Free Elves: Beyond the Mists of Katura by James Barclay

for?’
    ‘For not letting me retreat too far inside myself.’
    ‘It’s not good for you, you know, spending all this time up here. Not good for our people, either.’ Ulysan raised his eyebrows. ‘It’s about time you shared
whatever’s got you so worried.’
    ‘Is it that obvious?’
    ‘It is to me.’
    Auum sighed. ‘We don’t have a plan. We’ve rushed out to sea because Stein says there’s probably a fleet headed our way and if we meet them we know what to do, but what
about when we get to Balaia? We’ve scarcely discussed it, and I’m as much to blame as anyone. It’s like we’re hoping it’ll all be laid out for us like a recipe for
bread.’
    ‘I think you’re being a little harsh.’
    ‘Really? We don’t know the size of the forces against us. We don’t know where they are. We don’t know the true state of alliance between the four colleges of idiots. We
only know the geography of this accursed place through a very poor map and Stein’s guesses of distances, heights and terrain. We can speculate endlessly about all these things but we have to
make a plan.’
    Ulysan frowned. ‘But we do know what we’re doing, don’t we? We’re going to Julatsa, we’re rescuing our adepts and we’re leaving. Right?’
    ‘That’s just naive, Ulysan, and you know it.’
    ‘I’m just making the point that it’s not quite so bleak as you paint it.’
    ‘Not quite. I’m starting to regret not being on the same ship as Drech and even Takaar. At least then we could make a few decisions. I’m feeling in limbo and I shouldn’t.
I’m Arch of the TaiGethen.’
    ‘This isn’t really about the lack of a plan though, is it?’ said Ulysan.
    ‘Isn’t it?’
    ‘We all feel the same to a greater or lesser degree. Most of the TaiGethen spend most of their time below decks trying to remember the canopy over their heads. You’re up here trying
to escape the crowds. We’re born to the rainforest and we’re heading for a barren wasteland.
    ‘It’s natural to be fearful, to try to cling to tight organisation. But if we place faith in our gods, keep Yniss in our souls every step of the way and believe in our skills,
we’ll prevail.’
    ‘Bless you, Ulysan,’ said Auum, feeling his spirit flicker more strongly than it had in days.
    Ulysan stood and stretched, looking forward. He stilled, staring into the distance.
    ‘What is it?’ asked Auum.
    ‘Dust off your jaqruis,’ said Ulysan. ‘Stein was right. I see sails.’
    Auum and Ulysan trotted aft to the wheel deck. Halfway there, Auum stopped and stared about him at his surroundings, the vastness of the Sea of Gyaam and the ships flanking
them.
    ‘What is it?’ asked Ulysan.
    ‘I’ve spent too much time up top,’ said Auum, his eyes tracking a wave, the pitch of a ship and the crew busy with such focused purpose.
    ‘We’ve just been through this,’ said Ulysan.
    ‘I’ve been blind to how majestic it is, how quiet and how very, I don’t know . . .
efficient
.’
    Four ships had sailed from Ysundeneth, each with a crew of sixty, a TaiGethen contingent of thirty and forty Il-Aryn. Plenty more had been left on the dockside, and despite Takaar’s
outbursts, there they remained to defend the capital should this expedition fail.
    There was a bleak beauty to the scene of white canvas, dark-stained wood and grey sea. It was so different from the rainforest and its multitude of greens and browns studded with colours as
vibrant and wonderful as new birth. Auum’s nose was full of the scents of sea spray, fresh paint and oil; his ears found joy in the sounds of the ocean passing beneath them, the creak of
timbers and the snap of sailcloth.
    Elven cargo ships were lower, longer and faster than their human counterparts but not as reliable in heavy seas and storms. The high-sterned ships favoured by humans had little style to them but
were effective and their cargo capacity was huge, perfect for the timber they so desired. Elven traders