Juliet McKenna - The Assassin's Edge

“Now we’re resting, resting, resting, now we’re resting

safe at home,

Now we’re resting, resting, resting, now we’re resting safe

at home,

Work is done, the day is over and the shades of night

are sleeping,

Now we’re resting, resting, resting, now we’re resting all

at peace.”

We finished more or less together and sat in the blackness. The voices beyond the slab were silent. That much I’d hoped for. What I didn’t expect to hear was snoring.

“If that’s Artifice, it’s worked on Shiv,” said ’Gren with barely repressed hilarity.

I fought a laugh of my own; I could all too easily give way to inappropriate hysteria.

Ryshad hissed beside me. “I’ve got cramp.”

“Let’s get out of here,” suggested Sorgrad. “Anyone after us must be long gone.”

“It’s the longest gone that concern me most.” But I was eager enough to untangle myself and scramble out of the confined space once Ryshad had half crawled, half fallen out.

“Dast’s teeth!” He stumbled over something that clattered in the darkness.

My heart leapt until I realised it wasn’t the hollow ring of bone but the solid clunk of wood. Steel on flint raised sparks that stabbed at my eyes. I rubbed them and then Ryshad had the torch he’d found lit, soft flames warm and reassuring.

“Do you suppose they’re keeping watch?”

’Gren moved to the black entrance of the stairway, weapon in hand.

“I would be,” said Ryshad curtly.

“I say we stay put.” Sorgrad was still by the hole we’d hidden in, using his cloak to pillow Shiv’s head. The wizard was sleeping as soundly as if he were in the finest inn in Toremal. “We all need some rest and we’re probably safer here than anywhere else in these islands.”

I wished I shared his unconcern. “Unless the real Eldritch Kin turn up to hold us to account.” That wasn’t a joke.

Sorgrad turned to survey the niches with their stacked bones and watchful skulls. “We should be safe enough, as long as no one uses any kind of magic”

Ryshad handed me the torch as he bent to dig fingers into his calf and ease his foot up and down. “That’s a curse. We have to get word to Temar and Halice as soon as possible.” His voice strengthened with determination to think about anything but the unnerving experience we’d just shared.

“Tomorrow’s soon enough.” ’Gren was pillowing his head on his pack as he lay himself down at the base of the stair. Anyone coming down there would tread on him and that would be the last mistake they made.

“You’ll have to wait for Shiv to wake up anyway.” Sorgrad got back into the hollow next to the wizard and settled himself down.

I sat down, concentrating on the torch flame so I wouldn’t have to look at the dry bones on all sides. Ordinarily, I’d have my back to a wall if one offered itself but here that meant having bits of ancient skeletons behind me. That notion made my skin crawl. But I soon shuffled round, frowning. There was no way I could sit without some bone-filled void at my back.

“Lean on me.” Ryshad sat back to back with me. We rested on each other, knees drawn up.

“What’s a tyakar cave, Sorgrad?” I asked suddenly.

“Where we keep our ancestors’ bones in the mountains,” he said sleepily. “Where Sheltya seek guidance at Solstice.” Grim satisfaction coloured his words. “What all the lowlanders dismiss as superstitious nonsense. Our charlatan priests bamboozling us ignorant fools with their lies and self-serving deceptions.”

Ryshad cleared his throat. “It’s truly necromancy?”

“You’d have to ask Sheltya about that,” yawned Sorgrad. “If you dare.”

Whoever might go asking, it wouldn’t be me. The trivial charms of the Forest or the earnest enchantments to cure and protect that Guinalle excelled in were as much Artifice as I wanted. I’d found the ill-defined powers of the Sheltya unnerving enough without knowing they went around stirring up the shades of the dead. That was all too reminiscent of the darker practices of the Elietimm. I’d been right to mistrust magic for so many years, I decided. In all its forms.

Silence hung around us. I was pretty certain Sorgrad and ’Gren were asleep.

“You sleep, if you can,” Ryshad invited. “I’ll look after the torch.”

I settled myself against his broad and reassuring back. “I couldn’t sleep in here if I’d earn a lifetime’s gold by it.”

“Me neither,” he admitted.

“I daren’t even suggest a game of runes,” I said with a reasonable attempt at a laugh. “Not seeing the Forest Folk use them for fortune telling.”

“Let’s not do anything that might stir up the aether.” I heard a faint grin in his voice.

We sat silent for a while longer.

“So what are we going to do when we get home?” Ryshad asked suddenly. “The garden will want clearing for a start.”

“Good thing I never got round to planting anything.” I leaned my head back to rub it affectionately against his shoulder. “Did I tell you I was thinking of going into wine trading?”

“No, I don’t think so.” Ryshad reached his hand round, and I laid mine on his upturned palm. He curled his fingers around mine and I did the same. “You’ll need some storage, proper cellarage ideally.”

“I reckon Temar owes me the land to build a warehouse by now.” I feigned concern. “Have you any notion where I might get the bricks to build that?”

“I think I might know someone who could help out.” I heard the laughter in Ryshad’s voice and smiled. “There are so many wines to choose from,” he continued thoughtfully. “You should visit the vineyards, see how they store their vintages.”

“And sample them,” I pointed out.

Ryshad squeezed my hand. “We’ll sail for Tormalin as soon as we’ve settled all this, shall we? Spend Aft-Summer and both halves of autumn putting together a cargo?”

“That’s an excellent notion,” I approved. “Where shall we start?”

Temar stood on the aftdeck and gazed at Allin as she concentrated on filling the sails of the ever-hastening Dulse . Her knuckles were white as she gripped the rail.

Halice climbed up from the main deck. “She may not have Larissa’s affinity but she’s doing a good job.” She handed Temar his sword. “You could shave with that if you’ve a mind to go into battle with a clean chin.”

“I’ll wait till we’re done and bathe then.” Temar continued to watch Allin whose concentration hadn’t wavered in the slightest. He could still feel her lips on his.

Halice was looking at the billowing canvas. “ ’Sar said something about air and fire being paired in some way.” She turned to check on the Fire Minnow cutting a swathe of white foam through the water beside the Dulse . Her sails didn’t have the constant curve of the Dulse ’s but she was parting the waves like a sword slicing through silk. Temar followed Halice’s gaze to Usara right in the prow of the ship, one hand on the bowsprit as he craned to see the sea beneath.

The door from the aft cabin opened beneath them and Guinalle came out on to the plunging deck. Temar bent over the rail. “What of the watchpost?”

The demoiselle’s eyes fixed on a scar cleared in the all-enveloping forest. “They’re scattered and confused. None will recall their purpose before nightfall.” Guinalle’s voice was resolute but her face betrayed distaste.

She could have knocked them senseless at the very least. Temar bit his lip before he voiced such thoughts. No, Guinalle would never forswear her vows with such aggressive Artifice.