Waylander 3 – Hero in the Shadows By David Gemmell

‘And he is, my dear,’ Ustarte told her. ‘He is only gone from this world. Waylander will never truly die. Men like him are eternal. Somewhere, even as we speak, there is another Grey Man, preparing to face his destiny.’ Keeva glanced at the two warriors, then back at the priestess. ‘And what of you? Where will you go?’

‘We do not belong here, Keeva. Now that I am no longer using most of my power to thwart Deresh Karany I have enough energy to take us home.’

‘You will go back to the land of Deresh Karany?’

‘The fight is over for you – but not for me. I cannot rest while the evil that spawned Deresh Karany still thrives.’ Keeva turned to the warriors. ‘And you will help her?’

‘I think that we will,’ said Three-swords.

Epilogue

Using a stiff broom Tanya swept the dust from the hard-packed clay floor. As much rose around her as was pushed out through the door. Dakeyras had carved designs in the clay, and around the hearth he had created a mosaic with coloured stones from the streambed. Last year’s crop had barely supplied them with enough coin to last the year, but Dakeyras had promised that with the first profits from the farm a real floor would be laid.

Tanya was looking forward to such a time, though, as she gazed upon the mosaic, she felt a stab of anticipated regret. She had been pregnant with the twins when Dakeyras had returned from the stream with the sack of stones. Six-year-old Gellan had been with him, full of excitement. ‘I found all the red stones, Mama. I picked them all,’ he said. ‘Isn’t that right, Father?’

‘You did well, Gil,’ said Dakeyras.

‘You also soaked your new leggings,’ Tanya told the boy.

‘You can’t take stones from a streambed without getting wet,’ said Dakeyras.

‘That’s right, Mama. And it was fun getting wet. I almost caught a fish with my hands.’ Tanya gazed into the boy’s bright-blue eyes. He grinned at her and her heart melted. ‘All right,’ she said, ‘you are forgiven. But why do we need a sack of stones?’

For the next two days Dakeyras and Gellan had worked on the rectangular mosaic. Tanya remembered it fondly; the laughter and the joy, Gellan squealing with delight, Dakeyras, his face smeared with clay, tickling him. And when they had finished she recalled them stripping off their clothing and having a race to the stream, which Dakeyras let the boy win. Those were good days.

Tanya put down her broom and stood in the doorway. Gellan was out in the meadow with his wooden sword, the twins were asleep in their crib and Dakeyras had gone out hunting for venison. The day was quiet, the sun bright in a sky dotted with puffballs of white cloud. They looked like sheep grazing on a field of blue, she thought.

It would be good to have venison. Supplies were low, and though the town storekeeper extended them credit Tanya was loath to fall further into debt.

People had been kind. But, then, Dakeyras was a popular man. Everyone remembered him as the officer whose prompt action had saved the community from the Sathuli raid. He had fought with distinction, and he, and his friend Gellan – after whom they had named their son – had been awarded medals. Gellan had remained with the army. Tanya often wondered whether Dakeyras regretted becoming a farmer.

His commanding officer had come to see Tanya the day after Dakeyras said he wanted to resign his commission, telling her that he felt her husband was making a grave mistake. ‘He is that rarest of animals, a natural fighting man but also a thinker. The men revere him. He could go far, Tanya.’

‘I did not ask him to leave the service, sir,’ she said. ‘It was his own decision.’

‘That is a shame,’ he told her. ‘I had hoped it was your idea, and that I could persuade you to change your mind.’

‘I would be happy with him whether he was a soldier, a farmer, a baker. . . But he told me that he had to leave the service.’