Читать книгу King’s Wrath - Fiona McIntosh, Fiona McIntosh - Страница 12

Roddy clung to Ravan gleefully, his breath whipped away by the speed at which they were running. They were already approaching the forest and he knew they would be into the trees in a few heartbeats. Ravan began to slow. He didn’t even sound breathless when he spoke.

‘We are close now. I’ll set you down in a moment.’ He turned his head and Roddy could see his friend was smiling. ‘You can catch your breath.’

‘How about you?’

‘I feel perfectly normal. Not even slightly hard of breath.’ Ravan laughed. ‘Onwards we go!’

Gavriel and Leo were sitting in a comfortable silence. Dusk had closed on the forest and though the birds had fallen quiet the crickets were just beginning to exercise their legs. Leo had found a decent spread of cold food. Neither of them considered it a good idea to light a fire just in case any of Stracker’s warriors were still straggling in and around the region.

They had talked for hours about Gavriel’s life in the mountains and Leo’s growing up in the forest. Inevitably the conversation had run to talk of the old days, of them trapped in the ingress of the palace and life on the run. Now they’d fallen into a comfortable silence, enjoying the summer’s mild evening.

And so it was with some shock that Gavriel heard the sound just when he had announced he would be turning in for the night. ‘Someone’s approaching,’ he said, leaping to his feet and reaching for his bow.

‘I heard. It’s not one of the men,’ Leo replied, quietly picking up his own weapon, belching as he did so.

‘Are you all right?’

‘I feel a bit ill. I’ll get over it. I probably just miss Lily’s food.’

They instinctively separated and began widening their distance from each other, circling closer to the person they could hear approaching. Gavriel nodded at Leo and ducked behind a large tree, his arrow already nocked. He could still see into the clearing but he’d be invisible to anyone who wasn’t aware he was there.

‘Who comes?’ Leo demanded.

‘Friends,’ came the response. It sounded like a child’s voice.

Behind the tree Gavriel frowned and although he didn’t step out, he did release the tension on his bow. Finding this camp was hard enough for a tracker so whoever was coming was either very determined or knew the way in.

‘Stop!’ he heard Leo say. ‘Name yourselves.’

Gavriel peeped around the tree trunk and could just vaguely make out two shapes, a tall person — a man — and then a shorter figure next to him. A boy?

‘I am called Roddy and this is Ravan,’ said the younger one.

Leo nodded. ‘You call yourselves friends but I don’t know you.’

‘You know Ravan.’

‘Does Ravan not have a voice?’ Leo asked.

‘Yes,’ the man replied. ‘He does.’

‘I don’t recognise it. I don’t recognise either of you. Step into the light or I will order the men who have you encircled to fill you with arrows. We don’t take kindly to strangers here.’

‘Please,’ Roddy said, and Gavriel could hear fear in his voice. ‘We come alone. There’s just the two of us. And Ravan will explain. You are King Leonel, aren’t you?’

Gavriel let go of all tension on the bow and stepped around from the tree fully. He noticed that the man called Ravan saw his movement immediately. Sharp eyes, he thought.

‘You should be careful what you claim,’ Leo said but Gavriel could hear the shock in it. He saw the king rub his eyes. ‘Come into the light of the lantern.’

Gavriel circled behind the pair as they approached Leo. The man registered his presence again, turning once and nodding. Gavriel was impressed by both his keen sense of his surrounds and his composure. He was impressive: tall, strong-looking and with a set of his jaw that looked as though he was used to making his own decisions. His hair was dark, loose to his shoulders and even in this low light seemed to gleam. And though he was clean-shaven and dressed in simple black garb Gavriel’s sense of him was that he was anything but uncomplicated. Even silent his presence was commanding and vaguely reminiscent of someone. He couldn’t place who or why. He frowned again, deeper this time.

‘How did you find this camp?’ he asked.

‘Ravan knows the way,’ the boy answered.

‘Who are you, Ravan?’ Leo asked. Though his tone was pointed, Gavriel thought he looked a little distracted. Was Leo sweating?

Gavriel came around to face the strangers, his weapon by his side.

The man bowed. It was elegant, at the same time humble. His companion followed, far clumsier in his execution. The boy looked unsteady as though slightly drunk.

