Set in Stone (34 page)

General Carbrey raised his voice. "I am proud to stand with you and lead you into battle. I know you won't fail."

Connor stood tall with the Guardians, filled with pride at the general's words. He would not fail. He would do his duty. He would prove his worth and claim his place as Guardian.

General Carbrey looked Connor right in the eye, as if able to read his thoughts, and beckoned him forward. Honored, and a little nervous, Connor advanced.

"You're a local hunter, lad?"

"Aye, sir."

"Very good. Rory tells me good things about you."

"Thank you, sir."

"Describe the lay of the land."

Connor explained how the forest gave way to the open slope that rose gently north for a mile up to the plateau upon which the manor stood, the layout of the manor house and its outbuildings, the town on the far side, and even the steep switchback road that led past the deep lochs and on to the quarry itself. Carbrey asked several clarifying questions.

"Very well," the General said finally. "We will attack up the slope."

"They'll see us coming," Connor said. "They might murder the prisoners."

"They will see us. They will see their cause is hopeless. Our numbers are overwhelming. This Captain Ilse has demonstrated tremendous ingenuity and resourcefulness. I respect that. Such a captain is no fool. She will surrender to save the lives of her men. They will be in our custody before lunch. I look forward to speaking with her."

"So do I," said Shona. "I have a score to settle."

General Carbrey frowned, "Lady Shona, you must learn to see past the personal insult. Captain Ilse will indeed suffer, but not out of spite. She has proven herself a capable adversary, and is therefore worthy of respect."

"How can you say that?" Shona asked angrily.

"How can you not admire her ability as a soldier? With such a small strike force, she has accomplished much and has stood against tremendous odds. My respect for that does not change the need to destroy her force, take her prisoner, and force from her the secrets she holds."

"I'll help with the forcing," Shona said. "I'll pay respect over her coffin."

"If you wish."

Carbrey began issuing orders. Companies moved to the base of the long open slope that rose to the plateau, and there assembled into tightly packed units.

As the army moved out, Linn appeared with pouches of powdered stone. Rory's Fast Rollers eagerly applied generous quantities of granite to their removable battle plates. Connor was just trying to figure out how to remove his plates when Rory handed him a small pouch of powder.

"Don't worry about the plates, lad. This will be over before you get to use it. Save it, and we'll practice some this afternoon after your town is freed."

Connor reluctantly tucked the precious granite into his belt. A moment later, Shona approached and handed him a second small pouch.

"I grabbed you some basalt," she said with a happy grin. "This is so exciting. We'll practice some this afternoon after we capture that Grandurian wench."

Connor tied it to his belt next to the pouch of granite.

Shona noticed the other pouch, "Connor, there's something else I need to tell you about using two igneous stones."

"All right."

Before she could answer, a soldier summoned her to speak with Carbrey.

Connor said, "I know, after the battle."

She flashed a warm smile and headed off after the soldier. Connor could not help but watch how she walked in those battle leathers.

He stepped out of the forest in a good mood and looked out over the gathering army with wonder. He'd never imagined he'd see such a sight in his life, let alone stand in the midst of a sea of armored men.

Rory and his Fast Rollers flanked General Carbrey in the center with Captain Peader and the gigantic warriors under his command. Tomas had told Connor that all dozen of them were Boulders, granite Guardians like the Fast Rollers, but who consumed vast quantities of granite for years to permanently enhance their bulk and strength. These men pushed the far limits of granite strength and stood as living embodiments of all the marvelous legends Bruce had ever related.

The slender fellow with the bright chainmail armor and mottled green cape turned out to be another Strider. He led a company of regulars up River Road to block any attempted escape by Ilse and her force. It was a waste of time. She'd never flee that way. At least they'd be able to take back Alasdair easily while Ilse's troops were beaten atop the plateau.

Two hundred-man companies of mail-clad soldiers flanked Rory and Peader's forces, while the company of cavalry remained in the rear. Dozens of scouts held the perimeter all the way back into the trees.

As the companies gathered, General Carbrey summoned Connor and pointed up the slope. Tiny in the distance, Connor could just make out a long earthen wall spanning the top of the plateau that blocked the view of the manor house. It probably stood a good dozen feet tall.

"I take it that wall is new," General Carbrey stated.

"It wasn't there last night."

Verena had been busy. She really had a knack with those walls. Connor thought back to the Wallstone she'd given him the first night they met, and he slipped his hand inside his belt pouch to feel the smooth slate.

A Strider raced up to the group. Connor itched to reach into the pouch of basalt powder at his belt and run the open plateau with this man. He'd consumed the last of the basalt he'd absorbed from Donald's pouch in his run down to Alasdair, and he missed its wild freedom.

"General, the eastern flank of the slope is impassable." The Strider pointed toward the right hand side where the gentle slope met the base of the far steeper flank of Mount Alasdair. "The entire length is soaked."

Carbrey glanced to Connor. "Is that normal, lad?'

"No. It's always been dry that far from the river."

"More meddling from this young Builder, no doubt."

The huge Captain Peader said, "She should've tried to soak the entire slope. Would've given them a big advantage."

