The Ascendant Stars - Michael Cobley [55]
‘But that’s not what we’re dealing with here, is it?’ said Theo, who then went on to tell them about the deadly enslaving dust that Kuros had used on Greg and which, he now suspected, had been used on Vashutkin too. ‘My guess is that Vashutkin, or the thing controlling him, transferred some of that dust from his bloodstream to that of this unfortunate.’
‘If Vashutkin is using this stuff to create a web of spies,’ Ian said, ‘where did our implanted spies and bombers come from?’
Theo frowned. ‘That drittsekk Kuros is apparently holed up in a base north of Trond – perhaps he’s responsible.’ He looked down at the two bodies. ‘Strogalev didn’t seem like the other one – have you looked him over?’
Ian shook his head, checked the Strogalev corpse, head, neck, chest and arms like before, then shrugged. ‘Nothing. Looks like he was a voluntary minion. Is Vashutkin up at Tusk Mountain the now?’
‘No, he’s going along on the raid,’ Theo said. ‘The plan was to reach the northern farms by late afternoon so they’ll be away by now.’
‘Theo, it’s late afternoon now,’ his sister said. ‘What time did you think it was?’
Theo was startled at this, then alarmed as he fumbled for the watch he kept in an inside pocket. And there it was – 5.23 p.m.
‘My God, they’ll be passing the Glensturluson daughter-forest by now. I should have been with them to keep my eyes on Vashutkin!’ He buttoned his jacket. ‘We have to get back to Tusk Mountain – I need to know that nothing has gone wrong, and we need to tell the others about these spies. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?’
There was a grimness in Ian’s face, while Solvjeg seemed burdened and pale. ‘That is part of the reason,’ she said. ‘We’re also here to explore a possible pact with a splinter group of the Spiralists. But mainly we’re here to see Greg, if he’s … ’
‘That’s another reason for us to hurry back,’ Theo said, summarising what he had learned about how Greg ended up carrying the Zyradin to Nivyesta. Solvjeg relaxed a little on hearing that her son was due back on Darien soon. ‘I know that he’ll be very happy to find you waiting for him, although it must be important for you both to leave the safety of the Hrothgars … ’
Solvjeg exchanged an anguished look with Ian and Theo knew.
‘It’s Ned,’ Ian said. ‘He was one of the ones who died at the boatyard.’
Theo sighed – Ned, the youngest of the three Cameron boys, Ned the doctor, who was also Ned the poker player and Ned the cartoon-drawer. And Ned the home help for seniors, a side of himself he’d shared only with his uncle. Now gone, effaced, erased.
I’ll remember you, boy. I’ll fight to keep the memory of you.
‘I am so sorry,’ he said.
Solvjeg made a soft, sad shrugging motion. ‘He’s still in my heart. He’ll always be with me, Theo, so let’s leave this place. It’s getting cold.’
Wordlessly, he nodded and led them up and out of the darkening valley.
CHEL
Robed and hooded, he walked along the valley side, and it was the walk of one whose every movement threatened to unleash pain. The memory of pain was in him, so fresh, so near, so clear that his terror of it made him want to fall down and curl up, but Chel knew how severe his punishment would be so he kept walking. He couldn’t escape the pain or its memory (pain like razor claws hot from the fire, tearing through his throat, his neck, his bowels), yet he had to and the only avenue that offered the slightest chance of it was to obey the commands of the Knight of the Legion of Avatars, perfectly, without hesitation, down to the last detail.
Rory was walking behind him. Chel was glad that he couldn’t see the Human’s face, glad that he wouldn’t be reminded of his failure, his capitulation, his guilt. Just after they were captured, just a few days ago (Was it five days or six? Seven? Longer?), when they were imprisoned within the autofactory, the spectral Pathmaster had appeared