‘My name is Ravan,’ the man began, ‘but I am known to you under another name. One that will shock. I would ask for your indulgence to hear out our tale.’ He glanced at the boy, who nodded vaguely.

Gavriel’s eyes narrowed. The man was deferring to the boy?

Leo did not miss the glance either. ‘Do you take your orders from a child, Ravan?’

The man smiled but there was no conceit in it. ‘Roddy has a better grasp on the world of men for the time being. He and I are close travelling companions. And we are friends. I trust his judgement.’

‘Over and above your own? How odd.’

Ravan gave a shrug. ‘We share our thoughts.’

‘Stranger and stranger,’ Gavriel remarked. ‘Let me search them first,’ he said to Leo.

Leo nodded, looking pale in the torchlight.

Both raised their arms without having to be asked. Gavriel could see neither had a weapon but he went through the motions to ensure they had nothing concealed about them. He shook his head at Leo.

‘Join us in the light,’ Leo said. ‘I’m afraid you are mistaken about King Leonel. He is not —’

‘Please, your majesty,’ Ravan said, his voice even, with not a hint of disdain in it. ‘I recognise you. I have known you since you were a boy.’

Leo had been settling himself on a log but jumped to his feet.'You will have to explain that. I do not recognise you.’

‘It does need some explanation — this is true. May I politely ask for some food and water for the boy, please?’ He looked at Roddy and frowned. ‘He has made a long journey to meet you.’

Leo glanced at Gavriel, who felt obliged to assemble some cheese, nuts and berries from their meagre rations. He set them down with a fresh pitcher of water. ‘Help yourself,’ he said to Roddy.

‘Thank you,’ the boy said and began picking at the food. Gavriel didn’t think the youngster looked well at all.

‘Yourself?’ Leo offered.

Ravan shook his head. ‘Thank you. You may remember me as Vyk,’ he began without further preamble.

‘The only Vyk I knew was a bird, I’m afraid,’ Leo said, shaking his head. ‘I have excellent recall of faces and names, even from my childhood but —’

Ravan nodded. ‘What sort of bird was the Vyk that you knew?’

‘Well, not that it’s relevant but he was a… …’Leo stopped.

Gavriel also paused in the action of lowering himself to one of the logs. The shock spread through him like fast moving molten. ‘You jest,’ he said, the words tumbling out before he could think them through.

Ravan’s gaze hadn’t left the king. ‘I followed you through the forest. De Vis here would have killed me if not for your compassion.’

Gavriel blanched and Leo’s slack expression told him the king was equally in denial.

Ravan continued, ‘Forgive me, I know this sounds incredible but I can prove everything I say. I led the girl called Lily to you. She helped you,’ he said, turning to Gavriel, ‘with the wound you received from the two poachers. She took you back to her father’s hut. He was a simple healer, a forest dweller called Greven, and they kept you overnight. If I’m not mistaken, your majesty, you spent that night in a crawlspace hollowed below the hut. They were terrified when they found out that you were Prince Leonel, on the run from Loethar. I —’

‘Wait!’ Leo stopped him. ‘You want us to believe that you are the big black raven that Loethar brought to the palace, that everyone despised?’

‘I’m disappointed that I was so loathed. I was a good friend and companion to Loethar.’

‘But you’re a bird!’ Leo exclaimed, helpless confusion in his expression, his tone, even his open-armed stance.

‘He was one, majesty. Now he’s a man, made in the image of King Cormoron, First of the Valisars,’ Roddy said, a proud edge to his tone. Gavriel could see that Leo was speechless at the mention of King Cormoron. He waited a moment or two longer and then cleared his throat when he saw that Leo was not forthcoming.

‘Well, that’s a great story. Why don’t we start at the very beginning, though. You want us to accept this is Vyk, the raven, now a man?’

Roddy nodded with a wince. ‘Yes. I’m sorry, who are you?’

Ravan smiled again. ‘Roddy, this is Gavriel de Vis, champion and Legate I believe to King Leonel.’

Silence followed the introduction, everyone looking to Leo.

