The Devil's armour

14

While Aric Glass rested and finished his meal, Lorn and Vanlandinghale gathered their things and prepared to leave the Red Stallion. They hardly spoke while they packed their meagre belongings, preferring not to disturb the others. They had no intention of explaining themselves, or of even saying goodbye. Unsure of the reception they would get at the library, Lorn thought it best not to say too much. In the morning he might still need his job washing dishes. So he and Van collected their things, once again dressed Poppy for the road, and quietly told Aric to meet them at a stable down the street where they boarded their horses, the only real thing of value either of them owned. It had been a hardship for Lorn, keeping the horse and paying for its housing and food, but his paranoia over being discovered had made a quick escape from the city a necessary contingency.

The lateness of the hour saw the stable empty when they arrived. Rain pelted the street, gathering in pools among the cobblestones. A boy of around fourteen had been hired to guard the horses. When Lorn and Van arrived, the boy was asleep in a stall full of hay. Van rattled the tack along the wall, frightening the boy awake, then demanded he ready their mounts. The boy did so at once. While Lorn remained inside the stable to keep Poppy from the rain, Van brought their mounts into the empty street and waited for Aric Glass to arrive. Within a few moments the young soldier trotted into view, looking miserable and confused. Van waved to him, then helped Poppy onto Lorn’s back, hoisting her into the leather harness. With care he fixed the blanket around her head. It was not a long way to Library Hill, thankfully. Lorn could see it through the gloomy night, looming over the outskirts of the city.

‘So?’ Aric called to them. ‘Who are you two?’

In his haste to leave the inn, Lorn had told the soldier very little. He waited until Aric rode up beside them before answering.

‘My name is Akan,’ he said. ‘This is Vanlandinghale.’

‘I know your names,’ said young Aric. ‘I picked up that much on my own. I mean who are you really? Criminals? Because if you are Breck won’t welcome you.’

‘I am not a criminal,’ spat Van.

‘Then why’d you leave Jazana Carr?’ Aric grinned. ‘Maybe you stole from her, maybe a few gems that didn’t belong to you?’

‘Nothing of the sort,’ said Lorn. ‘We both have a bone to pick with Jazana Carr, you might say. I’ll explain it all to your commander when we reach the library.’

Aric pointed at Poppy. ‘Do you really think it’s a good idea to bring that child to the library? Isn’t there someone else you can leave her with, like a woman?’

‘I don’t have a woman,’ grumbled Lorn, spurring his horse forward. Van went quickly after him. Reluctantly, Aric followed.

The clip-clop of the horses echoed musically through the empty streets. Blessedly, the rain began to slacken. Lorn looked skyward and saw the moon struggling through the clouds. The dismal weather did nothing to dampen his mood, which was soaring as they rode toward the library. The great Cathedral of Knowledge, broken dream of a mad king, ruled the skyline of Koth. Not even Lionkeep, the former royal residence, had such a commanding view of the city. It had taken King Akeela years to construct the library, filling it with books from around the world. When it finally opened it quickly became a beacon for scholars and a light of hope for the poor. A grand dream, certainly, and one that Lorn understood.

If only Norvor had been like that, he thought to himself as he rode. If not for war, what might Norvor have become?

But war had devoured Norvor, just as it was now consuming Liiria, and he had never had the chance to be a true king or to build anything like the library. Instead, his legacy was deception and endless gravestones. Even Akeela wasn’t spoken of with the same derision as King Lorn the Wicked. It was just one more unfairness heaped upon him by Jazana Carr.

None of them spoke as they rode through the night. Aric had taken the lead, letting Lorn and Van fall in behind him. Lorn was careful as he rode, mindful of Poppy, who surprised him by not minding the rain. He was proud of his daughter, proud of the way she had endured so much. There was still much ahead of her, but she was like her mother, and so she would prevail.

When they reached the outskirts of the city, Lorn spied the road leading up Library Hill. It was a good, wide avenue built of paving stones and lined with grey brick. Weeds had sprung up along the sides of the road, but the way itself seemed well-travelled. The various structures on the hill came quickly into view, including hastily constructed storage houses and stables, all probably built by Breck and his men. The great library itself soared above the other structures. From the base of the hill, Lorn craned his neck to see it all, marvelling at its grace. At the tip of its highest turret flew the flag of Liiria, blue and tattered, defying the rain. It was said that the library held all the knowledge of the world, and that no human mind could count the number of books and scrolls kept within its walls. It was said, too, that a great thinking machine had been built to contain all the ideas, built by the genius librarian Figgis to catalogue the massive collection. Was there really such a thinking machine, Lorn wondered? And if there was, what else could such a thing do?

But these were questions for another day, and would never be answered unless his velvet tongue persuaded Breck to help him. For the first time since coming to Koth, Lorn felt afraid. He followed young Aric up toward the waiting library. The road wound its way around the hillside, giving different vistas of the horizon and highlighting the remarkable architecture of the place. As they drew nearer the pinnacle, Lorn saw for the first time the outlines of guardians posted near the entrance and pacing along the grounds. The library’s transformation into a fortress included arrow slits carved into the towers and a huge clearing near the large oak doors, which looked as if the hand of a giant had scooped away the trees and rocks to give the defenders of Koth a greater killing field. The doors themselves had been fortified with additional timbers which criss-crossed the portals, held in place by a cagelike mesh of stout metal. Iron bars covered the windows, while stacks of logs braced the lower portions of the walls. Men with pikes milled near the gatelike doors. Other men, similarly dressed in the garb of Royal Chargers, stood watch on high, newly made battlements and catwalks. The sight made Van give a low whistle.

