Elionbel. It weakens me and blinds my purpose."
Thoron drew Tombel close. "I fear for Thane, yet it strengthens my resolve and clears all other things aside. Lean on me now, old friend, put your hand upon my shoulder and let me lead you through the blindness."
"What would you counsel?" Tombel whispered, afraid that his Marchers would see his weakness.
Thoron drew Tombel out on to the Greenway and pointed along the narrow road that led through the gra.s.slands. "If we come too late to Woodsedge or the Granite City, Krulshards has all Elundium in which to vanish. Spread your Marchers into a great crescent twenty leagues wide. Take only one column of your fastest men along the Greenway and let my hors.e.m.e.n be spread throughout the crescent in swift-moving
squadrons. The Warhorses and the Border Runners that remain with us are already moving in a wide crescent; follow their wisdom."
Tombel squeezed Thoron"s hand and saw the wisdom in his counsel. "Thank you, old friend," he whispered before calling for his captains to come forward into a marshalling council.
Shortly after darkness had fallen the two old warriors climbed on to the platform in the Wayhouse Tower and looked out over the wide crescent of advancing lights that now twinkled across the gra.s.slands. "When the furthest lights reach the horizon we will follow you," Thoron said, smiling at his friend in the darkness.
"None will escape us!" Tombel whispered, his foot upon the first step. "But ride hard and fast that you may be at my side at
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Woodsedge" he called, running down the tower"s winding steps.
Thoron leaned out of the arched window and looked down at his waiting column of hors.e.m.e.n beside the tower fretting for the road. "We will not be far behind you," he cried. "You will see us, a string of fast-moving lights shining out in the darkness. Look for the lights of our candles!"
"Kingspeed!" shouted Tombel from the Greenway as the tramp of marching feet faded into the night air.
The wound on Thoron"s neck ached as he descended the tower stairway, dully throbbing with each footfall. "Kingspeed, Thane," he said, knowing that his grandson was all alone somewhere out there in the darkness.
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~ _.
On the Nightmare"s Heels
"Gallop, Stumble, gallop!" urged Thane, driving the little relay horse as hard as he dare, trying to catch up with Kerzolde.
The grey hours had come, spreading cold mist between the close, crowding trees on either side of the road. Thane cursed the half-light; ghost tails that fogged the Greenway, making him duck beneath low branches or jump fallen trees that suddenly appeared across the path.
"Nightbeasts have used this road," he shouted, looking at the damage all about him. Stumble suddenly lurched forward, crashing to his knees, sending Thane head over heels on to the wet gra.s.s. Thane grumbled and climbed to his feet.
Taking the reins he put his foot back into the stirrup to remount but Stumble snorted with pain and backed away from him, his head nodding violently with each step. Thane slipped the reins over Stumble"s head and bent down to pick up the horse"s foreleg. The shoe had been partly torn away from the hoof and a jagged splinter of ironwood was embedded in the sole of the horse"s foot. Thane gripped the splinter between his thumb and first two fingers and wrenched it free.
Blood oozed from the narrow wound on to Thane"s hand as he cleaned out the foot. Taking Stumble"s fetlock between his knees he used his dagger to prise off the shoe, unbent the nails and tucked the twisted shoe into his belt.
"We will never catch Kerzolde now!" he muttered angrily, walking a few paces ahead into the mist. "Everything that I touch seems cursed with ill luck." Stumble limped painfully
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forward and brushed his mist-wet muzzle on Thane"s cheek.
Thane stroked Stumble"s neck and gently pulled his ears.
"Forgive me. I pushed you too hard and hurt you with my haste."
Stumble whinnied, pushed past Thane and limped on towards the Granite City. Thane called after him, calling him to stop, "I am pledged to chase the Nightmare. Love of Elionbel drives me forward, but you, great heart, need not follow this road. You are free to return to Stumble Hill or wander where you please in Elundium, but first give me your foreleg and I will plug the wound."
Stumble neighed, lifted his front leg and stood patiently still while Thane cut a strip of leather from the top of his
ruined boot and forced it up into the wound. "That will keep the dirt out," he smiled, putting the foreleg back on the ground and running his hand through Stumble"s mane.
Stumble arched his neck and moved slowly forward, nodding his head each time he put the injured foot on to the ground.
Thane quickly overtook him and walked at his shoulder. "You are a great warrior, Stumble, and a better friend than I deserve in these dark times."
Stumble forged ahead, biting on the bit, grinding his teeth against the pain. He fixed his eyes on the horizon"s rim, looking for the sunrise. Thane bent low, searching the Gree!nway. "The Nightmares" prints have vanished amongst all these other foul Nightbeast tracks. All we can do is to follow the Greenway to the Granite City."
Stumble snorted and tried to lengthen his stride. "Easy!"
whispered Thane, catching the rein and gently pulling him back to a slower pace. "Haste will cripple you for ever, Stumble. I have caused you enough pain in bringing me this far, please walk carefully."
Stumble slowed his pace and the noon hour slipped quickly by before the giant mound of granite blocks that had once been the proud City of Granite Kings came into view. Thane paused, gazing in horror at the ruins. "It was so beautiful," he
~1.
whispered, his hand tightening on the reins. He narrowed his eyes and stared at the devastation. "But there is a shadow around the base of the city. It is more solid than a dust haze and stiller than smoke." Frowning he muttered, "How can a ring of shadows form in clear sunlight? Look, the shadows are moving, spreading out across the field towards us!"
Turning, Thane searched the Greenway and saw far behind him a single figure hurrying forward. "That must be Arbel. I wonder if he has seen the shadows yet?"
As the shadows drew closer they took on hideous shapes and Thane saw clearly what they were. "Nigh/beasts!" he cried, looking round frantically for a place to hide. "Quickly, we will go to that copse of tangle-trees and brambles beside the road."
Together they disappeared between the close-grown tress, squeezing under their low branches, forcing a pa.s.sage through the thick clumps of brambles, until, scratched and bleeding, they were completely hidden in the centre of the copse. "Hush," whispered Thane, putting a b.l.o.o.d.y thornp.r.i.c.ked finger to his lips. Stumble whinnied softly and knelt, his ears twisting in the direction of the coa.r.s.e Nightbeast voices and the dry rattle of their armour as they pa.s.sed all around them.
"Master rules now!" laughed a voice, its owner slashing at the tangle-trees with a hooked scythe.
"Everywhere will soon be covered in beautiful darkness,"
shouted another.
"Find and kill Thanehand!" roared a deeper voice. "He is
somewhere on this road. Destroy the tangle-trees, search under every stone."
"Kerhunge has set watchers by the ruined gates. They will kill him if he slips by us!"