King's Artesan: Artesans of Albia trilogy (Artesans Series Book 3) Read online

  She paused for breath. Robin took a worried glance at Bull’s bloodless face and unwisely tried to defend him. “Isn’t that a little harsh, Major? Bull and the others were worried about you. They only came because they cared.”

  She rounded on him, her intense glare making him throw up his hands in defense. “Did I ask for your opinion, Captain? You are just as much at fault for keeping this folly from me. You encouraged it, and do not think I have forgotten. Now, I was not talking to you, so keep silent!”

  Robin shrugged, giving Bull an apologetic glance. He knew when he was beaten.

  The pirates watched this display of spleen with astonishment, and Vanyr’s mouth remained open. Bull lay back, tears shining in his eyes. “The last thing I wanted was to distress you.”

  “Distress me?” she yelled. “How dare you speak of distress?” She flung out her good arm in Vanyr’s direction. “There is someone who knows about distress. Ask him! Go on! Ask the Commander how distressed I was an hour ago. Ask him how panicked I was when you were lying there with no breath and no heartbeat. Ask him how much pain I went through to keep you alive. By all the heavens and hells, Bulldog, do not speak to me of distress!”

  She stared at him through brimming eyes, her fear and her love for him plain on her face.

  Her fury drained abruptly, leaving her shivering. The mental image of him lying there dead was enough to calm her temper and make her realize that the last thing he needed was more stress. Tears spilled down her cheeks and the smile she gave him was made of pure love.

  “Bloody hell, Bulldog,” she sighed, her voice trembling with exhaustion.

  He wiped his eyes and regarded her sidelong. “Am I forgiven, then?”

  She choked back a laugh. “You might at least have the grace to wait until I am through being mad at you!” Her eyes closed briefly. “You are a bloody great useless ox, Hal Bullen. I cannot think why I bother with you. It must be because I love you. But let me warn you, if you ever put me through anything like that again, I will have your balls for breakfast!”

  Vanyr spluttered over his fellan, and Robin slapped him on the back. Sullyan turned to Ky-shan. “Have you any of that hideous rum about you, Ky?”

  The pirate stared, amazed at the complete turn-around of her mood. Then he grinned and produced a small brown bottle. She took it and gulped down a healthy swallow straight from the neck. Coughing, she wiped it and passed the bottle back.

  Bull gaped at her. “But Sully … you don’t drink!”

  “See what you have reduced me to?” she snapped, but her voice was warm.

  Looking contrite, he held out his arm. She crossed to sit beside him, wrapped in his embrace. Ky-shan passed his bottle around the men and the atmosphere slowly returned to normal.

  Chapter Six

  Once the alcohol had mellowed her mood, and the memory of Bull’s brush with death had lost some of its sting, Sullyan told Robin and the pirates what she had learned from Taran concerning Sonten and the Staff. When Robin heard how vital it was for Sullyan to gain possession of the Staff, it took all her powers of command to prevent him from rushing off into the night once more.

  “Strategy and planning, Robin,” she cautioned him. “Remember your training.” He flushed and subsided, and she turned to the pirate leader beside her. “Ky-shan, can you spare some men to go with Robin in the morning?”

  The pirate cocked his head at her. “They’ve already volunteered to go, Lady. All of them. Although, I’m going to leave at least one man here with you.”

  Ki-en spoke up. “I will stay, Ky-shan.”

  Jay’el glanced at him. “I’ll stay too, Father.”

  Ky-shan nodded his approval.

  Vanyr stirred by the fire, drawing their attention. Sullyan was astonished when he said, “I will go with the Captain too, if he’ll have me. I have just spoken with Anjer, and he agrees with me—for once.” He smiled wryly, and she grinned. “He is sending out a patrol at dawn to escort you back to the Citadel, Brynne. You’ll need help with Bull and Taran here.”

  Bull opened his mouth to speak, and even Taran roused from his exhaustion, but Sullyan stared them both down. “Do not even think it. Neither of you can cross the Veils at present, and for once you will both obey orders.” Glaring, she dared them to argue.

