Exile's Return (Book 1) (51 page)

‘But if they find out anyway? What will happen then?’

Robert had already thought about this, was trying hard not to, in fact. ‘His name will be anathema. He will be hunted from one end of the country to the other. If he’s ever caught, he’ll be executed immediately. On top of that, there’ll be stories about sorcerers everywhere. Suspicion will be rampant. It’s what we’ve always tried to avoid.’

‘And what about you? Will they assume you’re guilty too?’

‘Probably. I’ll worry about that when I get to it. Now all we have to do is rescue my brother without getting caught ourselves.’

Woods became hills, which in turn became woods again. After two hours they finally reached the edge of the forest and paused on the bank of the river.

‘This is where I found you – further up, though.’

The water was black, deep and very fast. ‘Is there a better place to cross?’

‘Not without going upstream for an hour or so. We can’t afford the time, can we? The moon will be up soon.’

Without a word, Robert turned his horse down the bank. It stumbled and splashed into the water. His knees were drenched and the cold bit at his wounds. The current was violent, but it only increased his urgency. There was so little of the night left to get Finn out and away before they could be found, before Jenn could get home safely.

The horse clambered up the opposite bank and Robert turned to watch Jenn. She led the spare horse, but with both animals being pushed together by the current, they stumbled, threatening to throw her into the water. The horses reared and screamed in panic.

‘Let the other horse go!’ Robert cried, already heading back into the river. Without pausing, he reached inside for the power to steady the animals, to stop her from being dragged downriver. He tried – but there was nothing. No powers! That blow to his head …

‘Jenn, hold on!’ he bellowed, crashing into the water. Turn your horse into the current. Be careful.

She let go the reins of the spare horse and turned into the force. Immediately her horse righted itself and gradually she made her way towards Robert. The moment she was up on the bank, he splashed forward and caught the other animal. His wrist screamed agony as he pulled the leather, but he didn’t stop. Seconds later they made it to the bank, the animals panting with the exertion. They were wet, but fortunately the night wasn’t too cold.

Jenn was squeezing out the water from the edges of her cloak. She glanced up at him with a bemused smile. ‘You know, Robert, life is never dull when you’re around.’

‘Really?’ Robert laughed. ‘I suppose that’s why you missed me so much. Come on, let’s get moving.’

They picked up the pace again, cantering to get warm. By the time they grew close, Robert was in considerable pain. The forest drew close around them as they stopped in a scrubby clearing where dots of starlight appeared through the branches above. Robert swung his leg over the back of the horse and tried to ease himself down to the ground. As his bad leg hit the forest floor, however, it buckled beneath him and he fell hard. Jenn jumped down and rushed to his side.

‘Robert, you’re a damned fool – and I’m a bigger fool for letting you do this. Come on.’ She put her arm under his shoulders and dragged him to the base of the nearest tree, resting his back against the trunk. She darted to her horse and returned with a small pouch.

‘Why is it people like you always think they’re indestructible?’ She rummaged around in the pouch and brought out a small flask. ‘Listen, you know that thing you did? With the old man – the way you stopped his pain? Can you do that on yourself?’

Robert couldn’t help smiling. She was so brisk, so efficient. She ordered him about like he was a child and didn’t give it a second thought. Unlike almost everybody he’d ever met, she wasn’t afraid of him, hadn’t even shrunk back from him when he’d snapped at her.

‘No,’ he replied, ‘it can’t be directed inwards.’

‘Then can you teach me how to do it?’

‘We don’t have time.’

‘Very well,’ Jenn said evenly, ‘you’ll just have to drink this.’

She held out the bottle to him. He took it and swallowed
a mouthful of the most sickly, bitter, revolting mixture he’d ever tasted.

‘Ah!’ he gasped, ‘what is that?

‘Punishment,’ she replied flatly. ‘In a couple of minutes the pain will start to go. It should last a few hours, long enough to get Finnlay out. After that, you’ll just have to suffer.’

She turned away long enough to put the bottle back in the pouch, then sat on the ground beside him. She stared at the branches above, up at the stars, then across the clearing to where the village lay hidden by the trees.

