Pilgrim by Sara Douglas

―Do you have that map, Gustus?‖ Drago asked.

―Aye, sir. Here.‖

Drago took the proffered map and calmly spread it out on a table. He leaned over the

table, staring intently at it, the fingers of one hand gently tapping as he thought.

― For the gods’ sakes! ‖ Herme yelled, hitting the table with his fist. ― Carlon is burning! ‖

―Then to you I give the task of finding as many people in the palace, and the blocks

surrounding the palace, as you can,‖ Drago said, straightening up. ―You will bring them into this

room, and you will send them through the doorway.‖

He waved at the rectangle of light. ―Everything that goes through that doorway will end

up at the bridge before Sanctuary, so, Herme, make sure that only people go through that

doorway. Do you understand me?‖

Herme nodded.

―Good. Then move!‖

Herme grabbed Gustus and began giving him orders in an urgent monotone as they

walked through the chamber doorway into the outside doorway.

―And us?‖ Zared asked.

― And the people beyond this palace and its immediate environs?‖ Theod put in.

―Well,‖ Drago began, but before he could go any further, Faraday, WingRidge and some

sixty members of the Lake Guard tumbled through the rectangle of light.

―How did we get down that stairwell so fast?‖ WingRidge was saying to Faraday as he

came though, and then he stared about in amazement as he realised where he was.

Lake Guardsmen and women tumbled through after him, and soon the room was filled

with bodies and voices.

―WingRidge,‖ Drago said, ―send twenty of your command through that doorway,‖ he

indicated the chamber doorway. ―Outside they will find Earl Herme and some members of

Zared‘s army. They are trying to evacuate as many people as they can find in the immediate

vicinity into this room and then through that door. The Lake Guard can help. Do it!‖

WingRidge quickly sent twenty of the Guard running through the door.

As they ran, Drago bent down to Sicarius and whispered something to him. The hound

whined briefly, and then four of the Alaunt had dashed after the twenty Lake Guard.

―They will help find those trapped,‖ Drago said, and then smiled a little at Faraday.

―Thank you for getting back here so fast.‖

He looked about the room. ―Now listen. We have little time.‖

He cocked his head slightly again towards one of the windows. ―The hour of Tempest has

passed,‖ he said. ―And that will make things slightly easier for us.‖

He lifted a hand and drew four separate symbols in the air before him. When the lizard

had completed retracing them in light, four more doorways stood glowing in the centre of the

room.

WingRidge stared at the doorways, then stared at Drago, nodding slightly to himself.

―Faraday, Leagh, Gwendylyr, and Goldman,‖ Drago said, ―you will each take one of

these doorways and go to,‖ he named four sections of the city, ―where, as Herme does here, you

will gather as many people as you can and send them through the door. I say to you what I said

to Herme. Make sure only people go through those doorways, because anything can go through, and I do not want a tide of rodents, or anything worse, to descend on Sanctuary.‖

― I can manipulate that enchantment?‖ Goldman said wonderingly.

Drago spared the time to smile gently at him, including both Goldman and Gwendylyr in

his next remark. ―You can feel the changes within you since…since the field of flowers?‖

They nodded.

―You have been reborn in the fullness of Acharite blood,‖ Drago said. ―As have I,

Faraday and Leagh.‖

His mouth twitched. ―I think you will find yourselves somewhat amazed at what

implications that will have for your lives. But for now, will you just trust me when I say, this

enchantment you will be able to manipulate with ease?‖

―Aye,‖ Goldman said. ―After what you did for us this morning, I could trust you if you

said I could survive the Demons themselves.‖

―Pray it does not come to that!‖ Drago said hurriedly. ―Each of you can take two of the

Alaunt with you to help find those trapped—‖

―May I take the cats rather than the hounds?‖ Goldman said.

