From Darkness Won Part 58

You are right, of course. I will stay by my father's side.

"Thank you." He swiped at the strap under his chin that secured his helm, but his metal gauntlets only sc.r.a.ped against the edge of his helm. "It seems I am a prisoner inside my own armor." He stepped up to her and rested the forehead of his helm against hers. The steel clinked together. His closeness doused the light, and she could barely see the reflections that were his eyes.

"Be safe," she whispered.

"You as well." He set his hand on her shoulder. His gauntlet sc.r.a.ped over her bronze armor. He lowered his arm and stepped back. Their eyes remained locked together until Sir Caleb stepped between them and guided Achan away. Achan shot one last glance in her direction before he was lost in the crowd.

"Let us find our boat, Averella," Sir Eagan said. "My men will be awaiting their captain."

She followed her father down the rocky shelf. Will I be a distraction to you too, Father? Should I stay behind?

I am not concerned. My objective is safer than the prince's. Once we achieve it, we only need hold it.

Do not tell the men who I am. I do not want anyone fretting over me.

He sent a wry smile her way. Very well, Averella.

Her father took her arm and helped her down into the boat. She felt the soldiers' eyes on her, wondering what pathetic soldier required a.s.sistance to climb into the boat. She considered pulling away from her father's grip, but her armor was so heavy she feared she would topple overboard.

She settled beside Sir Eagan in the front of the boat on a bench that curved around the left side. She tucked her s.h.i.+eld between her knees. A torch had been set into a notch in the nose, warming the left side of her helm. How long since these boats have been used, Father?

Who knows? But they were checked over as soon as Peripaso and Captain Demry discovered them. They are sound.

The rocky shelf was now completely empty but for a handful of servants who had carried down supplies.

"For Arman!" Achan's shout resonated through the cavern, warming Averella's heart and igniting her courage.

A chorus of "Arman" answered, followed by manly roars and cheers. A moment later, the rope was lifted from the tether and the current sucked the boat into the dark tunnel.

She reached out for Achan and was surprised to find his mind still open to hers. That was an inspiring call to arms.

Thank you. I only hope Arman will make it clear what I am supposed to do.

She could only imagine what he must be going through. Still uncertain?

Aye. Darkness is not a beast I can fell with a sword.

Perhaps rebuke it as you did in Barth?

Perhaps.

The soldier beside Sparrow knocked into her, laughing about something the man next to him said.

Sparrow?

Yes, Your Highness?

I'm glad you've come along. I've missed you.

She smiled. I have missed you as well, though I did not know it was you I was missing for some time.

That's funny, coming from you.

What do you mean?

You say you didn't know it was me you missed, and yet until now I've never known who you really were, though I missed you specifically.

Hmm. Yes, I suppose that is amusing.

But how did you manage to come? I am surprised Sir Caleb did not put his foot down.

You gave me permission. Did you forget you outrank Sir Caleb?

I often forget.

Well, perhaps he hopes I will be killed and spare you a marriage to a woman with so little decorum as to wear trousers in public.

You agree to marry me, then?

She grinned wide and tipped her head down to avoid questioning stares from her boat mates. I did not say that, Your Highness.

You did not refuse, either. Do you have your coin?

I sewed it in a pouch and added it to my necklace.

It's in a safe place, then.

Yes. Very safe.

The boats moved swiftly down the underground river. The journey was long and cramped. Averella dozed off, and when she woke, her legs had fallen asleep.

How long will it take us to get there, Father?

A day and a half, so Peripaso told me.

So long?

The men sang songs and told jokes to pa.s.s the time and fight tricks of Darkness. Averella kept to herself, but joined them for meals of dried meat and bread. Not knowing there was a lady present among them, the men spoke freely about the battles they had fought in the past days, lingering over gruesome details of wounds and deaths, green fire, chams, black knights, and tanniyn. The whole thing made Averella s.h.i.+ver, but the ride was otherwise so boring she could not help but listen in.

Peripaso had no intention of stopping for the night or even to stretch one's legs. The soldiers relieved themselves over the side of the boat whenever the urge struck them. It seemed a cruel fate to Averella. She felt as if she were back on the road to Mahanaim with Jax and Khai. Thankful she had not drunk much water before leaving Noiz, she was careful to only sip from her water skin.

A day and a half later, they finally stopped along a sandy bank. Her father bid her take a moment to herself while he organized his men. By the time she returned, Inko and Captain Demry's groups had both left. Achan and Sir Caleb's squad was crowded in a circle to the left of an opening in the rocky wall.

