King’s Wrath (7 page)

As they moved away, Gavriel arrived alongside Leo. ‘They’re lying.’

‘I know.’

‘Why?’

‘Kilt got to them.’ Leo’s face twisted in anger. ‘He knows what we were planning.’

‘How?’

‘I think you’ve forgotten just how sharp Kilt is. He and Loethar are well suited for their cunning minds.’ He grimaced. ‘All the more reason we can’t let them meet.’

‘Leo, you have to trust me when I say that Elka will not permit Loethar to do this… this… ’

‘Trammelling,’ Leo offered.

‘Exactly. And even if she did entertain such an idea, it wouldn’t be without my sanction.’

‘I hope your confidence is borne out, my friend. Otherwise Loethar will be invincible and you might as well run me through with that blade of yours now.’

‘So what do you suggest we do now?’

Leo shook his head with disgust. ‘I’m torn as to whether to hunt down Kilt, who I need for protection, or Loethar, to ensure my safety.’

‘Do you want to hear what I think?’

‘I know your idea will be to pursue neither of them.’

Gavriel waited.

‘All right, let’s hear it, Gav,’ Leo sighed.

‘Loethar isn’t your primary threat any longer. Right now he’s too injured. And no matter how you like to colour it, he is my prisoner.’

‘Yours?’ Leo said, surprised, unable to mask the scorn in his voice.

Gavriel nodded, irritatingly calm. ‘Elka will do what I say.’

Leo wanted to say something cutting but was all too aware that apart from Gavriel de Vis he had no one. ‘You said Loethar is no longer my biggest threat. So who is?’

‘His half-brother, Stracker.’

‘Stracker doesn’t even know I exist.’

‘That’s a fair point. But he doesn’t need to know you exist to be your problem. As we stand here, Leo, Stracker is, I imagine, laying claim to the empire. And because, according to Steppes law, any man of any tribe can fight for kingship when the king dies, Stracker won’t claim Loethar to be dead. Instead, he’ll say he’s lost or was grabbed by renegades, so he can continue to sit the throne without having to fight for it. As long as Loethar lives, we have time to plan properly. The empire won’t be embroiled in war or a struggle for rulership. We can move around freely. No one outside of this forest knows either of us is alive; neither of us is recognisable either.’

‘All right. But what is your actual plan?’

‘To remain here for the time being. I have no plan. I think we need to take some time to think everything through properly. No rash decisions.’

‘But what about Kilt? I need him.’

‘Faris has kept you safe and alive for a decade without your having to eat him!’

‘And I intend that he will continue to do so.’

Gavriel looked pained. ‘I’m sorry, Leo, but I won’t be a party to such a move.’

‘Your father never refused his king.’

‘My father was never asked to participate in such a debased practice.’

‘You can’t know that.’

‘No, that’s true. But I do know my father …’ Gavriel hesitated but said no more and Leo knew his old friend wanted to add:
which is more than you can say about your
own.

‘Well, you’ve made your position clear.’

Gavriel’s eyes narrowed. ‘All I’m saying is wait. Don’t do anything rash. I am prepared to agree that if as a last measure all I have standing between you and Loethar’s blade is Kilt Faris, I won’t permit your death.’

Leo felt a thrill of relief. So they weren’t really on opposite sides. Gavriel just needed time to adjust. He could bide his time. Plus they were safer up here in the forests than anywhere else. He was sure Kilt wasn’t coming back to the camp and Loethar wouldn’t dare. ‘All right. We’ll remain here and consider our position.’

Gavriel nodded. ‘Very good, Leo,’ and from the tone of his voice Leo knew his old friend meant it from the heart. ‘I’m starving. Do we have any food in this place?

Elka returned to where she’d left him. ‘No signs of anyone. I think we’ll be all right here for the time being,’ she said, looking up into the tall tree beneath which Loethar was slumped.

‘How are you feeling now?’

‘I might not look it but I feel entirely different.’

She nodded. ‘Recovery is surprisingly fast if we get a rapid enough descent in time. We did the right thing for you. Now I have to think about all your other problems. Did you keep drinking?’

He nodded. ‘Lucky we found that mountain stream. My nephew would have given me nothing.’

