Revelyn: 1st Chronicles - When the last arrow falls (28 page)

‘Here’s the problem.’ The voice came clearly once more. ‘Whatever hit you lad, must have been as big as a horse and moving like an avalanche down a mountain. I’ve seen a few necks like this, but never so out of place. Miracle your head’s still on your shoulders.’ Rema knew the truth of it. The
Wolver
had hit him with enough force to take the head off a horse. Only Mentor’s cloak had saved him. He tried to speak, but once more his breathing failed and he passed out for a moment. When he came around his chest was hurting and he had no energy for anything beyond lying in the dark, helpless to face his fate. He heard Serenna speak with concern.

‘Scion, can you do anything?’
So that was who it was, the man whose cabin they had taken.

‘I can do lots of things my girl, but miracles are beyond me.’

‘We can’t just leave him like this; there must be something we can do.’ Serenna was pleading. Rema felt deeply grateful for her concern. They had drifted apart after she had left the Highlands, and now their re-acquaintance had been so full of danger and the unknown. He realised just how much he had missed her, but all speech was beyond him. He lay trapped, blind in a private world.  Scion spoke again and Rema found it hard to match the voice with the large and hairy seaman whose path he had crossed so briefly the night before. He sounded so much wiser than a casual glance had suggested.

‘Well it’s dangerous, but there is a chance that I can get the bones back into place, but I could do far more damage as well. His breathing is barely present. A slight slip the wrong way and he will die. Do you want me to take that risk girl?’ Rema waited for Serenna to speak on his behalf, for he could do nothing. There was a long silence, in which he could hear her breathing deeply. She was obviously weighing up the situation. Rema willed her to say
Yes, do whatever it takes,
for he could not bear to be like this for another moment.

He felt her hand upon his forehead and her gentle voice in his ear. ‘Rema we always took risks. Forgive me but we must do something. You cannot stay this way.’ She paused. ‘All right Scion, do whatever you think is best, but do it carefully, for this man means much to me. I cannot bear to lose him again.’ Perhaps she said it quietly beyond his hearing, but Rema had a gift, and he heard every word, and wondered.

Suddenly there was a deep and searing pain down his left side and he wanted to scream. His leg was on fire and the arm with it. The other side felt nothing. Scion was a big man and he lifted Rema up, a large hairy hand under each armpit until his feet were on the floor. He directed Serenna to help hold as best she could. In a sudden movement Rema felt himself thrust upwards, the hands left him for an instant, and then he was hanging by the neck as Scion caught and held him under the chin and by the base of his skull. Rema’s full body weight was suddenly suspended by the neck. The relief was amazing. As the bones in his back separated some evil pressure was released, and he could breathe freely once more. Scion grunted with the effort, but saw the improvement.

‘Just as I hoped,’ he hissed through gritted teeth. ‘We may win this battle yet.’ And with that, he gave Rema’s neck a sharp twist to the left. All three heard a sharp crack. Serenna gave an involuntary cry of anguish fearing the worst. But whatever bone had been displaced had snapped back into place, releasing the deadly pressure, and Rema felt a fire engulf his body as feeling returned. Scion stood firm, unsure of what had happened. If a stranger had entered the tiny cabin at that moment they would have sworn that a very large black and hairy man was throttling another, one who dangled helplessly by the neck, from a huge and powerful grasp. Rema found he could speak once more.

‘I think you’ve done it. I can feel myself returning.’ It was a bare whisper, but the sound of it brought Serenna to tears. Scion released Rema gradually as his legs found a new strength. In a short time Rema found he was able to stand unassisted, although the pain throughout his body was excruciating. Scion finally set him free, and stood back shaking from the effort. All three stood without speaking for quite some time, only Scion’s heavy breathing broke the silence, for the effort he had expended was considerable.

As Rema regained his feeling and movement, he was able to think more clearly. He held out his right arm carefully and extended it to Scion. ‘I am in your debt, for you have saved my life
and
I have taken your cabin. I am deeply grateful.’ Scion engulfed Rema’s hand in his, shrugged dismissively and spoke with a generous ease.

