The Call (23 page)

Serdra concentrated and the Flame grew just before it touched Katja's torso, and
entered
her. Katja felt a warm energy go about her, through every bone and every vein, and for a moment she didn't feel the pain or remember where or who she was.

This overwhelming feeling gradually faded away and though the pain returned it wasn't as bad as before. She felt like she'd gained fresh vigour.

“What,” She tried to move her left arm a bit. “What did you do?”

Serdra sat down next to her with her legs crossed.

“I put a considerable amount of my own energy into you. It will help you recover.”

“C-can we heal people?” Katja stammered.

“Don't try to do it yourself,” Serdra said. “The Flame is a part of you. You can easily kill yourself by giving another person too much of it. I would normally not give away this much but we need to get you back on your feet. This will weaken me for several days.”

“So you put something of yourself inside me and can't repeat it right away?”

“Indeed.”

“I won't get pregnant, will I?”

Katja giggled somewhat hysterically and her emotions finally flooded back. The laughter turned to crying and she felt tears build up in her eyes and run down past the ears.

This went on for a while as Serdra sat by silently. Then eventually she held Katja's right hand in both of hers and squeezed.

“You must grow used to the fear,” the woman said quietly. “Face it and learn to not let it control you. Let it rage through you like a fire this time, but the next time death brushes up against you I expect you to have a thicker hide.”

Katja nodded. She didn't know whether she could do as Serdra demanded but didn't feel like sharing that now. She just wanted to expunge this in the only way she could think of.

I'll survive. I made it out
, she thought.
I'll survive. I made it out.

She gradually calmed down, and for a while she just allowed herself to enjoy being able to breathe unhindered.

“What do we do now?” she then asked.

“You can't travel right away. What I did to you takes some time to work.” Serdra examined the wound. “And I can't leave you here alone. We must wait for some hours.”

“Wait, what about Ronald and Thorkell? We were to meet them at midnight.”

“They will have to manage.”

“But, I... we could find some hiding place for me here. The Brotherhood won't turn over every rock.”

“To kill one of us? They just might resort to that, actually. I am not prepared to wager that they cannot track us.”

Katja sighed and rubbed her face with her right hand.

“So...” She hesitated but decided not to spare herself. “So did I make a mess of things again?” she said heavily.

“Did
you
?”

Serdra looked up from the wound and was silent for a little bit. Then she lifted Katja's head up and looked her in the face. Katja thought she saw a hint of tenderness in her mentor's face. Or at least some emotion not normally found there.

“The first lesson I taught you still applies: Everyone is killable and everyone is fallible. It was I who led you into this ambush.”

Serdra stroked her hair. It was a small and brief gesture, but it calmed Katja almost as much as the healing. Then the woman took off her cloak and placed it over Katja as a blanket.

“Now rest and let the Flame repair you. This night isn't over.”

--------------------

“That woman was quite the deer!” Vajan said with a sigh. “I wouldn't have thought any human could get so easily through this forest.”

Tovar stood with a lantern in his hand and clenched his teeth. Behind him his men were packing up their hastily erected camp. This whole thing had been short and fruitless. Two of Vajan's men were dead and one was injured. And the Redcloaks had fled to the south. Towards Mooncape.

“Didn't she at least step on some of the spikes?” he asked without much hope for the answer.

“It doesn't look like it,” one of Vajan's men said as he broke out of the thicket behind his leader. “Or anything else.”

Tovar swore in silence.

“She must have been experienced.”

He didn't like watching Vajan as he said it but the man was after all more learned about the Cloaks than anyone else present.

“Well, I wouldn't picture a human doing something like this,” he replied.

“Did you kill the young one?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. It's best not to assume so.”

“True. Would you recognize them on sight?”

For some reason that made the foreigner smile.

“The girl at least.”

Jon Almi, Tovar's nephew, separated from the group that was finishing packing and saddling the horses.

“Sir,” he bowed his head to Tovar. “What now?”

“We have Redcloaks on our doorsteps,” he answered and raised his voice so all would hear. “We must ready all of our defences and put the plan in motion tonight.”

“Tonight?” Vajan said. “Is there really time for it?”

“If we ride the horses out. I will take a small group to the Cape, send the mercenaries out and fetch the men needed for the task. The rest of you go to the Nest and wait for me.”

He motioned for a man to bring his horse.

“Our destiny will be decided tonight! The dawn will bring a new era!”

Chapter
17.

Katja was surprised as she woke up. She hadn't expected to fall asleep. It was still dark though, and hopefully not too late.

She gingerly touched the belly wound and felt a scab there in place of a cut. It was a bit tender to the touch, but no worse than a scrape or a bad bruise. It was the same with all the other wounds except she felt them even less.

“Wow.”

“Get up,” Serdra said and snatched the cloak off her. “You are strong enough to travel and we have no time to waste.”

The Call agreed with Serdra and Katja tried sitting up. It was no problem. Her shirt and trousers were stiff with clotted blood but she felt no worse than after a brutal sparring session against Serdra.

