‘The war has already begun,’ said the Khan. ‘You will not arrive in time to save your friends.’
‘Then I shall be in time to avenge them,’ answered Tenaka.
‘What was the old man trying to tell you about the Fall?’
‘I don’t know – something about ice spinning. It wasn’t important,’ said Tenaka
*
The old shaman bade Tenaka sit down and the new Khan obeyed. His eyes closed. When he opened them, he was sitting before the tomb as before, watched by the massed ranks of Nadir generals. To his left lay Shirrat Knifespeaks – his chest ripped apart, blood staining the dust. To his right was Saddleskull, a small trickle of blood on his temple. Before him was the helm of Ulric.
Asta Khan stood and turned to the generals.
‘It is over and it has begun. Tenaka Khan rules the Wolves.’
The old man took the helm, returned to the brazier, swept up his cloak of ragged skins and walked from the camp. Tenaka remained where he was, scanning the faces before him and sensing the hostility. These were men prepared for war, supporters of Knifespeaks or Saddleskull. Not one man among them had considered Tenaka as Khan. Now they had a new leader and from this moment on Tenaka would need to walk with extreme care. His food would have to be tasted … his tent guarded. Among the men before him would be many who would desire his death.
And swiftly!
It was easy to become a Khan. The real trick lay in staying alive thereafter.
A movement in the ranks caught his eye and Ingis rose and walked towards him. Taking his sword from its scabbard and reversing the blade, he handed it hilt-first to Tenaka.
‘I become your man,’ said Ingis kneeling.
‘Welcome, warrior. How may brothers do you bring?’
‘Twenty thousand.’
‘It is good,’ said the Khan.
And one by one the generals trooped forward. It was dawn before the last backed away and Ingis approached once more.
‘The families of Saddleskull and Knifespeaks have been taken. They are being held near your campsite.’
Tenaka rose and stretched. He was cold, and very tired. With Ingis beside him, he walked from the tomb.
A great crowd had assembled to watch the deaths of the prisoners. Tenaka looked at the captives as they knelt in silent ranks, their arms tied behind them. There were twenty-two women, six men and a dozen boy-children.
Subodai came forward. ‘You wish to kill them yourself?’
‘No.’
‘Gitasi and I will do it then,’ he said with relish.
‘No.’ Tenaka walked on, leaving Subodai baffled and surprised.
The new Khan halted before the women, the wives of the dead warlords.’
‘I did not kill your husbands,’ he told them. ‘There was no blood feud between us. Yet I inherit their property. So be it! You were part of that property and I name you as wives of Tenaka Khan. Release them!’ he ordered.
Muttering under his breath, Subodai moved along the line. A young woman ran forward as he freed her and threw herself at Tenaka’s feet.
‘If I am truly your wife, then what of my son?’
‘Release the children also,’ said Tenaka.
Only the six men remained now, close relatives of the dead warlords.
‘This is a new day,’ Tenaka told them. ‘I give you this choice. Promise you serve me and you live. Refuse and you die!’
‘I spit on you, half-blood,’ shouted one man. Tenaka stepped forward, held out his hand for Subodai’s sword and with one sweep severed the man’s neck.
Not one of the five remaining prisoners spoke, and Tenaka moved along the line, killing them all. He called Ingis to him and the two men sat quietly in the shadows of the tent.
There they stayed for three hours while the Khan outlined his plans. Then Tenaka slept.
And while he slept twenty men ringed his tent, swords in hand.
20
Parsal continued to crawl, dragging himself through the long grass. The pain from his mutilated leg had faded from the searing agony of the previous afternoon to a throbbing ache which occasionally flared, causing him to lose consciousness. The night was cool, but Parsal was sweating freely. He no longer knew where he was going, only that he had to put as great a distance between himself and the horror as he could.