‘Amazing,’ he murmured as he surveyed the work. ‘I’m impressed.’

So too was Lorn, who hadn’t imagined the library so well defended. There was no doubt that its high perch gave it a great advantage, but Breck and his men had dedicated themselves to making the place impregnable.

‘It needs to be like this,’ said Aric. ‘There are only a couple of hundred of us, plus some others from the city who help with the chores and such. We take in as many people as we can. Just about anyone willing to help is welcome.’

Tonight, the welcome included a call from the guards up ahead. Aric replied with a shout. The men with the pikes kept position near the doors while another of their party hurried forward.

‘Aric,’ he greeted. ‘It’s good that you’re back.’ He frowned at Lorn and Van. ‘Who are they?’

‘They’ve come to help,’ Aric explained. He reined in his horse and let his fellow Charger take the steed’s bridle. ‘This is Akan and his daughter. They’re from Norvor. He fought Jazana Carr.’

The man nodded at Lorn. ‘You are welcome here, sir. Anyone accustomed to fighting that witch can surely lend us a hand.’ He peered through the rain at Van, started to smile, then groaned, ‘Great Fate Almighty. Vanlandinghale.’

Lorn looked at Van. ‘You know this man?’

Van’s face tightened as he said, ‘I do. Hello, Murdon. It’s been a while.’

‘Maybe not long enough,’ said the soldier. He was about Van’s age and carried himself with the same swagger. ‘I never thought you’d come back. What happened? Did Jazana Carr run out of gold?’

‘Call it a change of heart,’ said Van.

‘I should call it treason.’

‘Murdon, he wants to help us,’ said Aric. ‘We could use him. He was a Royal Charger.’

‘I know what he was,’ said Murdon. He continued to eye Van. ‘Where’s your uniform? Did you sell it?’

Van patted his saddlebag. ‘Right here. I’m still a Royal Charger, Murdon. You heard the boy — we’re here to help.’

‘The old man and the baby, too?’ asked Murdon. Then he laughed and loosed a smile. ‘All right, no grudges. You’re welcome here, Van. We could use you. But Breck will want to see you first.’

Lorn carefully got down from his horse. ‘Good, because I need to see him right away.’

‘Were you a colonel in Norvor, sir?’ joked Murdon. ‘Because you give orders like one.’

‘It’s important,’ said Lorn. He did his best to measure his tone. ‘Your commander will be interested in what I have to say about Jazana Carr.’

As he dismounted, Van looked at Lorn strangely. ‘What are you talking about?’

Lorn ignored him. He told Murdon, ‘It can’t wait. I need to see Breck tonight.’

Murdon’s bottom lip twisted while he evaluated the stranger. ‘Maybe,’ he mused. ‘Breck will probably want to see you anyway. Leave the horses and come with me.’

Lorn did as Murdon asked, and while he and Van followed Murdon and Aric toward the library, a guard at the door attended the horses while his comrade pulled back the timber barricading the door. Murdon and Aric helped him swing wide the huge towering portals, which had been made many times heavier by their reinforcements. Suddenly, the great library sprawled out before them, beckoning to Lorn as he stood on its threshold. An expansive ceiling glowing with lit torches vaulted overhead, the canopy a wide tunnel of plaster and ornate woodwork. As the doors shut behind them, the iron hinges sang like a musical instrument through the grand hall. A few soldiers — and even some women — paused to gape at the strangers, but mostly the hall was empty. The great hall split off into numerous directions, dazzling Lorn with its complexity. Murdon, however, knew his way perfectly and soon had taken them into an artery of the main chamber, where a ceiling of normal height and plain plaster reminded Lorn of his own modest castle in Carlion. Here the walls were mostly bare except for some ornately worked sconces and a tapestry depicting a group of scholars huddled over piles of dusty books. It was the only piece of art in the hall, and it struck Lorn that it had some value to Breck, who had obviously sold off all other such objects. Next to him Van seemed ill at ease, his eyes looking downward in embarrassment whenever they passed other soldiers. Lorn jabbed his elbow into Van’s chest.

‘Stand tall,’ he whispered.

For a moment Van looked annoyed, but then he squared his shoulders and raised himself up.

‘Murdon, are you taking us to Breck?’ asked Lorn.

‘I’m going to tell him you’re here and that you want to speak with him,’ the soldier replied. Just then he reached an open room, an old study from the look of it. Murdon stopped at the room and bid Lorn and Van go inside. ‘Wait here,’ he told them. ‘Aric, come with me.’

Murdon didn’t wait for them to ask more questions. With Aric on his heels he left and disappeared down the hall. Lorn looked at Van, then into the study. As he entered the smell of must and old parchments rushed up his nose. Everywhere in the room were old books and manuscripts, piled high on the big wooden desk and the plain chairs, even on the floor. A tall bookcase against the wall threatened to burst with papers. Lorn cleared off one of the chairs, then unstrapped Poppy from his back.

‘Not what I expected,’ he said. He took squirming Poppy from her harness and set her down on the chair, balancing her on her little feet. Van fingered through the books against the wall.

‘This is amazing. There are books here from all over the continent.’ He pulled one loose and thumbed the pages. ‘This one’s from Dreel. See? The words read from right to left.’