‘Neither would your aegis, remember. Leonel was simply following orders.’

‘Orders.’ Loethar grimaced. ‘He’s a king apparently. He’s Valisar. He should be giving orders, not taking them.’

She sighed. ‘Frankly, I’m tired of the Valisars.’

‘They’re so unnecessary now, aren’t they?’ he asked in an ironic tone.

She joined in, smiling. ‘Too pre-empire for my taste!’

Loethar gave a big belly laugh. ‘I’m glad I’m with you, Elka, and not that sour de Vis. He doesn’t deserve you.’

‘Gavriel’s a good man. Worth far more than you credit him. The very fact that he’s not hunting you down — and believe me, he is now a frighteningly good tracker — means that he’s somehow controlling Leo’s desire to bond you.’

The emperor’s face grew serious. ‘Why would he do that, do you think? He hates me, wants to kill me.’

Elka sat down beside him and took a swig from the water sack. ‘With good reason. But you’ve seen for yourself that he’s not nearly so one-eyed as Leo clearly is. Your nephew …’ She shook her head. ‘I still can hardly believe you’re doing this to each other. You are family.’

‘I learned the hard way that the Valisar family is one-eyed, particularly if you’re the one on the throne,’ he said, bitterness lacing his tone.

She nodded. ‘Anyway, I suspect your nephew is being driven by a different hunger. He wants revenge and he’s also got the Valisars’ problem of believing nothing and no one matters but them. You laid waste to the royals of the Set. Don’t blame Leo for wanting to punish you. But I think Gavriel sees beyond his own youthful craving to make you pay for the savage, cowardly death that you gave his father. Gavriel’s older, wiser, and doesn’t have the all too proud, too self-absorbed, too-royal Valisar blood pounding through his veins. And he can see that times have changed — that there’s peace and prosperity now.’

‘So now I have to rely on my enemy?’

She laughed. ‘Yes, Loethar. I think you do. And until I hear from him you remain my prisoner.’

‘If I give you my word that I will not harm you and won’t try to escape, will you agree to unbind me so I don’t feel like an animal? Perhaps I can actually be of some help.’

She considered this, staring at him. He returned the gaze steadily. Finally, Elka nodded. ‘Gavriel will kill me but I’m going to trust you, Loethar. I do believe you are a man of your word.’

‘Indeed. I am Valisar, after all.’

She snorted with derision. ‘That has no effect on me.’

‘Then I give you my promise as a man who owes you the debt of his life.’

‘Now that means something to me.’ Producing a blade from the sheath at her hip, she cut his bonds. ‘Are you ready to travel? We might as well keep moving while you have some strength.’

‘I’ll move until I drop. Where are we going?’

‘Home. I can keep you safe in the mountains.’

‘Indulge me, Elka.’

‘You have a better plan,’ she said. ‘Yes, of course you do.’

He shrugged, though it obviously hurt him to do so. ‘Will you hear it before you dismiss it? I will not risk your life, that I promise. And we will go to the mountains directly after.’

She stared at him for a few moments, weighing him up. ‘Tell me on our way to Francham. Wherever we’re going we’ll need horses and medicine. Let’s go.’

7

 

Roddy clung to Ravan gleefully, his breath whipped away by the speed at which they were running. They were already approaching the forest and he knew they would be into the trees in a few heartbeats. Ravan began to slow. He didn’t even sound breathless when he spoke.

‘We are close now. I’ll set you down in a moment.’ He turned his head and Roddy could see his friend was smiling. ‘You can catch your breath.’

‘How about you?’

‘I feel perfectly normal. Not even slightly hard of breath.’ Ravan laughed. ‘Onwards we go!’

Gavriel and Leo were sitting in a comfortable silence. Dusk had closed on the forest and though the birds had fallen quiet the crickets were just beginning to exercise their legs. Leo had found a decent spread of cold food. Neither of them considered it a good idea to light a fire just in case any of Stracker’s warriors were still straggling in and around the region.

They had talked for hours about Gavriel’s life in the mountains and Leo’s growing up in the forest. Inevitably the conversation had run to talk of the old days, of them trapped in the ingress of the palace and life on the run. Now they’d fallen into a comfortable silence, enjoying the summer’s mild evening.

