They won’t,’ said Maev Ring. ‘The Varlish will close ranks. They will think of all the money they can claim, the debts they will not need to repay. I wish you had not made them wait another three days.’
‘We need that time, madam.’
‘I do not need that time. The result is a foregone conclusion. Better to let it reach that conclusion with speed.’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘I don’t want Jaim here. Can you understand that? When Parsis died I knew there would be trouble, so I sent Jaim to the north. He will be back within two weeks. It must be concluded before then.’
‘You do not want him to have to watch you die. I understand that.’
She laughed then. ‘You don’t understand, schoolteacher. My death is written already. I don’t want to see him die. We are not talking about an ordinary man here. Jaim Grymauch would walk into the fires of hell to rescue me. He must not be here.’
‘I think we are getting ahead of ourselves,’ said Alterith. ‘The most important matter to focus upon is your innocence, and the proving of that innocence. Now give me the names of all of your business partners. We have three days, and I intend to use that time wisely. I do not share your cynicism, Maev Ring. There will be good men prepared to stand up for the truth.’
Call Jace gazed around the room at his thirty war chiefs, and listened as one by one they reported the progress of the fighting men under their command. Kaelin, sitting across the table from the clan leader, watched him intently. Call had spent an hour with Chara, and when he had returned had questioned Kaelin about her state of mind. Kaelin had little to offer. He told the Rigante leader that she had been withdrawn and hostile for most of the journey. Call’s hands had trembled with suppressed fury, and he had spoken of ‘taking his vengeance’ and killing every Varlish in Black Mountain.
Even now, with the meeting into its second hour, Call’s face was still ashen, his eyes angry.
Rayster gave a report on the enemy strengths at both passes. Two thousand men were camped before each. Both forces had twenty cannons. ‘If we come out of the mountains,’ said Rayster, ‘they will cut us to pieces before we get within sword range.’
‘What about a night attack?’ asked Call.
‘Losses would still be enormous. They have fires burning behind each cannon. It would take mere moments for them to haul away the canvas covers on the weapons and set flame to the touch holes.’
‘They will have to pull back once winter sets in,’ offered another warrior.
‘No,’ said Call. ‘They will not wait for winter. Reinforcements are on their way. Five thousand men of the King’s Regiment. Then they will launch a twin assault, blasting away our gates then swarming into the valley. The Dweller tells me that another three thousand beetlebacks are on the southern road heading north. They are the king’s troops and coming from as far south as Baracum.’
‘The king’s troops?’ put in Rayster. ‘Why would the king seek to destroy us?’
‘The murder of Colonel Linax is being attributed to me,’ said Call. ‘Linax had friends at court. The question is: how do we counter this threat? If we attack we lose. If we defend we also lose – albeit more slowly.’
There was silence around the table. Kaelin pushed himself to his feet. ‘I know that I am not of this clan, though I am Rigante,’ he said. ‘Might I speak?’
‘You have earned that right, boy,’ said Call. ‘By heaven you have.’
‘Then I say we should attack one of their forces. But not through a pass. I came here over the mountains. I could lead a force back the same way during the night. We would emerge from the forest on their unprotected left flank at dawn. All the cannon are pointed at the pass. If the cannoneers were routed or killed there would be nothing to stop our main force coming out of the valley. Then we would have them between hammer and anvil. We would also – if successful – capture twenty cannon, plus powder and shot, and whatever weapons and stores they have.’ He sat down.