Lorn grimaced as he patted Poppy’s bottom. ‘I think she’s wet.’

‘Of course she’s wet. It’s raining.’

‘That’s not what I mean.’

Van lowered the book to the desk. ‘Oh. Well, wait till Murdon gets back. Maybe he can find someone to look after her. Did you see how many women are here?’

Lorn had noticed. It surprised him how many townspeople had come to aid Breck’s army. He said, ‘With luck one of them will be nursing,’ then wrapped Poppy tighter in her swaddling and cradled her as he sat down. An item on the desk quickly caught his attention. ‘What’s that?’ he asked, pointing his chin toward it.

It was a collection of metal rods, each with a shiny silver ball on its end and each a little longer than the other. The rods radiated out like the spokes of a wheel.

‘I don’t know,’ said Van. Curious, he pushed at one of the rods with his finger and watched happily as it revolved around its core. The action made him smile. ‘It’s like a toy. Do you think Reena can see it?’

Lorn doubted it, but he held his daughter closer to it anyway. Van pushed at each of the rods one by one, sending them spinning, but Poppy’s sightless eyes didn’t bother tracking them. Seeing the disappointment on Lorn’s face, Van shrugged.

‘It doesn’t matter. I don’t even know what the damn thing is.’

‘It’s an orrery,’ a voice answered. Startled, both Lorn and Van looked toward the door where a kindly face shone back at them. The man was nearly Lorn’s age, and he clearly wasn’t a soldier. He wore no uniform, just a plain shirt and worn out trousers that gave him the look of a farmer. Age had stooped him and twisted his bones. He shuffled into the room with obvious effort.

‘Who are you?’ Lorn asked.

‘My name is Garthel. Murdon sent me to look after the little one. Do you know what an orrery is?’

Lorn had to admit that he did not. He stared at the man uncertainly.

‘An orrery shows the movements of the heavens,’ Garthel explained. He went to the desk and pushed at the little orbs — which Lorn now realised were the planets — the way Vanlandinghale had. As they spun on their axes he beamed. ‘This was built by Figgis, the librarian who once ran this place. He was a man of much science.’ Garthel gestured to the books and manuscripts. ‘All these things were his.’

Van waved his hand in front of his face as if the dust were too much for him. ‘Did you ever think of getting rid of some of this junk?’

‘Junk?’ exclaimed Garthel. ‘This isn’t junk, sir! This is all of great value. Nothing has been touched since we got to the library.’

‘Or cleaned,’ remarked Van.

Lorn stood up. ‘You say you’re here to look after the child?’

Garthel’s smile was warm. ‘That’s right,’ he cooed, looking at Poppy as he spoke. He poked a playful finger at her stomach, then looked up at Lorn. ‘Murdon told me you were waiting in here, and that you had a infant with you. My family can look after her for you while you speak with Breck.’

‘Your family? You mean your family lives here in the library?’

‘Something like that,’ said Garthel. ‘There are many of us, as you’ve probably noticed. We help out as we can, at least for the time that we’re here. My daughter can feed the little one. She can take care of — what’s her name?’

‘Reena,’ Lorn answered. ‘Your daughter — she’s nursing?’

‘She can feed your daughter for you,’ Garthel repeated. ‘Breck would want us to help you.’ He held out his hands. ‘If you’ll give the child to me. .’

Lorn didn’t move. ‘Your pardon, Garthel, but I’m confused. Who are you? I mean, what are you doing here?’

The man’s expression remained kindly. ‘That’s a long story, friend, and there’s no time for telling it right now. Please trust me. No harm will come to the infant. We’ll get her cleaned and fed and let her rest. When you’re done with your business, she’ll be waiting for you.’

It sounded like a good offer, and Lorn saw no reason to refuse. The man still vexed him, but Poppy needed cleaning and rest from her dreary journey, so Lorn handed her to Garthel. The man cradled her expertly, his face shining, then left the room. In his wake a hundred new questions sprang up. Lorn sat down, forcing himself to be patient. He looked at the model on the desk, the thing called the orrery, and wondered what Poppy’s reaction would have been if she weren’t blind.

‘This place is odd,’ remarked Van. He didn’t sit but rather leaned against the bookcase. He had his own troubles vexing him, evinced by his worried expression.

‘What’s odd?’

‘I think it’s strange that so many people would come to Koth’s defence. So many men and women, willing to wait here and die? They’re not even soldiers, some of them.’

‘Better to die in a just cause than to live on your knees,’ said Lorn. He looked directly at Van, searching for a reaction. Van merely nodded.

It took longer than Lorn expected for Murdon to return, but when he did he had good news. From the threshold of the study he told Lorn and Van that Breck would see them.

‘Come along,’ he said gruffly, then turned and went back down the hall. Lorn and Van followed, but neither said a word. As they walked, Lorn rehearsed what he would say to Breck. Instinctively his hand fell down to his trouser pocket, where his fingers traced the outline of his ring, the only proof he could offer of his identity.

He expected Murdon to lead them up into one of the library’s towers, but instead they went back into the great hall, took another of its tributaries into a ground-level wing, and eventually came to a stop near the entrance of a vast chamber filled with long, narrow tables similar to those in mess halls. These tables, though, were of rich wood and gave off a warm lustre in the torchlight. Bookcases filled with manuscripts lined the walls, reaching to the ceiling.

