The Devil's armour

4

The heat of the desert made the horizon shimmer. An ever-present breeze whispered on the air. Up in its orange cradle, the merciless sun, god of this world, burned the sky.

Lukien of Liiria looked out across the dunes, across what looked to be an endless sea of sand, squinting with his one eye against the mirages rising from the earth. From where he sat upon his horse it seemed the Desert of Tears was all there was, and all that had ever been. No longer could he see Jador or its splendid spires, nor sprawling, menacing Ganjor. There was only sand, forever shifting, devouring itself. Lukien unwrapped the gaka from around his face. He had never gotten used to the heavy desert clothes. He drew a hand across his forehead and wiped away a slick of sweat. The relentless sun blinded him.

‘I see nothing,’ he said to his companions. ‘You?’

Beside him, Gilwyn Toms sat upon his kreel, a small female of the species he had named Emerald. Like all of them, Gilwyn wore a gaka to stave off the sun. The scales of his reptilian mount riffled anxiously through colours as she and her rider scanned the horizon.

‘Nothing,’ replied Gilwyn. He turned toward the men they’d brought with them, five Jadori warriors who had become their friends, and a single Inhuman from Grimhold wrapped completely in robes so that every inch of his skin was covered. The dark-coloured Jadori were used to the desert sun and so did not hide themselves behind gakas as completely as the northerners did. Each of them watched the distant dunes. Together they had ridden a long way from Jador, hurrying out into the desert once news had reached them of the Seekers. It had gone on like this for months now, ever since word had escaped of Grimhold’s existence. So far, though, they hadn’t found the Seekers Princess Salina had warned them about.

‘We should go on,’ said the one from Grimhold. He was an albino named Ghost, and like many from his fabled home his abilities were remarkable. Because of this he had remained in Jador with Gilwyn, helping to protect the desert city. The same was true for Lukien. In a prior life he had been the Bronze Knight, and there were those who called him that still. But in Jador he had taken on a Jadori name — Shalafein, the Great Protector. Around his neck he wore the Eye of God. He could feel it now beneath his robes, pulsing lightly, its silent spirit keeping him alive. He belonged to Grimhold now, despite a life spent in Liiria. And because of the amulet, he was as much an Inhuman as Ghost.

‘Maybe it’s too late,’ remarked Gilwyn. ‘Maybe the raiders have gotten them.’

It was the same dark conclusion they’d all come to, though Lukien hated to admit it. Riding out from Jador in a panicked rush was no way to save people, and they had already lost countless Seekers to the raiders. They were a vicious lot, Aztar’s men, willing to murder anyone they robbed, even children. It was why Lukien always tried so hard to save them, and why he always grieved when he couldn’t.

In the last few months the Seekers had come across the desert in waves. It had been as Minikin had predicted. Once word reached the outside world of Grimhold’s existence, it had been impossible to stop them. No matter their ailments, the Seekers willingly braved the desert, seeking the magical place of healing. The blind and insane, the crippled, the deaf; they had all left their homes behind to find the place some of them called ‘Mount Believer’. It broke Lukien’s heart to see them. Like he and Gilwyn and their comrade Baron Glass, the Seekers were northerners, mostly. Some were even Liirians. But none had known the truth of Grimhold, or that Minikin, the mistress of that place, had not enough magic to save them. They knew only of the legend, and their desperate hope drove them onward.

‘We go on,’ said Lukien. ‘We must find them.’

Gilwyn didn’t argue. ‘We should separate,’ he suggested. ‘We can cover more area that way.’

‘And if we run into raiders?’ The smirk behind Ghost’s gaka was almost audible. ‘What then?’

‘We have to find the Seekers,’ said Gilwyn. ‘If we don’t they’ll die.’

‘If they’re not dead already,’ countered Ghost. He was as frustrated as the rest of them, partly because there were so few Jadori kreel riders to help them. So many had died in the war against Liiria, both men and their mounts. That was a year ago, and still the Jadori had not been able to train enough of the slow-maturing beasts. But Ghost was no coward, Lukien knew; the albino had volunteered for this mission.

‘Gilwyn’s right,’ said Lukien. ‘We can part here and cover more ground. If we don’t find them in an hour we can head back. If we find raiders-’

Lukien had no chance to finish his sentence. Behind him, one of his sharp-eyed Jadori companions gave a shout, pointing ahead to a dune. The Bronze Knight looked hard, spotting movement in a distant valley of sand.