‘Sheer luck it was. If I’d twisted the other way you’d be dead.’ But he smiled broadly, evidently relieved that he had not.  Rema slowly moved his shoulders and arms, quickly realising   that he had not suffered any permanent damage.

‘Your choice was good. I am Rema Bowman, and I am in your debt.’

Scion smiled, and nodded in acknowledgement. ‘I may have cause to remind you of that one day. I’ll be about my business then. Captain Tyne will be missing me.’ And with an unexpected grace, which belied his size and girth, he left. Serenna stood looking at Rema who realised that she had tears in her eyes.

‘And I thank you too dear cousin, for you too made the right choice. I could not see, but I heard you speak.’ And they embraced in tearful relief.

The weather was fine, with a strong wind blowing up river as it always did. The sun was warm and the smell of newly ploughed fields filled the air. Below the city of Ramos the river was wide, nearly two leagues, and it flowed at a steady rate, almost two leagues to the span. The
Scoria
sailed gently across the wind, using the current for distance, and the sails for control. The crew was all on deck ready to turn the ship about once the shore came too near, but the motion was easy for there were no waves, nor other craft with which to contend. Captain Lethyne Tyne stood by the huge wheel on the aft deck giving curt instructions to the heavily muscled helmsman who stood barefooted and braced against the pull of the rudder. Rema realised that he was on a ship which knew its business, and was well sailed by a confident crew, led by a captain whose very stance demanded absolute obedience. 

He stood with Serenna at the starboard midrail, enjoying the enormous relief of knowing that he was physically restored. Serenna stood a little apart from him, aware that the captain’s gaze lingered long upon her whenever it got the chance.

‘Last night,’ said Rema, ‘those two who rode off on the horses. Who where they?’

‘My only two friends in all Ramos,’ Serenna sighed. ‘I met them three years ago at a feast which Jycob sponsored. They were invited because of their small but growing business interests in imported hemp. They had just been married and were also friendless in the city, having only recently arrived from Sheldon to the north. Jason is his name and Myra his wife. Gentle and loving both, I could not have survived without their kindness. They live but a street away. I did some favours for them when they first arrived, and they have always looked for some way to repay. Last night in desperation, I asked them to ride a false trail so that we might escape. They were willing without question.’ She paused. ‘I do hope they will be alright,’ she continued fretfully. Rema thought of the shadow creature which pursued him, and knew they would be in great danger, but said nothing.

‘You did well Serenna, to put such a bold plan into action with so little time.’

Serenna scoffed sarcastically.

‘Huh, I had plenty of time, for I organised it while you were away on your fool’s errand at the Tavern. I knew it would end badly. I was prepared that was all.’

‘How could you have known this?’ Rema asked defensively.

‘How?’ Serenna turned on him with fiery green eyes. ‘How? The Tavern is the
one
place someone wanted by the king should not go.
Wolvers,
King’s guards, Wizards I hear. They are all there, each night, congratulating themselves on the power they wield, and the fear they create. Did you think you could sneak past them all? And besides,’ she shrugged, tossing her magnificent red hair in the breeze, sending it rippling like fire across her shoulders, ‘Besides, I am a woman. We know these things.’

Rema said nothing, but Captain Tyne saw every ripple of her hair, and he trembled with desire for her.

As the
Scoria
slowly approached the western bank of the Luminos River, the crew stood to their ropes, and on the command from Captain Tyne, ‘Going about, all hands!’ the helmsman put the rudder hard over. The sails were loosened and the ship swung sluggishly back through the eye of the wind towards the far bank. As she did, the sails were brought up hard once more, and shortly after, the ship began to move back slowly towards the centre of the river whilst the current carried her at a steady rate towards the sea. Rema knew that it was a pattern which would be repeated many times before they arrived. He also realised that he had no plan beyond that moment, and despite all his best efforts, not much of value had been achieved, in fact he was lucky to be alive at all; Sylvion was a prisoner, and he was being pursued by people and an evil which he had no means to stand against. Deep within, he longed for the clean fresh air of his home in
The Safeness
, deep in the Highlands, and his own people. Despite all this, one thought suddenly came clearly.

