Chapter 20
We rode hard, heading east beside the half-constructed road until it became sound enough to ride on. Belis reined in her horse as we clattered onto the cobbles.
“We’ll keep going for another mile, just long enough so it won’t be immediately obvious where we leave the road,” she called through the rain. “Then we’ll cut south and through the woods.”
I looked back to where the horses had left a thick trail of muddy hoofprints and nodded. Belis leaned over and cupped my cheeks with rough hands. She kissed me hard and I felt the saddle sores and cold of the rain fade away.
“I’m so sorry, Mallt, I should have been more careful when we landed,” she whispered, resting her forehead against mine. Her hand dropped to the cut on my neck, tracing the raised scar. “You could have been killed.”
“But I wasn’t.” I smiled at her. “We’ve survived worse than Romans together, I wasn’t going to let some damn fool legionary take me away from you. Come, let’s go, there will be time to talk when we’re out of danger.” I kissed her again and then gave my horse its head.
As I rode, I felt the blood of the man I had killed congealing beneath my fingernails.
I wondered if he had a wife who loved him the way I loved Belis.
I wondered if his soul would find its way back, or if it would linger in the cave forever.
I realised it was no longer my responsibility to worry about him.
I wasn’t the Nightshade any more. The duties of my old life were far behind me.
The only thing that mattered now was the woman ahead of me, red hair streaming behind her as she rode.
We covered the distance in good time, crossing a stream just over a mile from where we had met the road.
Belis turned to the south, leading her horse up the bed of the stream until our path was hidden from the road by thick forest. From there we slowed to a walk, climbing the lower slopes of the Chalk.
The night was nearly done and though we couldn’t see the sun rising through the thick canopy of leaves, the light was getting paler.
I whistled to Belis and she stopped to let me catch up.
“Do you want to keep going through the day?” I asked, keeping my voice low.
“I think we must; the Romans certainly will. I’m worried for the horses, though, they’ve barely rested for days. If they drop dead we’ll have less chance on foot.”
She stroked the neck of her mount.
“Every tactical lesson I ever took is telling me to go to ground, vanish into the wilderness while we have the chance.” Her hand went to the shell at her throat. “If we only had more time. I must get to Cati as soon as I can, but we might have better odds if we split up.”
She looked over at me and I understood the offer she was making. I took no offence at the suggestion but my mind was set.
“Together ’til the end,” I said. Her face wobbled and I reached out to squeeze her hand. She raised it to her lips and pressed a quick kiss on my knuckles. Then she was focused again, the warrior taking charge.
“I don’t know these lands well. What’s the best path to take?”
I considered the question, running through the map inside my head.
“We’re less than a day’s ride from Cati’s glade.
Croser knows roughly where we’re headed so there’s not much point in feinting.
Our best hope is to keep as far ahead of them as possible.
With the time it will take to catch their horses and find our track we might make it.
Their horses can’t be any less tired than ours. ”
Belis nodded. “If I were Croser I’d split my forces, send one group north, in case we were lying about Cati. If it comes to a fight we’ll have a better chance against half the troop.”
She gestured ahead of us. “You should lead, you know the way.” She grabbed my arm as I went to pass her. “I love you, be careful.”
We picked our way on, following the valley of the Bulbourne as it cut through the Chalk.
I looked up at the steep sides of the hills on either side, marvelling at how much I had changed since the last time I had been here on the third day of my new human life.
I could almost see myself staggering up the hill, feet covered in blisters, sweating and grumbling.
I remembered Belis as she had been then, silent and sick at heart.
I smiled to myself and urged my mount on.
The horses were blowing hard by the time we turned back to the east, beginning to froth at the mouth.
The valley was deserted, and the rain had kept any villagers inside and away from our path.
I was glad of it, wanted no eyes to watch our route and betray us to our trackers.
Still better, by early afternoon the rain had disintegrated into a fine mist that covered us in a grey blanket of invisibility, making it impossible to see or be seen.
The horses were close to collapse so I slid down from the saddle to lead them by hand.
The mud sucked at my boots as I struggled onwards and almost stumbled.
