Sara Douglass – The Axis Trilogy 2 – Enchanter

At Gorkenfort the Skraelings had been fearsome, but only if things went to plan. If caught unawares by a tactical manoeuvre, they were likely to retreat in confusion and whispering fear rather than stay and fight. But now they were more resolute, more courageous. Axis feared that, given enough time, Gorgrael could make his creatures unstoppable. But they could yet be killed, although Stars knew what Borneheld faced at Jervois Landing if this was, as Axis suspected, only a minor force sent on the off-chance that he could break through into Skarabost via the WildDog Plains.

Axis tossed the empty bowl back to Belial. They sat in a too-thin tent in a makeshift camp at the foot of the eastern Urqhart Hills, about five leagues above the entrance to HoldHard Pass.

“I wonder how Gorgrael thought the Skraelings were going to cross the Nordra if they had managed to push that far, Belial,” he said. “Does the SkraeBold carry a purse full of coppers to pay the ferryman?”

Belial grinned at the thought, but it faded quickly. “The good folk of Smyrton would have abruptly found there were worse things to fear in the night than the Forbidden,” he said quietly. Neither he nor Axis had much time for the stolid villagers of Smyrton. A great number of the refugees making their way to Sigholt travelled via the ferry at Smyrton, and the villagers lost no time in telling as many as they could that only darkness could be found at a place like Sigholt where -so it was rumoured – the Forbidden swarmed in large numbers. For some reason the village of Smyrton remained a stronghold of the Seneschal, and the villagers would have nothing to do with the Prophecy, or those named in the Prophecy. Axis had not gone back there since he had ridden through on his way to Gorkenfort over a year ago.

So much has happened since then, Axis thought. So. much. The engaging girl who stared so rudely at me in the Chamber of the Moons is now Queen. Once…once I thought I loved her, but was it half of what I now feel for Azhure? Oh Stars, what am I going to do..<. what am I going to say to Faraday when finally I stand before her again? Axis forced Faraday to the back of his mind. She was a problem many months away.

Perhaps now that they were finally holding against the Skraelings he might find an excuse to return to Sigholt briefly. It would be good to hold Azhure, talk to her, let her soothe away his doubts and fears.

Axis had not managed to use his powers as well as he’d hoped against the Skraeling mass. The ring could show him Songs that could kill or maim, but most were so potent and required so much power of the Star Dance that their use threatened to cripple Axis. Orr had warned him that some Songs were still too dangerous for Axis to use — he would have to grow in power and experience before he could handle them well enough to avoid being killed himself. Now Axis knew what he meant. The effort for a Song that killed some forty or fifty Skraelings left him so drained he could do nothing for hours afterwards. Stars help him, he had thought one day, if ever I am forced to use more power than I do now against Gorgrael’s creatures.

In the end, Axis used his powers only sparingly. In times of crisis, when a push by a section of the Skraeling line threatened his own lines, or when some of his own command pushed too far and were in danger of being cut off.

“Will our line hold, Belial?” Axis asked. He sat on the makeshift bed, watching his second-in-command clean and oil his sword. The sight reassured Axis. During die first week of fighting there had been no time to clean anything.

Belial shrugged, not looking up from his task. “Probably. I don’t think Gorgrael is sending any more Skraelings down through the Icescarp Barren. This was only ever a secondary attack anyway. If it succeeded, well and good. If not, well, I don’t think Gorgrael will worry too much. His main attack will be on Jervois Landing. If no more Skraelings appear, then I think we can hold with what we have here.”

There was silence as Axis contemplated Gorgrael and the attack on Jervois Landing and Belial contemplated the bed, wondering how he could ease Axis off it.

“Do you think Gorgrael knows I am here?” Axis asked, his thoughts obviously far away.

“Undoubtedly, Axis, since you have been using some of your Enchanter powers on his pet creatures. If nothing else, I’m sure the SkraeBold has reported your presence.”

Axis wondered if there was any implied criticism in the man’s comments about his Enchanter powers. He was sensitive to the fact that his powers were relatively useless against the Skraelings.

