Trial of Fire (47 page)

She held the reins for a moment longer, but it was true: there was no great sense of anything now that there hadn’t been before. Even the warning of Malachi seemed to have vanished. With a sigh, she put the reins in McCauly’s hand. ‘Very well. But if it happens again, I’m going.’

*

Andrew dropped the chain and, in one movement, drew his sword, clashing directly into the blade aimed at Robert’s neck. With a great shove, he pushed the man back, filling the doorway with his body, meeting each new blow with his sword, desperately, knowing his resistance could only last a moment or two.

They were too late for secrecy now. The alarm had been raised. Over the noise of the fight, he could hear shouts from outside, and something else he couldn’t identify. After that, he didn’t have time to wonder. The first man was thrust back into the room, falling on his face, only to be followed by two more, brandishing swords, flashing Guilde colours onto the grey walls. Andrew swung first one way, then the other, trying not to trip over his feet, trying just to keep them back, so Robert would have time to—

The floor vanished beneath his feet and, with arms and legs flying, he tumbled downwards to be caught awkwardly by a pair of strong arms and a grunted, ‘Quickly!’

His feet were barely on the cobbled yard when Robert was already running, dodging one guard after another, and only then did Andrew realise that their men were swarming through the open gate, taking on the Guilde, fighting to let Robert get to the mine.

For a moment, Andrew was seized with an insane desire to laugh, but instead he ran after Robert, catching up in time to deflect an attack from the right. The yard was filled with small stone buildings, some of which were belching smoke and flames. Others were taller and piles of crushed stone sat against their walls, making grey mud where water trickled past. There were carts and dogs, people and horses, and the further they ran, the more chaos flurried around them. He could hear shouting, cries, clashes of swords and other weapons, people running and he laughed through it all. The laughter scared him more than anything.

Robert ducked around two Guildesmen determined to stop him, leaving Andrew to face them. Without hesitation, he cut back at the first one, shoving hard until the man unbalanced and stumbled into his colleague. As
he was picking himself up from the mud, Andrew sliced at the other man, wounding him from shoulder to shoulder. He spun in time to put a cut on the first man’s arm, then ran again, determined to stick behind Robert no matter what.

He found him shouting at people to get out of the mine. Dozens of folk, all blackened with mud, their eyes wide and disbelieving, were running out of a long tunnel wormed into the hillside. Andrew followed in blindly, helping those who had fallen get back to their feet. They kept going until the flood of people became a trickle, until they were so deep into the mine that the entrance was no more than a small dot.

The roof was too low for either of them to stand here. Other tunnels ran off at angles from the central one, all sloped downwards, all braced with rickety wooden beams, making the place look horribly unsafe.

‘This is far enough.’ Robert looked around, panting. ‘This will do. The mine’s empty. Go back now. Left of the entrance is a bell tower. When you get there, start ringing.’

‘But what about you?’

‘Just go!’

Andrew backed away, watching until the last minute as Robert pressed his hands against the roof of rock above him. Then he turned and ran, unable to miss the profound rumble beneath his feet, echoing all around him. With his heart in his mouth, he pelted out of the tunnel, skidded to the left and raced to the bell tower. Without even pausing for breath, he hauled on the rope and the great bell began to swing. He hauled again, putting his whole body into it, feeling the tower tremble around him. On the third pull, the bell finally began to ring, and he kept pulling, swinging from the rope, watching the entrance of the tunnel, whispering prayers he didn’t realise he even knew.

The first crack seemed to come from the centre of the earth, rending the air with a power he’d never thought could exist. Then the hill itself began to groan, rumbling in displeasure, shuddering beneath his feet and coughing out dust and smoke through the tunnel entrance. Andrew rang the bell once more, then ran back to the tunnel entrance, but the next wave shoved him out of the way and he rolled, coughing against the dust. He scrambled to his feet to see the face of the hill above shift and change completely, then another great groan, an almighty crack, and Robert was running towards him, shouting for him to get out of the way.