Drago nodded. ―If you wish. Why?‖

Goldman squatted down and picked up one of the cats. ―I‘ve ever had an affinity for cats,

my Lord.‖

―Don‘t call me that,‖ Drago said sharply, then turned to WingRidge. ―Send some of your

guard with each of them. Zared, Theod, go with your wives. They will need your aid.‖

As WingRidge sorted his guard into groups, Faraday spoke.

―How do we use the doorways?‖

―Walk through, and you will find yourself in Spiredore. Once there…do you remember

how I folded the door and pocketed it when we left the field of flowers?‖

Faraday, as Goldman and the other two women, nodded.

―Do the same. You will find it easy. Ask Spiredore to take you to your particular section

of the city and, when you get there, simply unpocket the doorway and unfold it.‖

―And when we have found all the people we can?‖ Gwendylyr asked.

―Then go back through yourselves. Refold the doorway, and ask Spiredore to return you

to me.‖

―And you?‖ Faraday asked.

Drago looked carefully at her, not sure if the question was asked because she felt he‘d

given himself nothing to do, or because she was concerned for him.

―WingRidge and I have something else to attend to,‖ he said softly. ―Now, go.‖

The three women and Goldman collected their respective groups of members of the Lake

Guard, Alaunt and cats, and moved through their doorways.

When the room was empty save for himself and WingRidge and the single remaining

glowing door, Drago reworked the enchantment surrounding the door so that it would again take

people directly to Spiredore, then turned to speak to WingRidge.

―The Maze is rising,‖ he said.

―Aye,‖ WingRidge answered. ―It needs to speak with you.‖

65

Evacuation

Faraday led her group of Lake Guard and several of the Alaunt into horror.

Faraday stopped dead just inside the room where Spiredore had deposited her. It was not

the heat that had riveted her attention, even though it was close to being overwhelming, nor the

smoke which had thickened enough to be irritating if not choking, but the sight directly across

the room.

A crowd of rodents ringed a small boy seated against the far wall. The rodents had

originally been facing the boy, but when Faraday and her companions had abruptly appeared in

the centre of the room, they‘d turned as one to face the intruders.

Faraday had no eye for the rodents. All she could see was the boy. At first sight he

reminded her of Isfrael when he was about five or six, for he had the same green eyes, pale skin

and blonde hair, although his features were very different.

But as Faraday‘s vision adjusted to the smoke and heat, she realised that normally the boy

had a ruddy complexion, and if he was pale now, it was only because he sat in a pool of his own

blood. His green eyes were as wide as Isfrael‘s had been, but they were widened with horror and

agony, rather than curiosity and wonder.

Faraday began to step forward, then halted, appalled.

A mouse, covered in clotting blood, wriggled out of the boy‘s half-open mouth and

dropped down over his ragged belly into his lap.

Another mouse emerged, as bloody as the first, and then a veritable swarm of the

creatures wriggled out of the boy‘s mouth.

―No,‖ Faraday said flatly, trying to deny what she was seeing. ―No!‖

But it was too late. The boy gave a single hiccup, choked, then died.

There was a movement among the rodents, and Faraday refocused on the rat that walked

several paces towards her. It was twice the size of a normal rat, its pelt patchy-bald in places, and

its black eyes bright with pure venom and, appallingly, intelligence as keen as Faraday‘s own.

Somehow, horribly, Faraday could see inside its mind.

It was a warren of dark tunnels and mazes. The rat‘s consciousness seized hers, and

Faraday found herself being pulled along one of the tunnels at breakneck speed, towards some

horror that awaited her at the heart of the maze.

She could hear, feel, that heart beating with pure malevolence.

No, she thought. No! She knew what existed in the heart of that Maze!

Get you gone, breeder of small two-legs, the rat said in her mind, or I shall deliver you

into the hands of—

In the extremity of her fear, Faraday reacted with pure instinct.

In her mind she drew an image of a rat trap, drew it with glowing lines of light, and with

all the strength she possessed she threw it towards the patchy-bald rat.

―Get you snapped, you filthy disease-monger!‖

The rat screeched, and then suddenly its head caved in and its ribs blew apart.