The Caller (3 page)

‘Let’s hope you’re right, Neryn, because if you’re not, Flint’s in even more trouble than we thought,’ Tali said. ‘As it is, there’s the account Daw brought of his meeting with Sage. I’m still finding that hard to accept. When we met Flint in the isles, he gave us no reason to think he’d suddenly walk away from his position at court, especially at a time when his services are so vital to the cause.’

‘It costs him dearly to do what he does,’ I said. ‘Of us all, he has the hardest part to play.’

‘The story was that he rode back to court with the Enforcers who came to fetch him,’ Big Don said. ‘What we don’t know is whether he was in their custody, a prisoner, or whether he managed to give them some plausible excuse for heading off on his own like that. Flint’s pretty good at lying; he’s had a lot of practice over the years, and from what he’s told us in the past, the king’s often inclined to believe him where others wouldn’t. Maybe he can talk himself out of this.’

‘Either way, it’s disturbing.’ Tali’s jaw was set grimly. ‘If there’s any chance Flint’s lost the king’s trust, our source of information from court is gone. He won’t be sending word out and we won’t be sending messengers in. That will make it much harder to have everything in place for midsummer.’ She had many elements to coordinate: not only the fighting force of Shadowfell itself, but groups of rebels in various other locations, along with the personal armies of three of Alban’s chieftains. And that was only the human part of the rebellion. Provided I completed my training in time, I would be calling in a substantial number of Good Folk to fight alongside Tali’s human warriors.

‘We’d offer our own kind tae bear messages,’ Woodrush said, ‘if it werena for the cold iron in those places. Your man will be travellin’ tae Winterfort wi’ the king and his court for the cold season, aye?’

‘Correct,’ said Tali. ‘They’ll be there until early summer. A long way, even for bird-friends. Your folk have been an asset to the cause; we wouldn’t be where we are if you hadn’t spread the word across Alban for us. But as you say, both the king’s residences will be full of Enforcers armed with iron weaponry. If Flint’s in some kind of custody, we can’t help him. He’s on his own.’

‘I’m hoping that before midsummer I’ll learn how to protect your folk against cold iron,’ I said to Woodrush and her companions. ‘I’ve been told the Master of Shadows may know the secret. I’ll visit him after I’ve travelled east to find the White Lady.’

‘It doesna add up.’ Hawkbit had been unusually silent. Now the wee man fixed his eyes on me in grim question. ‘Ye were gone frae first shootin’ until last leaf-fall, seekin’ oot the Hag and the Lord and learnin’ what ye had tae learn. There’s twa more Guardians tae visit, and ye’ve only till midsummer tae get it done. And one o’ them’s the Master o’ Shadows. Ye canna –’

‘We don’t say
cannot
here at Shadowfell,’ Tali put in firmly, silencing him. ‘And we don’t say
impossible
. Neryn and I were caught up in the crowd heading for the Gathering; that slowed us. And before that, I made an error of judgement that took us out of our way.’

There was a silence, in which I suspected everyone was thinking the same thing:
And that can happen again, or something very like it.

‘But yes,’ Tali added, ‘time is indeed short. Even if Neryn’s gone from here immediately the paths are open again after winter, she barely has time to do what must be done.’

Whisper ruffled his snowy feathers. ‘Winter is close,’ he said. ‘But no’ yet here in its full force. Why must you wait until next spring tae travel east? Go now, and you can be awa’ from the highlands before the snow lies ower the paths.’

‘Neryn might get through,’ said Brasal. ‘But at this time of year she’s just as likely to get caught in a blizzard and perish from cold on the mountainside. We’ve seen that happen; we don’t want it again.’

Whisper was still looking at me, waiting for me to speak.

‘But you could get me there much more quickly,’ I said, meeting his gaze. ‘Is that what you are suggesting? Overnight, as you did when you brought Tali and me home?’ The prospect of heading out from the warmth and safety of Shadowfell again so soon made me feel sick.

‘It would be possible.’ There was a
but
in Whisper’s tone. ‘I havena attempted a journey tae the Watch o’ the East before. It wouldna be easy. The White Lady is a private creature, and so are the folk o’ her watch. Or so I’ve heard. Taking you there so quickly would be a considerable test o’ strength.’

‘But you could do it,’ Tali said, her eyes bright with enthusiasm. There was no doubt this would offer us a great advantage. ‘How soon?’

