The Way Into Darkness: Book Three of The Great Way by Harry Connolly

Author:Harry Connolly
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Radar Avenue Press
Published: 2015-02-03T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

Tejohn had expected more of a reaction to his plan, but aside from a brief expression of surprise, Cazia seemed to think it was a good idea. The only thing she said was “You know that I’m only fifteen, right?”

“I’m not likely to forget.”

Even before Tejohn had arrived at Tempest Pass, he explained, Tyr Simblin had lost all contact with the rest of the empire. Possibly they had been overrun by sea giants, a fate they had forestalled with bow and catapult for years. Perhaps he had been assassinated. Perhaps anything. All Tejohn could be sure of was that Simblin lands had become a blank space on the map.

That left a single tyr in the westernmost part of Kal-Maddum, Tyr Cwainzik Freewell, her father. Of everyone in this village, Cazia was the only person he was unlikely to execute on sight.

Assuming his holdfast was still secure. Assuming the same about Twofin’s. If both those places were overrun, there might be no one left but the Durdric, and he knew all too well how the Holy Sons felt about Peradaini soldiers.

Cazia looked up at him. “Do you think there are any human beings left in the world besides us?”

Laoni. “If not, there will be soon.”

Preparations went quickly under Winstul’s direction. Tejohn began training some of the local folk to use the kinzchu spears. Another cart was constructed; it was smaller than the first, but it also had less groan and wobble in it. Tejohn wished it could be his, but no. Indrega was far; Dhe and the princess needed a sturdy vehicle.

The cart was large enough to hold three hundred slender spears in a rack on the bottom and twenty more on each side. It was not a lot of weapons to secure an entire peninsula, but it was what they had.

On the morning they were to leave, Dhe climbed into the cart before any weapons were loaded. He stood at the back of the cart stiffly, his eyes wide. Tejohn thought he looked like a rat in a kennel.

The princess made a point of directing the kinzchu spears and maces be loaded with the stones as far from the driver’s position as possible. She was clearly putting on a little show for Dhe, for all the comfort it brought him.

When Kinz announced that she intended to return to Indregai with them, there was a chorus of dismayed voices from the men loading the weapons and provisions. Over the last several days, a half dozen had taken to following her from job to job, making excuses to be near her, even grabbing hold of her arm to prevent her walking away.

Tejohn had warned Esselba that he was going to crack someone’s head over it, and she took him seriously. Still, Kinz had enjoyed little peace among the village folk and seemed doggedly determined to move on, scholar training or no.

Before they left, Tejohn pulled Kinz and Vilavivianna aside. “I wanted to wish you good luck on your journey,” he said, “and remind you that my wife and children are among the refugees in Beargrunt.

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