"Perhaps, but I'd be surprised if she could raise so much water," Carbrey said. "Still, inform the cavalry to stay on the left flank."

Connor doubted the horsemen would like riding along the outer edge of the slope, close to where it fell steeply down to River Road and the Lower Wick.

"Send for Gregor," Carbrey ordered.

A moment later, a bear of a man approached. He stood almost as tall as the giant Captain Peader, thick of limb, with a bull neck and dark-brown eyes with almost no whites. His skin was deeply tanned, almost matching his hair. He radiated a permanence that rivaled the bulging strength of the Boulders and made the Fast Rollers seem insignificant. He wore a coat of heavy chain armor made of thick steel links that must have weighed two hundred pounds but didn't slow him.

"How may I serve?" Gregor's voice rumbled like the moving of earth, and made Rory's deep voice seem childlike by comparison.

"These Grandurians possess unusual powers. Check the hillside before we commence the attack. I want no surprises."

Gregor nodded and moved a little way apart. He crouched and scraped away the grass at his feet with thick fingers, rolling back the turf as easily as Connor would wipe granite dust from his father's worktable in the Powder House. He drove one massive hand into the earth to the wrist.

The ground shook and the earth directly under Gregor's feet rose and lifted him ten feet off the ground. He stood atop the pillar, hands embedded in earthen posts that flanked him like a rail.

Connor gaped. Verena's Wallstones were impressive, but this was awe-inspiring. If the man was not a Builder, what was he?

Then it dawned on him. The man was a Sentry.

Gregor bowed his head in concentration and everyone nearby stood silent and watched the giant atop his high earthen tower. After a long moment, he called down, "General, I sense no Sapper. There is movement behind the wall. It appears they plan to defend the plateau.

"I applaud their optimism," Carbrey said. "What of the wall?"

"No active control."

"Can you remove it?"

"It is possible, although difficult from this distance."

"Very well, we'll wait until we close on their position. Dropping it then will magnify the impact."

The earthen column settled back into the ground with a rumble that Connor felt through his feet. The air smelled like springtime after planting, and filled Connor with restless energy. He could scarce take in all the wonders.

Carbrey turned to Connor. "Lad, stay at the rear with the reinforcements."

"But sir, I can help."

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, but you are as yet untrained." He swept his arm across the gathered army. "These men are professionals. We'll set things to right. I will wish to speak with you at length later."

Connor reluctantly moved back to the trees. Shona gave him an encouraging smile, but it did little to cheer him. She was going to battle with the army while he had to watch like a Linn.

He didn't want to be Linn any more. He wanted to be a Guardian, but how could he prove himself if they wouldn't let him fight? Just in the past couple of days he'd learned so much, gained so much more control over his Curse. He'd do whatever it took to prove himself. He would find a way.

General Carbrey made a chopping motion with his hand. "Advance."

The army began to move, hundreds of men marching in unison, and the sound of their cadence reverberated back through the ground to Connor. Ilse probably felt it all the way up on the plateau.

Did it fill her with terror? Did she face her imminent defeat with the same calm resolve she'd faced Rory's army last night? Connor had no doubt whatsoever that she would.

He'd bet Hamish every desert for the next year that she'd also planned a brilliant surprise for Rory's army. Unfortunately, there was no way she could know Carbrey would show up this morning with so many reinforcements. Whatever Ilse might be planning, she could not hope to win.

Somehow, he knew she wouldn't agree.

Chapter 36

Carbrey led his army up the slope toward the plateau at a steady march. Connor scrambled up a tall oak tree to better witness the battle, so he had a clear view of the awesome sight of hundreds of men marching in step, weapons at the ready, armor gleaming in the clear morning sunlight.

If only Ilse and her tiny band, hidden behind Verena's single wall, would run. Instead, they'd stand boldly and fight, somehow convinced they could win against so many. Connor only hoped Verena surrendered before she got hurt.

Nervous anticipation grew in Connor at every step the army took until he could barely contain it. The crisp air smelled of pine and earth and river. Somehow it seemed wrong that everything felt so normal.

The army covered half the distance to the plateau with no sign of Ilse or her troops. Connor expected to see the wall tumble down under the power of Gregor the Sentry at any second.

Instead a thick, fifty-foot-long tree trunk, stripped of branches, sailed over the wall. It thundered down onto the slope and bounced wildly as it bore down upon Carbrey's army.

"They're grouted," Connor whispered, horrified at what was about to happen.

The army was too far away for Connor to hear more than a muted roar as soldiers shouted warnings. Regulars started running cross-slope to try to escape the deadly missile.

Rory's Fast Rollers and Peader's Boulders ran straight toward it. They formed a wall of stone-hard warriors in front of General Carbrey and braced themselves with shields raised to meet the tree head-on.

The tree smashed into them, and the line staggered back a pace. Two soldiers crumpled to the ground. The memory of the Fast Roller who met the stone pedra the same way flashed into Connor's mind. He winced and hoped the men up on the slope had avoided shattering their ankles.

The tree bounced up and over the line of Guardians, sailed over Carbrey and his retinue, and continued tumbling down the slope. Most of the soldiers had already cleared a path for it.