Pully shrieked and then leapt to block his path. ‘Not off the road, ya fool!’
‘When I return,’ he said, ‘you will have her awake.’
‘Don’t be stupid! They might not find us at all!’
He thought about dismounting, walking up and cuffing her. Instead, he simply stared down at her, and then said in a low voice, ‘Now who is being the fool, witch? I go to meet them, and if need be, I will slow them down. Long enough for you to get my sister back on her feet.’
‘And then we wait for you?’
‘No. As soon as she is able, you will leave this realm. This time,’ he added, ‘you will help her. You and Skwish.’
‘Of course! We was just careless.’
‘When my troop arrives, inform my sergeant that they are to defend the Queen. Detail them to surround the tent-do not overcrowd them with your wards, witch.’
‘Hold to yourself, Witchslayer,’ said Pully. ‘Hold tight-if your mind wanders, for e’en an instant-’
‘I know,’ Yedan replied.
She moved to one side, then stepped close and set a hand upon the gelding’s head. ‘This one should do,’ she muttered with eyes closed. ‘Wilful, fearless. Keep it collected-’
‘Of that I know far more than you, witch.’
Sighing, she edged back. ‘A commander does not leave his command. A prince does not leave his people.’
‘This one does.’
He kicked his horse into motion. Hoofs thumped on to the hard-packed ground beyond the road.
This was dependent on his sister reviving-enough to lead them away from this infernal place-a prince must choose when he is expendable. Yedan understood the risk. If she did not awaken. If she died, then well and truly his leaving had damned his people-but then, if his sister did not recover, and quickly, then the entire column was doomed anyway. Yes, he could let his own blood, and the witches could take hold of it and do what must be done-but they would also try to enslave him-they could not help it, he knew. He was a man and they were women. Such things simply were. The greater danger was that they would lose control of the power in their hands-two witches, even ancient, formidable ones, were not enough. Ten or twenty were needed in the absence of a Queen to fashion a simulacrum of the necessary focus demanded upon the Road of Gallan. No, he could not rely on Pully and Skwish.
Skwish came up alongside her sister witch. They watched Yedan Derryg riding up the slope of the first hill. ‘That’s bad, Pully. A prince does not-’
‘This one does. Listen, Skwish, we got to be careful now.’
Skwish held up the snake tube. ‘If we left her t’ jus live or die like we planned afirst-’
‘He’ll know-he will cut her open an check.’
‘He ain’t comin’ back-’
‘Then we do need ’er alive, don we? We can’t use ’im like we planned-he’s too ken-he won’t let us take ’im-I lookt up inta his eyes, him on that ’orse, Skwish. His eyes an his eyes, an so I tell ya, he’s gonna be bad turble if he comes back.’
‘He won’t. An’ we can keep ’er weak, weak enough, I mean-’
‘Too risky. She needs t’get us out. We can try something later, once we’re all safe-we can take ’em down then. The one left or e’en both. But not this time, Skwish. Now, best go an feed ’er something. Start with wine, that’ll loosen ’er throat.’
‘I know what I’m about, Pully, leave off.’
The gelding had a broad back, making for a comfortable ride. Yedan rode at a canter. Ahead, the hills thickened with scrub, and beyond was a forest of white trees, branches like twisted bones, leaves so dark as to be almost black. Just before them and running the length of the wooded fringe rose dolmens of grey granite, their edges grooved and faces pitted with cup-shaped, ground-out depressions. Each stone was massive, twice the height of a grown man, and crowding the foot of each one that he could see were skulls.
He slowed his mount, reined in a half-dozen paces from the nearest standing stone. Sat motionless, flies buzzing round the horse’s flickering ears, and studied those grisly offerings. Cold judgement was never short of pilgrims. Alas, true justice had no reason to respect secrets, as those close-fisted pilgrims had clearly discovered. A final and fatal revelation.
Minute popping sounds in the air announced the approach of dread power, as the buzzing flies ignited in mid-flight, black bodies bursting like acorns in a fire. The horse shied slightly, muscles growing taut beneath Yedan, and then snorted in sudden fear.