The Radiant War

Chapter 9a

Morris Tyrell almost dragged Shanks out of the building and yelled for horses. "Where are we going?" asked the scientist, almost more scared of the intelligence man than the approaching danger.

"For now, just away from here. Away from the Radiants."

"What about Andrea?"

"We'll get her out as well. Right now, I just want to keep you safe." He turned to the nearest soldier. "Get spotters up on every building. I went to know where they are, how far away they are. Where they're going!" The man saluted and ran off to obey.

"They're coming from the east," said the intelligence man. "Carrow's coming from the west, so they'll be expecting us to go either south or north..."

"North, then," said Shanks. "To Erestin. That was the whole point in putting us this close to the border, right?"

"We stay in Helberion. You're a national asset, our best hope against the Radiants. We're not giving you to another country, especially one that Carrow might have influence over."

"I thought Erestin was our friend!"

"That was then. This is now. You stay in Helberion."

"So south then."

"Not due south. Never follow a predictable path. We go south west, to Tobford. There's an army base there. We can get you an armed escort back to Marboll, or wherever the King's governing from. Bringing you all the way out here was a mistake, we can see that now. You should never have left the capital."

"I thought Tobford was under attack."

"We fought them back for the time being. They're regrouping for another assault. If we move fast, we can get in, secure an armed escort for you and McCrea, and get out again before Carrow closes in."

"Won't they need all their men to defend the town?"

"The only reason we're defending the town is to defend you. Once you're out of here they can fall back, meet up with the main force of the army."

"Shit!" Shanks felt a huge weight of responsibility suddenly settling on him. The whole kingdom, depending on him and Andrea? And she was still unconscious, the last he'd heard. He'd heard that coma patients sometimes never woke up. If necessary, can I do it alone? he wondered. Can I create the device by myself? More to the point, could he do it in time? If he had years then there was no question. He'd get it sooner or later, it was just a matter of trial and error, but they needed it now! Could he create the weapon in time to make a difference? Could he justify all the people who were fighting and dying to give him the chance?

There was a strong gale blowing. It was coming from the east, he realised. Blowing the Radiants on their way towards him. How long until they got here? A soldier arrived with two horses and Morris Tyrell gestured for Shanks to climb up onto one. "Go to the south gate," he told him. "I'll meet up with you there." He slapped the horse on the rump and it jumped into a gallop.

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Morris Tyrell watched him go, then mounted the other horse and rode it to the civic building. He dashed in, to the room the army had taken over as a command post, where a young lieutenant was looking over the shoulder of a private sitting at a desk, jotting notes on a sheet of paper. Maps showing the current positions of Carrow and Helberion forces were pinned up on walls, half covering posters telling how to apply for housing benefit and invalidity support, a mocking reminder of the more peaceful days that had so recently ended.

Seeing him, the lieutenant came over to meet him. "Latest word is that the Radiants are five miles away," he said. "They're spreading out to north and south to surround the town. Also, all the Radiants that were with the Carrow forces have disengaged from them and are approaching the town from the west."