Chaosmage (37 page)

In the lowest level she found several groups of people gathered around the wine racks. They were tapping barrels and filling up empty bottles with rich red wine. Someone offered her a couple of bottles, which she accepted and then went in search of company to share it with.

Tammy knocked on the door and went in immediately. She wasn't sure why she didn't wait for a response. Perhaps she'd been hoping to catch him doing something unpleasant, giving her an excuse to turn around.

Kovac was sat on the floor of his small
cell
-
like
room in a shirt and trousers. His ragged furs and armour were hung up on a peg on the wall. The rest of the room was tidy and organised, giving her more clues about his past before he became a mercenary. On the floor in front of him lay his sword, dagger and an oily rag. He held a second dagger in one hand and a whetstone in the other.

“Am I disturbing you?” It was a stupid thing to say but he just shook his head. “I thought you might fancy a drink. Everyone else is enjoying themselves.”

“Sounds good to me,” he said, putting his weapons aside and creating some space for her to sit down. They drank in silence for a while and Tammy tried to appreciate the taste of the wine. She knew it was expensive but wine had never been her thing. It was incredibly smooth though and her head was feeling a little fuzzy.

“I also came to apologise.”

“What for?” asked Kovac.

“I tried to kill you and the others, right before we found the Forsaken under the church.”

“You weren't yourself,” he said. Tammy wasn't used to apologising and Kovac wasn't making it easy.

“I also made assumptions about you. I said that you came here for the treasure.”

Kovac grunted. “You were right. I did.” Tammy sensed there was a lot more to his story that he wasn't telling her.

“Before that, you helped at the temple and spoke up for me against Fenne.”

“He gave his word, then tried to wriggle out of a deal. It wasn't right.”

“I'm trying to thank you. Just shut up and take the compliment,” she snapped.

Kovac blinked a couple of times before answering. “You're welcome.”

They drank some more in silence until she'd calmed down. “I want to ask you for a favour.”

“Name it,” he said.

“If the Forsaken get over the wall, I want you to make sure the children aren't taken.”

It was a difficult thing to ask of him, but it needed to be done. In this city they had all come to realise there were things worse than dying. She needed someone she could rely on. Someone who would follow through and not buckle under pressure at the critical moment. They drank some more in companionable silence while he thought it over.

“What makes you think I won't run at the first sign of trouble to save my own skin?”

“You put yourself at risk for me when you had no reason to. You're a man of honour.”

Kovac's laugh was bitter. “Not any more.”

“Well, you're a man of your word at least.”

“I am that.”

“Who were you, Kovac? Before becoming a mercenary?” It was probably something no mercenary liked to talk about, but she had to ask.

“You don't think I've always been one?”

“I'm a Guardian, remember? Most mercenaries are driven by greed or bloodlust, but neither drives you.”

“Then what does?” he asked.

“I'm not sure. At first I thought you were seeking redemption. That you were punishing yourself for something in the past, but I don't think that's it either. I think something terrible happened and you were forced to start again. I think you're just trying to survive.”

“I trusted the wrong man and lost everything.” Kovac's eyes were angry and he took three long pulls of wine before the fury in them faded. “I can never go back. So, I came here seeking my fortune.”

“I think you are a man of honour. You just hide it well from the others.”

He didn't disagree this time and Tammy didn't push it.

“And you? Why did you come here?” he asked suddenly.

“To find out what was infecting the city and stop it spreading.”

“I meant, why did you come to my room?”

Tammy put down her bottle of wine, which somehow was already half empty. Her hands were steady. “Because today could be our last. Because everyone is enjoying themselves. Because I don't want to be alone. And because I've seen how you've been looking at me since the temple.”

Kovac tried to say something but she silenced him by pulling him close and kissing him. He tasted of wine and smelled of leather and oil. His beard tickled her face and she tried to remember the last time she'd kissed someone. The last time someone had held her. The last time she'd been at peace.

“No more words,” she murmured, pulling up Kovac's shirt and lifting it over his head. Running a hand across his chest she found several old scars, but their stories and the world outside would have to wait.

A
s night fell on the last camp in Voechenka Zannah lit the torches above the gate and resumed her post on the wall, perhaps for the last time.

The air was cool but there was no frost on the streets and the sky was clear of any clouds. A full moon sat fat and heavy overhead. It offered some light but it was sickly yellow and made it look as if the whole city was dying.

