The Painted Man nodded, though she could see his impatience in his clenching hands. Smitt entered a moment later, ushering in Marick, along with Stefny, Tender Jona, Erny, and Elona.
Marick stared at the Painted Man, though his hood was drawn and his tattooed hands were hidden in the voluminous sleeves of his robe.
“Are you…him?” Marick asked.
The Painted Man pulled back his hood, revealing his painted flesh, and Marick gasped.
“You the Deliverer, as they say?” Marick asked.
The Painted Man shook his head. “Just a man who learned to kill demons.”
Jona snorted.
“Something caught in your throat, Tender?” the Painted Man asked.
“The other Deliverers never named themselves as such,” Jona said. “They were all given the title by others.” The Painted Man scowled at him, but Jona only bowed his head.
“I guess it doesn’t matter,” Marick said, though he sounded a little disappointed. “I didn’t really expect you to have a halo.”
“What happened?” the Painted Man asked.
“Twelve days ago, the Krasians sacked Fort Rizon,” Marick said. “They came in the night, bypassed the hamlets, and took out the wall guards, opening the gates of the central city wide at the crack of dawn. We were all still in our beds when the killing started.”
“They came in the night?” Leesha asked. “How is that possible?”
“They’ve got warded weapons that kill demons,” Marick said, “same as you Hollow folk. They talk like there ent nothing in the world more important than demon killing, and taking Rizon was just something to keep them busy till the sun set.”
“Go on,” the Painted Man pressed.
“Well,” Marick said, “it’s clear their eyes were on the central grain silos, because they took those first. Their warriors killed any man that resisted, and bent any woman that looked old enough to bleed.” He glanced at the women present, and his face flushed.
“It’s no shock what men will do when they think they can get away with it,” Elona said bitterly. “Get on with your tale, Messenger.”
Marick nodded. “They must have killed thousands, that first morning, and took the city walls to keep the rest of us in. We were beaten, tied together, and dragged into warehouses like cattle.”
“How did you escape?” the Painted Man asked.
“At first I didn’t think any of the desert rats spoke a civilized tongue,” Marick said. “I know a couple of sand words I picked up from other Messengers, but it’s mostly curses, not much to start a conversation with. I figured I was done for, but after a day, a fat one came who spoke Thesan like a native. He started rounding up the royals, landowners, and skilled laborers, bringing them to the Krasian duke. I was among those.”
“You saw their leader?” the Painted Man asked.
“Oh, I saw that big bastard all right,” Marick said. “They brought me before him, bound and battered, and when he heard I was a Warder, he set me free like nothing had happened. Even gave me a purse of gold for my troubles! I think he meant for me to teach them our wards, but I was over the wall and out of the city at dawn the next morning.”
“Their leader,” the Painted Man pressed. “What was he wearing?”
Marick blinked. “Open white robe and head rag,” he said, “with black underneath, like their warriors wear. And he wore a crown; that’s how I knew he was their duke.”
“A crown?” the Painted Man asked. “Are you sure? He didn’t just have a jewel set in his turban?”
Marick nodded. “I’m sure. It was gold, and covered in jewels and wards. Ripping thing must have been worth more than every other duke ’s crown combined.”
“And this duke, did he speak our tongue?” the Painted Man asked.
“Better than some Angierians I know,” Marick said.
“What was his name?” the Painted Man asked.
Marick shrugged. “Don’t think anyone said it. They all called him some sand word. Shamaka, or somesuch. I figured it meant ‘duke.’ ”
“Shar’Dama Ka?” the Painted Man asked.
“Ay.” Marick nodded. “That was it.”
The Painted Man swore under his breath.
“What is it?” Leesha asked, but he ignored her, leaning in to the Messenger.
“Was he about this tall?” he asked, holding up a hand above his own head. “With a forked, oiled beard and a sharp, hooked nose?”
Marick nodded.
“Did he carry a warded spear?” the Painted Man asked.
“They all carried warded spears,” Marick said.
“You would remember this one,” the Painted Man said.
Marick nodded again. “Metal, it was, point-to-butt. And covered in etched wards.”
The growl that issued from the Painted Man’s throat was so feral that even Marick, usually fearless, took a step back.
“What is it?” Leesha asked again.
“Ahmann Jardir,” the Painted Man said. “I know him.”
“What does this mean?” she asked, but the Painted Man waved the question away.
“It makes no difference now,” he said. “Go on,” he told Marick. “What happened next?”
“As I said, I scaled the wall and fled the city the moment they set me free,” Marick said. “The hamlets I passed through were half deserted by the time I arrived. When word of the attack reached them, the smart folk grabbed what they could and were on the road before the blood on the cobbles of the central city was dry. Those too weak to travel or too scared of the night stayed behind. I think more stayed than left, but there were still tens of thousands on the road.
“I bought a horse from an old fellow got left behind, and galloped off. I caught up to the folk on the road soon after. The groups were too large to stick together; no city could absorb so many. Most went to Lakton and its hamlets, where any with a hook and line can fill their belly, but the Jongleurs have had a lot to say about you,” he pointed to the Painted Man, “and them that believed you were really the Deliverer come again flocked here. I needed to get back to Angiers and report to the duke, but I couldn’t just leave folk on the road with so few to ward for them, so I offered up my services.”
“It was a good thing you did, Marick,” Leesha said, laying a hand on his arm. “These people never would have made it without you. Go and take your ease out into the taproom while we discuss your news.”
“I have a room reserved for you upstairs,” Smitt added. “Stefny will see you there.”
The Painted Man put his hood up as soon as the Messenger left. “Daylight is fading. If there are more on the road, I need to make sure they see the dawn.”
Leesha nodded. “Take Gared and as many Cutters as can sit a horse.”
“Get your cloak,” the Painted Man told Rojer. “You’re coming with us.” Rojer nodded, and they headed for the rear exit.
“You’ll need Warders,” Erny said, pushing back his wire-framed glasses and rising from his seat. “I’ll go.”
Elona was on her feet instantly grabbing his arm. “You’ll do no such thing, Ernal.”
Erny blinked. “You’re always complaining I’m not brave enough. Now you want me to hide when people need my help?”
“You’ll prove nothing to me by getting yourself killed,” Elona said. “You haven’t sat a horse in years.”
“She has a point, Da,” Leesha said.
“Stay out of this,” Erny said. “The town may hop at your word, but I’m still your father.”
“There’s no time for this,” the Painted Man said. “Are you coming or not?”
“Not,” Elona said firmly.
“Coming,” Erny said, pulling his arm from her grasp and following the other men out.
“That idiot!” Elona shrieked as the door slammed shut. Everyone else glanced at one another.
“Take as long back here as you like,” Smitt said, “I need to get out front.” He, Stefny, and Jona quickly filed
