The Guardians (Book 2) (10 page)

‘
We were actually heading for the Dwellings. I know that sounds like a stupid thing to do, but something has to be done about Nandul. So we were going to the Province of the guardians when we stumbled across…people who shouldn’t be in this land at all. And they were all placed in a nasty little circle around the southern side of Castle. Well, we killed about twelve of them before we got through their line, and then we found their nest. Then you and the Baron came rushing towards us and we slipped up into that tree so as not to be seen. Unfortunately you chose to hide in the very same tree.

‘
I’m guessing you didn’t tell Nandul you’re in Alkira,’ said Danil.

‘
Nandul thinks we’re doing a little reconnaissance. He wants us to check out how well Castle is defended since he’s absolutely bursting to attack Prince Kelian’s city.’ Danil, Dale and Tolly glanced at each other in alarm as he continued. ‘What Nandul doesn’t know is that the information he gets from us will be highly inaccurate, which of course won’t be our fault since before now none of us have been to Castle – not that Nandul knows of anyway - so how could we possibly know we had the wrong city?’ He grinned then his face turned deadly serious. ‘And you can be sure your King will be informed of any attack Nandul might be planning. So much easier if someone else returns the stinking bastard for me!’ he said emphatically.

‘
Surely Nandul won’t want to attack Castle if he has his own war to attend to?’ said Danil incredulously.

‘
Of course he will. This is Nandul we’re talking about, Danil. Revenge is just as important as dominance and power.’

Dal
e stared ahead contemplatively. ‘So right when we need the guardians most, war threatens Nyinaku, and Nandul plans to attack Castle,’ he said. ‘And from what Callian said, the final goal of these strange enemies is destroy the guardians.’

‘
And to destroy my people also,’ said Rudiger with certainty. ‘Then there is no-one able to stop them.’

‘
Are you sure Nandul isn’t working with them?’ Danil asked sarcastically.

Rudiger
raised one eyebrow. ‘Nandul is far too arrogant to work for anyone other than himself,’ he said, looking annoyed. ‘Besides, these people don’t make alliances. They simply eradicate anyone who stands in the way of a bountiful food supply, which is exactly what the guardians do.’

‘
What are they?’ asked Dale.

‘
Namhaid,’
said Rudiger. ‘Enemy. But the guardians call them Nailmarni.’

‘
So Callian said,’ Dale confirmed. ‘I need to know more. What sort of people are they? Do they think like we do? Do they have families? Where did they originally come from?’

‘
I think you’d better discuss this with Callian when we get back to Castle,’ Rudiger suggested.

‘
Callian’s gone to the Dwellings,’ said Dale.

‘
Did you see what happened after we threw the snakes into the nest?’ asked Tolly.

‘
Yes. We were watching,’ said Eibhear. ‘The snake bites had no effect, which is exactly what I would have expected. They bit at least three of them as they slept and then they slithered away. The sentries didn’t even move for something so minor and the ones that were bitten brushed the snakes away like annoying mosquitoes.’

‘
Nothing seems to work,’ said Dale in frustration. Even the variety of poisons he had added to the spring pooling near the nest had no effect. He had been unable to find any of their food so he had no idea what the Nailmarni ate. ‘Nothing affects them!’

‘
Something certainly affected them,’ Rudiger contradicted.

‘
You said the snakes didn’t worry them,’ Dale replied sounding confused.

‘
They didn’t. But I’d certainly like to know a little more about your glove.’

‘
Why?’ said Dale, as hope rekindled.

‘
It came down on the face of one of the sleeping Nailmarni.’

‘
And?’ Dale prompted excitedly.

‘
And the skin all over its face started smoking and then it shriveled and turned black, and there was a horrible smell. Not a nice way to die.’

‘
It died!’ Dale exclaimed in wonder. ‘You can’t be serious! This is incredible! At last! This is fantastic! Unexpected...but brilliant!’

‘
What was on the glove?’

‘
The tiniest bit of chiniocelle. Not even enough to affect a human!’

‘
I take it you’ve had a few failed attempts at killing them?’

‘
We’ve tried everything! Though I still haven’t tried drenching them in oil and setting them alight.’

Rudiger
’s mouth dropped open and his head twisted around to look at Dale. ‘Well, that’s certainly a possibility Baron, but I’d like to hear how you plan to make it happen!’

‘
I’m working on it,’ Dale muttered.

‘
He has a bit of mean streak, doesn’t he Rudi?’ said Eibhear sarcastically. ‘Maybe that explains why he looks so beaten and battered.’

‘
I fell out of the tree, Eibhear!’ Dale replied huffily.

