Blood Red Road (23 page)

I’ll jest hafta make sure that don’t happen, I says.

We shoot out onto open ground an there they are. Emmi, Maev, Ash an a bunch more Free Hawks waitin fer us with horses. They’ve cut out a big section of the tall palisade fence big enough fer us to git through. A back gate, jest like Maev said.

Jack grabs both my arms. Turns me to face him. It’ll happen if it’s meant to happen, he says. It’s all written in the stars. It’s all fate.

I don’t believe in the stars, I says. Not no more.

We’ll see about that. G’bye Angel. Before I know what he’s up to, he pulls me to him, gives me a quick hard kiss an then he’s off an runnin back the way we jest come.

I hold my hand to my tinglin lips an stare after him.

Saba! Emmi runs to me an I sweep her up. She throws her skinny little girl arms around my neck.

You all right? I says. She nods. Buries her face in my neck an squeezes so tight she jest about chokes me.

Where’s Nero? I says.

I dunno, she says. I ain’t seen him fer ages.

Saba! yells Ash. C’mon! We’re outta here!

They’re all climbin onto their horses. Maev’s holdin the bridle of a fine chestnut stallion with a broad chest. His name’s Hermes, she says to me. He’s fast.

I swing myself onto his back. Then I lean down an pull Emmi up to sit in front of me.

I see you found yer friend all right, says Maev. She hands
me a pistol crossbow an a quiver. Leather armbands. Gives me a sly little smile.

Yeah, I says. I feel my face flushin hot. I busy myself strappin on the armbands an slippin the bow over my head. Sorry, I says, I didn’t mean fer it to take so long. Listen Maev, thanks fer—

You can thank me later, she says, cuttin in. Let’s git outta this hellhole first. Heeya! She heels her horse in the flanks. Heeya!

Hold tight, Em, I says.

We stream through the gap in the palisade at a gallop an head north. Maev rides on my right side. Somebody pulls up on my left. It’s Epona. She shoots me a grin, her eyes sparkin.

Glad to see you made it, I says.

Likewise, she says. That was a nasty moment. Who’d of thought they’d change the gauntlet run?

Once we’re well away from Hopetown, we pull up the horses an look back. Streams of people pour outta the burnin town through the Gate. They’re all headed south. Nobody’s comin this way, nobody’s followin us. The sky’s filled with great clouds of gray smoke.

The Hawks break into cheers an pound each other on the back.

We did it, I says. I reach over an grab Maev’s hand. You got us all out. I gotta tell you, I didn’t think you could do it.

I know you didn’t, she says. But yer gittin out alive warn’t nuthin to do with me in the end. She tilts her head back an looks above us. You need to thank that crow of yers, she says.

Nero swoops down over our heads, cawin an callin out in his hoarse voice.

I will, I says. I wave a arm at him.

He does one last swoop down then soars up high. He likes a good view.

I ain’t never seen a creature like that before, she says. He’s so smart, he’s—

More like a person than a bird? I says.

Yeah, she says. That’s it.

Whatever you do, I says, don’t tell him that. I’ll never hear the end of it.

We head due north, in the direction of the mountains that cut across the plain. They look to be a good five or six leagues off.

Is that the Black Mountains? I says to Maev.

That’s jest the beginnin of ’em, she says. Foothills, I guess you’d call ’em.

My brother’s in a place called Freedom Fields, I says. Deep in the Black Mountains. D’you know it?

She shakes her head. Never heard of it, she says.

My heart sinks.

Come with us, she says. To our summer camp at Darktrees.
It’s half a day’s ride from here. Once we git there, you can rest up. We’ll git you kitted out, help you make plans to find yer brother.

I ain’t got time to rest, I says. I gotta git there before midsummer.

She looks at me. That’s less than two weeks from now, she says.

I know, I says. I’d be glad of some clothes an food if you got any to spare.

I think we can help with that, says Maev.

An I’d like to leave Emmi with yuz, I says. Emmi looks up at me. She’s bin ridin in front of me the whole time, not sayin a word. She looks away quick.

Jest till I git back with Lugh, I says. I got no idea what’s at Freedom Fields or what I’m gonna hafta do to git there. I need Emmi to be safe.

We’ll take care of her, says Maev. Whaddya say, Emmi?

Okay, she says.

Ash gallops past. Hey Maev! she shouts, jerkin her head back towards Hopetown. We got company! She rides on ahead to catch up with th’other Free Hawks.

Maev an me turn to look over our shoulders.

Holy hell on earth, says Maev. What’s that?

A cloud of dust’s comin at us from Hopetown way. It’s movin fast.

That ain’t no horse, says Maev. Not travelin that fast. Let’s git the lead out.

In the pit of my stummick, I know what’s inside that cloud of dust. The wind’s picked up. Perfect conditions fer a landboat.

Hang on, Em! Heeya! I yell. Heeya! I dig my heels into Hermes’ sides. A quiver of excitement ripples through him. It’s like he’s jest bin waitin fer me to give the word. He stretches his neck out. Then he shoots off like a arrow from a bow, his hooves thunderin on the dry ground.

