The Khan strode back through his lines, the Nadir flowing after him. They stopped and made camp a half-mile from the wall.
‘You are a man with nerve,’ Harokas told Salida.
‘And you will need to be,’ said Salida, ‘if the Lord Regent sends the message I expect him to.’
*
The day wore on, dusk shadows stretching across the valley. The Nadir lit camp-fires and Salida ordered most of the men back from the ramparts. The soldiers started their own cook-fires and Salida brought a bowl of thick soup to where Chareos sat on the wall.
The Blademaster accepted it and put it aside to cool. ‘I am sorry, Salida. Once more I seem to have caused trouble for you.’
Salida shrugged. ‘I am a soldier, Chareos. Trouble is what I am paid for. But – and I hope you will not take this amiss – when this is over I do not want to see you again.’
‘In the circumstances that is understandable,’ agreed Chareos with a wry smile. He looked down on the body of the Earl. ‘Strange, he was a man of many talents and yet he always told me he envied my role at Bel-azar. He often said he would like to have had the chance to fight here. And he did … on the wrong side.’
‘That is a question of perspective, Chareos. The wrong side is the losing side. We have yet to see which side we are on.’
‘What do you think the Lord Regent will decide?’
‘Let us wait and see,’ said Salida, looking away.
‘My thoughts exactly,’ agreed Chareos. ‘He will sell us out. Better that, I suppose, than a costly war he cannot win.’
An ululating chant began in the guardhouse and Salida shivered. ‘I do not like that man,’ he said. ‘Like all Nadir shamen, he reeks of death.’
Tanaki joined them on the battlements, Kiall beside her. That is a birth chant,’ she said. ‘I’ll go down and help.’
Chareos yawned and stretched out on the battlements. He was weary and his bones ached. Rolling his blanket for a pillow, he lay down in the shadows and tried to sleep.
‘Defend the babe, Blademaster,’ came the voice of Okas.
Chareos awoke with a start. Salida had returned to his men and only six sentries walked the walls. Chareos sat up. Asta Khan had promised him the mother and the babe would be safe. What then was the danger? He recalled again the words of Okas back in Tavern Town.
‘Why do the bones ofTenaka Khan lie buried at Bel-azar?’
Tenaka Khan – The King Beyond the Gate, the Prince of Shadows. A man Asta believed should never have died. Now the shaman sat in the birth room, holding to the skull of the Great Khan. Chareos’ mouth was dry and the thoughts tumbled together. What had Asta said? ‘No harm will come to the mother of his flesh.’
What of his spirit, his soul?
He glanced down at the guardhouse. In there, at this very moment, Asta Khan was waiting to slay the child’s soul. Chareos rose and ran down the rampart steps.
He had reached the guardhouse door and was about to enter when he heard a sound from behind and swivelled, but too late. Asta’s dagger slashed out to nick the skin of his face. As the little shaman jumped back Chareos tried to draw his sabre, but his limbs were sluggish and heavy.
‘I knew,’ whispered Asta Khan, ‘that you would divine my purpose. But it is too late for you, Chareos. Die in peace.’
The poison flooded his veins. His legs gave way, and he did not feel himself hit the ground.
Asta pulled the body to the side of the building, then returned to his place at the bedside. He sat on the cold floor and closed his eyes, his spirit soaring free.
Ravenna was moaning with the pain of the contractions, Tanaki beside her. Kiall was asleep by the far wall, but he awoke and sat up. ‘What is happening?’ he asked.
‘Her water’s broken. The babe will be born any time now,’ answered Tanaki.
‘What can I do?’
‘What all men do at this time – nothing,’ she answered, a smile robbing the words of venom. Kiall rose and walked from the room. Outside the night was fresh and clear. Most of the soldiers were asleep, save the guards on the walls. He looked around for Chareos, but there was no sign of the Blademaster. Seeing Chien-tsu rise from his blankets, Kiall strolled over to him.