Incredible
.

The bow and the spear they'd been transporting for Thorkell and Ronald had been lost in the ambush, but Katja still had the axe and Serdra still the extra sword. It would hopefully suffice.

Serdra put the cloak back on and walked to the south.

“Serdra.”

The woman stopped and looked back.

Katja touched her own gut.

“Thank you,” she said and meant it.

Serdra nodded curtly and kept on walking. Katja stood in a state of some bewilderment but then followed. This was all so unreal. Earlier in the night death had been certain for a few terrible moments and now she was to go on as if nothing had happened. As if it had all been a bad dream.

How was she to feel? She was numb. Dazed. Had she really recovered so quickly or were her emotions simply waiting to burst out? Would she be able to keep herself going and focused long enough to finish this?

There was no opportunity to contemplate these questions properly. The forest wasn't quite as dense in this area but she still had to watch where she put her foot down and how high she held her head. She was constantly tripping and took no few blows from branches.

Eventually Serdra grasped one branch she passed, bent it and then let go when Katja was in range.

Her reflexes failed and the branch smacked her in the face.

“Pull yourself together,” Serdra said in her mentor voice. Then she strode on.

Katja rubbed her face. She was angry for a moment but couldn't complain. The message had been needed.

They walked mostly in silence. Serdra once opened her mouth to point to the east and state that they were going around Muzzle Lake, but was otherwise silent until the forest began to thin out.

“Do you sense something new?” she asked out of nowhere.

“What?” Katja said automatically before it occurred to her to think about the answer. She tried to divide her attention between battling through the forest and extending her sensitivity.

“Just the same as before,” she said. “I think. What should I be feeling?”

“Perhaps nothing,” Serdra said. “But I feel something I have felt before. We are at the threshold of a large Brotherhood sanctuary. They hide their sorcery well, but there is still a certain feeling to the air. Perhaps you just need more experience to sense it.”

Katja was somewhat relieved. She sensed quite enough.

“I wonder what they were doing as... I lay and snored.”

“Let us assume they headed home and prepared for the next battle.”

“How... fun.”

Silence reigned after that until they arrived at their destination.

“The tree is there,” Serdra whispered and pointed uphill.

They slowed down and went through the growth as silently as possible.

“Hello?” Serdra whispered. The night was still enough for her to be heard across the clearing, and the surrounding thicket ensured it wouldn't carry beyond.

Katja heard a noise by the fat, ugly oak and something rose up. Katja sensed nothing unusual but still tensed up before the person spoke.

“You are here!” Ronald whispered. “The Lady has guided your steps!”

He snuck closer and they walked towards him.

“What happened?” he asked.

“We were ambushed,” Serdra said. “The Brotherhood men suspected we would use that route and took advantage of it.”

“Are you alright?”

“Mostly,” Katja said and touched her belly and tested her shoulder. “I should be able to fight.”

“Where is your comrade?” Serdra asked.

The young Shade sighed.

“We waited for you for a while. When you didn't show up we started talking about finishing the mission on our own.”

Katja gave a moment's thought to how she herself would have reacted in his place.

“Thorkell snuck down into the town. I wanted to go with him, but he said I had to stay behind and man the meeting place, as well as survive if he were discovered. He... he also reminded me that he knew the area better than I.” Ronald threw up his hands and his conscience seemed to be bothering him. “It all seemed very logical.”

“When did he leave?” Serdra asked.

“About an hour ago, I think. I heard hoofbeats shortly after he left. At least three horses came into town at considerable speed.”

“Could it have taken him an entire hour to look around down there?” Katja wondered.

Serdra shrugged.

“One often has to make quick decisions in such circumstances. Perhaps he saw a chance to find out something important and is still chasing it. Or perhaps he was caught. Either way we must go after him.”

“If they have indeed caught him they know enemies are about,” Ronald pointed out.

“They already know the two of us are in the forest,” Serdra said. “We will just have to be careful and hope they still haven't raised all their defences, and that their control of this town isn't absolute enough to fight openly in the streets.”

Katja took the axe from her belt and gave it to Ronald.

“Here. The spear and the bow were lost. I hope this will do.”

“Let us hope so,” the man said and squeezed the handle a bit. “Give me the quiver though. I might get my hands on a bow in town.”

“Well, alright,” Katja said and felt he was being optimistic. The quiver might very well get in their way while they were trying to sneak. “I was just going to leave it by the tree.”

Serdra walked a few steps up on the bulge which hid Mooncape from view and peered through the bushes.

“Did Thorkell say where he would be headed?” she asked.

“He said he would look around the town itself, then the worker's camp and then sneak to the manor. Then he meant to come back.”

“Then let's go the same way. He might have seen something we need to know about. Are you ready?” Serdra asked.

“Yes,” Ronald said. “Let's go get Thorkell.”

Katja retied her shoelaces, went over her weapons real quick, tested the half-healed wounds again and then took a deep breath.

