blow and sent an uppercut that thundered against the man’s rib-cage. The corsair grunted and smashed a left hook into Druss’s jaw, making him stumble, then hit him again with lefts and rights. Druss rode them and hammered an overhand right that spun his opponent in a half-circle. Following up he hit him again, clubbing the man to his knees. Stepping back, Druss sent a vicious kick that almost lifted the giant from the deck. He slumped down, tried to rise, then lay still.
“Druss! Druss! Druss!” yelled the surviving Drenai warriors as The Thunderchild slipped away from the pursuing vessels.
Sieben sat down and stared at his friend.
No wonder you are so deadly, he thought. Sweet Heaven, Druss, you are possessed!
Druss moved wearily to the starboard rail, not even looking at the pursuing ships which were even now falling further behind The Thunderchild. Blood was clotting on his face, and he rubbed his left eye where the lashes were matted and sticky. Dropping Snaga to the deck Druss peeled off his jerkin, allowing the breeze to cool his skin.
Eskodas appeared alongside him, carrying a bucket of water. “Is any of that blood yours?” the bowman asked.
Druss shrugged, uncaring. Removing his gauntlets, he dipped his hands into the bucket, splashing water to his face and beard. Then he lifted the bucket and tipped the contents over his head.
Eskodas scanned his body. “You have minor wounds,” he said, probing at a narrow cut on Druss’s shoulder and a gash in the side. “Neither are deep. I’ll get needle and thread.”
Druss said nothing. He felt a great weariness settle on him, a dullness of the spirit that left him leached of energy. He thought of Rowena, her gentleness and tranquillity, and of the peace he had known when beside her. Lifting his head, he leaned his huge hands on the rail. Behind him he heard laughter, and turned to see some of the warriors baiting the giant corsair. They had tied his hands behind his back and were jabbing at him with knives, forcing him to leap and dance.
Bodasen climbed down from the tiller deck. “Enough of that!” he shouted.
“It’s just a little sport before we throw him to the sharks,” replied a wiry warrior with a black and silver beard.
“No one will be thrown to the sharks,” snapped Bodasen. “Now untie him.”
The men grumbled, but obeyed the order, and the giant stood rubbing his chafed wrists. His eyes met Druss’s gaze, but the corsair’s expression was unreadable. Bodasen led the man to the small cabin door below the tiller deck and they disappeared from view.
Eskodas returned and stitched the wounds in the axeman’s shoulder and side. He worked swiftly and expertly. “You must have had the gods with you,” he said. “They granted you good luck.”
“A man makes his own luck,” said Druss.
Eskodas chuckled. “Aye. Trust in the Source - but keep a spare bowstring handy. That’s what my old teacher used to tell me.”
Druss thought back to the action on the trireme. “You helped me,” he said, remembering the arrow that had killed the man coming in behind him.
“It was a good shot,” agreed Eskodas. “How are you feeling?”
Druss shrugged. “Like I could sleep for a week.”
“It is very natural, my friend. Battle lust roars through the blood, but the aftermath is unbearably depressing. Not many poets sing songs about that.” Eskodas took up a cloth and sponged the blood from Druss’s jerkin, handing it back to the axeman. “You are a great fighter, Druss - perhaps the best I’ve seen.”
Druss slipped on his jerkin, gathered Snaga and walked to the prow where he stretched out between two bales. He slept for just under an hour, but was woken by Bodasen; he opened his eyes and saw the Ventrian bending over him as the sun was setting.
“We need to talk, my friend,” said Bodasen and Druss sat up. The stitches in his side pulled tight as he stretched. He swore softly.
“I’m tired,” said the axeman. “So let’s make this brief.”
“I have spoken with the corsair. His name is Patek…”
“I don’t care what his name is.”
Bodasen sighed. “In return for information about the numbers of corsair vessels, I have promised him his liberty when we reach Capalis. I have given him my word.”
“What has this to do with me?”
“I would like youra?792?0¶?7?:?0:??·:?»466?·7:?µ466???6?‘?????‘$??7·s:?»07:??7?µ466???6?? ¤2?¶?0·9?·7:?4·3??7?¶2?‘??????*?27??°<?:?2?»79?9??¶<?3??272?‘?????”???9?¶··µ22?47?7?:?2?«27:? ?0·“9??0?5????9???*?2?2??9??·¶2:?4·3?2¶?2v???2??°42??‘?·¶2:?4·3??·:?0?2?·7:? ?26¶4·3?¶2?‘?????‘$7??22?:?2?2??9???°3??22??7?°?27????266?¶2p:?0:??·:?»466?06¶·;?¶<?8?·¶??2? ?7??0??5p?7?±2??7··:?22??072?$?9?066?2<8¶°47?066?‘??????«2?<?»266??$?»466p·7:?µ466? ??6??§·;??°<?;?0:??·:??0»2??7??°<???072?:?27?¶2:?¶2??2:??·¶2?9¶?28?‘??????7dasen drew in a long, deep breath. “The trireme was the Darkwind. The captain was Earin Shad, one of the leading Corsair… kings, if you like. They have been patrolling these waters for some months. One of the ships they… plundered…” Bodasen fell silent. He licked his lips. “Druss, I’m sorry. Kabuchek’s ship was taken and sunk, the passengers and crew thrown to the sharks. No one survived.”
Druss sat very still. All anger vanished from him.
“I wish there was something I could say or do to lessen your pain,” said Bodasen. “I know that you loved her.”
“Leave me be,” whispered Druss. “Just leave me be.”
