Chris Wooding - The Ace of Skulls

‘They took their time doing something about it. The Awakeners have been a plague on this country for years.’

‘Politicians, huh?’ She grinned. ‘Reckon they were a bit wary of ticking off half the population.’

‘It can’t be half of them fighting for the Awakeners. The country would be a bloodbath.’

‘Half of ’em are believers,’ said Samandra. ‘But there’s a long way between a believer and someone willin’ to fight and die for a cause. Specially when you’re fightin’ against somethin’ you don’t much want to.’

‘They’re siding with us? Even in the country?’

‘You should’ve seen the parades in Thesk when the Lady Alixia was born. They love the Archduke and Archduchess, and they love having a new heir. Most people’ve had it pretty good since the Coalition took down the monarchy. Besides, it ain’t the belief in the Allsoul we’re tryin’ to stamp out. People can believe what they want. It’s the sons of bitches stealin’ from their pockets we’re tryin’ to take down. The ones at the top.’

‘I imagine Maurin Grist’s research that showed the Awakeners were employing daemons in their ranks must have shaken things up a bit, too.’

‘Some of ’em are scared by that,’ she agreed. ‘Rumours been flying since midsummer. They’re beginnin’ to think it just might be true.’ She jammed her hat back on her head and adjusted the tilt. ‘People ain’t stupid. It’s just the fanatics we’re fightin’. Don’t matter what you tell them .’

Crake found himself lost in admiration for her penetrating insight into the popular attitude. Then he shook himself and realised that he was probably just in love.

‘And what are the Awakeners doing here?’ he asked, waving a hand to indicate the city all around them.

‘That we don’t know. But whatever they’re up to, we caught ’em on the hop. Been driving ’em back towards the chasm. Soon they’re gonna have to run for it or we’ll push ’em off.’

‘Can’t you just fly over the top, get behind them or something?’ Crake said.

‘They brought anti-aircraft guns. Not like ours, but enough to take down anythin’ overhead. So we have to fly at night, and then you can’t see a damn thing among the broken buildings. They’ve got the chasm at their back, so gettin’ over that way would be more trouble than it’s worth.’ She pursed her lips in consternation. Crake found that unbearably pretty. ‘They’re dug in tight. Question is, what are they doin’ here in the first place? Where’s the sense fightin’ over Korrene?’

‘Because the Allsoul told them to?’

She gave him a wry look.

‘I’m serious,’ he said. ‘They believe in predictions and patterns and all of that. I mean, they really believe the Allsoul can show them the future. Maybe one of the Grand Oracles just flipped the wrong card and they ended up invading this heap of rubble.’

‘So what would’ve happened if they flipped the right card?’

‘They’d have tried to invade the sea.’

She laughed at that, a loud and indelicate laugh not at all befitting a lady. It was music to his ears anyway. ‘I’d love it if they were that dumb,’ she said. She tipped back her hat and scratched under the brim. ‘Anyway, probably we’ll never know. Goin’ in for a big push in a few hours. If this don’t drive ’em out, nothin’ will.’

She looked him over as if something had occurred to her. ‘Wait, why are you here anyway? I mean, not that I ain’t glad.’

Frey had told them to keep it quiet, but Crake had promised himself he wouldn’t deceive Samandra again. Not after last time. It was an easy decision to make.

‘Officially, we’re escorting that whispermonger, Pelaru. Unofficially, we’re looking for his business partner. He disappeared in the fighting, while he was searching for treasure or something. Honestly, I didn’t ask too much. It’s important to the Cap’n, that’s all I know.’

‘Huh,’ said Samandra. ‘Frey and his schemes, eh?’

‘You have to admire his sense of adventure.’

‘That you do.’

‘Well, no doubt you’ll be able to get in there and get your hands dirty if that’s what you’re after. We’ve already got half the Shacklemores working for us, nobody’s going to say no to a few more guns.’

Crake felt his mouth go dry. ‘Half the-?’ he began, and then stopped.

‘Yeah. Shacklemores. Look.’ She pointed over at where a group of men were bivouacked on the edge of the landing pad, dressed in dour trench coats and low black hats, cleaning their shotguns. ‘Lot of bounty hunters have gone merc for the Navy. Pay’s better in these troubled times.’

Shacklemores. Spit and blood, after all this time I’d almost forgotten they were after me.

Samandra became concerned. ‘Oh, hey, you’ve gone all pale. You worried about the fight? I forget how shit you are with a gun sometimes.’ Then she grinned and slapped him on the shoulder. ‘Don’t worry about a thing, you brave little daemon-botherer. I’m gonna be needed on the front line, but you got your friends to look after you. Come the mornin’, this’ll all be over, and after that I’m damn well due a couple days off.’

When he didn’t reply, she nudged him. ‘Well? How about it?’

‘How about what?’

‘Two days. Leave. Go somewhere?’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Do I got to throw myself at you?’

It suddenly clicked into place. ‘Oh! Er. . yes! Yes, of course! And if the Cap’n has a problem with it, well, I’ll just quit or something.’ He gave her an unsteady grin.

‘Well, alright then.’ She smiled. ‘So you just keep yourself safe till then, you hear?’

Crake glanced at the Shacklemores one last time, then looked away before they could notice his attention. ‘I aim to,’ he said.

Harkins screamed as the night sky exploded in front of him. He banked away from the blast, his Firecrow rattling and shuddering as it was battered by concussion. Shrapnel pinged off the canopy, inches from his head.

All across Korrene, the darkness was lighting up. Anti-aircraft guns spat explosive shells at the half-seen shapes slipping low over the city streets. Tracer fire drifted up from colossal autocannons. The Coalition aircraft flew without lights, sallying out from the safety of the forward base. They were ferrying hundreds of soldiers to strategic drop-points in the heart of the shattered city. From there, they intended to encircle the Awakener troops and drive them out for good.

Harkins didn’t care about their grand plan. He was only concerned with making it to tomorrow.

Another shell exploded close by, shaking him violently in his seat. He screamed again.

‘Will you shut up , you brown-arsed pansy?’ Pinn yelled at him through the earcuffs. ‘I can’t think straight with you howling in my ear.’

You can’t think at all, you fat moron . Harkins imagined himself saying it, pictured the look of shock on Pinn’s face. Maybe he’d be so angry he’d choke on his own porky cheeks and fly into a building. Wouldn’t that be fun?

But Harkins didn’t say anything. Pinn would only come back with something worse, and double his humiliation. He’d long ago learned that defiance got you nowhere.

The flak eased off as the guns aimed at other craft, and now they were all but invisible again. He looked for the Ketty Jay , having lost her momentarily, and found the glow of her thrusters in the dark. Pinn’s Skylance was somewhere nearby, tracking the larger craft just as he was.