nerves were frayed thin, and darkness was approaching. Their fears would be their worst enemies.
“We’ll follow the tracks a ways then,” said Kormak. “You and me. The rest of you head back to the ship. Tell Admiral Zamara we’ll find our own way back before midnight.”
“I can’t let you do that, Guardian,” Terves said. “Admiral Zamara told me specifically to see to your safety.”
Kormak stared at him. “There are people out there who are in the hands of monsters. We might be able to save them.”
“I’ve been given my orders, sir,” said Terves. His shoulders squared defiantly but his face was miserable. “The admiral says it’s of the utmost importance to the king that you reach Terra Nova.”
“You think you can stop me?” Kormak asked. He rose to his full height and stared at Terves. The old soldier was not intimidated.
“I don’t rightly know, sir. But I reckon me and the lads will have to try.”
Kormak stared at Terves. He could cut his way free of the soldiers and vanish into the woods if he had to, but what then? There would be no way off the island. And Terves and the marines were not his enemies.
Kormak shrugged. “Very well then, let’s head back to the Pride of Siderea . It seems I will need to have words with Admiral Zamara.”
“As you say, sir. As you say.”
Kormak felt relief. He would not have to test himself again today. No one else would die because of a failure on his part. Then came the guilt. People might die because he did nothing. Any path looked bad in that light.
He cursed silently. He had too many doubts. They could be fatal as blades for a man in his line of work.
* * *
“ I have orders direct from Prince Taran to see you safe to Terra Nova, Sir Kormak,” Zamara said, adjusting the wick of the lantern. He kept his voice low. He wanted no one outside this cramped cabin to hear their argument. “I feel sorry for the people of Fort Wrath and I want to do all that I can to save them, but those orders supersede any concerns I might have about them.”
Zamara’s desk lay between them. His logbook was open in front of him; he had been updating it when Kormak entered. He had not risen to confront Kormak. He seemed more embarrassed than anything else.
“You know why I am going to Terra Nova?” There was more anger in Kormak’s voice than he intended, most of it directed at himself. All the way back to the Pride of Siderea , he had been assailed by the thought that he should have followed the tracks.
“Something to do with the Old One let loose in the palace. And a threat to the Kingdom.”
“You know what this is?” Kormak took the ring from within his tunic. It hung there on a silver chain along with his elder sign.
“It’s the ring you took from the Kraken’s finger after you killed him.”
“You know what it signifies?”
“It is a royal seal that belonged to the king’s father. Frater Jonas told me on the return trip.”
“Read this.” Kormak produced the letter of authority the king had given him.
Zamara unwound it, studied it carefully.
“Recognise the signature?”
“It is the king’s. I have seen it many times on royal warrants.”
“Tomorrow you will put me ashore with a group of volunteers and await my return to the ship.”
“Sir Kormak, I can hardly believe this is the reason why the king gave you this letter of authority. You are supposed to use it finding the source of Vorkhul’s coffin.”
“Maybe so, but are you going to disobey it?”
Zamara rose from the chair and leant forward on the desk, bracing himself on both arms. He took a deep breath as if he was about to bellow a curse. He resented the order, and was at that moment prepared to fight. Kormak hoped he did not. Royal warrant or no, he doubted he could get the crew to go against the orders of an admiral.
“Think about this, man,” Kormak said. “Are you going to abandon to a whole town of innocent people to the forces of the Shadow?”
Zamara
“We’ll follow the tracks a ways then,” said Kormak. “You and me. The rest of you head back to the ship. Tell Admiral Zamara we’ll find our own way back before midnight.”
“I can’t let you do that, Guardian,” Terves said. “Admiral Zamara told me specifically to see to your safety.”
Kormak stared at him. “There are people out there who are in the hands of monsters. We might be able to save them.”
“I’ve been given my orders, sir,” said Terves. His shoulders squared defiantly but his face was miserable. “The admiral says it’s of the utmost importance to the king that you reach Terra Nova.”
“You think you can stop me?” Kormak asked. He rose to his full height and stared at Terves. The old soldier was not intimidated.
“I don’t rightly know, sir. But I reckon me and the lads will have to try.”
Kormak stared at Terves. He could cut his way free of the soldiers and vanish into the woods if he had to, but what then? There would be no way off the island. And Terves and the marines were not his enemies.
Kormak shrugged. “Very well then, let’s head back to the Pride of Siderea . It seems I will need to have words with Admiral Zamara.”
“As you say, sir. As you say.”
Kormak felt relief. He would not have to test himself again today. No one else would die because of a failure on his part. Then came the guilt. People might die because he did nothing. Any path looked bad in that light.
He cursed silently. He had too many doubts. They could be fatal as blades for a man in his line of work.
* * *
“ I have orders direct from Prince Taran to see you safe to Terra Nova, Sir Kormak,” Zamara said, adjusting the wick of the lantern. He kept his voice low. He wanted no one outside this cramped cabin to hear their argument. “I feel sorry for the people of Fort Wrath and I want to do all that I can to save them, but those orders supersede any concerns I might have about them.”
Zamara’s desk lay between them. His logbook was open in front of him; he had been updating it when Kormak entered. He had not risen to confront Kormak. He seemed more embarrassed than anything else.
“You know why I am going to Terra Nova?” There was more anger in Kormak’s voice than he intended, most of it directed at himself. All the way back to the Pride of Siderea , he had been assailed by the thought that he should have followed the tracks.
“Something to do with the Old One let loose in the palace. And a threat to the Kingdom.”
“You know what this is?” Kormak took the ring from within his tunic. It hung there on a silver chain along with his elder sign.
“It’s the ring you took from the Kraken’s finger after you killed him.”
“You know what it signifies?”
“It is a royal seal that belonged to the king’s father. Frater Jonas told me on the return trip.”
“Read this.” Kormak produced the letter of authority the king had given him.
Zamara unwound it, studied it carefully.
“Recognise the signature?”
“It is the king’s. I have seen it many times on royal warrants.”
“Tomorrow you will put me ashore with a group of volunteers and await my return to the ship.”
“Sir Kormak, I can hardly believe this is the reason why the king gave you this letter of authority. You are supposed to use it finding the source of Vorkhul’s coffin.”
“Maybe so, but are you going to disobey it?”
Zamara rose from the chair and leant forward on the desk, bracing himself on both arms. He took a deep breath as if he was about to bellow a curse. He resented the order, and was at that moment prepared to fight. Kormak hoped he did not. Royal warrant or no, he doubted he could get the crew to go against the orders of an admiral.
“Think about this, man,” Kormak said. “Are you going to abandon to a whole town of innocent people to the forces of the Shadow?”
Zamara
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