David Gemmell. Winter Warriors

‘No-one really knows,’ Antikas told him, ‘for it was so long ago, and there are so many legends. However, Kalizkan told me that Emsharas the Sorcerer – himself a demon – betrayed his own people and cast a great spell that banished all his brethren from the earth. He made them Windborn again, and locked them away in a great void.’

‘And now they are coming back,’ said Conalin.

Nogusta stepped forward. ‘It is time to ride,’ he said.

For the first hour they rode in single file along the

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narrowing ridge road, Nogusta leading, followed by Kebra and Conalin. Ulmenetha was walking, and hold­ing to the bridle of the queen’s mount. Behind her came Bison, also walking, and leading the horse ridden by Pharis and Sufia. Antikas Karios rode at the rear, leading the two spare horses. The wind was cold, hissing over jagged rocks, whipping snow into their faces.

By noon they had reached the highest point and Nogusta drew rein, scanning the road ahead. It dipped gently, curving round a mountain towards an area of high timber several hundred feet below them. From here Nogusta could see a waterfall and a river emptying into a wide lake. Ducking his head against the wind he urged Starfire on. The road widened, and Antikas Karios rode past the others, drawing rein alongside the black warrior.

‘We need to rest the horses,’ shouted Antikas. Nogusta nodded and pointed to the distant falls.

Til scout the area,’ said Antikas, and rode on ahead.

There were patches of ice on the road, and the queen’s horse slipped. Axiana lurched in the saddle, and found herself staring down into a deep abyss. Grabbing the saddle pommel with her free hand she righted herself in the saddle. The sudden jerk woke the babe. But, safe and warm in his blanket, he went straight back to sleep.

Kebra spotted movement in the trees below. Several small deer moved out of the trees. Taking his bow he also rode alongside Nogusta. Til see you at the falls,’ he said, and followed Antikas Karios down the mountain.

They journeyed on for another hour before reaching the falls. It was still cold here, for they were several thou­sand feet above the valley floor, but the thick stand of trees dispersed the wind, and there was enough dead wood to light a good fire. Kebra returned with a deer,

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which he had already skinned and quartered, and soon the smell of roasting meat filled the air.

Nogusta ate swiftly, then walked away from the group to stand at the edge of the falls. Antikas Karios joined him there. ‘I see you ride the king’s horse,’ he said. ‘I thought it was dying.’

‘It had a lung infection caused by poor stabling.’

‘It was a fine beast once,’ said Antikas. ‘But it is old now.’

‘Old it may be, Antikas, but it will outrun any horse among the Ventrian cavalry, and it would ride through the fires of Hell for a rider it trusted.’

‘Trusted? It is just a horse, black man. No more, no less. A beast of burden.’

Nogusta did not reply. ‘I think it is time to tell me what you have seen,’ said the Ventrian.

Nogusta swung back towards him. ‘You want to know if you live or die?’

‘No. Time will tell about that. But you are carrying a great weight. I can tell. It might be better if you shared it.’

Nogusta thought about it for a moment. ‘My Gift,’ he said, at last, ‘is not precise. If it were I would have saved my family from massacre. What I see are sudden, vivid scenes. You remember the king’s birthday celebrations? I was talking to Dagorian. I saw him fighting you in the final of the sabres. I could not see if he was winning or losing. The vision lasted a heartbeat only. But then I saw him beside you again, on a bridge. He was sitting against the wall, badly wounded. I had no way of knowing where that bridge was, or when in the future the event would take place. All I knew was that Dagorian would probably die alongside you. Indeed, you may have been the one to cause the wound.’