As the ruined face came into view Ananais closed his eyes and bowed his head. Renya leaned forward and kissed his brow, then his scarred cheek. His eyes opened.
‘Why?’ he whispered.
‘We all have scars,’ she said. ‘Better by far for them to be worn on the outside.’ She rose and returned to her bed.
‘Who is she?’ asked Ananais.
‘She is hunted by Ceska,’ Tenaka told him.
‘Aren’t we all?’ commented the giant, replacing bis mask.
‘Yes, but we will surprise him,’ said Tenaka.
‘That would be nice.’
‘Trust me, my friend. I mean to bring him down.’
‘Alone?’
Tenaka grinned. ‘Am I still alone?’
‘No! Do you have a plan?’
‘Not yet.’
‘Good. I thought perhaps the two of us were going to surround Drenan!’
‘It might come to that! How many of the Dragon still live?’
‘Precious few. Most followed the call. I would have done so too, had it reached me in time. Decado still lives.’
‘That is good news,’ said Tenaka.
‘Not really. He has become a monk.’
‘A monk! Decado? He lived to kill.’
‘Not any more. Are you thinking of gathering an army?’
‘No, it would do no good against the Joinings. They are too strong, too fast – too everything.’
‘They can be beaten,’ said Ananais.
‘Not by men.’
‘I defeated one.’
‘You?’
‘Yes. After we disbanded I tried farming. It didn’t work out. I had heavy debts and Ceska had opened the arenas for combat games, so I became a gladiator. I thought I would have maybe three fights and earn enough to settle my debts. But I enjoyed the life, you know? I fought under another name, but Ceska found out who I was. At least, that’s what I assume. I was due to fight a man named Treus, but when the gates opened there stood a Joining. Gods – he must have been eight feet tall.
‘But I beat him. By all the demons in Hell, I beat him!’
‘How?’
‘I had to let him come in close and think he had won. Then I gutted him with my knife.’
“That was an awful risk,’ said Tenaka.
‘Yes.’
‘But you got away with it?’
‘Not quite,’ answered Ananais. ‘He tore off my face.’
*
‘I really thought I could kill you, you know?’ said Ananais as they sat together by the fire. ‘I really believed it. I hated you. The more I saw the nation suffer, the more you came into my mind. I felt cheated – as if all I had ever lived for had been ruined. And when the Joining . . . when I was injured … I lost my mind. My courage. Everything.’
Tenaka sat silently, his heart heavy. Ananais had been a vain man, but gifted with humour that was always self-mocking; it took the edge from his vanity. And he had been handsome, adored by the ladies. Tenaka did not interrupt him. He had the feeling that a long, long time had passed since Ananais had sat in company. The words flowed like a torrent, but always the giant returned to his hatred of the Nadir prince.
‘I knew it was irrational, but I couldn’t help it, and when I found the bodies at the barracks and knew it was you, I was blind with rage. Until I saw you sitting there. And then . . . then . . .’
‘Then you thought to let me kill you,’ said Tenaka softly.
‘Yes. It seemed . . . fitting.’
‘I am glad we found each other, my friend. I just wish some of the others were here.’
The morning was bright and fresh and the warmth of the promise of spring kissed the forest, lightening the hearts of the travellers.
Renya watched Tenaka with new eyes, remembering not only the love and understanding he had shown to his scarred friend, but the words he had said to her before the giant arrived: ‘Believe in me.’
And Renya believed.
But more than this. Something in his words touched her heart and the pain in her soul eased.
He knew.
And yet he cared. Renya did not know what love was, for in all her life only one man had ever cared for her, and that was Aulin, the ancient Arcanist. Now there was another. He was not ancient.