And so it was with some shock that Gavriel heard the sound just when he had announced he would be turning in for the night. ‘Someone’s approaching,’ he said, leaping to his feet and reaching for his bow.

‘I heard. It’s not one of the men,’ Leo replied, quietly picking up his own weapon, belching as he did so.

‘Are you all right?’

‘I feel a bit ill. I’ll get over it. I probably just miss Lily’s food.’

They instinctively separated and began widening their distance from each other, circling closer to the person they could hear approaching. Gavriel nodded at Leo and ducked behind a large tree, his arrow already nocked. He could still see into the clearing but he’d be invisible to anyone who wasn’t aware he was there.

‘Who comes?’ Leo demanded.

‘Friends,’ came the response. It sounded like a child’s voice.

Behind the tree Gavriel frowned and although he didn’t step out, he did release the tension on his bow. Finding this camp was hard enough for a tracker so whoever was coming was either very determined or knew the way in.

‘Stop!’ he heard Leo say. ‘Name yourselves.’

Gavriel peeped around the tree trunk and could just vaguely make out two shapes, a tall person — a man — and then a shorter figure next to him. A boy?

‘I am called Roddy and this is Ravan,’ said the younger one.

Leo nodded. ‘You call yourselves friends but I don’t know you.’

‘You know Ravan.’

‘Does Ravan not have a voice?’ Leo asked.

‘Yes,’ the man replied. ‘He does.’

‘I don’t recognise it. I don’t recognise either of you. Step into the light or I will order the men who have you encircled to fill you with arrows. We don’t take kindly to strangers here.’

‘Please,’ Roddy said, and Gavriel could hear fear in his voice. ‘We come alone. There’s just the two of us. And Ravan will explain. You are King Leonel, aren’t you?’

Gavriel let go of all tension on the bow and stepped around from the tree fully. He noticed that the man called Ravan saw his movement immediately.
Sharp eyes,
he thought.

‘You should be careful what you claim,’ Leo said but Gavriel could hear the shock in it. He saw the king rub his eyes. ‘Come into the light of the lantern.’

Gavriel circled behind the pair as they approached Leo. The man registered his presence again, turning once and nodding. Gavriel was impressed by both his keen sense of his surrounds and his composure. He was impressive: tall, strong-looking and with a set of his jaw that looked as though he was used to making his own decisions. His hair was dark, loose to his shoulders and even in this low light seemed to gleam. And though he was clean-shaven and dressed in simple black garb Gavriel’s sense of him was that he was anything but uncomplicated. Even silent his presence was commanding and vaguely reminiscent of someone. He couldn’t place who or why. He frowned again, deeper this time.

‘How did you find this camp?’ he asked.

‘Ravan knows the way,’ the boy answered.

‘Who are you, Ravan?’ Leo asked. Though his tone was pointed, Gavriel thought he looked a little distracted. Was Leo sweating?

Gavriel came around to face the strangers, his weapon by his side.

The man bowed. It was elegant, at the same time humble. His companion followed, far clumsier in his execution. The boy looked unsteady as though slightly drunk.

‘My name is Ravan,’ the man began, ‘but I am known to you under another name. One that will shock. I would ask for your indulgence to hear out our tale.’ He glanced at the boy, who nodded vaguely.

Gavriel’s eyes narrowed. The man was deferring to the boy?

Leo did not miss the glance either. ‘Do you take your orders from a child, Ravan?’

The man smiled but there was no conceit in it. ‘Roddy has a better grasp on the world of men for the time being. He and I are close travelling companions. And we are friends. I trust his judgement.’

‘Over and above your own? How odd.’

Ravan gave a shrug. ‘We share our thoughts.’

‘Stranger and stranger,’ Gavriel remarked. ‘Let me search them first,’ he said to Leo.

Leo nodded, looking pale in the torchlight.

Both raised their arms without having to be asked. Gavriel could see neither had a weapon but he went through the motions to ensure they had nothing concealed about them. He shook his head at Leo.

‘Join us in the light,’ Leo said. ‘I’m afraid you are mistaken about King Leonel. He is not —’

‘Please, your majesty,’ Ravan said, his voice even, with not a hint of disdain in it. ‘I recognise you. I have known you since you were a boy.’