  “Yes, ma’am,” they chorused, drawing sympathetic chuckles from Ky-shan’s men.

  She turned back to Vanyr and clasped his arm. “Thank you, Torman.”

  He waved away her thanks, but sat watching her while she wound up the discussion.

  It was very nearly midnight, and as none of them had had much sleep the night before or rest during the day, they began to turn in. Robin and Sullyan drew slightly apart from the others, leaving Taran and Bull together by the fire with Vanyr watching over them. Robin took Sullyan into the circle of his arms and they sat silently, communing with each other. This would be the first time they had been apart since Sullyan had sent Robin back to Albia from Marik’s mansion, and she sensed he liked it even less now than he had then.

  “I am not alone now, Robin,” she murmured. “I will be quite safe. It is for me to fear for you this time. Please hear me, my love. Let Torman and Ky-shan counsel you. Make use of their strength, and take no unnecessary risks. Remember, your primary objective is to rescue Cal. Forget the Staff until after he is safe. If you must, let Sonten take it. He cannot use it himself, and I suspect it will take this other man, Heron, some time to learn its control. We can deal with them later. Keep yourself and your command safe and return to me as soon as you can. Now, I suggest we try to sleep. There is little enough left of the night, and you must leave by dawn.”

  Kissing, they held each other close, Robin mindful of her painful left arm. Then they wrapped themselves in shared blankets near the fire and settled to sleep, safe in the knowledge that Ky-shan’s men were on watch.

  *****

  Sullyan’s instinctive time-sense, developed over years of training, woke her well before dawn. The men of the camp roused efficiently and quietly, so quietly that neither Bull nor Taran, who still needed all the rest they could get, were disturbed. In very short order, the horses were saddled and those who were leaving for Albia stood grouped around Robin. Sullyan stood beside him as he prepared to mount Torka. He had recovered his sword from among the weapons left behind by Sonten’s band, and had buckled a light crossbow to his saddle rings, along with a quiver full of short, deadly bolts. With a final tug at its straps, he turned to hug Sullyan.

  “Go swiftly, Robin,” she said. “Your powers are strong enough now to open a tunnel directly onto the river below the ridge behind the Manor. You remember the technique?” He nodded. “As soon as you can, contact General Blaine and explain the situation. Ask him to spare you a company. Our own, for preference. But Robin,” she cautioned, seeing the hard look on his face, “mind you ask nicely.”

  He feigned a hurt expression. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  She smiled, appreciating his clumsy attempt to lighten the mood. “Sonten should not be too far ahead of you, and, with any luck, he will have a nasty shock when he prepares to cross the Veils. At least, he will if he expects Cal to supply the means.”

  Vanyr, already mounted, frowned. “Why’s that, Major?”

  She turned to him. “Cal is only Apprentice-elite, and newly fledged at that. He has neither the skills nor the strength to open a trans-Veil tunnel. Neither could he fix the destination of a portway. So, unless the two Artesans Sonten has with him are far more skilled, the General will have to take a chance on his point of entry into Albia. I doubt he is familiar with the lesser towns and villages of our land, and Taran only told him the name of his village, not its exact location. Your timely arrival last night prevented that. We, on the other hand, know precisely where he needs to go, so that should give you every chance of arriving before him.

  “Do not forget that the villagers are vulnerable innocents. Do all you can to protect them. Engage Sonten in the fields, if you can.” She swept
them with a concerned gaze. “You should go. The light is increasing, and Sonten will be on the move. Do not fear for me. We will return to the Citadel. No doubt Anjer’s escort will meet us on the way. Robin, my love, take care.”

  With a final clasp of her hand, Robin vaulted into Torka’s saddle. Wheeling the horses, the company disappeared through the trees. Ky-shan was last to go, and as he passed Sullyan, he said, “Don’t worry, Lady, we’ll watch out for him.”

  “Thank you, Ky,” she murmured, watching him spur his horse after Robin.

  *****

  Followed by Vanyr and the pirates, Robin rode as fast as he dared through the dense woods. The light increased steadily. He was content to trail Sonten for now because he didn’t hold out much hope of catching him before he crossed into Albia. Sonten would have quickly realized he had shaken his pursuers last night, and Robin was sure the General would have wasted no time discovering how little his remaining captive knew about traveling the Veils. What this had cost Cal, Robin dared not think.

