behind them, barely managing to keep from falling and being dragged.

G.o.ds above, it's a woman! Gerin realized when they got a little closer.

Commander Gertheles saluted Gerin and bowed his head. "Your Majesty, my men dispatched the enemy. All are dead but seven or eight who fled on horseback."

"Who is your prisoner?"

Gertheles grinned. "Ah, Your Majesty, she's a feisty one. Handy with knives. Almost took poor Karhl's head off throwing one from thirty feet away. If he'd got his shield up a second slower..." He drew his finger across his throat. "Mengol managed to swing around behind her and kick her in the back to knock her down, then jumped off his horse and pinned her. I guess I should say tried to pin her, since she flipped him on his back and broke his nose with her elbow before he knew what hit him." The commander barked a laugh.

"Wasn't funny, sir," said Mengol, whose mashed nose was still leaking blood. "I was trying not to hurt her. She just got away from me, is all. Slippery, like she was greased up."

"You were lucky Pelli was there to save your sorry hide," said the commander. "Corporal Pelli threw himself on her as she was getting to her feet. He just laid on top of her until some of the others could come over and get her tied up all nice and tight. We took the rest of her knives, too. Decent weapons. She had thirteen on her, if you can believe it."

"Bring her here, Commander," said Gerin. He needed to decide what to do with her.

She was brought to him, hands still bound, flanked by two Taeratens, with a third behind her.

She started at Gerin proudly, defiantly. Her thick red hair was bound with a strip of cloth across her forehead and tied again at the base of her neck, though in the attack much of it had pulled loose and hung down wildly across her face.

She wore tight-fitting pants tucked into knee-high leather boots. Thin strips of leather wound about her thighs; tucked into the strips of leather were knife sheaths. The gentle curve of her hips narrowed to a slender waist, cinched with a belt from which dangled more sheaths. She wore an open-collared tunic beneath a leather vest.

"Answer my questions truthfully and you may yet live," said Gerin. "I have no use for you if you lie or defy me. A simple question first. Who are you?"

Her eyes narrowed a little with suspicion. "You are not the king's men. You speak like a Khedeshian."

"Do not try my patience. Answer me, or this conversation-and you life-will come to a swift end."

She spat blood onto the ground. "My name is Nyene Isadoura." She stared at him coldly, still full of defiance. He saw no fear in her.

"And who were your companions? Outlaws?"

Her expression darkened with fury. "They're fools. I told him that attacking you was absurd. I told him to wait at least until night, but that idiot Loar never listens to a word I say, and the other fools follow his inane advice without question. I hope the wh.o.r.eson is dead. He is a disaster."

"You did not answer my second question."

"We are the Hael Kouref. We fight the king's dogs who stole our lands and drove our families from our homes."

"As you noted, we do not serve King Kua'tani," said Gerin.

She spat more blood. "You are Khedeshians. You have no right to be in our lands."

"We are only pa.s.sing through, Nyene Isadoura. If you had not attacked us, we would have left you alone."

"Now who is the one telling lies?"

One of the soldiers cuffed the side of her face. "Watch your tongue," he growled.

She glared murderously at the soldier, then returned her gaze to Gerin. "And who are you that I should believe what you say?"

"Who I am and what we are doing is of no concern to you. But I believe you have been truthful, and for that I grant you your life. You'll accompany us. I'll release you when we reach the northern border of Threndellen, provided you attempt no treachery before then. And do not try to escape. If you do, your punishment will be swift, and final. I guarantee you cannot get away from us before we wish it. There are wizards among us."

"I'm not such a fool as to believe your lies."

"Fortunately, your lack of belief does not change the facts. You'll find out for yourself soon enough."

"You'll never make it through our country."

"Then you'll suffer whatever fate befalls us."

15.

They buried the soldier who'd been struck with an arrow in the neck. Elaysen was joined by Hollin soon after the Taeratens charged the hills, but the man's injury was too severe. Nyene was given his horse, though her hands remained tied and leashed to a Taeraten who rode close beside her.

That night, Abaru worked a Binding spell on the Threndish woman to prevent her from moving while she slept. "What has happened to me?" she cried out in alarm as she lay on the ground.

"A precaution to ensure you don't sneak off," said Gerin.

"How did you do this?" She seemed close to panic.

"I told you, there are wizards among us. One of them has put a spell upon you. Struggling against it is pointless."

Gerin watched her ignore his advice and strain against the invisible bonds.

"You're just going to grow exhausted, but if that's how you want to spend the night, enjoy yourself. I'm going to get some sleep."

She swore at him as he walked away.

For a few days Nyene was mostly silent, answering only the most basic questions put to her by Gerin or one of the wizards. The soldiers did not speak to her except to issue orders; even Balan had no interest in her other than ensuring that she did not escape or interfere with their plans.

"So why must Khedeshians come to the great land of Threndellen?" she asked one evening. It was the first question she'd posed since they set out after the battle. "What is it we have that you feel you must steal?"

"We're not going to steal anything," said Gerin. "And our destination is not in Threndellen."

"Then you are either lying or very lost," she said. "There is nothing to the north except the Landwall Mountains, and our border runs to their foothills."

"The Hollow is not claimed by the Threndish," said Gerin.

"There is nothing in the Hollow but dark spirits and shadows," she said.

"Then you don't have to worry about us stealing anything from it."

"Why did you say 'the great land of Threndellen'?" asked Elaysen. "I thought you hated your country."

Nyene looked at Gerin. "Is she your wh.o.r.e?"

Elaysen let out a gasp of shock as her face reddened. "I am no such thing! I'm a healer!"

"You are as stupid as some of the wh.o.r.es I have met. I do not hate my country. I love my country. Threndellen is the greatest nation in the world. What I hate is our king, an inbred monstrosity who should have been strangled with his umbilical cord the moment his neck emerged from his mother's diseased womb. I will fight him until he is overthrown and his foul carca.s.s fed to the dogs, or until I am dead. Until one of those things happens, there will be no peace."

"You said before he was stealing your land," said Gerin. "What for?"

"Because these regions are some of the richest in our country. The wh.o.r.eson Kua'tani was not content with making himself rich from the jewels and gold we sent him. No, that was not enough. He wanted the mines for himself, and so he sent his men to drive us off so he could claim them as his own. He murdered hundreds of my people." Her voice had gone flat, cold. "Others he forced to work the mines and build him a palace atop the Surbal Heights with a view of the valley below.

"That is what brought the Hael Kouref into existence. We fight against the injustices of our mad king. That is what your men destroyed." She could not keep the bitterness from her last words.