Leo had been settling himself on a log but jumped to his feet.'You will have to explain that. I do not recognise you.’

‘It does need some explanation — this is true. May I politely ask for some food and water for the boy, please?’ He looked at Roddy and frowned. ‘He has made a long journey to meet you.’

Leo glanced at Gavriel, who felt obliged to assemble some cheese, nuts and berries from their meagre rations. He set them down with a fresh pitcher of water. ‘Help yourself,’ he said to Roddy.

‘Thank you,’ the boy said and began picking at the food. Gavriel didn’t think the youngster looked well at all.

‘Yourself?’ Leo offered.

Ravan shook his head. ‘Thank you. You may remember me as Vyk,’ he began without further preamble.

‘The only Vyk I knew was a bird, I’m afraid,’ Leo said, shaking his head. ‘I have excellent recall of faces and names, even from my childhood but —’

Ravan nodded. ‘What sort of bird was the Vyk that you knew?’

‘Well, not that it’s relevant but he was a… …’Leo stopped.

Gavriel also paused in the action of lowering himself to one of the logs. The shock spread through him like fast moving molten. ‘You jest,’ he said, the words tumbling out before he could think them through.

Ravan’s gaze hadn’t left the king. ‘I followed you through the forest. De Vis here would have killed me if not for your compassion.’

Gavriel blanched and Leo’s slack expression told him the king was equally in denial.

Ravan continued, ‘Forgive me, I know this sounds incredible but I can prove everything I say. I led the girl called Lily to you. She helped you,’ he said, turning to Gavriel, ‘with the wound you received from the two poachers. She took you back to her father’s hut. He was a simple healer, a forest dweller called Greven, and they kept you overnight. If I’m not mistaken, your majesty, you spent that night in a crawlspace hollowed below the hut. They were terrified when they found out that you were Prince Leonel, on the run from Loethar. I —’

‘Wait!’ Leo stopped him. ‘You want us to believe that you are the big black raven that Loethar brought to the palace, that everyone despised?’

‘I’m disappointed that I was so loathed. I was a good friend and companion to Loethar.’

‘But you’re a bird!’ Leo exclaimed, helpless confusion in his expression, his tone, even his open-armed stance.

‘He was one, majesty. Now he’s a man, made in the image of King Cormoron, First of the Valisars,’ Roddy said, a proud edge to his tone. Gavriel could see that Leo was speechless at the mention of King Cormoron. He waited a moment or two longer and then cleared his throat when he saw that Leo was not forthcoming.

‘Well, that’s a great story. Why don’t we start at the very beginning, though. You want us to accept this is Vyk, the raven, now a man?’

Roddy nodded with a wince. ‘Yes. I’m sorry, who are you?’

Ravan smiled again. ‘Roddy, this is Gavriel de Vis, champion and Legate I believe to King Leonel.’

Silence followed the introduction, everyone looking to Leo.

‘I have only questions. You will need to answer them all to my satisfaction or you —’

‘Please,’ Ravan said gently. ‘Feel free, your majesty. We have come to see you. Roddy, eat, or you will collapse from hunger.’

‘Why don’t you need to eat?’ Leo began.

‘Because I suppose I am not real. I was a bird. I now have to wonder if that was real too.’ Ravan shrugged. ‘Now I am made in the image of a man. You don’t look well, majesty.’

Gavriel noticed even in the low torchlight that Leo’s pallor was worsening. ‘Leo?’

‘Don’t worry about me. I’ve eaten something upsetting. Who made you this way?’

‘The serpent.’

‘Cyrena?’

Ravan nodded. ‘She came to us.’

‘Roddy, who are you?’

Roddy had a full mouth. He swallowed awkwardly. ‘Your majesty, I am no one. I come from a village in the south.’ There was a big fire there not long ago and my cat was trapped in the barn. I tried to save him but I got confused and then I felt the heat and my clothes went up in flames and I could no longer breathe. I know a man ran into the flames to save me but to be honest I only learned that afterwards. I don’t remember much of that time except that when I woke up I was whole again.’

‘How did you meet up with Ravan?’