‘Is that them?’ he asked. ‘I can’t tell.’

The Jadori warriors swarmed forward, their reptilian mounts sensing their need. The keen eyes of the kreels could see far better than those of their human riders, and once they had sighted the movement in the valley they shot the image into the minds of their masters.

‘Seekers,’ said Kamar. He spoke no Liirian but the word was the same to the Jadori. Kamar nodded to himself, not really looking but seeing the travellers through the eyes of his kreel. His Jadori companions did the same, as did Gilwyn.

‘He’s right, it’s them,’ Gilwyn confirmed. ‘And more.’ He pointed with dread beyond the valley. ‘Look there.’

Lukien and Ghost both followed Gilwyn’s finger. They were the only two of the group on horseback, and had no magical link with their mounts. But even Lukien with his single eye could see the cloud of sand being kicked up from the dune.

‘Raiders,’ spat Ghost. ‘How many?’

Gilwyn stared but it was Emerald that saw. ‘Thirty or more,’ said the boy.

‘And how many Seekers?’ pressed Lukien.

‘Half that many,’ replied Gilwyn. ‘I can’t tell exactly.’

That was some good news, thought Lukien. If there were men among them, they could fight if their maladies weren’t too severe. But there was little time to act. From what he could see, the raiders were close to the Seekers. Thankfully, the kreel were much quicker than any horse.

‘Go,’ Lukien ordered. ‘Protect them. Ghost and I will go after the raiders.’

Gilwyn didn’t waste a moment. With the Jadori close behind, he bolted forward on his kreel, leaping over the dune and bounding headlong through the sand, speeding toward the Seekers. Lukien and Ghost hurried after them, their horses galloping against the sand. Already the kreels and their riders were well ahead, and with five Jadori warriors to protect them Lukien knew the Seekers could be saved. But the raiders were a brutal bunch, and he and Ghost would be outnumbered.

‘Ride!’ cried Lukien, urging on his stallion. His robes and headdress snapped in the wind. His voice pierced the desert. Ghost was still beside him, still visible, but it wouldn’t be long until he vanished like a mirage. Lukien tucked himself down deeper in his saddle, breaking off from the direction of the Seekers, heading toward the raiders. He could see them now and they saw him, high on their hill, their desert robes of many colours, brigands without a flag. Aztar had called his tribe from across the desert lands, from Ganjor and Dreel, and they had come for his unholy cause. But Aztar himself had never come to battle. Today, once again, Lukien knew he’d slake his thirst on the blood of underlings.

‘So be it!’ Drawing his sword, he cursed the raiders in their own tongue, goading them away from the Seekers. His cries caused the desired commotion; the Ganjeese warriors looked around in confusion, shouting amongst themselves as Lukien blazed toward them. Preparing himself, Lukien glanced over his shoulder at Ghost — and saw nothing there.

‘I’m with you!’ came the Inhuman’s disembodied voice.

A ferocious smile crossed Lukien’s lips. He had seen Ghost’s amazing power before, but marvelled at it still. Better, it always shocked their foes. He charged on, unafraid. He hadn’t feared death in ages. There were times he even longed for it, when the memory of his dead Cassandra plagued him or when he thought of his past life, so full of wrongs. But the Eye of God would not release him to death. Berserk with rage, Lukien dug his boots into his stallion’s sides, eager for the fight. He could hear Gilwyn and the Jadori in the distance, shouting as they announced themselves to the Seekers. Aztar’s warriors waited on the dune, then abruptly split in two, one group awaiting Lukien, the other riding for his friends.

‘Damn it, come on!’ urged Lukien. He raised his broadsword in his fist. ‘Fight me!’

‘They’re heading for the others,’ said Ghost, still invisible.

‘I know!’

His stallion raking the dune, Lukien let his enemies have the high ground. Ghost’s magic had blanketed their brains, and all they saw was one desperate fool. They reared on their horses, ten weaponed men in Ganjeese garb, scimitars ready to cut him down. Lukien barrelled up the dune after them, poising his blade for battle. The amulet around his neck flared to life, burning his chest.

‘Are you with me, Amaraz, you deaf bastard?’

As always, the spirit of the Eye was silent. Lukien laughed hatefully.

‘Then I will kill them alone!’

