‘I hope they’re being useful to you.’

  ‘They are.’ Currently, he had some trying to get information out of Quince Abelard’s underlings. He still had yet to discover who he worked for, and his own superior was very interested in that information. The others were softening up Lord Gethin of the Candles. Getting Brynn Cardoc out of the candles alive was going to be more difficult than he’d let on, but he was going to manage it. A combination of misbehaviour on Brynn’s part, as well as his youth and the perception of ignorance and incompetence he was painting for Lord Gethin was going to let him scrape by. Gethin, thankfully not a bloodthirsty man, was going to let him go thinking he knew nothing of importance. He was going to think it was his idea.

  ‘I imagine you’ll be going, as I have nothing else for you. Business has been slow, my girls haven’t learnt anything interesting these last few nights.’

  Jacques smiled thinly and nodded. Madame Flower was still upset he was going to steal Liliana away. Very well, he could tolerate that. For a little while. ‘I imagine you’ll have something more for me next time.’

  She nodded quickly, catching the expression on his face.

  ‘Have a good evening, Jeanne.’ Now, I have an un-manifested shadow mage to find.

  CHAPTER 44

  16 Mai, 1353

  After the first battle on the Dartham Plains the Manunian army retreated. For that, Bo was grateful. His body ached all over, and he doubted whether he would have been able to fight again. He wasn’t injured, but he couldn’t remember the last time he’d fought so hard or for so long.

  The young men in his group did not speak to him, and the tension in the camp was thick. All of the men he’d known best were gone now, except for Darcel. Despite the palpable anger in the air, Bo finally made himself speak to Normand Wyatt. There was something he needed to know.

  Once he got away from his campsite he felt better. The other soldiers mostly ignored him and talked quietly amongst themselves. He caught snippets of conversation. It mostly seemed to be about the Royal Mages. None of the talk was flattering. The dominant opinion was that the mages hadn’t contributed at all to the battle. The talk made Bo think of Julietta. Surely that can’t be true. I imagine Etta was doing all sorts of crazy magic we wouldn’t understand. The girl worked so hard to prove herself.

  Bo found Captain Wyatt stationed outside Lord Pruitt’s tent, a large blue silk construction that required a small army of servants to erect each night.

  He had not seen Captain Wyatt since the fight and came expecting the same simmering anger of the young men he marched with.

  ‘Lakashan, I heard you did well in the battle.’ Captain Wyatt spoke first, before Bo could say anything.

  Bo shrugged, ‘did I? It didn’t feel that way.’

  ‘I’ve been hearing a lot of talk about you and that giant sword of yours. I hear you bought back the body of one of my men.’

  ‘Yes. I... I wanted to know his name.’

  Bo worked hard to hide his discomfort as the Captain observed him, judged him.

  Quietly, he said, ‘Didier Estienne.’

  ‘Didier Estienne.’ Bo repeated. ‘Thank you. He fought as well as me, better even. I was just lucky.’

  ‘Isn’t that always the way? Since you’re here, Lord Pruitt wants to speak to you.’

  Bo couldn’t help a quiver of unease, but he smiled. ‘Seems my luck is still with me.’

  Captain Wyatt disappeared inside the tent. When he returned he said, ‘Lord Pruitt has instructed you to wait, he’ll get to you soon.’

  Bo resisted the urge to ask what ‘soon’ meant. Instead he smiled and nodded and waited the long, slow hour in Captain Wyatt’s company.

  Finally, Lord Pruitt emerged from the tent. ‘Ah, Lakashan!’ the young lord frowned. ‘Excellent, I have been meaning to speak to you!’

  Despite his words, the lord looked very put out. ‘You downed one of the Lakashan lords. Gaillac will collect an impressive ransom from him.’

  ‘I’m glad to hear it.’ Bo smiled and wondered if he should bow. He was surprised to hear the lord had survived. With a sudden wave of anger, he realized the Lakashan lord had probably received treatment from the sorcerers that was denied to the regular soldiers. The anger faded just as quickly as it arrived. He was too tired and uneasy to be angry.

