Corlan’s gaze swept to the dagger at Mace’s belt; it was still scabbarded.
‘You think you are fast enough to beat an arrow?’I know I am. Now speak your piece.’
‘I want some of the profit from this . . . Morningstar game of yours. Let us face facts, Mace. Whatever plan you have cannot be carried off without men. And you have only Wulf. He’s good, and so are you. But you need more. I have them. All we want is a share. Isn’t that right, men?’Aye,’ the foresters chorused.
‘And if I don’t agree?’Then you die here. And perhaps so do I. Now, do we have an agreement?’Mace swung to me. ‘Well, Owen, do we have an agreement?’For a moment I was thunderstruck, but then I saw the look in Mace’s eyes – sharp, direct – and I knew he was warning me to be careful. Beyond that I could not guess at his reasons for drawing me into the discussion.
‘Who in the devil’s name is he?’ asked Corlan.
‘It is his game,’ answered Mace easily. ‘The Morningstar was his idea.’What is the game?’ asked the forester, turning to me.
In that moment I set my foot on a perilous path. I am not sure now how far ahead I could see; I like to think that a small part of my mind, a deep dark corner close to the soul, inspired me. But I fear it was merely self-preservation that made me speak as I did.
‘It is the greatest game of all,’ I said, ‘and the profits will make beggars of kings.’My voice was firm and resonant, deep and compelling, and the ease of the lie surprised me. I excused it then – as I do now – by saying that as a bard, I was also a performer, and I was performing before an audience who, if they did not like my words, might kill me.
Corlan looked at me with fresh eyes. He saw a tall, dark-haired young man of Angostin countenance, straight of nose, strong of chin, keen of eye, and my confidence grew. ‘You are correct, Corlan, we will need men – but far more than you have here. These will come in time, but you will be the first – after you have pledged the Soul Oath.’I want to hear about gold – not oaths,’ he said.
‘You will hear all you need to in good time,’ I told him. ‘Gather round me.’ I moved away and sat, not looking at any of them. Corlan was the first to sit before me, the others forming a semi-
circle on either side of him. Mace, Wulf and Piercollo placed themselves behind me. By now I had thought out my plan of action, one that would take the outlaws as far from us as was humanly possible. Better than that, it would also involve them in tackling Azrek and his men, and perhaps diverting his attention from us. I was mightily pleased with myself as I began to speak. ‘The Highlands have been burned by war, the nobles scattered or slain. The land is in turmoil, and foreign lords have control of the cities. Taxes are ungathered, cattle unbranded, homes left empty, fields lie fallow. Here in this forest are many settlements and the Angostins will seek to loot and plunder, thus paying their mercenary armies. But how many roads are there to Ziraccu? Only a handful that can be used by wagons laden with gold and coin. The first moves of the Morningstar will be to close those roads, to exact a toll from the Angostins.’What kind of a toll?’ asked a lean, hatchet-faced man to the left of Corlan.
‘All that they have.’We could do that without you,’ said Corlan. ‘Where does the Morningstar fit in this?’Be patient, Corlan, and listen. You will take their gold. Half you will hide, the other half will be returned to the people. You will be known as the Men of the Morningstar and you will let it be known in the settlements that you are fighting for the freedom of the land. You will be heroes. When you need food you will pay for it. You will steal nothing from the settlements; there will be no looting or rape. You will walk the forest with heads held high and you will bask in the acclaim of the people.’I still don’t understand,’ snapped Corlan.