Sara Douglass – The Axis Trilogy 3 – StarMan

Axis and his commanders were seated in the Great Hall of Sigholt in the hour before the evening meal was served. Now Axis glanced across at Belial. “Well?”

Belial considered, then looked at Axis with sympathy shining from his eyes. “It is a good place, Axis.”

“Who for?” Axis snapped.

“For him,” Belial said. “He would know the memories the place holds for you. The ghosts.”

“And he can withdraw into Gorken Pass itself,” Magariz added. “Forcing you to follow him. If he plans well, Gorken Pass could become a death trap for us…especially if he launches Gryphon from the rocks of the mountains.” He finished abruptly. Magariz would rather not fight another battle at Gorkenfort.

“I do not want to hear this,” Axis said, but his voice had lost its harsh edge. Gorkenfort. Damn him!

Everyone else was silent.

Azhure waited several minutes until she spoke, until the others had begun to shift uncomfortably.

“Well, where else did you expect him to go, Axis? We knew he was moving north, and Gorken Pass is the only route through to the northern coasts . . . unless he wanted to try to move his host through the Icescarp Alps. Surely this cannot be too much of a surprise.”

Axis glared at her, but she did not drop her eyes. He’d hoped Timozel might pull his army back all the way to Gorgrael’s fortress somewhere in the northern wastes. But it had always been a forlorn hope. He knew he would have to face Timozel again, and it might as well be Gorkenfort or Gorken Pass as anywhere else. After all, Skraelings had died there together with men.

“SpikeFeather? Have your scouts returned from their duty over Ichtar?”

SpikeFeather shuffled his wings, relieved that the StarMan’s voice had returned to normal. “Yes, StarMan. It is quiet and denuded of Skraelings from the Fortress Ranges to the River Azle -and possibly beyond, but my scouts did not fly that far. Likewise it is quiet and empty from the Icescarp Alps to the Nordra.”

Axis looked at Magariz. “You have your province back, Prince Magariz.”

Magariz bowed his head. “Then I thank you, StarMan.”

Best thank Faraday, Axis thought, for it is she who has driven back Gorgrael’s ice with her trees.

“Fire-Night,” Azhure prompted gently, “is only some nine weeks away.”

Axis’ ill-humour returned and he laughed harshly. “Do you hear that, my friends? Fire-Night is but nine weeks away. By the third week of Rose-month I must have cleared this land of its Skraelings so that I can move to meet the Avar in their groves.”

Belial looked bewildered, as did most of the other commanders.

“Axis must be in the Avarinheim groves by Fire-Night so that he can take the Rainbow Sceptre with which to destroy Gorgrael,” Azhure explained, her eyes still on Axis. “The Avar will be instrumental in the making of the Sceptre.”

“That does not leave us much time,” Belial said, then wished he had kept quiet.

But Axis only waved a hand tiredly. “Then we had better start to move. Belial, what is our state of readiness?”

Belial spoke for some time, occasionally referring a point to one of the other commanders, or querying something with Axis himself. In the eight weeks since the army had been encamped on the Lake of Life, spirits and health had been restored, gear mended and cleaned, and training had continued apace.

“Then when can we ride?” Axis said.

“In two days…if the conditions permit it.” Belial looked at SpikeFeather.

The Strike Force Leader spoke quickly. “The land is well thawed -”

“And drained?” Belial broke in.

“And drained,” SpikeFeather said. “There are still great patches of mud, but the ground forces should be able to ride past them.”

Axis lounged back in his chair and stretched his legs out. “The Strike Force, SpikeFeather? Should I take you?”

“Would you have us stay here and mind the children, Axis?”

“If seven thousand Gryphon get to you before Azhure can manage to contain them, then there will be no Strike Force at all.”

“We want to fight,” SpikeFeather said. “If we die, then so be it.”

Axis regarded him carefully. The Strike Force had built itself up so that it now stood at about sixty per cent of its previous strength. But SpikeFeather was young and relatively inexperienced. Should he risk them?

