The Complete Darkwar Trilogy: Flight of the Night Hawks, Into a Dark Realm, Wrath of a Mad God

THE ROAD STRETCHED TO THE HORIZON.

Once again, Tad and Zane rode in a cart, as they had almost half a year before. This time however, they were approaching the village of Stardock.

Reaching Shamata, Caleb and the boys had found a shipment of goods that were being sent along the shore of the Sea of Dreams down to the Great Star Lake and the Academy. Caleb had volunteered to take the shipment and arrange for someone to return the wagon to the trading concern when they arrived. As the company was owned by his father, Caleb encountered no objection.

He had told the boys that they would pass through Stardock on their way south, but that they would only stay for one night. Tad rode next to Caleb on the driver’s seat, while Zane sat in the back, behind the cargo with his feet hanging over the back of the wagon.

It was late afternoon by the time they reached the outer boundary of Stardock Town. The first of its buildings heaved into sight along the shore of the lake to their left. They had been passing farms for a day now, so they had guessed that they would reach the trading warehouse before sundown.

As they rolled into the outskirts of the township, Tad and Zane waved to a few familiar faces, most of whom stared back vacantly before they recognized the boys. Tad said, ‘People are looking at us strangely, Caleb.’

‘You’ve changed, Tad,’ answered the tall hunter, now dressed like a driver. The boys wore the same old tunics and trousers they had worn when they left the town half a year before. Both complained frequently that the clothes were too tight, so Caleb had promised to buy them new garments when they reached Kesh.

The boys were off the wagon before it came to a complete halt, and as they started to move away, Caleb halted them. ‘Where do you think you’re going?’

‘To see Mother,’ answered Tad.

‘Not until you’ve unloaded,’ he said, hiking his thumb at the cargo.

‘Grooms and his boys will unload,’ said Zane.

‘Not this lot,’ said Caleb. ‘I want you to take the wagon over there—’ he pointed to an empty cargo pallet at the edge of the stabling yard, ‘—and unload everything onto that.’

Both boys knew that meant the cargo was destined for the island. They also remembered loading the wagon, and Tad asked, ‘Can we get some help at least?’

Caleb nodded. ‘Tell Grooms I’ll settle with him later.’

‘Where are you going?’ asked Tad, as Caleb started to walk away.

Turning to walk backwards, he said, ‘To see your mother. I’ll tell her you’ll be along shortly.’

Tad jumped back up to the driver’s seat and moved the team over to the indicated area, while Zane sought out Grooms – the manager of the shipping warehouse – to secure some help in the unloading.

Caleb hurried to Marie’s house and found her in the back, tending her garden. Seeing Caleb, she sprang to her feet and embraced him. ‘I have missed you,’ she said between two passionate kisses. ‘It has been so lonely here since you took the boys away.’ She hugged him tightly for a moment, then said, ‘You said you’d have the boys write,’ with a slightly accusatory tone.

‘I did,’ he answered, pulling a folded sheet of parchment from out of his tunic. With a grin he said, ‘But I thought I’d bring it myself rather than send it by courier.’

She kissed him and said, ‘Come inside and have some tea and tell me what you did with them.’

He followed her inside and saw that she had a kettle simmering next to the fire. ‘I find I do little cooking now that it’s just me. I bake just one loaf of bread a week instead of three or four.’ She poured tea and said, ‘What of the boys?’

‘They are well,’ he said. ‘Much has changed in the six months since we left.’

She sat after she had served them at the tiny table which still managed to occupy nearly a third of the room. ‘Tell me.’

‘Things didn’t turn out quite as I had wished,’ he said. ‘The apprenticing I had hoped for …’

‘At least tell me that you’ve found them honest labour, Caleb. They could become layabouts and wastrels here as easily as anywhere else.’

He smiled. ‘Nothing like that.’ Then he sighed. ‘Currently, they are working as wagoner’s lads.’

‘Teamsters?’ she said, her eyes widening slightly. ‘That’s strange, neither of them cared much for horses and mules.’

‘They still don’t, but it’s necessary,’ said Caleb. He smiled broadly. ‘They’re over at the warehouse unloading a wagon with some of Grooms’ lads. They should be here soon.’

‘You wicked man!’ Marie cried, hitting him on the arm. ‘Why did you wait to tell me?’

‘Because I wanted a few minutes alone with you, and once the boys are here I won’t be spared more than a few seconds of your time.’

She kissed him. ‘They are old enough to understand that their mother needs more than to cook and sew for—’

Her words halted as Tad came in through the door with Zane behind him. When they’d left they had been boys, but in less than half a year, Marie hardly recognized her sons. Both were sunburned, their shoulders had broadened and their faces had lost whatever echoes of childhood she remembered. Their cheeks were hollow, and the baby fat had been replaced by stubble along their jaws. Below the short sleeves of their tunics, their arms were muscled and their hands hard with calluses.

Marie stood and both boys rushed to embrace her. ‘I thought I might never see you two again,’ she said, her eyes glowing with moisture. She hugged them tightly, then stepped back. ‘You’ve … changed. Both of you.’

‘Hard work, Mama,’ said Tad. ‘I’ve never worked so hard in my life.’

‘What have you been doing?’ she asked.

The boys exchanged a quick glance with Caleb, then Tad said, ‘Stone work, mostly. A lot of wall-building. Some hunting and fishing.’

‘A lot of wagon-driving too, and loading and unloading,’ said Zane. ‘And I learned how to swim!’

Marie’s mouth opened and closed before she said, ‘You finally got over your fear of the water?’

Zane blushed. ‘I wasn’t afraid. I just didn’t like it very much.’

Tad sniggered. ‘He had a good teacher.’

Zane blushed even more.

Puzzled, Marie looked at Caleb, who said, ‘Let’s go to the inn and eat.’

‘Might as well,’ she offered. ‘I haven’t got enough here to feed you three.’ To the boys she said, ‘You two hurry ahead and wash up. We’ll be along in a minute.’

After they left, she kissed Caleb again, passionately. Then she whispered, ‘Thank you.’

‘For what?’ he replied in a soft voice.

‘For looking after them. And for turning them into men.’

‘They’ve a way to go yet,’ he said.

‘But it’s a start,’ she said. ‘When Tad’s father died …’ She began to weep.

‘What is it?’

‘Just me being foolish,’ she said, forcing back her tears. ‘It’s just so wonderful to see you all, and so much has changed in so little time.’ She waved away the moment and took a deep breath. She preceded him out of the door and he fell into step by her side as they slowly walked to the inn.