‘It’s daytime, Senga. Nobody’s going to ambush your beer
wagons in broad daylight.’
‘You can’t be too careful. Money’s running short here in
Natayos, and that beer’s the life-blood of my business. A thirsty
man who’s running short of money might do anything.’
‘Have you considered lowering your prices?’ an evil-looking
fellow with a black eye-patch asked.
‘Bite your tongue, Shallag,’ Senga replied.
‘just a suggestion,’ the patch-eyed man shrugged.
The dozen or so heavily armed men moved on out of earshot.
‘You recognized them, of course,’ Aphrael murmured to
Sparhawk. ‘Kalten and Bevier, yes. I didn’t see Caalador, though.’ He
thought for a moment. ‘Will you be all right here? Alone, I
mean?’
‘Well, it’s awfully dangerous, Sparhawk – lions and tigers and
bears, you know.’
‘It was a silly question, wasn’t it?
‘i’d say so, yes. What have you got in mind?’
‘Kalten and Bevier are obviously working for that fellow they
called Senga. I think I can get them to vouch for me. They seem
to have the run of Natayos, so hiring on as a beer-guard would
give me a way to get into the city without attracting attention.’
‘Will you be able to restrain yourself when you’re that close
to Mother?’
‘i’m not going to do anything foolish, Aphrael.’
‘Well, I suppose it’s all right. You have my permission.’
‘Oh, thank you, Divine Aphrael,’ he said. ‘Thank you, thank
you, thank you.’
‘You have a very clever mouth, Sparhawk,’ she said tartly.
‘It’s probably the clever company I’ve been keeping lately,’ he
shrugged.
‘I have to run back to Sama for a little while,’ Aphrael told
him. try to stay out of trouble when you get into the city.’
‘i’ll miss you desperately.’ He grinned.
‘You’re in an odd humor today.’
‘I feel good. If all goes well, I’ll have your mother out of there
before the sun goes down.’
‘We’ll see.’
They waited as the sun crept further up in the eastern sky.
Then from off to the north they heard the approach of several
heavily laden wagons. ‘i’ll keep you posted,’ Sparhawk
promised, and he stepped out of the bushes to stand at the side
of the muddy road.
The first wagon, drawn by four patient oxen, came creaking
around a bend. The wagon-bed was piled high with barrels, and
the one known as Senga sat on the seat beside the villainouslooking
driver. Kalten, his expression oddly familiar on his
altered face, was perched on top of the barrels.
‘Nor Col,’ Sparhawk called from the roadside. ‘I thought I recognized
your voice when you passed here a little while ago.’
‘Well, strike me blind if it isn’t From!’ Kalten exclaimed with
a broad grin. Sparhawk suddenly wondered what might have
happened if Kalten hadn’t recognized him. Kalten was laughing
now with genuine delight. ‘We all thought you’d run away to
sea when things came apart on us back in Matherion.’
‘It didn’t work out,’ Sparhawk shrugged. ‘There was a bo’sun
on board who was a little too free with his whip. He decided to
swim for shore one dark night. I can’t imagine what came over
him. We were twenty leagues out to sea when I helped him
over the side.’
‘People do strange things sometimes. What are you doing
here?’
‘I heard about this army, and I thought it might be a good
place to hide. Word’s going about that this Scarpa fellow plans
to attack Matherion. I’ve got a few old scores to settle there, so
I decided to tag along for fun and profit.’
‘I think we can find a better spot for you than back in the rear
ranks of Scarpa’s army.’ Kalten nudged Senga’s shoulder with
his foot. ‘The fellow standing ankle-deep in the mud there is an
old friend of ours from Matherion,’ he told the tavern-keeper.
‘His name’s From, and he’s a very good man in a fight. When
the police jumped on us back in Matherion, he stood shoulder
to shoulder with Shallag, holding them off while the rest of us
got away. Do you think there might be a spot for him in your
operation here in Natayos?’
‘Do you vouch for him, Col?’ Senga asked.
‘I couldn’t ask for better help if trouble crops up.
‘You’re in charge of security,’ Senga shrugged. ‘Hire anybody
you want.’
‘I was hoping you’d see it that way.’ Kalten beckoned to Sparhawk.
‘Climb on up, From,’ he said. ‘i’ll show you the wonders
of Natayos.’
‘From the top of a beer wagon?’