‘I have only questions. You will need to answer them all to my satisfaction or you —’

‘Please,’ Ravan said gently. ‘Feel free, your majesty. We have come to see you. Roddy, eat, or you will collapse from hunger.’

‘Why don’t you need to eat?’ Leo began.

‘Because I suppose I am not real. I was a bird. I now have to wonder if that was real too.’ Ravan shrugged. ‘Now I am made in the image of a man. You don’t look well, majesty.’

Gavriel noticed even in the low torchlight that Leo’s pallor was worsening. ‘Leo?’

‘Don’t worry about me. I’ve eaten something upsetting. Who made you this way?’

‘The serpent.’

‘Cyrena?’

Ravan nodded. ‘She came to us.’

‘Roddy, who are you?’

Roddy had a full mouth. He swallowed awkwardly. ‘Your majesty, I am no one. I come from a village in the south.’ There was a big fire there not long ago and my cat was trapped in the barn. I tried to save him but I got confused and then I felt the heat and my clothes went up in flames and I could no longer breathe. I know a man ran into the flames to save me but to be honest I only learned that afterwards. I don’t remember much of that time except that when I woke up I was whole again.’

‘How did you meet up with Ravan?’

Gavriel could see that Roddy was trying his utmost to answer clearly and concisely. ‘I met him,’ he frowned. ‘Well, I first saw him in a small woodland on the edge of our village but we first spoke at the cliff edge after the death of Sergius.’

Gavriel sighed with confusion. ‘All right, let’s go back to the fire. I’m curious, Roddy, as to how you escaped death if you ran into a burning barn.’

‘I told you I was healed.’

‘Healed of burns?’ Gavriel asked archly.

The boy nodded. ‘So was poor Clovis.’

‘Clovis?’ Leo wondered.

‘He was the man who ran into the barn after me. I have to lie down.’

‘We have travelled a long way,’ Ravan said. ‘Sleep, Roddy. I will explain everything. I haven’t mentioned this to Roddy but Clovis was also at the palace,’ Ravan remarked, surprising Gavriel. ‘He was one of two Vested chosen by Freath as part of a bargain made between Freath and Loethar. Clovis wasn’t very powerful.’ Ravan shrugged. ‘My understanding is that he could predict rough weather on the seas or which provisions to stock up on, that sort of thing. But he couldn’t wield his magic against anyone, not like I suspect Kirin Felt could.’

‘Felt?’ Leo narrowed his eyes. ‘Wait a moment. Felt! Isn’t that the man Lily has gone away with? I’m pretty sure that’s the name Tern used. Lily was meant just to keep him under observation but she ended up pretending to be his wife so she could stay close.’ His eyes narrowed. ‘Tell me, how empowered is this Kirin Felt?’

‘I really couldn’t say,’ Ravan answered. ‘He hid his ability from Loethar and Stracker.’

‘Ah, now we have it,’ Leo said. He still looked pale, but he stood to pace. ‘I wonder just how powerful he is.’ He swung around to face Ravan. ‘Do you know what an aegis is?’

Gavriel felt a spike of uncertainty run through him. Where was Leo going with this? He was getting too obsessed with the idea of his ageis for Gavriel’s comfort.

But before he could say anything, Roddy seemed to crumple beside Ravan. ‘My apology, I must be excused.’

‘Are you feeling faint, Roddy?’ Ravan asked.

‘Come with me,’ Roddy choked out. ‘I don’t feel well.’

Ravan looked to Leo, who shrugged his permission. The two newcomers walked away; Roddy seeming to be doubled up, as though preparing to retch, Ravan was rubbing the boy’s back.

Gavriel frowned after them.

‘Don’t worry, they’re not going anywhere,’ Leo remarked. ‘Do you trust their story?’

‘It’s almost too remarkable not to. Why would anyone lie about something like being a bird? And he knows too much not to be that awful raven.’

Leo gave a helpless gesture with his hand. ‘I’m glad we didn’t kill him. He might be helpful to us. He certainly seems keen to tell us all that he knows. Look, they’re coming back.’

Gavriel nodded absently, watching the pair approach again, Roddy still clearing his throat. ‘Better?’ he asked Roddy.

The boy didn’t answer. He looked pale, weary.

