The Guardians (Book 2) (27 page)

Chapter 3
2

Misapprehension

Borgulnay and Timbul
appeared quite suddenly out of the darkness.

‘
Borg!’ Immosey cried in delight, throwing herself into Borgulnay’s arms. ‘I knew you were getting closer!’ she added proudly. The big soldier lifted her to his height and kissed her gently then he stood holding her tightly, gazing at her adoringly.

‘
Report!’ said Kelian, standing and helping Elena up. He rewrapped her in his arms and rubbed her shoulders briskly to warm her. Borgulnay kissed Immosey again, slowly and passionately.

‘
Don’t let me go,’
she thought hopefully and Borgulnay shook his head.

‘
Never!’ he said adamantly.

‘
Captain?’ said Kelian pointedly, ‘when you’re quite ready.’

‘
Sorry Highness.’ Borgulnay grinned. ‘I got inside without too much trouble,’ he began but Timbul interrupted.

‘
He’s covered in Nailmarni blood, Kelian. If we don’t treat him now, he’ll die.’

‘
What!’ Kelian exclaimed. ‘What happened? No!’ he said, not waiting for an answer. ‘You can tell me after we fill you up with Pelgavik.’

‘
Where are we going to get Pelgavik around here?’ asked Elena, waving to the surrounding mud and debris.

‘
I’ll go up into the mountains,’ said Timbul.

‘
I’ll go,’ Araas offered. ‘I’m faster than you.’

‘
And I’m faster than both of you,’ said Milgorry adamantly as he appeared beside them, closely followed by Danil and Gilgarry. He didn’t even wait for Timbul or Araas to reply, but darted away towards the hills.

‘
He’s not faster than me.’ Araas frowned stubbornly.

‘
Yes he is,’ said Timbul confidently. ‘He’s probably stronger too. And he’s more skilled with the sword…and possibly with the bow, which is a little disturbing considering he’s one of the fallen. And he-’

‘
Thank you!’ Araas interrupted, looking offended.

Timbul smirked.
‘I’m actually the fastest! I just let him go because I didn’t want to hurt his feelings.’

‘
Because he’d take you down with a sword so easily you weren’t game?’ said Araas sarcastically. It was Timbul’s turn to look offended. ‘And I’m faster than
you
Tim,’ he added smugly.

‘
Tell me exactly what’s happening inside the castle,’ said Kelian, shaking his head at the brother’s rivalry. He was distracted once again as Borgulnay sat down suddenly and heavily, and the sack he was carrying dropped to the ground, revealing the fact that the back of his shirt was drenched with his own blood.

‘
Uh oh!’ said Kelian, dropping to his knees beside the soldier, but not touching him. ‘You’re injured! As well as being covered with Nailmarni blood! Did he get any of the blood on you, Immy?’

‘
Heaps, but it won’t affect me,’ said Immosey. ‘Oh Borg, I don’t want you to get sick!’ She knelt beside him and hugged him.

‘
I don’t think it’s the Nailmarni blood that’s affecting me,’ said Borgulnay, sounding weaker by the second. ‘I think it’s the cut on my back. It might be a bit deeper than I thought.’

‘
Show me!’ Danil commanded, and Borgulnay pulled his shirt up. Danil gave a low whistle. ‘This is not good,’ he said.

‘
It doesn’t feel good,’ Borgulnay agreed.

‘
Araas, can you heal this?’ asked Danil as Araas knelt beside him.

‘
I can, but unless we clean it first the flesh will go bad and he’ll die anyway.’

Gilgarry opened
his pack and took out a flask of vinegar. Borgulnay didn’t move as the fiery liquid ran into the cut.

‘
Good,’ said Araas approvingly. ‘Now Tim, if you would hold the cut together for me.’ Timbul placed his hands on the top of the long, deep cut, and pressed the edges together. To everyone’s surprise where the edges of the wound touched, the skin bonded. Timbul snatched his hands away in surprise and stared at Borgulnay. His shirt fell and covered the wound.