I look behind. The dust cloud’s gainin on us.

Whatever it is, it’s movin too fast! shouts Maev. We got no chance of outrunnin it!

Up ahead, Ash has catched up with th’other Free Hawks. Told ’em what’s goin on. They all turn in a wide arc an start racin back to join us.

I look back agin. The dustcloud’s even closer. Now I can see what’s makin it. An it’s jest like I thought. It’s the Desert Swan. With this fierce wind behind it, the sails is billowin.

Maev whistles. Friends of yers? she says.

No, I says. Not friends. Not at all.

Emmi looks up at me with big eyes. It’s the Pinches, she says.

They’re after me, I says to Maev.

Right, she says.

The Hawks thunder up.

Keep Saba an Emmi in the middle! yells Maev. They move to surround us, takin up positions to the front, the sides an the rear. Nero flies jest overhead. We’re still headin fer the mountains, with the horses at full stretch. Epona’s ridin right beside us.

Don’t be frightened, Em, I says. I ain’t gonna let ’em hurt you.

I ain’t afeared of them! she says. From her quavery little voice, I can tell she’s terrified. I give her a squeeze.

They’ll hafta git through me first, Epona calls over, with a smile. I don’t take kindly to people who try to do that.

Jest then, the Free Hawks at the back of the pack start yellin. We look back. The landboat’s comin at us, full speed.

They’re gonna run us down! I yell.

Break out! says Maev. Break out!

The pack breaks apart an behind us the Hawks scatter in all directions.

Epona! I yell. I pull on the reins, start to slow Hermes down. Take Emmi!

Right away, she pulls in tight beside me. I wrap a arm around Emmi’s waist an swing her over to sit in front of Epona.

Take her to Darktrees! I says. I’ll meet you there!

Epona nods an they race off towards the mountains with a few of the Hawks.

I rein in Hermes. He rears an squeals an dances. Maev
turns her horse too. This is my fight, I says to her. You done enough already. Leave me to it.

Not on yer life, she says. Then, Ash! she yells. With me! The rest of yuz, go!

The three of us wheel our horses around, give ’em the heel an head straight towards the Desert Swan at a full gallop.

Keep in tight! Maev says. We pull up close together, ridin so’s our knees almost touch. Maev on my right, Ash on my left.

Bows! Maev yells. We pull our crossbows round an load ’em up.

Vicar Pinch clings to the mast. His robes billow behind him. Rooster works the sails. The Cage Master steers. Miz Pinch is tied to the front railin, beside the Cage Master. She’s aimin a crossbow at us. She shoots.

The arrow comes straight at Ash.

She’s lookin away, yellin somethin at Maev. I fling my arm in front of her head. She turns, startled. Th’arrow pierces my armband, sticks in the thick leather pad. I yank it out.

That would of had me! Ash says. Thanks, I owe you.

Ready, aim, fire! yells Maev. We let fly with our arrows.

Miz Pinch ducks. But the Cage Master’s too slow. Two of our arrows catch him direct in the chest. He cries out, lets go the steerin bar an goes tumblin over the railin. He falls unnerneath the Swan. As the wheels hit him, the landboat fishtails wildly. The right back wheel snaps off. The one I helped Rooster fix. I guess we didn’t fix it too good. It goes bouncin an rollin off.

The Desert Swan’s outta control. Jackknifin all over the place.

Look out! shouts Maev.

Her, me an Ash scatter outta the way.

Rooster works the sail ropes madly. The Swan tips. It rolls. Once, twice, three times, four. Real quick. Like a tumbleweed. Miz Pinch gits thrown out. She flies through the air an lands hard. She don’t move. The landboat skids across the ground, upside down, throwin up a great dustcloud. It comes to a stop an it’s all quiet.

Me, Maev an Ash ride over. Maev goes to git down, but I says, No, let me do it.

I dismount an crouch to peer unnerneath the Swan.

Rooster dangles head down. Trapped by the steel beams of the crushed hut. His eyes an mouth is wide open. He looks surprised. Vicar Pinch lies on the ground, his curly long hair in a heap beside him. He’s completely bald, with ugly lookin open sores all over his head. Blood covers his face. His right leg splays out at a strange angle.

I wait fer a moment, my heart bangin in my chest. Silence. Neether of ’em moves. Neether of ’em’s breathin.

They’re dead, I says. The King’s dead! That means that Lugh’s safe. They won’t have no reason to kill him now.

Good, says Maev.

Then I ride over to Miz Pinch. Looks like her neck broke when she hit the ground. She lies on her back. Her open
eyes stare up at the sky. They’re full of fury, even in death.

I dismount. Stare down at her. I fit a arrow to my bow. Take aim. This is fer Emmi, I says. Then I shoot her in the heart.

Nero flaps down an lands on her chest. He spreads his wings an caws. Plucks at her shirt with his beak. Pecks at her hand.

That’s enough, Nero, I says.

Let’s go. He flies onto my shoulder. I pull Hermes round an turn his head towards the mountains.

The mountains an Lugh.