THE KING BEYOND THE GATE by David A. Gemmell

Suddenly a bugle sounded from the west and all heads turned. The warrior Turs and five hundred Skoda men came marching into the valley, followed by ten thousand Legion warriors, heavily armed and marching in fighting formation. Rayvan pushed past the Khan and ran to Turs.

‘What happened?’ she asked.

Turs grinned. ‘The Legion mutinied and joined us. We came as fast as we could.’ The young warrior looked around at the bodies littering the ramparts and the ground beyond.

‘I see Tenaka was true to his word.’

‘I hope so,’ said Rayvan. Drawing herself upright, she walked back to Tenaka.

‘My thanks, general, for your assistance,’ she said formally. ‘I want you to know that the entire Drenai nation will echo my words. I would like to offer you the hospitality of Dros Delnoch for a little while. While you are there, I shall journey to Drenan to gather a token of our appreciation. How many men did you bring?’

‘Forty thousand, Rayvan,’ he answered, smiling bleakly.

‘Would ten gold Raq a head be acceptable as a token of our thanks?’

‘It would indeed!’

‘Walk with me a little way,’ she said, and led him into the woods beyond the walls.

‘Can I still trust you, Tenaka?’ she asked.

He gazed about him. ‘What is to stop me taking this land?’

‘Ananais,’ she said simply.

He nodded solemnly. ‘You are right – it would be a betrayal at this time. Send the gold to Delnoch and I will leave for the north. But I will be back, Rayvan. The Nadir also have a destiny to fulfil.’

He turned to leave.

Tenaka?’

‘Yes?’

‘Thank you for all you have done. I mean that.’

He smiled and a flash of the old Tenaka returned. ‘Go back to your farm, Rayvan. Enjoy life – you have earned it.’

‘You don’t think politics would suit me?’

‘It would suit you too well – I just don’t want you for an enemy.’

‘Time will tell,’ she said.

She watched him return to his men.

Alone now, Rayvan bowed her head.

And wept for the dead.

Epilogue

Rayvan’s rule was a popular one and the Drenai soon forgot the years of Ceska’s terror. The machines at Graven were destroyed. Lake re-formed the Dragon, proving himself a skilled and charismatic general. Scaler married Ravenna, Rayvan’s daughter, and took up his position as Earl of Dros Delnoch, Warden of the North.

Tenaka Khan fought many civil wars, absorbing each defeated tribe into his own army. Renya bore him three sons.

Ten years to the month after Ceska’s defeat, Renya died in childbirth. Tenaka Khan gathered his army around him and rode south to Dros Delnoch.

Scaler, Lake and Ray van were waiting for him.

And the gates were closed