A reading room, Lorn surmised. The vastness of the chamber made him feel small.

Arranged in tidy rows, all of the tables were empty except for one. At the far end of the chamber was a table separated from the rest, near a window with open curtains providing a spectacular view of the city. On one side of the table sat a group of men, all of them soldiers and all dressed in the uniforms of Royal Chargers. Like jurors, they faced Lorn and the others as they entered the chamber, which had the unnerving silence of a church. One man, however, remained standing. With his back to the newcomers, he stood staring out the window. His hands were clasped behind his back in patient anticipation. The cut of his shoulders gave him the air of a general. No one spoke as Murdon led Lorn and Van forward, though the soldiers along the table eyed them with curiosity. Murdon made no introductions. He came to a halt a few paces from the table.

It was the general who spoke first.

‘It’s very late,’ he said wearily, ‘and I awoke some of these men from a sound sleep. Why? Because I trust Murdon. He claims you have something important to tell me. Normally I would have waited until the morning, but I’ve been paranoid lately and since one of you is from Norvor I think I have good reason.’ At last he turned to reveal his fatigued face. ‘My name is Breck, commander of the garrison of Library Hill. Which of you is the Norvan?’

Lorn stepped forward. ‘I am,’ he declared. ‘Captain Breck, I’m-’

‘So, you’re the deserter, then?’ Breck interrupted, looking straight at Van. ‘Murdon told me about you. He says you were a Royal Charger, a lieutenant.’

‘That’s right,’ said Van, unperturbed. ‘I left Liiria when King Akeela died.’

‘When all of the country fell to ruin, you mean.’

Breck’s words were meant to cut Van, but the younger soldier showed no emotion. ‘I left to make a living, Captain Breck. There was no living to be made in Liiria, so I sold my sword to Jazana Carr. But I’m back now.’

‘I should be glad to have you, I suppose,’ said Breck, ‘but I don’t like mercenaries. Listen to me carefully, Vanlandinghale — none of us are mercenaries. We’re soldiers, all of us. Even Aric Glass, who brought you here. He didn’t run out on Koth as you did. In my mind that makes him twice the soldier you are. So if you want to stay you’ll have to prove yourself to me. I don’t care how good you think you are with a sword, how brave or any of that nonsense. I value loyalty. That’s it.’

Seated at the end of the table, Aric Glass squirmed uncomfortably. Murdon nodded, taking a bit of pleasure in Van’s dressing down, while the other, nameless soldiers merely sat quietly.

‘I came back because I want to help,’ said Van. ‘That should count for something.’

‘It does,’ said Breck. ‘Do you know much about Jazana Carr?’

Van nodded. ‘Some.’

‘Good.’ Finally, Breck turned his attention back to Lorn. ‘What about you, Norvan? Murdon tells me you fought against the Diamond Queen.’

‘Indeed I did. For sixteen long years.’ Steeling himself, Lorn reached into his pocket and pulled out his kingship ring, cupping it in his hand. ‘Captain Breck, what I’m about to tell you is going to sound unbelievable.’

He moved toward the table, set down the ring, and pushed it toward the Liirian. The soldiers all looked at the bauble in confusion. Breck reached for the ring and inspected it, his brow wrinkling. Lorn watched him, watched as his tired eyes inspected the ring, flicking back and forth between it and its owner. There was suspicion in the old soldier’s expression.

‘Where did you get this?’ asked Breck.

Lorn didn’t flinch. ‘It belongs to me. It’s been mine since I took it from King Mor.’

There was a confused murmur among the men. Van looked at Lorn in surprise. ‘King Mor? How’d you get a ring from him, Akan?’ he asked.

‘This is a ring of kingship,’ said Breck. ‘King Mor ruled Norvor when Akeela first took the throne of Liiria. You say you’ve had it since then?’

‘That’s right,’ said Lorn evenly. He could tell Breck had already surmised his identity, and was now wondering if it were truly possible. ‘Captain, I was with King Mor during the massacre at Hanging Man. I took that ring from him myself.’ He took a breath, stood up straight, and said with all seriousness, ‘I am Lorn.’

‘What?’ erupted Van. Then he started laughing. ‘Akan, what are you doing? This isn’t a joke.’

‘No, it isn’t,’ said Lorn. He looked at the man who had become his friend and gave a wan smile. ‘Van, I never told you because I couldn’t risk it. But I am King Lorn, the one they call the Wicked. I’ve been on the run from Jazana Carr since she took Carlion. Reena is my daughter, Poppy.’

Van went white with disbelief. ‘That’s not possible.’

‘It’s the truth.’ Lorn turned to Breck and said, ‘Jazana Carr wanted my daughter. It wasn’t enough for her to take my city and my whole damn country. I couldn’t let her have Poppy so I fled. I came here to Koth to hide and help you.’

Breck’s eyes narrowed on him, contemplating the possibility. ‘King Lorn the Wicked. News reaches us slowly here, I admit, but we’ve all heard that Lorn is dead.’

‘I live,’ declared Lorn fiercely. ‘That ring is mine rightfully, as is the throne of Norvor. Jazana Carr has agents after me, no doubt. She may know that I’m here, or she may not. Either way, talk of my death is only rumours, I assure you.’

‘Your daughter,’ gasped Van suddenly. ‘She’s blind.’

Lorn nodded. ‘That’s right.’

‘So?’ asked Breck.