‘
What’s wrong?’ said Borgulnay. ‘Is it too deep?’

‘
No Borg,’ said Timbul accusingly. ‘When I pushed the edges of the wound together, it started to heal!’

‘
And you didn’t think you could do that?’

‘
I can’t do that! Araas can! Well I can, just not as well as Araas. But it wasn’t me Borg, it was you!’

‘
Have I done something wrong?’ said Borgulnay turning to glare at Timbul, not liking the guardian’s tone of voice. He glanced at Araas and saw that he was also staring at him in confusion and discomfort.

‘
I can only think of one reason why
you
should begin to take on traits of the free,’ said Timbul angrily, glancing at Immosey who was staring at him in bewilderment. ‘She’s practically still a child, Borg!’

‘
What!’ Borgulnay managed to leap to his feet. ‘Tim I didn’t! I wouldn’t! You must believe me!’

‘
Why else would your body be able to heal itself?’ said Timbul challengingly. ‘I know it takes a little more than just holding hands with one of the free before you begin to change!’

Suddenly Gilgarry was in front of Borgulnay
and glaring furiously at him. Without warning he drew back his arm and drove his fist into Borgulnay’s face, smashing his nose.

‘
No!’ Immosey, Danil and Kelian shouted simultaneously and Gilgarry froze, holding his fist beside his ear ready to strike Borgulnay once again. Borgulnay didn’t move.

‘
The next person who moves without my permission will be hung from the nearest tyalla,’ said Kelian ominously, glaring around.

‘
Gil, we didn’t!’ Immosey gasped indignantly, starting to cry as blood rushed from Borgulnay’s nose. Gilgarry lowered his fist.

‘
Then how is this possible?’ asked Timbul, still sounding accusing.

Araas reached towards Immosey and lifted the little pendant tied around her neck.
‘This must be even more powerful than I imagined.’

‘
Borg isn’t the one wearing it!’ Timbul argued. ‘Something must have happened!’

‘
Love is a strong catalyst,’ said Araas. He dropped the pendant and placed his hand on Borg’s shoulder, staring into the soldier’s eyes. After a few minutes he withdrew his gaze. ‘You can apologize whenever you’re ready Gil, and you too, Tim.’

‘
You never touched her?’ asked Gil, looking mortified. Borgulnay shook his head. ‘Never? Not at all?’ he persisted and Borgulnay shook his head again.

‘
So, she’s still…?’

Borgulnay
nodded.

‘
Ahh…I’m sorry Borg,’ said Gilgarry sincerely. ‘But if you were innocent why did you just stand there and let me hit you?’

‘
Actually I didn’t quite know what to do,’ Borgulnay admitted, using his shirt to wipe the blood from his face. He winced as he touched his broken nose. ‘I don’t think hitting you back would have been helpful. It would have made everything worse.’

‘
Probably,’ Gilgarry agreed. ‘Did you
want
to hit me?’

‘
Definitely, and the way I was feeling at that second, I probably would have killed you.’

‘
Do you want me to...?’ Gilgarry pointed to Borgulnay’s nose.

‘
Go ahead.’ 

‘
Sit!’

‘
Woof,’ Borgulnay replied, not impressed at being addressed like a dog.

‘
Oh just sit down please Borg,’ said Gilgarry impatiently, feeling guilty for his actions. ‘I guess I should be happy about this. At least the Nailmarni blood probably won’t kill you.’

‘
Someone should tell Mil to get back here and that we don’t need the Pelgavik,’ said Elena.

‘
He’s on his way,’ said Araas.

‘
Now tell me exactly what happened at the castle,’ said Kelian to Timbul as they watched Gilgarry set Borgulnay’s nose straight.

‘
I followed Borg’s tracks through the new escape tunnel, across to the courtyard and around inside the castle. It wasn’t difficult to see where he’d gone,’ said Timbul.

‘
Why?’ asked Danil, knowing that Borgulnay rarely left tracks, and particularly not tracks that could be easily followed.

