Turian was almost unheard of.
‘You sound as if you knew them well.’
‘Who?’ Sir Ferse responded, turning his back to the mountains and lookingatSamuel as if he was surprised the magician was still there.
‘The Emperor and the Empress.’
‘Oh, yes. Of course I knew them. I have been in the court many years-more than most. That is why I have come on this journey-to somehow account for the errors of my past.’ He passed his gaze across the others gathered on the parapet, then looked back to Samuel, staring intently with barely a blink of his cool blue eyes. ‘Did you know, Samuel, that the Emperor did not have even one friend in all his life? I don’t want to be like that.’
‘He didn’t?’
‘I suppose it was because of the nature of his personality. He was a perfectionist to a fault and utterly demanding-unforgiving of failure.’
‘And something of a madman, on some counts.’
Again, Samuel’s mouth had run away from him, and he half-expected Sir Ferse to go berserk, but the man only smiled.
‘So some say. But let me ask you a question, Samuel. What would you do if you could take back the mistakes of your life and start anew?’
‘Are you referring to my last statement?’
‘Perhaps something a little more profound than that. If you could take back something terrible by doing something utterly wonderful, wouldn’t you leap at the chance?’
Samuel thought immediately of Ash and the day that Leila had been slain by the man’s lackeys, but he would not speak of it. ‘We all do things we live to regret, but they build us into the men we become. Fate moulds us and its efforts cannot be undone.’
‘But you succeeded, Samuel! You did revenge your family and you did kill the magician Ash. It is a story that now resounds around the city. Wasn’t that a wonderful feeling?’
‘You seem to know all about me.’
‘Your story has been told and retold by the people of Cintar in many forms now, Samuel, since you became its saviour. There are the occasional bits and pieces known only to a select few, but you can be sure those secrets will remain safe for the time being.’ The man did seem to know more about Samuel than he was letting on, and he noticed Samuel take a start at his words. ‘Don’t worry. You have nothing to fear from me, Samuel. I have no interest in your story, or the things you have done.’ Then he leaned closer. ‘In fact, by killing the Emperor, you did me a greater favour than you could ever realise.’
Samuel took a step back, not keen to become involved in any conspiracies the man had in mind. ‘I’m not at all sure what you are talking about, Sir Ferse.’
Sir Ferse laughed heartily and put his handsonthe battlement, leaning up against it. ‘You really have no idea how amusing the world is from my point of view. Anyway, we will have much to discuss in the future. We should focus now on defending this pass, for once Master Celios says our task is done, whatever it may be, we can continue on to our mission.’
‘So you have no idea why we must dally here?’
‘Not at all. Master Celios provides more puzzles with his visions than any questions he may answer. I have learnt to trust the man’s intuitions, despite his growing eccentricities, but I can never understand him.’
‘You seem confident that we will win here.’
‘Oh, I have no idea. But Ghant has never been overwhelmed before and I don’t see why it would be now,and,in reality,I no longer care. Master Celios has assured me that we will save young Leopold in the end, and that is all that matters.’
‘And his mother-the Empress?’
‘Well, yes, of course I hope we can save her, too. Every boy needs his mother. He is, of course, the future Emperor. Our hopes all rest with him.’
‘You are really something of an enigma, Sir Ferse. I am not sure I know how to react to you.’
Again, and just as mysteriously, Sir Ferse laughed aloud and stepped back from the edge of the parapet. He walked past Samuel and slapped him on the shoulder like a good friend. ‘That’s the best news I’ve heard this whole trip. Now, I must go see General Mar and scold him for his deficiencies. I’m sure he will have a fit.’
Samuel rested for the remainder of the day, but,as dusk fell,he returned to the parapet, for his senses had begun tingling within his skull. The occasional break in the cloudsaffordedthe briefest glimpse of the stars, so bright and clear up here away from the towns and cities. The comet he had first sighted in the woods around Rampeny was still present and it,too,peeked out whenever the clouds parted, itslongtail stretching behind it like afaintscratch of silver.
It had just ceased raining and the stones were left wet and glimmering in the torchlight. Fires had been lit all along the citadel walls to lend their light and men gathered around them for warmth.
There was some excitement now, for it seemed figures had been seen creeping about on the far side of the chasm. A few missiles were sent whistling across by the great mechanical devices, and the distant shadows could be seen quickly retreating.
‘What’s happening?’ Eric asked, rushing up beside Samuel. They stood at the wall’s edge, leaning between the battlements and peering out over what seemed like a sea of nothingness between the mountains.
The young Captain Ravenshood was directing the men there. ‘Magicians,’ he said coming over. ‘Tell me, what can you see?’
Samuel could easily sense a large number of men gathered out of sight across the chasm. ‘Their army comes, Captain. They amass in the valleys out of view and jostle in the paths that approach.’
Just then, a stream of mage-lights shot across the gap like burning arrows and Samuel looked to the heights of Ghant, where the telltale energies of Balten could be seen, pulsing and cavorting as he cast his spells. The hovering mage-spheres illuminated the far side brightly, clustered in the air.
Grand Master Tudor and Goodfellow came clambering up the stairs onto the parapet.
‘So they’re coming, are they?’ Tudor said, furrowing up his forehead and peering out over the wall’s edge. ‘Now we’ll see what they have planned for us.’
The night was deathly cold and the soldiers all around stamped their feet or huddled by the fires to keep warm. Clouds of tiny,winged insects gathered from the darkness to benearthe fires and the men swatted at them irritably. Occasionally, larger bugs zoomed into view and their wings buzzed about in the night. The Paatin army made no attempt to come forward, and so they waited for several hours,while Samuel thumbed the ring in his pocket nervously. Finally, a stirring in the pattern caught his attention. Something had begun.
‘Magicians!’ he hissed, and Grand Master Tudor heard him and focussed his own senses into the distance.
‘Yes, you’re right, Samuel. Magic is at work. So we know they have summoned their wizards. Now we shall see what kind of magic they have brought.’
Samuel continued staring out towards the Paatin. They were still far, for the narrow paths would only allow them to approach in a single column, but with so many men in such close proximity together, he had no trouble discerning their presence.
‘Tell me, Samuel,’ the old man implored. ‘What do you see?
‘They have spread out behind the mountain.’ Something high then caught his attention. ‘They are climbing the rocks.’
‘Those rock faces are sheer and treacherous,’ Captain Ravenshood said. ‘One or two skilled climbers could ascend them but,even so, the distance is far and there is no advantage to be had, except toactas lookouts. The chasm is much too wide to do them any good.’
‘Therearemore than one or two, Captain,’ Samuel informed. ‘I feel many. There are hundreds,perhaps thousands.’
The young man looked confused. ‘No. It’s not possible. And to what end, unless they plan to jump to their deaths?’
Time seemed eternal as they waited, eachscarcelydaring to breathe. All along the walls and parapets of Ghant, men stood, cradling their weapons and waiting nervously.
