Oh, no. Not ancient at all!
He would not leave her in Sousa. Or anywhere else. Where Tenaka Khan walked, there would be Renya. He was unaware of it as yet. But he would learn.
That afternoon Tenaka stalked a young deer – bringing it down with a dagger hurled twenty paces – and the companions ate well. They slept early, making up for the late night before, and the following morning sighted the spires of Sousa to the southeast.
‘You’d best stay here,’ Ananais advised. ‘I should imagine your description has been circulated throughout Drenai by now. Why ever did you write that damned letter? It’s not the sensible thing to let the victim know the assassin is on his way!’
‘On the contrary, my friend. Paranoia will eat at him. It will keep him awake – on edge – he will not think clearly. And for every day that there is no news of me, his fears will grow. It will make him uncertain.’
‘You think,’ said Ananais. ‘Anyway, I will take Renya into the city.’
‘Very well. I shall wait here.’
‘And does Renya have nothing to say about this arrangement?’ said the girl sweetly.
‘I did not think it would displease you,’ answered Tenaka, nonplussed.
‘Well it does!’ she snapped. ‘You do not own me; I go where I will.’ She sat down on a fallen tree and folded her arms, staring into the trees.
‘I thought you wanted to go to Sousa,’ said Tenaka.
‘No. Aulin wanted me there.’
‘Well, where do you want to go?’
‘I am not sure yet. I will let you know.’
Tenaka shook his head and turned to the giant, spreading his hands.
Ananais shrugged. ‘Well, I will go in anyway. We need some food – and a little information would not go amiss. I shall see what I can find out.’
‘Stay out of trouble,’ warned Tenaka.
‘Don’t worry about me, I will blend in. I shall just find a large crowd of tall black-masked men and stick with them.’
‘You know what I mean.’
‘Yes. Don’t worry! I will not risk fifty per cent of our new army on one reconnaissance.’
Tenaka watched him walk away and returned to the girl, sweeping the snow from the trunk and sitting down beside her.
‘Why did you not go with him?’
‘Did you want me to?’ she countered, turning to look into his violet «yes.
‘Want you to? What do you mean?’
She leaned into him. He caught the musky perfume of her skin and noticed again the sleekness of her neck and the dark beauty of her eyes.
‘I want to stay with you,’ she whispered.
He closed his eyes, shutting out the magic of her beauty. But the perfume lingered.
‘This is insane,’ he said, pushing himself to his feet.
‘Why?’
‘Because I am not going to live very long. Don’t you understand? Killing Ceska is not a game. My chances of survival are one in a thousand.’
‘It is a game,’ she said. ‘A man’s game. You don’t need to kill Ceska – it is not for you to take on the burden of the Drenai.’
‘I know that,’ he said. ‘It is personal. But I will see it through and so will Ananais.’
‘And so will I. I have as much reason to hate Ceska as both you and your friend. He hounded Aulin to death.’
‘But you are a woman,’ he said desperately.
She laughed at him, a rich, pealing sound which was full of humour. ‘Oh, Tenaka, how I have longed for you to say something foolish. You are always so right. So clever. A woman, indeed! Yes, I am. And more than that. Had I wished, I could have slain those four soldiers myself. My strength is as great as yours, possibly greater, and I can move just as fast. You know what I am: a Joining! Aulin knew me in Drenan, where I was a cripple with a twisted back and a ruined leg. He took pity on me and brought me to Graven, where he used the machines as they were intended. He healed me, by blending me with one of Ceska’s pets. You know what he used?’