The darkness stretched out in all directions as far as Zannah could see. Beyond their camp there wasn't another living soul who remained free. There was only the endless night and the Forsaken.

The wraith was back. She was leaning in an empty window of a nearby building and seemed unable to stop smiling. She looked delighted by the forthcoming battle and Zannah actually saw her rub her hands in glee at one point. In mockery of the Blessed Mother she put her left hand over her heart and blew a kiss at Zannah.

It had taken the Morrin months to realise who she was. It was the only answer that made sense. Hers was a blessing Zannah had neither pursued nor wanted. Only a fool would think being regarded as her champion was a good thing. She was an immortal
black
-
hearted
bitch who cared for no one.

Behind Zannah in the courtyard Tammy and the mercenaries were handing out weapons to everyone who could fight. There were some who were too old or too scared. They would be secured on the lowest level of the building with the children.

Alyssa had ordered a temporary hospital to be set up on the ground floor, with every room being converted to care for the wounded. Those held in reserve to fight would wait in the courtyard and drag the injured away to be cared for by the priests.

Tammy was attempting to organise people into squads but it was slow work. Each team would be led by at least one mercenary in an attempt to give them some order amid the chaos that would follow. The air was thick with tension, and not just because of the forthcoming battle. Some of the defenders had been humiliated, debased and treated as slaves by mercenaries in other camps. Now they were being asked to follow their orders. It made for an uneasy atmosphere.

Alyssa had not made a speech about why they had to forget about past crimes and fight together, because everyone already knew. Tonight they would fight as one, united as the living against the undead. If anyone survived and saw the dawn, then there would be time to settle old grudges.

All along the wall more torches were being lit and stacks of wine bottles lined up. They had been distilling wine since they'd first moved into the winery. It had provided them with fuel and light and now it would be a weapon against the Forsaken. Fire cleansed and purified and none could escape its wrath.

Alyssa made a circuit around the wall, checking that everything was in place, before coming to stand beside Zannah. Together they looked into the dark for a while in silence.

“I need to tell you something,” said Alyssa. “It's about Roake.” Zannah said nothing and waited. “He's asked for something in return for helping us.”

“He could not even climb the rope. How can he help us fight?”

“That's not why he's here. He's neither one of us nor one of them. Alive or dead.”

Zannah could hear the sympathy in her voice but she ignored it. She wanted to continue feeling nothing for Roake. “Then how can he help us?”

“When the time is right, he'll tell you.”

Zannah pondered this for a while. Whatever Roake was offering was not something she would like.

“And what is his price?” she asked.

Alyssa placed her right hand over her heart, which she only did when thinking of praying to the Blessed Mother. “He believes taking his own life is a grave sin. He said it has to be you.”

Zannah bared her teeth but said nothing. While they fought for their lives against the Forsaken he would cower in a dark corner and wait for it to be over. Then, if anyone survived he would dole out whatever nugget of information he had. It might prove useful to them, but his help would be meaningless if everyone was taken and changed. If that happened the Forsaken would kill him, as he could not become one of them. Whatever the outcome he would get his wish.

“He is a maggot,” said Zannah, suddenly feeling something more than guilt for what had happened to Roake. Her hatred of him was starting to burn away any blame she carried for his current situation. “I will make him tell me what he knows and then kill him now.”

“Not yet. Besides, I think there will be plenty of death without adding one more body.” Alyssa's eyes passed over those in the courtyard and she quietly whispered a prayer. Only now was she coming to terms with what Zannah had known for some time. Very few, if any of her people, would survive the night. Zannah admired Alyssa for many things, especially maintaining her faith in the face of the horrors they'd experienced, but now she had realised the truth.

Balfruss slowly made his way across the courtyard and up the stairs. Zannah noticed he still had heavy shadows under his eyes, but his face was not quite as drawn and pale. He moved like a much older man, but that wouldn't matter as long as his skill remained.

“Your magic?” asked Alyssa, and Balfruss shook his head.

“As long as I don't try to do much with it, I'm fine,” he said with a bitter smile. “Once I'm free of this place I'm confident it will return to normal. For now I'll just have to let this speak for me,” he said, tapping the axe on his belt. Zannah noticed he hadn't said when he left this place, only that he would be free of it.

