“King Breyden is the target. We get to him and we stop the war,” says Thoren. He may normally keep silent whilst his counsellors go about the daily running of Tarrin, but fighting is something he knows. Now that most of his advisors have left for the mountain, he’s refusing to let anyone else do the speaking for him.
“Even if we push them all the way back to the inner gates, from the sounds of this drawbridge we haven’t a hope of overrunning the inner city,” says Arthur.
“We don’t need everyone,” says Orrian. I am still impressed how he can speak so calmly and yet command everyone’s attention without the need to raise his voice. “We only need a small group of us whilst the rest distract their army.”
“How many and who would go?” the leader of Willsden asks.
“I will go. Dale too. This war was started against my people and we will be the ones to end it. We’ve also seen what the inside of the inner castle is like, we stand a better chance at finding our way around. Once we’re in, we’ll be able to get to the dungeons. From there, all my people will be free and within their walls. We’ll have the element of surprise as we unleash the remainder of my tribe directly beneath their feet,” says Orrian. This is the most he’s said so far this morning, he’s been biding his time and listening to the others whilst this plan must have been brewing.
“We need Damion with us as well,” I say, interrupting the leaders for only the second time. “He knows his way around the colony better than any of us. If anyone can get us in, he can.”
A murmur of agreement finally travels around the room. This might actually work. Someone passes Orrian some paper and a quill so that he can begin drawing up our plans.
“Do you think he’ll agree to go back?” Arthur turns in his chair to ask me quietly.
“He has to, we need him,” I answer.
“Go then,” says Arthur.
I skirt around the edge of the room as stealthily as one can, given how overcrowded it is. As I close the meeting room door behind me, I wonder if it would have been better to get Arthur to talk to Damion, given mine and his last conversation. It’s too late now, and so, swallowing the nervous anticipation awaking inside of me, I set off in search of the former slave.
“No absolutely not, he can’t go back there,” Bennie argues. For once I hadn’t found him in the tavern. Instead, they sit together atop a mound at the edge of the fields.
Damion says nothing but his knee begins to vibrate violently beneath his elbows.
“I’m sorry, but we need him. He’s the only one who can lead us to Breyden,” I urge. “Do you understand what I’m saying? We won’t be able to stop this war without him.”
“He can’t,” Bennie pleads. “He’s been through too much, there must be some other way.”
“Dad,” Damion whispers. “I have to.”
“You don’t have to, they can think of something else. Son, you’ve done your part.”
“They’ve been in that room for hours. I’m not sure if there are any other options,” I say.
Damion places a hand on his father’s shoulder.
“It’s ok, this is what I’m here for. They took everything from us, this is our chance. Let me do this for Mum,” Damion says, his voice wobbles but there’s a resolve in his eyes.
“He’ll be part of a small group of us, away from the rest of the fighting,” I assure. “He’s going to have King Orrian and the others with him, it may even be the safest place for him to be.”
“The safest place would be with the others in that darn mountain you talked about,” Bennie counters.
“No. I have friends back there, Dad. Children who were just like me,” says Damion. “This way I can get to them, this is how I fight back.”
Something visibly breaks inside Bennie as he nods dumbly.
“Will he be alright? Will you?” I ask Damion as we walk back towards the council room. Bennie had asked to be left alone for a little while before assuring me that he would join the others by the lake in a bit.
“He’ll be fine, but he really wanted to take me away to the mountain. This is what I signed up for, the more I can do to hurt the colony the better,” says Damion bitterly.
“Good” I reply. “I’m sorry by the way, about Avlym. I wanted to tell you but-”
“It’s ok,” Damion interrupts. “You said what you had to. If it wasn’t for you, I’d still be in that place. I guess I’m now doubly in your debt.”
“Doubly?” I ask, confused. Being thanked was certainly not how I’d pictured this apology going.
“My father told me about what you and everyone else have done for him over these last few years. I won’t forget that.”
I can do little else but nod speechlessly. The boy next to me is damaged, it’s likely that we all are, but him maybe more than most. Yet somehow, after every wrong hand that fate has dealt him, he still has the courage to fight for his people. Who would have thought all those years ago, that I would eventually come to admire one of my bullies?
We head back towards Thoren’s house in a comfortable silence. Two very different boys brought together through pain and war, but it’s finally time to have our revenge against those who have wronged us. There’s no time to pause and watch those training, or stop and replenish our raging stomachs, there’s work to be done.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Randall and Robyn walk alongside me through the trees, we should be getting close now. The villagers all swarm around us in their roughly organised groups. The leaders have decided to keep us off the main roads, it has added a little extra time to our journey, but we need the element