‘
You looked almost as bad before you fell out of the tree,’ Eibhear pointed out and Dale glared at him indignantly.

‘
Don’t worry. He always looks like that,’ Tolly explained.

‘
Just how do you plan to ‘drench them in oil and set them alight’?’ asked Eibhear.

‘Perhaps this conversation should also wait until we’re back in Castle,’ Dale suggested.

‘
Let’s hope we live long enough to finish it,’ said Eibhear looking warily towards the city in the distance. ‘If your soldiers come after us in force, I’m taking your horse Dale.’

‘
You wouldn’t dare!’ said Dale. ‘Be careful, or I’ll do what I did the last time someone took my horse without permission.’

‘
What did you do?’ asked Eibhear curiously.

Dale sighed heavily.
‘I walked home.’

Chapter 13

News from Castle

Prince Kelian waited on the beach with Tiernan, Milgorry and Borgulnay as a ship drew into the harbor.

‘
It’s unusual enough for us to have one Alkiran ship in our harbor,’ Tiernan commented. ‘And now we have two.’

‘
Who’s aboard?’ asked Kelian.

‘
The Captain was previously Executive Officer Gillam. Apart from many sailors, I can sense General Callian and our Lady Valeska and…’ His brow furrowed in concentration. ‘Lady Sophie, wife of General Marnol of Highview. One of the sailors is the son of Captain Gillam and there’s a little girl...she’s incredibly difficult to sense, I wonder who she is…’ An expression of surprise crossed his face before he continued. ‘There is someone unexpected, almost impossible to sense,’ he finished uneasily. A smile dawned on Milgorry’s face. They stood in silence as the boat dropped anchor and longboats were lowered.

K
elian led the group to the edge of the water as Callian and Lias leapt from the longboat and effortlessly pulled it up on to the sand. Valeska sprang lightly onto the sand and looked questioningly at Tiernan. He patted her shoulder reassuringly.

‘
Your brother Yarrabyth is here at the Dwellings, Valeska. He returned here after you and Danil left on the ship for Warbilla.’ Callian reached out and helped Lady Sophie from the boat and Lias lifted Aithne and placed her gently on the sand. Lias sprang over to Milgorry and they gripped each other’s arms.

Aithne gave a cry of joy
and Borgulnay’s face lit up with delight as they saw each other. He dashed forward and grabbed the little girl, tossed her into the air and caught her and the two laughed as they hugged happily. Kelian and Timbul joined them, and Aithne leaned from Borgulnay’s arms and hugged them gladly. ‘Gil and Araas are waiting back at the Dwellings,’ said Borgulnay pointing towards the buildings. Aithne looked towards Milgorry, then she wriggled and Borgulnay set her on the ground. Milgorry knelt as she approached.

‘
You’re the one who fixed my broken wrists and my knee when those horrible men pushed me from the wall!’ she said. Milgorry took her hand and looked deeply into her eyes. ‘Why did you help me?’ she asked. ‘Are you a guardian?’

‘
No, I’m free!’ he said glancing defiantly towards Tiernan. ‘Who is your father, Aithne?’

Aithne
looked at him in fright. ‘Nandul,’ she whispered. ‘But you must never, ever, ever tell anyone, because he says I’m more human than free and I should be killed like my mother, and he sent me away to be a slave. He hates me because I’m not a boy and – I’d forgotten this for a long time – but he hates that my mother called me Aithne.’

Milgorry stared at the little girl, his heart beating faster than nor
mal. ‘Nandul is my father too,’ he said, ‘which explains why you look so much like me. I’ve wondered whether this was the case since I first saw you in Nyinaku.’

Aithne smiled at him then she
looked at Borgulnay. ‘I have a brother!’ she said proudly and Milgorry and Borgulnay laughed at her delighted expression as she hugged Milgorry.

‘
Why have you come here?’ Tiernan asked Lias.

Lias hesitated.
‘I don’t know,’ he said eventually, ‘perhaps because I can’t go home and coming here just seemed...right.’

Tiernan studied his face for a long moment.
‘Your mind is like an iron box. Perhaps we would both understand better if you were to open it, even just a little.’

Lias said nothing, and Valeska eventually
spoke. ‘Castle has been attacked,’ she said.

Kelian let out a snarl of anger.
‘Fallen?’ he asked furiously.

‘
No, not fallen,’ said Valeska and she gazed at Tiernan, silently communicating her thoughts. The guardian’s face whitened. He gestured towards the buildings.