"We must keep our voices down," Sir Eagan said. "The dungeons should be empty when we reach them. We must move swiftly, for more guards may have arrived by then. We will exit into the northern arc of the keep, straight across from the eastern gate. Any questions?"

No one spoke, so Sir Eagan raised his torch and said, "Then we go. Follow me." Sir Eagan led the men through the dark opening in the rock.

Come back to me, Sparrow.

Averella looked over her shoulder and locked eyes with Achan. She lifted her armor-clad hand. You as well.

The distraction had lost Averella her place in line. She waited for the men to pa.s.s so she could fall in at the end. But Jax gripped her arm and pulled her in front of him. Their eyes met, and she opened her mind to his knock.

We shall be partners, Vrell. You watch my back, I will watch yours. Agreed?

Yes, thank you, Jax. I am glad you are in this squad.

From that moment on, everything happened in silence. Averella entered the dark tunnel in the rock. It led upward over jagged ground until letting out into a large cell. The iron-barred door hung open. Averella jogged in line through a maze of dirt pathways in the smelly dungeon and up a curling stairwell that emptied into a dark stone corridor inside the mighty Armonguard fortress.

They turned twice in the corridors and spilled out into a dark night. A cool breeze blasted her face. She barely had time to look around as she sprinted to keep up with the men. A screech cut through the darkness. A gowzal.

She s.h.i.+vered and told herself, Do not think on it. Focus on the gate.

Dark shadows circled the ground. She glanced up to see swarms of gowzals gliding past the torches on the sentry walls. Even in darkness, the whitestone walls of Armonguard shone bright against the dark bodies of the creatures.

A battle already raged around them. She pa.s.sed by a man in a dingy red Kingsguard cape who was screaming, clutching his arm. She slowed her steps and reached for the strap of her satchel, but a firm grip on her shoulder changed her mind.

Jax towed her away from the injured man. First we must achieve our objective, then you may help the injured.

The decorative wrought-iron arch that marked the gate loomed ahead, a lacy tangle of charcoal thread against a black sky. Men in New Kingsguard cloaks shot arrows down from the sentry wall on either side of the gate. Jax pulled Averella behind his s.h.i.+eld. She held up her own just as a heavy thud knocked it against her head. She didn't dare move her s.h.i.+eld to see what had hit it.

She ran blindly after the soldiers until her s.h.i.+n struck something solid. She looked down to see the bottom rungs of a wooden ladder. She raised her s.h.i.+eld to see more of it.

Jax grabbed the back of her belt and lifted. "Up you go."

Averella climbed awkwardly, the heavy s.h.i.+eld and armor weighing each step. Something glanced off the right side of her breastplate, knocking her sideways. Her foot slipped mid-step, and she fell, holding on with one hand.

Jax's strong hands grabbed her legs and boosted her back up. She scrambled to find hand-and-footholds, then climbed as fast as she could.

It seemed strange that there was not more resistance to their climb, but when her eyes crested the parapet and she saw an enemy soldier crumple without having been touched, she knew her mother was helping them from the Veil.

Averella heaved herself over the parapet and drew her sword. She stood just north of the eastern gate on one arc of the scalloped sentry walk, looking out over the wall. Torchlight and the ghostly grey castle reflected off the inky black surface of Lake Arman, which surrounded the castle like an impa.s.sable moat.

To her right, Sir Eagan and his men occupied the gatehouse. Clanking chain signaled they were lowering the drawbridge. A half dozen bodies lay on the wall between the ladder and gatehouse-all enemy. She spun around to look inside the castle walls. Below, red and black cloaks swirled, swords clashed, men screamed, birds cawed.

She cringed at the cacophony. s.h.i.+fting shadows on the ground lifted her gaze back to the skies. Gowzals swarmed like houseflies overhead, the thickest cl.u.s.ter over the distant watchtower, which glowed at the top with eerie green light. Her heart clenched at the idea of Achan going up there. Who would he find at the top wielding that light?

"Look sharp, Vrell!"

Jax's voice pulled her attention back to where she stood. A line of New Kingsguard knights approached from the north along the curved sentry wall like a line of ants. There must have been a hundred or more, all coming their way.

She looked back to the gatehouse. Jax stood outside the doorway, waving her in. She skipped sideways for a few steps, then ran inside.

"Bowmen!" Sir Eagan stood in the center of the gatehouse. "Two in each door. Quickly!" Three men ran to the southern doorway. Sir Eagan lowered his voice and grabbed the third man's arm. "Kates, you on this side."