Van grimaced. ‘Captain Breck, I once heard it said in Jazana Carr’s camp that Lorn had only one daughter, and that she was blind. No one was really sure if it was true or not, but word had come from Duke Rihards that it was so.’

‘Duke Rihards was a snake,’ said Lorn. ‘He betrayed and destroyed me. But he was also my friend. He knew Poppy. He knew how we suspected she was blind and deaf.’

‘I don’t believe this,’ muttered one of the men who had remained seated. Now he rose to confront Lorn. ‘If you are King Lorn, then you abandoned your people at Carlion. Would you have us believe that?’

‘Believe it,’ said Lorn darkly, ‘because it’s true. There were traitors everywhere in Carlion at the end. I could trust no one. I wasn’t about to leave my daughter to Jazana Carr.’

‘Akan,’ stammered Van, ‘I mean. .’ Lost, he shook his head. ‘Tell me this is all some jest. Please, tell me I haven’t been so deceived.’

‘Van, you think King Lorn was a tyrant,’ said Lorn carefully. ‘But I was not. Hate me if you must, but also know the truth.’

Van couldn’t barely speak. ‘You lied to me. .’

‘I had to,’ Lorn insisted. ‘I couldn’t trust you or anyone else. Not until I reached the library.’

‘Damn you,’ Van hissed. ‘Damn you for making me believe you!’

He began storming away, but Breck called after him, ‘Lieutenant, stay where you are!’

Turning toward him, Van flared, ‘Commander, if this is King Lorn then this is the man responsible for countless deaths in his own country.’

‘Blame Jazana Carr for that,’ sneered Lorn.

‘She wanted to liberate Norvor from you, that much I know,’ said Van.

‘It doesn’t give her the right to come here next,’ said Breck.

‘No, sir, but she was right to fight you, King Lorn,’ Van argued. He looked at Lorn helplessly. ‘You are a tyrant, or you were once. I can’t believe I rescued you from those robbers. I should have let them kill you.’

‘I still don’t believe it,’ said the nameless soldier.

‘I can’t believe it,’ added Aric Glass.

Murdon looked at Lorn and laughed, ‘You don’t look like much of a king.’

Breck tossed the ring over to him. ‘Take a look at this, then. It’s genuine. It bears the crest of Norvor. Unless he stole it from someone else, this really could be Lorn.’

‘What a fool I am,’ said Van hatefully. ‘I saved your life. After helping Jazana Carr defeat you!’

‘Because she paid you!’ railed Lorn.

‘And because I really thought I was doing some good. That’s why I came here with you! To do some good for once!’

‘Well, now is your chance then, isn’t it? I brought you here so we could both do some good.’

‘Why did you come here, King Lorn?’ asked Breck suddenly. ‘You said your intent all along was to come here to the library. Explain yourself.’

‘It’s obvious. I want my country back. I want Jazana Carr dead. I want her army defeated. I want all those things, but if I can’t have them I intend to die fighting her.’

‘And you can help us?’ This time it was Murdon who spoke. The soldier handed the ring back to Lorn. ‘What can you offer besides your services with a weapon?’

Lorn took the ring, kissed it, then slipped it onto his finger. It was the first time he’d worn the ring since leaving Carlion, and just feeling it against his skin made him feel like a king again. He said to Murdon, ‘I can offer you knowledge. I know more about Jazana Carr than anyone here. I fought her for sixteen years, remember. I know her tactics and how devious she can be.’ He smiled confidently. ‘Captain Breck, you need me.’

Breck’s expression was inscrutable. He looked at Van, who was quietly smouldering, then back at Lorn. ‘I need every able-bodied man I can get,’ he admitted. ‘Especially one with knowledge of the Diamond Queen.’

‘I can help too,’ snapped Van.

‘I know you can, but will you?’ asked Breck sharply. ‘Lorn the Wicked has vengeance in his belly. That’s good; I can use it. But what do you have, Vanlandinghale? I put it to you — will you be loyal? Or will you keep whining about hardships?’

‘I was deceived,’ said Van, looking straight at Lorn.

‘So?’ barked Breck. ‘We were all deceived. I was deceived into thinking King Akeela was a good man. You think I want to have my family living here, preparing to die? And you — you deceived people who trusted you into thinking you were a Royal Charger.’

‘I am a Royal Charger!’ cried Van. With a threatening step toward Breck he added, ‘How about I prove it to you?’

Breck laughed. ‘Good! That’s the kind of fire you’ll need. Because Jazana Carr isn’t like you. She’s not a mercenary who’s out for money. She’s playing for all the cards this time.’

‘That is so,’ echoed Lorn. ‘You should listen to him, Van. Demons drive Jazana Carr. She’s insatiable. You may go on thinking me a tyrant; I can’t change that. But this is your country at stake now.’

‘You don’t have to convince me,’ said Van. ‘I’m here, aren’t I? I’ll fight Jazana Carr with you, Lorn.’ Amazingly, a hint of acceptance crossed his face. ‘Now we’ll both have a chance to prove ourselves.’

Lorn smirked. For some reason, he still liked the arrogant Vanlandinghale. There would be no real truce with Van tonight, but maybe in time. He turned back to Breck. ‘I expect no special treatment,’ he said. ‘I’m not asking for anything but the chance to help you defeat Jazana Carr. I’ll tell you everything I can about her. I’ll pick up a sword and fight. And if I get close enough, I’ll cut out her heart and eat it.’

