gates themselves are untouched.’
‘How can you tell from here?’
‘Because the colour of the main ward spell is a deep, vibrant green over the gates. I’ve colour-coded most cells to give us more accurate information.’
‘But if the gate hasn’t gone down, then surely the Garonin are not inside,’ said Dystran.
‘Which means that some stray idiot has probably blundered into them,’ said Densyr, feeling a clash of emotions.
‘I told you it was a risky strategy,’ said Septern. ‘Now those wards are gone and only half the cell is left. It weakens us there. What damage could a few elves do anyway?’
‘More than you would ever believe,’ said Dystran.
Densyr raised his eyebrows.
‘What now?’ asked Septern.
‘It’s dawn, near as dammit,’ said Densyr. ‘I want mages in the sky to the east. Keep them high and reporting back on a regular basis. Are all our testers accounted for?’
Dystran shook his head. ‘Three are still out there. Including Brynar.’
Densyr clacked his tongue. ‘How long do we dare wait before we activate the whole grid? They’ll be coming, you know. I can feel it.’
‘Can you hear something?’ asked Septern. The dead mage put a hand to his chest and breathed in a shuddering lungful. ‘I don’t feel quite right.’
‘Sit down, take some water,’ said Densyr. ‘And whatever you do, don’t die again before you’ve activated the grid.’
‘It’s like a weight pressing hard on my soul,’ said Septern, gripping the rail of the balcony and blowing hard. ‘Can you not feel it?’
Densyr shook his head. ‘But I can hear something. It’s faint. A droning noise, like those appalling death dirges people took to singing after the demons left.’
‘It’s like a Wesman chant,’ agreed Dystran. ‘But it’s everywhere.’
‘The wind is howling,’ said Septern. ‘Something comes.’
Densyr caught him before he fell. He and Dystran helped Septern to a chair and sat him in it. The ancient genius was still breathing, his eyelids fluttering.
‘Can you activate the grid?’ asked Dystran.
‘In theory,’ said Densyr.
‘Good. Then let us make Septern comfortable and get busy. We could do with seeing more of the dead. I wonder if it is affecting them all.’
The flat tone of a thousand horns sounded. Crystal disintegrated and windows blew in, showering glass in every direction. Densyr ducked his head and put up his hands, feeling shards rip across his skin.
‘Dear Gods drowning, what was that?’ he spat.
Densyr ran for the balcony again. He could hear people screaming and shouting all across the college. He stared up into the sky to the east and saw all his plans for the folly they surely were.
Auum whispered up the stairs behind Brynar. Diera followed him, carrying young Hirad. The young mage had a good turn of pace but he was noisy. Fortunately, they had no need of secrecy. Four flights and Brynar pushed open a door to the roof of the house. It was like another world. Half a dozen chairs and a table sat on a manicured lawn. They were surrounded by all manner of decorative pots in which a host of brightly coloured flowers demanded attention. The sweet scents were beautiful.
Diera put Hirad down for a moment while Auum ran to the edge of the building to assess their route. She gazed over the rooftops. Everywhere was colour and light, and she found herself wondering why they hadn’t thought of a roof garden at the inn.
‘Silly woman, does it really matter?’ she muttered.
‘Why are we up here, Mama?’ asked Hirad.
‘It’s not safe on the ground, darling. So we’re going over the roofs. What an adventure!’
‘Where’s Father?’
‘We’re going to get him now.’
And how she wished he was standing by her right now. She felt desperately scared. Auum and his Tai were so strong and quick and full of confidence but she was not. Did they really expect her to leap across the chasms between houses? It couldn’t be done.
Behind her, elves and men spilled onto the roof carrying sheets. They set to tying them together. Someone had even found a length of rope. An irritable voice below told her that Gresse was approaching, carried by two others and arguing all the way.
Up in the sky, the machine had retreated back into the clouds and there was some small respite from the droning noise that had hurt Hirad’s ears. But she didn’t imagine it would be gone for long. She drew her son back close to her as the wolves leapt out of the doorway, following Thraun. Soon a line of elves and wolves plus the returned shapechanger were standing on the edge, looking out. Auum was pointing. Brynar was shaking his head. Miirt took a pace back and leapt the gap, landing easily on the other side. Diera spread her arms. ‘I can’t do that,’ she said.
She took Hirad by the hand and trotted to the edge. Auum made a space for her.
‘I will carry your son on my back,’ he said.
The gap was about ten feet where roofs overhung the street below. Beyond, there was a clear run to the next square.
‘But I can’t jump that gap.’
‘We will not let you fall,’ said Auum.
‘What about Baron Gresse?’
Auum’s face was impassive. ‘He knows where his journey ends.’
‘The grid around us is not yet active,’ said Brynar. ‘They could take their chances on the ground.’
‘That is for him to decide. Ghaal, Miirt. Back over here. Help Diera.’
Across the city, the flat horn tone washed out from above and the machine descended once more through the clouds. It hung above the east gate for a moment and then began a slow move west. Lines fell from its sides to the ground and the rooftops. Garonin slid down the lines, advancing the moment their feet found purchase.
Brynar drew in a huge gasping breath. ‘That’s the grid active.’
‘It will do them no good,’ said Thraun. ‘The Garonin can target the wards from a distance.’
‘Don’t be so sure,’ said Brynar. ‘Septern’s linkage is quite brilliant. Some wards lie dormant until others are triggered. They will not find them all.’
Garonin were moving across the rooftops towards them. Black-armoured and — helmeted, weapons in their hands, they appeared to simply step across the largest of gaps, their armour flaring briefly white as they did.
‘Yniss preserve us, I have put you in greater danger,’ said Auum. ‘Give me Hirad.’
Diera crouched by her son. ‘Hang on to Auum, darling. I’ll be right behind you.’
‘No, Mama. I want to stay with you.’
Diera kissed Hirad’s cheek and wiped away a tear. ‘It’ll be all right. Fun. Auum is going to teach you how to fly.’
Hirad looked at her suspiciously. ‘Really?’
‘Really. Now go with him.’
Hirad let go of her. Diera stood. Auum inclined his head and took her hand.
‘Trust me. Come, Hirad. Jump up on my back.’
He crouched and the little boy threw his arms around Auum’s neck. The TaiGethen put his arms under Hirad’s legs and held him piggyback-style. Diera breathed deeply. Miirt and Ghaal had returned over the terrifying gap.
‘We’ll all do this together,’ said Auum.
He bounced Hirad on his back and walked back a few paces. Diera, with the Tai either side of her, let them take an arm each.
‘Don’t think about it,’ said Ghaal. ‘Just run as fast as you can. We’ll do the rest.’
Diera’s heart was pounding. ‘I don’t think I can do this.’
‘Don’t think at all,’ repeated Ghaal. ‘Do.’
