StarMan (55 page)

Timozel restrained his temper with extreme effort.
Of course, Master.

Of course, Timozel. My pets shall be with you soon. They lie about the corridors fat with child, and even now their grunting begins. Then they will be.unencumbered and free to join you.

One good piece of news, at least.

Timozel, I think you may be succumbing to despondency alone in Gorkenfort with none but Skraelings and SkraeBolds to keep you amused.

No, Master!Timozel broke into a sweat. No,
my spirits remain high!

See that they do. Listen to me. Seven thousand Gryphon — look what Axis did to himself trying to dispose of only nine hundred. Take heart.

Yes, there was that. Timozel relaxed, his mouth curving into a smile. The seven thousand would be with him shortly; with those he could decimate anything Axis threw at him.

Timozel, there is something I must ask you. Do you know of a raven-haired woman who rides by Axis' side?

Timozel frowned. No,
Master.

Do you know if Axis has a son?

Timozel almost laughed.
A son? He undoubtedly has had the opportunity, but I have never heard
of a son.

And what of Faraday, Timozel? When you left Carton, what of Axis and Faraday?

Rutting on the floor, Master, their passions so feral they could not take the five steps to the bed.

And they were married?

About to be, Master.

Gorgrael thought about this. Timozel had not seen Axis for so long that his information was as cold as the stones of Gorkenfort itself. Why didn't Timozel know about the woman? Why, when it was obvious that well before Carlon she had been sharing Axis' bed?

And if the black-haired witch had married him, that made Faraday the Lover, did it not?

Ah, no matter. Whichever, whoever, Gorgrael still thought he had the better plan.
You have done
well, Timozel. I am pleased.

Thank you, Master.

Seven thousand Gryphon. Axis could never deal with that many. Timozel sat back in the Great Hall of Gorkenfort and laughed. "Come on, Axis. Be brave. Come get me. Lead your men. Let me take you."

SigholtHe's
where}"
Axis hissed. "Gorkenfort," Ho'Demi replied. "Timozel is in Gorkenfort and his host is ranged about." As he had in Aldeni, Axis had trusted Ravensbundmen to scout the extreme north of Ichtar where the snow still fell.

"Are you sure your spies are right in this?"

Ho'Demi managed not to look affronted; from what he had heard about the battle for Gorkentown and fort it was no wonder the StarMan's face was now creased with concern. He nodded, then folded his hands .before him.

Axis and his commanders were seated in the Great Hall of Sigholt in the hour before the evening meal was served. Now Axis glanced across at Belial. "Well?"

Belial considered, then looked at Axis with sympathy shining from his eyes. "It is a good place, Axis."

"Who for?" Axis snapped.

"For him," Belial said. "He would know the memories the place holds for you. The ghosts."

"And he can withdraw into Gorken Pass itself," Magariz added. "Forcing you to follow him. If he plans well, Gorken Pass could become a death trap for us...especially if he launches Gryphon from the rocks of the mountains." He finished abruptly. Magariz would rather not fight another battle at Gorkenfort.

"I do not want to hear this," Axis said, but his voice had lost its harsh edge. Gorkenfort.
Damn
him!

Everyone else was silent.

Azhure waited several minutes until she spoke, until the others had begun to shift uncomfortably.

"Well, where else did you expect him to go, Axis? We knew he was moving north, and Gorken Pass is the only route through to the northern coasts . . . unless he wanted to try to move his host through the Icescarp Alps. Surely this cannot be too much of a surprise."

Axis glared at her, but she did not drop her eyes. He'd hoped Timozel might pull his army back all the way to Gorgrael's fortress somewhere in the northern wastes. But it had always been a forlorn hope. He knew he would have to face Timozel again, and it might as well be Gorkenfort or Gorken Pass as anywhere else. After all, Skraelings had died there together with men.

"SpikeFeather? Have your scouts returned from their duty over Ichtar?"

SpikeFeather shuffled his wings, relieved that the StarMan's voice had returned to normal. "Yes, StarMan. It is quiet and denuded of Skraelings from the Fortress Ranges to the River Azle -and possibly beyond, but my scouts did not fly that far. Likewise it is quiet and empty from the Icescarp Alps to the Nordra."

