‘Dardalion says he is only a month from attempting a breakout. And the Lentrians have smashed the Vagrian army and advanced into the Drenai lands. You remember old Ironlatch?’
‘The old man at the banquet?’
‘Yes.’
‘The one with no teeth who had to eat soup and soft bread?’
‘The very same. Well, now he leads the Lentrian army.’
‘I cannot believe it. We all laughed at him.’
‘Laughter or not, he is pushing them back.’
‘That must be hard for them to take. They’re not used to losing.’
‘That’s their weakness,’ said Gellan. ‘A man or an army need to lose once in a while. It’s like putting steel through fire – if it doesn’t break it comes out stronger.’
‘Karnak has never lost.’
‘I know.’
‘So does your philosophy hold true with him?’
‘You always manage to find the difficult questions. But yes, I think it does. When Karnak talks of the inevitability of victory he genuinely believes it.’
‘And what about you?’
‘You are my friend, Sarvaj, and I will not talk down to you. We have a chance – no more than that.’
‘You are telling me no more than I know. What I want to know is: do you think we’ll win?’
‘Why should I be any more reliable in predictions than Karnak?’
‘Because I trust you.’
‘And I value that trust, but I can’t answer you.’
‘I think you already have.’
High in the Keep, Karnak was beginning to lose patience with the surgeon, Evris. Fighting to hold his temper, he cut across the man’s argument by crashing his fist on the table.
‘I will not have the wounded brought to the Keep! You understand? What do I need to say to you, Evris? Is my language not plain enough?’
‘Oh, it is plain enough, general. I tell you that men are dying in their scores unnecessarily – and you do not care.’
‘Care? Of course I care,’ thundered Karnak. ‘You impudent wretch! The audience is ended. Get out!’
‘Audience, general? I thought one held those with kings. Not butchers!’ In two strides Karnak rounded the table and grabbed the slightly-built surgeon by his blood covered apron. Evris was hauled from his feet to dangle before the furious warrior.
Karnak held him high for several seconds and then hurled him against the far door. Evris hit hard and slid to the floor.
‘Get out before I kill you,’ hissed Karnak. Dundas, who had been watching the scene in silence, moved to his feet and assisted the surgeon, helping him out into the corridor.
‘You went too far, surgeon,’ said Dundas softly. ‘Are you hurt?’
Evris wrenched himself clear of Dundas’ supporting arms. ‘No, I’m not hurt, Dundas. I don’t have gangrene spreading through my limbs. I don’t have maggots breeding in my wounds.’
‘Try to understand the wider view,’ urged Dundas. ‘We face many enemies, not least of which is the threat of plague. We cannot take the wounded into the Keep.’
‘You think me so lacking in understanding of strategy that you must feed me the same simple line as your leader? I know what he is thinking and I would have respected him far more had he admitted it. We cannot hold the walls for much longer. Then the soldiers will retreat to the Keep. Karnak wants only fighting men there – he doesn’t need a thousand or more wounded men clogging the space, needing to be fed … watered … cleansed and healed.’
Dundas said nothing and Evris smiled. ‘Thank you for not disagreeing. When the retreat comes the Vagrians will kill every wounded man – butcher them in their beds.’
‘Karnak has no choice.’
‘I know that, damn you.’
‘Then why did you rail against him?’
‘Because he is there! It is his responsibility; it comes with power. And also because I detest him.’
‘How can you say that when he is fighting to defend everything you have lived for?’
‘Defending? You cannot defend what I have lived for with a sword. You cannot see it, can you, Dundas? There is no real difference between Karnak and Kaem. They are brothers of the Soul. But I cannot stand here talking to you when men are dying.’ He stumbled away, then turned by the stairs.