But of course Lukien knew he was not alone. Amaraz would keep him alive despite mortal wounds. It gave him strength as he rode into the raiders, who shouted as he clashed against them. Lukien’s broadsword cut through the air, smashing the clumsy defence of the nearest man. They wore no armour, these men of Aztar, and the broadsword made quick work of flesh and bone. The warrior’s arm came off at the shoulder. Lukien ignored his scream, turning at once to another foe. There were shouts from the rear; Ghost was at his unseen worst. The warrior galloped toward Lukien, shouting with a raised scimitar. Their swords clanged as the men parried each other’s blows, but only for an instant. None of the raiders was Lukien’s equal. The Liirian’s sword dipped low, catching the Ganjeese and sending fingers flying. A twist in his saddle brought Lukien’s blade whistling around, slicing through the man’s neck. Blood sprayed from the stump as Lukien turned to find another. The Eye of God raged beneath his robes, bursting through the fabric with angry light. The other raiders watched in dread as he came at them, shocked at how fast their comrades fell. But all knew the legend of Shalafein, and boasted openly of killing him.

‘Not today!’ cried Lukien. His horse reared and whinnied, his sword danced through the air. Concentrating, he caught the smallest glimpse of Ghost. The young albino threaded through the warriors, stabbing at them furiously, dragging them from horseback like an assassin. There was magic among them; they knew it now and panicked. Breaking from the dune, the warriors rode away all at once, barrelling down the hill toward their comrades and the Seekers. Lukien gave chase, shouting for Ghost to follow. In a second the Inhuman was visible again.

‘Lukien, look. .’

The knight saw it, too. Down in the valley, Gilwyn and the Jadori were surrounded as they tried to protect the Seekers. Outnumbered, the Jadori and their kreels were in combat as Gilwyn and Emerald tried to fight free of the horde. There were at least a dozen of the Seekers — Lukien could see them clearly now. The men had gathered the women and children around a single desert wagon. They themselves were poorly armed, mostly with walking sticks.

‘Hurry, Ghost, hurry!’ cried Lukien, snapping his reins in pursuit. The kreels could easily handle two or more horsemen, but they had the Seekers to protect and that was all-important, because Aztar had given his men brutal orders — the Seekers were to die. And the Ganjeese themselves were ready to die in the cause, for Aztar’s wrath was legendary. As Lukien and Ghost raced into the valley, Gilwyn struggled to keep the raiders from the huddled northerners. He expertly commanded Emerald, slipping the kreel under every attack, beating back those who broke through the line of Jadori warriors. But there were more raiders coming and Gilwyn had seen them. So too had their Ganjeese brothers. Gilwyn’s concentration faltered as one of the raiders slipped past the Jadori. He was a big man with robes grander than the rest, a Zarturk by the looks of him, one of Aztar’s own lieutenants. Gilwyn turned on him too late, just as the man barrelled past him. The clash knocked the boy from Emerald’s back, sending him colliding with the sand.

The Zarturk reached the Seekers, raised his scimitar, and cut down a fragile man, cracking through his cane and opening his chest. The other Seekers scattered. The Zarturk gave chase. Like the weakest of a herd, he spotted a young girl limping quickly away. He spurred his horse and caught her, grabbing her collar and dragging her through the sand, away from the others as he returned to the protection of his men. Shouting orders, he gathered his raiders about him, who broke off their attack and rode away from the Seekers just as Lukien and Ghost approached. The Jadori warriors did not pursue, but retreated to the wagon and the downed Gilwyn, who was getting unsteadily to his feet. Lukien and Ghost rode up to him, their horses skidding to a stop.

‘Are you all right?’ Lukien asked.

The boy nodded. ‘I’m fine. They got that girl, Lukien!’ Across the sands Lukien saw the Zarturk surrounded by his men. There were twenty of them now, still a lopsided number. The desert leader had the struggling girl in his arms as he watched them imperiously from the safety of his horde.

‘Melini!’

Lukien spun to see a woman racing out from behind the wagon. The Jadori warrior Kamar dropped from his kreel to stop her, pulling her backward. ‘They have my daughter!’ she shouted.

‘Stop!’ Lukien commanded. ‘We’ll get her back.’

The woman tore at Kamar to free herself, then fell to her knees in sobs. The other Seekers were returning, some hovering over the man who had fallen, others approaching Lukien and his comrades. A man older than the woman came and comforted her, then looked up at Lukien.

‘Thank you,’ he said. Obviously shaken, he seemed to be the leader of the group. ‘If you hadn’t come-’

‘Are these your people?’ asked Lukien.

