Trull nodded. Sufficient concerns to occupy his mind, to steal his fullest attention. He did not have the luxury of thinking of other things. This, he decided, was preferable. A relief.
The shadows were long on the slope below, cutting crossways, the shafts of dusty sunlight ebbing into golden mist through which insects flitted.
A whisper of sound – behind them, then on all sides.
Wraiths, streaming down, slipping past into the spreading gloom below.
‘They’ve arrived,’ Ahlrada said.
Trull slid back down and rolled onto his back. Padding between brush and trees upslope, silver-backed wolves. A half-dozen, then a score, lambent eyes flashing from lowered heads.
One beast approached Trull. It suddenly blurred, the air filling with a pungent, spicy scent, and a moment later Trull found himself looking into the amber eyes of B’nagga.
The Jheck grinned. ‘A thousand paces below, Trull Sengar. They are in full retreat.’
‘You made good time,’ Ahlrada said.
The grin widened. ‘The warriors are but two thousand paces from the bridge. My brothers found a body, hidden in the brush. Your work?’
‘An advance scout,’ Trull said.
‘The mages had tied a thread to him. They knew you were coming. No doubt that slowed them even more.’
‘So,’ Ahlrada said, ‘are we to contest their retreat?’
‘It was a thought. But no, the wraiths will do naught but hound them. Keep them on edge and moving at double-march. By the time they reach High Fort they will be footsore and bleary-eyed. We won’t be giving them much time to rest.’ He settled into a crouch. ‘I have news. First Maiden Fort has fallen. No battle – the garrison had already fled back to Fent Reach.’
‘As anticipated,’ Trull said.
‘Yes. If the Letherii choose to make a stand at Fent Reach, it will be a short siege. Even now, our ships have made landing and the warriors march on the city.’
‘No contact with any Letherii fleets?’ Trull was surprised. Those transports were vulnerable.
‘None. The emperor’s forces are poised above Trate, undetected as yet. Within the next few days, my friends, there will be four major battles. And, sword willing, the northern frontier shall fall.’
Blind drunk. A description Seren Pedac sought to explore, with all the fumbling murky intent of a mind poisoned into stupidity. But, somehow, she was failing. Instead of blind, she was painfully aware of the figures on all sides of her small table, the seething press and the loose rubble sound of countless voices. Stupidity had yet to arrive and possibly never would, as stolid sobriety held on, dogged and immovable and indifferent to the seemingly endless cups of wine she drank down.
Fevered excitement, scores of voices uttering their I-told-you-so variations to herds of nodding heads. Proclamations and predictions, the gleaming words of greed eager to be unleashed on the booty of battlefields crowded with dead Edur.
Seren Pedac frowned, looked up at the figure looming over her table. Her mind replied,
‘Nothing worth its spit is being said here, lass. You want to drink. Fine, jus’ sit and drink. All I was offerin’ was a quieter place to do it, is all.’
‘Go away.’
Instead, the man sat down. ‘Been watchin’ you all evening. Jus’ another Letherii? Asked myself that once and once only. No, I think, not this one. So I ask, and someone says “That’s the Acquitor, Seren Pedac. Was up at the treaty that went sour. Was under contract with Buruk the Pale, the one that hung himself and damned if it wasn’t her that found him all fish-eyed and fouled.” And I think, that ain’t an easy thing. No wonder she’s sittin’ there tryin’ t’get drunk an’ it’s not working.’
She fixed her gaze on him, seeing him clearly for the first time. Seamed face, clean-shaven, hair shoulder- length and the hue of polished iron. His voice sounded again in her head, confirming what she saw. ‘You’re no Letherii.’
A broad smile, even, white teeth. ‘You got that right, and, no offence, but glad of it.’
‘You’re not Faraed. Nerek. Tarthenal. Not Fent, either, not even Meckros-’
‘What I am you never heard of, believe me, lass. A long way from home.’
‘What do you want?’
‘Was making an offer, but it needed to be done in quiet. Private-’
‘I’m sure-’
‘Not like that, though I’d consider my fortunes on the upswing if it was to happen the way you think I meant. No.’ He leaned forward, gesturing her closer as well.
Her smile ironic, she tilted over the table until their noses were almost touching. ‘I can’t wait.’
He withdrew a fraction. ‘Lass, you’re a breathin’ vineyard. All right, then, listen. We got ourselves a boat-’
‘We?’
‘A boat, and we’re leaving this pock-on-Hood’s-ass of a kingdom.’
‘Where to? Korshenn? Pilott, Truce? Kolanse?’
‘What would be the point of that? The first three you named are all paying tribute to Lether, and Kolanse is a mess from all we hear. Acquitor, the world’s a lot bigger than you might think-’
‘Is it? Actually, it’s
‘Same rubbish, different hole, eh? Maybe you’re right. But maybe not.’
‘Who are you?’
‘Just someone a long way from home, like I said. We clawed our way out of Assail, only to find ourselves here, and just by arriving in our damned sieve of a boat, we owed money. Just by steppin’ onto the dock, we owed more. It’s been seven months, and we’re so far in debt Prince K’azz himself couldn’t clear our way back out. Livin’ off scraps and doin’ ugly work and it’s rotting us all-’
‘You were a soldier.’
‘Still am, lass.’
‘So join a brigade-’
He rubbed at his face, closed his eyes for a moment, then seemed to reach a decision. He fixed her with his cool, blue eyes. ‘It’s shouting to the Abyss, lass, and not one Letherii’s listening. You people are in trouble. Serious trouble. Fent Reach surrendered. Now, Twilight’s a smart, able commander, so what made her do that? Think, Acquitor.’
