‘Friendship is always welcome,’ said Matze.
‘You are an old man, close to death. Would you like to be young again?’
‘Who would not?’
‘A small demonstration then – as a gesture of good faith.’ Eldicar lifted his hand. A fist-sized globe of shimmering blue smoke appeared. It sped from his fingers, flowing into the nostrils and mouth of the startled Liu. The Chiatze guard fell to his knees, choking. Blue smoke exploded from his lungs and he gasped, taking in great gulps of air. The smoke flowed around Matze Chai. The merchant tried to hold his breath, but the smoke clung to his face. At the last he inhaled. A tingling sensation seeped through his limbs. He felt his heart beat faster, his muscles swelling with new life. Energy roared within him. He felt strong again. His vision cleared, and he found he could see with greater clarity than he had for years. He turned to Liu. The young captain had regained his feet. Matze’s expression hardened as he saw Liu’s dark hair was showing grey at the temples.
‘How does it feel, Matze Chai?’ asked Eldicar Manu-shan.
‘It feels very fine,’ answered Matze coldly. ‘However, it would have been good manners to ask my captain if he objected to losing some of his youth.’
‘I have given you twenty years, merchant. I can give you twenty more. You can be young and virile once more. You can enjoy your wealth in a manner denied to you for decades. Are you now willing to be my friend?’
Matze took a deep breath. ‘My client is unique, magick-er. Some men are talented painters and sculptors, others can grow any kind of bloom, in any kind of climate. You are obviously skilled in the arcane arts. But my client is a master of only one skill, one terrible talent. He is a killer. In all my long and – thus far – remarkably uneventful life I have neither known nor heard of anyone to match him. He has fought demons, and magickers, and were-beasts. He is still here.’ Matze Chai gave a thin smile. ‘But then I think you already realize this. He was supposed to have died in your massacre, and he did not. Now you believe you are hunting him. It is an illusion. He is hunting you. You are already dead men. I do not desire friendship with dead men.’
Eldicar looked at him in silence. ‘It is time to know pain, Matze Chai,’ he said. As he spoke he raised his hand and pointed to Liu. The officer’s dagger slid from its sheath, spun, and plunged through Liu’s right eye socket. He fell without a sound.,
Matze sat silently, his hands upon his lap as the guards moved in.
Three-swords stepped back from the rock door. Iron-arm continued to beat at the stone with the pommel of his sword. ‘Enough,’ said Three-swords. ‘It will not budge.’
‘How, then, did they pass through?’
‘I do not know. But we have searched the hillside and this is the only way out. So we wait.’
The two Kriaz-nor climbed down to join the others. Long-stride was sitting down in the cave mouth, Stone-four beside him. The two survivors of Striped-claw’s group were standing apart. Three-swords called them to him. They were both fresh from the Pens. It was stupid of Striped-claw to have chosen them for this task, but entirely predictable. Striped-claw liked to impress, and Pen-younglings were easier to impress than seasoned warriors. ‘Tell me of the fight,’ said Three-swords.
One of the warriors began to speak. ‘Striped-claw told us to stand back while he made the kill. Then he fought the one in the wolfskin. It was very fast. The human moved like a Kriaz-nor. Great speed. Then Striped-claw went down. It was then that Hill-six attacked the second man. He died.’
‘Then you ran?’
‘Yes, sir.’
Three-swords stepped back from the pair and drew one of his swords. In one move of dazzling speed he beheaded the speaker. The second warrior turned to run, but Three-swords was upon him within a few paces, his blade slashing through the back of the Kriaz-nor’s neck. Turning, he strolled back to Iron-arm. ‘Fresh meat,’ he said.