Child Of A Guardian And Of The Free (Book 3) (40 page)

‘
He’s not a traitor. In fact, he heard rumors of Rudi’s plans and he’s wanted to seek him out for a very long time, but it’s been terribly difficult for him. Can you imagine what it must be like, being entirely disloyal to Nandul and having to stay close to him and act like nothing’s wrong, for fear of being returned?’

‘
I wonder how that must feel!’ Milgorry’s words were laden with sarcasm.

‘
Yes, you should know. Now add to that the inability to hide your thoughts adequately; the terror of thinking the wrong thing at the wrong moment whilst you’re standing right next to Nandul. The fear of going to sleep at night and having Nandul listen to your mind - you probably don’t know this, but Larund lacks the natural ability of the fallen to hide thoughts instinctively when sleeping. I can only imagine how tough it must have been for him.’

‘
That is a disturbing thought,’ Milgorry admitted. ‘But I haven’t heard his thoughts when he’s sleeping. And I haven’t heard a great deal from him during the daytime either.’

‘
No, you haven’t,’ said Callian smugly. ‘Good.’

‘
If he’s coming back to Nyinaku with us someone needs to stay with him, to hide his mind. It’s too dangerous for all of us if someone hears his thoughts.’

Callian considered for a moment then nodded in agreement.
‘I think I’ll ask him to go back to Alkira, at least for a while.’

Milgorry
went to sit beside Larund.

‘
I’m sorry Larund. I can only beg you to forgive my stupidity. Not all of us have your brains. You have far more intelligence than our entire race put together, but some of us were born without even the tiniest portion of this gift.’

Larund managed a small smile.

Milgorry sighed heavily. ‘It’s a bit disturbing when you find out you’re an idiot. But that’s something you’ll never have to face.’

‘
You’re not stupid Mil, far from it. That’s one of the many reasons Nandul is utterly petrified you’ll come after him. He doesn’t put a lot of faith in the notion that you won’t return him because he’s your father. You’re certainly intelligent enough to find a way. You’re just a bit hot headed, but you have every gift we of the free are entitled to and more, as well as intelligence. But that’s
all
I have. And it isn’t enough.’

‘
One of the most intelligent people I’ve ever known is human and he seems to get along just fine,’ Milgorry observed, nodding towards Dale who chose that very moment to trip over his own foot and land sprawling on the ice. Larund laughed then his smile faded.

‘
Can you imagine what Nandul might do to him if he catches him in Nyinaku? I can guarantee he hasn’t forgotten that Dale was involved in that business with the guardian woman he captured; the one he wanted to mate with. Maybe he doesn’t have any reason for taking Kelian other than revenge and... No…that would just be stupid. He’d know the guardians would be bound to come after him. I think Dale’s right. Nandul’s just drawing the guardians into his net.’

‘
What about Kelian? If he’s just bait to make the guardians come after him, what are they intending to do with him?’

Larund rolled his eyes.
‘What do you think they’re going to do with him? What we always do perhaps?’

‘
Keep him barely alive until he’s no longer useful,’ said Milgorry bitterly, thinking of his father. ‘Your enemy deserves pain. Track them relentlessly, kill those who oppose you, forgiveness is for the weak.’ His eyes glittered coldly. ‘Since my father taught me so well, when I find him I’ll keep him half alive just long enough to make him regret what he’s done, and then, since I actually
don’t
seem to be able to return the bastard, I’ll give him to Tim. He seems to think it’s his job to return him. Doesn’t he?’ Milgorry asked as Callian hunkered down beside him, against the wall.

‘
He’s not planning to return him.’ Callian looked at Milgorry guardedly.

‘
I beg your pardon?’

‘
I thought you knew. Tim was sent back for a purpose, but it wasn’t to return Nandul.’

‘
Then why?’

‘
He was sent back to kill him.’

Chapter
43

Fishing

Danil, Tiernan, Borgulnay and Gilgarry made
a quick trek to Tabul Bay, where they tried to make sense of the mass of gathered ships. After watching the ships for some time, Tiernan and Danil concentrated on capturing any unprotected thoughts, should someone aboard one of the ships be less than careful in shielding their own mind. They had little success until a small boat was rowed to shore containing two people. In a flash, Tiernan and Danil were upon them. It took Tiernan only minutes to force their thoughts from their minds as Danil, Gilgarry and Borgulnay held them firmly, and even less time to remove their memories of the incident, to render them unconscious and set them adrift in the boat in the harbor. He left their oars with them.

