‘I was. But nothing lasts forever, Blademaster. Not life, not love, not dreams. I reckon I’ve had more than my share of all three. I’m pretty much content.’
‘What will you do?’
Finn looked up and met Chareos’ gaze. ‘I never had many friends. Never needed them, I reckon. But you -and that fat pig – are the closest I got to family. So we’ll come with you – if you want us, that is.’
‘You don’t need to ask, Finn.’
‘Good,’ said Finn, rising. ‘That’s a burden off my heart. Maybe we’ll even find the girl. Who knows?’
*
Tsudai watched the auction with little interest. He had no taste for these pale-skinned Gothir women with their cold blue eyes and their huge cow-like breasts. He swung away from the window and looked at the dark-haired woman seated on the satin-covered divan. Now here was a real Nadir beauty.
The first time he had seen her was when Tenaka Khan brought her to Ulrickham. She had been fourteen years old, her skin golden, her eyes proud. Tsudai had always believed proud women were the devil’s curse and he had longed to take a whip to her, to see her kneeling at his feet. Even now the memory brought a surge of arousal.
He moved to sit beside her. As she smiled thinly and edged back from him, his face reddened, but he forced himself to remain calm.
‘Your brother, Jungir, sends greetings. He hopes that you are in good health,’ said Tsudai. ‘I will tell him that you are, for I have never seen you look more beautiful, Tanaki.’
‘Why should I not be in good health?’ she asked him. ‘Did Jungir not send me to this desolate land in order that I might enjoy the freshness of the air?’
‘It was for your own safety, Princess. There were rumours of plots and fears for your life.’
She laughed then, the musical sound doing little to ease Tsudai’s physical discomfort. Her eyes met his, and for the first time it seemed to him that she smiled with genuine warmth.
‘Why do we play such foolish games, Tsudai? There is no one else here, and we both know why my brother sent me here. He killed his own brothers and, possibly, his own father. Why should he baulk at slaying his sister? I’ll tell you why. Because I am the only hope the Nadir have for providing a male heir. For all his skill with horses and weapons, Jungir is sterile.’
Tsudai blanched. ‘You must not say that! If I was to repeat that to the Khan . . .’
‘Not even you would dare to voice that, even at second hand. Now why are you really here, Tsudai?’
He swallowed his anger, feeling uncomfortable sitting here dressed in the full armour of his rank. He reached for the buckle of his black and silver breastplate.
‘Do not undress,’ she chided him. That would not be seemly.’
‘Seemly? What would you know of seemly? You take a succession of barbarian lovers, discarding them daily. That is no way for a person of your blood-line to behave.’
Tanaki stood and stretched her arms over her head. Her figure was slim and lithe and the short, silken tunic rode up to show smooth golden thighs.
‘You do this to fire my blood,’ snapped Tsudai, rising to his feet aware of arousal coursing through him.
‘A volcano could not fire you,’ she said. ‘Now, for the last time, tell me why you are here.’
He looked hard into her violet eyes and suppressed the desire to strike her, to hammer her to her knees before him.
‘Your brother merely wishes to know of your well-being,’ Tsudai said. ‘Is that so hard to understand?’
She laughed, the sound rippling across his emotions like bee-stings. ‘My well-being? How sweet of him! I saw your aide looking over the new slaves. The great warrior, Tsudai, now reduced to finding concubines. Have you seen any that please you, Tsudai?’
‘I do not find any of them attractive, though there are one or two that may suit. But you wrong me, Tanaki. I came here in order that I might speak with you. You know how perilous is your position. You know that at any time your death could become expedient. Four years ago you had the opportunity to become my wife. Now I offer that gift to you once more. Agree and you will be safe.’