‘I want to tell you,’ she said softly, ‘how sorry I was to hear about your uncle. It was a terrible thing to happen.’

And just like that, it all came back. It was amazing how swiftly he could remember, how long it took him to forget. And there was so much he had to forget. It had been easy the last few hours, with something else to do.

‘Robert?’ Jenn murmured and waited for him to look up. ‘You don’t realize it. You can’t see it because you’re so close to it. But I can see that … you’re dying.’

Robert forced a laugh. ‘What? But you said my injuries weren’t serious! Have you poisoned me?’

She didn’t smile in return. She just shook her head and reached forward, placing her hand on his chest, close to his heart. ‘You’re dying in here. As each day goes by and you continue to struggle with yourself, another part of you dies. Soon there won’t be anything left. You’re dying, Robert, believe me; I can see it. The worst thing is, there’s only one way you can stop it. You must do something.’

Her eyes locked on to his and he suddenly found it difficult to breathe. How could she see so clearly what others were blind to? How could she know so much about the demon?

The realization took his breath away – and knocked him hard enough to push everything back down, deep inside. With a grim smile now, he answered her. ‘I can’t … do anything, Jenny. It’s not as simple as you think. There’s so much you don’t know. It’s just not possible.’

Jenn frowned, unmoved by his evasive response. ‘Does it have anything to do with what the Key told you? Is that what’s holding you back?’

Robert’s heart stopped. ‘What makes you say that?’

‘Does it?’

The compulsion to tell her was enormous, but he couldn’t tell whether it was coming from her or himself. He took a breath and said, ‘Yes.’

She held his gaze for a long time then glanced away briefly. When she turned back, it was with a frown. ‘You may have failed before, but does that guarantee you’ll fail again? Have you always mastered everything the first time you tried? Are you really that clever? Robert, I’m not telling you what to do. I’d never dream of it. All I know is that if you’re to survive, you must act. Withdrawing from life is not the answer. You know what I’m saying is true, don’t you?’

Her eyes remained on him, unwavering but also strangely uncertain. It was as though she had the ability to see deep inside him to a place he was blind to himself. How could she see so much?

What else would she see – what else could he dare let her see?

Above, the trees rustled with the wind, reminding him it was time to go, but for just a moment, he stayed there, watching her, unwilling to move and destroy these few strange moments of peace. Her face, so young and yet so old, held none of the insistent pressure of all the others; instead, she merely voiced what his own heart kept telling him. Yet she did it with care, as though she were afraid of hurting him.

With his eyes still on hers, he took her hand from his chest and gently raised it to his lips. Her skin was cool soft. She didn’t pull away.

‘Come on,’ he murmured, ‘let’s go and get my wayward brother free.’

She helped him up and he found that noxious mixture had done its work. The pain in his leg and hip was almost gone, certainly enough to get over the next few hurdles.
With Jenn following close, he worked his way through the trees. The forest came to an end and they took shelter behind a huge oak. From there they could see the village, almost a town.

Now, were his powers still gone, or had his head wound healed enough now? There was only one way he would know. He pushed down carefully. Yes, there was something stirring, but he couldn’t hold it, control it. He couldn’t sense anything further than the other side of the tree.

Swearing silently, he glanced at Jenn standing at his shoulder. ‘Can you sense where he is?’

Just a second.

Robert waited, wishing he didn’t have to rely on her this way.

He’s in a building by the church wall. Can you see the tower? We’ll have to go down the main street to get to it. There seem to be a lot of people around.

Yes, there were. ‘I’d say word has already got out about the capture of a sorcerer. People will travel leagues to see the trial. Still, it could be useful to us.’

You mean they won’t notice two more strangers?

‘One more – you’ll stay here. Help me get this bandage off my wrist. I can’t use the
ayarn
in my right hand.’ He didn’t dare tell her he could hardly use his powers at all.

She reached out and unwound the dressing, glancing up at him with raised eyebrows.
I’m to stay here, am I? Safely out of the way?

