Raliena awoke early the next morning, and looked at the chain that was still on the table beside her bed. She picked it up and weighed it in her hand, it was surprisingly warm for metal and her arm tingled from the feel of it, as if responding to its touch.
She shook her head and threw it back down on the table, then got up and dressed quickly. Before she left the tent she put the chain in her pocket feeling its weight, then headed to the large meeting tent.
The morning was frosty and clouds shadowed the sky. Not many people were up yet and the few that were looked to be packing away their things.
Just as it came into sight, Raliena saw Jaya opening the tent for a small man to enter. She squinted her eyes, sure she recognised him, but from the back it was hard to tell. Then she saw a glimpse of his face and stopped dead in her tracks.
It couldn’t be... it must be her eyes playing tricks. The man looked like Welver, Dergen’s servant.
Her heart thumped as she considered the possibilities. Surely this wasn’t all a ruse, they can’t be working with Dergen, not after all she had learnt. It can’t have been him.
She sped up now to reach the tent and confront them.
Pulling open the flap Raliena entered it and her heart skipped a beat when she saw it was Welver, bent over the table with Lozni and Jaya.
“You lying little worm!” Raliena yelled and lunged forward to reach him; he stepped out of the way just in time and Yaline stepped forwards to hold her back. Raliena prepared to force Yaline to let go when Jaya quickly explained.
“He is one of us Raliena, one of the Lagania!”
Raliena paused and stared at Welver who gave her a sympathetic look.
“I am so sorry I have not been able to tell you, Lady Araman.” Welver said, now with the same accent as the Lagania but he addressed her as they did in Verxia.
“You have been spying on Dergen?” Raliena asked and Yaline let go of her.
“Yes,” this new Welver explained, “for a long time now. I have tried to help you anyway I can with the Sinner, as I promised your mother I would. Though it appears I have failed and I ask the forgiveness of the daughter where I cannot ask the mother.”
Raliena was taken aback as Welver knelt on one knee and bowed his head.
“Please stand.” Raliena said, feeling uncomfortable. “I made a wrong assumption when I saw you. I did not know you knew my mother.”
Welver stood. “Chasra asked me to contact the Lagania when she realised what Senette was and I was sent to investigate. I could not find you after the ball and I tried to speak to you after Dergen confronted you in the hallway, but he was never far away.”
Raliena remembered hearing someone calling her name after she ran from Dergen.
“I am afraid I bring grave news from Verxia.” Welver said returning to the table and addressing everyone there. “It is as we thought, Dergen has managed to gather an army from Namare. It is Lord Lishini and from what information I could gather, they were but a day away when I left, they would have arrived by now and as Araman Raliena knows, it would not take long to capture the castle.”
“We must leave instantly.” Jaya announced and yelled out the flap of the tent to tell the closest person to him.
Raliena thought of the King and the people of Verxia. Welver was right, they stood no chance. She had heard of Lord Lishini before and knew how barbaric the people from Namare could be when it came to war. Verxia suddenly seemed very far away and she realised they would not reach them in time to help, she could only hope King Baynil was still alive and Lishini had allowed Verxia to surrender to them, or most of them would be dead by now. This was one of the reasons they needed an alliance.
“Please,” Raliena said, suddenly concerned when she thought of Attashar. “What has happened to Kassen?”
Welver looked pained, “He is alive, but barely when I saw him.”
Raliena was both relieved and concerned.
“Dergen convinced everyone that he had done something to you.” Welver continued. “He was in an awful rage when you went missing and was certain the General was in league with the Lagania and had stolen you away. It took him a while to see reason but he used General Kassen in the hope of baiting you back, he knew how close you two had grown.”
Raliena blushed and bowed her head. It was her fault for leaving, perhaps if she had stayed she could have prevented this, or she would be in the clutches of Dergen.
“Where are they keeping him?” She asked quietly.
