QUEST FOR LOST HEROES by David A. Gemmell

‘Good evening, my brothers,’ he said.

‘What are you doing here, fool?’ asked one of the sentr­ies, moving forward and touching the point of his spear to Chien’s chest.

‘Fool?’ repeated Chien, giggling and swaying sideways. ‘You think I am a fool? Not me, brothers. I . . .’ he looked left and right, as if fearing to be overheard. ‘I have discovered the Great Secret. I learned it from a shaman. And never will I be poor again. Fool? No brothers, I am celebrating riches beyond your dreams.’

‘Riches?’ said another. ‘What nonsense is this? Be off with you!’

Chien glanced over the man’s shoulders. Tanaki had begun to climb the wall behind them.

‘Nonsense? You don’t believe me.’ He waved his hand. ‘Give me a copper coin and I will prove it to you. I will turn it into gold before your eyes. Then we’ll see. Oh, yes. We’ll see.’

The men chuckled. One of them laid his spear on the ground and fished into the pocket of his jerkin. He handed Chien a rough stamped copper coin bearing the head of Tenaka Khan.

Chien rolled the coin in his fingers and flicked it into the air. He caught it deftly and held up his fist, then he began to chant. The words were in an obscure Kiatze dialect.

‘Get on with it,’ said one of the sentries, losing patience.

‘It is done,’ said Chien. ‘Here is your coin.’ He opened his hand, and the gleam of gold was caught by the moon­light. The man took it, his mouth dropping open.

‘Do one for me,’ said the second sentry.

Tanaki was almost at the top of the wall.

‘Why is it always you first?’ retorted the third. ‘Do mine!’

‘I will do them both together,’ Chien told them. He accepted their coins, and repeated his chant.

Tanaki clambered over the wall. ‘There!’ said Chien, handing them the gold coins.

‘More! Do us more,’ urged the first.

‘Tomorrow, when I have rested,’ promised Chien. ‘Where shall we meet?’

‘You know the Clay Pony, behind the Wolves’ barracks?’

‘Of course,’ said Chien. ‘But it must be only you. I could not do this for everyone; it would exhaust me. Just you three.’

‘Yes, yes, just us. Be there at noon, yes?’

‘Oh yes,’ agreed Chien. ‘I will be there. And now I am for bed. And you should be at your duties.’

He walked away, back into the shadows.

The Princess was inside, and that was a victory.

But getting out would not be so simple, he knew.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Tanaki rolled to the ramparts, dagger ready. There were no sentries. Swiftly she moved to the steps and ran down to the courtyard below. To her left was the guardhouse; she could see lantern light through the shuttered windows, and hear the sounds of men talking and laughing – these would be the eunuch guards. Straight ahead was the garden walkway and, to the right, the long, elaborately furnished rooms where the Khan’s women spent their days. Here would be the baths and the pools. Beyond these were the sleeping quarters. Many of the concubines slept in dormitories, only the privileged few having rooms of their own.

Tanaki crept across the courtyard and into the darkened day room. Keeping to the wall she walked to the far end of the chamber, opening a door which led to a curtain-hung corridor. Several cats were sleeping here. She moved on past the dormitory rooms to a set of stairs, which she ascended swiftly.

Knowing the layout of the women’s quarters, she tried to decide in which of the major rooms Ravenna would be housed. Not the nearest to the Khan’s secret corridor -that would be reserved for his latest concubine. No, Ravenna would have been moved closer to the midwives’ quarters in the east. She padded on, coming at last to a narrow door which led, she knew, to a suite of rooms overlooking the eastern Steppes. Here sunlight bathed the rooms, bringing heat in the morning but staying cool in the afternoon. Opening the door, she slipped inside. The bed had been moved to the window and Tanaki could see a young woman lying on her back. As she crept closer, it was obvious she was pregnant. Tanaki moved to the bed­side and sat down, touching the woman’s arm.