  ‘It seems you were quite the hero! I expect great things of you in our next battle!’ Lord Pruitt snapped and stalked back into the tent without another word. Bo watched him go, unsure what to think of the encounter. Bo glanced at Captain Wyatt, wondering if he could offer any insight.

  ‘Lord Pruitt is annoyed you, and not him or one of his men, defeated one of the enemy lords.’

  ‘Ah... I hope he doesn’t expect too much of me. War must be a young man’s game, my bones ache like never before.’

  Captain Wyatt laughed, ‘ay, tell me about it! I almost couldn’t stand the next day!’

  Bo returned to his camp in a good mood. But when he arrived the dark glowers of the men immediately squashed his mood.

  ‘Where’d you go, Lakashan?’ one of the boys demanded. Bo didn’t know his name and he didn’t want to know it. Too soon, he’d probably be gone, dead in the Dartham dust, and replaced by a new young face.

  ‘To speak to Captain Wyatt.’ Bo replied calmly.

  ‘Did they congratulate you on your great accomplishments?’ Darcel demanded, his voice shaking.

  Bo glanced at him and didn’t respond.

  ‘You could’ve saved my friends! I saw you fight! You could’ve saved them if you wanted to! Why rescue me and not them?!’

  Bo sighed tiredly, ‘it’s not like that at all, boy, I survived by luck, many I wanted to save died... perhaps when you learn a bit more about fighting you’ll realise it’s not as easy as that...’

  ‘I saw you!’ he insisted. ‘You’re not even hurt! You’re not a hero at all!’

  Bo didn’t know the words to say to make him understand. So he said quietly, ‘I’m sorry.’

  Darcel glared at him, his hands trembling. Bo sat down heavily on his bedroll and covered his eyes with his hands so he wouldn’t have to see the accusing stares of the boys. Night was falling, it would soon be time to sleep. It looked like it was going to be another night without rest for Bo.

  CHAPTER 45

  18 Mai, 1353

  ‘Do you think he can do it?’

  ‘I’m certain. He is the best we have.’

  Muresh could hear the pride in his Gramma’s voice as she spoke. He smiled.

  The door opened and Gramma entered with a man. Muresh recognized this man, though he didn’t often speak to him in person. Muresh had heard him talk though, while he was outside his body.

  ‘Muresh, how are you feeling today?’

  ‘I’m feeling good.’ he replied, swinging his legs and banging them against the side of his bed. The rough grain of the wood felt distant. He didn’t know if he was hurting his legs. He didn’t care.

  ‘That’s good. We’re very happy with what you’ve been doing for us.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘We need you to do something else for us now.’

  ‘Something else?’ Muresh turned this idea over in his mind. ‘But I haven’t finished yet.’

  ‘We know, someone else-’

  ‘I haven’t found anything at... Yaquba. I’m still looking.’ He didn’t even know what he was looking for. It was kind of fun, just drifting around, not worrying about anything. It was so hard to focus when he left his body. He much preferred it when he didn’t have to try.

  ‘We’ll put that aside for the moment. We have an important task for you.’

  Muresh listened patiently, expectantly.

  ‘One of the bad people, our enemies, attacked Iskerashdo. He killed a lot of people. We’re afraid he might do it again.’ the man said.

  ‘He killed a lot of people, Muresh,’ his Gramma said in an echo of the man, a scared look on her old, wrinkly face, ‘they were meant to be safe. They were young, just like you.’

  ‘They were your friends?’

  ‘Yes, and friends of our friends. We didn’t know they could do that.’

  ‘We need to counter, but he’s far from our soldiers, Muresh, far, far away. We need you to do it.’ the man said.

  ‘You want me to kill him?’ Muresh asked curiously, cocking his head to one side. He’d never done anything like that before.

  ‘No, not you. We need you to get someone else to kill him.’

  Muresh frowned. ‘I don’t...’

  ‘You can control other people, can’t you, Muresh?’

  ‘Maybe... I haven’t tried.’

  ‘That’s what he did, so you must be able to as well. We need you to control the soldiers and mages they have stationed there. We need you to explain how to the others we have here. You’re going to need their help.’

  ‘I am?’

  ‘Yes. He’s a very bad man, Muresh, but very powerful, and he might have friends too.’

