Vengeance

‘Mad Wil ran off with Tali,’ said Rannilt. ‘But not long after that, Evil Orlyk whacked her on the head and took her away. Couldn’t do nothin’ so I ran for help.’

‘And there were four in her squad, you said?’

‘Think so,’ said Rannilt.

‘Four’s a lot better odds than sixteen,’ Tobry said, giving Rix a significant stare. ‘How long ago?’

‘Maybe two hours,’ said Rannilt.

‘They’ve got a long start,’ said Rix. ‘Could be halfway to the Rat Hole by now. If we can cut them off, can you stop them with gramarye?’

‘It’ll take more than my conjuror’s tricks,’ Tobry said with that hint of bitterness.

‘Do we have a garrison near here?’

‘Plegm is the closest, but they’ll be out hunting enemy by now. Besides, if we rode after Tali with a squad of soldiers …’

Rix ran through half a dozen plans, but they all ended the same way. ‘Orlyk would cut her throat. She’s doomed if we attack, doomed if we don’t.’

Rannilt let out a little cry. ‘You’ve got to save her.’

‘I’m sorry,’ said Rix, and he was. Tali was brave and determined and wholly admirable, and even if the Pale were traitors, about which he now had serious doubts, he could not bear to think of her killed like a chicken for the pot. ‘I don’t see what we can do.’

He climbed into the saddle and closed his eyes, the better to think, but imagined Lady Ricinus’s icy rage. House Ricinus can’t afford a hint of scandal until the Honouring is over. Association with a despised Pale could be ruinous. Forget the scrag and do your duty!

Rix’s fingers tightened on the reins. He was tempted to go after Tali out of sheer defiance. But how could he, with war raging and Caulderon under threat?

Do your duty! Rix tried to focus on the portrait of his father, but all he could see was the bloated drunkard’s nose. He opened his eyes and Rannilt was staring up at him, reproachfully. He looked away.

‘Tobry?’ Rannilt was swaying, almost out on her feet but refusing to give in. ‘You’ve got to — ’

‘Hush, child,’ said Tobry. ‘It can’t be done. Hop up here, in front of me.’

‘No!’ She turned and walked into the Seethings.

‘What the blazes is she up to?’ said Rix.

‘How would I know?’ snarled Tobry. ‘Rannilt? Where are you going?’

Rannilt’s face was wet and her nose was running. She wiped it on her crusted forearm. ‘Goin’ to save Tali.’

Tobry took hold of handfuls of his hair as though planning to tear it out. He glared at Rix, then dismounted and ran after her. Rix followed.

‘Rannilt,’ said Tobry, ‘they’ll kill you too. You can’t — ’

‘Tali risked her life to save me,’ said the girl, over her shoulder. ‘ I don’t desert my friends.’

The reproach stung. Rix wanted to scream, I’m not like that. You don’t understand. It’s not that simple.

‘She’s right,’ said Tobry, quietly.

For the first time Rix saw that his friend was in pain and doing his best to cover it up, but he had no idea what to say to him. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘The bravest and cleverest girl we’ve ever set eyes on is in mortal trouble and we made a commitment to her.’

‘What would you do?’ said Rix.

‘I wouldn’t be running home to paint my father’s poxy portrait.’

‘Easy for you to say, since you’ve got no responsibilities.’

‘That’s the wonderful thing about losing my house and all my family,’ said Tobry. ‘I’m free! Free as a bird.’

‘Sorry,’ said Rix. ‘Didn’t mean it that way. All right — how would you rescue her?’

‘Haven’t got the faintest.’ Tobry took the reins. ‘Come up here, Rannilt. We’ll do what we can.’

Her eyes lit up like twin full moons. ‘You’re goin’ to save Tali?’

‘We’re going to try. But we might all be killed.’

‘Could have died four times since I met her,’ said Rannilt.

Tobry heaved her into the saddle. Rannilt looked around in amazement, and not a little terror, at being so high on such an unfamiliar beast, then threw her skinny arms around him and burrowed her snotty nose against his chest.

‘We’re goin’ to save Tali,’ she murmured.

She closed her eyes, sighed, and within seconds she was asleep. Tobry enclosed her with one arm, looked up, and his eyes were suspiciously shiny. ‘What are you staring at?’ he muttered to Rix.

‘The way you’ve gone all protective,’ said Rix, ‘you’d think she was your own daughter.’

After a long pause, Tobry said softly, ‘I wish she was.’

‘But you never get involved. You don’t believe in anything.’

‘It’s amazing how the end of the world gives you focus. I recommend you try it.’

Rix nudged Leather forwards. ‘How do we find Tali?’

Tobry waved his elbrot and a handful of golden motes sparkled in the air. ‘Rannilt came this way.’

‘What are you doing?’

‘Her gift is uncontrolled — it leaves traces that gramarye can read for a little while. If we backtrack her, we’ll discover where Tali was taken.’

‘We know where she was taken — near where the ground is made of sulphur.’

‘So we do,’ said Tobry, consulting the map. ‘From there, they’d take this path back to the Rat Hole. Come on.’

A weight had lifted from Rix’s shoulders but, as they rode on, the familiar burden settled on him. He was neglecting his responsibilities, and if this went wrong, as it probably would, House Ricinus might well come tumbling down.

CHAPTER 45

‘How are we going to do this?’ said Rix. ‘I can’t think of any plan save going at them full gallop, and we can’t do that carrying a kid.’

‘With respect, Lord Rixium,’ said Tobry, ‘full gallop is the only plan you ever have. Subtle you are not.’

‘It’s worked in the past.’

‘Not this time. Once they see us, they’ll cut Tali’s throat just like that.’ Tobry mimed it, his face a death mask. ‘Two seconds. Gone!’

Rannilt jerked in her sleep and let out a muffled cry.

‘Sorry, little one, I’m a stupid old fool.’ He stroked her hair and she settled. ‘Rix, next time I open my big mouth, do me a favour and put your boot in it.’

Rix studied the girl, sidelong. ‘She’s a tough little thing.’

‘Tougher than I am. Suppose slaves have to be.’

Tobry delved in his saddlebags for the map and conjured a small light above it. ‘There is one place we might ambush them.’

Rix nudged his horse closer.

‘The quickest way to the Rat Hole,’ said Tobry, ‘is via the track between this cluster of salt lakes.’ He traced it with a fingertip. ‘If we were to race out west, this way, then get to this point first, we might manage a surprise attack. They’ve been going all day and night — they’ll be worn out and not as vigilant as they should be. Not expecting an ambush, hopefully.’