03 Sky Knight (3 page)

‘Then we are alone?’ the mayor said.

‘The army is a few days march from here,’ Nimbus went on. ‘We need to move up into the mountains right away. Take what few things you will need for the journey. Food and water. Leave the rest behind.’

‘Now, just wait,’ the mayor said, but he was silenced when Captain Obsidian emerged from the crowd and put a firm hand on his arm.

‘Mr Mayor, we are leaving,’ the captain said, sternly. He raised his voice to address the crowd. ‘Everybody. The Wing Warrior has spoken. Now the choice is yours. Stay if you wish, but he will not be able to protect you here. Those of you who want to live, pack quickly.’

The crowd dispersed, until only Sky, Obsidian, and the soldiers of the Landmark garrison remained in the square. Of them all, only Obsidian was able to mask his fear.

‘Thanks for supporting me,’ Nimbus said, climbing down from Cumulo’s back.

‘The mayor does not always think things through properly. You are doing the right thing,’ Obsidian said.

‘I hope so. I’m not happy about abandoning both Flint Lock and Landmark in a single night.’

‘It is a time when hard choices must be made. You make them well.’

‘It doesn’t feel that way. It feels like I’m letting everyone down.’

Obsidian moved nearer, so close that only Nimbus could hear his growled words. ‘One more remark like that, and I’ll clip you round the ear myself. You are the Wing Warrior. People need you to lead them, so lead them.’

Nimbus laughed openly. ‘You know, with you around, my dad never seems that far away.’

For a moment Obsidian seemed taken aback, caught off guard by such a grand comparison. He rallied quickly, putting on his best serious scowl, and getting back down to the business at hand. ‘So, what is your plan, Lord Nimbus?’

‘Plan?’

Cumulo nudged Nimbus with his snout. Nimbus cleared his throat awkwardly.

‘Yes, the plan. Of course. I was thinking you and your men could lead the villagers up into the mountains. They will need your protection. I was also hoping you might be able to spare a man or two to stay at the village for as long as possible, just in case a messenger from the city comes here, or in case...’

‘Your father comes back? Of course. Private Silver and Private Meadow will remain here until the threat to their safety becomes too great. But what about you?’

‘Cumulo and I will be doing everything we can to slow that army. We won’t be able to stop it, but we might be able to buy you a bit more time.’

‘That sounds dangerous,’ Sky said, slipping her hand into Nimbus’s. ‘Do you have to?’

Nimbus shrugged, and hoped his blushes weren’t visible in the gloom. ‘It’s my job. The people will expect it.’

‘But...’

‘Sky, I just...’

‘Nim...’

‘I mean...’

They both stopped and looked at each other.

‘Well, I have a lot of work to do, so I’ll just be getting on,’ Obsidian grinned, heading towards the garrison building and motioning for his men to do the same. Even Cumulo ambled away, positioning himself on the western edge of the village perimeter, where he could watch the distant flames of the fort burning an orange halo into the sky.

Suddenly Nimbus and Sky were totally alone: Two small shadows in the oppressive dark of the night. Nimbus realised his hands had started to sweat, particularly the one Sky was holding, and he hoped she didn’t think it was too gross.

‘Your dad wasn’t at the fort then?’ she asked.

‘No. They’d already moved him somewhere else.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘It’s okay. My dad’s tough, he’ll just have to look after himself for a while.’

‘So who looks after you?’

‘I’ve got Cumulo.’

‘And me.’ Sky let go of his hand. ‘I need to speak with my dad. Make sure you say goodbye before you go.’

‘Of course.’

She darted forward, kissed him on the cheek, and then ran to her house.

Nimbus touched his cheek, where Sky’s lips had brushed his skin. He felt all weird and warm inside, like he had just eaten a bowl of hot porridge on a cold morning.

‘That is so sweet,’ a soft voice said, close to his ear. Moments later, a tall man in a purple cloak emerged from the shadows.

‘Oh, it’s you,’ Nimbus said.

The vampyr smiled, an expression that, depending on the outlook of the person at whom it was directed, could have been considered a malevolent sneer or an open grin of friendliness. ‘What way is that to greet an old friend?’

‘I don’t recall you being a friend.’

‘Business partner, then. I see you got the unicorn back to your sister in time.’

‘Have you seen her?’

‘No, no. Not at all. How’s that sword working out for you?’

‘It’s a fine sword.’