The man rose. ‘Yes. My name is Paxon. We’re from Liiria. We’re seeking-’

‘Mount Believer, I know,’ said Lukien. He shook his head in disgust. ‘Fate above. What is the woman’s name?’ he asked, pointing his chin at her.

‘This is Calith. That’s her daughter they’ve taken, Melini,’ said Paxon. He helped Calith to her feet. ‘They’ve killed Crizil. If you hadn’t come they would have killed us too.’

‘Who are they?’ asked Calith. ‘Why did they take my baby?’

‘They’re warriors of Prince Aztar,’ said Lukien. ‘This is his desert, or so he claims.’

‘We didn’t know,’ said Calith desperately. ‘Tell them for us. Tell them so they’ll bring Melini back!’

‘It won’t matter to them,’ said Ghost suddenly. ‘Lukien, they’ve seen you. That’s why they broke off their attack and took the girl.’

Gilwyn nodded. ‘And that’s why they waited so long to attack.’ He looked at his friend. ‘Another challenge, Lukien.’

Brooding, Lukien turned toward the Zarturk and his waiting men. Since becoming Shalafein, Aztar’s men had challenged him often. It was said that the Prince of the Desert had put a bounty on his head so large that any man who slayed the Shalafein would become a prince himself. To Aztar, Lukien was as guilty of soiling the desert as the Seekers, because he protected them and the Jadori who gave them shelter. Unconsciously he put his hand to his chest, feeling the outline of the amulet beneath his gaka. The Eye of God had brought him back from the brink of death. It kept him alive when he should have perished, but it also brought these bloody challenges.

‘Calith, I will get your daughter back if I can,’ he said.

Gilwyn looked grave. ‘Don’t give him the amulet, Lukien.’

‘He doesn’t want it handed to him, Gilwyn. He wants to fight for it. So I will fight him, and I will kill him. Kamar. .’

The Jadori came to him at once, looking earnest. Because the languages of Jador and Ganjor were similar, Kamar would be their mediator. But Lukien himself spoke little Jadori, and so told Gilwyn what he wanted.

‘Gilwyn, explain it to him. Tell Kamar that I will fight the Zarturk for the girl, but that his men must leave when I defeat him. Tell him that if he has any honour at all, he will agree to these conditions.’

Gilwyn told this all to Kamar without hesitation. In the short year he’d been in Jador, the boy had picked up the language remarkably well. Kamar listened, nodded, then frowned at Lukien, who knew he didn’t approve.

‘Tell them, Kamar,’ said Lukien. ‘I can beat this bastard easily.’

They all knew it, too. Lukien’s skill at killing had shocked them all. Kamar nodded, then trotted his kreel out from their circle. He paused a good distance from the gathered raiders, shouting across the sand. The Zarturk listened intently as Kamar delivered the terms. He had unwrapped the gaka from his face and now clearly showed his smiling features. The girl still squirmed in his arms, reaching out for her mother, but the desert leader ignored her. Questions and accusations flew back and forth. Finally the Zarturk handed the girl over to one of his men.

‘What’s he doing?’ asked Calith. ‘Why don’t they bring her back?’

Paxon put a hand on her shoulder. ‘If this man wins her back, she’ll be returned.’ The Seeker looked up at Lukien. ‘Is that right? You’re going to fight for her?’

‘There’s no choice in it,’ said Lukien. ‘If you want the girl back, it’s the only way.’

‘But you will win, won’t you?’ asked Calith. She hurried up to Lukien and touched his arm. ‘You must win. I beg you.’

‘I don’t intend to die, madam,’ said Lukien. ‘Not today, at least.’

‘They call you Lukien,’ said Paxon. ‘Are you truly he?’

‘Not what you expected, eh?’

‘In Liiria you are well known, sir,’ said Paxon. He could barely contain his joy. ‘Truly then, we have found Mount Believer.’

With a grunt Lukien spun his horse around. ‘You are a superstitious man, Paxon, and you should not have come here.’

Riding away from the Seekers, Lukien let Gilwyn follow him out. They rode slowly, not saying a word until they were away from the others. The raiders in the distance watched them, while their leader the Zarturk got down from his horse and readied himself. It would be armed, unmounted combat, but Lukien wasn’t worried. He was cursed to live forever, and was sure no filthy thief would best him. Instead, his worries were for Gilwyn.