  ‘Will they be sad if I hurt him?’

  ‘They’re all bad, Muresh, all very bad. It doesn’t matter.’

  ‘I don’t want to make anyone sad.’

  ‘Muresh,’ his Gramma said quietly, resting a hand on his knee, ‘you’re a good boy, a sweet boy. But this man, he’s very bad, and very powerful. I’m afraid we’re going to have to make his friends sad. If we don’t, he’ll hurt us again.’

  Muresh frowned. ‘Maybe I can talk to him.’

  ‘No.’ The man said firmly.

  ‘No,’ his Gramma echoed softly, ‘no, we’ve talked about this, Muresh. You understand why you have to stay away from the others, don’t you?’

  ‘Yes... they’re older and stronger. They might control me or hurt me.’

  ‘I’m sorry, Muresh, to ask this of you. But you wouldn’t want to risk it, and leave me alone, would you?’

  Muresh shook his head and sighed. ‘I haven’t done anything like that before.’

  ‘I know, dear, but I believe in you.’

  ‘I’ll try.’

  ‘I knew you would.’ and she smiled.

  The two left, leaving Muresh alone. Muresh could hear them speaking outside.

  ‘Are you sure, Azana, that he can do this?’

  ‘I’m sure.’

  Muresh stopped listening. His vision faded, his body felt lighter, lighter. And then no more, he was elsewhere. He didn’t like having a task. A task had to be remembered. It was hard. Gramma needs me. He clung to that thought. I have to figure it out, and then tell the others...I have to...

  Far away, in a hallway right next to the room where his body lay, a man’s voice said, ‘and while he’s at it, have the shadow mages destroy the city.’

  CHAPTER 46

  20 Mai, 1353

  Shipment from Yaquba, for his Imperial Majesty!

  Yaquba Citadel?

  What other Yaquba is there?

  Send it through inspection.

  Inspection! This is a gift from Lord Tahmore Mer Yaquba himself! For the upcoming celebrations!

  I know, but orders are...

  The spider heard. Words and sounds that did not make sense. Noise. It did not matter. It scuttled deeper, weaving its magic around itself. Its nest rocked and jerked. It lifted one spindly leg above itself, reached down towards it back. It stroked the lump there softly. It twitched. All was well. Its baby was well. It was not yet time for them to part. This was not the place. There was further to go.

  A jerk, halt.

  I told you! Wine, from Lord Yaquba’s vineyards! Jewels from Port Eliach, all the way from the Southern Islands! Hey, hands off!

  I have to look!

  Above, shifting. Light pierced the darkness of the nest. The spider scuttled over cool bottles and scratchy hay, always aware of its precious cargo clinging to its back. They did not see. It had fed well, its friend had fed it well. So many feasts.

  Are you done? I will inform my lord of this insult!

  What insult? Surely you know of the attack on Yaquba Citadel!

  So that means all my lords gifts are suspect?

  We are at war! Everything coming into Iskerashdo is being inspected!

  The man in front of me wasn’t stopped...

  Noise, meaningless noise.

  It scuttled away from trampling feet, into the cool darkness between two houses. This was not where it needed to be. Close, but not quite. There was further to go. Not far. Close. Very close.

  CHAPTER 47

  20 Mai, 1353

  A week later, Julietta’s eagerness at investigating Cadel’s powers had faded, and been replaced with bafflement. After losing the first fight on the Dartham Plain the Lakashan army retreated. And then the Manunian army retreated as well, then advanced for half a day, before turning north, away from the Lakashan army. Then they’d gone south. Now they were going east again, which was at least in the right direction. The constant travel had been hard on Cadel. He’d spent much of the first three days sleeping, emerging only to wolf down huge amounts of food prepared by his servants before going back to sleep. The last few days he’d spent awake, but he still refused to use his magic. It was reassuring it took him so many days to recover, his power was terrifying.

  ‘You’re so powerful.’ Ariane said to him, her voice dripping with sweetness.