‘I am sure it will save your life one day, as it has saved mine on many occasions.’

The vampyr drew closer. Nimbus stood his ground bravely, trying not to grimace as he inhaled the stale, graveyard smell of the vampyr’s breath on his face.

‘Why have you come here?’ Nimbus asked. ‘I will not allow you to harm any of my people.’

‘I have no intention of harming anyone. As long as you have no intention of going back on your word.’

‘We have an arrangement,’ Nimbus said. ‘I have not forgotten.’

‘Indeed. Yet how are you going to kill the necromancer if you are running off into the mountains? It seems to me, you are not intending to finish what you started.’

‘I will finish it.’ Nimbus squared up to the vampyr, spitting his words aggressively. ‘You released the unicorn, you gave me the sword. I said I would kill the necromancer, and I will. But in my own time.’

‘You appear to be running out of time, Lord Wing Warrior. With every day, he gathers more soldiers, more bodyguards. The longer you wait, the more impossible your task becomes.’

‘My primary concern is keeping these villagers alive. Crow’s army is advancing even as we speak.’

‘Your priorities are all wrong.’

‘Don’t push me, Vampyr.’

‘Or what?’

Nimbus swallowed hard, nervously gripping the piece of tower stone he wore around his neck, and ignoring the muffled ‘Too tight!’ from the captain confined within.

‘Do not think that because we have a deal, I have not ruled out killing you too,’ the Wing Warrior said.

‘Wouldn’t dream of it,’ the vampyr smiled, his almond eyes glittering hungrily.

‘Good, as long as you understand. I am a Wing Warrior, and my first cause is to protect and serve everyone who needs my help. I will kill Crow when it suits me.’

‘I understand perfectly. But you must understand, I am watching you always.’

‘Threaten me all you like, Vampyr.’

‘I’m not threatening you. I’m threatening everyone you know.’ The vampyr towered over him, as intimidating as the great dragon Sorrow had been. ‘Kill the necromancer, or I will extract the most terrible vengeance on you that all my years of suffering can devise. Your people may be safe from Crow in the Grey Mountains, but remember that those mountains are mine, and no–one will be safe from me.’

CHAPTER THREE

‘The vampyr scares me,’ Nimbus told Cumulo, as they made their way down to the beach.

‘That’s exactly what he wants,’ Cumulo snorted, with disdain. ‘You should have called me. I would have ripped his head off and chewed on his bones.’

‘I’m not so sure, Cumulo. I’m not sure any of us here could have killed him.’

‘If he is so powerful, why doesn’t he just kill us all and be done with it?’

‘Because he is still technically dead, and that puts Crow at an advantage. He needs me to fight for him. But that doesn’t explain why he came here.’

‘Maybe he needs a hobby?’

‘Or maybe he’s scared too. If I don’t go through with my end of the deal, that leaves him in a very awkward position. After all, he did help me by giving me the unicorn.’

‘And that, in turn, puts you in quite a powerful position, wouldn’t you say?’

‘Caught between a necromancer and a vampyr. Oh yes, it’s a fantastic position to be in.’

‘Maybe you should just step back and let them deal with each other. If the vampyr is as anxious as you think, your delay might force him to do something stupid. You could end up giving him enough rope to hang himself.’

‘You can’t kill a vampyr with a noose.’

‘Maybe not. But it might stop him breathing down your neck for a while.’ Cumulo chuckled noisily at his own joke, almost drowning out Sky’s shouts as she came running down from the village to join them.

‘Hey, wait! Wait for me, where are you going?’

‘She likes you, you know?’ Cumulo muttered.

‘Of course she does, we’ve been friends since forever,’ Nimbus said.

‘That’s not what I meant.’

‘Wait for me!’ Sky gasped.

Nimbus and Cumulo waited. ‘Nice to see you again so soon,’ the dragon said, slyly.

‘How was your father?’ Nimbus asked.

A sad look came into Sky’s eyes. ‘He’s not making much sense right now. He’s had a few drinks at the tavern with his bull–headed friends.’

‘He’s drunk?’

‘He’s getting that way.’

‘This is hardly the time. You’ve all got a long march ahead of you, and it isn’t going to be safe in the Forbidden Woods.’

‘He doesn’t like the idea of leaving the village. It’s because of mum. She’s never coming back, but he keeps waiting.’

‘He will leave, won’t he?’

‘He will. But only because I’m not going to stay, and he couldn’t bear to let me go without him.’