Breck smiled. ‘Let’s pray to the Fate that you get your chance, Lorn the Wicked. But it won’t be tonight. Right now we all need rest, and I have a wife waiting for me. Murdon, take them somewhere and make them comfortable. If they’re hungry give them food.’

‘Commander, my daughter. .’

‘Your daughter is being cared for,’ said Murdon. ‘I’ll take you to her.’

‘We’ll talk in the morning, Lorn,’ Breck added. ‘Lieutenant Vanlandinghale, you’ll be reporting to Murdon. He’ll tell you everything you need to know.’

Van gave a reluctant nod. ‘I understand, sir.’

Breck sighed and rolled his head around his shoulders until the muscles in his neck popped. ‘Dismissed, all of you.’

The men seated at the long table rose and began filing from the chamber, following Breck toward the door. Aric Glass, however, stayed behind, as did Murdon.

‘There’s room in my barracks,’ volunteered Aric. ‘They can both quarter with me.’

‘Just Van,’ said Murdon. ‘He’s a soldier. He needs to be around other Chargers again.’

‘What about me?’ asked Lorn.

‘You come with me. There are other people you can stay with.’

Before Murdon could lead him away Lorn paused and said to Van, ‘I’ll see you in the morning, after I speak with Breck. I’ll tell you what happens, keep you informed.’

The offer got only a nod from Van, who followed Aric out of the room.

‘I’d like to see my daughter,’ said Lorn as Murdon headed for the door.

‘That’s where I’m taking you.’

‘That man Garthel you sent to me — will I be boarding with him?’

‘We keep the citizens away from the soldiers. That’s where you’ll be sleeping.’

‘That’s what I guessed.’ To Lorn it really didn’t matter. He had meant what he’d said to Breck — he wasn’t looking for luxury. He only wanted the chance to battle Jazana Carr. And, if possible, to keep Poppy safe.

Concern for his daughter sped Lorn’s pace as he followed Murdon out of the chamber. He was not sure how quickly word would spread of his identity, and he was too weary to argue with anyone else. In the morning he would deal with Vanlandinghale and try to convince him of his worthiness. Tonight, though, he wanted only to sleep and keep up the pretence that had kept him anonymous so long. He was grateful that the halls of the library were mostly empty now. At last, the soldiers and citizens calling the place home had retired to bed. Lorn took the time to study the library as they walked, noting its stout construction. The architects of the library had unwittingly built Koth a fortress, a formidable perch from which to defend the city. There was a good chance that they could hold off Jazana Carr’s forces here and hold Koth indefinitely. Given time, maybe they could rally other Liirian cities to their defence. The odds were terrible, but from here they just might be able to turn the tide against the Diamond Queen.

But those were concerns for the morrow, and Lorn decided not to keep himself awake with them. In the morning he would strategise with Breck, and for that he needed rest. He was glad when Murdon finally led him up one of the library’s towers, supposing he would discover his sleeping quarters there. As he stepped out into a new hall of brick and torchlight, an air of peace and silence seized him. Murdon walked more quietly here and led the former king to a room at the end of the hall. Murdon paused a few paces from the threshold. There was no door to the room, just a rounded arch of stone. Lorn could see candlelight emanating from inside. A woman’s voice spoke softly, but he could not make out the words.

‘In there,’ whispered Murdon. ‘Your daughter.’

It didn’t occur to Lorn to ask if this was where he’d be sleeping. Knowing Poppy was inside he went to the room with a hasty goodnight, leaving Murdon and entering the soft-lit chamber. Cautiously he peered inside, spying the walls filled with books and the floor lined with chairs of different sizes, some so small they were obviously for children. Blankets and pillows draped much of the furniture, all of which was smoothly worn with overuse. A single window graced the room. Cut into the farthest wall, it let in soft moonlight. The white light struck the face of a young woman in a chair near the window, cradling Poppy in her arms and whispering to her, oblivious to Lorn’s presence. There was a book in her hand, propped up while she held Poppy. Her eyes were wide and dramatic as she read from the book. As though she could hear the story being told, Poppy’s expression was serene. Lorn stopped breathing for a moment. The simple beauty of the sight was like a hammer-blow. The woman’s honey-coloured hair reminded him of Rinka, his dead wife. Mesmerised, Lorn watched the young woman. The smoothness of her skin and the poetry of her voice enraptured him. She was young, perhaps eighteen, perhaps a little older. Was this Garthel’s daughter? Had she nursed Poppy? Lorn looked around the room and realised there was no bed, just chairs and books and blankets. Not wanting to frighten the woman, he softly cleared his throat.

She looked up and smiled at him. Her green eyes gleamed from across the room.

‘Akan?’

Lorn nodded. ‘Yes,’ he replied. He took a step closer. Poppy’s eyes drooped with sleepiness.

‘She’s tired,’ remarked the woman. ‘Such a good girl. A good eater.’

‘You fed her?’ Lorn asked. It was the first time he noticed the towel beside the woman’s chair.

‘My father asked me to,’ said the woman. ‘He brought Reena to me, told me you were meeting with Breck.’

‘I thank you, madam,’ Lorn said. He went close enough to see Poppy’s face, but not so close that the woman felt compelled to hand the child over. Seeing his daughter so at peace heartened him. ‘Your father, Garthel. . he told me not to worry about her. I see now that he was right. You have a way with her.’