‘You’re sure you’re unhurt?’ he asked.

Gilwyn nodded anxiously. ‘Yes, I’m fine. He’s a big one, Lukien. You need to be careful.’

Lukien smiled. ‘I’m glad you’re all right. Thorin would never forgive me if anything happened to you.’

‘Lukien, are you listening to me? Be careful.’

The Bronze Knight got down from his horse. ‘Did you hear what Paxon said? They’re from Liiria.’

‘I heard.’ Gilwyn took the reins of Lukien’s horse. Under other circumstances it would have been good to see countrymen. ‘Do it as quickly as you can. Finish him fast so they don’t have time to change their minds.’

Lukien laced his fingers, then stretched his arms above his head until his back cracked. Once he killed their leader, he knew, the other raiders would leave the girl and flee. Though they were murderers and thieves, Aztar’s men didn’t lie. ‘You just stay back and protect yourself,’ said Lukien. ‘And make sure the woman Calith doesn’t try anything to get her daughter back.’ He paused a moment then asked, ‘What is this beast’s name, did Kamar say?’

Gilwyn called the question to their companions. Kamar shouted back, ‘Hirak Shoud.’

Lukien turned back toward the raiders. Hirak Shoud was smiling at the sound of his name. The burly man stepped forward, bid his fellows to stay put, and said loudly, ‘Shalafein.’

Beneath his desert robes, Lukien’s amulet throbbed. He knew that within the thing, Amaraz — the spirit of the Eye — was listening. It didn’t matter how many fools challenged him. Lukien was too skilled to lose, and Amaraz could close any mortal wound. The knight raised his sword slightly and strode out into the arena of sand. Hirak Shoud came out to greet him. Like most Ganjeese, the Zarturk carried a large curved scimitar. His gaka was black — the colour of his lord, Aztar — and the red sash around his waist bespoke his rank. His dark eyes watched Lukien carefully as they approached each other, his weapon jumping from hand to hand. Lukien paused ten paces from the man, then held up his hand. Hirak Shoud stopped as well, confused by the gesture.

‘In a moment you will be dead, Hirak Shoud,’ said Lukien. ‘You should make your peace with Vala now.’

Whether the god of the Ganjeese and Jadori existed, Lukien couldn’t say. But Hirak Shoud believed in him, and was incensed to hear an infidel utter his name. The Zarturk’s beard pulled back in a snarl and a string of curses erupted. Lukien hefted his broadsword, then waved the big man closer.

‘Come and get your lesson, fat one.’

Hirak Shoud thundered forward. Raising his blade, he quickly lowered it again with ferocious speed. Lukien ducked the blow, dancing to the side. Again the scimitar whistled, this time overhead, and again Lukien gracefully dodged it. It was easy to predict the raider’s clumsy blows. Hirak Shoud grunted, feinted left, then brought his blade forward, missing Lukien’s chest. For the knight who’d spent a lifetime in heavy armour, the freedom of the gaka was a gift. He moved like a dancer on the sand, threading his blade into Hirak Shoud’s guard, twirling his way out of every attack. Since the Zarturk was many stones heavier, his predictable attack only tired him. His face quickly reddening, he broke off the clash and pedalled backward, studying his foe anew.

‘Is this what you want?’ taunted Lukien, pulling the amulet from under his robe and dangling it before Hirak Shoud. ‘You want to live forever?’

Hirak Shoud bared his teeth and charged, this time catching Lukien in the leg. The knight cursed himself, ignored the pain, and brought his sword around. Too swift to see, the arc caught Hirak Shoud in the gut. He screamed as Lukien pulled out the blade, his black gaka swelling with blood. Astonished, he merely looked at Lukien. The scimitar fell weakly from his grip. With only the smallest pause, Lukien grimaced, held his broadsword in both fists, then hacked off Hirak Shoud’s head before his body hit the ground.

There was not a sound from either group of onlookers. Lukien sheathed his sword without wiping it clean. He went to Hirak Shoud’s head and lifted it from the sand. Across the way, the raiders looked on in mute horror. Lukien heaved the head at them. It landed with a thud and rolled to their feet.

‘Your Zarturk made a bargain,’ said Lukien. ‘Now you must honour it.’

The man who had been holding the girl Melini lowered her to the sand. Instantly she dashed toward Lukien. The knight kept his wary eyes on the raiders as the child hobbled toward him. Like Gilwyn, the girl had a bad foot. Unlike Gilwyn, however, she had no special shoe to help her walk. Behind him, Lukien heard the woman Calith shout. She hurried forward and scooped up her daughter, kissing her.