‘
Find the others,’ he said hastily to Timbul and in a flash Timbul disappeared up the sandy pathway towards the Dwellings. Tiernan turned as Borgulnay swung Aithne onto his back. ‘Aithne,’ he said, smiling kindly at the little girl, ‘I have some people I want you to meet.’

Borgulnay set little Aithne down before Queen Aithne and Princess
Eijelin. Aithne blushed shyly and tried to hide behind Borgulnay’s leg, but he caught her gently by the hand and drew her forward.

‘
Your Majesty,’ he said, ‘may I introduce Aithne, most recently of Nyinaku. She was named for you.’ The Queen’s eyes opened wide in surprise. Borgulnay bowed politely before the Queen and the Princess. ‘Your Highness Princess Eijelin, this is Aithne, and Aithne, this is Elliot, brother to Callum of Castle.’

‘
Hello,’ said Aithne timidly and Eijelin immediately stepped forward and caught her hand.

‘
Do you want to play?’ Eijelin asked enthusiastically and Aithne nodded nervously, glancing up at Borgulnay, who in turn looked questioningly at Tiernan.

Tiernan
patted Aithne affectionately on the head. ‘If your brother says you may,’ he said.

Milgorry
knelt beside his sister. ‘Aithne, please stay either on the beach or close by, in the city. Don’t wander too far away.’ The three children dashed towards the beach, holding hands as they ran. Tiernan gestured towards the chairs scattered around the patio and everyone sat.

‘
Valeska, please tell us exactly what happened,’ he said.

Valeska shook her head.
‘We arrived after it happened. Lady Sophie?’ she prompted, turning to Sophie who was looking nervously around the faces who were now turned to her. She began by describing the events on the day of the attack and went on to explain every detail of what had happened until their arrival at the Dwellings. Kelian listened with growing horror and distress as she spoke.

‘
And my father, and Elizabeth and Li haven’t been seen since?’ he asked, rising to his feet as panic filled his heart. Queen Aithne came to stand beside her son and she took his hand.

‘
Highness, Dale recognized their clothing in the pile of bodies in the nest of the enemy,’ Lady Sophie said miserably and tears ran openly down her face.

‘
No,’ Queen Aithne whispered in shock, not willing to believe what she was hearing. ‘Please, no.’

Kelian wrapped his arms around his mother and they stood together
with tears cascading down their faces. The Queen’s body shook as she tried to control her tears and as she succumbed to her grief she fell sideways and her eyes rolled upwards. Tiernan caught her before she hit the floor and carried her to a long, soft, lounging chair. Kelian followed, wishing desperately he could seek the same oblivion, even for a few minutes.

‘
So how many of our soldiers remain?’ Kelian asked, rubbing the tears from his face.

‘
The King’s Marshall said there is less than a tenth of our garrison alive,’ said Sophie, her face distressed.

‘
A tenth!’ Kelian shouted and Sophie recoiled in fright. ‘I’m sorry Lady,’ Kelian grimaced. ‘I didn’t mean to frighten you. This isn’t your fault. Your husband and son…?’ he looked anxiously at Sophie.

‘
They’re alive,’ said Lady Sophie. ‘But very few officers remain in Castle. Callum and Leonard are alive they are doing the job of ten men. Our son is helping to train people as quickly as he can and wandering around outside the city keeping watch. I wish he wasn’t, but he’s as stubborn as…me,’ she admitted blushing.

‘
What about the people?’ Kelian asked, his heart tightening to a point where he wondered if it was going to implode in his chest. He was trembling with anger and grief as he tried to comprehend the fact that with his father gone, the safety and defense of his entire realm rested on his shoulders.

Lady Sophie
’s face paled. ‘A huge number of people perished in the battle. Those who survived have been moved inside the castle walls.’

‘
I have to go,’ Kelian cried out in anguish, facing Tiernan. ‘I have to get back to Castle right now!’

Tiernan
stood. ‘Guardian General Callian,’ he said. ‘You will take every available guardian and go with Kelian to Castle.’

‘
No!’ said Kelian sharply, and Tiernan and Callian stared at him in bewilderment.

‘
Kelian, you will need our help. This is not an enemy you can defeat alone,’ said Callian emphatically. ‘Even together we might not defeat these people. With the passing of the King-’

‘
Don’t you dare!’ Kelian shouted furiously. ‘Until I see absolute proof, nothing has changed!’

‘
I apologize, Highness,’ said Callian sincerely.

Kelian sighed deeply.
‘I’m sorry too, Callian,’ he replied more quietly. ‘I’m not dealing with this well, am I?’ Tears poured down his cheeks once again and he turned away, feeling overwhelmed by grief and by the enormity of the situation.