Averella pressed back to allow Kates, a bearded, red-headed man, to kneel just outside the northern door. She glanced through the opposite door and saw just as many enemy soldiers advancing from the south.

"We must keep the bridge down for Captain Chantry's men," Sir Eagan yelled. "Take aim and await my signal. And consider the curve of the wall when you shoot."

The floor trembled under Averella's boots. The distant clatter of footsteps sounded like rain. But the thudding of her heart proved this was no spring shower.

"Shoot! Now! Take them down!" Sir Eagan pushed a quiver of arrows into Averella's chest. "When the men run out, fill their quivers with these."

Averella set down her s.h.i.+eld and took the quiver. She sheathed her sword and moved to the doorway. The shuck, shuck, shuck of arrows leaving the bowmen's strings was constant and methodical. Kates was a quicker draw than the soldier beside him, but both seemed to never miss. Black-cloaked men fell before their comrades and were trampled or tossed over the wall. Still the enemy advanced.

Kates drew his last arrow, and Averella pushed a handful of arrows into his quiver before he managed to raise his arm again. He never had to wait. She did the same for the other bowman. Both shot arrows until there were no more.

"I'm out!" Kates jumped to his feet, swung his bow over his arm, and drew his sword so quickly Averella lunged out of his way.

"Hold the gate!" Sir Eagan yelled. Averella, stay back if you can, at least until the melee pa.s.ses.

Averella glanced at her father, but he had turned to the southern doorway. She picked up her s.h.i.+eld and drew her sword. Her heart drummed inside her head, melding with the beat of the approaching footsteps. She pressed back into the corner of the gatehouse, peeking out an arrow loop beside the northern doorway.

The archers had felled many, but they were still greatly outnumbered. Jax stood at the front of seven men on the northern side of the gate. Averella counted the heads of the enemy and got lost after twenty-three. There were still more than twice that many charging, swords raised.

Why had she wanted to come along again?

Jax drew his axes and crouched. Kates and the others raised their swords.

"For Arman! For our king! Hold the gate!" Sir Eagan yelled.

Averella looked over her shoulder to see her father pacing at the back of the line on the southern entrance, sword raised to the dark sky, yelling so loud his face was red.

This was no time to be timid. Averella stepped through the northern door and stood in the same position as her father. She lifted her sword high.

The enemy was close. Twenty yards. Fifteen. Ten. A man fell at the front of their line, tripping two. The enemy trampled over the top of them.

Well done, Mother. Averella smiled, though the act felt oddly cruel.

Jax stuck down the first man to reach him. Two more rushed past. Kates lifted his sword. Metal clashed. Men growled. Screamed.

A man in black sprinted through their line, headed right for the door. Averella put her weight behind her s.h.i.+eld and rammed into his side. He bounced off the wood and stumbled, screaming as he lost his footing and fell over the parapet and into the water below.

The fighting went on. Rather than swing her sword, Averella continued to take advantage of the tight s.p.a.ce at the door, knocking men over the edge of the wall. She tried to knock them into the water, rather than to the ground inside the bailey, but it did not always work.

A few paces before her, Kates fell to his knees. A black knight stepped over his body and raised his sword to Averella. She lifted her own and did not miss the fact that her blade trembled.

He swung at her head. She lifted her s.h.i.+eld to block, but his sword flipped around and cut at her legs. She crouched into the attack, but the blade struck her s.h.i.+eld, knocking her back into the doorframe. She dropped her sword and slumped inside the doorway.

The black knight's trousers swished as he stepped over her. She pulled the knife from her boot and stabbed it into the back of his knee, between the ties in his armor. He screamed, whirled around, and kicked her, flipping her on her side. A p.r.i.c.k under her arm turned her head. The black knight stood above, the point of his sword set under her arm where he could drive it through to her heart.

But the man stood still, grimacing, eyes darting about, face pale. He grunted. His sword arm trembled, rattling his gauntlet against the chain mittens he wore underneath.

As he crumpled to the gatehouse floor, Mother's voice said, Now, take more care, dearest. I am most displeased to find you here.

Averella released her pent up breath. Thank you, Mother. But she did not take care. She pushed to her feet and ran out the door. She grabbed Kates under the arms and dragged him inch by inch into the gatehouse. His body left a swath of red blood on the whitestone sentry walk.

It turned out to be a stab wound in his thigh. Most men died in battle from leg wounds. Not this one, if she could help it.