The Whisperer (20 page)

It’s likely you startled him.

I’m sure I did. I can remember how it terrified me the first time he spoke into my mind.

You will have to try again later but right now I fear you must reassure Tess. She is anxious and keen for us to be on our way.

Yes, she’s right.
Griff blinked, felt the cocoon that the Silvering provided burst like a bubble and suddenly he was staring at Tess and the sounds of the night forest were back—crickets chirruping, an owl hooting softly somewhere, Elph snuffling in the undergrowth for seeds.

‘Griff!’ Tess exclaimed, relief clearing her worried expression.

‘I’m sorry. Did Davren explain?’

‘As best he could. Did you speak with the Whisperer?’

Griff shook his head. ‘I think I made it through to him but we lost each other.’

‘Did you scare him?’

‘That’s what we think must have happened. I’ll try again but for now we should move.’

‘Still heading west?’

‘Yes.’ He smiled at Helys, who was nestled into a sling on Davren’s back and glowing a soft pink. ‘She’s mending,’ he said, his own relief obvious.

‘Cages are really bad for my creatures,’ Tess replied. ‘Come on. How much of a head start do you think we have?’

‘Two hours at most. Tyren will discover the creatures gone just before dawn, depending on how badly his bladder needs emptying. But if he’s genuinely forgotten about Mad Dog Merl and remembers suddenly, he could be upon us within minutes.’

‘We’d better make those hours count then,’ Tess said. And the band of six set off once again with Rix remaining amongst the tallest trees.

‘Lock them in here,’ Janko ordered the guard. ‘Post four men outside. No-one is to speak to them. Do not open this door until I return. I’m going to find the boy.’

And a moment later, the door barred and guarded on the outside, Lute realised the three of them were alone. He didn’t move, though, remembering Little Thom’s warning.

He watched Bitter Olof scuttle across to his companion. ‘Oh, my dear friend, I’m so sorry.’

And impossibly, Little Thom laughed. Lute couldn’t believe it. ‘I had it coming. I would have been surprised if he didn’t carry through on his threat. Lo, but it hurts!’

‘Tell me you can still move,’ Bitter Olof pleaded.

‘I’m not dying, Bitter Olof, I’m injured and I’m angry because it hurts. Get everything. Let’s go. That mad story about the tree house will be discovered false in minutes.’

‘Well, it’s a fair walk to that oak. At least we have those minutes. Let me help you up.’

Little Thom knocked away the small man’s arm and groaned as he rose. ‘Let’s at least take his money,’ he said, the pain driving his poor manners.

‘I intend to. You’ve earned it!’ the dwarf said. ‘Where can we leave it?’

‘We’ll hide it once we get clear. Here, climb onto my back.’

‘But—’

‘Just do it!’ Little Thom ordered beneath his breath, grimacing through the pain.

‘The bleeding!’ Bitter Olof whispered angrily.

‘There’s no time!’ And Little Thom all but dragged the dwarf onto his back, grabbed the chest and, with what seemed inhuman strength, hauled himself and his cargo into the secret tunnel.

‘Head up, quickly and silently, our voices carry,’ he growled to the astonished Lute, who although he wanted to, thought it best not to say anything about the wound that was bleeding at an alarming rate.

He got a foothold and began to scramble, further astonished by the realisation that Bitter Olof was nestled comfortably on Little Thom’s back in a sling contraption. Footholds were cunningly carved into the tunnel and although it was by no means easy work, with concentration and determination it was simply a matter of time before they would leave their would-be captors far behind and no doubt angrily scratching their heads for a while as to how their prisoners had escaped.

‘Ingenious,’ Lute whispered to himself, not realising his voice carried to his friends.

‘We like to be prepared,’ the dwarf chuckled from behind and then all three fell silent as they began their ascent in earnest.

Lute found himself balanced on a high plateau, the nip of the night’s air a cold shock on his face after so long in the vertical tunnel. His fingers ached from supporting himself and his legs felt weak from the strain but he could feel an energy pulsing through him. Pilo had once told him that pounding of the heart and throb of blood was driven by fear—but that it was a good thing.

Your body puts itself into a state of fear so that it is ready to either run from its hunters or to turn and fight. It is no different in the animal kingdom
, he had explained.
That energy puts all your senses on high alert and you can achieve extraordinary feats in that heightened state—but only for a short time, so never waste it.

What do you mean?
Lute remembered asking his friend.

Well, it’s a time to make a decision. This is often based on instinct. But make it and then follow it. Don’t dither. If you dither, you are lost.

