Fragile Empire Read online

  ‘Carrie and Kallek,’ he muttered, ‘as soon as we land, get the equipment off the squad and cleaned. No evening meal until you’ve finished. Loryn, prepare a fire, and dinner. Lennox and Darine, get the spare armour and leathers and get back out as soon as you’ve eaten something. You’re on patrol tonight. Cover the west route. We’ll be dropping off the Sixth in a few minutes.’

  Libby glanced at Lennox, shrugging.

  The carriage lowered, and the Sixth squad got to their feet. A single hatch was opened, and the soldiers filed out, their squad leader nodding at Logie as he jumped. The hatch was closed and the carriage began to lift again. Four of the Fifth got up and crossed to the other bench to balance the weight as the vessel climbed into the air.

  ‘Right,’ Logie said. ‘Now that those arseholes have gone, I want to say a few things about your performance today. It was poor, fucking poor. If that cave had been guarded, then half of you would have been killed before we’d reached halfway, the speed you were crawling up that hillside! This evening, once the seconds have left to go on patrol, I want you all out in the yard exercising. Cain, you’re slow. Kallek, you’re fucking clueless. Carrie, you’re nothing but a liability. What the fuck’s happened to you all? It’s not good enough, understand?’

  There was a low murmuring of, ‘Aye, boss.’

  The carriage descended again. The grey murk of afternoon was passing into evening as the vessel reached the village. The hatch opened, and the squad unbuckled their straps and climbed out into the rain. The officer nodded to them as they passed, then the carriage took off again, soaring low over the cedar trees.

  Libby and Cain opened up the dark threshing hall and Loryn began to prepare the fire, hauling logs over to the cold hearth. The rest of the squad entered the hall and pulled off their armour, leaving it in piles for Carrie and Kallek to collect. Lennox went to his bed pallet and took out a dry set of underclothes from his pack. The ones he had on were soaking and cold, and he pulled them off. Next to him he saw Darine strip, and he glanced at her, then looked away as he felt his blood rise. They dried themselves and dressed.

  ‘I’m glad we’re getting out of here tonight,’ he said to her as they walked to where the spare equipment was stored. ‘We’ll be away from Logie’s temper at least.’

  ‘Aye.’

  They reached the chests and began sorting through the contents, selecting items that would fit.

  ‘Are you alright?’ he said.

  ‘Aye. Of course.’

  He nodded, pulling on a set of leathers. He turned, and Darine tied him in. They switched places, and he helped her into her armour, fastening the thick buckles.

  ‘It’s just…’

  ‘Later,’ she said. ‘We’ll speak later.’

  They finished getting ready and went over to Loryn, who had prepared two dishes of cold food and mugs of wine for them. They ate, nodded to the rest of the squad, and went back outside.

  ‘Thank Pyre,’ he said. ‘It’s stopped raining at last.’

  He glanced around at the dark village. Each window and door had been shuttered at sunset, as they had been every evening since the soldiers had arrived. Lennox had barely exchanged a dozen words with the locals in the six days they had been staying in the threshing hall. They were generous with supplies, and had never done anything discourteous, but Lennox could sense they feared the squad.

  ‘Come on,’ Darine said, and they set off. They picked a track that led west, towards the valley where the Sixth were based, nine miles from the village.

  ‘Well?’ Lennox said as they climbed the path.

  She glanced at him.

  ‘What did you want to speak about?’ he went on.

  She stopped on the track and stared at him for a long, silent moment, her eyes boring into him. He stood frozen in her gaze.

  ‘Nothing,’ she said, lowering her glance. ‘Forget about it.’

  He watched in silence as she turned and continued along the path, his heart drumming inside his chest, then followed.

  They stopped when they reached the halfway point between the two squads, and sat in a shallow cave by the side of a ravine, where they could observe the valley. The last of the light had faded, and they listened in the darkness, hearing the soft gurgling of the little river at the foot of the hill.

  ‘I think I’m losing my mind, Lennox,’ he heard Darine whisper. ‘I don’t know what I’m doing here any more.’

  ‘You’re the strongest person I know,’ he said. ‘A natural leader.’

