The Hekamon Page 28

  Perhaps they should do it Galvyn's way after all. Or at the very least, not do it this way.

  Hayden couldn't leave, that much was becoming apparent, he needed to know what was going on. He would go back to forest east of Tivitay and, if necessary, Galvyn's lodgings. At least he knew where the young man lived, so should be able to find him. He wouldn't let the apprentice take the blame, he would confront the kentarch himself.

  He had spent years trying to avoid Decarius, the man who thought him a traitor and who resented his closeness to Volusia. He would find the man in the mine, bring him round and find out what he was up to. There would be risks of course, since there had been guards in the mine, but if anything he would now be on their side.

  With Galvyn's help he would work with the Demedelites. The war was a long time ago and they were not his enemy anymore. Besides, anything would be safer than the night time journey that he was currently faced with.

  Hayden now realized that his first instinct, to leave and let others sort it out, had been wrong. This was something he needed to deal with himself. With his mind made up, he picked up his bag and turned back.

  77

  Alyssa stood perfectly still, listening to the sounds of the guards retreating, her heart was racing and her mind, too. Her chest pounded from the anxiety of nearly getting caught, while her thoughts were consumed by what she had heard. She took some deep breathes to calm herself and felt Galvyn do the same.

  They were still holding each other for support and reassurance. The boy had been squeezing her especially tightly as the guards had neared, and even more so when Tregarron had arrived.

  She looked at him, his eyes closed and body shaking. He didn't seem all that brave and appeared to be holding back tears. Now she came to think of it, he'd been cowardly. He could have handled the situation if he'd tried. Once she was certain the guards had left, she would take him to task about it.

  Hearing no more noises, Alyssa peered around the tree, "They've gone," she said calmly, before becoming angry, "Why didn't you do it? You could have gone to the guards and told them, just like I said."

  "I…it felt wrong." Galvyn said, opening his eyes and looking at her.

  "You don't always need to tell the truth you know, you should have been braver."

  "I gave my word."

  "You could have broken it, Hayden would have understood," she said, staring at Galvyn, but he remained quiet. "A small lie can sometimes get you out of trouble, I do it all the time," she continued, irritated by Galvyn's weakness.

  "Well, I did lie to Tregarron earlier. I tried to protect your necklace from his interest and that didn't work out too well."

  "I guess not," she said, deciding not to be to critical of him. Neither of them had known what to do, and in the end it had worked out okay. They hadn't been caught anyway. "Let's move away from this tree," she added, and the two of the started to walk further into the forest.

  They walked in silence, and while they did, Alyssa thought more about what she had heard.

  Tregarron's words had confirmed her worst fears; he has the Ettinshel, knows it's important and is taking it to Lord Jephson. Something else bothered her, too. From the way he had spoken, it sounded like the necklace was on his person.

  Had it been the whole time? If only she'd known, she could have…what? Taken it from him? Ambushed him and the fat guard he was with on the highway, darting out from the trees with dagger in hand. Okay, that probably would have got her captured, or more likely killed.

  Maybe she could have picked his pocket amid the bustle in the streets of serfacre. That would certainly have stood a better chance of success, if she was any good picking pockets that is, she'd never tried before.

  Still, anything would have been easier than getting it out of the fort. To do that she would need help from a Demedelite. It would be difficult if not impossible for her to do it alone. Who did she know who could help her?

  After they had gone far enough into the glades, so as to be out of sight of the village, Galvyn spoke, "What will you do now?"

  "I'm going home."

  "I thought we were going to stick together?"

  "Just because I leave, doesn't mean I won't come back."

  "Okay," Galvyn said, his anxiety clear in his voice, "It's just…when you said you wouldn't leave me—"

  "Well—" Alyssa looked around, "I might have just said that, to keep you sweet."

  "Oh."

  Alyssa looked at Galvyn who seemed crestfallen. Now she thought about it again perhaps there had been more to it. "What I mean is, I could have made a run for it but thought we should stick together, it might be better that way."

  "Yes." Galvyn said, cheering up.

  "I was a close run thing, wasn't it." Alyssa said, trying to cheer him up more.

  "It was. We held our nerve and kept our word."

  "The guards were frightened of the forest too, that helped."

  "Yes," he said, before slowing his pace and looking around.

  "What's wrong?"

  "Nothing."

  "Tell me," she could sense something was worrying him.

  "Well, this is the glades," he said in a whisper, "the guards aren't the only ones who are frightened of this forest."

  She stopped.

  Alyssa lived in the marshes and spent most of her time in a dangerous swamp or forests of one kind or another. It was easy for her to forget that others would not be as comfortable in these surroundings as she was.

  "We're safe if we stay together," she said, thinking this might reassure Galvyn a little, but it seemed to have a more positive effect on him than she'd expected.

  "You're right, thank you," his demeanor improving markedly, "but I'm lost already, where are we going? Do you know?"

  Now that Galvyn mentioned it, she hadn't been paying any attention to where they were going. All they were doing was putting some distance between themselves and Tivitay. Fortunately, this part of the glades was familiar enough to her that she wasn't lost.