‘Can you think of a better place?’
CHAPTER 19
Kring arrived in Sama late in the afternoon of the same day in
which Aphrael had transported Sephrenia and the others there
from Dirgis. Mirtai calmly went down into the courtyard of the
Atan garrison to meet her bandy-legged betrothed. The two of
them embraced rather formally and then came into the building.
‘She seems very restrained,’ Vanion observed quietly to
Betuana as the two watched from the window of the conference
room.
‘It is not seemly to openly display affection in public, Vanion-Preceptor,’
the Queen replied. ‘Decorum must be maintained,
even though the heart might prefer it otherwise.’
:AhHo; friend Vanion!’ Kring said as he and his tall beloved
entered. ‘You’re just the man I was looking for.’
‘It’s good to see you, too, friend Kring. How are things going
in Samar?’
‘It’s quiet. The Cynesgans have pulled back from the border.
Is there something going on to the south that I haven’t been
told about?’
‘Not that I know of. Why do you ask?’
The Cynesgans were massing just across the border, and we
were expecting them to come across to lay siege to Samar almost
any time. Then several days ago they pulled back and left only
a few units in place. The rest of their army marched south.’
Why would they do that?’ Vanion asked, frowning.
‘Probably to meet the Church Knights,’ Aphrael replied.
Vanion turned to see the Child Goddess calmly sitting in her
usual place on Sephrenia’s lap. She had not been there a moment
before. There was no point to making an issue of it. Aphrael
would never change. ‘The Church Knights aren’t coming from
that direction, Divine One,’ he said.
‘We know that, Vanion,’ she replied, ‘but Stragen and Talen
have been busy in Beresa. They’ve managed to convince the
Dacite spy that there’s a huge fleet of ships flying Church flags
knocking about in the Gulf of Daconia. Evidently the Dacite
passed the word on, and the Cynesgan High Command took it
seriously enough to send their main force south to defend
southern Cynesga.’
‘But they know that the Church Knights are coming overland
through Astel.’
‘They know about that force, Lord Vanion,’ Itagne said, ‘but
they must have been convinced that there’s another coming by
sea.’
‘There aren’t that many of us, Itagne.’
‘You and I know that, Lord Vanion, but it’s generally believed
here in Tamuli that there are at least a million of you fellows. The
term “Church Knights” conjures up visions of armies stretching
from horizon to horizon.’
Vanion frowned. ‘Oh,’ he said finally. ‘I think I understand.
During the Zemoch wars, we joined forces with the armieS Of
the kings of Eosia. The Tamul observers must have thought that
everyone in armor was a Church Knight.’
‘I think I’ll have a talk with the Emperor,’ Itagne mused. ‘Titles
of nobility might be in order for your pair of thieves. ThiS imaginary
fleet of theirs seems to have pulled half the Cynesgan army
off the border and most likely pinned down the Arjunis as
well.’
‘It’s a great little fleet,’ Vanion grinned, ‘and you don’t even
have to feed the sailors. Let’s keep the stories alive.’ He looked
at Aphrael. ‘Could you arrange some illusions, Divine One?’
‘Dragons? Flights of angels?’
‘How about a thousand ships hull-down on the horizon
instead?’
‘What do I get in return?’
‘Stop teasing,’ Sephrenia told her with a gentle smile.
‘Where would you like your make-believe boats, Vanion?’
He thought about it. ‘Why don’t you just bounce them uP
and down the coastline of Daconia and western Arjuna?’ he
suggested. ‘Let’s run the Cynesgans and Arjunis ragged trying
to position themselves to defend against landings.’
I’ll go take care of it right now,’ she said, slipping down from
her sister’s lap, ‘before I forget.’
“When did you ever forget anything?’ Sephrenia smiled.
‘I don’t know. I must have at some time, though. I’ve probably
forgotten exactly when.’ She gave them all an impish little smile,
and then she vanished.
,Kring was sitting at Mirtai’s side, and he had been squinting
speculatively at the ceiling, absently running one hand over his
stubbled scalp. He was not free to use the other, since Mirtai had
taken possession of it. Her contented, almost placid, expression
clearly said that she did not intend to release his hand in the
foreseeable future.
‘if Divine Aphrael can keep those Cynesgan troops more or
less permanently distracted, Tikume and I’ll be able to hold