‘Thank you!’ she cried.

Lukien ordered her back to the wagon where the other Seekers waited. He watched the raiders take up Hirak Shoud’s severed head, then ride off without a word.

‘Tell your prince Lukien of Liiria is here whenever he’s man enough to face me!’ he shouted after them. ‘Tell Aztar I will take his own head next time!’

It was a bold boast but it made the knight feel better. He had never even seen Prince Aztar. Not surprisingly, Gilwyn rushed up to offer ease.

‘Lukien, your leg,’ he said. ‘You’re bleeding.’

The knight looked down at the wound Hirak Shoud had given him. There was indeed blood on his clothes, but the pain had already gone. Like the pain from his missing eye — a pain that had plagued him for years — it had been blotted up easily by the amulet.

‘I’m fine,’ he said. Gilwyn had brought his horse with him, and Lukien climbed into the saddle with no effort at all. He glanced at the Seekers, who had all gathered together to stare at him. Calith came forward with her daughter still in her arms. The tears on her cheeks told Lukien how grateful she was.

‘You saved her, and I can’t thank you enough,’ she said.

‘You saved us all.’ It was Paxon who spoke. ‘We thank you, Lukien of Liiria. All of us.’

For the first time Lukien got a good look at them. A dozen men, women, and children with some mules and a wagon to hold everything they owned. They were an image of all the Seekers who had come in search of Grimhold, poor and wretched, crippled and blind, but they were luckier than most. They had faced Aztar’s raiders and lived.

‘Where is it, Sir Lukien? Please tell us,’ said a woman of the group. Older than the rest, she spoke more to the air than to any individual. Lukien knew instantly she was blind. ‘Where is Mount Believer? Will you take us there?’

Lukien and Gilwyn glanced at each other. It was the same heartbreaking question all the Seekers asked. Ghost, who was clearly visible now, answered for them.

‘We’ll take you to a place where you’ll be safe,’ he said. The vague reply covered Lukien’s retreat. He turned his horse toward Jador and slowly led the way.

They were not as far from the city as their progress made it seem, but the slow-moving caravan of Seekers prevented them from going any faster. Lukien, with Gilwyn at his side, took the point across the Desert of Tears, heading west toward Jador. Ghost and the Jadori warriors rode several strides behind them, surrounding and protecting the Seekers, who took their turns on the wagon and mules, needing to stop frequently. Like most of the northerners who had come across the desert, their maladies varied. Curiously, Paxon himself had no discernible maladies. Rather, he seemed only possessed of an abiding curiosity about Grimhold — which he called Mount Believer. Lukien supposed he had become their leader out of sheer obstinacy. Obviously healthy, he had done a good job of protecting them. That didn’t mean they were welcome in Jador, however, which was already bursting with refugees.

By late midday the sun was at its hottest. In another hour they would reach Jador. Lukien took his waterskin from his saddle and allowed himself a long, refreshing drink. When he was done he offered the skin to Gilwyn, who took it gratefully. As the boy drank Lukien watched him, and in the harsh desert light he realised he was no longer such a boy, but very much a man. Although seventeen, Gilwyn hardly seemed his age any more. He had huge responsibilities now, like all of them, and a young woman he hoped to marry someday. That same young woman had given him regent powers over Jador, responsibility Gilwyn had taken to heart. White-Eye’s aversion to sunlight prevented her from leaving Grimhold’s dark caverns. Though she was Kahana of Jador now, she could not look upon the city her dead father had left her. But she had found a willing friend in Gilwyn, and the young man had helped her with all his usual earnestness. Jador and its thousand problems had become his own. He had worked hard the past year to rebuild the city, which had been wasted by the war with Liiria. The Jadori had lost countless men and kreels, and defending it from Aztar was a growing problem. Lukien saw lines in Gilwyn’s face that shouldn’t have been there.

‘Thanks,’ said the boy, handing back the waterskin. He had been quiet since their earlier battle, obviously troubled by what had happened. Only a year ago he had been a librarian’s apprentice in Liiria. He had been bookish and introverted, and his new role as Jador’s regent sat heavy on his shoulders.

‘You did a fine job back there,’ said Lukien. ‘I swear, you work that kreel like a Jadori.’

