Trial of Fire (41 page)

But he couldn’t tell. He’d made that damn promise and no amount of reasoning was going to make it disappear, but perhaps next time he saw Jenn, it could be worth discussing. Perhaps now that she and Robert were together, it might be a good time to tell.

Enough of this introspection. There were things to be done.

‘Andrew?’ he shouted to his nephew.

The boy started and then his face flushed, as though he should be ashamed of watching Robert. ‘Yes?’

‘I think the Bishop needs some help with those papers.’ Finnlay himself headed for where Robert and McCauly stood together, talking with each group leader as he arrived for his mission.

‘Owen, you’ll take the barges at Casterlane. I want them bottomed, but not destroyed. Don’t try to save the cargo and target any you see trying to flee.’

‘And if we have no choice but to destroy them?’

Robert said, ‘Then do it. We need to cut Kenrick’s supply and this will take out a quarter of it in one go. Once you’re done, head for Sawell, using standard evasion tactics. Chances are on the first strike you won’t be pursued for long. After that we’ll all have a lot more trouble. I’ll leave a message for you at Sawell, at the tailor’s. Rest there only as long as it takes to have the wounded cared for. There are Healers there you can trust. Then proceed with your next mission.’

Something of a smile creased Owen’s face.

‘Any questions?’

Owen shook his head. ‘No, my lord. And thank you.’

Robert looked puzzled. ‘For what?’

With a short bow to McCauly, Owen said, ‘Good luck.’ And then he was walking away, showing none of his sixty-odd years.

Deverin immediately took his place, anticipation almost dripping from his massive shoulders.

‘Ah, Deverin.’ Robert looked at the list McCauly held up for him. ‘Yes, the border fort at Trowbridge. I need it gone. As long as it’s there, most of our refugees can’t get back across the border – and we need them. You’ll also need to create a garrison capable of holding it for the next couple of months – but I’m sure as soon as you’ve knocked out Kenrick’s men, you’ll be spoiled for volunteers. Unfortunately, I can’t spare you more than ten men to take the place, so you’ll have to use subterfuge rather than brute force – and besides, you’ll need to keep the fortifications intact as I’m sure once Kenrick realises what you’ve done, he’ll send some reinforcements.’

‘Aye, he will.’

‘After that, head for Rona.’ Robert looked up with a smile. ‘Any questions?’

‘I think that about covers it.’

‘Good luck.’

Deverin grinned at Robert and McCauly, ‘My lord, Father.’ Then he turned deliberately to Andrew. ‘Good luck, Your Grace.’

‘Thank you,’ Andrew replied in a surprisingly firm voice. ‘And to you.’

His smile widening, Deverin made for his men, leaving a space Daniel immediately stepped into.

‘What’s he so happy about?’

‘I think,’ said McCauly with a straight face, ‘that he’s just been given what he’s always wanted. That’s bound to make a man smile.’

‘Indeed,’ Daniel laughed. ‘Well, Robert, what do you want me and my motley crew to do?’

‘Fiddech wool mills. Burn them to the ground.’

That wiped the smile from Daniel’s face. He looked at Finnlay then replied, ‘But that’s going to bring that whole area to a—’

‘Standstill, yes, I know. I want the entire country to come to a halt. I don’t want a single penny more to make it into Kenrick’s coffers, or to those merchants from Mayenne taking all our wealth and putting nothing in its place. It doesn’t belong to any of them. I want Kenrick cut off at the knees.’ Robert looked up with a smile, but there was a truly feral shadow to his eyes. ‘Any questions?’

Daniel took a moment, then straightened. ‘No. Consider it done.’

‘Good luck.’

And then there was just Payne. Before Robert could continue, Micah appeared between them, with a tray of cups steaming and scented with fresh brew. They all helped themselves, and Robert, in between sips, outlined the last of his plans.

‘Payne, you and your men will stay with me once I get back from this short side-trip.’

‘How long will you be gone?’

‘If we push it, about six hours’ ride one way. We’ll be there no more than a day, so we should return in two days.’

‘Here?’

Robert paused, his gaze drifting over to where everyone was packing up and to where the first groups were actually leaving. ‘No. We’ve left too much of a mark here already. If you follow the river east for a league or so, there’s a bridge with a ford beside it. Cross and go south for two more leagues. There’s a wood there mostly deserted these days. Used to be used for hunting, but its owner was exiled by Selar and he hasn’t been back since. You should be safe there for the next two days.’