Ahead of us was the little shepherd’s hut where we had passed our first night together.
Belis fetched the bucket from inside and filled it quickly from the well while I held the horses.
“How long from here?” she asked, holding the bucket up to let her horse drink.
“Hard to be precise in this mizzle but I’d say ten more miles at least. We should be faster going back but I don’t want the horses to trip on the slope.”
Belis sighed, looking around at the fog.
“I know we should make the most of this weather but if we keep going much longer the horses won’t make it.
I don’t know how Cati will be once we revive her but I wouldn’t bet much she’ll be well enough to walk a hundred miles north.
We need to keep at least one of the horses alive. ”
“We’ll have to stop and start again after nightfall,” I said.
Belis chewed on her lip, torn. I could guess what she was thinking.
There was no way to guarantee our success; we could just as easily be caught on the road as resting.
Worse than that, if the Romans found us for a third time there would be no mercy.
They would slit my throat and break Belis’s legs rather than risk her running again.
Cati would lie in her glade until her body eventually wasted away.
“We’ll stay here for now,” she said eventually. “But if the mist rises we’ll have to leave.”
“Agreed,” I said. Belis unsaddled the horses then crawled into the hut. I shuffled next to her, burying my head in the crook of her arm.
“Get a little sleep,” she said. “I’ll wake you if the rain stops.”
I snatched some rest, drifting in and out of consciousness. When Belis finally nudged me awake it was already dark.
“Come on, the horses are rested. It’s time to go.”
I rubbed sleep from my eyes and stood up. The mist had thinned a little, allowing me to see a dozen or so yards in any direction. Belis was already tacking up the horses, checking the fit on the girths. The beasts looked better. The few hours’ rest had been a good decision.
I led my horse over to the well and climbed up onto the rim to use it as a mounting post. The bay whiffled at me hopefully and I showed him my palms.
“No treats, I’m afraid. Once we’re out of danger I’ll buy you a sackful of carrots, I promise.”
The gelding snorted and tossed his head as I swung into the saddle. Belis finished with her horse then paused, turning back to me.
“Mallt,” she looked worried, “maybe we should separate. You could ride south, join up with one of your friends. The Romans aren’t interested in you and as long as you stay with me you’ll be in danger.
We could make a plan to meet somewhere, in the north perhaps.
” Her hand went to the whelk shell that hung around her neck.
“I want to be with you, that’s the safest place for me,” I said, leaning down to kiss her. Belis returned my kiss but I could feel the tension inside her. “It will be all right, beloved, I promise. We’ve been through worse.”
She sighed. “I’m scared I can’t keep both you and Cati safe. Maybe I should give you the shell and go back to the Romans.”
I shuddered at the thought and shook her shoulders. “That’s a terrible idea. I’m not leaving you, Belis, as long as I live. I’ve fought for you. I’ve killed for you. I’m staying. Stop moping and get on your horse. With luck we’ll be there by daybreak.”
She found a half-smile for me and did as I said. I watched as she swung herself into the saddle, still graceful despite the lack of sleep. I could feel the nerves coming off her and I wanted to say more but we were running out of time.
We made good progress, rounding the eastern point of the Chalk sometime after midnight.
From there Belis took the lead, winding her way easily through the gnarled trunks of oaks and elms even in the inky black of the night.
When dawn broke I recognised the shape of the land again and a moment later we were there at the edge of the clearing.
Belis jumped down from the saddle, pausing to tie her horse’s reins to a tree at the edge of the glade. I followed, then stepped out into the space. Boudica’s body had been worried by scavengers. Belis bowed to her mother’s corpse, tears glittering on her cheeks. Then she turned to her sister.
Catrisca lay where we had left her, pale and still, long, straight red hair splayed across the grass like blood. Fallen leaves had drifted around her like petals so that she seemed to be the heart of a great flower. At her feet slept a mighty hound, white fur with red ears.
“Dormath,” I whispered. He drowsed a little then opened one golden eye.
I held out my arms to him and in a moment he was up and running towards me.
He was stronger than me now and I toppled backwards, laughing as he covered my face with slobbery kisses, sniffling at the strange smells I carried from the road.