Although That looked at him askance, he did not query Taita's assertion. Instead he continued, 'Lord Aquer pioneered the settlement of Jarri, the Land of the Mountains of the Moon. His direct descendants
have built it into a powerful and advanced state. I am honoured to serve them.'i Taita regarded him with the Inner Eye and saw that this statement was untrue: far from being honoured by his service to this foreign government, That was a man in turmoil. 'That is where you are taking us now, is it? To this state of Jarri?'
'Those are my orders, Magus,' That agreed.
'Who is the king of this country?' Taita asked.
'We do not have one. An oligarchy of noble and wise men rules us.'
'Who chooses them?'
'They are selected for their apparent virtues.'
Again, Taita saw that That did not truly believe this. 'Are you one of the oligarchs?'
'Nay, Magus, I could never warrant that honour as I am not of noble birth. I am a recent arrival in Jarri, an incomer.'
'So Jarrian society is stratified?' Taita asked. 'Divided into nobility, commoners and slaves?'
'In broad outline, that is so. Although we are known as migrants, not commoners.'
'Do you Jarrians still worship the panoply of Egyptian gods?'
'Nay, Magus, we have but one god.'
'Who is he?'
'I do not know. Only the initiates to the religion know his name. I pray that one day I am granted that boon.' Taita saw many conflicting currents running below this assertion: there was something that That could not bring himself to say, even though he had escaped the surveillance of Onka to voice it.
'Tell me more of this land, so wondrous that it could pre-empt the loyalty of a man of your worth.' Taita was encouraging him to speak out.
'No words are adequate to the task,' That replied, 'but we will be there soon enough, and you shall judge for yourself.' He was letting the opportunity to speak openly slip away.
'Colonel That, when you rescued us from the Basmara you said something that made me believe you had been sent for that express purpose. Was I correct?'
'I have already said too much … because I hold you in such high respect and esteem. But I must ask you not to press me. I know that you have a superior and enquiring mind, but you are entering a land that has a different code of customs and laws. At this stage you are a guest, so it
will be expedient to us all if you respect the mores of your hosts.' Now That was in full retreat.
'One of which is not to pry into matters that don't concern me?'
'Precisely,' That said. It was a sober warning, and that was as much as he could bring himself to say.
'I have always held the view that expediency is a justification for tyranny, and the sop of serfs.'
'A dangerous view, Magus, which you should keep to yourself while you are in Jarri.' That closed his mouth as if it were the visor of his bronze helmet, and Taita knew that he would learn no more now, but he was not disappointed. Indeed, he was surprised to have learnt so much.
They were interrupted by the faint cries of the hunters. Far ahead, Meren had run down a quarry worthy of his arrows.
The antediluvian monster stood at bay, snorting like a fire-breathing dragon, making short but furious rushes towards its tormentors, kicking up the dust with its great hoofs, swinging its horned nose from side to side, piggy eyes bright, ears pricked forward. Its nose-horn stood tall as a man, polished by constant honing on tree trunks and termite mounds until it gleamed like a sword.
Then Taita saw Fenn, and felt acid rise in his throat. She was flirting with the beast. Serenely confident of her own horsemanship and Whirlwind's speed, she was crossing at an oblique angle in front of the beast's nose, inviting his charge. Taita kicked his heels into Windsmoke's flanks and raced to restrain her. At the same time he sent an urgent astral impulse directly to her. He felt her parry it, with the skill of an expert swordsman, then close her mind to him. His anger and concern flared hotly. 'The little she-devil!' he muttered.
At that moment the creature's eye was drawn by Whirlwind's shining grey coat, and it accepted Fenn's challenge. It hurled itself at them, grunting, snorting and pounding the earth with its great hoofs. Fenn touched the colt's neck and they jumped into full gallop. She was twisted in the saddle to judge the distance between the point of the horn and Whirlwind's flying tail. When they drew a little too far ahead, she held Whirlwind back to let the gap close and to urge the beast on.
Despite his fear for her safety Taita could not help but admire her skill and nerve, as she led the animal in front of Meren at close range.
He loosed three arrows in rapid succession, and all flew in behind the shoulder to bury their full length up to the fletching in the thick
grey hide. The animal stumbled and Taita saw bloody froth spray from its mouth. At least one of Meren's arrows had pierced a lung. Fenn led the beast on, skilfully bringing it round in a circle under Meren's poised bow and forcing it to expose its other flank to him. He shot and shot again, and his arrowheads went deep, raking through the heart and both lungs.
The beast slowed as its lungs filled with blood. The lethargy of death transmuted its mighty limbs to stone. At last it stood, head hanging, blood pouring in rivulets from its open mouth and its nose. Nakonto raced in from the side and drove in the point of his spear behind its ear, slanting the blade forward to find the brain. The body dropped with such weight that it jarred the earth and raised a cloud of dust.
By the time Taita reached them they had all dismounted and were gathered around the carcass. Fenn was
