James Barclay - Beyond the Mists of Katura

Ulysan was strong, fast and had a long reach. Auum had often likened him to a monkey, and the big TaiGethen delighted in the gentle jibe. He leaped, found a tiny fingerhold in the timber work and cruised up the outside of the temple as if he was scaling a ladder. Auum smiled and followed as quickly as he could. He was still a good ten feet behind when Ulysan disappeared through the opening. By the time he’d turned a roll over the sill to land in Lysael’s dedication chamber, Ulysan was sitting in a chair reading a book.

‘Very funny,’ said Auum.

‘I thought we should attempt to alleviate the tension for a moment,’ said Lysael, moving into view from behind a screen, cinching her pale grey robes with a braided red cord. ‘You are most welcome, Auum.’

Auum knelt and Lysael kissed the top of his head. He stood and the two of them embraced, Auum kissing her eyes and forehead and she returning the gesture.

‘Please tell me you know what’s going on,’ said Auum. ‘All I know is a human mage called Stein has contacted Takaar and he has reacted with the proper urgency but without the proper tact.’

Lysael turned to a tray and filled three carved wooden goblets with sweet red wine. Ulysan rose and bowed his head as she offered one to him. Auum raised his goblet and muttered a prayer of thanks before taking a sip.

‘We’re in trouble. Whether an invasion fleet is headed this way or not, you’ve seen the effect the rumours have had. Takaar has brought Stein here. Pretty much every Il-Aryn too. But he needs swords, and that’s why he persuaded the ClawBound to muster the TaiGethen. He says he wants the Al-Arynaar too, and many of them are already with him.’

‘To do what, exactly?’ asked Auum. ‘We already have plans for defending the cities.’

Lysael swallowed the remainder of her wine and headed back to the jug for more.

‘That isn’t what he wants. He’s equipping ships.’

Ulysan coughed, spitting out a mouthful of wine and mumbling an apology. Auum could do nothing but stare at Lysael, trying to unpick the confusion of thoughts crowding his mind. Finally, he managed to get one of them out.

‘He’s planning an invasion?’

The question sounded ludicrous even as he was voicing it, and he was momentarily happy to see Lysael shake her head.

‘Not even he is quite that delusional,’ she said. ‘Though Yniss knows he’s dangerous when his other voice gets the upper hand. No, it seems he is planning a rescue.’

Auum put his goblet down, fearing he might drop it if the revelations got any more astonishing.

‘But who is there to rescue?’

Lysael paused as if weighing up what to say, or perhaps how to say it. She pressed her hands together and took a deep breath. Auum frowned, glad he’d put down his goblet.

‘He’s been sending Il-Aryn adepts to train in Balaia.’

‘ What? ’

‘Why?’ asked Ulysan.

‘You’ll have to ask him, but, whatever the reason, now they’re trapped and Takaar wants to rescue them.’

‘Well, he’ll be doing it without the TaiGethen,’ said Auum.

He was finding the whole scene surreal: the wailing out in the piazza a backdrop to Lysael’s words, which echoed in his head like statements of creeping madness. Even the wine tasted bitter.

‘Where is he?’ asked Ulysan.

‘He’ll be on the docks. He’s stationed himself at the harbour master’s house and he’s using the Herendeneth warehouse for staging people and supplies. The TaiGethen are there.’

Auum closed his eyes, hoping it was all a ridiculous nightmare. But when he opened them again, the fact that a Stein was here meant that, whatever perverse actions Takaar was taking, the elves were almost certainly facing a mortal threat.

‘We’d better go,’ said Auum.

‘Front door?’ asked Ulysan.

‘I don’t think so,’ said Auum. ‘I prefer our private route.’

‘Not before we share a prayer you don’t,’ said Lysael. She held out her hands to the TaiGethen and the trio knelt facing each other. ‘And we’d better hope Yniss is listening.’

Auum felt his heart skip as he reached the docks at Tual’s Wharf by the harbour master’s house. Amid the chaos engulfing the greater part of the docks, as people sought escape, this was an oasis of industry and organisation.

Laden carts stood by the doors to the Herendeneth warehouse. A chain of workers passed crates, barrels and nets inside. Four ships were tied up along the length of the wharf, their crews busy organising cargo into holds and checking sails, rigging and timber. Gang masters sang orders, their gangs responded in kind.

Ulysan grabbed Auum and pointed towards the warehouse. Faleen stood in the doorway. At the sight of him, she shouted over her shoulder and ran across the cobbles. Her face was bright with excitement.

‘So many have come ready to fight,’ she said. ‘It is the greatest muster for seven hundred years. A meeting of friends and a renewal of vows, joy amid the danger. How did you know to call the muster? I thought you were in Katura. . What’s wrong?’

Auum took Faleen’s shoulders and kissed her eyes.

‘It is good to see you, old friend. It’s been too long. But I did not call the muster. Where’s Takaar?’

Faleen frowned.

‘He’s inside. . but. . He didn’t, did he?’

‘Forgot to mention that, did he?’ said Ulysan.

‘What possessed you to think I’d agree to the TaiGethen sailing for Balaia?’ asked Auum.

‘We didn’t understand it,’ said Faleen. She shrugged. ‘But when the muster is called, the TaiGethen come.’

Auum nodded. ‘Yniss bless you, Faleen. How many of us are here?’

‘Two hundred and twenty-seven.’

Auum blew out his cheeks not knowing whether to be furious or impressed. He settled on the latter. The TaiGethen never failed to respond. But Takaar had much to answer for.

‘I’ll talk to you all in due course. But I need to see Takaar and this Stein first.’

The TaiGethen were gathered to welcome Auum when he walked into the warehouse. He acknowledged their cheers and the songs with a wave but his eyes were fixed on the elf who stood behind a long table covered in parchments. He straightened and spread his arms in a gesture of welcome with that damned beatific smile on his face.

‘Auum. More trials await the greatest among elves. And we must greet such challenges with energy, humour and an unswerving faith in our power and our gods.’

‘I feel sure the entire elven nation is calmed by the knowledge that you have stepped up to marshal the defence of Calaius.’

Takaar’s smile flickered briefly before firming once more. ‘I have merely done what needed to be done while awaiting your arrival.’

‘Really?’ said Auum.

He walked up to the table and cast his gaze over the parchments, seeing cargo manifests, lists of names, racking plans and what appeared to be a list of ingredients for some of Takaar’s most potent poisons. Some ingredients were ticked, many were not.

‘On learning of a threat to Calaius, would you not have mustered the TaiGethen and made this place your centre of operations?’

‘What I would have done is not panic the entire city! There is an evacuation going on without any order and without a plan. Thousands are putting themselves at needless risk by fleeing to the rainforest totally unprepared. Do you have a parchment dealing with that?’

Takaar looked at him blankly. ‘We have enemies to face. Our people must be trusted to look after themselves.’

‘We must keep them safe from harm. That is our duty. You have pushed them into harm’s way. All the Al-Arynaar you have gathered will be redeployed to advise and aid the population of Ysundeneth.’

Anger flashed across Takaar’s face. ‘They have more important tasks.’