'She did, you know. She'd never allow herself to be burned and her ashes scattered. She was looking for a way out.'
'But perhaps not quite like this, eh?'
'She knew she was going to die. She told me.'
'Just sit down. I'll fill your goblet.'
Jhered's fledgling hope that Herine had clawed her way back to reason died. Her voice was distant, unconnected. He knew he shouldn't leave her but he had no other choice. He poured more wine into her goblet and handed it to her. She would have dropped it but he closed both her hands around it. She clutched it hard.
'She escaped us again, didn't she?'
'In a manner of speaking.' Jhered straightened. 'Don't leave this room. Do you understand? Herine?' She nodded eventually.
'I'll bring help and then I'll take you to your daughter. You'll be all right?'
'Of course,' she said. 'I am the Advocate.'
'Yes, you are the Advocate. Hang on to that. I'll be back.'
Outside the room, Jhered paused only to explain to the guards the penalty for going inside. There had been an accident, he said, but the Advocate was safe. Once out of sight on the stairs, down to and through the gardens and across the square to the Academy, he ran like he hadn't for thirty years. He was sure Vasselis would be with the Ascendants. It was where the Marshal always went when he arrived at the palace. And if he was lucky, he would find everyone else he wanted there too, despite the early hour.
Jhered tried hard to focus his thoughts so he could deliver the news coherently but the same line thundered through his head. The Advocate had killed the Chancellor. And as a result, at the exact worst moment in the Conquord's history, there was going to be trouble in the City like they'd never seen before.
'We should be celebrating, not worrying about what a few Order ministers might say on the steps of their Houses of Masks,' said Ossacer the moment Jhered told them all the news.
They were all awake. In truth, sleep had been difficult to come by. The corridors still echoed to the memories of fear and the Chancellery held the taint of blood on the air. It would probably never be scrubbed away. It was uncomfortable but the Ascendants refused to give up their central meeting place.
The arrival of the Advocate along with Vasselis and Tuline had sparked an immediate gathering of the senior military and the Ascendancy. Marcus Gesteris, Arvan Vasselis and Elise Kastenas were sitting along one side of a table with a man whom a rare stroke of pure fortune had brought into port. Admiral Karl Iliev, Prime Sea Lord of the Ocetanas these days but still Squadron Leader of the Ocenii Squadron. Largely because no one had the guts to tell him he shouldn't still row with the Conquord's elite marines.
On the other side of the table
, Arducius, Ossacer, Mirron and
Hesther Naravny. All of them had a couple of hours on Jhered in terms of the numbers and discussions. But his news had just dropped an onager stone on the maps, diagrams and sheets of figures.
'That's something coming from the man with the most rigid personal ethical system in the Conquord,' said Jhered.
'There are exceptions to every rule,' said Ossacer quietly. 'She betrayed us. She got what she deserved.'
Jhered sighed. 'I'll say this just
once for everyone's benefit. Os
sacer, your going to the Chancellor and bleating about the rights and wrongs of your work for God is directly responsible for the situation we now face.'
‘I
—'
'Shut up, I am talking.' It was so hard to stare down Ossacer. He fixed you with those blind eyes full of passion. Jhered did it this time, though. 'You misunderstood her fatally. You're lucky to be alive. Others were not so fortunate. And I expect you to make recompense for your stupidity.'
An uncomfortable silence fell across the table. Ossacer had blushed crimson and was staring down at his papers. Vasselis was looking at him without sympathy. Iliev had a smile on his face. No one else betrayed too much. Jhered sat down at the head of the table.
'However, I agree that she got what she deserved. But not the manner of her death. And what it means is that we have to factor in Ascendant and Academy security. There are two legions of the Armour of God in or around Estorr. The citizens are already against you and the Order will keep that passion fired.'
'You think we should leave the city?' asked Arducius.
'And go where?' responded Elise Kastenas. 'There are only three of you capable of battlefield work. Which front would you like to defend?'
'The one Gorian is attacking,' said Ossacer. it's the only choice.'
it isn't that simple,' said Mirron. 'He doesn't have to be present to keep the dead attacking. That means we don't know where he is.'
'Except that Harban was following him north and not west,' said Jhered.
'What information do we have on movements in Atreska and Gosland?' asked Jhered.
'Very little,' said Gesteris. 'Rumours of reverses in Atreska, nothing from Gosland. All we know is that twelve thousand were on the border, being watched by Davarov and half that approached Gosland where Roberto would have been waiting.'
'Neither force will hold,' said Jhered. 'Not without Ascendants and masses of artillery. I sent Harkov through Atreska. He should be back soon if he's coming at all.'
'Sorry, Paul.'
'Yes, Elise?'
'You're so sure border defences will fail? Mirron has been trying to explain but apparently spent much of her time, well, incapacitated.'
'Under the ice, yes.' Jhered smiled. 'And yes, I'm sure. I spent plenty of time thinking about it. All you have to do is create a few dead, be it by disease or arrow or whatever, in amongst your enemy force. Then wake them up and get them swinging blades against people who in the first place, won't be expecting it and in the second, can't stop you without cutting off your legs.'
'Sounds to me like you need a whole new way of fighting,' said Iliev. 'I can sink their ships like I always could. And I don't have much of a problem with fire, either. Not like the legions tied to the Order Speakers who march with you. If you take my advice, you'll leave them at home or gag them and then just do what is necessary with everything you have. In the end, we are all soldiers and we kill to keep our lands safe. Our methods cannot concern us because if they do, we will fail.'