The woman’s smile turned melancholy. ‘It is easy to care for such a little creature,’ she said. ‘Look. . see how contented she is?’

It was true. Poppy had obviously eaten her fill and now seemed blissful.

‘She is a good child,’ agreed Lorn. ‘But not all women have your skill with her. I’m grateful to you, madam. It’s only luck that brought you and I here together. I’m fortunate that you have your own child.’

The woman’s face darkened. ‘No, sir, you are mistaken.’

‘No?’ Lorn looked at her in puzzlement. ‘But you are nursing. .’

‘Because there are other infants here that I care for,’ said the woman. ‘I wet-nurse them.’

Lorn didn’t know everything about women, but he knew for sure that a woman without a child couldn’t nurse. ‘Madam, forgive me, but you say you have no baby of your own? How can that be? Your father told me you had a child.’

‘Did he tell you also that my child is dead?’

The casual question made Lorn start. He cursed his stupidity.

‘Apologies, madam. It’s late and I’m tired. I should have realised what you were saying.’

‘Do not be sorry,’ said the woman. She hefted Poppy in her arms, then started rocking her. ‘You were right to think as you did. I had a child recently, a boy. But he died an hour after birth.’ Amazingly, she kept a soft expression as she explained herself. ‘He was my third, you see. All born the same. All dead out of my cursed womb. But I’m of some use here, at least. Until we leave for Mount Believer, I can be a help.’

‘Mount Believer? What’s that?’

The woman glanced up at him. ‘You mean you don’t know?’

‘No, I’ve never heard of that place. It is somewhere in Liiria?’

The woman laughed, but it was a pretty laugh and without offence. ‘Sir, Mount Believer is the healing place! It’s where my father and I are going soon. We’re travelling across the desert with the others. My father’s sick. I’m sick, too. In Mount Believer I will be cured of my poisoned womb.’

‘Cured? Madam, I’m sorry, but you make no sense to me.’

But then he remembered the rumours he’d heard of Jador. He had been far too busy with his war against Jazana Carr to pay the tales much credence, but suddenly he recalled them. It was where Lukien had gone, the Bronze Knight of Liiria. It was said that the city held the secret of eternal life.

‘The city where blind men see,’ he whispered.

‘That’s right,’ said the woman. ‘Then you know why we’re going there. To be healed. Forgive me, but when I saw your baby was blind I assumed you had come here to join us. We’ll be leaving soon, my father and I. And everyone who’s coming with us is gathering.’

‘Madam, this place you speak of — it’s a myth, surely.’

‘Oh, no, sir,’ said the woman. ‘Not at all. Mount Believer exists. Our Liirian soldiers who returned from there saw it with their own eyes! It’s Grimhold, Akan. Mount Believer is Grimhold.’

‘I know about Grimhold,’ said Lorn, ‘and I’ve heard the stories. The place of monsters.’

‘But they aren’t monsters,’ said the girl. ‘They’re wizards! Healers of great power.’ A remarkable sureness lit her face. ‘They’re going to heal my father. He’s got the bone tremors, sometimes so bad he can’t stand up straight. But in Mount Believer he’ll be whole again. We all will.’

The story was outrageous, yet this beautifully naive girl seemed to believe it.

‘Madam, what’s your name?’ asked Lorn.

‘Eiriann,’ the woman replied. ‘Apologies. I should have told you sooner.’

She was so kind it was hard for Lorn to dissuade her. He said as gently as he could, ‘Eiriann, this place you call Mount Believer — it’s nothing but a legend. How could there be a place like that? A city where the blind can see? No. .’

‘Yes, Akan, yes,’ Eiriann insisted. ‘It does exist. Even Breck believes.’

‘Impossible. He can’t believe in such a thing.’

‘But he does. Breck knows many things, Akan. He knows the men that returned from Jador after the war. They told him the truth about Grimhold. Even the Bronze Knight lives there still. An amulet keeps him alive! There’s magic there, for all of us!’

‘But I came here with a man who was in Jador. He never told me anything about magic. He never told me anything of the kind.’

‘Yes,’ sighed the woman. Her face grew suddenly dark. ‘There are those who won’t speak of it. They are too damaged by what they did there. Tell me, Akan, this friend of yours — he was a soldier?’

‘That’s right,’ said Lorn. ‘A Royal Charger. His name is Van.’

‘And did Van see many horrible things in Jador? Did he kill people, destroy things?’

‘Yes,’ Lorn admitted. ‘Yes, he did.’

‘Then your friend has been harmed,’ said Eiriann. ‘He does not believe in the magic because he cannot, and if you asked him about it he would deny it. So many of our men who came back are like that. They are so guilty. They believe in nothing.’

Indeed that sounded like Van to Lorn. In the time they’d been together, Van had volunteered little about his days in Jador.

‘And you?’ asked Lorn. ‘You’re going to Mount Believer because you think your womb is poisoned?’

Eiriann scowled a little. ‘Do not mock me, sir. Three children have I delivered, all dead within an hour. What would you call that if not a poison womb?’

‘I would call it the cruellest of fates,’ said Lorn. Spotting one of the larger chairs against the wall, he dragged it forward and sat down before her. Poppy had fallen asleep in her arms, rocked by her gentle movements. ‘Eiriann, I would never willingly offend someone who has been so kind to my daughter,’ he began. ‘And I should tell you, I know the pain of losing children.’