Belial, noting the sudden interest in Axis’ face, but mistaking the reason for it, continued. “If Gorgrael does know you’re here, I doubt he has much interest in the knowledge.” “What do you mean?” Why shouldn’t Gorgrael take an active interest in his activities? Wasn’t Axis the StarMan, the one the Prophecy said would destroy Gorgrael?

“Axis.” Belial’s voice was tired, and all he could do now was stare at the bed that Axis continued obstinately to sit on. “If you were a real threat to Gorgrael at the moment you would be beating down the front door to whatever fortress Gorgrael has secreted himself in. All Gorgrael wants right now is to overrun Achar before you have a chance to unite the country behind you. He knows he doesn’t have much to fear from you at present.”

“I am never in danger of falling into complacency and self-congratulation about you, am I, Belial? You always manage to remind me where I am and who I am.”

“Well,” Belial said, “can I remind you that you are still on that bed, yet it is my turn to sleep? Perhaps you could —”

He was cut off by a sudden, agonised groan from Axis, who clutched at his head. “StarDrifter,” he muttered. “I hear you! I hearyoul Calm down!”

Belial started and watched Axis carefully as he communicated with his father. StarDrifter had returned to Sigholt after Gundealga Ford, so…what was wrong at Sigholt? Was the Keep under attack? Was it… oh Mother, was it something wrong with Azhure? Belial sat forward on his stool, anxiety etching deep lines into his face.

“Stars!” Axis leapt to his feet, his face paling underneath its layer of grime. “Belial, the bed is yours. Can you hold -this line against the Skraelings if I leave you?”

“What is it, Axis?” asked Belial, grabbing Axis by the arms. “What’s wrong at Sigholt?”

“It’s Azhure. She’s gone into labour.”

Belial’s face went grey. “But it’s too early. She’s only just into her eighth month.”

“I know.” Axis’ face was, if anything, even more anxious than Belial’s. “I know. Belial, can you hold this line if I leave you? You have Magariz, and Arne, as well as FarSight and the Strike Force.”

“Yes, yes,” Belial muttered impatiently, dropping Axis’ arms. “Yes, I can hold. But it’s going to take you days, even if you ride at a flat-out gallop. You can’t possibly get there before —”

“I have a faster means. Look after Belaguez.”

A hint of music brushed the air, and then suddenly, shockingly, Axis wasn’t there any more. Belial stared at the space where Axis had been standing, astonished.

“Why do I always get to look after the horse?” he muttered, then sat down on the bed, his face in his hands, suddenly too worried to sleep.

Would Azhure be all right?

The first contractions had caught Azhure while, of all things, she was returning from an early morning walk. She had gasped and clutched her protruding belly as she neared the Keep, and the bridge, alarmed, had halloed so loudly that everyone in the garrison had been awakened and had hastened out, half dressed, clutching swords and bows, expecting to find Sigholt under attack.

Azhure, grim-faced with embarrassment, had marched back to her apartments with as much dignity as she could muster, half the Keep flustering at her heels.

Now Rivkah sat quietly in a: chair while Azhure, still in the early stages of labour, paced nearby, Sicarius shadowing her every step. The rest of the Alaunt had been relegated to the kitchens while both MorningStar and StarDrifter fretted outside in the corridor.

The early onset of labour in itself was not a trouble. First children were often early. The problem was that Axis was not here, and Icarii children needed at least one Icarii parent there to talk them through the birth.

Icarii children were always far more aware than human babies were, and high-strung as well. Labour, the feel of the womb relentlessly contracting about them, usually frightened and confused them, and any sense that the mother was in pain or frightened only increased the child’s terror. They needed an Icarii to talk to them, reassure them, convince them not to fight the birth, but to flow with it. If the Icarii parent wasn’t there, then the child, struggling for life, often panicked and twisted, fighting against the pressure of the womb. Rivkah repressed a shudder. Axis’ birth had gone so terribly wrong because StarDrifter had not been there to reassure Axis. Terrified by his mother’s pain, Axis had twisted himself so badly that she’d almost died in giving him birth.