They discussed the situation as they rode
south on the horses they borrowed from Caity and Smith. From what Tiernan read of their thoughts, they considered themselves to be a race apart; children with one parent of the fallen and one human, but whose abilities tended more towards human. Their limited gifts were considered inferior by most of the fallen. He pondered the fact that there could be so many people born of, but not accepted by the fallen, and he found it chilling that a parent could reject their own child. Yet he had seen it and heard of it so many times, that the fallen would murder their own child, or make them a slave, seeing them as inadequate. A baby born with pale eyes of blue, green or even a less dark brown was considered inferior. What surprised him most was the number of these people who had somehow managed to escape a life of slavery. That they had gathered together in Hosatabaht and made a life for themselves astounded Tiernan, that they were returning for vengeance and with a plan to retake their homeland didn’t surprise him at all, as he knew that revenge was a part of their nature, refined over so many years that he would have been astonished if they had accepted the insult of being rejected. Danil spent longer than Tiernan taking thoughts from one captive and he concurred. These people weren’t interested in the Alkiran people. In fact, they saw full blooded humans as no more than an expendable commodity for the production of their own offspring. Their only thought was to ascend into Nyinaku and bring battle, to take revenge on those who declared them more human than free and to claim what they felt was their own, their right to live in the land of their birth. After much discussion, Danil decided to leave his soldiers guarding Warbilla and Khynol, and head south with Tiernan, Borgulnay and Gilgarry, the purpose being to move with speed and stealth and attempt to bring Kelian away from Nyinaku before the people from the ships started a war. Both Danil and Tiernan were quite certain that if the human soldiers got caught up in such a conflict, with either the fallen or their discontented brothers, they were unlikely to survive. So Danil gave them orders to remain around the Alkiran villages and provide the people with the extra protection they would need as the people from the ships passed by on their way south to Nyinaku.

T
hey rode from Warbilla to Cabla, to West Cabla and on to Khynol, trading horses at each village, and then they left the road and went south towards Khynol’s Gap. To their satisfaction it was apparent that no force had marched through the Gap before they arrived. They made camp on the side of the mountain not far from where Danil, Gilgarry and Borgulnay had camped once before, but taking care to remain just inside Alkiran territory. It was an hour before dawn when they made camp. Borgulnay and Gilgarry saw to their horses and then, on Danil’s orders, found as comfortable a place to sleep as the rocky mountain allowed, feeling grateful for the clear weather. Borgulnay lay under his blanket nibbling on one of Caity’s famous travel cakes and looking up, as the bright sky blazing with stars began to give way to the pale dawn.

‘
This brings back memories,’ he murmured.

‘
It does,’ Gilgarry agreed. ‘We’ve made good speed thus far Borg, but it’s high time we came up with some kind of plan. I can tell you haven’t come up with anything yet and when you do...well, your plans usually involve a hell of a lot of danger, someone being badly used as a distraction and the assumption that everyone around you is a fast, strong and terrifying as you are. Now, I’ve been thinking-’

‘
Thinking! Show off!’ Borgulnay laughed. ‘Supreme Majesty, Gil! That would be once in a row, wouldn’t it?’

‘
Don’t interrupt me when I’m insulting you, thank you very much! What I was-’

Danil cleared his throat warningly and Gilgarry
turned towards him respectfully. ‘Yes sir?’

‘
Go to sleep.’

‘
I was just-’

‘
Go to sleep, King’s Captain. I’ll hear any suggestions you have when you’re rested.’

‘
Yes sir. Are you and Lord Tiernan planning to get some sleep too sir?’

‘
Definitely. But not at the same time.’

‘
If you want to be relieved of watch-’

‘
Gil!’

‘
Sorry. Sleeping now sir. What time would you like to be relieved?’

‘
Supreme Majesty,’ Danil grumbled. ‘It’s like having an insubordinate child!’

Tiernan laughed and slapped his shoulder.
‘Good practice for you, King’s Marshall. Get used to it.’

Danil smiled.
‘You won’t need to relieve us, Gil. I’ll take the first watch until mid-morning and Tiernan can take the second until midday. That’s more than enough sleep for either of us. We’ll have the afternoon to hone our plans. I want to be moving by dark this evening. So get as much sleep as you can manage before we head south.’

Gilgarry slept
for a lot longer than he would normally sleep and he was quite certain either Tiernan or Danil had a hand in this. When he woke he noticed Borgulnay was also still sleeping and he glanced suspiciously at Tiernan. The guardian immediately looked away but not before Gilgarry caught the amused expression on his face. Gilgarry felt only gratitude that the guardian had bothered to ensure he slept well. Tiernan turned back to him and smiled.

‘
You’re welcome. It’s probably best we go from here as alert as possible.’

Gilgarry
stood up and stretched. ‘I know Danil wants to wait until after dark before we set out, but I can’t help feeling we’re wasting time. What if we wait here half a day and we arrive half a day too late?’

‘
What if we dash south in broad daylight and get ourselves returned - or in your case, killed?’

‘
Ahh Tiernan! For Kelian I’d take the risk! This whole business is crazy, but hanging around here when we could be sneaking south is infuriating.’

‘
Danil’s word is final.’

‘
I know,’ Gilgarry raised his hands. ‘And you know I’m not disputing that. I just want to find Kelian and get him out of there before something really bad happens - if it hasn’t already. And what happens if we’re still waiting here in the Gap and all of those fallen off the ships come rushing through here?’

‘
You need to relax. Worrying won’t help us move any faster.’

‘
I think even
you
couldn’t make me relax right now Tiernan.’ A wave of calm immediately spread through him so strongly he suddenly felt like lying on a rock in the sunshine and remaining there for the day. He laughed. ‘Alright…so you can…but don’t bother. Danil’s right. We have to wait for darkness’ cover.’

