‘So are you going to tell me?’
‘Tell you what?’ asked Takaar.
Garan shook his head. ‘Who won?’
Takaar stilled. Inside his head his tormentor was roaring with laughter. The ClawBound had found him less than a day from Ysundeneth and he should have realised: with mage communication gone, no one here would know.
String it out. Make him squirm.
‘We did,’ said Takaar. ‘None will return.’
Pathetic.
Garan put his hands to his mouth, and when he finally spoke sounded more ancient than ever.
‘I tried to warn him. And he only did this so he could send the army back to Balaia. He’s weak now. Weaker than ever.’
‘After all the trouble we’ve been to, I sincerely hope so.’
Garan chuckled, a reaction that quickly turned into a hacking cough.
‘Not bad,’ he conceded, then he sobered. ‘A lot of wasted lives.’
‘You were never invited here. It was always going to end this way.’
Garan inclined his head. ‘But still you need help. Ystormun remains too powerful for you. There’s someone I want you to meet. Now don’t ov-’
Takaar heard the door to the washroom open. He pushed off the bed with his hands, turned a quick backward somersault and landed. He pivoted on his left hip and jammed his right foot under the jaw of the man who had emerged. The man cursed and Takaar pushed his foot in, threatening to choke him.
‘Relax, Takaar. He’s a friend of mine,’ said Garan. ‘Stein, I did tell you to wait until I called you. I told you he was dangerous.’
Takaar stared at the odd-looking human for a moment before removing his foot.
‘What are you?’ he demanded in the language of man.
‘He is Stein,’ said Garan. ‘He leads a team of twenty-five mages. They, Takaar, are my gift to you.’
Takaar turned to face Garan. ‘How?’
‘I don’t know how many of your TaiGethen are coming here, but they won’t be enough, not without magic. Stein and his men believe as I do. Calaius must be rid of Ystormun because the power this territory grants him and his cadre is too great. There’s a war coming in our country, Takaar. Ystormun and his ilk must not win it. If we weaken him here, it will give us a chance.’
Takaar walked towards Garan. He heard Stein follow him.
‘What will you do?’ Takaar asked.
‘Whatever we can to keep Ystormun and his men at bay,’ said Stein.
‘We’ll need the wards removed from the slave pens, the gates and the piazza temple walls,’ said Takaar. ‘And you’ll have to stay clear when the elves are released. Many humans will die.’
‘You’ll trust me?’ asked Stein.
‘Garan trusts you. I trust Garan.’
‘Thank you, Takaar.’ Garan nodded. ‘And now, Stein, you have to leave. You know why. I’m tired, and Takaar has a promise to keep.’
‘You’re sure?’ asked Stein.
‘I’ve had a century to mull it over,’ said Garan.
Stein shook Garan’s hand. ‘You’ve done the right thing.’
‘Eventually,’ said Garan.
Stein looked at Takaar. ‘I’ll be outside. We must speak, lay plans.’
‘I’ll find you,’ Takaar replied.
Stein closed the door behind him and Takaar knelt in front of Garan. Garan put a clammy hand on his cheek.
‘At last,’ he said. ‘Don’t get all emotional on me.’
‘You will be a legend among elves when our history is written.’
‘I seriously doubt that,’ said Garan. ‘I want to thank you, Takaar.’
‘For what?’
‘For talking to an old man, for keeping him at least partly sane. My loneliest and most painful hours have been eased by the thought of your conversation.’
‘You showed mercy when I carried Katyett from here,’ said Takaar. ‘That is something I could never ignore or forget.’
‘You have a chance now,’ said Garan. ‘Stein is talented and his men are loyal. Don’t fuck this up. My ghost will be watching you.’
‘You don’t believe that.’
‘No, but it makes a good legend, doesn’t it?’
Takaar smiled. ‘It does at that. How shall it be?’
‘Quick,’ said Garan.
‘I can promise you that.’
‘Good. Then see it done, my friend.’
‘Goodbye, Garan.’
‘Goodbye, Takaar.’
Takaar’s dagger pierced Garan’s temple, and he watched the one good human die.
That was well done. Now don’t get all emotional about it. Oh. Too late.
It had been a bittersweet run back to Ysundeneth. Auum’s route took him past the Haliath Vale on his way to the Ix and the humans’ barges, there to discover the Apposans’ fate. They had taken a fearful battering. Two out of three were either dead or badly wounded.
Both Boltha and Methian had survived, but memories of the Scar haunted their faces and Auum cursed that two such old and brave elves should have had to witness such times.
Auum’s arrival with the TaiGethen had been greeted with joy, but while Boltha asserted that the sacrifice of the Apposans had been worthwhile, his people’s faces belied his words.
Knowing their passage downriver to the city would be swift, Auum had invited Boltha and all who would travel with him to come to assist in the liberation of Ysundeneth. Fifty volunteered, Boltha among them, but Methian refused. He chose to return to Katura to help Tulan rebuild their city and the Al-Arynaar.
The barge the elves took passed sites of conflict along much of the length of the Ix. Body parts and bones were scattered along the banks, animals taking what little still remained. The forest bore the scars of human magic, but the river itself was quiet, almost reverential.
Auum landed a half-day from Ysundeneth, well out of sight of any who might be watching. He led his people along the river bank on the easy ground, trampled flat by men’s boots. With every step he considered his options, and every one led back to the same scrap of knowledge: without magic they would never be able to enter the city.
Takaar had said he would be waiting for him, but it was still a surprise when Auum saw the wild-looking elf emerge from the treeline two hours south of the city. Auum shook his head. He called a halt to rest.
Takaar spread his arms wide and had that ridiculous beatific expression on his face. Auum went cold at the sight of it.
‘What have you done, Takaar?’
Grafyrre, Merrat and Ulysan were with Auum.
Takaar raised his eyebrows. ‘You make my arrangements for our victory sound like a crime.’
Auum exchanged glances with Ulysan.
‘Where are all your followers?’ asked Ulysan.
Takaar waved a hand to the east. ‘Safe in Loshaaren by now, I hope, and perhaps even beginning their training. Leaving me to show you into Ysundeneth and the gift Garan gave me.’
Auum tensed. ‘There is nothing a human could give you that would be to our benefit.’
‘No? Not even if it was the power to dismiss the wards about the gates, to clear the slave pen fences of alarms and to cow the strength of Ystormun himself?’
