The Pilgrims

‘Loup can,’ Anfen murmured drowsily. ‘So relax.’

25

Eric drifted in and out of sleep, his dreams full of Siel or a woman just like her, running about him fast and ethereal as a ghost, her bright echoing laugh all around him. She was laughing at some private joke at his expense, then fled as a great shadow stretched out before him, while the old-young lord towered behind.

Twice in the night, some of the camp woke to the distant sound of chain mail clinking and heavy boots stomping past in a fast march. Now and then Eric woke and wondered dazedly where the hell he was. Silhouettes of the sleeping band were comforting around him, strangers or not. He remembered being a boy on camp with the Cub Scouts, learning knots, fistfights: memories from a world ago, a world away, suddenly hardly seeming real. That whole time, this place had been here, its own travails and problems just as serious as those of the world next to it. How long had this world really called to him? No memory he could find gave any hint that he would one day spend a night under a completely different sky.

Case slept next to him, but Eric didn’t stir when the old guy got up to empty his bladder. It was still dark, though the night was old. Some way closer to the road was the silhouette of whoever kept watch — one of the women, it appeared. Mindful of the crack of twigs underfoot, hugely loud as they seemed in this gloom, Case went as far to the edge of the group as he dared. Then a glimpse of green caught his eye between trees further into the scrub. Her.

His heart raced, though not with fear. ‘Miss?’ he whispered. ‘Stranger?’

There wasn’t an answer, and he strained his eyes into the darkness ahead. She hadn’t been far away. Then something ripped the air nearby, whoosh! Thock! An arrow striking a tree trunk. Siel was just behind him, her bow in hand, another arrow already nocked and drawn, its string creaking. ‘Go back,’ she said.

‘You shot at her?’ whispered Case, outraged. ‘You shot at my friend?’

‘Your friend should introduce herself. By day.’

‘She introduced herself to me.’

Siel’s mouth hung open and she stared at him, amazed to be chastising someone old enough to be her grandfather. ‘You are not an honoured guest here! You are a newborn again. There’s much to learn. Go back to sleep. Don’t wake the others.’

Case was equally amazed to be chastised by someone young enough to be his granddaughter, so fiercely at that. He was lost for words, so he spluttered for a moment then did what she said.

They had buried the fires’ remains well before the sun began to rise. Except of course there was no sun. The sky lit itself slowly and evenly, the eastern part no brighter than the rest.

Now they walked deeper into a forest with a floor of brittle grass, the thin light showing no more than a few metres ahead. Undergrowth crunched beneath their boots.

Anfen’s mood was far brighter than it had been the night before, and at their first rest break it became clear why: he was about to part company with Kiown. He called the group together. ‘We separate here. Sharfy, Loup, Siel, the Pilgrims, myself. The rest of you stay with our contacts by the Godstears Sea until you’re sent for. Enjoy the fish, don’t be noticed. Doon, we are visiting your aunt; I will send your greetings. But you need to be with this group to protect them. Kiown knows the roads best, and for that reason he leads you, wisely I hope. Be well.’

The group departed, though it was clear most of them weren’t pleased with the orders. ‘Watch out for magpies,’ Kiown called to Anfen, referring to the Invia. ‘I won’t be here to save you next time.’ Anfen did not indicate he’d heard. Kiown turned to Eric. ‘You! I will make you a good deal for that scale. Don’t crush it up for visions. And be careful of Sharfy. Among his collection of dirty secrets is a … shall we say fondness for scale visions. Can’t help himself, you wait and see.’ He leaned close and lowered his voice. ‘I see how you look at her. I see how you look at me now. You don’t approve of my sleeping arrangements last night. Probably you plain don’t like me at all. I understand! But it went no further than sharing a blanket. Never bedded her proper and never would. Be careful, you smitten thing. She’s a killer. Don’t be fooled by her age.’

Eric frowned. ‘Her age … wait a second, how old is she?’

‘Fourteen. Thanks for the “tie”. Be safe!’

As those remaining prepared to leave, Loup took Anfen aside and they had a long, quiet chat. After it, Anfen seemed very pleased. He clapped Case on the shoulder. ‘Loup has uncovered some of your charm’s secrets! You, my friend, have collected a mine full of treasures. This could be a pivotal moment in history. Well done.’ But he said no more about it, and the group resumed their march through the trees in waxing light.

‘Glad he’s happy,’ Case muttered.

Eric was still on the brink of throwing up, in a dizzy, reeling world of remorse. He snapped, ‘What’s wrong with you?’

‘I don’t trust these people, Eric. What I saw at the castle was pretty bad, but I haven’t seen anything from this lot yet to convince me they’re the good guys.’

‘Good guys? Case, is this a movie or are we trying to survive here?’

‘I don’t know, but the only ones here who showed me any goodness at all was Stranger and that wings woman, whatever they call em.’

‘Didn’t the Invia put you in harm’s way? She put you inside the castle and made you see all those bad things.’

‘She had her reasons.’

‘Oh, come on.’

‘She also gave me that necklace and saved me from falling down a cliff. You should see em up close, Eric. They’re beautiful. And last night, that Stranger lass, she came to visit, just beyond the camp there. Well, that woman who never smiles or talks shot an arrow at her.’

‘Not woman, Case. Girl.’

‘No warnings, nothing, just whoosh! They tried to kill Stranger, Eric, after she helped me out and all, sent me back here to you.’

‘They don’t know who she is yet. Did you hear them? They were nervous because she can do serious magic. Why doesn’t she come and introduce herself?’

‘Maybe she tried last night. And by the way, are they keeping us captive or do they plan to let us go if we find a town or something?’

Eric felt reluctant to admit it in Case’s present mood, and he wondered how much the old guy was just in need of a drink. Yet … ‘We are … I think not quite captives, but not quite free, either.’

‘There!’ said Case, triumphant. ‘I want out of here, Eric. I want my charm back and I want to go.’

Eric laughed. ‘Case! Where are you going to go? You don’t have a map, don’t know anything about this place.’

‘I don’t care. I had a long enough innings already. If something gets me, well and good. I’m done with this shady bunch. They never tell us outright who they are or what they’re doing. You stay with em and keep the gun. Just don’t tell them what I’m doing.’

‘Maybe I should, before you get yourself killed.’

‘Oh no you don’t. I get myself killed that’s my business, I don’t give a shit. You got years ahead of you, I got weeks or days, I’ll spend em how I want. Wouldn’t be here at all’ — Case bit off the words which Eric thought were likely to be: if you hadn’t jumped through the door like a lemming off a cliff.

‘Case, I would dearly love this conversation to be over, because I have hard work to do glossing over something I feel extremely guilty about. But let me ask you something. And don’t get mad, OK? This Stranger woman. Did she really come last night just to see you? Do you think she’s going to follow you around and keep you safe, if you leave the group?’ And maybe conjure you another drink or two? And, maybe in your heart of hearts, give you a little kiss …?