‘You say you are fond of him,’ said Bane,’ and yet he is a killer. Is this not a contradiction?’
‘You are all killers,’ replied the Morrigu. ‘But there is in Vanni a desire for spirit, and a great measure of goodness, kindness and compassion. He has what the Seidh term a great soul.’
Bane glanced down at the sleeping Rage. The cold of winter swept over the snow and Bane shivered.
‘Ah there you are,’ said Telors, emerging from the tree line. Bane flicked a glance to his right. But the Morrigu had gone. The black-bearded gladiator trudged across the snow and knelt by Rage. ‘I knew he’d do this,’ he said. That’s why I stayed the night.’
Together they hauled Rage upright. Dipping down, Telors heaved the sleeping man over his shoulder, staggered, then began the long walk back. Halfway there, with Telors exhausted, Bane took over. Both men were more than weary as they reached the farmhouse. Bane laid Rage down on the rug by the fire in the main room. Telors took a cushion from a couch and placed it under Rage’s head, then they covered him with a blanket and walked back into the kitchen. Telors lit a lantern, and poured himself a goblet of water.
‘He drank a great deal,’ said Bane. ‘I’ve heard of men dying after imbibing like that.’
‘I’ll sit with him.’
Bane cut a slice of bread from a loaf, smeared it with butter, and joined Telors at the table. ‘I thought he didn’t drink strong spirit,’ said Bane.
‘He doesn’t usually. It started back in Stone after . . . a personal tragedy. Death bouts began to affect him, and after them he would get drunk then wander off somewhere. I always found him and brought him home.’ Telors moved to a cupboard and took out a small jug of uisge, adding a measure to his cup of water. He offered the jug to Bane, who lifted it to his mouth and took several deep swallows.
‘Did he talk much?’ asked Telors.
‘What about?’
‘Oh, life . . . his past?’ Bane saw the worried look on Telors’s face.
‘No. He said something about coming from the stars. That’s all.’
Telors looked relieved. ‘He’ll be fine in the morning. Cara will cook him breakfast. She’s a sweet girl. I wouldn’t like to see her hurt.’
Bane suddenly understood Telors’s concern. Cara did not know of her mother’s suicide, nor the truth of her background. Bane took another swallow of uisge. It was very strong, and he felt its effect almost immediately.
‘Rage was magnificent in that bout yesterday,’ he said, changing the subject. ‘Fast, sure and deadly.’
‘That’s Rage,’ said Telors, his face relaxing into a smile.
‘Would he have beaten Voltan?’
‘I see you’re learning your history. Well, the answer is that I don’t really know. Both were awesome in their prime. I guess if I had to put all my money on a fighter I’d pick Voltan. But if someone was fighting for my life I’d want it to be Rage. Does that answer your question?’
Bane swayed in his seat, the room beginning to swim. Telors laughed. ‘Better get off to bed, lad. I’m too tired to carry you up those stairs.’
Chapter Seven
Bane floated in a sea of dreams, faces and images floating across his mind, merging and changing. He saw his mother Arian, then Vorna, then the elderly hunter Parax, then Falco the Gladiator . . . An endless stream of people flowed past him. He tried to reach out to them, but his fingers passed through them, rippling the images as if they were water. He awoke in a cold sweat and threw back the covers. The room was cold, and ice had sealed the shutters.
He sat up, and groaned as hot hammers began to beat inside his skull. Rising he dressed swiftly and left the room. In the kitchen Cara was helping the fat Gath woman, Girta, to clean the breakfast plates. ‘You slept late,’ said Cara. ‘I could toast you some of yesterday’s bread?’
‘That would be welcome,’ said Bane.
The pounding in his head eased off slightly, but a dull ache had begun behind his eyes. He sat down at the table and rubbed his temples. The veins below the skin were hard as copper wire. Girta dropped a muslin pouch of herbs into a cup and filled it with hot water. A sweet scent filled the room. She placed the cup in front of him. ‘Wait awhile,’ she said, ‘then drink it. You’ll feel better.’