‘And if we have to move? Or something happens to you?’

‘Then go ahead with your mission regardless. We’re running on a schedule with this.’

As though he could read Robert’s mind, Payne began shaking his head. ‘You’re not serious. That’s more heavily armed than Kenrick’s bedchamber! How, in the name of Serin do you—’

‘That’s why we’ll be using two groups.’

‘That’s still only twenty men—’

Robert looked up, pinning the Earl with a hard gaze. ‘Kenrick’s tax collectors will never get that gold to Marsay. He will need that money to pay for the army that will undoubtedly come after us. Don’t worry about the ratio of men. You’ll have both me and Finnlay on this one – and we’re worth at least … oh, two men between us.’

‘More like two and a half,’ Finnlay added, following Robert’s lead and injecting a little humour into the conversation.

Payne studied them both for a moment, then said, resigned, ‘Very well, two days. Where will we ambush them?’

‘On the road from Kilphedir, at dusk.’

Finnlay could see the grudging respect in Payne’s eyes, mixed with a little surprise, as though he’d forgotten what it was like working with Robert.

The earl grunted, ‘I’ll get started. See you in two days.’

Already moving on, Robert turned away. ‘Finn, I’ll be taking you, the Bishop here, Patric, Joshi and Andrew to the Sanctuary. All the rest will go with Payne.’

Finnlay opened his mouth to ask about Micah, but he paused at the flicker in Robert’s eyes. Perhaps this time it would be best left untouched. So be it. ‘On my way. Andrew?’

*

Andrew hurried after Finnlay, trying not to trip over tree roots on his way. His head was so full of words and voices and looks and movement, it was hard to form words of his own, but he tried. ‘Finnlay, the wood Payne and the others will be hiding in – who owns it?’

‘Robert, of course.’

‘And how many men guard the tax caravan?’

‘Usually around fifty, sometimes more depending on the time of year. After harvest, it’s closer to a hundred.’

‘Fifty? How will they manage to ambush with only twenty men?’

‘We, Andrew.
We
. And you don’t think we have the skills to ambush a mere fifty men?’

He would have asked another question, but they’d arrived at Patric’s area.

‘Can you both be ready to leave in fifteen minutes?’

‘Of course.’

Joshi was already turning to saddle their horses when Finnlay strode
away, making Andrew rush to catch up with him again. ‘Why are we going back to the Sanctuary?’

‘Because Robert needs to talk to your mother about something, and they need to do some work on the Calyx.’

‘Because of the Prophecy?’

‘Yes. Go collect your bedding. I’ll bring your horse over to mine and we’ll be ready by the time Robert wants to move. You can saddle his as well.’

Andrew jumped over his dead log and reached inside for his bedding, but it caught on something, and as he pulled, he felt—

He paused, looking down to where his hand reached into the blackened hole. Only it wasn’t black, it was glowing … glowing blue.

He snatched his hand away, hurriedly looking up at Finnlay to see if he’d noticed. Fortunately, he was packing up his own bedding and hadn’t seen a thing.

What was happening? Why was the tree glowing? It had never glowed before, so why now?

Shifting so Finnlay couldn’t see anything, he gingerly slipped his hand back in until he could touch his bedding. Nothing happened. He must have imagined it. Trees – especially dead ones – didn’t just start glowing for no reason at all.

Sighing with relief, he grabbed his bedding and pulled again, but it snagged again and the harder he pulled, the more the tree glowed blue. He twisted and tugged, his heart pounding, until, with a mighty pull, the blanket broke free. Andrew fell back with a grunt, eyes on the tree trunk – but the glow had gone again.

He couldn’t have imagined it a second time. And it was all perfectly normal now. But was it the tree – or
him?

‘What’s wrong?’

Andrew flinched, springing to his feet. ‘Nothing.’

‘Good, then bring your saddle around here and get to work.’

*

By mid-afternoon, the light rain that had plagued them all day finally stopped, but was replaced by a wind which gusted and stopped, gusted and stopped. Finnlay found it irritating in the extreme, and the horses hated it. They rode hard, taking the long flat valleys and every bit of forest shelter they could find. As the day wore on, Finnlay could see McCauly tiring and called to Robert for a rest.

