‘Even if I could – which I can’t – I would refuse such a request.’
‘Of course,’ said Karnak, with a wide grin. ‘Love, peace, the Source, morality and so on. But there are some who could, yes?’
‘So it is said,’ agreed Dardalion, ‘among the Nadir and the Chiatze. But the Ventrians have their own wizards, sir, and I don’t doubt they’ll be making sacrifices and casting spells to ensure good weather.’
‘Never mind their problems,’ snapped Karnak. ‘Could you locate a demon conjurer for me?’
Now it was Dardalion who laughed. ‘You are a wonder, my lord. And I shall do you the kindness of treating that request as a jest.’
‘Which of course it wasn’t,’ said Karnak. ‘Still, you’ve made your point. Now, what of the Gothir?’
‘They have reached agreement with the Sathuli tribes, who will allow an invading force to pass unopposed to occupy the Sentran Plain once the Ventrians have landed. Around ten thousand men.’
‘I knew it!’ snapped Karnak, his irritation growing. ‘Which legions?’
‘The First, Second and Fifth. Plus two mercenary legions made up of Vagrian refugees.’
‘Wonderful. The Second and the Fifth are not a worry to me – our spies say they are mostly raw recruits with little discipline. But the First are the Emperor’s finest, and the Vagrians fight like pain-maddened tigers. Still, I have a week, you say. Much can happen in that time. We’ll see. Tell me of the Sathuli leader.’
For more than an hour Karnak questioned Dardalion until, satisfied at last, he rose to leave. Dardalion raised his hand. There is another matter to be discussed, my lord.’
‘There is?’
‘Yes. Waylander.’
Karnak’s face darkened. That is none of your affair, priest. I don’t want you spying on me.’
‘He is my friend, Karnak. And you have ordered his killing.’
‘These are affairs of state, Dardalion. Damn it all, man, he killed the King. There has been a price on his head for years.’
‘But that is not why you hired the Guild, my lord. I know the reason, and it is folly. Worse folly than you know.’
‘Is that so? Explain it to me.’
‘Two years ago, with the army treasury empty, and a rebellion on your hands, you received a donation from a merchant in Mashrapur, a man named Gamalian. One hundred thousand in gold. It saved you. Correct?’
‘What of it?’
‘The money came from Waylander. Just as this year’s donation of eighty thousand Raq from the merchant, Perlisis, came from Waylander. He has been supporting you for years. Without him you would have been finished.’
Karnak swore and slumped back into his seat, rubbing a massive hand across his face. ‘I have no choice, Dardalion. Can you not see that? You think I want to see the man killed? You think there is any satisfaction in it for me?’
‘I am sure there is not. But in having him hunted you have unleashed a terrible force. He was living quietly in the mountains, mourning his wife. He was no longer Waylander the Slayer, no longer the man to be feared, but day by day he is becoming Waylander again. And soon he will consider hunting down the man who set the price.’
‘I’d sooner he tried that, than the other alternative,’ said Karnak, wearily. ‘But I hear what you say, priest, and I will think on it.’
‘Call them off, Karnak,’ pleaded Dardalion. ‘Waylander is a force like no other, almost elemental, like a storm. He may be only one man, but he will not be stopped.’
‘Death can stop any man,’ argued Karnak.
‘Remember that, my lord,’ advised Dardalion.
*
It was the dog that found the remains of the old tinker. Waylander had been moving warily through the forest when the hound’s head had lifted, its great black nostrils quivering. Then it had loped off to the left. Waylander followed and found the animal tearing rotting meat from the old man’s leg.
The dog was not the first to find the body and the corpse was badly mauled.
Waylander made no attempt to call the dog away. There was a time when such a scene would have revolted him, but he had seen too much death since then: his memories were littered with corpses. He recalled his father walking him through the woods near their home in the valley, and they had come across a dead hawk. The child he had been was saddened by the sight. That is not the bird,’ said his father. ‘That is merely the cloak he wore.’ The man pointed up to the sky. ‘That is where the hawk is, Dakeyras. Flying towards the sun.’