ducked into a low open door in the hut.
The darkness was total, the icy air dank with decay. She kept still, listening as their footsteps drew near.
“...don’t want you pair splitting up, hear? You’re t' move through the yards t'gether, watching for that witch - ”
“Why don’t we go up ahead, Tavo, 'n' get some of the other lads - ”
There was the sound of blow and a stifled cry.
“We don’t have time, pigfool. We have to stop her getting t' the coronation. So yell do what you’re told and I’ll be up on that bluff, looking down till she shows herself.”
“'m sorry, Tavo. Keep 'membering how Olber went and got 'is chest burned out. Horrible it was…”
“Well, don’t remember and don’t think. Just do what I said, and while you’re moving along, keep looking up t' me…”
There were murmurs of assent, the sound of footsteps receding. Nerek relaxed a little, letting tension ease in her neck and back, but her thoughts were in a spin.
We have to stop her getting to the coronation?
She had been invited to the ceremony as a private citizen, not to carry out any official role. Yet these brigands wanted her kept away from it, for some dark reason. She would have to get to the Five Kings dock and find out the truth, but without any powers how could she win past these hunters? How much luck was left to her?
Luck is a weapon without hilt or edge, child
…
Nerek froze. The words were quietly spoken in an old woman’s voice from close by yet she could not tell the direction.
Best to employ other sure means - subterfuge and stealth are more useful.
As she turned her head this way and that the voice remained unchanged, and she understood. It was mindspeech that she was hearing.
“Who are you?” she whispered.
A windblown leaf, an empty cave, a forgotten song am I. You may call me Blind Rina. Now, child, look to your left
.
Doing so, Nerek saw a vertical crack of dim light appear and widen to reveal a small, indistinct figure who silently beckoned. Her wider senses told her little about this person, but there were no undercurrents of threat so she crossed the hut, half-frozen mud crunching underfoot, and squeezed through the gap. Now she was in a long, narrow space between two sheds, well-sheltered from the snow. Her new companion was a small girl with long, tangled hair, muddy clothing and a serious expression.
The girl put out her hand. Uncertain, Nerek did the same and solemnly they shook hands.
“You don’t seem blind to me,” Nerek said.
Her name is Peki, and she is my eyes. You can trust her - she will lead you to safety
.
“I need a boat,” Nerek said.
That can be arranged.
Peki gave a sharp nod, brought a finger up to her lips then hurried away along the narrow passage, with Nerek close on her heels.
It was a dark and twisting route they followed, sometimes crouching, sometimes dashing across open areas, and sometimes creeping to a halt in the shadows when her two pursuers came close. They were clambering across the decaying clutter of a half-collapsed sawmill when Blind Rina said;
You are unable to draw on the Wellsource, is that so
?
Nerek felt a prickle of suspicion. “For the time being.”
Fear not, child, I intend neither malice nor treachery. After all, one can achieve little enough with the Lesser Power
.
“I know nothing of the Lesser Power,” Nerek muttered.
Hmmm. I’m surprised that Bardow has not remedied that for you, considering all the help you have rendered him….oh, what Peki does not see for me in this city I can usually sense in other ways
….
At length, Peki brought her within sight of a wide, sturdy building just yards from the river. A tangle of old spars, torn sailcloth and bushy foliage concealed their approach (Nerek had already realised that most of the debris which masked their progress had been artfully placed for maximum effect), and a toppled wagon shielded the side door by which they entered.
Inside, a gloomy corridor ran straight to a
The darkness was total, the icy air dank with decay. She kept still, listening as their footsteps drew near.
“...don’t want you pair splitting up, hear? You’re t' move through the yards t'gether, watching for that witch - ”
“Why don’t we go up ahead, Tavo, 'n' get some of the other lads - ”
There was the sound of blow and a stifled cry.
“We don’t have time, pigfool. We have to stop her getting t' the coronation. So yell do what you’re told and I’ll be up on that bluff, looking down till she shows herself.”
“'m sorry, Tavo. Keep 'membering how Olber went and got 'is chest burned out. Horrible it was…”
“Well, don’t remember and don’t think. Just do what I said, and while you’re moving along, keep looking up t' me…”
There were murmurs of assent, the sound of footsteps receding. Nerek relaxed a little, letting tension ease in her neck and back, but her thoughts were in a spin.
We have to stop her getting to the coronation?
She had been invited to the ceremony as a private citizen, not to carry out any official role. Yet these brigands wanted her kept away from it, for some dark reason. She would have to get to the Five Kings dock and find out the truth, but without any powers how could she win past these hunters? How much luck was left to her?
Luck is a weapon without hilt or edge, child
…
Nerek froze. The words were quietly spoken in an old woman’s voice from close by yet she could not tell the direction.
Best to employ other sure means - subterfuge and stealth are more useful.
As she turned her head this way and that the voice remained unchanged, and she understood. It was mindspeech that she was hearing.
“Who are you?” she whispered.
A windblown leaf, an empty cave, a forgotten song am I. You may call me Blind Rina. Now, child, look to your left
.
Doing so, Nerek saw a vertical crack of dim light appear and widen to reveal a small, indistinct figure who silently beckoned. Her wider senses told her little about this person, but there were no undercurrents of threat so she crossed the hut, half-frozen mud crunching underfoot, and squeezed through the gap. Now she was in a long, narrow space between two sheds, well-sheltered from the snow. Her new companion was a small girl with long, tangled hair, muddy clothing and a serious expression.
The girl put out her hand. Uncertain, Nerek did the same and solemnly they shook hands.
“You don’t seem blind to me,” Nerek said.
Her name is Peki, and she is my eyes. You can trust her - she will lead you to safety
.
“I need a boat,” Nerek said.
That can be arranged.
Peki gave a sharp nod, brought a finger up to her lips then hurried away along the narrow passage, with Nerek close on her heels.
It was a dark and twisting route they followed, sometimes crouching, sometimes dashing across open areas, and sometimes creeping to a halt in the shadows when her two pursuers came close. They were clambering across the decaying clutter of a half-collapsed sawmill when Blind Rina said;
You are unable to draw on the Wellsource, is that so
?
Nerek felt a prickle of suspicion. “For the time being.”
Fear not, child, I intend neither malice nor treachery. After all, one can achieve little enough with the Lesser Power
.
“I know nothing of the Lesser Power,” Nerek muttered.
Hmmm. I’m surprised that Bardow has not remedied that for you, considering all the help you have rendered him….oh, what Peki does not see for me in this city I can usually sense in other ways
….
At length, Peki brought her within sight of a wide, sturdy building just yards from the river. A tangle of old spars, torn sailcloth and bushy foliage concealed their approach (Nerek had already realised that most of the debris which masked their progress had been artfully placed for maximum effect), and a toppled wagon shielded the side door by which they entered.
Inside, a gloomy corridor ran straight to a
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