'You cannot afford to think like that,' said Ossacer. 'Give me strength,' said Arducius. 'Ossie, it's too late for that, isn't it?'
'Is it? You're all talking disaster and we actually have no idea whether the threat is big enough to actually harm us. Except Paul and Mirron, none of us have actually seen anything or heard any concrete news.'
'So we wait until one of Gorian's dead taps us on the shoulder and introduces himself?' asked Arducius. 'You read the reports of the last war. Elise's predecessor nearly cost us the Conquord by doing nothing much until it was almost too late.'
'Took my words,' said Kastenas. 'But Ossacer is right. We know dates of enemy arrivals on our borders so we also know worst-case progress. We know Gestern is compromised but we have seen no ships threatening us and the Ocetanas are patrolling.'
'None will make landfall on our eastern seaboard,' said Iliev.
Jhered believed him utterly. 'Good to hear. And keep the Isle secure. If they get in there
...'
'They will not.'
'We do have time to counteract land forces at present,' continued Kastenas.
‘I
am prepared to wait until we hear accurate reports but we have to be prepared to move. That means you three Ascendants need to have your bags packed. Marcus and Paul need to have the powder cased to take out into the field. Sorry, Paul, but I have to repeat this. Because we have lost the support of Tundarra and Phaskar as well as Dornos, our main focus has to be the Neratharn-Atreska border. We can move anywhere from there and it is there I want the muster.'
'No horses,' said Jhered.
'Pardon?'
'They'll run. The Karku gorthock would not face the dead. There is no reason to expect any animal to do so. God-surround-me, precious few men and women will.'
‘I
can't run legions without cavalry, Paul, be serious.'
'Trust me, we have to find other ways to fight because a gladius in the throat won't stop them either. Focus your thoughts there and warn the generals. They can throw out all the rules and everything they've ever learned. They have to stop them because they can't kill them.'
'Build the walls high and pour burning tar over the edges,' said Iliev.
'It's a good start,' said Vasselis. 'But as Paul indicated, that won't stop the enemy within.'
'We'll do that,' said Ossacer. 'By getting Gorian.'
'So you keep saying.' Jhered spread his hands. 'Time for action.'
Ossacer stood up. 'You want recompense from me? Just watch.'
He started for the door but stopped short, cocking his head.
'What is it Ossie?' asked Mirron.
'Not sure.' He opened the door. 'Sounds like bells or something.' 'Too early for dawn watch,' said Jhered.
'Coming from the harbour,' said Ossacer.
‘I
can see the vibrations through the air.'
‘I
can't—' said Kastenas.
Iliev put a hand on her arm.
‘I
hear it.' He frowned. 'That cannot be right.'
'What is it?' asked Ossacer. 'What does it mean?' 'Shipwreck,' said Iliev. 'Flotsam in the harbour.'
They only needed the one horse.
'You really can't ride? I thought you were joking,' said Jhered, heaving himself up into the saddle in the palace paddocks.
Iliev looked at him askance, his deep set eyes piercing. He swung up behind Jhered, his powerful frame thumping down. The horse steadied himself.
'What use do I have for riding, Exchequer Jhered?'
'Fair enough but hang on. It'll be uncomfortable.'
Jhered put his heels to the stallion's flanks. They'd had the same immediate hunch. Whoever had rung the bells, accurately or not, was calling them down to the harbour. There were some answers washing in on the morning tide, they could feel it.
On the gallop through heavily patrolled predawn streets, Jhered had time to consider what an extraordinary sight they must have made. The Exchequer of the Conquord and the Prime Sea Lord of the Ocetanas on a borrowed cavalry stallion ripping along the cobbles of Estorr to the harbour. Curious times.
If only the citizens knew the other half of the rumours the Order had fed them. They wouldn't just be off the streets, they'd be hammering up the barricades.
'How did we ever get to this?' muttered Jhered.
'Some things are a lifetime in the making,' replied Iliev, catching his words.
The hoof beats echoed against wall and shutter. Early tradespeople were moving stock down to the forums. Wagon wheels rattled, hinges and timbers protested under their burdens. Nearer the harbour, the city was coming to life again. It would be another anxious day. Many would try and live and work as normal but always with an eye on where trouble might flare, where the effigies would be burned and declamations made. Estorr was deeply unsettled and it was a situation certain to worsen.
Quite a crowd was gathered on the dockside. Several hundred workers had abandoned cargo nets, blocks and tackle and warehouse floors. Every eye was on the harbour, its dark waters lit by multiple lanterns held by harbour officials on a dozen longboats. They were in a ring around something.
Jhered and Iliev dismounted, handed the horse's reins to a harbour guard and pushed their way to the front of the growing throng. Jhered didn't have to shout people aside. The word that he was among them was enough to see them make passage for him.
'Does this always happen for you?' asked Iliev.
'Sometimes, being me does have its benefits,' admitted Jhered.
'Too many people here.' Iliev hunched his shoulders. 'I can't understand how you can live in a place like this.'
'The sea calling you back, is it, Karl?'
'Ocetarus never ceases his song and the lords and ladies of the ocean beckon me each morning.'
They reached the dockside. It was mainly clear of ships. Most had left on the evening tide last night. More would take their place, sailing in as the sun blessed the white walls and red slates of Estorr. At first, Jhered couldn't make out what it was the pilot longboats were surrounding.
'What do you have there?' he called, his voice carrying over the ambient noise of the crowd, amplified by the calm harbour waters. A lantern was raised and swung in his direction.