Set in Stone (67 page)

He absorbed the last of his basalt powder, and its coursing energy filled him with the need to run.

"Hurry. That wall won't hold them for long."

"You should have made it higher."

"Can't. Not enough earth. Too much stone."

"Not good."

Connor grabbed up Nicklaus and had the boy hold on tight against his chest. He positioned the quartzite block awkwardly against the small of his own back.

Verena frowned. "That might not be such a good idea."

"It'll work. Just don't open it up so far."

"It won't carry you like that."

"I don't need it to carry, just to push."

"You're not making sense."

Pounding began on the far side of the wall, and Carbrey's voice echoed up from below. "Connor, you're a dead man."

"He gets repetitive, doesn't he?" Verena said.

"That precious town of yours is doomed," Carbrey shouted. "I will not spare them. Not now. They'll die in the fighting, and anyone left will be enslaved to pay for your crimes."

Connor staggered and shared a horrified look with Verena.

She hugged him, "Focus, Connor. We have to get out of here."

For a couple of seconds, Connor stood frozen in place, unable to decided what to do. If he surrendered, Verena could still escape and maybe his family would be spared.

As if reading his thoughts, Verena said, "Connor, you can't help anyone if you're dead."

The wall blocking Carbrey's way began to crack.

Connor made his choice.

"Do it," he said to Verena.

"I hope this works." She touched the stone.

Air blasted out of it, although not quite as fierce as last time. It drove Connor toward the face of the cliff. He tapped basalt and ran straight for the cliff face. When he reached the side of the mountain, he leaped, and propelled by air, raced up the near-vertical slope.

Nicklaus clutched Connor tight, "Don't fall."

As Connor sped up the slope, Verena prepared to activate her quartzite block. He was really a special man, and she had to convince him. Only, she wasn't sure how to make everything work out with the threat against his town.

The wall at the far end of the ledge exploded and Carbrey lurched through and lunged for her. Verena leaped off the ledge and activated her stone.

She sank halfway to the ground before the blasting air caught her and drove her back up. She adjusted the flow, slowed and hovered off the ledge, just out of reach.

"I'd say it's been a pleasure, general, but you're too good a liar to not see through that one."

Shona snarled, "You filthy wretch!" And leaped off the ledge

Verena increased the air power and shot up, just past Shona's outstretched hand. Shona shouted all the way down to the ground where she hit hard not far from where Gregor lay.

Connor focused on running, and raced up the side of the mountain. Another thousand feet or so, and they'd reach a high ridge with a trail back to Alasdair.

Verena caught them quickly. Either she used more of the quartzite power, or her lighter weight made it easier to fly.

She slowed to match their pace. "That looks like a lot of work."

"Better than flying out of control."

"But not nearly as good as flying in control," Verena laughed. She managed the stone like she'd flown all her life. Her hair whipped around her cute face, and she grinned.

"What happens if your basalt runs out?" she asked a moment later.

Connor just glared.

Nicklaus laughed like a normal six year-old and shouted, "Faster!"

They reached the high ridge a moment later, and Connor carefully adjusted the angle of the stone. Wide crevasses cut through the rough slope, but he just jumped them, sailing fifty or sixty feet at a time. He landed with legs already blurring with basalt speed to handle the impact.

After descending to a long, low valley that Connor recognized, he had Verena cut the flow of air and they slowed.

After allowing him to regain his breath, Verena asked, "What now?"

"Get you back to Wolfram."

"What about your town?"

Connor scrubbed his face with rough hands and scraped fingers through his dirty hair. "I don't know, but we have to get your army out of here. Once the battle starts, I don't think I can stop it."

"Then we'd better hurry."

Chapter 79

"Shall I order the withdrawal?" Captain Ilse asked.

Wolfram stood at the southern end of the plateau overlooking the long slope down to the distant forest where Carbrey's forces gathered. He did not answer immediately, but weighed the latest intelligence that both confirmed his greatest hopes and reinforced his worst fears.

"No, Captain. The strategic situation has changed. Deploy the troops to defend the plateau. All weapons at the ready."

Beside him, Kilian said, "I agree. It must be done."

Ilse hesitated. "Sir, Connor did it. We can pick up Verena and Nicklaus on the way out."

"We could, but we cannot withdraw now."

"May I ask why?"

Kilian spoke. "The boy, Connor."

"I don't understand."

Of course she didn't understand. How could she?

Wolfram barely grasped the shadows of the full ramifications of the situation. He glanced at Kilian, but the Water Moccasin said nothing.

So be it. He'd earned the right to keep his secrets.

"There is far more at stake now than even the safety of Nicklaus, Captain. Connor represents a fundamental shift in the entire escalating conflict."

"How is that possible?"

"You've seen the reports," Kilian said. "By Tallan's living memory, you've seen what he can do."

"Of course. We counted on that very talent to free Nicklaus."

Wolfram nodded. "Indeed. However, that was only part of what we sought to learn." He gave her a long, thoughtful look. "If we retreat now and that boy falls into Carbrey's hands again, do you honestly think he'd squander such a talent?"

"Unlikely."

Kilian grunted. "More than unlikely. Even if Carbrey cannot see the truth, High Lord Dougal understands."

"Understands what?"

"History has come full circle, Captain. Builders are rediscovered for the first time since the purge, and now this boy." He leaned close, his eyes blazing with intensity. "We have waited and searched for generations for this moment. The entire disgusting Obrion breeding program seeks only for this very manifestation."

Wolfram said, "If we leave now, leave Carbrey's primary forces intact, leave that boy in their hands, Dougal will have all the pieces he needs."

Kilian rubbed a hand across his face and for the first time Wolfram had ever seen, he looked afraid. "The thresholds he could drive that boy through, the monstrosity he could force that honorable boy to become, would fill your veins with ice, Captain. It cannot be allowed."

Wolfram placed a calming hand on his old mentor's shoulder. "If Verena's mission proves successful, with this final push we can return home with him in our company."

"Pray she succeeds," Kilian said. His face became resolute, his eyes hard as ice. "That boy must be freed, or he must be destroyed."

Captain Ilse looked shaken, but maintained her discipline. "Very well, sir. I will prepare to defend the plateau."

"No, Captain. Prepare to destroy Carbrey's forces completely."

She saluted and turned to leave.

He called after her, "Send the two villagers to me."

Chapter 80

Hamish approached General Wolfram and Kilian with mixed feelings as he walked in the shadow of the powerful Petralist, Erich. He still didn't entirely understand what he witnessed barely an hour ago other than the fact that the Grandurians possessed terrifying weapons.

Well, that and the fact that being a Builder meant so much more than tasting rocks. The glimpses he'd seen into what Verena and Dierk knew had opened his eyes and whetted his appetite. He yearned to know more. So, despite his nerves, he approached the dangerous men with guarded excitement.

Unfortunately, Jean walked on the far side of Erich. She wore the simple blue dress that enhanced the color of her eyes.

He used to love that dress.

She walked beside Erich, eyes straight ahead, chin up as if proud of her traitorous actions. A long canvas bag hung from one shoulder. She'd shifted it once and something inside made a metallic clang. Probably held more shackles for when she next betrayed someone.

Hamish tried unsuccessfully to bury the seething fury triggered by the sight of her.

General Wolfram turned to them, serious. Behind him, along the southern edge of the plateau, the Grandurian forces were assembling for battle. Hopefully whatever he wanted to show them wouldn't take long. Hamish wanted to be long gone before the fighting started. He'd seen more than enough already.

"Hamish," General Wolfram greeted him with a nod. "And young Jean." She made a graceful curtsy.