‘That’s right.’

And how are you going to stop me?

Robert snatched his hand away from her and tore the rest of the bandage off. ‘I’ll tie you to this tree if I have to!’

Stop shouting.

‘I’m not shouting, I’m whispering.’

No, Robert. I mean you don’t need to whisper either.

But he didn’t have time for this. He turned away and with his
ayarn
in his left hand, he sent his senses out into the village. Yes, there was Finnlay, still in his cell – along with a
number of guards. Damn! Still, there was no way around it …

Robert, I heard you. Back at the river. You told me to turn my horse into the current
 –
but you didn’t say it aloud. You can speak back to me now.

Robert froze. Slowly he turned back to face her. Hardly daring to hope, he gripped his
ayarn
tight and formed a single word. With as much force as his wounded body could muster, he sent it towards her.

Jenny?

Her answer was a brilliant smile.

By the gods! I can do it too!

Yes! Fun isn’t it? Perhaps in future you’ll learn to listen to me. Now, before you get carried away, I suggest we move on.

Laughing his submission, Robert turned and stepped into the street. She was right – he couldn’t stop her.

*

The church was small with a high wooden tower and a graveyard full of inky-black shapes. Robert led Jenn, crouched low until they gained the church wall. Feeling stronger by the minute, Robert kept his senses alert, feeling for anyone who might cross their path. The village was already patrolled by woodsmen and farmers wearing swords. Unaccustomed to such arms, these men challenged every soul who passed by them, whether friend or stranger. The whole village seemed on edge with such a dangerous prisoner. Robert felt it was his duty to ease that strain, relieve them of the burden.

He glanced down at Jenn, crouched beside him. Her blue eyes were wide as she kept watch on the graveyard, the street beyond. The moon had yet to appear, but it was only a matter of a few minutes.

Robert, are you sure we can get Finnlay out? I know I’m new to this but that building looks like a proper guardhouse. I think he’s in some kind of cellar.

He is. There’re also at least a dozen guards in there with him. Can you sense them?

No.

It was amazing. It was getting easier every time he did it. It was possible he didn’t even need to use his
ayarn
any more – but then, he hadn’t the first time, had he?

Standing, he gave Jenn a lift up on to the wall. As she jumped down, he climbed over and landed beside her. Before them was a small courtyard and a large gate to their left, leading back to the street. Quickly now, they crossed the courtyard to a heavy wooden door. Robert was about to attack the lock when his senses warned him of someone approaching. They were in the shadows but the man would soon see them.

Damn! A guard! Keep still and I’ll try a mask. I don’t know if I can do one big enough to cover us both.

Don’t worry.

Robert was quick, but not yet strong enough. The guard came towards the door and stopped in his tracks. ‘You! Boy! What are you doing in here?’

Jenn instantly left Robert’s side, turning the guard away from him. At that moment, the moon rose, flooding the courtyard with ghostly blue light. Jenn backed away from the guard. ‘I just wanted to see the sorcerer … that’s all.’

‘Well, you can’t. Get out! Go on, boy, leave before I lock you up!’

Jenn turned and ran down towards the gate. As she disappeared, the guard shook his head and continued his patrol, never even looking in Robert’s direction.

Jenny?

Has he gone yet?

Yes, but you’ll have to be quick and quiet. If he catches you coming back, he’ll throw you in with Finnlay.

Coming.

He turned his attention back to the lock. She reached his side as a faint click echoed across the courtyard.

You never told me you could do that!

A lopsided smile brushed across his face as he pulled the door open.
There’re a lot of things I never told you.

They stepped inside, closing the door behind them. Robert was faced with a short, darkened passageway running from
left to right. It was empty. He reached out and placed his hand flat on the wall opposite him, sending his senses along its surface, first one way then the other.
There’s a guard room down that way. Four – no, five men. Can you sense them?

No.

Focus on the door at the end, then imagine what the room inside might look like. Now, close your eyes and let your senses pick up their breathing, their heartbeats. You don’t need to push hard – just let it drift.

Yes! I have them.

Good – keep an eye on them.