  She laughed so quietly he almost missed it.

  ‘I’m here if you need my help,’ he went on. ‘You know I’d follow you to the end.’

  ‘Don’t, Lennox,’ she said. ‘I can’t match up to the image you have of me in your mind. I’m not worth your love.’

  ‘You’re wrong, Darine. You’re worth every bit of it; every piece of me. I’m the one who’s fallen short.’

  Darine fell silent, and after a few moments Lennox turned back to face the darkness, his heart aching, the dull throb spreading through his chest. He wished he was back at the village, anything instead of the agony of sitting next to the woman he loved more than his own life.

  ‘Did you hear that?’ she said. ‘Voices.’

  He started, and concentrated on his hearing.

  ‘Aye,’ he said. ‘Coming towards us from the left.’

  The two soldiers grabbed their crossbows and scuttled down the side of the hill, weaving past the giant boulders along the valley floor.

  ‘They’re Kellach,’ Darine whispered as she crouched by the ground.

  ‘Army or rebels?’

  She got to her feet. ‘Army,’ she said. ‘Over here,’ she cried.

  ‘Who’s that?’ came a shout.

  ‘Fifth patrol,’ yelled Darine.

  Five soldiers bundled into the clearing where Lennox and Darine stood. One had a lamp, and Lennox recognised them from the flying carriage. Three were carrying injuries, and one was being carried on a stretcher, a deep sword slash across her waist.

  ‘Fucking ambush,’ one cried. ‘The rebels knew our route. They hit us ten minutes after you dropped us off, just as we were approaching our camp. They knew exactly where we’d be.’

  ‘Wait,’ Darine said. ‘Is this all of you? Where’s the squad leader?’

  ‘An axe took his head off. Aye, we’re what’s left of the Sixth. Three dead, three injured. Those bastards knew what they were doing.’

  ‘Are they coming after you?’ Lennox said, his knuckles white from gripping his bow.

  ‘No,’ said one. ‘They headed in the direction of our camp once we’d retreated back up the valley.’

  ‘So right now they’re raiding our fucking supplies,’ muttered another.

  ‘We’ll summon the Fifth,’ Darine said, ‘come back down here and kick their arses.’

  One of the Sixth laughed. ‘You don’t get it. There were at least forty of the bastards. This is their territory, they know it better in darkness than we do in light.’

  Darine frowned.

  ‘Let’s get back to the village,’ Lennox said. ‘Those wounds need looking at.’

  He went to Darine’s side as the soldiers from the Sixth got ready to move.

  ‘You alright?’ he said.

  ‘I’m fine,’ she said. ‘I’m alright when I have to be a soldier. It’s all the moments in between that worry me.’

  ‘Those fucking renegade scum!’ Logie screamed. ‘They killed three soldiers of Pyre, including a squad leader? Is that what you’re telling me?’

  The two uninjured soldiers from the Sixth stepped back, their eyes down.

  ‘They ambushed us,’ said one. ‘We didn’t have a chance.’

  ‘Four dead,’ said Carrie from where she was leaning over the stretcher. ‘This one didn’t make it.’

  Logie collapsed into a chair, and put his head in his hands, his fingers clenching his hair. The rest of the squad remained quiet, as the two wounded soldiers were laid onto bed
pallets. Loryn offered wine to the uninjured pair, and to Lennox and Darine, who stood with their armour still on.

  ‘The rebels were waiting for us,’ said one of the Sixth, a tear rolling down his cheek. ‘They knew where we’d be.’

  Logie glanced up. ‘What are you saying?’

  The soldier raised his chin. ‘If they knew where we were, then someone must have told them.’

  ‘Who?’

  ‘The villagers are the only folks living in this valley. They saw us get picked up this morning. They could have planned the whole thing.’

  Logie stood. He picked up a bottle of fortified wine and drank. From the glow on his cheeks, Lennox guessed he had already had a fair bit to drink.

  ‘What if you’re wrong?’ said Darine. ‘The rebels might have scouts up on the hillside. They could just as easily have seen us leave this morning.’

  ‘No,’ said Logie. ‘There are no scouts on the hillside. The soldier’s right. It was the fucking villagers.’

