Set in Stone (45 page)

General Carbrey moved to a hard-backed wooden chair beside the large map table. "I take it they sent you as messenger."

"Yes sir. I bring word from General Wolfram."

"Wolfram!" Carbrey snarled. "Are you certain?"

"Yes, sir."

Carbrey took a steadying breath. "I should have expected this. Tell me lad, what did you see of his army?"

"I saw about a hundred regulars, maybe eight Rumblers, the four Wingrunners that attacked Captain Rory and Lady Shona, the Sapper Anton, and two fellows who look a lot like you two."

He finished by pointing to the two captains with the twin swords on their backs.

The two exchanged grins. "Aye, we know the Allcarvers," said one.

The other flexed his hands. "Might be this time'll do it."

Carbrey said, "Only under the right conditions."

"Of course," they replied in unison, but the glint in their eyes suggested they'd close with the others if any chance presented itself. Connor decided he wanted to be standing far away when that happened.

Carbrey barked a laugh and leaned over the table and the map on its center. He pounded the surface with a fist, "The old wolf has over-extended himself this time. He won't escape me again."

Connor's heart sank. The general's face brightened with anticipation for battle, making him look younger, despite his salt-and-pepper hair. Connor hadn't yet delivered Wolfram's message, but he worried how Carbrey would respond.

Carbrey, still staring at the map, said, "Where did he come from? How could he bring such an army into Obrion without detection?"

"Sir, I believe they crossed directly from Granadure, from the far side of Mount Ingram."

"That mountain is impassable."

"No, sir, I'm afraid it isn't."

Shona spoke. "Connor found a way through. Initially he was going to show them so they could leave."

"I think they must have found it," Connor said.

Carbrey frowned. "It is the only explanation that makes sense." He looked over at Connor, "How is it that you found this trail when no one before you ever has?"

Connor shrugged. "I've hunted all over these mountains. I go places no one else goes. I almost missed it."

"Explain."

"It's a tiny trail, barely more than a scratch across a cliff. Most people wouldn't even realize it was a trail. It's very dangerous."

"Then it would be hard for an army to cross."

Connor nodded. "Very hard." He thought of those huge plate-armored soldiers with their massive weapons and shields, and shuddered at the thought of trying to traverse the mountain weighed down with all that gear.

A little smile played across the general's lips. "Then he cannot easily get reinforcements." To his captains, he said, "We will strip the garrison at Merkland and flood this valley with troops. We'll cut him off and destroy him."

"General," Connor said, talking over one of the captains, who was speaking about troop dispositions.

Without turning around, Carbrey said, "Never interrupt your superiors, boy. You delivered your message. Don't pretend to greater honors."

Connor's face reddened with the rebuke. For a moment, he'd felt accepted here, believed that his opinion mattered. He should have known better. He was still an untested Linn, not even a full Guardian, despite his rare affinity. Still, Wolfram's words rang in his mind, and he hadn't even delivered the terms yet.

"But sir," Connor said, pushing the words through the fear. "There's something else you should know."

"You presume to interrupt a second time? Do you really think it is you who should decide what I need to know?"

"No, sir," Connor stammered. "I'm sorry, sir. I just thought you'd want to know Wolfram is planning to attack Merkland."

"Why would Wolfram tell you that?"

"He didn't. I overheard him and Captain Ilse discussing it. Ilse figured you'd strip the garrison and recommended they invade and attack Merkland while its defenses were weak. I didn't get to hear the final decision."

Shona moved to stand beside Connor and placed her good hand on his shoulder. "I told you he was useful to have around."

Carbrey considered the news. "Wolfram is a crafty devil. He would attack Merkland, especially now. What better way to gain what he wants than to lure our army out here to this forsaken land. He'd be free to attack at his pleasure." After a pause, he continued softly, "It fits. Until now I could not see why he would focus so much energy here despite the quarry. Good work, lad."

"Thank you, sir."

The general pointed at one of the captains. "Dispatch a Strider downriver immediately. Order the garrison to full alert, and bring the prisoner to me under heavy escort."

The captain saluted and left the tent.

"Do you think it wise to bring him here?" Rory asked.

"He's safest with me. Let Wolfram break his army against Merkland's walls. He won't find what he's after." He paced from the table and spun back to the group. "We'll play his game and make him think he's tricked us."

Connor yearned to ask about the prisoner, but dared not interrupt Carbrey again.

The general stood, "I've sparred with Wolfram for years across the border. He's a crafty son of the Tallan like no other, but this time he's committed himself too far. His faith in this Builder girl will be his undoing. This time, I'll destroy him."

