Chapter 34
The room was dark when a sound woke me from my slumber. I had only meant to take a short nap but my body had had other ideas. The lack of sunlight told me I must have slept the rest of the afternoon away. I was amazed that no one had come to wake me. A distinctive snore gave away Penny’s presence beside me. She hadn’t been there when I went to sleep, but she must have needed it as much as I did. I rose quietly so as to not disturb her.
Another rap at the door made me aware of why I had awoken. I crossed the room quickly and opened it, Dorian stood in the entrance. “They’ve reached the point where the road leads to Washbrook,” he said without preamble.
That got my attention. That meant their column would be spread out from that point to Arundel. If they moved further they would escape our trap. The assumption had been they would turn there, to attack us at Cameron Castle. I could only guess whether they had left men in Arundel but it hardly mattered. Whether they had decided to use it as a supply base or left it empty their main body was where it needed to be. “What time is it?” I asked.
“A little past eight o’clock,” he replied.
“Hmm,” I said wisely, stroking my beard.
“Aren’t you going to set things in motion?” he said anxiously.
“Not now, it’s too early, or rather late.”
“If you wait they’ll be out of position once they start moving again, Mort.” Dorian’s naturally pensive expression was out on full display.
“If we do it now they’ll be scattered in every direction. The dark will make them more disorganized. Some will run for the tree line rather than the valley, that would be worse,” I told him. “Get some sleep. We’ll start the party as soon as dawn arrives.”
“As if anyone could sleep now!” he moaned.
“You’d best try. There will be no time for it tomorrow,” I advised. “I’ll see you before dawn.”
“But Mort!” he started. I closed the door before he could finish.
“Was that Dorian?” Penny asked; her voice thick from sleeping.
I told her the news, trying to keep it less exciting than it really was. I figured she could use some sleep. I failed miserably. An hour later we were both still awake, staring up at the darkened ceiling. Eventually we gave up on sleeping and spent our time more productively; since it was obvious sleep wouldn’t come.
I woke again with a start. “What time is it?” That seemed to be my favorite question lately.
Penny was already dressed. “A bit after three in the morning,” she replied. That meant we had slightly less than three hours before dawn. I planned to act as soon as the sky was bright enough to allow men to see clearly, which would be sooner.
I rose and began dressing. “Think anyone’s cooking breakfast this early?”
She laughed, “Dorian’s had most of the household up since two. Everyone is on edge anyway. I’m sure they’re getting ready to serve now.”
We went down and ate breakfast with the others. The mood in the room was a strange contrast between sullen silence and nervous laughter as some channeled their anxiety into joke telling. I ate quickly though I had no appetite. The food sat in my stomach like a rock.
Before we left I went to our map table and took out three small sacks. Carefully I gathered up the glass stones corresponding to the areas of the road I meant to destroy. The largest sack held the stones that would detonate the bombs along the length of the road. The second held those that would destroy Arundel and the third held those that would convince the enemy to flee in the direction we had chosen. I worked mechanically, keeping my mind blank. I couldn’t afford to think about what my actions would mean.
On our way to the barn I made a side trip to my father’s now dark smithy. The only fires that had been lit there since his death had been my own, and those were few enough. Tonight it was dark and cold. I stepped through the darkened workspace without needing light. Even without my magesight I would have known my way, so familiar was that place.
I took his favorite hammer from the tool rack, a medium weight cross-pein hammer. One side was flat while the other angled in to form a line. He had preferred it for its versatility. I felt a twinge of guilt at using his tool for such a purpose, but I refused to choose another. I was sure he would have wanted to help me, even if it were for something as dark as this.
Hammer in hand we went to the barn, greeting the men who still stood guard there. “Morning gentlemen,” I said, though none of them could be said to be gentile.
“Good morning your lordship,” Sam Turner responded. He was the only man among them that I recognized. I smiled for a moment as I remembered him helping me cover myself with mud. I hardened my resolve. It was for him, his family, and others like him that I was doing this.
“Today’s the day Sam. We should be back soon, but you’ll hear the fireworks before we return. Make sure the men don’t shoot me when we reappear,” I told him solemnly.
“We’d never shoot a lady sir,” he replied.
I thought for a moment he was making a joke, till I saw him bowing to Penny. I smiled and we took our places on the circle that would take us to our next observation point. I patted my horse gently to soothe it before we jumped. Sometimes the change in scenery unsettled them. A moment later we were in a grassy field on the valley side of the road, midway between Arundel and Washbrook.
I had chosen the place carefully. Almost a mile from the road it had lain in the tall grass undiscovered by their scouts. This circle had no natural concealment for two riders on horseback. Once the sun rose they would be able to see us clearly from the road. I rather doubted they would have much time to worry about us though.
Penny and I dismounted and I placed the largest sack on a flat stone nearby. The rock hadn’t been there originally, but since I had chosen this spot to watch the result of my work I had brought it to simplify my job. It’s a wonder I didn’t bring a supply of beer to enjoy the show with, I thought derisively. I lay the hammer down close by and took a seat to wait on the dawn.
Penny sat beside me in the dark. “How long do you think?” she asked quietly.
“As soon as we can see them clearly from here. I want to make sure they have enough light to run the right direction,” I replied.
“What if they don’t?”
“I don’t think there will be enough to be a threat to Lothion after this. We, however, may be in dire straits. I can’t be sure how many will survive but almost any fraction of that army would be enough to put an end to us,” I informed her.
“If they lose half their army and cannot win in Lothion wouldn’t they retreat?” she suggested.
“Possibly, if their commander is a rational man. I see three possibilities. One, their commander is a fanatic, in which case he will prosecute his war as far as possible, even if it is only vengeance against us. Two, their commander is a rational man, but the loss of half his army drives him mad, and he attacks us in vengeance. Three, their commander is rational and keeps a cool head, in which case he withdraws and it’s over,” I replied.
“So one in three,” she mused.
I sighed, “I honestly don’t know. I’m just going to kill a lot of people and see what happens.”
She caught my bitter tone and stayed silent after that. An hour passed and the sky grew steadily lighter. At first the enemy were just grey shapes across the plain, invisible except when they moved. Eventually their forms resolved until we could see them clearly. It was time… any longer and they’d come calling to ask us why we were watching them.
I picked up the hammer and felt its heft. Before I could strike Penny interrupted me, “Let me do it. You shouldn’t bear this alone.”
I shook my head. “You have a life to lead after this,” I said and brought the hammer down sharply, smashing the glass inside the bag. For a split second nothing seemed to happen and I almost wondered if I had made a