Lute would have felt lost now if not for the huge comforting presence of Little Thom, who was just emerging from the tunnel.

‘Alright?’ Little Thom murmured to Lute, as he emerged, struggling to drag his enormous bulk over the lip of the tunnel’s exit, Bitter Olof still clinging to his back in the safety of his sling.

‘Yes, you?’

‘I’m managing. We made good time.’

‘It’s obviously safe to speak, then.’

‘For them to get to us here they’d need to travel around the caves—an extra day at least, although there is another way up, if you know the entrance through the forest. They won’t.’

‘Why can’t they just climb the tunnel as we did?’ Lute asked, watching the man stride over to a huge boulder. He struggled to lift it and roared with evident pain as it came loose in his hands.

‘They could, if they could find it,’ Little Thom replied, staggering slightly to the lip of the hole. Blood was still seeping through his shirt. ‘But even if they did, they would have to shift this,’ he said and dropped the boulder down the mouth of the tunnel.

Lute listened until he heard a screeching crunch. ‘Aha, now I realise why the top two-thirds were roomier than the first.’

‘Clever, aren’t we, your majesty?’ Bitter Olof commented. ‘We’re teaching you all our secrets.’

‘Er, listen. I’m not used to my title being used constantly. Can we just stick with Lute, or Peat if we’re unsure of our company?’

The dwarf nodded and Little Thom grinned.

‘Lute it is,’ Bitter Olof agreed. ‘Let’s go, Thom. We’ll hide the money in the hollow.’

‘Do you two always travel like this?’ Lute asked, impressed.

‘Only when it’s dangerous,’ the dwarf replied. ‘I feel safest on Little Thom’s back.’

‘So now we go to this place called The Devil’s Smile? Where is it?’

‘Hard to explain,’ Little Thom answered.

Lute decided the big man was being deliberately vague. It didn’t matter. The fact was they’d given Janko’s men the slip. He nodded and finally asked what had been on his mind since they first climbed into the tunnel. ‘Don’t you think it’s a bit of a coincidence that you’ve obviously lived here in secret quite successfully for a while and then suddenly the Duke’s men are able to track you down?’

‘I’ve been having the same thought myself,’ Bitter Olof agreed.

Little Thom frowned in the moonlight. ‘Someone has betrayed us.’

The dwarf sighed. ‘There’s no love lost between me and Janko as you know. The price on my head is enough to tempt most and although he said he used tracking dogs I think he had some extra help. They got here too fast.’

Little Thom’s frown deepened. ‘One of the younger ones, perhaps someone new.’

‘Jhen!’ They both said it together.

Little Thom sighed. ‘Never fully trusted him.’

The dwarf grimaced. ‘But Bran did and I trust Bran.’

Little Thom shrugged. ‘Jhen is new to us. Doesn’t hold the same sense of loyalty.’

Lute looked between the two men anxiously. ‘But he could be showing them the secret way up here. Have you considered that?’

‘Not until you just mentioned it, no,’ the dwarf said testily, although Lute felt sure he must have. ‘Which is why I think we should stop chatting and get on with fleeing.’

‘We don’t have horses, Lute. Are you able to run with your injury?’

‘Don’t worry about me,’ Lute said, although he was lying. The pain was back but knowing the soldiers were all but upon them helped to deaden it.

‘Chew some more seeds,’ Bitter Olof suggested. ‘We know your rib isn’t broken. But it is likely cracked and it’s going to
hurt. Now what about you, my friend?’ he asked, tapping Little Thom on the shoulder. ‘Yes, I can see you’re not dying immediately but who’s to say you aren’t going to bleed to death slowly?’

‘I’ll rip the tails of my shirt and pack the wound for now. We’ll worry about it later.’

Lute felt Little Thom was being far too casual about his wound. There was a lot of blood loss but their situation was precarious and he hoped once they could get far enough away, something could be done to help the big man. And so while Bitter Olof muttered to himself and went about the business of binding Little Thom’s shoulder, Lute chewed on his seeds. He spat out the husk, feeling the familiar tingle of numbness in his mouth, knowing it would soon begin to spread through his body.

‘Let’s go,’ Little Thom finally said.

