“How can Frell be so sure?”
“The man let him read his mind. He’s trustworthy.”
Tyen stopped at the top of the stairs. “If Frell has tested him, why do I need to meet him?”
“Frell says you’ll want to. He couldn’t tell me why. Only you can know. This man has quite a grudge against the Raen, from the sounds of it. He’s very keen to help us.”
Great, Tyen thought. What I don’t need right now is a powerful sorcerer thinking his strength alone will gain him respect, especially one pushing for immediate action against the Raen. Though… if Tyen sent the man to lead one of the isolated groups, that would keep him out of the way.
Descending the stairs, he passed through the empty kitchen into the storeroom. He drew a little magic to shift some crates aside, lowered the trapdoor and climbed down the stairs. Daam followed and a faint scraping told Tyen the young man had shifted the crates back in place.
The stairs led to a passage, which soon opened up into an alcove built into the wall of a canal. Dirty water ebbed by, carrying the stench of the city. He stepped onto one of the boats tied up along this and sat down as Daam unhitched the rope and stepped aboard. The young man picked up the pole and began manoeuvring them out into the waterway.
Soon they emerged into the sunlight and among a steady flow of other craft. A cool breeze kept the smells at bay. So many people were about that he wondered if the whole city was out enjoying the fine weather. Most greeted each other as their boats passed. Their good cheer didn’t reach him. The thought of the Raen’s allies lurking outside this world, waiting for the rebels to panic and flee, was like a pressure behind his eyes, making his head ache. He wished he could warn the groups of rebels hiding all over this world without putting them in further danger. As always, some would be getting lax in their efforts to stay hidden. News that the allies had found and killed a group would shock them into being more careful, and they’d be alert and ready to leave when the signal came.
The trouble was, he’d feel responsible for their deaths even if their failure to stay hidden was the cause. He still felt responsible for Yira’s death, no matter how much he told himself that joining and leading the rebels had been her choice. For this reason he hated being the rebels’ leader, despite it proving easier than he’d expected. He’d tried to pass the role on to one of the other generals after they’d all found a new world to hide in, but none of the three would accept it. Nobody but Tyen was suitable, they’d told him, especially as he’d come up with all the good ideas before. When he’d corrected them, pointing out how Yira had contributed more, they only used this indication of his fairness as another reason he should lead.
Each silently recognised the unspoken truth: that they, having noticed that the Raen’s allies had taken particular pains to pursue and kill the former rebel leaders, didn’t want to be the next one to die. That Tyen was the strongest rebel, and had the best chance of surviving the next attack or confrontation, assuaged their guilt at insisting he lead.
He’d given in, eventually, because being in charge was the easiest way to hold the rebels back. At first they had been too busy finding a new world to hide in to propose an attack on another ally. Then he’d resisted calls for action and the generals had supported him, concluding that he needed more time to grieve at Yira’s death.
In truth, the guilt and sadness still ambushed him now and then. It left him feeling lonely, and he would seek time alone so he could slip into the place between and talk to Vella without having to take her out of her pouch.
He missed Yira. He missed her companionship, her confidence, her familiarity. Nobody else here had known him as long as she had. The rest of the rebels were strangers in comparison. Only Vella had known him longer, and since Yira’s death he’d realised how much he missed talking to her, too.
As the boat rounded a corner, a cacophony of sound assaulted him. Roused from his thoughts, Tyen looked around and admonished himself for not being more alert to his surroundings. They’d entered the city’s main market. Trade within it was almost entirely conducted on the water. Some kind of system of navigation was in place but it was not obvious to outsiders and so far Tyen had not paid enough attention to work it out. Daam seemed to know what to do, so Tyen looked into the young man’s mind.