Axis looked at Magariz. "You have your province back, Prince Magariz."

Magariz bowed his head. "Then I thank you, StarMan."

Best thank Faraday, Axis thought, for it is she who has driven back Gorgrael's ice with her trees.

"Fire-Night," Azhure prompted gently, "is only some nine weeks away."

Axis' ill-humour returned and he laughed harshly. "Do you hear that, my friends? Fire-Night is but nine weeks away. By the third week of Rose-month I must have cleared this land of its Skraelings so that I can move to meet the Avar in their groves."

Belial looked bewildered, as did most of the other commanders.

"Axis must be in the Avarinheim groves by Fire-Night so that he can take the Rainbow Sceptre with which to destroy Gorgrael," Azhure explained, her eyes still on Axis. "The Avar will be instrumental in the making of the Sceptre."

"That does not leave us much time," Belial said, then wished he had kept quiet.

But Axis only waved a hand tiredly. "Then we had better start to move. Belial, what is our state of readiness?"

Belial spoke for some time, occasionally referring a point to one of the other commanders, or querying something with Axis himself. In the eight weeks since the army had been encamped on the Lake of Life, spirits and health had been restored, gear mended and cleaned, and training had continued apace.

"Then when can we ride?" Axis said.

"In two days...if the conditions permit it." Belial looked at SpikeFeather.

The Strike Force Leader spoke quickly. "The land is well thawed -"

"And drained?" Belial broke in.

"And drained," SpikeFeather said. "There are still great patches of mud, but the ground forces should be able to ride past them."

Axis lounged back in his chair and stretched his legs out. "The Strike Force, SpikeFeather? Should I take you?"

"Would you have us stay here and mind the children, Axis?"

"If seven thousand Gryphon get to you before Azhure can manage to contain them, then there will be no Strike Force at all."

"We want to fight," SpikeFeather said. "If we die, then so be it."

Axis regarded him carefully. The Strike Force had built itself up so that it now stood at about sixty per cent of its previous strength. But SpikeFeather was young and relatively inexperienced. Should he risk them?

They have to fight, Axis. Isn't that what you trained them for in Talon Spike? Did you want them to go home the instant they lost a few members? "You gave them their pride, do you now want to take it away from them?

More than a few members lost, Azhure,but Axis conceded the point. "Very well, SpikeFeather. You can start to send the farflight scouts towards Gorkenfort, but be careful!"

"And we fight?"

"Yes. You fight. Ready the Strike Force. You can move out four days after the ground force has gone. Your initial task will be to protect the supply column."

SpikeFeather took a deep breath and relaxed. "Good."

"SpikeFeather, have you any news from Talon Spike?" Azhure asked.

He shook his head regretfully. "I'm sorry, Enchantress. All I know is that the majority of the Icarii made it safely to the Avarinheim. Some have stayed there with the Avar, but many are continuing south to the Minaret Peaks, some to Nor and Carlon, and some to the Island of Mist and Memory."

Azhure nodded. She felt responsible for RavenCrest's decision to stay, but it was his choice, and it was his life. At least most of the Icarii had escaped - and who knew, perhaps Gorgrael wouldn't think to launch his Gryphon on the mountain anyway.

But already she could feel the black surge of Gryphon to the north, a tidal wave of destruction -

almost seven thousand, three hundred of them. And their pups, mewling and crawling in an even blacker wave. Waiting. Wanting.

"Well," Axis said with forced lightness in his voice, "so in two days we ride into yet another battle." He reached across to Azhure and took her hand. "Thank the Stars you will ride with me this time."

She gave him a tight, tense smile.

"I can't come with you, Axis."

They were alone in their bed chamber.

He spun to her. " Wfcat?" "Axis, please understand, I can't come -" He seized her shoulders, unable to believe what he was hearing. " Azhure, I
need
you!"

She winced at the strength of his hands and the pain in his eyes but kept her voice soft. "Axis, I will be there in time for the battle, it's just that I'm needed elsewhere at the moment. I'll join you as soon as I can."

"Needed elsewhere?" He laughed incredulously. "Needed
elsewhere!
What? Does RiverStar need to be burped just so? Is Caelum fussing over a tooth? Dammit, Azhure, there's no need to prove to me that you are a good mother!" "Faraday."
"Faraday?"

