Hirad looked up the stairs. There was panic above and for good reason. Their limbs a blur, every strike finding its mark, the TaiGethen were back in the fight.

‘Yes!’ shouted Hirad. ‘Yes!’

Energy flooded through him. He glanced right. The Unknown’s fist connected with the chin of his opponent, knocking him from his feet to land on top of two men behind. He could hear Darrick encouraging Rebraal all the way and knew that the balance of the fight was shifting.

A mage was backing away beyond the stairs. Hirad snarled. He was next but there were enemies in front of him. He stepped inside the guard of another soldier, ducked a haymaking punch and stabbed upwards through his stomach. Still moving he pushed the dying man aside, lashed a fist into the face of a soldier targeting The Unknown and moved on again.

The Raven would be triumphant. It would soon be over.

Vuldaroq and Heryst had both been enjoying the news from Xetesk. Noting that their spies were both deeply embedded in the Dark College and highly skilled, they had settled back in their respective colleges to hear, through a cooperative Communion, about the elven raid that had brought such chaos and apparent destruction.

While piqued that they had not been consulted, there was satisfaction in any mayhem and Vuldaroq found himself unwilling to appear disgruntled. Well, not completely. He wasn’t enamoured with the Al-Arynaar mage who conducted the Communion. She was under duress from Lysternan and Dordovan mages, who felt the need for her to deal direct with their rulers. She, it appeared, didn’t feel it was any of their business. It was not a way in which he was used to being spoken. Nor Heryst, though the Lysternan leader had other reasons not to make protestation. The shame of letting The Raven escape was hard to face down.

‘And when exactly do you expect your raiding party to return?’ Vuldaroq remained fascinated that anyone could breach the walls of the city so easily, let alone the college but it had most definitely happened.

‘That is unknown,’ said Dila’heth. ‘Perhaps they will not return at all. We cannot be sure.’

‘But you are sure they have completed their tasks inside,’ pushed Vuldaroq.

‘Your spies are more able to draw that conclusion. Clearly, the news that the library has been raided is very good. Auum will die before giving up the Aryn Hiil, should he have found it there.’

She sounded very tired. The pressure of the siege front, the second failure of the Julatsan mana focus and the stress of talking to the leaders of two colleges must be taking its toll.

‘I am sorry that we press you,’ said Heryst. His voice drifting across Vuldaroq’s mind like balm on a wound. ‘But there are other questions. Did not your raiding party seek to cause damage to the Dark College as part of their brief?’

‘Your dispute is your business. We are, and have always been here in order to recover what was stolen from us,’ said Dila’heth. ‘When we have confirmation, we will move north to Julatsa as has always been understood.’

‘Of course,’ said Vuldaroq. ‘And our heartfelt thanks for your aid, however given, will always be with the elven nation.’

‘Do not patronise me, Dordovan,’ said Dila’heth. ‘Your conflicts have caused harm on Calaius. Xetesk may be in the dock but none of you are blameless.’

‘Young lady I—’ began Vuldaroq.

‘I think what Vuldaroq is saying is that we are eternally grateful for your intervention. We have not deliberately sought to harm your country but we do seek to end any chance of that harm worsening by deposing the current Xeteskian regime.’

‘I apologise,’ said Dila. ‘This war makes its mark on us all.’

‘Indeed it does,’ said Vuldaroq. ‘Please do not take offence.’

‘I do not.’

‘Good,’ said Vuldaroq. He drew a breath. ‘One more thing. We understand there is trouble in the Xeteskian tower complex and catacombs, though we are unable to get too close for obvious reasons. I had no idea the elves were attacking there too.’

‘They are not. The Ra—’ Dila caught herself but it was too late.

‘I beg your pardon?’ Vuldaroq wasn’t quite convinced of what he had just half heard.

‘There are other targets in the college,’ said Dila hurriedly. ‘I was not privy to all the TaiGethen’s discussions with their advisers.’

‘Their advisers being The Raven, clearly,’ said Vuldaroq casually.

‘That is not what I said,’ replied Dila’heth frostily. ‘Now if there is nothing more, I have a war to fight tomorrow.’

‘You understand that the allies seek The Raven,’ said Heryst. ‘They are criminals and must be arrested.’

‘They are friends to the elves,’ said Dila carefully.

‘Meaning?’ demanded Vuldaroq.

‘Meaning, if I knew where they were, I would not place them in the hands of those who would harm them.’

‘They are outlaws,’ said Vuldaroq.

‘They saved the elven nation almost single-handed amongst men. Their sacrifice is enough to absolve them of any crime in the eyes of elves.’

‘Tell me,’ said Vuldaroq. ‘Are they in Xetesk or are they not?’

‘I trust you heard my previous utterances,’ said Dila. ‘Would you like me to repeat them?’

‘We will talk more when you are perhaps less tired,’ said Vuldaroq.

‘I think not.’

The connection broke, leaving Vuldaroq alone with Heryst.

‘I trust your humiliation is now complete, my Lord Heryst.’

‘Stop your tiresome jibes, Vuldaroq. We have serious matters to discuss.’

‘Do we?’ Vuldaroq smiled to himself. Not for long.

‘The Raven are no longer just an irritation and a band of fugitives, ’ said Heryst. ‘And before you snap back, I think you should consider not what happens when they escape Xetesk, but what happens if they do not. I will not treat you as a fool. You will be as aware as I am of the rumours surrounding Erienne. It appears she is locked in the Dark College. Dystran will know what we do. What if she should be captured?’

Vuldaroq considered. ‘We will have to rescue her. For the good of Balaia.’

‘Indeed,’ said Heryst. ‘And not just the good of one or other of us. If she is who we believe, she will not be silenced like her daughter.’

‘But whose hands will she fall into, eh?’

Heryst sighed. ‘That cannot be the issue, save that it should not be Xetesk’s. Please, Vuldaroq, let us not compete over this. It is too important to us both.’

‘She is Dordovan,’ said Vuldaroq. ‘She belongs with me.’

‘If she is a woman of the One, she belongs to none of us, that is the problem.’

‘If you capture her, you will surrender her to me,’ said Vuldaroq.

‘Don’t be ridiculous. Any capture attempt has to be a joint venture. Any reward has to be shared,’ replied Heryst.

‘But what if they should escape and fall into your hands, eh?’

‘Or yours?’

‘Perhaps we must agree to differ on this issue,’ said Vuldaroq.

‘Vuldaroq!’ shouted Heryst, his voice echoing painfully around the Dordovan Arch Mage’s skull. ‘This is not an argument about supply chains or battlefield communication. This affects the future of Balaia. A Balaia that you and I want to see returned to balance. Am I not right?’

Vuldaroq was silent.

Chapter 26

What had begun as a desperate breakout attempt became a slaughter. Panicked by the TaiGethen at their backs, the Xeteskian guardsmen had pushed forwards towards the Raven. The resultant jostling and lack of space meant no room to bring crossbows to bear and had brought first Thraun and then Hirad to the helpless mages.