The frightened Vestare was still running but Sha-Kaan brought him to a grateful halt and landed just in front of him. Jatha and his remaining party were still a full day’s journey from Septern’s gateway. They should already have arrived and be safe, awaiting their Balaian visitors.

‘Thank the Skies you have come, Great Kaan,’ gasped Jatha. ‘We—’

‘Calm yourself,’ pulsed Sha-Kaan, allowing his mind to cool the heat in the Vestare mind. ‘Sit down and slow your heart; its beating is hurting my ears.’ Jatha slumped to the ground, heaving great lungfuls of air, the beginnings of a smile playing over his lips. In the sky above, the remaining Kaan chased the Veret away and patrolled in a holding pattern that gave Sha complete confidence.

‘Now,’ said the Great Kaan. ‘Tell me why you are so far from the gateway.’

Jatha nodded, Sha-Kaan feeling his pulse cease its dangerous racing.

‘There is great activity in Keol,’ said Jatha. ‘My party have been slowed by the need to conceal ourselves from bands of Naik and Veret warriors. They seem to be linked in some way; it is the only reason I can think of for the appearance of Veret in the sky.

‘We first saw them yesterday, flying to the south, and we thought we could evade them. But we were ambushed by Veret warriors. They are dead but our position was opened. Thus, we could be attacked as you saw.’

Sha-Kaan let his head drop. Naik and Veret in alliance. The Kaan could be in more trouble than he thought. A concerted attack by three or more Broods might prove too much for them.

‘How sure are you that there is an alliance?’ he asked.

‘They were not fighting when they met,’ said Jatha. ‘We watched them for a full day. Great Kaan, these are our lands, though we do not defend them. We cannot allow enemy occupation. It would bring them too close to Teras.’

‘There are greater threats than that posed by other Broods taking dead lands like Keol from us. It is critical that the humans from Balaia reach the Broodlands when they arrive here. I cannot release dragons to shadow you. If what you say proves true, I cannot afford to draw attention to you by flying in your defence, do you understand? ’

Jatha inclined his head. ‘There is one other way.’ Sha-Kaan retracted his head sharply, his neck describing an ‘s’. He hissed.

‘No human shall ever ride the Kaan. We are the masters here.’ Sha-Kaan breathed out long. ‘It is your task to see them safe to Teras. Have you thought of the battle there would be if we were seen with humans on our necks? No carrying Kaan would stand a chance of survival; our place would be gone.’ He moved his head groundwards once more. ‘Banish that thought, Jatha. Though I understand the desperation in which it was formed, it must never be uttered again. The Kaan shall never bow their necks to humans. We would die first.’

‘I am sorry, Great Kaan. And I thank you for your understanding.’

‘Consider that were you not so important to me, my reaction might have been different.’ Sha-Kaan’s admonishment was tinted with humour. ‘You are a faithful attendant and companion, Jatha. Now, we will sweep the way ahead of you and seek out your enemies on the ground and in the sky. Do not move until night falls and we have gone. I expect your signal when you reach the gateway.’

Jatha stood and spread his arms wide in deference, dropping back to one knee before he spoke again.

‘It shall be done, Great Kaan.’

‘Skies keep you.’ Sha-Kaan extended his wings and rose lazily into the sky, calling to his Brood to do his bidding.

Senedai’s patience broke on the fourth day. There was no warning, no new ultimatum. With the coming of a blustery dawn, heavy with cloud and the cloying damp that signalled the approach of rain, Barras was awakened by a general alarm that ran through the Council Rooms.

Instantly alert, he belted on his yellow robe of the day before, slid on boots without socks and rushed to the courtyard, dimly aware that his grey hair was wild in the wind, blowing into his eyes. He smoothed it back as Kard joined him.

‘Senedai?’ asked Barras. The old General nodded.

‘And he’s brought prisoners.’

‘Damn it.’ Barras increased his pace. ‘I thought we could bluff him longer.’

‘You’ve already saved fifteen hundred innocent lives. He was bound to lose patience eventually.’

Behind them, the sound of running feet grew in volume. Soldiers clattered by, heading for their guard posts on the North Gate and walls. Kerela and Seldane joined Barras.

‘So now it starts.’ Kerela was grim. Barras nodded.

‘If only I could have bought more time.’

Kerela squeezed Barras’ shoulder.

‘You bought us more time than we could possibly have dreamed of. Senedai’s fear of magic is more deeply ingrained than all but you imagined. You saw that and you made it pay. Be satisfied.’

‘More likely he was just in no hurry then, but now he is. It worries me that something has happened elsewhere that demands his taking of the College urgently. Perhaps one of the others has already fallen.’ They began ascending the stairs to the gate-house and ramparts.

‘He is under pressure, certainly,’ said Kard. ‘But don’t assume it’s because of further victory. Lack of success by other armies has probably forced him to act.’

The desire for conversation and the search for reason ceased as they looked down on the cobbled square before the gates. There stood Senedai, arms crossed over his chest, feet placed deliberately apart, dark cloak billowing in the breeze that accompanied the early morning chill. His hair, heavy with braids, barely stirred.

Behind him, better than one hundred Wesmen circled a group of fifty Julatsan children and older folk. All looked confused, all fearful, knowing only that they were a bargaining counter of some sort. None could know the fate that awaited them, their faces holding no panic or terror.

‘I said it would take six days,’ said Barras. Senedai shrugged.

‘And in four, you have done nothing but drilled your soldiers in full view of my observers. I will not debate this further.’ He raised an arm.

‘Wait!’ said Barras. ‘You can’t expect to see the results of our efforts. There is no physical dismantling of magic. We will be ready soon.’

‘You have lied to me, mage,’ said Senedai. ‘Such is the thinking among my captains. And for that, I will have your head as our bargain allows.’

‘It took him long enough to work it out,’ muttered Kard.

‘Now, how long you stay is up to you. But as the mound of corpses rises and its stench drifts across your faces, so will the hatred among those of your people left alive rise against you.’

A murmur and movement stirred among the prisoners and Barras could all but feel their hearts beginning to race as the awful realisation of possible death brought sweat to bead on the back of necks, cold as the grip of night. Barked shouts from the Wesmen guards restored order, but the fear etched deeper into faces and the blank incomprehension of children tore at Barras.

‘I had thought you to be a man of honour,’ said the elder elven mage. ‘Not a murderer of the weak and helpless. You are a soldier, by the Gods. Act like one.’

Senedai wiped a hand across his mouth, apparently attempting to conceal a smile.

‘You are a skilled speaker, mage, but your words no longer move me. It is not I who shall murder them. None of my prisoners will die under a Wesman hand or blade. I am merely releasing them into your hands. If you drop your devil’s curtain, they will live.’ He pointed at the group on the ramparts. ‘You are the murderers. Watch fifty lives be lost, their deaths on your conscience.’ He raised his hand again, this time sweeping it down before Barras opened his mouth to speak. The guards pushed through the crowd, one pair to each prisoner. They were marched struggling in a four-deep line towards the DemonShroud directly under the North Gate, stopping less than three feet from the modulating grey spell. That close, its aura must have been terrible.