  It was what Robin himself would have done—learn your enemy’s strengths and weaknesses before planning your final strategy. Therefore, despite last night’s chaotic events and the darkness which would have made it tricky finding a suitable place to cross the Veils, Robin wouldn’t be at all surprised to learn that Sonten was already in Albia. If that was the case, then he stood little chance of tracking the General directly. Had Robin known the patterns of either of the two Artesans in Sonten’s party, he might have been able to follow their echo through the substrate. He did not. He didn’t even know their rank, so it was entirely possible that at least one of them had the strength or knowledge to open a tunnel for Sonten, maybe even one large enough to take his whole party through at once. Therefore, Robin’s plan was to find a suitable boundary, set up a tunnel, and pass through to the Manor as quickly as possible. Then, hopefully with Blaine’s help, he could prevent Sonten from reaching Taran’s village.

  He told his thoughts to Vanyr and Ky-shan as they rode. Both men nodded. Vanyr then mentioned the factor that was taxing Robin. “If Sonten does need Cal to open the Veils, he’ll have to take the spellsilver off him, won’t he? We would be able to find him. He would surely try to contact one of you, tell you where he is.”

  “Perhaps,” conceded Robin. “Trouble is, he doesn’t know what has happened. He was unconscious all through last night. Sonten might have told him the rest of us are dead, and Cal won’t know truth from lie. But Sonten won’t use Cal unless both his own Artesans are Apprentices. Why take the risk? And I think this Heron we’ve heard about must be ranked higher than that. Otherwise he’d stand no chance of learning to use the Staff.” He grimaced. “There are too many unknowns for me. I prefer to rely on facts. I know where Sonten’s headed, and if I can get there first, so much the better. I like an ambush, Commander. They’re neat, tidy, and usually very effective.”

  Vanyr smiled. “Do you think we could get hold of this Staff thing before Sonten even arrives? Can you imagine how furious he’d be if we did?”

  Robin shrugged. “I doubt it. Taran says it’s buried under tons of rubble and would take days to dig out. It sounds like it would take hours even if we had an entire company digging. No, Commander. Much as I would like to taunt Sonten with it, I want to concentrate on rescuing Cal. Once we have him safe, we can turn our attention to digging out the Staff. Now, have you any idea how much farther these damned woods extend?”

  Having made the decision not to hunt Sonten on the Andaryan side of the Veils, they made better time. Vanyr knew where the forest boundary was and guided Robin toward it, the Captain’s mind and nerves churning as he rode. Despite Sullyan’s avowal that he was strong enough for this next task, Robin was anxious. Fixing the egress of a trans-Veil tunnel was a Master-level skill. He knew the mechanics of it—the theory was easy to learn. The problem was having the sheer strength of will to direct where it opened, and he knew he would need every ounce of concentration he could muster. At least Vanyr’s Journeyman strength could help him if he faltered.

  They didn’t stop for a noon meal, but ate while riding. They slackened pace to allow the horses some rest for an hour or so, then Robin picked it up once more. By early evening they had reached the forest boundary on the border between the Hierarch’s province and Kymer.

  Robin called a halt to breathe the horses and sat regarding the land spread out before him. They had headed steadily southeast and, if they continued on, would eventually reach Rykan’s palace. Briefly, Robin wondered if that was Sonten’s immediate objective, rather than Taran’s village. A secure base from which to extract more information from Cal in relative safety. Yet he soon dismissed the notion. Sonten must know he was being pursued, and he would also know that his destination was obvious to anyone who knew Cal and Taran. He would want to make all possible speed.

  Despite his lack of confidence, Robin knew he had to attempt the crossing before camping for the night. Once back on Albian soil, he could contact General Blaine in safety and set things at the Manor in motion.

  He turned to Ky-shan and Vanyr, both watching to see what he had decided. “It has to be tonight.”

  They nodded, having expected no less.