"What if Wolfram brings in more reinforcements?" Rory asked. "We outnumber him, but it would not take much to shift that balance."

"Boy," Carbrey motioned for Connor to join him at the map. "Tell me about Mount Ingram. Where is the best place to station a company to deny them access to this trail of yours?"

The map was a complete waste of time. Connor knew what had to be done. He did not want to say it, but could not think of another option.

"Sir, there is another way. The mountain can do the work for us."

"How?"

"I can tell a company of your men how to trigger an avalanche to wipe out the trail entirely."

Chapter 50

When Jean returned from saying good-bye to Connor, Lilias noted her tear-streaked face. Her heart went out to the young woman, but she could not offer wisdom and comfort right then, especially not with Hamish loitering about. Besides, she was not entirely sure what to say.

Her son was growing, changing. She'd dreaded this day all of Connor's life. Already she saw him becoming a man who might save many lives, but he was also growing apart from the town. He no longer fit in, and that tore at her heart.

She motioned Jean to resume her seat, and called Hamish over from where he was rooting for food in Mhairi's cupboards. The boy never stopped eating.

"We have plans to make."

"I thought we did that," Hamish said. "I talk with Verena, Jean finds Hendry and the other prisoners and spies on Lady Isobel, and you . . ."

His voice trailed off and Lilias said, "And I orchestrate our little revolution."

Jean perked up from her quiet sorrow. "Revolution?"

She gave them a long look. They were so young, and yet who better to entrust the future of the town to than the rising generation? Besides, she trusted no one more completely. At least, no one she had such ready access to.

She took a sip of her rapidly cooling cider. "Armies gather around our town and open battle will probably be joined before nightfall. Do you think we'll remain safe?"

"They only said they want the Cutters," Hamish protested. "Why would anyone hurt the rest of us?"

"They may not plan to, but do you honestly think they'll hesitate if battle dictates the destruction of our town to grant them some advantage?"

Jean shook her head. "They'd slaughter us without a thought."

Hamish paled and pulled a carrot stick from his mouth. "What can we do?"

"First, we follow our plan. Connor needs the information we can gather for him."

"We need to prepare," Jean said. "Despite the threat of Daor, we might need to run before it's too late."

Lilias smiled. Such a smart one. The boys only saw her beauty, but this one had real promise. She really needed to pull the girl aside for a little talk.

Hamish looked stunned. "But we can't. Lord Gavin said."

Jean said, "Lord Gavin's a fool."

Hamish gaped, and Lilias spoke. "Jean is right. We cannot bury our tools and hope the mountain splits for our good. We may need to orchestrate our own escape."

"But what if he rescinds Teagair?"

"We'll deal with that when the time comes." She spoke the words with confidence despite the paralyzing fear at the thought of losing her children. "Better to risk living as slaves than accept death without fighting for freedom."

"No one will go," Hamish said.

"They will if we prepare them, if we flee together, at once, before the Grandurians can stop us."

"They'll kill us," Hamish said.

"Not if we do it right. They don't have the numbers to fight a battle and chase us at the same time."

"They might kill the prisoners," Jean said.

Lilias took a deep, steadying breath. "They might."

"Then how can we do it?"

"How can we not?" Lilias surprised herself by the heat in her voice. Hamish rocked back in his chair under the intensity of her gaze, and she held him with it.

"Those prisoners, my husband, are a bargaining chip. They will die if they ever lose their value, not if we escape." She forced herself to say it coldly, despite the screaming terror that tore her heart at the possibility.

"How can we be sure?"

"We cannot." She took each of their hands and met their worried gazes. "I can't promise anything but this. Freedom is always worth fighting for. If we give up, if we stop fighting, we've already lost. We must trust to the army to save our families."

"No," Jean said with tears glistened in her eyes. "We need to trust Connor. He'll save them."

She finished in a whisper.

"He's a Guardian."

Chapter 51

I need to learn to keep my mouth shut
, Connor thought as he watched Captain Peader lead his Boulders out of camp. They crossed the river on a small barge that the Linn had constructed the previous day. From there, they would hike up Mount Ingram and start the avalanche that would seal Wolfram's army in Obrion.

Wolfram would become desperate, and any hope for peaceful resolution would die in flames of bloody battle. Or, as General Carbrey predicted, they would see the hopelessness of the situation and surrender. He had dismissed Wolfram's terms with barely a moment's consideration, confident of victory.

The Grandurians would never surrender.

Connor could not believe they would. Ilse had proven she'd stand calmly against impossible odds, and the little he knew of General Wolfram suggested he was cut from the same stone. They would fight, and many would die.

Connor had no idea how to stop them. Why hadn't he kept his mouth shut?