Eiriann raised her head. ‘You do?’

‘Indeed. I’ve lost children of my own,’ said Lorn without explaining. ‘I know how hurtful it can be. It can turn a heart to stone and a mind to madness.’

‘I’m not maddened, Akan,’ Eiriann assured him. ‘The risks of going to Mount Believer are not a mystery to me. But I won’t be alone. My father will be with me, and many others who seek the healing.’

‘And what about your husband?’ Lorn asked. ‘Does he approve of this folly?’

‘My husband is gone,’ said Eiriann. She shifted her eyes from him, staring down at Poppy instead. ‘After our third son died, he left me.’

At last, Lorn understood. This, surely, was what had driven her to believe such myths. So young and already abandoned. Her husband was a fool, indeed. Lorn wondered what he could say to change her mind, but before he spoke she surprised him.

‘You should come with us,’ she said. ‘This child can be made whole in Mount Believer. Their magic can save her, cure her blindness.’

‘No,’ said Lorn gently. ‘It cannot. And I have business here with Jazana Carr.’

‘What business? Vengeance? Do you really think that’s more important than the life of this child?’

‘Easy, now,’ Lorn cautioned. ‘I’ve given her a life. If I’d stayed in Norvor she’d be dead now, or a slave to the Diamond Queen.’

‘You may have saved her from death, but it won’t be a life. There is no life for people like her, and you won’t be around forever to protect her. Forgive me, Akan, but you are old. What will she do when she grows to womanhood? How will she provide for herself, protect herself from the prowls of men? Have you thought of any of that?’

They were terrible questions which Lorn had never really considered. He had no answer for the forceful girl.

‘I’ve given my daughter everything I have,’ he said. ‘I’ve risked both our lives by coming here. If I could make her be sighted or able to hear I would.’ Lorn looked around the nursery. It reminded him of everything Poppy would never have. ‘I would give anything for her to be normal.’

‘Even forgo your vengeance against Jazana Carr?’

Eiriann had no idea how deep Lorn’s vengeance went, or how much the Diamond Queen had taken from him. Still, he told her the truth.

‘Yes,’ he confessed. ‘Even that.’

‘Then come with us, Akan. I am not lying to you about Mount Believer. It exists. And there is magic there to save this child from a miserable life.’

Lorn shook his head. ‘No. There can’t be. .’

‘There is,’ urged Eiriann. ‘Ask Breck about it. Ask any of the men who will talk about it. They will all tell you the same thing.’ The young woman held up Poppy and smiled. ‘There is healing magic across the desert. Do you think I would make such a journey if I did not believe? But I do believe, with all my heart I know the stories are true. If you come with us, you’ll be doing your daughter a great kindness.’

For a moment Lorn sat still, unable to take the child from her, paralysed by her confidence. It had been too long since he’d contemplated anything outside his vengeful plans. The spark of hope Eiriann presented was like a blinding light to him. She was radiant in her words, pure-hearted. Believing her would be blissful.

‘What proof have you?’ Lorn asked. His voice fell to a conspiratorial whisper. ‘How do you know, in your heart as you say, that this magic really exists?’

‘I have the word of those who’ve been there,’ said Eiriann, ‘and that is all I need.’

‘That is not enough,’ said Lorn. ‘To be driven by desperation. .’

‘Akan, if you mean what you say — if your daughter really means as much to you as you claim — then you would take this chance with the rest of us. To cure her blindness! What father would not risk the world for that?’

Lorn had no answer for her. His head was spinning, filled with her hopeful words. Exhausted, he rose and held out his hands. Eiriann handed over Poppy, then looked at him wistfully.

‘You are able-bodied,’ she said. ‘Not many of us are, and there are only a handful of men going to Mount Believer. You would be such a help to us.’

Lorn fumbled with Poppy’s blankets, making sure she was well wrapped. ‘I’m tired, girl. Have you a bed for me?’

‘Yes,’ said Eiriann. ‘With my father and the others.’ She rose from the chair and went slowly to the entrance, pausing there for Lorn to follow. He had disappointed her; he could tell from her bland expression.

‘Eiriann, in the morning I’ll tell you a story,’ he said as he followed her into the hall. ‘I’m going to tell you something about myself that you don’t know yet. After that you might not be so keen on having me accompany you to Mount Believer.’

Eiriann stopped in the middle of the hall, turning to look at him with her bright, emerald eyes. ‘I don’t ask for your sake alone, Akan,’ she said. ‘I’m asking for the child.’

‘And what if I wasn’t Akan?’ asked Lorn. He was so tired, so sick of arguing. All he wanted to do was fall into the arms of this girl who looked like his beloved Rinka. ‘What if I was some villain from across the world? Would you still want me to come with you?’

The girl’s smile did not wane. ‘I don’t think the magic of Grimhold works only on the innocent. Besides, what could you have done to possibly taint this child? Nothing, I think.’ She reached out and touched Lorn’s shoulder. ‘Come. It’s time for sleep. In the morning, perhaps you will see things differently.’

Too weary to argue, Lorn nodded and let the young woman guide him across the dim hall. He was grateful for her kindness and knew he didn’t deserve it. He knew, too, that tonight his dreams would be filled with her beautiful face, and the awesome possibility that she might be telling him the truth.

Tonight I will dream of Grimhold, he mused.

He looked down at the child in his arms. For the first time since she was born, he wondered if there might be a way to heal her.