  "I know where we are. There's a place nearby where we can rest and decide what we are going to do next."

  "Okay, that sounds like a good idea," Galvyn said, "I have a decision to make, too, because from what I heard the guard say, it looks like I can't go back to my lodgings tonight. They are waiting for me to return."

  "Yes, I heard him say that. It looks like you might have to spend a night in the forest," she said in a sinister voice, before giggling at Galvyn's expression.

  "I'm not sure I like the sound of that."

  "It will be fine, and do you know why?"

  "No why?"

  "I will stay with you, we're sticking together remember."

  Galvyn smiled and seemed to relax, and she relaxed, too. Their near miss with the guards was behind them now and the danger had passed. They started walking again, with Alyssa leading and Galvyn wondering aloud about their destination.

  "Where did you say we are going?"

  "A place called Tivitayall, have you heard of it?"

  "No."

  "It's not far, I'll show you," she said, walking east in the direction of the hall.

  As the two of them continued on in silence, it gave Alyssa time to think. And as she did, a thought occurred to her, one she found disturbing.

  If Tregarron had been in possession of the Ettinshel the whole time, why hadn't she sensed it? Might she have become detached from it and in more ways than one? The idea cause her some consternation, not least because she'd thought that might be happening, even before today.

  Alyssa had felt for some time its powers had been waning. Its effect on her had been stronger when she was a child. Now it spoke to her less often, and her intuitiveness was not what it used to be.

  These days her visions were mundane, or absent completely, her dreams less vivid and lacking the lucidity they once had. Was it the Ettinshel's powers that had weakened, or her connection to it?

  There would have been a time, when if it were ten feet from her she would
have known for certain. Now she needed to be in a receptive state of mind and hold it close just to feel its presence.

  If the Ettinshel's powers were diminishing, then it might mean it falling into the wrong hands was less consequential. Tregarron had not seemed to be helped by it, although now she came to think about it, he had very nearly caught her. The man had got from the trading post to within a few feet of her in what felt like seconds. What had been guiding him?

  She couldn't take the chance that the necklace was losing its powers, and besides, it belonged to her and nobody else. Her mother had entrusted it to her. She would want it back for that reason alone.

  If she had to get her necklace out of the fort, then that's what she would do.

  78

  Kormak felt the land shake, a low reverberation that he could feel all around him. There was a struggle taking place, an injustice had occurred and was still ensuing, but something was fighting back.

  The dream felt more vivid than usual, lucid even. It was as though he could control it, or question and learn from it. He tried to do so, what injustice? Who was fighting back? But before he could get an answer, he was interrupted.

  "There's someone on the bridge," Palfrey said, rousing him from his sleep.

  "Alyssa?" he said, saying the first word that came into his mind.

  "No, a man, he was crossing but now he's stopped."

  Kormak rubbed his eyes and scrambled across the floor of the crow's nest to get a view of the bridge. His sleepiness had not left his limbs and he clattered around noisily.

  "Quiet," Palfrey instructed, as a nearby raven sounded its irritation at the intrusion.

  "Anyone you recognize?" He asked, trying to focus his eyes on the man on the bridge.

  "No, and now he's moving again."

  Kormak found a suitable gap to look through and watched as the man walked across the remainder of the bridge and onto their side. The closer he got, the more of the man he could make out, and a few things were apparent even in the fading light.

  "Southerner, do you think?" Palfrey asked.

  "Could be," he said, studying the man carefully.

  The tunic suggested Coralainian, but the coat and boots did not, nor his hair, which was noticeably longer than most Coralainians he'd seen. Clean shaven, tall, strong looking but alone, and with a large bag over one shoulder. If he was Coralainian, then he might be trying to disguise the fact, and that worried Kormak.

  The man continued walking toward them, fifty feet below and about the same distance away now.

  Palfrey lowered his voice to a whisper, "What do you think? Should we follow him?"

  "No, it's daylight we have to let him go."

  "It won't be for much longer, we should follow him." Palfrey was right about the fast diminishing daylight. More hours had passed than he'd realized.

  "Why would he start across the marshes at this hour?"

  "Who knows, let's follow him," Palfrey was becoming insistent, "I want to see what he has in his bag."

  The man stopped at the fork and looked in the direction of Ochre Hill. They exchanged a look of amazement.

  "He can't be thinking of going…he must be lost," Palfrey said, speaking as quietly as possible.

  "Lost, or looking for something," he replied, in an equally hushed tone, but for reasons other than not giving away their position.

  Could he know we have the iron grippers? If he did, he didn't go in the direction of the hill, but took the west fork and the Fennelbek Way.

  The man's look toward Ochre Hill may have been coincidental, but it prompted Kormak to recall something Saskia had said. While he knew he'd paid a high price for the grippers, the herbswoman had thought them to be worth more. If she was right, then there was a very real chance they were stolen.

  The man had been gone for about a minute, when Kormak heard a call from below. Tolle and the twins had come out from the den and were standing on the Ochre Way. He and Palfrey started to descend the crow's nest to join them there, while he continued his chain of thought.