  “I have to tell you,” he added, the candor of his tone drawing their eyes, “that I have never done this before. Sullyan says I am capable, and she should know, but I’m not confident. I’m warning you now. I might need help with this, Commander, if you’re willing.”

  “My name is Torman, Captain, and I am at your disposal,” said Vanyr. “I don’t believe the Major would have told you you’re ready if you’re not. But if my skills can help you, don’t hesitate to ask.”

  Robin gave a sigh of relief. “Thanks.”

  He dismounted, taking a steadying breath. “This is a likely place for me to form the tunnel, because that line of rocks there will make a good barrier against leaks. This is what I propose. Most of these horses have never been through the Veils before, so I think we should blindfold them. Sometimes they spook, and I can do without loose horses ruining my concentration. Any of the men who are nervous can wear blindfolds too, if it helps. Going through the Veils can play tricks with your eyes. Ky-shan, will you organize that?”

  The stocky seaman nodded. Turning to his men, he gave the order to dismount. Vanyr also dismounted and laid a hand on Robin’s shoulder. “I have faith in you, Adept-elite. If Brynne Sullyan has had a hand in your training, you know far more than you think. You do know she’s Pharikian’s metaphysical equal, don’t you?”

  Robin frowned. “What, Senior Master? You sure? She never mentioned it.”

  Vanyr shrugged. “She’s not admitting it to herself yet. I suppose she’s got other things on her mind. But I could feel it when we linked, and I know Pharikian’s capabilities very well. If she comes through this, don’t be surprised if he has something planned for her.”

  Sudden tears pricked Robin’s eyes. There were too many ‘ifs’ to be resolved. These past few months had been the hardest, yet also some of the sweetest, of his short life. He had never known such emotional turmoil since his sister Jessy’s illness and death. It was almost too much to bear.

  As if in understanding, Vanyr squeezed his shoulder. “Come on, Captain. Let’s get to work.”

  Ky-shan had organized his men well, and many of them already sported blindfolds. Most of the horses did too, and they stood quietly, lined up nose to tail for safety. Vanyr told Robin that neither his nor Ky-shan’s mounts would baulk. On hearing this, Robin asked the Commander to lead the column through, with Ky-shan bringing up the rear. All that remained was for him to open the way.

  He stood beside the blessedly steady Torka, the big chestnut’s ears pricked and alert, sensing his master’s tension. Robin looped the reins over one arm and took a few deep breaths. He was aware of Vanyr’s encouraging eyes upon him and Ky-shan’s expectant expression. Hoping he wouldn’t show himself up, he began.

  The first task was to isolate the portion of his com
plex psyche that related to Earth and attune himself to it. This was easy—it was a basic Apprentice skill. Once immersed in and surrounded by the signature of Earth, Robin sent his senses deep into the ground beneath his feet, feeling for the ponderous power, keeping the solid, symmetrical quality of it firmly in his mind. He felt relief as it responded to his will, rising smoothly up from the bedrock and soil to form the shimmering grey structure of a trans-Veil opening. As it took shape in the air above the natural rocky outcrop Robin had chosen as his starting point, the Captain fixed his thoughts very firmly on a specific area of the Manor’s vast lands, namely the edge of the stream below the ridge where he and Bull had watched Taran take his final step toward the rank of Adept. Locking this location in his mind, he pushed forward on the power, easing it through the Veils.

  As it slipped through each barrier, he anchored the structure, still holding firmly to his destination. Then the final barrier gave way and he smiled in relief when he saw a familiar landscape of water and a riverbank open out before him. Desperate not to lose his concentration, he gestured to Vanyr.

  The tall Commander nudged his horse forward and rode slowly through the grey, color-shot tunnel. He had drawn his sword—Robin would have done the same—but once he was through, the Captain could see there was nothing to trouble him. Robin then signaled for the column to start moving, and they slowly shuffled forward in single file. Thanks to the blindfolds, all the horses went calmly. Robin allowed himself to relax. Even one spooking at the wrong moment could have caused him to lose control, and had the structure collapsed it would have stranded the column somewhere in another land. Finding them again would not necessarily be difficult, but it would be tiring and time-consuming.