“Dergen had the King send him away.” Welver said. “I can only guess his reasons but I suspect he was trying to delay Attashar’s army from arriving, if the King had had him executed.”
“It is a good thing too, we cannot contend with two armies at once, nor do we wish to.” Jaya said, leaning on the table in thought.
Raliena crossed her arms.
“That is exactly what we need.” She said and everyone turned her way. “We must send word to Attashar; we may need their support if they have not already reached Verxia.”
“You may be right.” Welver confirmed. It was odd hearing him speak so concisely. It must have been on purpose that he had conveyed himself as a simpleton all these years in Verxia. “The walls of Verxia are imposing when being used efficiently and you can guarantee Lord Lishini knows this.”
Jaya nodded in agreement. “We must have Attashar on side. I will send someone at once.”
“I must go to Attashar.” Raliena interrupted before Jaya could call someone in from outside. “I must speak with Kassen. He will make King Dagerten listen and I can tell him what has happened.”
“You think he will help?” Yaline asked.
“Yes,” Raliena answered, more confident then she felt. She hoped he would not blame her from his condemning, though he had every right to. “He also suspected Dergen before all this happened. We can trust him.”
“And with you away from Verxia, the Sinner cannot make you pledge to him before we reach him.” Lozni added.
“Then you must go immediately.” Jaya urged. “Take one of the Unisayan. They are swifter and then we will meet you in Verxia, hopefully with an army from Attashar to join us.”
Raliena nodded and left them still making plans for the attack. When she left the tent she saw most people were up now and starting to dismantle the tents and load them onto carts. She also saw many Unisayan standing around, some being saddled or attached to the carts.
Raliena took a deep breath and headed towards where the Unisayan were being saddled. There was one Unisayan she spotted that was refusing to have a harness put on him, and the men trying to do it were getting increasingly frustrated.
“You were fine yesterday, Eni. Why are you causing such a fuss now?” One of them said; his hands on his hips. The Unisayan put his snout in the man’s face and snorted.
“Mind if I help?” Raliena said standing next to the man who looked fit to burst.
“Armon Raliena.” He exclaimed surprised. “Yes of course, if you can.”
Raliena stood in front of Eni who seemed to calm when he saw her.
“What is the trouble then?” Raliena asked running her hand up the Unisayan nose. Eni pushed his head down towards her and Raliena knew he wanted to communicate. Without hesitating she placed a hand on his horn and closed her eyes.
Man in box. Her own voice said in her mind. Must find.
An image came with the words and Raliena saw a carriage on the road to Attashar and a clip of General Kassen tied up and gagged.
Raliena gasped and let go. She thought Kassen would have made it to Attashar by now but he must still be on route.
“You must take me to him.” She said to Eni who nodded his head once in response. “Saddle him, quickly please!” She yelled to the man still holding the saddle and now looking awed that she had spoken to the Unisayan.
Raliena left Eni an
d grabbed the first empty bag she could find and stuffed it full of food. She did not know what state Kassen would be in when she found him but was sure he would need sustenance after being prisoner for so long. She returned to Eni who was calm and ready to leave and she strapped the bag of food to his saddle.
“Be careful, Raliena.” Raliena turned to find Lozni beside her, a small smile on her face. “You are strong but Sinners are ruthless when they are threatened. Dergen will try everything to capture you, remember all that I have told you and I wish you luck.”
“You are not going?” Raliena asked, coming to stand in front of her.
Lozni shook her head. “I gave up fighting many years ago. I have passed on what little knowledge I have to you and am confident you can stop this evil. We will see each other again.”
“I hope so.” Raliena said and they embraced and said final goodbyes.
Eni nudged her urgently, Raliena mounted and they made their way to the trees. As the Unisayan turned towards the forest, Raliena took one final look back at the camp and noticed Zinib stood watching to the far side of the clearing, a travel bag on his shoulder. He stared at Raliena for a long time, his expression unreadable, then turned the opposite direction and disappeared away into the trees towards the mountains.