‘You were telling us about Felt,’ Leo continued. ‘I think he may be an aegis. Do you know what that is?’

‘The legendary champion of the Valisars,’ Ravan responded. ‘One born secretly for each child, who must be found and bonded. You want to find and bond Kirin Felt?’ Ravan asked, surprised.

‘Exactly! I need protection now, more than ever. An aegis offers the only true protection I can count on.’

Gavriel felt his stomach drop.

‘No offence to you, Gav,’ Leo said over his shoulder without looking at him.

‘None taken,’ Gavriel lied.

‘I think we should go after Felt,’ Leo threw at Gavriel, ‘especially now that Faris is onto us.’

Gavriel blinked in confusion but Leo wasn’t waiting for an answer; he had suddenly swivelled around and levelled his sword at Ravan. The man and boy stood, both looking daunted but not, Gavriel noted, especially surprised.

Leo noted it too.

‘You know my next question,’ he accused.

‘And let me answer it, highness,’ Ravan replied carefully. ‘I am not an aegis and Roddy —’

‘How can I be sure?’

Ravan thought about this. The boy looked terrified, ready to flee. ‘You can’t. But I doubt very much that we’d have risked walking into your midst.’

Leo regarded Ravan without speaking. In the silence, Roddy sank to the ground, holding his head between his knees.

Gavriel held his breath but his old friend finally lowered the sword. ‘You’re right,’ Leo admitted and rubbed at his head. He looked ill too. ‘You wouldn’t have risked it. But we now know we have Faris and potentially Felt. Felt won’t know we’re coming so he’s the better option.’

Gavriel’s already diminishing tolerance gave up. ‘Leo, this is —’

The king raised his hand. ‘So why did you come here?’ he suddenly challenged the pair before him.

Ravan glanced down at Roddy. Again Gavriel sensed, rather than understood, the slight tension between the pair. The man was, he was sure, deferring to the child. ‘In a way, your majesty, it does involve the question of an aegis.’

‘What?’ Gavriel and Leo said together, both astonished.

Ravan took a moment to gather his thoughts. ‘Actually, it’s Roddy who should tell this.’ He glanced again at the child and nodded. ‘He was there from the beginning. But he doesn’t look to be in any shape to talk right now.’

‘What’s wrong with him?’ Leo demanded.

‘He’s been through a great deal. I suppose he’s tired, relieved, frightened. Perhaps I should tell you what I know.’

‘Go ahead,’ Leo suggested.

Ravan nodded. ‘After Clovis and Roddy were saved from the fire, returned from death, both Roddy and I witnessed a man being bonded. That’s one of the reasons that Clovis is dead.’

Leo sat down again. Gavriel remained standing but stepped a little closer, not sure where Ravan was going.

‘The man who was bonded is called Greven,’ Ravan continued.

‘Wait! Was this man a leper?’ Leo interrupted.

Ravan nodded. ‘It is the same Greven you know, even though he no longer shows any sign of his sickness. The leprosy was the sign, you see.’

‘I can’t believe it,’ Leo finally said, his voice tight. ‘We were with him in the forest. Lily doesn’t know, I’m sure of it.’

‘More to the point,’ Gavriel continued, suddenly feeling chilled, ‘who bonded him?’

Leo’s eyes blazed with a new fire. ‘Indeed, that is the most important question. If not me or Loethar, who?’

‘Loethar?’ Ravan replied, taken aback.

‘Is Valisar,’ Leo answered, the words coming out as though they were dirty in his mouth.

Ravan said nothing but Gavriel could all but see the wheels turning in the strange man’s mind. The silence lengthened between them and finally Ravan nodded, as though accepting the logic of the incredible claim. ‘There is another Valisar on the loose, you could say, your majesty,’ Ravan began quietly. ‘In my former guise I kept an eye on him these last ten anni.’

Gavriel watched Leo’s expression droop. In the lamplight he looked even more grey. It took no more than a heartbeat for him to work it out, far quicker than Gavriel could. ‘Piven?’ Leo whispered and Gavriel felt like a blade had been stuck in his gut. Surely not?

But Ravan nodded.

