He clapped a hand on Gared’s shoulder. ‘The flame demons are still a ways off in the woods. Need to get in close and take them by surprise. Ent got time nor arrows to waste.’

Gared coughed. ‘Bows ent gonna be much good in all that smoke. How are we supposed to see what we’re shootin’?’

Arlen slipped down from his own saddle, feeling the thrum of the greatward beneath his bare feet. ‘When you’re in place I’ll show you your targets. Make sure no one fires till I give the word.’

Gared nodded, leading the rest of the scouts and the best archers of Newhaven out into the gloom. They hadn’t gone far before, one by one, they vanished into the smoke.

Arlen breathed deeply and Drew more power than he had ever dared, pulling on the Hollow’s entire wardnet. He felt his insides burning with the power, and knew he could not contain it long without being consumed.

‘Brace yourselves,’ he told the Hollowers, his voice carrying to every ear. Then he lifted two fingers and wrote wards of heat and air, giving shape to the energy as he released it. A huge blast of wind sprang forth, sweeping the smoke away and huffing out the flames like born-day candles.

He felt dizzy as the magic swept through his body and left, but there was no time to waste. He Drew on the greatward again, this time drawing wards to cast brilliant white light into the air, momentarily turning night into day. There, revealed in the light, were the flame demons, eyes and mouths glowing as they stood frozen, frightened by the sudden glare.

This time when the magic left him, Arlen staggered. Renna was there in an instant, grabbing one of his arms. A moment later Rojer caught the other.

Arlen let them steady him, Drawing a touch more power to send his voice carrying to the archers.

‘Fire.’

23

Trap
333 AR AutumnFirst Night of New Moon

Rojer heard the collective hum of bowstrings and the cries of the flame demons as the Hollowers exterminated them.

Rojer was still getting used to the wardsight his mask imparted, but a moment earlier he had seen Arlen glowing as bright as the sun. Now he was dim. Dimmer even than normal folk.

‘Back to the greatward,’ Arlen commanded after a moment. ‘Now.’ The light he conjured began to fail, and he slumped further, suddenly putting his full weight on Renna and Rojer. Rojer stumbled, but Renna tugged them both back upright as effortlessly as she might a small child. Quick as a cat, Rojer had his feet back under him.

He glanced up and saw the first of the Haveners returning, a triumphant look on their faces.

‘Pull yourself together,’ he said through his teeth. ‘I don’t know what that did to you, but these people need to see you on your feet.’

‘Don’t you tell him …!’ Renna began, but Arlen cut her off.

‘No, he’s right,’ Arlen said. ‘I just need a moment to …’ The luminescent mist at his feet began to rush into him, restoring his glow. He stood again, pulling free of their support. ‘There.’

The Haveners took their positions around the border once more, and Gared and the rest of the scouting party returned to where Arlen, Renna, and Rojer stood, oblivious to his moment of weakness. In the distance, the crashing sound of falling trees and ground-shaking rumble of torn stone continued unabated.

‘What in the Core are they doing?’ Gared shouted above the din.

‘It’s a trap,’ Rojer said. ‘Trying to lure us out farther.’

Arlen shook his head. ‘Why make so much noise if it’s a trap? They’re doing something. Bet my stones on it.’

‘What do we do?’ Gared asked.

‘We aren’t going to do anything,’ Arlen said. ‘I am going out to have a look.’

Renna shook her head. ‘We are going for a look.’

Arlen looked at her, and she shot him a hard glare in return. ‘Arlen Bales, don’t you think for one second I’m letting you go out there alone.’

‘Sure as spit ent asking anyone else to,’ Arlen said. ‘Drones can’t hurt me, Ren. I’ll be fine.’

‘That mimic demon hurt you,’ Renna said. ‘And the mind did worse.’

‘Ay, but now I know how to hurt ’em right back,’ Arlen said.

‘You hurt one of them,’ Renna reminded him, ‘and only after I snuck up in your warded cloak and stabbed it in the back. Who knows how many are out there tonight?’

‘Maybe it’s not a trap for us,’ Rojer said. ‘I think maybe it’s a trap for you.’

Arlen looked at him blankly.

‘He’s right,’ Renna said. ‘Second you step off the greatward, you’ll stand out like a lantern in the dark. They’ll be on you in an instant.’

Rojer bit his lip. Don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say it.

‘I’ll go,’ he said, and cursed himself. Everyone looked at him in surprise, and Rojer couldn’t blame them. He was not known for his bravery, but there was no other way. He was proud of the power he had brought back to the world with the Song of Waning, but after seeing what Arlen had just done, there was no doubt which of them was more expendable.

Arlen shook his head. ‘Don’t know your power will even work on a mind demon. Can get a cat to chase a bit of reflected light all afternoon, and drones ent much smarter, but you don’t try that trick on people.’

Rojer shrugged. ‘Even people can be blinded when you shine a light in their eyes. And didn’t I just hear Renna say Leesha’s cloak fooled it?’ He grabbed the hem of his warded motley cloak, turning a spin to let it spread out.

‘Rojer, I can’t let you—’ Arlen began.

‘No, I can’t let you,’ Rojer said. ‘I may not be able to put out forest fires with a wave of my hand, but I can do this.’

‘We can do this,’ Gared said, coming over to stand beside him. ‘Goin’ with you. Cloak Darsy made me ent as fine as yurs, but it ent ever failed me.’

‘That’s because you rarely ever use it.’ Rojer shook his head. ‘Your place is with your troops, General.’

Gared spat at his feet. ‘You may be a right little prick sometimes, Rojer, but I’ll be corespawned before I let you go out there alone.’

Rojer felt his throat tighten, but swallowed the feeling behind his Jongleur’s mask. He wanted to argue further, but in truth he felt safer with Gared than he’d ever admit.

‘Coming too,’ Renna said, pulling her own Cloak of Unsight from the bag slung over Promise’s harness and throwing it around her shoulders.

‘Ren.’ Arlen’s voice was pleading as he caught her arm.

She turned and locked stares with him. ‘Said it yourself. You can’t fret the small stuff. You’ve got mind demons to hunt, and I need to protect folk when you can’t.’

He stared at her, and she put a gentle hand on his cheek. ‘I’ll be careful, and bring them back alive.’ At last he nodded, then swept her into a hug, kissing her deeply.

‘Ay!’ Gared said. ‘Spare us the newlywed display!’

Leesha eyed Amanvah as she and Sikvah lounged on a silk couch in Thamos’ tent, their silent guardian standing over them protectively.

The count had erected the pavilion at the edge of the Corelings’ Graveyard to wait for reports and direct his forces. As usual, he had furnished the tent with all the trappings of his royal station and wealth. Inside, the walls hung with lavish tapestries, and the rugs were thick fur, soft as a kitten. The furniture was heavy polished wood, ornate, with gold inlays and filigree. And, of course, he had brought a throne.