Soul's Reckoning (Broken Well Trilogy) Read Free

from within. And the south gate is lying open.’
    Bel experienced a sinking feeling. ‘He’s gone.’
    ‘Yes. It seems the shadow has abandoned Holdwith.’
    ‘Any sign of the mander?’
    ‘None.’
    Bel rubbed his eyes. So Losara had snuck away in the night, almost certainly to join his army – the army that was closer to the Shining Mines than Brahl was. Yesterday Nicha had voiced her hope that the soldiers already stationed at the Mines would be able to hold off the enemy until the rest of the Kainordan forces arrived, but if Losara had the mander in tow, Bel feared the worst. He had been hoping that the creature was somehow tied to Holdwith, because it had not been able to cross a kind of invisible line when last he had faced it. Now he knew it must be mobile somehow, and Losara had taken it .   .   . and there was only one way he could think of to ward it off.
    ‘What do you wish to do?’ said Nicha.
    Bel made a snap decision. ‘The rest of you join Brahl as planned,’ he said. ‘As for me, I will require your fastest horse, and whichever mage is best at increasing its speed.’
    Nicha looked surprised. ‘You will not come with us?’
    ‘No,’ said Bel, and glanced around. Where was Jaya? Then he spotted her, strapping her pack onto a horse. ‘Be quick, Nicha,’ he said. ‘There’s no time to lose.’
    Without waiting for her reply he headed to Jaya, who smiled at him until she saw his expression.
    ‘What is it?’
    ‘Losara has gone to his army, with his creature.’
    ‘Oh,’ she said, seeming confused by the implications.
    ‘I must ride straightaway to the Mines. I’m sorry, Jaya, but you cannot join me on this leg.’
    ‘What?’ she said. ‘Why?’
    ‘Because I must be as swift as I can, and any more horses, and mages .   .   . well, it’s just more variables, and variables might slow me down. I know you will fight me on this, but Jaya, please, I have no time.’
    She seemed to struggle with something interior, then an odd expression took over her face. ‘Very well,’ she said.
    Bel was surprised by her acceptance, but glad he did not have to argue. ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘Go with the others to Brahl, and Arkus willing I shall see you soon.’
    ‘Be careful,’ she said softly, and stepped closer to embrace him. For a moment he allowed himself to hold her, savouring the warmth of her body. He felt like a feather in the eye of the storm, still for a moment, yet about to be swept away.
    ‘What are you going to do?’ she asked.
    ‘Stand in Losara’s way.’
    ‘This is Querrus,’ came Nicha’s voice. She stood with a young man, dressed in red lightfist robes. He was lean and muscular, with bright blue eyes and a shorn head.
    ‘Greetings Blade Bel,’ he said, and bowed. ‘An honour to do you service.’
    ‘I see you’ve no hair to weigh you down,’ said Bel. ‘Truth be told, I have sometimes considered the same.’
    Querrus grinned. ‘Hair gets caught in the wind. It only impedes.’
    ‘My kind of mage,’ said Bel. ‘And the horse?’
    ‘Right this way,’ replied Querrus, holding out a hand.
    One last time Bel turned to Jaya, clasped her forearms. ‘I will see you soon.’
    She nodded, still seeming unsure about whether to insist on coming or not, but Bel did not intend to give her the chance to reconsider.
    ‘Come!’ he said. ‘We may already be too late.’
    Querrus led the way to a brown plains mare, dappled with white splotches, and as lean as he was. ‘This is Taritha,’ he said. ‘We’ve known each other only a year, but together we’ve travelled great distances.’
    ‘Where is it best for me to sit?’ said Bel.
    ‘Up front. You can steer her, and I can concentrate on lending her speed.’
    Bel swung himself up into the saddle, then reached down a hand to Querrus. Jaya appeared by his leg with his pack.
    ‘Do you want to take this?’ she said.
    ‘Strap it quickly,’ said Bel, more brusquely than he intended, and she set about strapping