Now Blueness will wash me again, the youngster told Daine with a sigh. Did you hear what you wanted to?
I heard too much, replied Daine. I think I have to go. Thank you. A lot of people will owe their lives to you for this.
She fled to her body, scrambling to rethink herself human. She succeeded only partly—there were claws on her hands and she appeared to have a tail—but at least she was almost normal size as she entered her skin. Rolling up her bed, she jammed it under some bushes, thinking fast. Could she build wings for herself and fly up to Numair?
You will tire and fall, Cloud informed her. Use common sense. If you are in a hurry to get to Numair, take the way you know best. But don’t ride me—I’m not up to a mad dash to the western pass, not after today. Steal one of the big horses from the village. I will follow you as quickly as I can.
Daine nibbled a fingernail and winced as the claw dug into her lip. I hate to steal, she admitted. But I think I must. She sent out an urgent call.
A large, bony horse grazing nearby came racing over. You want the fastest horse in this valley, he told her. I am the one.
Daine heard the other village horses agree; Rebel was the best at running.
You don’t look like much to me, Cloud said, looking the stallion over.
Rebel snorted. That is what everyone thinks. That is why my man wins money when he races me against strangers, and that is why I am fed oats every day.
I am not impressed by your oat ration, Cloud retorted. Seeing that Daine was about to mount, she said, Don’t forget your pack, or the crossbow.
Daine slung the pack over one shoulder and the bow over the other, after popping a bolt into the crossbow’s notch and clipping it in place. Satisfied? she asked the pony.
And don’t take any sauce from this jackanapes. I will follow soon.
Daine had ridden fast horses in the king’s service and with the Riders, but none matched Rebel. The ride through the village, past the crossroads, and onto the road to the western pass left her breathless. Once the last farmhouse was behind them, Daine began to call for Tkaa, Tait’s dogs, and the pack as she hung on for her life. When she felt their reply, she told them what she had learned. They agreed to meet her at the barrier.
No fighting, she ordered dogs and pack. We don’t have time, and the stakes are too high. She felt some wolves ignore her, and some dogs. I mean it! she cried. I’ll make you obey if I have to!
We will not fight, she heard Brokefang say, iron strength in his thoughts.
We will not fight, Prettyfoot said reluctantly. Any dog who wishes to fight may fight me, right now.
Daine relaxed. Let the dogs and the wolves concentrate on the real enemy: those who planned to dump bloodrain in the Dunlath River in two days’ time.
In the pass, Daine halted Rebel under some trees and dismounted. Briskly she rubbed him down. “You need to rest. You’ll find grazing over there. And don’t mind all the weird folk who are coming here. Nobody will hurt you.” He lipped her shirt and wandered off to graze, as Daine walked to the barrier.
Shapes that looked like rocks on the slope under the three-quarter moon rose to their feet and came down to her: the Long Lake Pack. Daine knelt so her eyes would be on a level with theirs. Adults and pups alike, they surrounded her in the greeting ceremony, licking her face and wagging their tails. Brokefang let the girl hug him fiercely about the neck and nuzzled her in reply.
You will stop it? he asked.
We will stop it, she told him. By ourselves if we must, but I don’t think it will come to that. We have friends now.
Two-leggers? That was Longwind, the conservative. They never cared before.
They were not friends before, Daine replied firmly. They are friends now—strong friends. They can go places and do things we can’t, hunt brother.
The dogs are almost wolves, offered Fleetfoot. If we sing, they listen. They have their own songs.
Two-leggers? Wolf killers? Longwind sneezed. I am too old for such changes.
Brokefang turned on his uncle, teeth bared. You are not too old for changes until I say you are, he snarled, advancing. You will change for now because the pack needs you to change. When it is done, we will return to the old ways.
If we can. The comment, unusually quiet and thoughtful, came from Frostfur.
I like changes! The thin, high voice in Daine’s mind was Runt.
Me, too, added Silly. We see new things and do new things.
“I hear them,” whispered Daine. “I can hear the pups. It’s because of Scrap, maybe. She was a young cat at the castle,” she explained. “I was with her when I heard of the bloodrain.”
Would we like her? asked Berry. What is a cat?
