The Radiant War

Chapter 20a

     “Radiants!” said Captain Tamwell.

     Princess Ardria looked through the train's grimy window, following his pointing finger and saw three small points of light on the northern horizon. She felt her guts clench up in fear. Were they coming this way? Was this it, what they'd been dreading ever since setting out from Marboll?

     The Carrow soldiers sharing their carriage saw them as well, but paid them no special attention. To them, the creatures were their allies. Battle brothers. They searched the horizon for the small patches of glowing light, trying to see in what direction they were travelling, but only in idle curiosity. If they were approaching, they might wave out the window as they passed overhead, but that was it. They had neither fear nor a special fascination for the creatures. Ardria knew better, though. Did they know that she was on this train, heading for Charnox, now less than a day away? Were they looking for her? Even if they weren't, they wouldn't pass up a chance to take her out if they spotted her.

     She watched them, therefore, along with Tamwell and Brailsford, desperately willing the tiny points of radiance to move along the horizon, signifying that they were moving across their paths, that they just happened to be in the same part of the world at the same time with completely unconnected purposes.  Hopefully they would just continue on their way and never know how close they’d come to ending her dangerous mission. There was a tree on the horizon. A large oak tree that had lost most of its leaves in the seemingly endless draught, almost between them and the Radiants. She used it as a frame of reference while compensating for the train's movement, tried to convince herself that the creatures were about to pass behind it. They didn't. Instead, they grew brighter, and after a couple more minutes there was no more room for doubt. The Radiants were coming their way.

     Tamwell left his seat to approach Captain Silva, and half a dozen soldiers immediately jumped upright and drew their pistols. Tamwell hurriedly raised his hands. “I just want to talk,” he said.

     “It's okay,” said Silva, and the soldiers returned to their seats, although they continued to watch him warily. “What's on your mind, Captain?”

     “When I entered Carrow, I was carrying a pistol,” said Tamwell. “Do you still have it?”

     “I imagine it’s still among your possessions, in the baggage.”

     “Is it still loaded with the same ammunition it was when it was taken from me?”

     “I have no reason to believe otherwise.”

     “Captain, this is very important. You must send one of your men to get that gun. We're going to need it very shortly.”

     “Need it for what?”

     “It is loaded with very special ammunition. Incendiary ammunition. It sets alight any flammable substance it touches. You'll need it to fight off the Radiants.”

     “The Radiants are our allies, Captain. We have no reason to fear them.”

     “Yes you do. They are desperate to prevent Princess Ardria from speaking to your king. They don't want her telling him what she knows.”

     “And what is that?”

     “That the Radiants are your enemies just as much as they are ours. They don't just want Helberion destroyed. They want all human civilisation destroyed, including Carrow. Duchess Pardew will confirm this.”

     Everyone in the carriage looked at Soonia Darniss, and Ardria felt her heart in her throat. This was it. If she was going to betray them, it would be now. She could deny everything Tamwell had just said, then sit back and laugh when Radiant tentacles smashed through the windows and dragged the Princess away...