They ran. Little Thom led the way and Lute put his head down and followed. They fell into silence, losing themselves in their thoughts and the rhythm and pace that the big man set. It gave Lute the opportunity to think about what had happened

Had he imagined that voice in his head? No! He wasn’t going mad. He had clearly heard a boy say hello and he’d also said a name, hadn’t he? Lute searched his memory. It took him several minutes of concentration before he remembered it.
Griff!
He exclaimed beneath his breath. That was it. He’d actually introduced himself and then he was gone. Or the truth was, they’d been interrupted by the arrival of Janko’s men. Why had he arrived in his head? How odd it was. Having discovered the mystery of Ellin’s whistle, he was certain magic existed. Now he had to accept it was being used on him by a boy called Griff. Lute had no idea but he felt both frightened and excited by this new event. He couldn’t imagine what it meant, but he hoped the boy would try again.

After what must have been three, perhaps four hours of trekking along the plateau’s ridge, they caught sight of the first few riders.

Bitter Olof spat a curse. ‘They’re too quick for us.’

Lute was exhausted. He felt close to dropping although he was grateful that regular chewing of the seeds kept him numbed from the pain in his side. ‘If it were not for me, he’d not have bothered about you.’

‘Perhaps you flatter yourself, my King,’ Bitter Olof said with a sad smile. ‘But I suspect you’re right,’ he added.

‘Then leave me. Just go! I’ll try and outwit them but why risk them catching three of us?’

‘Your courage is admirable but firstly, do you hear the dogs, Lute?’ He nodded. ‘They will not only hunt you down with ease but they now have our scent, too. What’s more, Janko is known for his ruthless nature. We tricked him. He will want to make us pay with our lives so Little Thom and I will not be spared his wrath. Finally, you are the key to our lives now. Your presence offers us the only protection we possess for harbouring you in the first place. You are the King. You command the army. Those were mercenaries who ambushed us today. I’d bet my big nose that the regular army has little idea of what is actually going on. If we can get you to Floris, show you to the senior officers, tell your story, then I imagine we have a chance at saving not only our lives, majesty, but making Janko pay for—’

He never finished. Little Thom collapsed and Bitter Olof fell with him.

They had been on the move for hours now. Tess stopped first. ‘I need to rest and I’m sure Elph does, too. He can’t keep up this pace.’

Griff pulled the rucksack off his back and put down Helys, whom he’d carried for the past hour. As light as she was, even Helys became a burden after that long. He sighed and looked around. ‘Alright. We rest here but not for long, Tess. Just enough for a brief doze, perhaps something to eat.’

‘We’ve put enough distance between us and them, surely?’ she asked.

Davren must have said something to her because Griff noticed her stop and listen.

She nodded sombrely. ‘Davren is convinced the Stalkers will come.’

‘He’s right. We have to be realistic about this. Tyren is not going to allow you to just disappear without a fight.’

She snorted. ‘It’s you, Griff, not me, who is his prize.’

He shrugged, already missing his brothers and realising he might never see any of his family again. ‘Either way, we’re together so we make his hunt easier.’

‘What are you saying?’

‘I think we’re making it too easy for them. Hunting us through woodland and forest is hard but not hard enough. We may well be able to hide ourselves but, Tess, it will mean being
on the run constantly. Every night we’ll have to sleep in a new hollow, beneath a different bush, in a fresh cave.’

‘And so you have a better plan?’ she asked, irritation creeping into her tone.

Griff’s dark gaze dropped. ‘The city,’ and before she could protest, he added, ‘It’s our only chance.’

‘Are you forgetting something, Griff? How do you imagine Davren or any of the creatures will survive in the city? And how long do you imagine they’ll go unnoticed? A minute perhaps?’

‘I do realise all of that but I overheard some of the others talking. I think this year Tyren was planning to go to Floris. The show hasn’t visited it in many years, apparently. There is some forest surrounding the city and Blind Pippin told me—because no-one else would listen—that when he was a boy and had his eyesight, he and his father used to poach in the royal woodland. The palace has its own parklands and this is private land that only the King uses for his hunting.’

‘You think we can hide in the King’s hunting woodland?’ Tess asked, her voice loaded with disbelief.

‘Why not? We won’t be poaching. If we’re seen, we’ll say we’re lost or just using it to get from one part of the realm to another. We carry no weapons. We have no traps. We look too young to be of any threat anyway. The creatures know how to hide and it’s their preferred countryside. You can’t imagine the Stalkers are going to tramp all over the royal parklands…they wouldn’t be allowed. But we can sneak in. And best of all, I don’t think Tyren or the Stalkers would think we’d move towards the city. They’d assume, if anything, that we’d head east towards the Night Forest and where I come from…where you were first found.’