I cannot return until Sylvion is safe and the prophecy has been fulfilled.

He shook his head as though to shake off a swarm of bees. 
Where had that come from?
But he turned to Serenna in a different mood.

‘We must speak in private, there is much to decide.’

Lethyne Tyne watched them as they went below, and smiled slowly. ‘Tonight my dear,’ he whispered just a little too loudly, for the helmsman gave him a peculiar look. His mood changed instantly. ‘Eyes on your course man or else your back will see the lash.’

*

‘Tell me about this Captain Lethyne Tyne, and why you brought us here.’ Rema was sitting on his bunk, Serenna opposite on hers. He spoke quietly, but the tone was clear. Rema Bowman needed to plan the next step, indeed the next several steps. Serenna understood this and felt a wonderful lightness in her heart, for she needed him to play his part. She had some deep intuition that the tumultuous events of the past days were only part of something much bigger, and these things needed Rema to lead. She had not a single regret over her flight the night before. She had left all behind her, but like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, the road ahead only beckoned; it held no fears. For years, she had felt trapped and suffocated by her position and role as the wife of merchant Jycob Menin. With the sudden return of Rema into her life, this had all changed, and she felt more alive than she had for a very long time.

‘Tyne is the best Captain of the merchant fleet which visits Ramos. My husband has long used his services, particularly in the coastal trade, for his ship is fast and he sails in all weather. He often travels across the Eastern Sea to far places, and brings cloth and minerals of which Revelyn has none. Silks and lead in the main. Jycob pays well for these often-unknown cargoes, where other merchants are always wary. But we…
he
, always turned a good profit. Jycob Menin has a good nose for business. In the course of arrangements I met with Captain Tyne on numerous occasions…’

‘And he took a small fancy to you.’ Rema broke in.

‘More than a fancy,’ hissed Serenna, ‘for he saw in me as something to own. He sensed that Jycob has lost interest in me long ago and tried several times to get me come live with him aboard this ship, and when I kept refusing, his last effort was to offer to buy me. Can you imagine!’ Serenna became indignant. ‘Buy me, as though I were just another few cubits of cloth. We parted badly the last time we spoke.’

‘So why come to him now?’ Rema asked

‘Because Jycob would not think to look for me with Tyne. He knows that I detest the man, but the King will surely demand that he give some account of my whereabouts once it is discovered that you have been in his house. It gives us time.’

‘But it is dangerous here for you.’ Rema whispered.

‘I can look after myself.’ Serenna spoke firmly, but there was an edge to her voice which betrayed some deeper anxiety. Rema ignored it and pressed on.

‘What of Scion?’

‘I know little of him. Today was a surprise. I had judged him to be just another sailor. I sought Tyne’s advice about your condition, and he said ‘take Scion’, and you know the rest. He has a learning and manner which belie his appearance.’

‘For which I am deeply thankful,’ added Rema, but Serenna continued quickly.

‘I know nothing of the rest of the crew, but we have always had good relations with this ship.’ Serenna hesitated before adding, ‘however, Tyne is unpredictable, and he will know that I have left Jycob. I cannot predict what schemes will be filling his head. He looks to his own interests. Beyond that he cannot see far.’ They looked at each other in silence, for each had many questions which needed answers. It was Serenna who asked next.

‘That howling which so unnerved you last night. What does it mean?’ Rema took a deep breath and tried to explain about his first encounter with the
Shadow Beast
, and its pursuit of him, and how in the end the smell of the pigs had saved him.

‘It is evil beyond measure; even Mentor was unnerved by it…’

‘Mentor?’ Serenna asked, puzzled. And so Rema explained more of the events which had so changed his life in recent days. Serenna listened in amazement. When the story was told, they sat quietly, Rema glad to have shared, and Serenna considering it all. It was she who finally broke the silence, with a solemn comment

‘I have had a deep feeling about these things, and what you have now told me, only confirms it. I am sure there is much to come, but whatever it shall be will determine the future of this land.’ Rema nodded quietly in agreement.

‘I am sorry for the danger this brings you Serenna.’ But she just laughed.