‘As soon as Neryn can be ready,’ Whisper said, but there was a wariness in his voice. ‘I dinna promise I can find the White Lady, mind. But I can take Neryn tae the spot where I believe she is most likely tae be found, and I can stay wi’ her while she undertakes her training.’

‘You wouldn’t need to stay,’ said Tali, her mind clearly racing ahead. ‘You could return to the north until it was time for Neryn to move on again.’

Whisper turned his great owl-eyes on her. ‘You would leave your Caller wi’ nae guard?’

‘We’ll provide the guard. Gort has already volunteered to do that job; when they travel by human paths they’ll make a convincing husband and wife.’

‘Ah,’ said Whisper on a sigh. ‘This is a mair taxing journey, as I told you. I havena the strength tae take mair than one.’

There was a silence, and then Tali said, ‘Couldn’t you take Gort first, then come back for Neryn?’

‘It isna like carrying folk across a ford or balancing on a bridge,’ Whisper said. ‘It sucks awa’ strength. I can take only one. Neryn needs nae guard but me. I can keep her safe.’

Tali opened her mouth, plainly about to tell him that what he was suggesting ran contrary to the plan decided on when I’d first reached Shadowfell, a plan made by Regan and herself with the agreement of the entire rebel community. The entire
human
rebel community, that was. It was only later that we had won the support of the Good Folk. There was a set of priorities, and one of the top priorities was my safety. Regan had not been prepared to let me leave the protection of Shadowfell without the best guard he could give me. On my previous journey, that guard had been Tali. Now Regan was dead and Tali could not come with me. But it was quite clear from the look on her face that she doubted Whisper’s ability to keep me safe.

‘Can you tell us where the place is?’ Big Don spoke before Tali could. ‘If we have allies in the area, one of your bird-friends could take a message to them, and they could provide additional protection for Neryn.’

‘I’m not having messages flying around that could reveal Neryn’s whereabouts,’ Tali said. ‘A bird-friend can fall into the wrong hands. Ideally Neryn would have two human protectors, one to stay with her, the other to prepare the way for when she needs to head on. We have allies in the south; they can be useful to her. The word’s gone out that we’ll be wearing the thistle as our token, discreetly of course.’

Whisper and the other Good Folk had gone rather quiet. ‘Don’t forget why I’m travelling to the east,’ I put in, concerned that we might be causing them offence. ‘The person I’m seeking out is a Guardian, ancient, powerful and fey. An entity who, if the rumours are correct, has retreated from the world to wait out the dark time of Keldec’s reign. The White Lady may not be prepared to speak to me if I’m surrounded by human protectors, however well intentioned they are. She may even take exception to Whisper, since he’s a Northie. But at least he is one of her own kind.’

‘The lassie speaks wisely,’ said Woodrush. ‘The word is, the White Lady’s never been ower-fond o’ company, save that of her ain wee circle. I dinna think she’ll mak’ the task easy.’ After a pause she added, ‘Her place o’ refuge – I’ve heard tell it’s a spot forbidden tae men.’

‘Another thing,’ I said. ‘When I do find the White Lady, I’ll need to stay with her for training. That might take a while, and whoever comes with me may have to spend a lot of time just . . . waiting.’ I glanced at Tali. She had found waiting tedious in the isles, but she’d used her time fruitfully in the north. There, she had befriended the Lord of the North’s captains and helped them reorganise their fighting forces. Between us, she and I had won the support of that army for the rebellion. ‘Whisper could use the time to talk to the Good Folk of the east,’ I suggested. ‘He could start winning them over. We have support from west and north now, but the other Watches . . . It seems those folk are not so approachable.’

‘Easties, they’re odd folk,’ said Hawkbit, the wee man who was a leader of the Folk Below. ‘Flighty. Quick. Touchy. A body canna get a grip on them.’

‘Will-o’-the-wisps,’ put in Bearberry.

‘Hoppity-moons,’ said Woodrush. ‘A glint, a flash, a flutter and they’re gone.’

‘What about the south?’ asked Fingal. ‘Is that going to prove equally difficult? Even if Neryn does go now, there’s little time left.’

‘We canna tell ye aboot the Watch o’ the South,’ said Hawkbit. ‘Save that we wouldna be venturin’ there in a hurry.’

I glanced at Whisper. If he was taking me to the east, he’d likely be the one going on to the south too. There would be no coming home to Shadowfell in between, with the entire mission needing to be completed well before midsummer. The more I thought about it, the harder it was to believe I could do it in time.

