‘You have been named as a traitor,’ answered Salida. ‘I ask you now to surrender yourself to me. You will be taken to New Gulgothir for trial before the Lord Regent.’
‘Are you mad?’ stormed the Earl. ‘Who accuses me? Chareos? A man I forgave for murder?’
‘I do,’ said Harokas. ‘You trafficked in slaves – and I collected your gold. The Princess Tanaki is also here. Answer that – my lord.’
‘I need not answer to you. Come, Salida, think of your position. You have three hundred men. There are a thousand here – and a thousand thousand still to be called upon. You cannot prevail. Open the gates – and we will ignore this . . . this insubordination.’
‘I ask you again, my lord, to surrender yourself.’
‘I’ll see you dead, you miserable cur!’ the Earl shouted.
Jungir Khan spurred the grey alongside the nobleman. ‘Why are they not opening the gate to you?’ he asked mildly.
They are traitors,’ snarled the Earl. ‘Kill them all!’
‘You cannot even control your own captain,’ said Jungir. ‘How then can you serve me?’
The Earl started to answer, but Jungir’s hand flashed up – and the curved dagger blade plunged into the Earl’s heart. Slowly he slid from the saddle. Jungir rode the grey stallion forward.
‘Who commands this castle?’ he called.
‘I, Salida.’
‘I am Jungir Khan. Come down, I wish to speak with you. It is not fitting that two commanders should negotiate in this manner.’
On the wall Harokas turned to Salida. ‘Don’t listen to him; it is a trick. Once the gate is open, they will storm through.’
These broken walls would not stop them,’ answered Salida. He strode down the rampart steps and ordered the gate to be opened. Chareos walked with him and waited in the gateway.
As Salida walked on to the open ground Jungir touched his heels to the grey – which suddenly reared up, almost toppling him from the saddle. He clung on grimly as the stallion ducked its head and bucked. Jungir wrenched the beast’s head and the horse fell – the Khan leaping from the saddle and falling to the dust. The stallion – ears flat to its skull, eyes rolling – lashed out at the Nadir leader, who fell back. The horse reared above him, hooves ready to smash his skull, as Chareos ran forward. ‘Be calm, Grey One,’ he called. To me!’ The stallion swung to the sound of his voice and trotted away from the fallen Khan. Chareos stroked the beast’s long neck.
Jungir rose and brushed the dust from his breeches. He was acutely aware that his men would be avidly watching what followed. The Khan had lost face. Worse, he had been rescued by the enemy.
‘Are you all right, my lord?’ Salida asked.
‘I am well. You!’ called the Khan to Chareos. ‘You may keep the horse. It is a gift.’ He swung back to Salida. ‘Now, Captain, you say the dead man was a traitor. I have dealt with him. Now I ask you to return to me my property. To refuse will be taken as an act of war against the Nadir people. Is this what you wish, Captain?’
‘No, Highness, it is not,’ answered Salida. ‘But you are standing on Gothir lands and Bel-azar is a Gothir fortress. Will you be so kind as to wait for me to seek orders from my superiors in Gulgothir? I will send a rider – and an answer will be forthcoming within the day?’
‘I could take this ruin within an hour,’ said Jungir.
‘The Nadir are indeed a ferocious enemy,’ Salida agreed. ‘But allow me the day.’
For a moment Jungir was silent. He walked away, as if considering the request, and glanced at his warriors. The incident with the stallion had worried them. The tribesmen put great weight on omens; the horse had unseated the Khan and now stood in the gateway, allowing itself to be petted by the tall, dark-eyed warrior there. A good shaman would find a positive omen, even in this bizarre circumstance, but Shotza was dead and Asta Khan was standing on the ramparts in full view of the Nadir. If Jungir gave the order his men would attack, but they would do so less willingly, fearing bad omens. And if they should fail to take the walls swiftly there was a chance that – believing the gods were against them – they would turn on their leader. Jungir thought it through. The risk of failure was remote – but on a day like this? He swung back to Salida. ‘Men should have time to consider their actions,’ he said. ‘I give you your day. But hear this: not one person is to leave the fortress – save for your messenger. And all who are not soldiers will be handed over to me. Otherwise I will destroy you all. Let that message be carried to the Lord Regent.’