‘Well, that’s good, because anybody left behind...’ Nimbus shook his head sadly, unable to find the words he needed.

Cumulo moved nearer, flicking his tongue at Sky. ‘Lord Nimbus means to say that we do not have the available resources to protect those who choose to remain behind. If you hear of anybody who doesn’t plan on moving, we would appreciate your assistance in convincing them that the mountains are not all that bad.’

‘Will you help us make sure everyone gets out?’ Nimbus added.

‘Of course I will. I only wish I could do more.’

Nimbus hesitated. ‘There is one other thing.’

‘What’s that?’

‘Make sure you stay safe.’

‘Nim, are you worried about me?’

‘Of course. I worry more about you than anybody.’ He took a deep, calming breath. ‘And I was kind of hoping that, if everything ever gets back to the way it was, maybe we might, I don’t know, if things are all sorted, and if it’s not too dangerous...’

Cumulo snorted, and gave him a helpful poke with one talon.

‘Nim?’ Sky asked, arching one eyebrow.

Nimbus shuffled his feet awkwardly. ‘Just stay safe.’

‘Oh.’ Sky swept her hair out of her face. She looked a little disappointed. ‘Okay. I’ll do that.’

Silence fell on the tiny group. The night felt empty, as if even the pixies, trolls, and gnomes had sought other places to be.

‘Was there some reason you came down here?’ Nimbus asked, clumsily.

‘Were you going to Tidal’s beach house?’ Sky asked.

‘He wasn’t at the village, and I wanted to make sure he got out with everyone else.’

‘You should know, Tide isn’t here any more. He came to me a few nights ago and told me he was living out on Serpent’s Coil.’

‘The island? He rowed all that way?’

‘No. He swam.’

‘The whole way?’

‘That’s what he said. He wanted me to go out there with him. He actually scared me a little bit.’

‘Is he out there now?’

‘I don’t know. I guess. I haven’t seen him since. You’re going to have to go out there to let him know what’s happening.’

‘I have other matters to attend to. Someone else will have to go.’

‘Who else is there? Cumulo could get you there in no time, probably before we could even find someone with a boat prepared to make the trip.’

‘She has a point,’ Cumulo said. ‘We have precious little time as it is.’

‘But the army is coming,’ Nimbus said, hopelessly.

‘He was your best friend,’ Sky said. ‘You should warn him to stay on the island where it’s safe. You owe him that much.’

Nimbus sighed heavily. She was right. Of course she was.

‘Okay,’ he said. ‘I’ll do it.’

Sky touched his hand. ‘There’s something else I should tell you. When Tidal came to me, something was different. He was different.’

‘What are you saying?’

‘I don’t know. I guess I’m saying you should be careful. Things are very different to the way they used to be.’

‘Tell me about it,’ Nimbus said, hauling himself onto Cumulo’s back. ‘Now get back to the village. Make sure you and your father are long gone before the trouble starts.’

‘And you make sure you come to find me soon. I miss you when you aren’t around.’

‘You do?’

Sky beamed, her most brilliant and beautiful smile. ‘You used to spend all your time with me, Glass, and Tide. I get jealous now everybody else wants to share you around.’

‘Good grief,’ Cumulo muttered, unfurling his wings and thrusting himself and his madly blushing rider up into the air, leaving Sky as a white, wonderful smudge on the beach below.

‘Did you hear that?’ Nimbus said. ‘She misses me. And she’s jealous.’

‘I already told you,’ Cumulo said. ‘She likes you.’

They soared above the Everlasting Ocean, darting between swirls of clouds that all looked like Sky’s face. ‘She’s never said anything to me,’ Nimbus said.

‘You’ve never said anything to her either,’ Cumulo said.

‘What do you mean?’

‘You like her too. You were going to ask her out back there.’

‘I...’

‘You are allowed to like girls, Nim. You should find a mate.’

‘A mate? I don’t even have a girlfriend, and you’re talking about finding a mate!’

They swooped low, so low that the tip of one of Cumulo’s wings brushed the surface of the ocean before they rose again. ‘You need to have children,’ the dragon said. ‘You are the last Wing Warrior, and you should make sure there are others to fill your place.’

‘In case I die, you mean?’

‘Exactly.’

Nimbus leaned down, so his chest was against Cumulo’s neck, and he patted the dragon’s side. ‘One step at a time, Cumulo. I’m way too young to think about becoming a dad.’