‘If it werena for this matter o’ cold iron,’ Whisper said, ‘I’d be suggesting you dinna trouble yoursel’ wi’ the Master o’ Shadows. Dinna you think he’s as likely tae teach you the wrong thing as the right? For now, I’d say we gae ane step at a time. I can take you tae the east. You’ll save a season if you travel wi’ me.’

Tali folded her arms, her brows crooked in a frown. She looked at me. ‘You’re the Caller, Neryn. In the end, this has to be your decision.’

‘You’re the leader. I’ll abide by your decision, whichever way it goes.’

She managed a smile. ‘I’m not qualified to make the judgement. Whisper’s offer seems to make it possible for you to get everything done before midsummer, which is essential. But it is risky. If you have doubts, or if you’re simply not ready to head off again so soon, then wait and travel in spring, taking Gort as well as Whisper. It’s vital that you stay safe. We need you at the end; we can’t win this without you.’

Tali and I had not long ago returned from our travels to face the terrible news of Regan’s death. The thought of heading off again so soon was a leaden weight on my shoulders. The vile things I had seen on my journey still haunted my dreams. But there was no defeating evil unless people had hope. There was no going forward unless folk held on to their belief that the future could be bright, that a lamp of goodness could still shine in this realm of darkness and despair. And, although it would be far easier to curl up and hide, as many of the Good Folk had done, there would never be change unless people were prepared to take risks, to step forward and fight for a better world. I knew this well; I had known it a long time.

‘I’ll go with Whisper,’ I made myself say, and saw Tali’s glance of recognition, the acknowledgement that goes from one warrior to another:
We’re in this together.
‘And we’ll do it the way he suggests. Our first mission is to find the White Lady. Until that is done, there’s not much point troubling ourselves with the Master of Shadows. Besides, when I met him before, I hadn’t sought him out. He came to me.’

‘Aye,’ said Hawkbit in dour tones, ‘so ye told us. If that didna mak’ ye suspicious, mebbe nothing will.’ After a moment he added, ‘But good luck to ye, lassie. May the wind blow ye fair and true on your path.’

Chapter Two

S
aying goodbye to Tali was hard. It was made harder by the knowledge that I’d likely not have time to return to Shadowfell before midsummer and the challenge to Keldec. Our army, such as it was, would not be marching openly to the Gathering. Instead we would travel there as ordinary folk of Alban, taking to the road along with the crowds of others headed in the same direction. The king had twisted the once-popular midsummer celebration into a foul travesty, but folk still flocked there in their hundreds. Attendance, complete with enthusiastic shouting, was viewed as a sign of loyalty; non-attendance by chieftains and their households was likely to result in hard questions at the very least. We would make our way to Summerfort not as an army but in ones and twos, dressed like any other traveller and approaching from various directions. Our uncanny allies were masters of concealment, and would manifest when we needed them.

When everyone was present within the walls of Summerfort’s practice area we would reveal our true purpose. We’d do it on the first day of the Gathering, straight after the king had made his introductory speech. Tali would stand up in the crowd and denounce Keldec. When the king’s men rushed to apprehend her, as they surely would, the rebels would reveal themselves and do battle with the Enforcers. The chieftains who were supporting us would stand alongside us with their fighting forces; those whom we had not won over to our cause would no doubt fight on the king’s side. Once battle was drawn, I would call in our most potent weapon, the Good Folk, who could use magic to fight. None of us doubted that it would be a bloody encounter, in which many would die. The Enforcers would not go down easily, and we had the support of only three of Alban’s six remaining chieftains, though one was the powerful Lannan Long-Arm. Getting the timing right would be crucial.

‘Make sure you stick to the plan,’ Tali said as we stood at Shadowfell’s entry, waiting for Whisper. ‘Going off with only Whisper may be all right for the winter, when the Enforcers are less active. But you may still be in training when spring comes. Whisper can’t travel with you openly, especially when there are crowds on the roads. I don’t want you stranded somewhere, unable to get to us by midsummer.’

‘Whisper can transport me to anywhere in Alban overnight. Even to the Gathering, I imagine, though I haven’t asked him and I hope I don’t need to.’

‘I’ll ask Bearberry to find me the most reliable bird-friend they have,’ Tali said, demonstrating how far her trust in the Good Folk had advanced. ‘We must be able to get messages to you, Neryn, and to receive yours. Then, once the tracks are passable again, I’ll send Gort to meet you, and probably one of the others too. That way you’ll have proper protection when you make your way back toward Summerfort. After what happened to us on the road before, I want to be as sure as I can be that you’ll get there safely.’