The compliment pleased Gilwyn. ‘It gets easier each day. Sometimes it’s like her thoughts are my own.’ He reached down and patted Emerald’s sinewy neck. Her scales turned a happy blue. She was smaller than the other kreels, a runt of the litter Gilwyn had saved from the axe. Whether the creature knew Gilwyn had saved her and appreciated it, Lukien couldn’t say. The bond between kreel and rider was a mystery to him. ‘I thought we were dead for sure,’ Gilwyn went on, ‘but Emerald kept me safe. She’s growing faster, too. Not just in how she talks to me, but in the way she moves.’

Lukien shook his head. ‘Talks to you. I’ll never get used to that.’

‘You could do it too, if you wanted,’ said Gilwyn.

‘Thank you, no. A horse is good enough for me. And don’t be so humble. Not all the Jadori work the kreel as well as you do, Gilwyn. Not even those warriors.’

Gilwyn shrugged, but his face coloured with pride.

They rode like this a few moments more, and the silence between them was easy. Lukien relaxed, but when he heard his name being called behind him he cringed.

‘Sir Lukien?’

It was Paxon. On foot, he was coming up quickly to walk beside them. His earnest face looked up at Lukien, full of questions. Lukien turned and shot an angry glare at Ghost. The Inhuman merely shrugged.

‘Sir Lukien, may I talk with you?’ asked Paxon. Because their pace was so slow the man had no trouble keeping up with the riders.

‘If you must.’

Paxon frowned. ‘You’re angry with us, I know. I’m sorry. None of us knew those men from Ganjor would attack us.’

‘They’re not from Ganjor, not precisely. Like I said, they were Prince Aztar’s men. They’re people from his tribe.’

‘But why’d they attack us?’ asked Paxon. ‘To rob us?’

‘To kill you,’ said Lukien. ‘Oh, they would have robbed you just the same, but they want you dead. All Seekers. That’s what you’re called here. Anyone who comes across the Desert of Tears is Prince Aztar’s enemy.’

‘I don’t understand,’ said Paxon. ‘Why?’

‘Because you’re not one of them,’ said Gilwyn. ‘You’re outsiders. Like us.’

‘But we do no harm. We’re only looking for a better life.’

‘Yes, you and hundreds of others,’ Lukien sighed. ‘Have you any idea how many people have come looking for Grimhold this past year? Aztar thinks this desert belongs to him. He’s proclaimed himself prince so that he can protect this desert, and he thinks you’re soiling it. That’s why his men attacked you, and that’s why he gives us no peace.’

Paxon looked suitably rebuked. ‘I am sorry. But these people have need of Mount Believer. You’ve seen them. That little girl, Melini — if she doesn’t get help she’ll be crippled always.’ He smiled up at Lukien. ‘Surely you can understand that. We come here because we must. Liiria is no fit place for good people these days.’

More than anything Paxon had said, that last bit was wounding. Lukien thought at once of Thorin, and how upset his old friend would be at the news. Of all of them, Thorin had left the most behind in Liiria.

‘So the wars go on?’ asked Gilwyn.

Paxon nodded. ‘It gets worse every day.’

‘And Koth?’ asked Lukien. ‘What news from there?’

‘We are from Koth,’ said Paxon. ‘The city is still under constant attack. Last I heard there were soldiers in the library, trying to hold the city. I don’t know if it’s still standing.’

The black news sent Lukien over the edge. ‘And just what did you think you’d find here in the desert?’ he snapped. ‘Freedom from war? Forget it.’

‘We only want to be healed,’ said Paxon. ‘I have a cancer that eats away at me every day. In a few more months I will be dead if the magicians of Mount Believer don’t save me.’

‘I’m sorry for you, then,’ said Lukien. He thought about his beloved Cassandra, and how a cancer had devoured her. ‘I know how a cancer can be.’

‘So then you see why we had to come here, Sir Lukien.’ Paxon tried to smile. ‘This place is our last hope.’

Neither Lukien nor Gilwyn had the heart to tell the man the truth. Instead Lukien said, ‘When we reach Jador you will meet with Minikin. She will answer all your questions.’

‘Minikin? Who’s that?’

‘You’ll see,’ said Lukien. ‘Now, go back and be with the others. It’s not much further to the city.’

Paxon didn’t like his answer, but didn’t question Lukien further. He fell back and rejoined his fellow Liirians. The rest of the way to Jador, Lukien barely said a word.