  ‘What are we going to do, boss?’ said Kallek.

  ‘But why would the villagers help the rebels?’ said Libby.

  ‘It might only be one,’ said Logie. ‘A spy. But someone will know. You can’t keep that sort of thing a secret. Someone will have seen something.’ He frowned. ‘Maybe we should ask around.’

  He clicked his fingers. ‘Squad. Armour and weapons. Now.’

  Darine began to move towards the squad leader, her eyes narrow. Lennox put out a hand to stop her but she brushed it aside.

  ‘Is this wise?’ she said to Logie. ‘Are we not supposed to be protecting the villagers?’

  ‘Shut your mouth,’ Logie spat. ‘Our job is to find and kill rebels, and if any are hiding here, pretending to be locals, then I intend to do my job. Have you got a problem with that?’

  ‘I have a problem with you,’ she said, ‘but I know my duty.’

  He shrugged. ‘As long as you do what you’re told, I don’t give a fuck what you think of me.’

  Lennox and Darine watched in silence as the rest of the squad armed themselves. Hauberks, mail and leathers were pulled over their shoulders and strapped tight, while Kallek fetched their maces and crossbows. Logie eyed them.

  ‘No one does anything out there unless I give my express fucking permission,’ he said. He glanced at the two uninjured soldiers from the Sixth. ‘You’re under my authority now.’

  ‘Aye, boss,’ said one.

  Logie walked to the door of the threshing hall, where Lennox and Darine were waiting.

  ‘You two,’ he said, picking up a lantern. ‘With me. The rest of you – stay here. Come when I call.’

  Lennox and Darine followed Logie outside into the cold night air, their breath misting. He marched them to an old cottage, where the head of the village lived with her husband and two children. They walked to the front door, and Logie rapped it with his knuckles.

  Logie muttered curses as they waited. Lennox caught the shutters of another house move, and faces peer out at them.

  The door opened.

  ‘Aye?’ said the older woman, the one who had greeted them when the squad had arrived.

  ‘We have reason to believe,’ Logie said, ‘that the village has been infiltrated with rebels.’

  The woman frowned. ‘It’s very late, officer. Perhaps we could speak in the morning.’

  ‘No. We’ll speak now. Come with us.’

  She gestured to her night clothes. ‘I’m not ready. I’ll need to get dressed.’

  Logie nodded at his seconds. ‘Bring her outside.’

  Lennox and Darine each took one of the woman’s arms and began dragging her out into the street. Her husband, naked bar his under garments, came rushing up the hallway of the cottage.

  ‘No,’ the woman said to him. ‘It’ll be fine. Mind the bairns.’

  The soldiers led the woman out into the middle of the street, in sight of the other cottages.

  ‘Villagers!’ Logie cried, his voice bellowing out into the night. He placed the lantern on the ground and drew a long knife. ‘I know you’re watching. I know you can see me. Everybody, outside now!’

  ‘I don’t understand,’ said the woman to Lennox and Darine. ‘I’m not a rebel.’

  They held onto her arms and said nothing.

  One by one the cottage doors opened, and a slow stream of civilians came out onto the street. A few were dressed, but many were standing in their night clothes. Several children huddled by the adults. The woman’s husband emerged from their cottage, carrying a small child, and leading another by the hand. The locals started to mutter at the three soldiers, and angry, dark looks were sent their way.

  ‘Today,’ Logie cried, ‘cowardly rebels ambushed and murdered four of our comrades. Killed them in cold blood. One of you knows something. Someone in the village told the rebels where we would be. It would be better if that person steps forwards, and admits their crime.’

  None of the villagers moved or spoke. A child started to cry softly.

  Logie raised his knife, and pointed it at the head woman.

  ‘If no one admits their guilt,’ he said, ‘then it falls to the leader of the village to answer for her people.’

  He placed the tip of the knife against the woman’s throat.

  ‘Leave her alone!’ cried her husband. ‘You cowards.’

  The villagers began edging towards where Logie stood.

  ‘Kallek,’ he yelled. ‘Now.’

  The rest of the squad piled out of the hall, their crossbows levelled at the locals. They fanned out behind them on the street, and the villagers hesitated. More children started to cry.