Thinking of the castle reminded Daine that she had a letter to write. She left the explanation of cats to Fleetfoot and Russet, who had met them in their journey to fetch her. Taking her pack, she entered the stone lean-to where she had hidden to write once before.
With the help of her glowstone and cat eyes that had not changed during her ride, she put down all she had heard. Once the facts were laid out, she added:
We must do something. I won’t let them put bloodrain in the river. I hope you know a smart way to fight them. If you don’t I will think of a stupid way to do it. I was wrong to call Stormwings monsters. The creature that could brew and use this bloodrain is the real monster.
Gently she blew on the wet writing to dry it, then put her tools away.
NINE
WAR IS DECLARED
In the distance she felt the approach of Tkaa, Flicker, Kitten, and Iakoju, which meant that Tait, Maura, and the dogs had come as well. Tkaa immediately took the letter through the barrier, and Iakoju went with him. Flicker muttered a greeting and crawled into Daine’s pack to finish his night’s sleep.
“It’s true, what the basilisk said?” Tait asked, sitting next to Daine. “They’ve cooked up some infernal broth?”
“Gissa had a drop of it on her hand when she cut it off,” Daine replied grimly, tickling Kitten’s belly. The dragon, sensing her agitation, voiced a soft run of clicks and chirrups that had always comforted Daine in the past. The girl smiled at her young charge. “I’ll be all right, Kit,” she whispered.
Tait watched Maura as the girl, yawning, bedded down in the shelter of the rocks. “How can ye speak with Tkaa and not Iakoju? She told us she couldna hear ye, and that’s fair strange.”
Daine shook her head. “No, it’s not. I can’t mind-speak with immortals that have some two-legger in them. Only the ones who’re made entirely like animals.”
The dogs came to lie down with Tait even as the pups, Russet, and Fleetfoot arranged themselves around Maura. For a moment both groups, separated by only a few feet of ground, stared at one another. Then Prettyfoot yawned, and Silly yawned in reply. Daine felt something relax in both clusters of shaggy bodies, and gave an inner sigh of relief.
“I’d like t’ ask a favor,” Tait said, his voice soft. “If aught’s to happen in the castle, let me warn my brother, so he can get the servants out. He’ll make sure none of the nobles or their guests are the wiser.”
“You don’t think someone might warn Tristan or Yolane?” she asked, examining the silver claw at her throat.
The hunter shook his head. “Nay. We accepted milady—she’s Dunlath blood, and Mithros knows ye can’t pick your lords—but none will back her in treason. And the outlanders she foisted on us treat us like slaves.”
Daine heard a soft whistle from the barrier: it was Tkaa, half in and half out. Getting up, she ran to him, with Tait close behind.
“You may breathe easier,” Tkaa informed them quietly. “The Stormwings and hurroks are at the soldiers’ camp, harrying those who would sleep. The Lioness says they spend as much time battling one another as they do the mortals.”
“How can ye know what goes on more’n a day’s ride from here?” asked Tait.
“A speaking spell?” Daine asked. Tkaa nodded. To the man she explained, “It h
elps mages to speak to other mages, no matter how far off they are. They know about the bloodrain and the mercenaries coming?”
“Yes,” the basilisk replied. “Once all may speak without interruption, Master Numair wishes you to cross the barrier. Perhaps the marmot who helped you there before will serve?”
Daine checked the eastern horizon. “She won’t be up until dawn.”
“It may take that long for the harriers to break off their attack. I will return when all is secure” Tkaa went back to Numair.
They trudged up to the stone cluster, Daine yawning until her jaw ached. “Sleep,” Tait ordered. “I’ll wake ye when Tkaa says they’re ready t’ talk.”
“We need a plan,” Daine mumbled. “And we don’t have much time.”
“Sleep,” Tait repeated. “No one will make a plan without ye.”
Cloud had arrived when Tkaa summoned Daine at sunrise. The girl watched her pony join Rebel, then sat back to listen for Quickmunch. The marmot was glad to hear from her, and eager to serve Daine again in communicating with her friends.
