Part 51 (1/2)

'Lord,' Breakmaster cried, 'there was a bridge, but now . . .!'

daylight.'

Arachatt pushed his way forwards. 'There is a way, my Lord, dangerous and difficult, but there is a way forward.'

King Holbian struck his spark and stared out at the broken span of the bridge. 'How?' he asked without turning. i.

'There is a ledge, my Lord, up near the roof of the secre road. It is blocked with rubble and fallen stone choke, but if we clear it we have a path to the daylight.'

Holbian looked up at the narrow ledge. 'A bird or a quick-footed mason could use that road but what of my people, the old and the infirm, the bent beggars and the small children? They will never be able to scale the walls and reach

the ledge.'

Arachatt spread his rough calloused hands. 'There will be s.p.a.ce for all those who can reach the ledge; that is the we'

forwards for the strong, my Lord.'

King Holbian looked back along the tunnel to where the first bedraggled city dwellers had halted, knee deep in the cold black water, their few meagre possessions held above the flood. He turned back to his mason. 'I am the last Granite King of all the people of Elundium, the strong and the weak and you, Mastermason, must fas.h.i.+on a way for us all. None shall be left behind.'

'Not even the horses, my Lord?' Breakmaster cried oh above the roaring waters.

'Not even the horses!' echoed the King, walking bacld amongst his people, calling out the strong and the willing to help the mason.

Arachatt frowned and muttered under his breath as he resealed the wall, measuring with his fingerspan and dropping a plumb line from the brink of the ledge down into the black

water. 'We will build a ramp,' he eventually shouted down Id the King. 'It will be steep and slippery but it will lead us to the

'You are the Mastermason,' King Holbian shouted u scrambling to the ledge. Angis nimbly followed him and be to start clearing the stone choke. 'No, my Lady of Elundiun

232.

he cried, putting his hand on her arm, 'this work is not for your gentle hands.'

'I ord, I would wear my hands blunt to work beside my King and win a road to the daylight.'

Holbian smiled down at her. 'You are Kingworthy, my Lady, and I am proud to have you by my side.'

Arachatt measured and dressed each rough piece of stone choke, before his helpers levelled them into position. Knuckles became scuffed and bled raw before the ramp had risen against the flooding waters.

'Bring the people forward!' Arachatt shouted. 'The rubble from the ledge and the newly-built ramp has completely dammed the river and the level will rapidly rise. There is not a moment to waste.'

'What of the road beyond the river?' Holbian shouted, pus.h.i.+ng the last huge blocking boulder to the ledge. 'Surely that will flood and drown us before we can escape?'

'No, my Lord,' Arachatt replied. 'Beyond, the road is above this level and slopes steeply upwards, the water will fill the secret road we have travelled, flooding it all the way back to the Granite City. But hurry the people forward, my Lord, or we will be trapped for ever.'

King Holbian gripped the mason's arm and quickly thanked him. 'It is the greatest wonder in all Elundium,' he cried, jumping down into the waist-deep water and urging the long column of city folk forwards on to the ramp.

'Bring the children,' he shouted, 'for they are our tomorrowlights, and then the old, they are the glories of yesterlights.

Keep order!'

Grey Goose led the people and Holbian frowned, searching back along the dark tunnel, hurrying past the last stragglers. 'Be quick! Hurry!' he ordered, lighting his spark and letting a sigh of relief escape from his lips.