He scrambled to his feet, turned to his left and started running himself, not stopping even when he was overtaken by a thick cloud of dust, or when rocks began to fall out of the air. Robert gained his side, grabbing his elbow, and the two of them raced across the now-empty yard, through the gate
and along the village street until they reached the tavern. Only then did they stop, coughing, gasping for air, aching all over.

Some kind person handed them each a cup of something, and some unkind person doused them both with a bucket of water, but Andrew didn’t care. He shook the water out of his hair and looked up to find Robert laughing at him.

‘Come on, we have to get out of here before the Guilde decide to chase us.’

*

‘They’re coming.’

Jenn started, looking from Patric to Father John for his confirming nod. She sprang to her feet, running around the back of the ruined church until she could see the road. There was nothing there, but a moment later, Patric joined her.

‘I can hear them. Two horses.’

Jenn frowned, and then heard it for herself. They were galloping, but John confirmed that there was no pursuit. At least, none so far.

And then they were rounding the corner in the road, Robert on his horse, dark hair flying, dust and grime all over him from head to foot, and Andrew, younger, smaller, but equally dirty. Jenn resisted the momentary urge to run to her son and instead moved to hold his horse as he came to a halt.

‘Are you ready to move?’ Robert asked, his expression utterly unreadable, which didn’t comfort her at all.

‘How did it go?’ Jenn asked, already moving back to where they’d left the horses.

‘The mine is closed; the Guilde will be on our tails soon enough.’

A few moments later, and they were mounted up, ready to go. And then Patric turned his head, the movement alerting Jenn.

‘Guilde?’

He nodded, listening with the preternaturally sharp ears of a blind man. ‘Ten, perhaps fifteen horses.’

‘In other words, trouble.’ Robert finished for him. He took a moment to peer around. ‘Jenn, any further sign of those Malachi?’

‘No, not for a while.’

‘Good, we go this way.’ With that, he was off around the ruined church heading away from the road, across farmland that gave them little cover.

Keeping an eye on the Bishop, Jenn rode flat to her horse, urging it to greater speed, watching the undulations of the ground and shifting her weight to compensate. Soon they were strung out in a long line, with John
and McCauly at the back. Jenn slowed a little, pulling up behind them both, ready to react if necessary.

The land sloped down, and Robert rode on, leading them over hedges and stone fences, splashing through a shallow stream and up the opposite bank. Now there was the cover of a few stringy trees, and then they were curving around the side of another hill. As they gained height, Jenn chanced a look over her shoulder.

Robert, they’re gaining on us. About a dozen. They’ve seen us.

There’s no cover. Not enough to chance hiding with a mask. Don’t turn unless you have to, and tell me if you do. I’ll come back and let Andrew take the others on.

Fortunately, their horses were well-rested and took the gallop without complaint. On the other side of the hill was a winding river, lined with willow and elm. Robert made straight for them, using the cover as best he could.

Jenn, there’s a wood not far. Keep the group together. Once we’re inside, we’ll stop and mask. If it doesn’t work, we’ll have to fight.

Jenn came up behind McCauly and slapped the rump of his horse. They needed to be more of a group before entering the wood or there wouldn’t be time to get the horses still enough to make the mask work.

The Bishop wasn’t comfortable, she could tell that much, but he made no effort to slow down, and in fact just tried to go harder. As soon as Jenn saw the wood, she took another sighting of the Guildesmen over her shoulder.

We have two minutes, no more.

Robert had already vanished into the wood. Seconds later, Jenn plunged into its darkness, following the shadows in front of her, only slowing when she saw Robert’s face. As soon as she reached him, she jumped from her horse, turning immediately to calm it, quieten its breathing, get it to be as still as possible. Everyone else was doing the same. Any movement beneath a mask would ruin the layer of invisibility Robert would place over them.

Jenn heard them before Patric could signal, her gaze going to the edge of the wood where the light was bright and she could see the flash of gaudy yellow against the grey landscape. The Guildesmen were heading straight for the wood, right for where they were waiting, probably following tracks as much as what they’d seen.

Jenn groaned inwardly. They would have to fight after all, and only three of them could – against a dozen soldiers.