‘Davren agrees with you,’ she said, a little sulkily.

‘It’s a good plan.’ He shrugged again. ‘Just until we can work out something more permanent.’

‘How far away are we?’

‘If we move steadily, perhaps three days. Tyren has brought us in a north-easterly direction from what I can tell. We were going to do shows in Shepton, followed by Weston Four Fields
and then Tarrow’s Landing for a week, I think, before we did the summer in and around Floris proper.’

‘And the royal parklands?’

‘I’m not sure. I have a feeling that they reach almost as far as Tarrow’s Landing.’

She sighed. ‘Right. So we can doze now? My feet ache.’

He smiled sympathetically. ‘Everyone should sleep.’

‘Davren says he’ll keep watch, he’s not tired.’

Griff yawned as he nodded and closed his eyes before he could offer his gratitude to the centaur.

He dreamed.

In the dream he was walking, very tired and he recognised that he was dreaming about what was happening in his life. Except, in the dream, he didn’t recognise the landscape. He seemed to be on a high ridge, looking down into a valley presumably—it was too dark to see. He thought a river glinted in the distance as it snaked its way around what looked to be a busy township, twinkling lights told him as much. And not much further west he could see the sea. He was worried about something but not about the same thing that was frightening him. His fright revolved around being pursued. That made sense but his worry was over someone who was hurt. And, oh, how his own body ached. His side was on fire!

He is here
, said a voice.

Davren
?

Yes.

Am I awake
?

The centaur chuckled softly in his mind.
I believe so.

I thought I was dreaming.

Not unless you’re dreaming me and I am very much here. So is he.

He?

Your friend. The one you’re trying to reach. He’s here, he just doesn’t realise it, I don’t think.

Why?

Why is he here? I think you’re bringing him, Griff.

Griff frowned. He was awake, he realised, but he was back in the familiar silver void, which no longer felt unnerving. In fact it felt safe.
And he doesn’t know
?

If he did, I think he might say something to us, don’t you
?

Perhaps I should talk to him
?

You should. Remember, he’ll be alarmed.

He can’t hurt you.
It was a different voice.

Who’s that?
Griff asked, looking around the Silvering.

It’s Rix.

Rix!
Griff laughed.

What’s funny
?
What’s wrong with my voice?

Nothing. It’s just—

Rix
, Davren said softly,
he’s not used to hearing us speak. Everyone should give salutations.

Hello, Griff
, said a shy voice.

Helys. Is that you?

She giggled and Griff saw the flare of an orangey glow on the fringe of his mind. He smiled.

Elph, where are you?
he asked.

Here
, said a deep voice, slow and mellow.

Tess is so lucky to be able to talk to you all. I feel as though I could never be lonely if I could always have this.

You can
, Davren said.
You can reach the Silvering at any time.

It’s not us, Griff
, Helys urged.

Rix joined in.
The magic is all yours. It’s you who called us here.

I don’t understand
, Griff replied.

Davren tried to help.
What we’re saying is that perhaps we’ve helped you discover your own true magic because our presence helps to block out everyone else’s thoughts in your mind. If you’re right, then we bring calm, but the magic to talk, to find the Silvering, to bring us all together in your mind, to reach out and speak across distances is your special gift.

Griff thought about this, noticing as he did how the silver void he thought was still, actually pulsed gently.
So when Tess talks to you it’s not like this
?

It was Elph who answered.
No, she just talks in our minds. This place does not exist for her—at least, I’ve never seen it with her
, he said.

Elph’s right
, Davren said.
Tess has the ability to link minds with us but not with the Silvering.
There was a pause.
And one more thing
, Davren added carefully.

Yes
?

You were not dreaming just now. You had already arrived at the Silvering and without knowing it you were calling to me. You were obviously scared and didn’t realise you reached out to me. It’s why I’m here now…why we’re all here.

Not dreaming
?
How could I be awake and see what I did
?

Davren hesitated again. Griff could hear his reluctance.

Tell me
, he urged.

Griff, I think you have the ability not only to reach the Silvering and bring people to it and talk to them, but I think you can see what they are seeing too, no matter where they are.

What
?

I could be wrong but as this boy is on your mind so much, I have a feeling that you might have, without realising it, tapped into him and seen through his eyes. It’s why I said earlier that I felt he was present. You’ve got to speak to him, especially as you think he’s in trouble. You said there was pain and he was frightened of being pursued.

I told you that?

Yes, as you were calling to me you were describing what you were looking at.