  If the grippers were stolen, might someone be looking for them?

  His mind started to race at this realization and he was fully awake now. If the grippers could be tracked to trading post, and if the merchant revealed who he'd sold them to, then they could expect some visitors. Would Tansley keep quiet? Would he be discrete? Maybe, or maybe not. He didn't know the man well enough to be sure but Kormak suspected he knew the answer.

  He started to feel a rising panic. The iron grippers were military apparel and were likely to be possessed by someone of a senior rank. That had been their attraction to him. And if they originated form south of the mountains, then the Coralainian militia might be seeking their return.

  He reached the bottom of the tree and steadied himself, a feeling of nausea was setting in, his mind working on the ramifications.

  What if Tansley were to tell inquiring visitors that he had sold the grippers to two Fennreans, and Alyssa were to trace her steps all the way back to the trading post? She had been gone long enough for her to have done so. He never would have imagined that she'd have gone that far, but she could be determined when she wanted to be. His breathing became labored. What might have happened to Alyssa?

  He stumbled out of the undergrowth beneath the tree and followed Palfrey onto the junction.

  "What do you two think?" Tolle asked, in a whispered voice.

  "We should follow him." Palfrey said emphatically.

  "I agree," Tolle replied, "Kormak?"

  "I…I'm worried about Alyssa," he said, unable to keep the panic from his voice.

  "We're all worried about your sister, but—" Tolle stopped, he'd heard something. They all had. It was the sound of approaching footsteps.

  Chapter 13

  79

  Captain Elidyr Tregarron walked through the main gate of the fort and into the gatehouse, where he was greeted by the only guard on duty there. The guard, also called Tregarron, smiled warmly as he arrived.

  "How are things?" Kathryn asked, from behind the duty desk.

  His expression probably answered her question, but he told her anyway, "Busy."

  "So I've heard, can I help in any way?"

  "Is there any beer?"

  It was thirsty work chasing criminals, and he watched as his wife took a bottle from a cupboard, but not before raising an eyebrow at him.

  "There's been some activity here, too," she said, handing him the beer.

  "Are you talking about the three bound men that were brought in?" he asked, removing the cap on the edge of the desk and taking a few gulps.

  "Yes, they've been secured in the prison, the bailiff is there as well."

  "Good," he was pleased to hear the bailiff was in charge of them, "I will question them later, but right now I have to see Lord Jephson, is he in his office?"

  "I don't know but I would imagine so. I've been here in the gatehouse by myself for most of the afternoon, where is everyone?"

  "Strung out from the bridge to the pass," he said, between swigs.

  "The bridge?" Kate asked, alarmed, "Fennreans are involved?"

  "Yes, it seems so."

  "Jephson won't like that," Kate said, shaking her head.

  He finished the last of the beer in one go. "I'm counting on it."

  "Another?"

  "Not right now."

  It was only weak table beer but he wanted to stay focused.

  "Will I be here on my own until the night watch arrive?" she asked, with a hint of worry in her voice.

  For some time now, the most dangerous enemy they faced were drunks and the occasional thief, nothing that Kate couldn't deal with. She could be a formidable guardswoman and handled a truncheon deftly, as many of those worse for drink had discovered. It was this lack of any serious threats that had prompted Jephson to wind down the number of guards under his command.

  On this occasion though, Tregarron thought his wife's concern was understandable. The injuries to the merchant and arm
orer, along with Coralainian prisoners and talk of Fennreans, was obviously more than she could be expected to deal with on her own.

  "You'll get some help before long, Tivitay is a small village and some of the men I have searching there will be back soon."

  "Good, I could use some company. Update me on things when you get a chance."

  "I will, and if the men report back with any important news, have them bring it to me. I will either be in the keep or the prison."

  "Okay, will do."

  Walking from the gatehouse, he crossed the courtyard and entered the keep by the main entrance. The large oak door was heavy and opened slowly, once through he proceeded down the short stone passage that took him into the great hall, before crossing the flagstones purposefully. Several doors lead off from this crux of the keep, but his destination was the door that lay directly ahead of him. It was the door to the chancery, Jephson's office, and the place from where most of the affairs of the fort, and indeed Demedelei, were run. The door was open, as it so often was. Very little could happen without its occupant knowing. Just about everything had to go by this door.

  Tregarron walked up and knocked, more out of courtesy than necessity, and entered.

  "Lord Jephson," he said, on seeing the large, heavy set man seated at his desk. The lord's stocky build, shock of red hair and full beard, gave the man had an imposing presence.

  "Captain Tregarron, Brigantia tells me you were looking for me earlier," Jephson replied, while indicating for him to take a seat, which he did without hesitation.

  He had spent the last few hours walking around the muscle sapping hilly terrain of Demedelei and its environs, he wasn't about to pass up a chance to rest his feet.

  "I was, at the time I thought it could wait but I need to inform you of some of today's events."

  "Yes, I think it's about time. I heard some prisoners were brought in earlier and then Teague left with half of the men, he said you would be updating me in due course, so let's hear it."