Gavriel could see that Roddy was trying his utmost to answer clearly and concisely. ‘I met him,’ he frowned. ‘Well, I first saw him in a small woodland on the edge of our village but we first spoke at the cliff edge after the death of Sergius.’

Gavriel sighed with confusion. ‘All right, let’s go back to the fire. I’m curious, Roddy, as to how you escaped death if you ran into a burning barn.’

‘I told you I was healed.’

‘Healed of burns?’ Gavriel asked archly.

The boy nodded. ‘So was poor Clovis.’

‘Clovis?’ Leo wondered.

‘He was the man who ran into the barn after me. I have to lie down.’

‘We have travelled a long way,’ Ravan said. ‘Sleep, Roddy. I will explain everything. I haven’t mentioned this to Roddy but Clovis was also at the palace,’ Ravan remarked, surprising Gavriel. ‘He was one of two Vested chosen by Freath as part of a bargain made between Freath and Loethar. Clovis wasn’t very powerful.’ Ravan shrugged. ‘My understanding is that he could predict rough weather on the seas or which provisions to stock up on, that sort of thing. But he couldn’t wield his magic against anyone, not like I suspect Kirin Felt could.’

‘Felt?’ Leo narrowed his eyes. ‘Wait a moment. Felt! Isn’t that the man Lily has gone away with? I’m pretty sure that’s the name Tern used. Lily was meant just to keep him under observation but she ended up pretending to be his wife so she could stay close.’ His eyes narrowed. ‘Tell me, how empowered is this Kirin Felt?’

‘I really couldn’t say,’ Ravan answered. ‘He hid his ability from Loethar and Stracker.’

‘Ah, now we have it,’ Leo said. He still looked pale, but he stood to pace. ‘I wonder just how powerful he is.’ He swung around to face Ravan. ‘Do you know what an aegis is?’

Gavriel felt a spike of uncertainty run through him. Where was Leo going with this? He was getting too obsessed with the idea of his ageis for Gavriel’s comfort.

But before he could say anything, Roddy seemed to crumple beside Ravan. ‘My apology, I must be excused.’

‘Are you feeling faint, Roddy?’ Ravan asked.

‘Come with me,’ Roddy choked out. ‘I don’t feel well.’

Ravan looked to Leo, who shrugged his permission. The two newcomers walked away; Roddy seeming to be doubled up, as though preparing to retch, Ravan was rubbing the boy’s back.

Gavriel frowned after them.

‘Don’t worry, they’re not going anywhere,’ Leo remarked. ‘Do you trust their story?’

‘It’s almost too remarkable not to. Why would anyone lie about something like being a bird? And he knows too much not to be that awful raven.’

Leo gave a helpless gesture with his hand. ‘I’m glad we didn’t kill him. He might be helpful to us. He certainly seems keen to tell us all that he knows. Look, they’re coming back.’

Gavriel nodded absently, watching the pair approach again, Roddy still clearing his throat. ‘Better?’ he asked Roddy.

The boy didn’t answer. He looked pale, weary.

‘You were telling us about Felt,’ Leo continued. ‘I think he may be an aegis. Do you know what that is?’

‘The legendary champion of the Valisars,’ Ravan responded. ‘One born secretly for each child, who must be found and bonded. You want to find and bond Kirin Felt?’ Ravan asked, surprised.

‘Exactly! I need protection now, more than ever. An aegis offers the only true protection I can count on.’

Gavriel felt his stomach drop.

‘No offence to you, Gav,’ Leo said over his shoulder without looking at him.

‘None taken,’ Gavriel lied.

‘I think we should go after Felt,’ Leo threw at Gavriel, ‘especially now that Faris is onto us.’

Gavriel blinked in confusion but Leo wasn’t waiting for an answer; he had suddenly swivelled around and levelled his sword at Ravan. The man and boy stood, both looking daunted but not, Gavriel noted, especially surprised.

Leo noted it too.

‘You know my next question,’ he accused.

‘And let me answer it, highness,’ Ravan replied carefully. ‘I am not an aegis and Roddy —’

‘How can I be sure?’

Ravan thought about this. The boy looked terrified, ready to flee. ‘You can’t. But I doubt very much that we’d have risked walking into your midst.’