have happened.”
“I’m not sure about that. Either way, Jennesta went unpunished, and that sticks in my craw.”
He gave her a moment, then, “Come on,” he urged gently, “we ought to be moving.”
They headed across the square.
“Of course, she might have been,” Brelan said.
“Who might have been what?”
“Jennesta. Punished. For all we know, the warband reckoned with her.”
“Or they might have suffered the same fate as our mother. The frustrating thing is we’ll probably never know.”
They arrived at the shadow of another monument, and slowed to a halt despite the pressing nature of their business. It was larger than Sylandya’s, though squat rather than tall, and housed on a pedestal no more than waist height from the ground. Five life-sized figures were depicted; four orcs, one of them female, and a dwarf. They were in heroic poses, weapons drawn. To the rear of the group was a low stone wall that acted as a backdrop. This bore a carving along its entire length, showing a further twenty or more of the principals’ comrades. Controversially for many in Taress, it also showed a human.
The front of the monument was strewn with necklaces of fangs, pots of wine, embellished weapons, sketches of the heroes, not all of them crudely executed, and other offerings. In a not very orc-like gesture, there were even some bunches of flowers. The monument’s base carried a plain inscription reading “ The Wolverines.”
“And what do you suppose they would think about this?” Brelan asked, echoing his sister’s earlier question.
“Haskeer would have liked it. Not sure the others would care much.” She turned to him. “Where could they have gone, Brelan? Do you think they’re still alive?”
“Well, you can bet they didn’t return to their so-called northern lands. I never did buy that. As to whether they’re still alive…” He shrugged. “Who knows? I’m just grateful they came here when they did.”
“Except for the human. The slimy one.”
“Standeven.”
She nodded. “Orc killer.”
“Maybe.”
“How can you doubt it?”
“You’re probably right. But I can’t help thinking even he wouldn’t have been stupid enough to murder one of us in our own land.”
“The pity is we let him get away with it.”
“There was no proof.”
“How much did you need?”
“That’s all water under the bridge, Chillder, and something else we can’t do anything about. Now can we get a move on? We’ve a problem to deal with, remember.”
They resumed their journey.
The streets leading off the square were bustling. Extensive rebuilding work was going on and laden carts jammed the thoroughfares. Passers-by stared as Brelan and Chillder passed, and some waved. They were public figures now.
As they walked, Chillder said, “I sometimes wonder whether we should be doing all this work.”
“Why wouldn’t we?”
“Peczan’s pride took a battering. How do we know they won’t invade again, if only to save face?”
“We’ve got as many hands putting up defences as rebuilding. More. If the humans come back we’ll know it, and this time they’d face a population ready to fight.”
“Would they? Grilan-Zeat’s gone now. What worries me is that our warlike spirit’s going to fade along with the comet’s memory.”
“I don’t think so. Our folk have had a taste of the freedom that fighting brought them. They won’t easily forget that.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Trust me. We’ve more important things to worry about, not least trying to replenish our plundered treasury, thanks to Jennesta.”
“And now this… strangeness. What the hell’s happening, Brelan?”
“Damned if I know. Maybe we’ll learn something from this new event.”
They pushed on, moving away from the centre and entering less crowded streets. The further they went the more they saw of the defensive measures Brelan referred to. In piazzas, or open spaces where buildings had burnt down during the uprising, citizens were being drilled. Mobile road blocks, consisting of hay wagons loaded with rocks, stood at the side of major avenues. Rooftops were utilised as lookout points, and in some places purpose- built watchtowers were under construction. The threat of re-invasion was being taken seriously.
At last the twins reached a district previously given over to cattle yards and storehouses. Now a contingent of Acurial’s newly-created regular militia were stationed there. In addition to an armed populace, a standing army was thought desirable, and former resistance fighters made up its nucleus. It was early days for the force; their uniforms were makeshift and their weapons ill-assorted. Their quarters were at a rudimentary stage too, and in common with the rest of Taress the area was a building site.
Waved through the compound’s gates by saluting guards, Chillder and Brelan made their way to a recently erected barracks block. They were met outside by an officer, a comrade from the resistance days, who unlocked the barracks’ door and ushered them in.
“Not that there’s much to see,” he said.
There were only minor signs of disorder in the deserted interior. A couple of the cots were askew, a chair was upended and a few items of kit were scattered across the floor.
“This has been left exactly as it was?” Brelan asked.
The officer nodded. “Just as you see it.”
“How many?”
“Eleven.”
“When?”
“Some time during the night. We only knew when they didn’t show up at reveille.”
“You’ve searched the camp?”
“Of course.”
“Were any of them… dissatisfied in any way?” Chillder said.
“These weren’t troublemakers. They were as solid and as loyal as any we’ve got.”
“Their arms went too?” She pointed at an empty weapons rack.
“Yes.”
“You’ve told no one about this?” Brelan said.
“No,” the officer replied.
“Good. Keep it that way. You can leave us now. And thanks.”
When the officer had gone, Chillder turned to her brother. “How many times does this make?”
“Seven, I think. Possibly eight. That’s just from Taress, mind. There are a few unconfirmed reports from outside the city. With this new lot I reckon we’re talking upwards of seventy militia having gone missing, that we’re aware of.”
“So what are we dealing with? Desertion? Hostage taking?”
“As far as we know there’s no reason for any of them to have deserted. And I can’t see abducting armed bands of warriors being that easy a task, particularly from inside a compound like this.”
“Did all the others go in similar ways?”
“Some did. From their quarters, just like whatever happened here. One group went out on a patrol and never came back. There were a couple of cases of disappearances on guard duty, and one where four, I think it was, vanished from a weapons dump. There’s no real pattern. Except nobody saw anything.”
“Could Peczan be behind this? Might they have got agents in and-”
“Humans trying to hide among a nation of orcs? I don’t think so, Chillder.”
“Or could it be our own kind? Traitors doing the humans’ bidding.”