“We could use your help leading a squad,” said Alyssa.

“It's the least I can do,” he answered. “I have one last errand and then I'll be ready.”

He went back inside, moving through the crowd without anyone paying attention. When he had first arrived people had thought him a saviour and looked at him with reverence. Now they understood the truth. That for all of his past accomplishments he was just flesh and blood like everyone else, and he could die just like them.

Balfruss glanced into a few of the rooms on the ground floor as he went past. Stacks of bandages, towels, blankets and crude medical equipment were piled up in every room. The priests were checking that everything was ready or sat praying with their eyes closed. Over the last few weeks he'd not learned a great deal about them but he knew them all to be caring people who sought only to protect and preserve life. They were also human and he suspected several were asking for courage to get them through the next few hours.

At the end of the hall he came face to face with Kai, just coming out of one of the rooms. The plague priest stopped and offered what was probably intended to be a friendly smile. “Hello there,” he said. When Balfruss didn't reciprocate he glanced around and lowered his voice. “Something I can do for you, Sorcerer?”

“Can you stop what's about to happen? Can you save their lives?” said Balfruss, gesturing behind him.

Kai's grimace was almost human. “No. It's not permitted. We can't change the course of major events. If I saved everyone here the ripples of that decision would echo for a long time.”

Balfruss wondered who had made the rule and who Kai was answerable to, but he didn't ask, afraid of what the answer might reveal.

“Then can you at least protect those in the lower levels? Can you stop any Forsaken getting to them?”

“I can do that,” promised Kai. He gestured for Balfruss to follow him and they went down a set of stairs to the next level. All of the rooms along the corridor were deserted.

“Stay there,” said Kai, before walking to the far end of the corridor. As he passed each doorway the shadows seemed to thicken, seeping across the floor like fog. The darkness crawled and clumped together until the ground was completely obscured. Next the shadows started to rise into the air with black tendrils and spread out, becoming denser by the second. By the time Kai reached the far end of the corridor Balfruss could barely see him. He blinked a few times and the fog became a wall of complete darkness.

Somewhere in the void a pair of red eyes appeared, glowing with an alien light. The two eyes became four, then eight, then more. A hundred eyes blinked in unison and he heard the rustling of something large brushing against the stone walls.

If any Forsaken made it this far they would soon regret it when they came face to face with what lurked in the dark. Backing away slowly, Balfruss retraced his steps and breathed a sigh of relief when he was back in the courtyard.

Despite their best efforts to appear brave, Balfruss could see that most people were afraid of what awaited them. The Forsaken were not just people from another country that sought to conquer and enslave them. They were something else entirely, alien and unnatural. Something that wanted to invade their minds and take over their bodies. The Forsaken would consume them and then continue using their bodies after death.

The thought of that, alone, was difficult for them to cope with. Balfruss thought it best they remain ignorant of what was lurking in the dark below.

Tammy finished organising the last squad and after
double
-
checking
that they knew what to do, sat down to rest and gather her thoughts. Kovac was standing with another group of local people, all of them determined to fight despite only one of them having ever held a weapon. They were all pale and scared. Everyone had been given hot food earlier in the day, but one good meal wasn't enough to build their strength. They were out of time. They just had to try and hope for the best.

Once Kovac had finished demonstrating a series of weapon moves to his squad he came across to sit down beside her. Neither of them had spoken about what had happened and while she didn't regret it, Tammy wasn't sure if she should say something. Kovac was equally taciturn and had treated her no differently than before, which she appreciated.

“Do you think anyone will survive?” he whispered, being careful that his voice didn't carry very far.

“It depends. All we can do is try.”

Tammy suspected that the Forsaken had greater numbers than them, but when someone was turned it didn't make them into a warrior. They were more savage and driven, but the people in the winery had nowhere else to go and they knew what would happen if they were overrun. She also knew how hard people fought when they were defending their home and families.

All she knew for certain was that it would be brutal and bloody.

“Any regrets?” asked Kovac.

“A few, but not recent ones. What about you?” she asked.

“No, just old scores I wish I'd settled. I might not get the chance now.”

A cry went up on the wall and all eyes turned towards a woman pointing and shouting. Her words were lost in the clamour that followed but Tammy didn't need to hear what she'd said.

She already knew. They all knew. The Forsaken were coming.