‘Luck does not enter into a contest of that nature. Put the idea from your mind.’
He paused in the doorway. ‘I do love you,’ he said. ‘You know that?’
‘Yes. I know.’
He left her then and walked to the ramparts where Salida was standing with Harokas and Chien-tsu. Glancing back at the unconscious Chareos, he saw the shaman was still beside him.
‘I think his heart gave out,’ said Harokas.
‘He is not a young man,’ Salida said, ‘but I hope he pulls through.’
The Nadir began to stir, rising from their camp-fires and saddling their horses. Salida glanced at the sky. It was almost time.
A rider came galloping through the western gate, leaping from the saddle of his lathered mount. He ran to Salida, handing him a scroll of parchment sealed with green wax and stamped with the Lord Regent’s seal. Salida walked away from the others, removed his battle gauntlets and opened the scroll. He sniffed loudly and read the document slowly; then he rolled it once more and tucked it into his belt.
Pulling on his gauntlets, he returned to the others.
The Nadir began to ride forward with Jungir Khan at their head. They halted below the battlements and Jungir looked up.
‘You have your answer, Captain Salida?’
‘I do, Highness. I am instructed to hold this fortress in the name of the Gothir people, and to deny access to any foreign power.’
‘Then it is war,’ said Jungir, drawing his sword.
‘Wait!’ shouted Kiall. ‘May I speak, Highness?’
‘Who are you, boy?’ called Jungir.
‘I am Kiall. Ravenna was my woman, stolen from my village. We were betrothed. Now I demand the right of combat to decide what happens to her.’
Jungir leaned back in the saddle, his dark eyes fixed on Kiall. ‘You wish to challenge me directly?’
‘It is my right, and the Nadir custom so to do.’
Jungir glanced to his left, watching the men around him. Each of them knew the custom and he felt, with certainty, that the boy’s daring appealed to them.
‘And when you lose?’ called Jungir Khan. ‘What then? I get my woman back – and what else?’
‘I can speak only for Ravenna, sire.’
‘Very well. Come down – and we will fight, man to man. And I promise not to kill you slowly, for you have followed your woman as a man should.’ A grunt of approval came from the Nadir warriors around him.
Inside the fortress Asta Khan heard the exchange. As Kiall descended the rampart steps Asta ran to him, grabbing his arm.
‘What do you want?’ asked Kiall, trying to pull away.
‘Listen to me, fool, there is no need to die! I will help you in this battle, if you trust me.’
‘I want no trickery, or magic,’ said Kiall.
‘No tricks,’ Asta assured him. ‘Just say these words after me. Will you do that?’
Kiall shrugged. ‘What are they?’
‘Merely a good luck charm which will open you to a friend. Trust me, Kiall. Can you not see I am with you? I am fighting to save the life of Chareos. Does that mean nothing? I am your friend.’
‘Speak the words,’ said the former villager.
Asta Khan closed his eyes, and began to chant:
Nadir we
Youth born,
Blood letters,
Axe wielders
Victors still.
Kiall spoke the words. ‘What do they mean?’
‘Life,’ whispered a cool voice inside his mind and Kiall reeled back. ‘Do not be afraid,’ said the voice of Tenaka Khan. ‘I am the warrior who aided you against the demons and I will aid you now. I want you to relax, to allow me to live – for but a brief moment. It is all I ask, in return for the aid I gave you.’
Kiall could feel the rising tension in him, like a pressure building. ‘Give way, Kiall. And let me save your friends.’
‘It is my fight,’ he argued weakly.
‘Jungir Khan poisoned me,’ said Tenaka. ‘He poisoned his own father. You must allow me my hour of revenge.’
‘I … I don’t know.’
‘Trust me. Relax,’ said Tenaka and Kiall felt himself give, felt the power of Tenaka Khan flow through his veins. Their memories merged, and Kiall felt the thrill of countless battles – saw the fall of the mighty Dros Delnoch, experienced the great love the Khan had known for Kenya, the Joining Child. But more than this, he felt the confidence of the warrior born. He tried to will himself forward, but found to his terror that he could no longer control his limbs. His arms stretched out, his lungs filled with air.