They didn’t stop. Instead, Robert said a few words to the Bishop, who growled back, and Robert only laughed. Of course, Robert hadn’t had any sleep either, and the wounds Micah had hinted at were telling in the way Robert sat on his horse, how little energy he used when he didn’t need to.

He knew they were near by the way the trees were placed and he paid close attention so he would know it even better next time. And then, just on dark, they rode in single file up the narrow gully leading to the Sanctuary.

Martha was waiting for them with the door stone open. Without any fuss, they made their way inside to find some of the boys on hand to take care of the horses.

‘You’ll have to go through to the main cave. None of the others are big enough for all of you at once.’ Martha smiled at all of them, adding, for Robert, ‘Jenn’s waiting for you.’

He strode past her, leaving Finnlay to follow with the others, answering questions as he went. By the time he got to the main cave, Jenn was at the door, a smile on her face.

‘Patric?’ she launched herself forward and wrapped her arms around him, kissing both his cheeks as they both laughed in genuine pleasure. ‘None of us thought we’d ever see you again! When really, you were just off enjoying yourself in the sun, weren’t you?’

‘You guessed my secret.’

‘And who’s this?’ Jenn let go of Patric to find Joshi kneeling at her feet. She looked up at Finnlay in enquiry, but it was Robert’s growl from behind her that made her move. She bent down to take his elbow and make him stand, and together they straightened.

‘That’s Joshi,’ Robert added flatly. ‘He’s from the Generet. Martha, could you help everyone get settled? We’ll need a meal soon, and beds for tonight. We’ll talk in the morning.’

‘Everything’s ready, Robert.’

As Martha began to usher the others away, McCauly reached Finnlay’s side, his gaze raking over the inside of the cave, and the others, his expression one of sheer wonder.

‘Was the Enclave like this?’

Finnlay grinned. ‘Physically, no, nothing like it at all. But in reality, yes, exactly like it.’

‘How so?’

Dropping his voice, he replied, ‘The moment Robert arrives, he causes chaos. I’ll see you at supper, Father. I’m going to go find my wife and daughters.’

*

The cool air of the caves made Jenn forget that it was spring, would soon be summer. She could almost hear the faint swish of people asleep, their heartbeats joining that of the mountain which shielded them.

This was nothing like the Enclave. Everything they did here was a struggle, every triumph came at a high price. This was not a place they
could live in for too long, nor with too many people. As a safe haven for Robert, it could not have been better, but as a sanctuary for her and the Key and twenty others, it was too small, too dark and too dangerous.

But it would do them for the moment, until freedom came – in whatever guise.

She turned in her bed, closing her eyes again, though sleep refused to take her.
He
was back here again, and it was so very hard to pretend he wasn’t, so hard to forget that every time she said goodbye to him could be the last, so hard to remember that the country needed him more than she did.

Breathing deeply, she let her Senses roam to find him, as they could with no other person. She was powerful in ways that others could never be, but with this simple trick, she was handicapped, except when it came to finding Robert.

But he was not in his bed asleep, as she’d thought. He’d curled up moments after supper and would not be disturbed, no matter the noise in the caves. But now he was up and moving, while everyone else was fast asleep.

With a smile, Jenn got out of bed and drew a robe over her nightdress. In bare feet, she padded out of her small cave, through another and past the alcove where Andrew was sleeping. Turning another narrow corner, she ducked under a low wall of rock and stepped into the main cave. Robert’s bed was empty, but she knew where he was. Walking quickly but quietly, she stepped through to the water embrasure and behind the second wall to the passage leading to the green pool. The moment she moved around the wall, she could hear him, hear the water moving around him.

She kept her footsteps silent now, hoping to see him before he knew she was there. When she emerged, she paused by the wall, keeping perfectly still. Robert stood neck-deep in the water, the green glow lighting him softly, making the lines on his face disappear as he dipped his head back, closing his eyes. A moment later, he straightened up, his hair drenched, water cascading down his face, his chest and back into the pool.

He watched her with an unwary gaze, making her move. She slipped off her robe and stepped down into the water, finding places for her feet with great care. She kept going until the pool was too deep for her to walk and her nightdress billowed in the mild current, tangling in her legs.