As they made their way from Quickmunch’s burrow to Numair’s camp, Daine felt a crackling tension in the pass. Numair was the source. She never had seen a look on his face like the one that was there now. He radiated fury. Iakoju watched his every movement, dark green eyes wary. Tkaa, as impossible to read as ever, munched quietly on a small pile of rocks.
When he saw Daine, Numair spoke a word. The air near him developed a sparkling blotch the size of a floor-length mirror, then opened to frame two figures Daine knew well. The smaller was a red-headed warrior in chain mail, breeches, and boots—Alanna the Lioness, the King’s Champion. She was cleaning a sword. The other was a mammoth a few inches shorter than Numair and much wider. Raoul of Goldenlake, Knight Commander of the King’s Own, wore plate armor over a sweat-soaked, quilted tunic. Sipping from a mug, he saw the image of Numair and his cohorts before his companion. “Alanna,” he said, and pointed.
The woman looked up, her famous violet eyes grim. “I hope you have a plan—I don’t. We could retreat, but that leaves Dunlath secure and you in a bad position. Numair, you told the king Daine’s news?”
“Yes, but you know the problem as well as I. It will be days before more help can reach us.”
“And maybe Tristan still put bloodrain in river,” Iakoju pointed out.
Sir Raoul made a face. “It goes with what we know of the man.”
Alanna’s eyes narrowed. “Daine, is that really you inside this animal?”
Quickmunch nodded, but she said to Daine, I’m a marmot, not an animal.
Two-leggers, Daine replied with a mental shrug. She made a note to tell her friend Alanna that marmots were touchy, prideful creatures.
Numair sighed. “I’m afraid we must implement the plan we discussed earlier.” The other two humans nodded.
“I do not like it,” remarked Tkaa. “Is there no other way?”
Alanna shook her head.
Daine chattered with annoyance. Was somebody going to tell her anything?
An unhappy look in Numair’s eyes silenced her. “Daine, there is one other way to break the barrier.”
“It means a lot of risk.” Alanna put her sword down. “And it won’t work unless your friends can draw the mages out of the castle.”
Daine looked at Numair, thinking, So what do I do? He was in a brown study, pressing his nose and staring into the distance. She was about to ask Quickmunch to get his attention when she thought, Can Tkaa hear me? He hears mortal animals. It’s worth a try, anyway. Reaching with her magic, she called, Tkaa!
The basilisk peered at her. “You can speak to me through this creature?”
The “creature” barked. Daine said, She’s a marmot. Her name is Quickmunch.
Tkaa bowed. “Forgive me, Quickmunch. I spoke from ignorance, not contempt.”
Numair, Alanna, and Raoul were looking from the marmot to Tkaa. “Daine can speak to you even when she isn’t doing it from her own body?” asked Numair.
Tkaa listened to Daine and said, “She has learned she has that ability only now. She asks me to say if you do not tell her what she can do once the mages have left the castle, she will ask Quickmunch to bite you.”
Raoul snorted; the Lioness covered a smile. Numair sighed. “Patience is a virtue you should cultivate. Daine, not you—Quickmunch, is it?”
The marmot squeaked her reply.
“Of course,” Numair said. “Daine, remember what I told you of image magic?”
Yes, Daine told the basilisk, who translated for her. If you do something magical to an image of a person, it’s the same as doing it to the person.
“That is true not only of people,” Numair said. “As it is impossible for Tristan and the others to walk around the valley to create the barrier, they must have enclosed a model of the valley itself. You must find that image in the castle. Once you have broken the circle of magic around it, the barrier will evaporate, and we can enter the valley.”
“Opals,” the champion put in.
Numair cracked his knuckles. “Alanna and I have assaulted the barrier. It continues to absorb, not reflect, our Gifts. This shows power stones are being used to take magic and feed it into the working. Those stones will be embedded in the model of Dunlath Valley. You’ll have to break them to break the circle”
Daine said to Tkaa, I understand. Now what about the diversion? Tkaa repeated the question.
The Knight Commander leaned forward. “We think Tristan will send the other mages to deal with a disturbance at the forts, especially if the trouble is odd in any way. If it’s serious, he’ll probably go himself. Numair says Tristan never thinks underlings can handle real trouble without him. If both forts are attacked, there’s a good chance the castle will be left unguarded.”
