book title

‘We cannot afford to lose another.’ Nyomae’s eyes shone bright in the twilight as she watched the Menon River head for the sea. ‘The Amayans are vital to our cause. They may number few, but one is worth a hundred elite soldiers. And not forgetting, the fate of the Amanach stones is in their hands.’

Elodi shivered as the breeze blowing in from the Foranfae found them up on the North Terrace. ‘I don’t know how, but I’m certain I heard the voices of Eryn, Calestri and Arijan. But the scream that woke me came from another, one I believe to be Amyra.’

Toryn’s heart rested heavily against his ribs. ‘If Amyra has been caught and taken north…’ his head dropped. ‘Another was captured many years ago. Tanis, yes that was her name. She was… altered, altered to fight for the enemy.’

‘Much like Dorlan.’ Elodi sighed. ‘The last thing we need is another as powerful as Dorlan taking up arms with the Ul-dalak. It would indeed be a bitter blow to our spirits if an Amayan rides against us.’

Toryn recalled the sad tale. ‘According to Eryn, Tanis fought as one possessed. It took three Amayans to defeat her. Apparently, Amyra is a fighter of remarkable skill, superior to most Amayans. How many would it take to defeat her?’

Nyomae turned to face them. ‘We cannot sit here and wait for the Amayans to be snatched from us one-by-one. We must aid them. Even four possessed Amayans would prove a formidable prospect. We could lose hundreds from their actions alone.’

Toryn voiced his concern. ‘If we sent fifty knights north, what can they do to help them? If the Amayans face a foe that troubles them, surely our knights would be easily overwhelmed.’

Nyomae looked him in the eye. ‘I would not send knights. I would send you, Toryn. But not alone.’

‘Me? But what could I do?’

Elodi gasped. ‘Is it not too soon?’

Nyomae smiled. ‘The power within Toryn grows by the day, and it will accelerate to meet the threat of the Ul-dalak as you draw near.’ She took his hand and ran a finger across the palm. ‘Look at your lines. They have thickened, and the patterns more intricate. Your skills advance at an impressive rate.’ She released her hold. ‘The enemy will not take you lightly. And remember, you only have to distract their assailants to give the Amayans a chance.’

Toryn looked at his palms. ‘And you believe I’m ready?’

Nyomae brought his hands together. ‘Ready to face the likes of Uldrak, then possibly Uleva within a month. But this is finely balanced. While they will be wary of you, they will also look to capture you.’ She stroked her chin. ‘But in a way, this could work to our advantage. If their attention is directed at you, perhaps that leaves them open to attack from your companions who they would dismiss as weak, posing no threat.’

Elodi grimaced. ‘When confronting Uldrak at Tunduska, he conjured up a ball of freezing air that reeked of death and weakened our defenses. It was a most effective weapon. Do the Imaari have this ability?’

Nyomae moved her hand as if stroking a dog. ‘The hands can shape and bring objects, even living beings, within a Verse back to our own time. But it is only fleeting, and that depends on the endurance of the caller. But there is a price to pay. The more you draw from the Song, the more time is needed to recover, thus only the most powerful can utilize its power readily and often. Uldrak must have released the air from a bitter winter in the gorge. Ormoroth once drove the freezing winds from the north to pack the Draegelan Trench with ice, thus allowing his armies to cross. While that was on a far grander scale, it would be a simple trick for me and Uldrak to achieve for a short time in a limited area.’

Elodi’s nose wrinkled. ‘It was green. I can still recall the stench.’

‘Ah. From what we’ve learned of Uldrak, I have no doubt he couldn't resist tainting it with some foul concoction of his own.’

Elodi thought for a moment. ‘While speed is vital to aid the Amayans, I don’t think Aldorman’s knights are suited to such a mission. They are better equipped for open battle on horseback, but I would suggest stealth and the ability to fight… how does Gundrul put it in guard’s terms?’

‘Dirty.’ Toryn recalled his time in the wagon with Jedrul.

Elodi smiled. ‘Yes, that’s the word. I imagine there isn't a bone in Aldorman's body capable of fighting dirty.’ She turned from the railing and walked to a sheltered bench. ‘I shall speak with Gundrul and ask for volunteers. I trust he will be keen to get back on the road after weeks of being confined to barracks. And his horsemanship has improved, but whether it is enough to manage such an undertaking is another matter.’

Toryn sat beside her, leaving Nyomae to watch over the forest. ‘I hear he is a fine fighter. Harruld and Odrun both spoke highly of him. In a way, he reminds me of my old friend, Hamar.’

Elodi tucked her hands inside her cloak. ‘It would have been an honor to meet your friend. It is a pity he perished at the mines.’

‘He was a’ — Toryn grinned — ‘as he would say, a good ’un. I learned much from him, and since his passing I’ve come to realize it was more than I at first thought. But I believe Hamar wouldn’t have had it any other way. He didn’t want to fade away and die on his sick bed. He departed this world with his sword in his hand, defending the honor of an old guard.’ Toryn looked up to the clouds. ‘He’ll be happy now sowing his…’

Elodi frowned. ‘His what?’

He looked away. ‘Hamar was fond of the land. If there’s any justice in this world, I’m sure he’ll have gone to a better place.’

‘I’ve heard such talk from guards before, only for them to suddenly go silent when I approached.’ She patted his leg. ‘It’s an Archonian secret, isn’t it? Something to do with a pledge perhaps?’

Toryn’s face grew hot. ‘Perhaps.’

Elodi laughed. ‘Then it comes as a surprise that it’s stayed a secret for so long. You’re not the first to come close to revealing it.’

‘Yet Hamar, even as his mind started to play tricks on him, never revealed it to me.’

Nyomae joined them on the bench. ‘Ah yes, Hamar. Memories from my time spent under my shadow flood back daily.’ Her eyes wandered across the sky. ‘Yes. I remember sitting in a dark wood, watching you, listening to your conversation with the old guard. Then,’ she clicked her fingers, ‘another time on a grassy bank as you watched the moon rise over Caranach.’

Toryn gaped. ‘It was you? We knew we were being followed, but… Ha! I’d wager you were also the woman Hamar and his guards tracked years earlier believing you to be an Amayan.’

Nyomae sighed. ‘I spent too long beneath the shadow. But even in my state, I must have carried out your father’s wish and kept an eye on you.’

‘And for that, Nyomae, I shall be forever grateful. I hope one day I can fill my father’s shoes and serve the realms with honor.’

She nodded. ‘I am certain you will. Now, Elodi, we must discuss the matter of locating and aiding the Amayans with the honorable Captain Gundrul. And you and I, Toryn, must continue our lessons in the ways of the Song. I’m afraid we cannot spend as much time as we should. Time is against us, and our enemy moves ever faster.’