Gilgarry
glanced at Borgulnay’s sleeping figure and grinned slyly. He deepened his voice and spoke in a tone so similar to Danil’s that even Tiernan started in astonishment. ‘Get up King’s Colonel! Why do you laze around as the day wears on?’

Borgulnay leapt up like he
’d been stung. He opened his mouth to apologize and caught his words as his eyes fell on Gilgarry who was having a difficult time keeping a straight face.

‘
Really funny!’ Borgulnay snorted. ‘You know, revenge will be sweet and unexpected. If I was you Gil, I’d sleep with one eye open from now on.’ He frowned. ‘Where is the King’s Marshall, anyway?’

‘
Scouting ahead,’ said Tiernan, watching the two men in amusement. ‘But we won’t move south until it’s dark, so we do actually have time if you want a little more sleep Borg.’

‘
No. I’m fine. Why did I sleep for so long?’

Gilgarry decided not to answer Borg
’s question. ‘There’s a little stream not far from here. I thought we might do a bit of fishing.’

‘
Fishing,’ Borgulnay raised a bemused eyebrow, ‘with what?’

‘
Well, Principal Smith just happened to have a couple of spare bone hooks and some leather cord, very thin and strong, perfect for fishing.’

‘
Excellent,’ said Borgulnay enthusiastically. ‘We’ll just clear up around here a bit, make sure it’s not too obvious we were here, and get on down to the water.’

‘
And what are you using for bait?’ Tiernan asked dubiously.

‘
Worms,’ said Gilgarry. ‘Are you coming fishing too Tiernan?’

‘
I may as well. I’m certainly not letting you two wander around alone this close to Nyinaku.’

‘
I guess we’ll have to wait here until Danil gets back.’

‘
I think the King’s Marshall will be able to find us Gil,’ said Tiernan drily.

‘
Oh. I suppose he probably will.’

A
devious smile came over Tiernan’s face. ‘Though it would be funny to hide our tracks and see what happens when he returns.’

‘
Hilarious,’ said a voice from the trees. Everyone jumped in surprise as Danil’s approach had been silent.

‘
Could you cough next time you sneak up on me?’ asked Tiernan indignantly.

‘
Um..Heh Hmm!’ Danil coughed. ‘No,’ he added, with a grin.

‘
We were just going to go...’ Gilgarry waved his hand around vaguely. ‘But now you’re back I suppose...’

‘
What? Don’t you want me to come? I’ll bet I can land a fish before any of you,’ Danil said challengingly.

‘
You’re on!’ Borgulnay grinned.

‘
You’re going to lose!’ said Gilgarry assuredly.

‘
You’re all mad!’ Tiernan shook his head.

‘
You’re joining us then?’ Danil smiled knowingly.

‘
Of course,’ Tiernan scratched his chin thoughtfully. ‘First person to catch a fish gets the lime Gil’s carrying in his pack to eat with his fish.’

‘
Hey! I was saving that lime! Caity gave it to me in case I did actually get to use the fishing gear.’

‘
What?’ Danil’s face was mocking. ‘Are you afraid you might lose it?’

‘
Never!’ said Gilgarry adamantly. ‘I’ll have a fish on my line before you even get yours in the water.’

‘
I doubt it.’

‘
I will.’

‘
Will not.’

‘
Will so.’

‘
If you two children are ready,’ Tiernan nodded towards the water, with another cunning grin on his face.

‘
Let’s do this!’ Gilgarry agreed enthusiastically.

The afternoon was well spent, sitting on the edge of the riverbank, casting the worm-baited
hooks into the water and discussing possible strategic scenarios and how best to deal with difficulties, should they arise. Gilgarry and Borgulnay felt a deep peace settle over them as they sat fishing, a peace Gilgarry was certain was being helped along by either Tiernan or Danil, but a peace to which he did not object. It was a far better way to deal with the inevitable wait than to sit in nervous anxiety. No-one caught a fish. As the sun disappeared over the horizon, Gilgarry pulled in his fishing cord and hook, took note that the bait had been stolen yet again, and stowed the gear in his pack.

‘
So much for a nice fish dinner,’ he complained.

‘
I thought you were just fishing to pass the time,’ said Danil.

‘
You should have told me if you truly wanted a fish to eat,’ said Tiernan. He stood up and walked to the edge of the stream, then he knelt on the grassy bank and stared into the water, his brow furrowed in deep concentration. For several minutes he didn’t move, then to everyone’s astonishment a reasonably large fish leapt from the water right in front of the Guardian General. His hands flashed out and he caught the fish before it could fall back into the water. He stood up and held the wriggling fish out to Gilgarry.

‘
Thank you,’ Gilgarry stared open-mouthed. ‘How did you do that?’

Tiernan shrugged.
‘I just made it want to jump.’

‘
You make that sound simple.’

‘
It is simple. It’s just something I can do.’

Borgulnay
prepared the fish as Gilgarry rummaged in his pack and took out the lime he had stowed. He threw it to Tiernan.