Robert, what do we do now? They’ll be on us in a moment!

Wait till I give the word, then push out to get around the rear of them. Andrew and I will take the first—

Jenn stared, mouth open, at the Guildesmen as they stopped at the edge of the wood, horses snorting and wild-eyed, confusion filling every movement. Then, over the top of everything else, she could see other horses to her left, horses she’d never seen before. With a great show, they abruptly turned and galloped back out into the countryside. Instantly the Guildesmen shouted, kicked their mounts and gave chase. Within minutes, they were gone and the wood was quiet.

By the gods, why hadn’t she thought of that? And when had Robert learned to make such a convincing image without telling her? With half a smile, and not a little pride, she turned her gaze on him.

To find him turning the exact same gaze back on her.

‘Don’t look at me,’ Jenn said. ‘I had nothing to do with it.’

Robert opened his mouth to speak, but it was Patric who said, ‘Did what? And why were those Malachi hiding in this wood? Why did they direct the Guilde away from us?’

‘Malachi?’ Robert stared in the direction the horses had gone. He was still a moment, then he said, ‘No matter. Let’s get going. The others will be wondering what’s happened to us.’

*

One by one they arrived, and Aiden saw to them first, checking over their injuries and wounds before leaving them in John’s hands to bandage. It was dark before the last got in: Micah had a cut on his cheek that wouldn’t stop bleeding, not to mention a look from Robert that didn’t help it any.

But Aiden did finally get the bleeding to stop and by the time he was finished and cleaned up, supper was ready by the big fire Jenn had lit when they’d arrived.

He’d lost track of how many forests they’d found shelter in. This one seemed devoid of clearings, but instead grew its trees in clumps of three or four at a time. With the branches all crossing over in the central space, there remained a very comfortable natural shelter big enough for two or three to sleep without trouble.

There were worse places to spend the night.

Around the fire were little more than the sounds of eating, occasional requests for a second helping. But the moment the most urgent hunger was satisfied, the men began to talk, commenting on the day’s battle, pointing out things others might have missed, admiring the bravery of the villagers who had fought, but who also had to face the wrath of the Guilde in the morning. And then the inevitable question was asked. ‘So how will those villagers live without the mine?’

The query was directed at Robert, but his attention was elsewhere. He stared off into the forest as though he were on the other side of Lusara.
After a moment, however, he blinked and looked back, realising that they were all waiting for his answer.

‘Oh, sorry. It’s not really going to be a problem for long. I only collapsed the main tunnel – or at least, I hope I did. It will take them months to dig it out and regain the ground they’ve just lost. But they’ll do it because the mine is incredibly rich in mineral deposits, you see. And they’ll have to pay the villagers to do the digging – so the Guilde not only loses the income from the mine, but must pay for the repairs.’ Robert gave them half a smile. ‘See? Simple.’

‘But the Guilde will take revenge on the villagers, won’t it?’

‘I doubt it will be too bad. It was their choice to shut down the mine, and to involve themselves in the fight. I had very little say in the matter.’

There was a pause then, before Andrew, sitting with his back to a tree trunk, picked up a stick and began picking at his boot with it. ‘You used to own that mine, didn’t you? And you had an interest in the barge-building yards at Casterlane. Your father owned two wool mills at Fiddech. You have personal interests in most of the other rebel missions as well, don’t you?’

Aiden sat up. Though he’d kept rein on Robert’s personal finances over the last few years, that had happened only
after
Robert had lost all his assets in Lusara. He’d never noticed the pattern there.

‘Yes, that’s true.’ Robert’s tone remained neutral.

Andrew looked up then, very aware that everyone in camp was listening to his questions – his challenge. ‘It’s going to look to Kenrick as though you’re only doing all this to regain your own personal fortune.’

‘Is it?’

‘And the people of Lusara are going to think the same as well.’

‘Are they?’ Andrew flinched a little under Robert’s gaze, but didn’t back down. ‘And what would be wrong with Kenrick thinking I’m doing all this for personal reasons?’

‘Because you’re not.’

‘So?’