Angel of Storms (Millennium's Rule, #2)(155)

And what am I doing? Nothing. He realised his shoulders were hunched, so he forced himself to stand straighter. He pressed his lips into what he hoped was a grim smile. Let them think I’m the cool-headed one.

Baluka raised his arms, calling for silence. “We will delay no longer. Whether you now join us for the fight or return to your homes, I thank you and hope every one of you will soon be celebrating our victory. Be careful, be safe.” Baluka paused, turning full circle again as he considered all the people watching and listening. “Everyone, be quiet. Form your groups. Be ready for my signal.”

It was done so quickly that Tyen sensed surprise from more than a few doubters in the crowd. All were too aware that the Raen and his allies might find the army at any moment. The sooner they were prepared, the better. Within a short time the great circle of sorcerers had fragmented into smaller ones. Baluka lifted a hand and a burst of light flashed upwards.

“Release your magic NOW!”

At the base of the rock, Tyen’s view was limited, so he concentrated on the magic nearby. Plumes of it rose and expanded rapidly, blending and rushing outwards, then stilled and reversed, pulled back to the crowd. Little escaped. The first part of Baluka’s solution had worked.

The rebel leader was turning and turning, eyes roving across a crowd mostly beyond Tyen’s sight. He nodded.

“It is done,” he said. “Now, those who have volunteered to transport others, take your group to a world not depleted of magic. Fighters come to me.”

As if readying to begin a dance, people clustered together in circles, linking hands, but rather than sway and turn, they began to vanish. A few breaths later all that remained was a scattering of men and women. These now hurried towards the rock. Tyen felt a hand on his arm and turned to see Frell standing beside him. Hapre was not far away, reaching out to Frell’s offered wrist. Baluka skimmed down to join them.

“I want to go through first, just to the sixth world,” he told them, “to ensure the way is safe.”

“Alone? That’s madness,” Hapre objected. “How will we know if you don’t make it?”

“Tyen will come with me,” Baluka interrupted. “If we don’t return, get the rest to safety.”

Frell scowled as he let go of Tyen’s arm. “They won’t like it. They’re determined to fight.”

Baluka shrugged. “You’ll have to convince them. Now, you two take them to the meeting place we agreed on. Tyen and I will go on ahead. If all goes well, we’ll be there, waiting for you, by the time you arrive, or join you soon after. Is all that clear?” The two generals nodded. “Then let’s get on with it.” He turned to Tyen and held out a hand. “Take us there as fast as you can.” He sucked in a deep breath of air.

Following suit, Tyen grasped the rebel leader’s hand and pushed them out of the world.

Contrary to expectations, the Raen’s world was not at the centre of the known worlds. It was, Tyen had been amused to discover, not far from the Worweau Market. The rebels’ first hideout had been under the Raen’s nose, and they’d never realised. He had probably known it was there all along.

It made sense that whoever was pretending to be Volk had sent rebels to the Market. The allies had not needed to travel far from the Raen’s world to deal with them. The true rebel meeting place was further away, more than thirty worlds from the Raen’s by the shortest, safest route.

Tyen quickened his pace until worlds were flashing by. He made no attempt to hide his trail. If they were to scout the way into the Raen’s world and be at the next meeting place before the generals and fighters, they had no time to spare.

They encountered no allies, or any other travellers. The not-so-secret path to the Raen’s world began in a world of ruined cities and fields long abandoned and turned to dust. He’d glimpsed a dry landscape in Javox’s and Resca’s mind, so he was surprised when they arrived in a lush jungle.

He brought them into the world atop the trunk of an enormous fallen tree. They both began gasping for air, at first sitting then lying on the smooth surface as they recovered. After a while, Baluka turned his head to look at Tyen.

“I don’t suppose that book of yours knows how to avoid suffocating between worlds?”

Tyen nodded. “Agelessness has something to do with it.”

Baluka blinked, then lifted his head. “It contains the secret to agelessness?”

Tyen hesitated, but then realised the mistake he’d made. He felt a cold, sinking feeling in his gut. It wouldn’t matter what Baluka knew soon. Most likely he’d be dead in a few hours.

Tyen sighed. “Yes, she does.”

He sat up. “Have you…?”

“No.”

“Why in all the worlds not?”

Tyen sighed and pushed up into a sitting position. “There is a cost–and it can take many cycles to learn. Even if I was ready to pay the price, I haven’t exactly had the opportunity to try it lately.”

The rebel leader grimaced. “No, I suppose you haven’t. And I can see why you cannot tell others of this book. Imagine if all those who joined our cause acquired this knowledge from you. They’d be too busy chasing agelessness to bother fighting the Raen.”

Tyen shook his head. “Most would not be able to achieve it. You have to be particularly strong.”