Except I thought it was me. We’re being pursued, I just—

I know. But your side doesn’t pain and you’re not worried about someone being injured, either. You’ve got to speak to him. Just try and remember how it felt a moment ago and reach out. He was here, you can bring him back.

Lute had to help Bitter Olof free from Little Thom’s back. The dwarf was cursing but Lute knew it was from the terror that his
great friend was in trouble. It was nearing dawn, and in that murky light of night giving way to morning, Little Thom’s face looked pale, almost grey. His shirt was soaked with blood and Lute thought the worst. As Bitter Olof put his head to his friend’s chest to listen for his heart, Lute stood, unable to bear the thought that Little Thom had died. He looked across the landscape in despair and, as he did so, Lute felt as though his mind was being tugged at and then suddenly, momentarily, everything disappeared and he was in a silvery void. He was aware of another’s presence but he was too startled to focus on much beyond his own fear.

And then the sensation was gone almost as swiftly as it had come upon him and he was back in reality, looking down on Bitter Olof’s ashen expression.

‘He’s alive,’ the dwarf said. ‘Quickly, dig in that sack I was carrying. There should be a small porcelain flask.’

Lute found it. ‘What is it?’ he asked, turning the flask over in his hand.

‘A revival remedy. It doesn’t last long but it’s so powerful, it works like magic. It will buy us time to get help for him.’

Lute gave it to the dwarf, who dropped some of its contents past the lips of Little Thom. The big man groaned almost immediately. ‘What’s happened?’

‘You fainted,’ Lute said.

‘Because you’re too weak,’ Bitter Olof added as they helped Little Thom to sit up. He sipped some more of the revival remedy.

‘Never thought I’d need this,’ he admitted.

Bitter Olof nodded. ‘We need to face facts, my friend. They’re not taking any rest either. I can hear the dogs.’ Lute couldn’t hear anything but presumed the dwarf had especially sensitive hearing, helped by his enormous ears.

Bitter Olof continued. ‘They’ll be upon us some time during the morning. We can’t outrun them even if we could make it to The Devil’s Smile.’

Little Thom’s face looked grim. ‘We can’t give them the boy. I’d rather drop dead trying to get him away.’

Lute swallowed hard, touched by the loyalty and he knew it was to him personally rather than the Crown itself. He loved Little Thom for that solid friendship and he loved Bitter Olof for what he said next.

‘Janko will get Lute only over our dead bodies, old friend, I promise you that.’

‘I’m feeling good enough. How long will this last?’

The dwarf shrugged. ‘Three hours perhaps. Not long enough.’

Lute looked anxiously between his companions. ‘What are we going to do? Again, I say—’

‘Don’t repeat it, we have no intention of splitting up,’ Bitter Olof said gruffly.

‘Where can we get to in three hours, then?’ Lute asked.

‘Not even close to the rendezvous. I suppose there are several towns. Places like Timpton Willow or Weston Four Fields.’

‘Nowhere to hide, though,’ Little Thom admitted. ‘It’s not as though we both blend easily into the crowd,’ he added and smiled sympathetically at his friend, who returned the sad expression.

‘We can’t stay here,’ Lute said. ‘Think! There has to be somewhere we can hide out for a day or so.’

‘It’s not just a matter of hiding, majesty,’ Bitter Olof counselled. ‘Thom needs help from a healer.’

‘There is somewhere,’ Little Thom said softly.

‘Where?’ Lute asked, his voice eager. He could hear the dogs in the far distance now and they’d been here for too long already.

‘The sea.’

‘No!’ Bitter Olof snapped. ‘That’s not an alternative.’

‘It’s our only alternative if you don’t want me to die.’

‘I don’t!’ Bitter Olof spat, cursing under his breath.

‘What’s at the sea?’ Lute asked, baffled, glancing towards the ocean that the dawn was now lighting in the distance.

‘Not what, but who?’ Little Thom replied and winked.

Lute grinned despite his anxiety.

‘You know what will happen,’ Bitter Olof said, disgust in his voice.

‘I think it’s worth my life, don’t you?’ Little Thom replied, slowly pulling himself to his feet. ‘We can be at the cove in an hour if we hurry.’

‘What cove?’ Lute asked as they began to move, Bitter Olof walking now.

‘It’s called Shearwater. Very few know about it,’ Bitter Olof answered, still apparently disgusted that they were headed there.

‘And who is at Shearwater who can help us?’ Lute persisted.

Little Thom grinned over his shoulder. ‘That would be Calico Grace.’