‘You’re sure,’ Leo insisted, his voice hoarse. ‘He’s mute, he’s lost in his mind, he’s … ’

‘He is whole, your majesty,’ Ravan insisted. ‘You must forget the little boy you knew. He is now a strapping youth with anger in his soul. According to Roddy, he had both Clovis and Sergius killed.’

At the mention of the second name Gavriel saw Ravan’s composure slip for the first time.

‘Sergius?’ Gavriel asked. ‘Should we know him?’

‘Perhaps not, my lord,’ Ravan replied. ‘But Sergius was not only my friend, he was also the most loyal of servants to the Crown. He was dedicated to the cause of the Valisars.’

‘And yet I don’t even know his name,’ Leo challenged.

‘You would have, had he survived. He lived as a hermit on the western coast but he was known to both your fathers. He was a wielder of magic. He made me.’

‘Made you?’ Gavriel exclaimed. ‘What? So your presence in the palace was contrived?’

The man shook his head. ‘I am yet to discover what my role is. I was Loethar’s companion and I loved him. I knew nothing else. But I loved Sergius more. He was my true friend and he gave me to Loethar. I reported back to Sergius on the palace intrigues.’

‘You were a spy?’ Leo asked, incredulous.

‘Of sorts, yes. With Valisar interests at heart. I didn’t know Loethar was Valisar, of course.’

‘Incredible!’ Gavriel remarked. ‘You were Freath in bird form.’

The set of Leo’s mouth told him the king didn’t appreciate the mention of the old manservant. ‘Piven …’ he murmured. ‘Piven was supposed to be an orphan that my parents took pity on. It was true they doted upon him but —’

‘Another purposeful secret, no doubt,’ Gavriel interrupted bitterly.

‘They doted on him, your majesty, because he was their true son, as you were. The Legate is right. Piven’s lack of genuine royal status as far as the barbarians were concerned is what saved him — that and Loethar’s genuine fondness for the boy.’

‘Are you serious?’

‘About what, highness? Piven’s legality or Loethar’s fondness?’ He shrugged. ‘Loethar liked Piven but if he’d known his true heritage, he would have been put to the sword, I can assure you ofthat. And Piven is Valisar. Don’t doubt it. He has successfully trammelled Greven. He hacked off Greven’s hand, cooked it and ate some and instantly Greven fell under his control.’

Gavriel listened in silent revulsion. But while Leo’s mouth twisted at the mention of the brutality, Gavriel could see the king’s fascination had only deepened.

‘And you know it worked?’

Ravan shrugged. ‘All too well. Greven is being commanded against his will. He slaughtered Clovis, who was unarmed, and he threw Sergius off a cliff.’

‘But Greven is an old man,’ Gavriel said, desperate to discredit the tale.

Ravan shook his head. ‘The Valisar Legacy has made him incredibly strong. Piven is untouchable, and his arrogance and confidence continue to heighten.’

‘Where is he?’

‘We dared not give chase. We needed to find you, your highness, to warn you that he wants to kill you.’

‘Why?’ Leo looked aghast. ‘I’m his brother. We are both Valisar.’

‘He hates you for leaving him at the palace.’

‘Leaving him?’ Leo sounded shocked. ‘I … but I had no choice.’

‘He doesn’t care,’ Ravan said. ‘He is suffused by a madness — revenge. He plans to kill both you and Loethar.’

‘Where do you think he’ll go first?’ Gavriel asked. ‘Does he know where Leo is?’

Ravan shook his head. ‘I don’t believe so, although I’m guessing, my lord. The palace, I imagine, will lure him. He intends to rule.’

Gavriel sighed. ‘Well,’ he said into the tense silence, ‘he’s not going to find us here tonight. I don’t know about everyone else but I need to sleep and ponder all of today’s events. You are both welcome to stay here — in safety — and tomorrow morning wecan discuss the best course of action. Is that all right, your majesty?’

Leo’s lips thinned but he nodded. ‘Fine. I suppose we can’t achieve much right now anyway. And I do feel strangely exhausted. Too much to think about probably.’

‘Well, you get some rest. I’ll take first watch.’

Leo stood and stretched. ‘There are things I want to think over. I will want to speak with you at first light, Ravan. You and the boy.’

‘I’m up with the birds, highness,’ Ravan quipped, but no one smiled.