‘
His path was strewn with Nailmarni bodies,’ Timbul explained, and Araas raised an eyebrow. ‘As far as I can tell, he cleaned out all but the two I found. There may have been a few more we didn’t find, but it seems most of them drowned in the wave. Borg found where they were stacking the bodies in the kitchen storeroom. Stay where you are, Borg,’ he added lifting the bloodied shirt. Araas crouched and began to press the edges of the wound together. Immosey and Elena watched in fascination as the wound began to seal. Eventually it was just an angry red mark on the soldier’s back.

‘
So, are you saying if we wanted to, we could retake the castle?’ asked Kelian.

‘
Yes. I think we could, but who knows how many more might come out of the bush land,’ Timbul said cautiously.

‘
Do you wish to return to Castle, Highness?’ asked Danil.

Kelian stood in silent though
t for some time. ‘No,’ he said eventually. ‘We’ll continue on to the Dwellings. If we can possibly get there in time to help them, we will. What did you bring?’

‘
Blankets, dry clothing for Ellie and Immy, and a few bits and pieces that were lying around that I thought we might find useful,’ said Timbul.

‘
Danil how’s the path ahead?’

‘
It’s fairly clear. There are some signs of recent activity, but I’d say most of the Nailmarni went down to Castle at the time of the attack.

‘
And the fallen?’

‘
I saw nothing that made me think the fallen have been through this area. But if Nandul has sent his more skilled warriors, there won’t be any tracks.’

Milgorry made his way down the hillside
and stood beside Danil. He stared curiously at Borgulnay. ‘Rudi will be pleased.’

‘
Excuse me?’ said Kelian.

‘
He was fairly impressed with Borg’s strategic reckoning. I seem to remember him asking if he’d stay in Nyinaku,’ said Milgorry. ‘I imagine he’ll be fairly pleased with the recent changes.’

‘
I won’t be going anywhere. Look, I might have picked up a few traits of the free,’ said Borgulnay casually, ‘but I took oath to serve King and country, and nothing will make be break my word. And there are other reasons, just as strong.’

‘
Like?’ asked Enri skeptically.

‘
Like loyalty to someone as close as a bother,’ said Borgulnay, glancing at Kelian. ‘I think you understand that Enri.’

‘
Yes, I understand that,’ said Enri, wondering where Dale was at this moment and whether he would get through to Emerald successfully. He sighed. Borgulnay was right. He continually worried about Dale the exact way he would worry about a brother.

‘
And this is my home. This is where I want to be.’ Borgulnay looked despondently at the mess. ‘Even now, this is my home.’

Milgorry unrolled his shirt and drew out a huge bunch of Pelgavik.

‘Ah, we don’t actually need it any more, Mil,’ said Immosey. ‘I thought you could hear my thoughts!’

‘
I can. I just thought it might come in handy in the future. I have no idea whether it grows anywhere around the Dwellings, so the more we can take with us the better. It won’t make any difference whether it’s fresh or dry,’ said Milgorry. Gilgarry took the Pelgavik from him and stowed it in his pack.

‘
There is Pelgavik near home,’ said Araas. ‘But not in great quantities, so it’s difficult to find. We’ll collect as much as we can along the way.’

‘
Mil, as soon as I wore this pendant I started to change. And then Borg started to change. Why don’t the human women change when they are taken by the fallen?’ Immosey asked hesitantly.

Milgorry
’s face turned hard. ‘Because we don’t let them live long enough after they bear our children.’

‘
But if they were allowed to live, would they change?’ Immosey persisted.

‘
I don’t know,’ Milgorry admitted. ‘Would they change, Araas?’

‘
If they were taken for love, they would change,’ Araas said certainly. ‘But it rarely happens. The men of the fallen take human women for a moment of pleasure or to bear their child, but they seldom love them. They see them as inferior. If the woman was loved, she would take on traits of the free. She would remain human, but she would also be free.’