Engines & Demons - The Undestined

Chapter 44i

The noise of the falls was a constant roar as the knights crossed the deeps bridge. The bridge was old, built when Klinberg was nothing but a small fort, but it was the work of Engineers and so time had been unable to ravage it. It still reached soundly across the spaces between the rock columns as it had done for centuries, while the Siceria's waters fell and boiled in the cauldrons of the deeps below. The bridge constantly switched direction, climbing and falling as the geology of the rocks dictated, and it was only when Sir Kralaford reached the apex of its final span that he saw the scout waiting for him beside the overgrown stones of the Sanctuary road.

He urged Hakansa forward and his two knights followed. The echoing roar from the deeps' sheer sided gorge was soon behind him, and his steed's claws touched the welcome grassland again. The scout had swung immediately back into her saddle when she saw him approaching, and saluted briskly when he came within hearing.

"I have a sighting, sir."

"Where?"

"A brewing house to the east of here. The overseer reported seeing four riders passing through its fields just after dawn."

"Which way did they go?"

"North and east, away from the Sanctuary road. I have sent my people to track them."

"They are definitely heading for Solridge then," said Sir Hogan.

"But they are not so far ahead of us," said Sir Beddingvale. "We may still apprehend them before they cross its borders."

"What could the Overseer tell you about the riders?" asked Sir Kralaford.

"He confirmed that they rode hydrayet. Two of them had Clan-marks, the other was older and undistinguished."

"And the fourth?"

"Was a woman. She was cloaked, but he saw that she had blond hair. She was carrying something bundled up on her lap."

Sir Kralaford's fist tightened on his rail-shield.

"Kamantha," he murmured, before turning to one of the remaining messengers who had drawn up behind him. "You stay here. Wait for my other scouts and send them straight on to us."

The man saluted, and Sir Kralaford turned back to his senior scout.

"Lead the way," he said, and the small party headed on, following the old road down from the hills and into a wide valley where flower-grass was growing in neat fields. They passed swiftly through the yard of the brewing house where his son's captors had last been seen, and turned to the north.

The brew-house's overseer and his staff watched them until they were out of sight beyond the lip of a bright hill and then, with the morning's excitement over, they returned to their labours. They still had a good deal of work to do before noon, and the sun was already climbing rapidly through the sky.

* * * * *

Grifford crouched beside Tahlia, in the mouth of a high doorway, shadowed by a lintel of pipes. A short corridor lay beyond, leading through to the tower's insides.

He looked over his shoulder at Dak, who was standing uncertainly on the open platform behind him.

"Stay behind me," he said to her.

Together, the three of them crept inside the tower, and at the corridor's end found a stair leading down to the churn and stink of foul water. Two further doorways lead to left and right.