They have to fight, Axis. Isn’t that what you trained them for in Talon Spike? Did you want them to go home the instant they lost a few members? “You gave them their pride, do you now want to take it away from them?

More than a few members lost, Azhure, but Axis conceded the point. “Very well, SpikeFeather. You can start to send the farflight scouts towards Gorkenfort, but be careful!”

“And we fight?”

“Yes. You fight. Ready the Strike Force. You can move out four days after the ground force has gone. Your initial task will be to protect the supply column.”

SpikeFeather took a deep breath and relaxed. “Good.”

“SpikeFeather, have you any news from Talon Spike?” Azhure asked.

He shook his head regretfully. “I’m sorry, Enchantress. All I know is that the majority of the Icarii made it safely to the Avarinheim. Some have stayed there with the Avar, but many are continuing south to the Minaret Peaks, some to Nor and Carlon, and some to the Island of Mist and Memory.”

Azhure nodded. She felt responsible for RavenCrest’s decision to stay, but it was his choice, and it was his life. At least most of the Icarii had escaped – and who knew, perhaps Gorgrael wouldn’t think to launch his Gryphon on the mountain anyway.

But already she could feel the black surge of Gryphon to the north, a tidal wave of destruction – almost seven thousand, three hundred of them. And their pups, mewling and crawling in an even blacker wave. Waiting. Wanting.

“Well,” Axis said with forced lightness in his voice, “so in two days we ride into yet another battle.” He reached across to Azhure and took her hand. “Thank the Stars you will ride with me this time.”

She gave him a tight, tense smile.

“I can’t come with you, Axis.”

They were alone in their bed chamber.

He spun to her. ” Wfcat?” “Axis, please understand, I can’t come -” He seized her shoulders, unable to believe what he was hearing. ” Azhure, I need you!”

She winced at the strength of his hands and the pain in his eyes but kept her voice soft. “Axis, I will be there in time for the battle, it’s just that I’m needed elsewhere at the moment. I’ll join you as soon as I can.”

“Needed elsewhere?” He laughed incredulously. “Needed elsewhere! What? Does RiverStar need to be burped just so? Is Caelum fussing over a tooth? Dammit, Azhure, there’s no need to prove to me that you are a good mother!” “Faraday.” “Faraday?”

She took a deep breath. How could she explain without telling him what Faraday did not want him to know? “Faraday draws close to Smyrton. She is tired, exhausted, yet she faces the greatest danger of all in only a week or two.”

“Can’t she plant the last few trees by herself, Azhure?” “Artor waits in Smyrton, Axis. Faraday needs me and I need her. Neither of us can face him alone, and no-one can ignore him.”

“I need you, Azhure,” he whispered.

“I know.”

“How can I deal with the Gryphon without you?”

“Shush. I’ll be there in time,” she said.

“I’ll fail without you!”

“Axis …”

He drew her close to him. “Azhure, I will fail without youl”

“We will both fail without Faraday,” she said fiercely, trying to make him understand. “I can deal with the Gryphon, but what about the mass of Skraelings? What will you do at Gorkenfort?”

“I dealt with them at the Azle.”

“No,” she said brutally, “you only bought yourself a few precious hours to retreat in. Don’t you want to advance this time? Secure Ravensbund for Ho’Demi as you have secured Ichtar for Magariz?”

He was silent, his face averted. His hands slipped away from her arms and hung at his sides.

Azhure wrapped her own arms about him as tightly as she could, pressing her body against his, maintaining the contact. “The trees will help us, Axis, but only if they are joined to the Avarinheim. If the Song of the Earth Tree can touch them.”

“And what will the trees do, Azhure,” he said harshly, “pick up their roots and march forth? Can I rely on them to get there in time?”

She pressed her face against his chest. “The trees will help us, Axis. Faraday has promised.”

He was silent long minutes. “She has reason enough to hate me, to lie to me.”

“She does not hate you, Axis, and she does not lie to you.”

“I lied to her.”

Azhure was silent.

“I lied to her,” Axis whispered. “I wish before every star in the firmament that I’d had the courage to treat her as she deserved.”