‘We are not as strong as once we were,’ said Sha-Kaan. ‘We can no longer afford such excess.’
Sol caught Jonas’s eye and saw the sadness there.
‘I am a very old dragon,’ continued Sha-Kaan. ‘It is inevitable.’
Sha-Kaan released the pair of them and Sol felt at the wound in his back.
‘Jonas, come and help your father, would you? Tell me what you can see.’
Sol pulled up his shirt at the back. Jonas took in a sharp breath.
‘You need attention, Father. That must hurt.’
‘What is it?’
‘Splinters of wood. Some quite big, really. Do you want me to-?’
Sol felt a touch on his back and winced.
‘No, no. Don’t move them. I’ve lost enough blood as it is. Dammit.’
Sol moved onto his hands and knees. The pain eased a little. He crawled across to the wall of the Klene and lay down on his side.
‘Hardly the heroic arrival I’d envisaged,’ he muttered.
The main door to the Klene swung back. Fresh air flooded in. Sha-Kaan rumbled happily to himself and shifted forward a little way. Four figures appeared in the doorway, silhouetted against the light. Others were clustering outside. There was a hubbub of voices. Sol managed a smile when he saw Hirad’s face. It might have been the face of a dead merchant but the joy in the eyes and the display of every rotting tooth in his mouth was the old Hirad, pure and simple.
‘Sha-Kaan,’ Hirad said. ‘Now here’s something worth coming back to life for.’
He walked in and placed a hand on the tip of Sha-Kaan’s muzzle. Ilkar, Sirendor and Auum were just behind him. If Sha-Kaan was perturbed by the sight of his old Dragonene, he did not show it. The great dragon pushed forward fractionally, dumped Hirad on the seat of his breeches and laughed, a huge guttural sound more akin to a building falling than anything else.
‘Very funny, Sha,’ said Hirad, standing again.
‘It is good to feel you again,’ said Sha-Kaan. ‘The body is substandard, frail human, but your soul is every bit as strong. Well met.’
‘What are you doing here? The Garonin after you too, are they?’
‘They are failing to beat us on Beshara. But not here. You need help.’ Sha-Kaan inclined his head fractionally in Sol’s direction. ‘And your king needs attention now.’
Sol waved weakly. ‘Good to see you lot. Ilkar, a little help?’
Ilkar trotted over, leaving Hirad talking to Sha-Kaan.
‘The best help you can give us is torching Denser. Bastard traitor is going to kill us all,’ Hirad was saying.
‘Killing him will not solve your problem,’ said Sha-Kaan. ‘My Dragonene reaching a new safe dimension will. That will secure the future for us all. That is where we must focus our efforts.’
Sol tried to raise himself to speak but his head was too foggy. Ilkar’s hand on his shoulder was enough to stop him trying further.
‘Don’t move, Unknown, you’re a bit of a mess.’
‘Will he be all right?’ asked Jonas.
Sol nodded. Ilkar didn’t.
‘Ilkar is a fine healer. Watch and learn,’ said Sol. He caught Ilkar’s expression. ‘What’s up? A quick bit of wood extraction and some Healing Hands should do the trick. Easy for you.’
‘You don’t know, do you?’
‘Know what?’
‘Julatsa has fallen. The Garonin have taken the Heart. Nothing I try is easy any more.’
Sol sighed and moved a hand to squeeze Ilkar’s forearm. ‘It all starts to make sense, doesn’t it? Sorry, Ilkar. But we knew it was coming, didn’t we?’
‘I feel empty, Unknown,’ said Ilkar. ‘Hollow. And the void wind is stronger now. I’m not sure how much longer I can cling on to this body.’
‘Try and keep strong,’ said Sol. ‘Look, I’ll be fine. Just bandage me up or something.’
Ilkar’s expression turned to one of slighted hurt. ‘I may have lost my college but I think I can do a little better than bandages, Unknown. Now try and relax and don’t say anything. I need to concentrate.’
Sol winked at him and settled down onto his front to give Ilkar room to work.
‘Sha-Kaan, we need to get the dead that Denser rounded up away from here. All Xetesk’s returned dead. Hundreds of them. Just outside the walls of the city is far enough. They have to be close enough to feel the souls of those who brought them back. Can you do it?’
Sha-Kaan grumbled in his throat. ‘Travel without the beacon of a Dragonene is difficult. Tiring.’
‘We can’t leave them. They’re trapped in the city and right in the path of the Garonin.’
‘I will not know when I have travelled far enough,’ said Sha-Kaan.
‘Oh you will,’ said Hirad. ‘Because every one of them will start to scream when the pain in their souls grows unbearable. Then it’s time to stop.’
Sha-Kaan considered for a moment. ‘Bring them inside.’
Hirad ran to the door. Sol could hear him shouting for the dead to come in, not to be afraid. The latter would be difficult for them.
‘And afterwards. After I have ferried them to safety. What must we do?’ asked Sha-Kaan.
‘Find a Wesman Shaman able to perform the ritual of opening,’ said Ilkar.
Sol coughed. ‘No.’
‘What did I just say?’ said Ilkar. ‘Hold still and shut up. This is delicate, all right? Jonas, can you give me a hand? I need you to staunch the blood while I cast.’
‘Hold on,’ said Sol. ‘Hirad. I’m not leaving my wife and son in Xetesk to die.’
‘There’s no time, Unknown; you know that.’
Sol tensed. ‘Then we have to make time. I’m not sacrificing my life until I know my family will be safe.’
‘What are you talking about, Father?’
Sol closed his eyes, cursing himself for a fool.
‘Father?’
‘Do you trust me, Jonas?’
‘I love you, Father. I won’t let you die.’
Sol blinked back his tears. ‘Trust me now. Help me. Be brave and be strong. We have a lot of work to do.’
Jonas nodded but there was confusion in his face. ‘Tell me what to do.’
Hirad was walking back into the Klene. The dead were following him, albeit rather reluctantly.
‘Sol.’ It was Auum.
‘Yes, my friend.’
‘I will find your wife and son. I will see them to safety. Don’t go back to the inn. Come east. Seek me.’
Sol nodded, wincing as Ilkar probed his injury a little roughly.
‘I am in your debt.’
Auum bowed. ‘Any debt was repaid a very long time ago.’
The TaiGethen leader turned and trotted out of the Klene, hurrying the last of the dead inside, where they stood in fear, crowding as far from Sha-Kaan as they could. Behind them the Klene door clunked shut.
‘Hang on,’ said Hirad. ‘We’re going for a little ride.’
‘Now is the time of our greatest peril.’
Denser’s voice boomed out from the top of his tower. The Intonation spells turned every flat surface into an amplifier for his words. His voice carried out over the college, across the apron and into the wider city beyond. He was a just a speck from Diera’s vantage point just inside the college gates. She hadn’t wanted to hear him but knew she had to. Young Hirad, holding her hand tight, was at her side, and she hadn’t missed the positioning of three college guards nearby. Life with Sol had taught her many and varied things.
The crowd that had gathered after the entire college guard had walked every street, summoning the population to hear their Lord, was easily fifteen thousand strong, probably twenty thousand. Perhaps eight thousand
