‘We’ve all got scars. Bit vain, isn’t it?’
‘Nothing suits you at the moment, does it?’ said Galand, grinning.
‘Just a thought. Those other two seem an odd pair,’ muttered Parsal, flicking a glance at Belder and Scaler as they walked beside the women.
‘You can’t have anything against them – you don’t even know them.’
‘The old boy looks handy.’
‘But?’
‘I don’t think the young one could fight his way through a fog.’
‘While we’re at it, I don’t suppose you would care to criticise the women?’
‘No,’ said Parsal, smiling. ‘Nothing at all to criticise there. Which do you fancy?’
Galand shook his head and chuckled. ‘I’m not getting into this,’ he said.
‘I like the dark one,’ said Parsal, unabashed.
They made camp in a shallow cave. Renya ate sparingly and then walked out into the night to watch the stars. Tenaka joined her and they sat together, wrapped in his cloak.
He told her of Illae and Ventria and the beauty of the desert. And while he spoke he stroked her arm and her back, and kissed her hair.
‘I cannot say if I love you,’ he said suddenly.
She smiled. ‘Then do not say it.’
‘You don’t mind?’
She shook her head and kissed him, curling her arm up and around is neck.
You are a fool, Tenaka Khan, she thought. A wonderful, loving fool!
6
The black man was enjoying himself. Two of the robbers were down and another five remained. He hefted the short iron bar and twirled the chain attached to it. A tall man with a quarterstaff leapt forward and the black man’s hand flashed out, the chain whipping round the staff. As he tugged, his attacker stumbled – into a crunching left upper-cut. He slumped to the ground.
Two of the remaining four robbers dropped their clubs, pulling curved daggers from their belts. The other two ran back into the trees, fetching longbows.
This was getting serious. Up to now the black man had killed no one, but that would have to change. He discarded the mace and pulled two throwing knives from his boots.
‘Do you really want to die?’ he asked them, his voice deep and sonorous.
‘No one is going to die,’ said a voice from the left and he turned. Two more men stood at the edge of the trees; both had bows bent, aimed at the outlaws.
‘A timely intervention!’ commented the black man. ‘They killed my horse.’
Tenaka gently released the pressure on the bowstring and came forward.
‘Put it down to experience,’ he told the man. Then he turned to the outlaws. ‘I suggest you put away your weapons – the fight is over.’
‘He was more trouble that he was worth, anyway,’ said the leader, walking over to check the fallen.
‘They are all alive,’ said the black man, replacing his knives and collecting the mace chain.
A scream sounded from the woods and the outlaw leader jerked to his feet.
Galand, Parsal and Belder moved into view.
‘You were right, general,’ said Galand. ‘There were two more of them creeping in.’
‘Did you kill them?’ asked Tenaka.
‘No. Sore heads, though!’
Tenaka swung to the outlaw. ‘Are we likely to have any more trouble with you?’
‘You are not going to ask for my word, are you?’ replied the man.
‘Is it worth anything?’
‘Sometimes!’
‘No, I don’t want your word. Do as you please. But the next time we meet, I will see you all dead. That is my word!’
‘The word of a barbarian,’ said the man. He hawked and spat.
Tenaka grinned. ‘Exactly so.’ Turning his back, he walked back to Ananais and then on into the trees. Valtaya had prepared a fire and was talking to Scaler. Renya, dagger in hand, returned to the clearing as Tenaka arrived; he smiled at her. The others followed, except Galand who was keeping an eye on the outlaws.
The black man arrived last, carrying two saddlebags across one broad shoulder. He was tall and very powerful, dressed in a tight-fitting tunic of blue silk under a sheepskin cloak. Valtaya had never seen anyone like him, though she had heard stories of dark races far to the east.