“Yes.

--------------------

Katja couldn't see much of the town as they stealthily made their way down a grassy slope. There was enough moonlight to see the ocean and the small mountain that hung over the cape but little else. Ronald silently pointed out the place where the Savaren manor stood but she couldn't see it.

Serdra was in the lead as usual. She occasionally signalled for Katja and Ronald to separate and then meet her again somewhere ahead. Katja peered in every direction as she crept past fences and ditches and tried to convince herself that she'd shed the dazedness from earlier.

It was just fatigue. Just entirely normal fatigue. She was as alert as she could possibly be under the circumstances.

At least she hoped so.

She also tried to keep her other senses alert to sorcery and demons, but sensed nothing but old echoes. A great many things were hidden and buried here, and if she made the effort she could probably see a lot she didn't want to see. But she sensed nothing new.

What are they planning? What strange trick can deliver them my homeland?

Serdra led them up a grassy knoll. The moon peeked out for a brief moment and they laid down in the grass as the light shone down on them. Meanwhile Katja got a fine view of Mooncape.

The houses were farther apart than she was used to seeing. Most of the homes stood solitary along the stone roads which linked everything together like a net. The whole thing reminded her more of unusually clustered farms than a town. Small vegetable beds and even decorative gardens surrounded many of the houses, and despite the darkness they were obviously built with skill and good materials.

She could well imagine Mooncape was a lovely place in the light of day. A lovely, rich place a stone's throw from the capital, hiding horrid secrets beneath the surface.

What a world.

The clouds blocked the moon again and Mooncape vanished back into darkness. Serdra touched Katja's shoulder and pointed to the south west.

“Check the camp. We need to know what we are dealing with. The two of us,” she indicated herself and Ronald, “will look around the town and harbour a bit. Then we will meet back here.”

Katja nodded. She had to admit she wasn't too thrilled about sneaking off on her own, but they were in all likelihood racing against time. And if the workers were indeed mercenaries and a part of Tovar Savaren's plan it had to be looked into. She just had to swallow her fear.

Serdra motioned for her to go and Katja obeyed. She heard rustling behind her a moment later and knew Serdra and Ronald had disappeared. She was alone.

She sighed.

Katja did her best to stay in cover as she walked. It looked like the moon would remain cloudy for a while longer but she didn't want to risk being seen out in the open like a fool. She had a hard time telling how well she was doing. The more she examined her surroundings in search for knolls and vegetation the less attention she could pay to where she was putting her feet down. She also didn't want to step into a hole or on something noisy.

She regularly peeked to the west where the manor sat in the shadow of the mountain, and once saw a glimmer of light. She couldn't tell whether it shone through an open window or whether someone held a lantern outside. But it was close. Close enough that someone just might hear her if she tripped and let a shriek escape her lips.

Shortly after the light appeared and disappeared a light breeze blew from the south and brought her the familiar smell of a campfire.

Almost there
, she thought.
What will I DO if they see me? Do I try to bluff and so give them a chance to attack me? Or do I flee, and so confirm that I am an enemy? And WHERE should I flee?

It seemed like her only option was to not be seen. Mistakes were simply not allowed.

She saw the silhouettes of the tents ahead and the smell of burnt wood became stronger. This was the place. And yet she still heard nothing.

Katja stopped and held her breath. There was still no sound and somehow it felt like the worst possibility of all. If she'd heard snores or the footsteps of a guard she could have judged how far away the person was, but the damned camp was as silent as the grave.

Katja took off the sword belt, knelt and put the scabbard between her teeth. She crawled along well-trod earth towards those eerily silent tents.

Come on, say SOMETHING!

Was it a trap? Was that it? Were they lying in wait and deliberately keeping as silent as mice to not give themselves away?

She had no interest in another ambush.

She parted tall grass with her hand and now saw the tents clearly a few metres away. There were dozens of them.

What now?

She could see wheelbarrows and carts which presumably held food and tools and all the other things such a large group needed, and there was at least one large space for a campfire. It was almost out and only a few embers winked at her like the first stars of evening.

What now?!

She let the grass bend back into place and briefly tried to close her eyes as she tried to calm herself a bit.

Then she crawled from the grass and towards the tents.

This is a truly stupid idea.

She arrived at the first tent and still heard nothing. She put her ear up against the canvas with no results.

She unsheathed her knife and peeked inside. There was nothing to see except blankets and travel bags.

Now hold on.

She looked towards the manor.

Could they have been called to defend the heart? We can't get past three hundred guards. Not even Serdra. I can't believe that.

She crept to the next tent a bit more boldly and peered in. It was the same story, and in the third tent and the fourth. The camp was empty.

Katja sheathed the knife and knelt in the dirt. She breathed deeply like Serdra had taught her and tried to calm her mind.

There isn't murder in the air here. Or sorcery or monsters. But this is so recent, and perhaps very important. The beginning of something important. MAYBE I can see something.

And she saw them.