A Time of Justice

‘That wretched wyrm,’ Enj said. ‘Pretending she couldn’t understand a word I said, making you babble back and forth like an ambassador!’

Rhodry let out his breath in a sigh. The matter, he knew, would stay closed between them from now on. He sat down again and leaned back against his bedroll.

‘And what or who is this Evandar fellow?’ Enj said.

‘I’m not truly sure. He has the ears and eyes of a full-blooded elf, but I’ve been told by sorcerers that he’s naught of the sort. Riddles, indeed!’ Rhodry spat into the fire. ‘They say he’s some kind of spirit who’s never been born, and that he lives in some kind of magical country that lies beyond the world, not that it’s floating in the air or suchlike – just “beyond”, they say. None of it makes a bit of sense to me, curse them all! But Evandar’s got dweomer, all right, the way other men have blood running in their veins.’

The dragon clacked her fangs in a sound that, he suspected, did duty as a snicker.

‘Indeed?’ Enj considered for a long while. ‘Do you think he’d know where Haen Marn’s gone off to?’

‘I’ve no idea, but I suspect that if anyone does, it’d be him. Maybe I’ll get a chance to ask him.’ Rhodry shot the dragon a murderous glance. ‘And no smart remarks from you.’

Arzosah curled her paw and contemplated her claws, but he could have sworn she was smiling.

After a few hours’ troubled sleep they woke at dawn. Arzosah clambered to her feet and stretched her wings, throwing huge shadows over the entire campsite, then folded them back and waddled down to the river to drink, which took a while because she lapped water like a cat rather than sucking like a cow. The men sat by the ash of their dead fire and shared stale flatbread and a strip of venison jerky.

‘How long till we reach Lin Serr?’ Enj said.

‘On her back? No more than three days, more likely a pair.’

‘There’s some food left, but not much. If we could wait a day, I could catch us more.’

‘Truly, I’ve never seen a man as good as you at foraging in the wild country. But time’s short.’

Enj nodded, glancing away upriver, where once the magical lake and island of Haen Marn had sat upon the countryside like a bowl on a table. By its dweomer it had vanished, taking itself away from marauders and the dangers of war – how or where, they didn’t know. With it, though, had gone Enj’s kin and clan, his home and his entire life, leaving behind only a long stretch of empty grass, green in the bright sun.

‘I was just thinking,’ Enj said in a shaking voice. ‘That it may be that the isle will return, with the danger gone off south.’

‘Think it likely?’

Enj shrugged. His eyes were brimming tears.

‘Tell me somewhat,’ Rhodry went on. ‘Have you ever marched to war?’

Enj shook his head no.

‘I thought as much. Here, why don’t you let me take what food we have, and you stay here to hunt and wait. I’ve seen you in wild country, and I know that you can live here for years if you have to. If the war ends soon, I’ll come back. If Haen Marn returns, you come south and find me.’

‘Will you think me a coward if I stay, Rori?’

‘Never, my friend. Never that.’

Enj started to speak, then wept, covering his face with his hands. Rhodry got up and strolled down to the river to join Arzosah.

‘The small creature’s snivelling again,’ she remarked.

‘He’s no warrior. Let him weep. If my soul weren’t dead, I’d weep too.’

‘Your soul is dead?’ She swung her massive head round fast to look at him. Water drops gleamed among the scales on her chin.

‘Just a way of speaking.’

‘Never ever say such a horrid thing again! It curdles my blood, just hearing the words. Don’t you realize that such can happen to men, and that it’s the most unclean thing of all under the sky?’ She shuddered with a swishing of wings. ‘Horrible!’

‘Well, my apologies. I feel like my heart’s died, then, if that suits you better.’

‘It does. A dead heart is sad, but not horrible. Rather common, actually. Males do kill their own hearts over losing the females they love.’ She sighed in a long rustle of wings. ‘Was this Angmar the only woman you’ve ever loved?’

‘Do you care?’

‘I do. We females like knowing these things.’

‘Well, then, no, she wasn’t the only one. I loved someone named Jill when I was very young, but she left me.’

‘And that’s sad, too. Was it for another man?’

‘It wasn’t, but for the dweomer.’

‘Ah! Naught to be done about that! When it calls, you follow.’

‘So she told me.’

‘You sound bitter still.’

Rhodry shrugged and watched the river flow. He could see the rippling reflection of her massive head, watching him.

‘I’ve lost a mate,’ she said at last. ‘My heart didn’t die, me being female and all, but his loss wounds me still. For your Angmar’s sake as well as his, I’ll eat the first Horsekin we slay.’

It was, Rhodry supposed, an honour of sorts.

‘Then I thank you. Ah well, I shouldn’t be surprised that I’ve lost her – Angmar, I mean. It’s better she’s gone, for her sake.’

‘Well, if the wretched Horsekin had found Haen Mam –’

‘Just so. No doubt my one true love sent them. She’s the jealous sort, truly, which is why I’ve lost every woman I’ve ever loved. If I’d dared to go on spurning her, she would have sent Angmar to the Otherlands. She’s a great queen, you know, and she could have done it easily. I’ve been marked for her love from the beginning of my life, no doubt about that, and I’ve lost all her rivals.’

‘And just what are you talking about?’ The dragon swung her head round to glare at him. ‘What great queen?’

‘The one woman I’ve ever loved who’s truly loved me in return.’ Rhodry flung one hand in the air in salute. ‘My lady. Death. Oh, we’ve had a long fine affair of it, Death and I, and always have I served her well, sending her many a pretty gift from battle. Someday she’ll take pity on me, like she takes pity on all men, and let me sleep in her cold cold arms. I tell you, Wyrm, I begin to long for her more and more.’

Arzosah stared at him, her huge and alien eyes unreadable. At length he laughed, but it was just a normal sort of chuckle.

‘If you’ve drunk enough,’ he said, ‘it’s time to fly south.’

‘I suppose you’re going to put those nasty ropes round me again.’

‘I am. But not as many this time, because Enj will be staying here.’