Waylander by David A. Gemmell

‘So you notice me at last,’ she said, moving towards him.

‘I thought you were staying in Skarta with the children?’

‘I left them with the Source priests. I am tired of war, Waylander. I want to go somewhere where I can sleep at night without fearing tomorrow.’

‘There is no such place,’ he said bitterly. ‘Come, walk with me.’

‘I am preparing some food.’

‘Later,’ he said, walking away towards the pass. She followed him to a grassy knoll where they sat on jutting boulders. ‘Do you know who is leading this caravan?’

‘Yes,’ she answered. ‘A man called Durmast.’

‘He is a killer.’

‘So are you.’

‘You don’t understand. You are in more danger here than back in Skultik.’

‘But you are here.’

‘What has that to do with it? Durmast and I understand one another. I need him to help me find the Armour; he knows the Nadir and I might not get through without him.’

‘Will you allow him to harm us?’

‘Allow, woman? What on earth do you think I could do to stop him? He has twenty men. Damn you, Danyal, why are you dogging my footsteps?’

‘How dare you?’ she stormed. ‘I didn’t know you were travelling with us. Your conceit is colossal.’

“That’s not what I meant,’ he said defensively. ‘It just seems that whenever I turn round you are there.’

‘How depressing for you!’

‘For pity’s sake, woman – can you not hold back from jumping down my throat? I do not want to fight with you.’

‘In that case, let me say that you have a regrettable line in small talk.’

For a while they sat in silence, watching the moon traverse the Delnoch Pass.

‘I am not going to live very long, Danyal,’ he said at last. ‘Maybe three weeks, maybe less. I would very much like to end my life successfully …’

‘Just the sort of stupid remark I would expect from a man! Who is going to care if you find that Armour of yours? It is not magic, it is just metal. And not even precious metal.’

‘I will care.’

‘Why?’

‘What sort of question is that?’

‘Stalling for time, Waylander?’

‘No, I meant it. You think men stupid when they lust after glory? So do I. But this is not about glory – it concerns honour. I have lived in shame for many years and I fell to a level I would not have believed possible. I killed a good man … ended his life for money. I cannot undo that act. But I can atone. I do believe in Gods who care about humans. I do not seek forgiveness from some higher authority. I want to forgive myself. I want to find the Armour for Egel and the Drenai and fulfil a promise I made Orien.’

‘You do not have to die to do that,’ she said softly, placing her hand gently on his.

‘No, I don’t – and would prefer to live. But I am a hunted man. Cadoras hunts me. The Brotherhood seek me. And Durmast will sell me when the time is right.’

‘Then why stay here like a tethered goat? Strike out on your own.’

‘No. I need Durmast for the first part of my journey. I have an advantage! I know my enemies and I have no one to rely on.’

‘That makes no sense.’

‘Only because you are a woman and cannot understand the simplicity of the words. I am alone, so there is no one to let me down. When I run – if I run – I carry no baggage. I am self-sufficient and very, very deadly.’

‘Which brings us to our first point,’ said Danyal. ‘You are trying to tell me that I am baggage to weigh you down.’

‘Yes, Durmast must not realise that we know one another, else he will use you against me.’

‘It is too late for that,’ said Danyal, looking away. ‘I wondered why he changed his mind about allowing me to ride with the wagons when I had no money. But I thought it was my body he desired.’

‘Explain,’ said Waylander wearily.

‘A woman I met directed me to Durmast, but he told me that with no money I was useless to him. Then he asked where I was from, as he had not seen me before in Skarta, and I told him that I came in with you. Then he changed and asked me all about you, after which he said I could come.’