  Julietta rolled her eyes and slowed her horse slightly. It was painful to listen to the women in the group fawn over him. She’d tried telling Ariane that Cadel was very much in love with his pregnant wife, but she hadn’t been interested. She’d been quite rude, actually. Given how strongly Cadel had rebuffed Celeste, Julietta was surprised the others bothered. Not that Cadel usually discourages them. Julietta didn’t understand. She saw him seething with silent anger as women complimented him, flirted with him, stood too close and touched his arm, but he never did anything about it. Except with Celeste. I suppose Celeste came on too strongly. There had been no mistaking her intentions. Celeste now ignored him and pretended he didn’t exist.

  ‘Not really.’ Julietta heard Cadel say.

  ‘You must be one of the most powerful wizards in Walmon!’

  ‘No, I’m not.’

  At this, Julietta perked up. Cadel had been grouchier than usual while recovering from using his magic and Julietta had avoided him, restraining herself from pestering him about Walmese Wizardry.

  ‘But you must be!’

  Cadel laughed. To Julietta, it sounded harsh and mocking. To Ariane, it sounded warm and charming. ‘I’m not. There are a lot of wizards more powerful than me back in Walmon. I’m good, I’ll grant you that, but I’m not the best.’

  ‘That doesn’t bear thinking about.’ a young man murmured. ‘Considering how much damage you can do.’

  ‘You’re being humble. I don’t believe it!’ Ariane declared.

  Cadel shrugged and didn’t bother responding.

  ‘Ariane,’ the young man who had spoken before said, ‘remember that soldier wanted to speak to Cadel?’

  ‘Solider? Oh, the rude one.’

  ‘He was very insistent.’

  ‘We turned him away, as you were so tired.’ Ariane simpered.

  ‘How thoughtful of you.’ Cadel replied.

  ‘We’ll reach the campsite soon, I’ll let him know he can speak to you now.’

  ‘I don’t care.’

  Ariane didn’t have to let anyone know. As soon as they arrived at their camp for the night an angry officer stormed out past the guards and ditches and halted right in front of them.

  ‘Cadel Vayles?’ the man said. ‘That’s you isn’t it! The wizard with all the fire!’ and he glared straight at Cadel.

  ‘Yes.’ he remarked, dismounting his horse. ‘What do you want?’

  ‘What do I want? What do I want? I want you to stop setting my men on fire for one thing!’

  ‘You mean in the battle a week ago?’

  ‘Have you started any other fires since then?’

  ‘No, but I’ve been sorely tempted.’

  ‘You wounded our own troops with your blasted fire!’

  ‘Did I?’ He raised an eyebrow. ‘You can thank Thierry Reynard for that.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘I told him the location was bad. I need to be able to see what I’m aiming at, the hill was too low. Not to mention that he wouldn’t discuss with whoever was running that battle where and when I should attack. I tried to hit only the Lakashans.’

  The man stared at him for several long seconds, his face twisted in rage. Julietta’s heart thumped painfully. She felt ill. Her fellow Manunians had been hurt in that fire?

  ‘You’re blaming Reynard.’ The officer stated quietly. Julietta noticed he was trembling, as if he was barely restraining himself from leaping at Cadel.

  ‘You can blame Jacques Dulère and Quince Abelard, and not to mention your King as well if you like, if it wasn’t for him and his threatening little underlings I wouldn’t even be here.’

  The man looked confused for a second. ‘I’ll take this up with Reynard, for now, but don’t think you’re off the hook. Someone is going to pay for this.’

  The man turned and strode back into the camp.

  ‘You hit our own troops?’ one of the sorcerers, Marcel Armand, asked quietly, once the officer was gone.

  ‘Seems that way.’ Cadel shrugged.

  ‘And you don’t even care?’

  Cadel turned and looked the young man squarely in the eye. ‘What you keep forgetting is that I am not here of my own free will. I am here because a man working for your King threatened my wife and child. I don’t care about your kingdom or your soldiers or your stupid little war.’

  ‘But that’s not the soldiers’ fault!’

  ‘It’s not the Lakashan soldiers’ fault that their Emperor started this war either. As far as I’m concerned the Lakashan soldiers no more deserve to get burned alive than the Manunian soldiers.’

  Marcel flinched at that image.

  Cadel turned and headed into the camp, his two servants trailing after him.