“That ties up the Stormwings, maybe even the hurroks,” Alanna said. “They’re the quickest transport for the mages. Iakoju thinks she can raise her people—”
Iakoju nodded. “If I say so, my kin will fight human masters. We make plenty of ruckus in north.”
“I can cause trouble in the south,” added Tkaa. “But I will need help.” He cocked his head to one side, “I am too big a target even for humans to miss.”
Quickmunch scratched a flea, and Daine said, Tkaa, will you and Iakoju cross back to talk to everyone with me? Let’s see what we can come up with. And tell them that Tait thinks he can get all the local people out of the castle.
“One thing,” Numair said after Tkaa was done translating. “Time is vital. To be at the southern barrier by sunset tomorrow, Tristan must leave the castle no later than noon, and there is a chance he will leave earlier. Whatever you do, it must be ready to go by tomorrow morning.”
Wait a moment! Daine cried, alarmed. What about the mercenaries who are supposed to come—that Captain Blackthorn and his men?
When Tkaa passed this on, Sir Raoul grinned. “We have two Rider groups here—sixteen irregulars and their ponies—plus a company of the Own, a hundred warriors. Yes, Blackthorn has a hundred more men than I do, but if we’re in Dunlath when he comes, the game is ours—not his. Blackthorn also hates to fight mages even more than he hates to work with them. If he even hears that Alanna and Numair are waiting, I think he’ll run like a rabbit.”
“If that’s all the questions, would you get moving?” Numair hinted with awful patience. “Its going to be a long day.”
Tristan’s crew aren’t the only ones who need to fly, Daine thought, resuming her human shape. I will, too. The animals in the forts should be warned, so they can escape somehow. And I can ask local animals to do some damage, like the pack’s raids on the lumber camp. I hate to endanger them, but this is too important not to involve them.
When Daine, Tkaa, and Iakoju explained the attack plan, their friends in the valley had plenty of ideas. The wolves chose to visit the northern fort, to support the ogres and to attack the hated mines. Maura offered to set the southern fort afire if she got close to it, and
promised to leave the gate alone so the horses could run. Tait wanted to go with her, and the dogs followed him. Rebel, who itched to help, agreed to carry the man and girl south.
Kitten whistled a query. Daine smiled. “You’re with me, Kit. I need you for locked doors.” The dragon chuckled and sharpened her claws on a rock.
Flicker said that he would go with Maura and Tait to the southern fort. He also advised Daine to recruit the valley’s squirrels. They could free the fort horses. They also could chew ropes, bowstrings, and the like, once the sun was up. “You think squirrels will want to get involved that much?” the girl asked.
Yes, replied Flicker. The walls in the forts are made of logs, aren’t they? Plenty of my kindred lost homes and lives when those places were built. And the southerners have family by the river where they want to put bloodrain.
“Then I’ll talk to them. What about the castle servants?” Daine asked Tait.
“I’ll give ye a note t’ my brother Parlan,” the huntsman replied. “He’s the innkeeper. He’ll see it’s done, and done quiet.”
“If we fight at dawn, I must go,” Iakoju commented. “I have to talk to ogres, give them hope for freedom. Talk might run all night.”
“Let’s take a bit more time,” advised Tait. “Gie the squirrels a while with the sun to work in. If the mage hits the barricade hard, we’ll all hear it. The ninth hour, say? Then Maura can start burnin’, and the ogres can rise.”
Iakoju frowned. “Big noise? Like being inside a bell?”
“It is very hard to ignore,” Tkaa remarked dryly.
“Ogres hear. Ogres hear good, four-five days ago. That’s good signal.”
The basilisk went to tell the plan to Numair. While he was gone, Tait wrote his brother. When he was through, Daine summoned a crow and asked if she would carry the note to the inn. The crow, intrigued, accepted it and took flight.
Tkaa returned, “The ninth hour, three hours past dawn,” he told them.
“Does everybody know what to do?” asked Maura, hands on hips.
The dogs and wolves yapped; Flicker squeaked. The humans, Kitten, the ogre, and the basilisk nodded. Rebel and Cloud stamped.