Elves: Beyond the Mists of Katura by James Barclay Read Free Book Online Page A

didn’t, did he?’
    ‘Forgot to mention that, did he?’ said Ulysan.
    ‘What possessed you to think I’d agree to the TaiGethen sailing for Balaia?’ asked Auum.
    ‘We didn’t understand it,’ said Faleen. She shrugged. ‘But when the muster is called, the TaiGethen come.’
    Auum nodded. ‘Yniss bless you, Faleen. How many of us are here?’
    ‘Two hundred and twenty-seven.’
    Auum blew out his cheeks not knowing whether to be furious or impressed. He settled on the latter. The TaiGethen never failed to respond. But Takaar had much to answer for.
    ‘I’ll talk to you all in due course. But I need to see Takaar and this Stein first.’
    The TaiGethen were gathered to welcome Auum when he walked into the warehouse. He acknowledged their cheers and the songs with a wave but his eyes were fixed on the elf who stood behind a long
table covered in parchments. He straightened and spread his arms in a gesture of welcome with that damned beatific smile on his face.
    ‘Auum. More trials await the greatest among elves. And we must greet such challenges with energy, humour and an unswerving faith in our power and our gods.’
    ‘I feel sure the entire elven nation is calmed by the knowledge that you have stepped up to marshal the defence of Calaius.’
    Takaar’s smile flickered briefly before firming once more. ‘I have merely done what needed to be done while awaiting your arrival.’
    ‘Really?’ said Auum.
    He walked up to the table and cast his gaze over the parchments, seeing cargo manifests, lists of names, racking plans and what appeared to be a list of ingredients for some of Takaar’s
most potent poisons. Some ingredients were ticked, many were not.
    ‘On learning of a threat to Calaius, would you not have mustered the TaiGethen and made this place your centre of operations?’
    ‘What I would have done is not panic the entire city! There is an evacuation going on without any order and without a plan. Thousands are putting themselves at needless risk by fleeing to
the rainforest totally unprepared. Do you have a parchment dealing with that?’
    Takaar looked at him blankly. ‘We have enemies to face. Our people must be trusted to look after themselves.’
    ‘We must keep them safe from harm. That is our duty. You have pushed them into harm’s way. All the Al-Arynaar you have gathered will be redeployed to advise and aid the population of
Ysundeneth.’
    Anger flashed across Takaar’s face. ‘They have more important tasks.’
    ‘There is no more important task than the safety and security of our people.’ Auum sighed. ‘Look, let’s not do this wrong. Right now I can see panic across the city,
ships in the harbour and my people gathered here for no particular purpose. Talk to me, Takaar. What do we face? Where is Stein?’
    ‘See, I told you he would believe me,’ said Takaar, looking to his right, apparently addressing his other self. He frowned. ‘Tell him, Auum. You do believe me, don’t
you?’
    Auum noted Takaar’s lieutenants – Drech was one, he didn’t recognise the other – switch their attentions to the table. Drech gave the merest shrug and Auum wished, not
for the first time, that he was more than the tacit leader of the Il-Aryn.
    ‘I believe that not even you would call a muster without cause.’
    Takaar looked to his right again.
    ‘Well I
would
call it a ringing endorsement. And we must be ready or we will be swept aside.’
    Auum waited while Takaar descended into spitting and muttering, the mad elf’s hands clenching a piece of parchment and finally ripping it into pieces.
    ‘Takaar, where is Stein?’ asked Auum gently, cursing himself for a fool for not seeing Takaar’s delicate state sooner. ‘Why did you send your adepts to Balaia to train
with humans? With our enemies?’
    Takaar focused on him briefly before laughing at something his other self had said.
    ‘Well we can agree there,’ he said. ‘No combat magic on Herendeneth. Only place to go is