She took a deep breath. How could she explain without telling him what Faraday did not want him to know? "Faraday draws close to Smyrton. She is tired, exhausted, yet she faces the greatest danger of all in only a week or two."

"Can't she plant the last few trees by herself, Azhure?" "Artor waits in Smyrton, Axis. Faraday needs me and I need her. Neither of us can face him alone, and
no-one
can ignore him."

"I need you, Azhure," he whispered.

"I know."

"How can I deal with the Gryphon without you?"

"Shush. I'll be there in time," she said.

"I'll fail without you!"

"Axis ..."

He drew her close to him. "Azhure, I
will fail without
youl"

"We will both fail without Faraday," she said fiercely, trying to make him understand. "I can deal with the Gryphon, but what about the mass of Skraelings? What will you do at Gorkenfort?"

"I dealt with them at the Azle."

"No," she said brutally, "you only bought yourself a few precious hours to retreat in. Don't you want to advance this time? Secure Ravensbund for Ho'Demi as you have secured Ichtar for Magariz?"

He was silent, his face averted. His hands slipped away from her arms and hung at his sides.

Azhure wrapped her own arms about him as tightly as she could, pressing her body against his, maintaining the contact. "The trees will help us, Axis, but only if they are joined to the Avarinheim. If the Song of the Earth Tree can touch them."

"And what will the trees do, Azhure," he said harshly, "pick up their roots and march forth? Can I rely on
them
to get there in time?"

She pressed her face against his chest. "The trees
will
help us, Axis. Faraday has promised."

He was silent long minutes. "She has reason enough to hate me, to lie to me."

"She does not hate you, Axis, and she does not lie to you."

"I lied to her."

Azhure was silent.

"I lied to her," Axis whispered. "I wish before every star in the firmament that I'd had the courage to treat her as she deserved."

Azhure lifted her head and considered him. "Then make sure you tell her that, Axis, when you have the chance."

They held each other quietly, wrapped in their own thoughts. "When will you leave?" Axis asked eventually.

"Tomorrow. For the past two or three days I have felt a growing urge to go to her...this afternoon it became almost unbearable. I
must
leave in the morning."

"Azhure..."

"I
will
be there for you," she said. "I
will
get to you in time!"

Imibe stood on the roof of Sigholt, the baby girl in her arms, watching with a careful eye as the other nurse played ball with

Caelum. She liked to bring her charges up here every morning and afternoon so they could bask in the sun and breathe in the gentle breeze wafting off the Lake.

The stairwell door opened and the StarMan and the Enchantress stepped out. Imibe straightened. The Enchantress had told her earlier diat she would be leaving for a week or more. Axis smiled at her, but there were lines of tension about his eyes.

Azhure took the baby girl from Imibe. At three and a half months she was growing ever more beautiful, her hair darkening into a deep corn-gold, her eyes such a dark violet they sometimes appealed almost black.

"RiverStar," Azhure murmured. Since the girl had been separated from DragonStar, Azhure could feel her antagonism lessening with each day; although there was as yet little warmth between them Azhure hoped that one day they could learn to love and trust each other. She felt Axis at her shoulder and turned to smile at him.

"Isn't she beautiful, Axis? She has the SunSoar colouring, this one."

He touched the girl gently on her cheek. He'd been spending an increasing amount of time with his daughter. Although he had not been able to train her while in the womb, now she seemed prepared to accept his teaching.

Caelum clambered over to Axis and clung to his legs. Smiling, Axis swung him into his arms. "And how do you like your sister, Caelum?"

Caelum regarded RiverStar solemnly. "Better when she can run and play."

Axis' smile broadened and the lines about his eyes relaxed. "Small babies are not fun playmates, are they, Caelum? I have no doubt I shall have ample cause to reprimand both of you for your mischief-making when you have grown a little."

A step in the doorway made all turn. Cazna stood there, her cheeks flushing when she realised that Axis and Azhure had joined their children.

She was holding DragonStar.

Caelum twisted and whimpered softly in Axis' arms, as if DragonStar were close enough to pinch his flesh.