  ‘I’m going to ask you again,’ Logie said to the head woman. ‘Who betrayed us?’

  ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

  ‘Think it through carefully,’ Logie said. ‘Either I execute one traitor, or I’m killing four of you in retaliation for what those bastards did to us. It’s time to show the rebels we’re serious. They kill us – we kill them. Understand?’

  Darine shot Lennox a wild look, but said nothing, still gripping onto the woman’s right arm. Lennox swallowed. They had been in situations like this before, whether in Boxer City or elsewhere, but only with Rahain civilians, never with their own blood. He tried to focus on his training. Obey orders. Do your duty.

  ‘I can’t do as you ask,’ the head woman said, her head held high. ‘I have no idea if someone in the village is giving information to the rebels, and even if I did, I would never hand them over into your bloody hands. You don’t belong here. You should leave this village and go back to your Rahain masters.’

  Logie struck her with his free hand, his steel gauntlet drawing blood from her lip. He turned to stare at the crowd of villagers

  ‘You leave me no choice,’ he said.

  ‘You’re worse than the rebels,’ cried someone. ‘They’re trying to free us, while you want to keep us in this prison forever.’

  ‘Who said that?’ Logie screamed, marching into the crowd, his long knife and the aimed crossbows of the soldiers keeping the locals back. He grabbed an old man by his shoulder and dragged him across to where the squad stood.

  ‘That’s two,’ Logie said, spitting on the ground. ‘Anyone else got something they want to say?’

  ‘Shame!’ muttered someone, and Logie’s eyes darted around. Wherever he turned, angry whispers and threats sounded from behind him, and in a rage he pulled a woman forward by the hair. A man lunged at him and Kallek’s crossbow thrummed. The man fell to his knees, a bolt in his throat.

  Logie hauled the woman over to the squad and threw her to the ground. Behind him, the groans and tears of the locals rose up into the sky.

  ‘Murderers!’

  ‘You’re the traitors! Traitors to the Kellach Brigdomin!’

  Logie strode back to where the man knelt. His hands were on the bolt in his neck, and blood was streaming down his chest. Logie stabbed the knife into the man’s face, and he fell. He stared at the vill
agers, daring them to attack, but none did. They were gazing at the soldiers with utter hatred in their eyes, as their children wept beside them.

  Logie returned to the squad.

  ‘I pity you,’ the head woman said, her words slurred. ‘They’ve turned you into monsters.’

  Logie buried the long blade of the knife into her heart.

  ‘No!’ Darine cried.

  She leapt at Logie, swinging her fist into the side of his face. Kallek aimed his crossbow at her, but Cain barged into him and they fell to the ground. Lennox let go of the village leader and charged at Logie as the man’s hand grasped Darine’s neck. The three crashed to the earth in a writhing mass of armour and fists. Lennox’s forehead went into Logie’s nose, and the man released Darine’s throat. Arms grabbed at him, and he heard the thrum of more crossbows. The handle-end of a mace battered the back of his helmet and he went down, his head ringing. He was dragged along the street and he lashed out.

  ‘It’s me!’ cried Libby as she pulled him away. ‘I’m saving your fucking life.’

  Lennox wrenched himself free and got to his feet. Logie was standing a few paces away, blood pouring from his nose. Several of the villagers were lying prone on the street, crossbow bolts embedded into their still bodies. The rest of the squad were aiming their weapons at them as they huddled in fright. Darine was the last to get to her feet.

  ‘You stupid bitch,’ Logie cried. ‘You turned a honourable act of retribution into a fucking bloodbath.’

  Lennox glanced at the dead villagers. At least seven were on the ground, blood trickling from their bodies. Logie began pacing up and down, his face red with blood and fury. The rest of the squad stood in silence, their crossbows trained on the civilians, except for Kallek, who was aiming his at Darine. The woman and old man that had been dragged over were cowering beside the corpse of the village head, weeping as they knelt.

  Logie strode over to them and slit the old man’s throat with his knife.

  ‘New rules,’ he said, staring at the villagers. ‘Two of you for every one of us killed.’