Glen Cook - An Ill Fate Marshalling

The King groaned.

„Well," said Shih-ka'i. „Well now. You're not completely dead, are you? Which, I suppose, means I have to repay my debt." He knelt, felt Ragnarson's pulse. It was strong. He heaved the last corpse off and examined the man. „Broken ribs. Punctured lung. Cuts and bruises. Otherwise, you're in good shape, my friend. They say you're extraordinarily lucky. And maybe they're right. Maybe your luck didn't turn all the way." He stood, faced his encampment, concen­ trated on the mask worn by his best life magician. His fingers wove subtle patterns in the air. „Come," he whis­ pered. „Come here."

Kristen unsealed the letter from Vorgreberg. Sherilee hovered over her shoulder. The messenger remained at the door, one eye on the street. A dozen troopers from the Palace Guard waited there. They were restless, troubled

„What is it, Kris?"

„Michael thinks there might be a big uprising. He wants us to leave the country. He's sending us to a friend in Tamerice."

Elma and Maykin entered carrying a heavy trunk. The messenger called outside, „Bring those carriages up, Slug."

„What are you doing?" Kristen asked.

Maykin replied, „We were told to go with you."

„Why should we go anywhere? I haven't seen any sign of trouble."

„You haven't been out, either, Lady. The kingdom is rushing toward civil war. The Queen has been putting ideas into the heads of the Lords of the Estates."

„That bitch. I'll cut her heart out."

„Calm down," Sherilee said. „Kris, we'd better go. If there is trouble, and she's behind it, it will find us first. You know that. She's doing this for Fulk. We'd better be some­ place else."

„What's the King doing?" Kristen asked plaintively. „Why doesn't he come back and stop it?"

„He will," Sherilee said. „When he's ready. And he'll get rid of inger, too. You watch."

Kristen folded the letter and rose. „This is scary, Sherry. Really scary. You're right. We'd better go."

An hour later they were in flight again, closely guarded by Slugbait and his squad. Unknown to anyone but Slug himself, and Trebilcock and Prataxis back in Vorgreberg, most of the royal treasury was concealed in false bottoms in the carriages.

„Are you satisfied now?" Nepanthe demanded. Tinkering with the far-seeing mirror, she had learned what had happened in the south. „Gjerdrum never did anything to you, did he? He was always a good friend to me. And Baron Hardle. ... He was the only one who could keep the Estates in line."

Varthlokkur stared at his dry old hands, not responding at all. He needed no outside torturer to rack him.

„You've done it again. Destroyed another kingdom. This time by inaction."

He rose and walked away, went out to the wind-swept wall and stared into the canyon's deeps. Radeachar hovered over his shoulder. Had the Unborn possessed a voice, it would have whined.

Dahl sat his horse apathetically. He had given up on escaping. These men watched him too closely. They kept him at the heart of their company. There were almost four hundred of them now, all hard veterans, managed by their Duke himself.

„Gales is coming," Sir Mortin called.

Dahl looked up. Gales and a half dozen scouts had returned from the checkpoint where the road left Altea for Kavelin. Gales reined in before the Duke. He looked puzzled.

„Well, Colonel? Can we cross?"

„Yes, Your Lordship. Easily."

„Why the long face?"

„Because there's no one at the checkpoint. The Alteans say they left day before yesterday."

„That's unusual?"

„Very. It's alarming. I'd guess it means all the troops are being gathered in anticipation of fighting farther east."

„There was no threat of war when you left?"

„None, Your Lordship. The King had irons in the fire, but the only reason I can imagine for mobilization would be internal."

„We'd better join Inger as fast as we can. Damn, but I wish we'd heard something. This silence is ominous."

Gales nodded. „Absolutely."

Dahl's heart quickened during the conversation. Fighting between the King's men and the Queen's? Kristen would be in danger. He had to get away. Somehow, anyhow, he had to elude these men.

Gales turned and rode ahead once more. The Duke spurred after him.

Gales turned when the Duke called after him. „Your Lordship?"

„I wondered if you'd noticed our guest's reaction to your news."

„I'm sorry. I didn't."

„He was thoroughly distressed. You haven't been able to enlist him?"

„He won't even listen."

„Pity."

„Ragnarson's people are that way. He inspires them with loyalty."

„You sound like you admire him. Eh. No matter. Save the excuses. Maybe Haas can help anyway. Without being on our side."

„Your Lordship?"

„He's quite taken with Ragnarson's daughter-in-law, right? You said she was sent into hiding before the Captures match."

„She was, yes."

„Think he knows where she is?"

„It's possible."

„Let him escape. Have him followed. If he goes to her, we're that much ahead. If he doesn't, we're out nothing. He isn't that important."

Gales nodded, concealing his disgust. „Eliminating po­ tential pretenders would make things a lot easier."

„That's what I was thinking."

„He'll get away tonight. Someone will make a stupid mistake."

„Good, Colonel. Good. And this is the border? Yonder lies the fabulous kingdom of Ravelin?"

„That's it, Your Lordship. Not much different from any other kingdom, just to look at." Gales nudged his mount forward. Not much different, he thought. But sweeter than most. He felt like he was coming home.

Trebilcock dropped into a chair in Prataxis's office. „She's still stalling," he said. „I gave her a deadline. Told her I couldn't hold Credence longer than tomorrow. I think I'll have to throw in a little something extra, just to get her off the pot."

Derel nodded. He didn't look up. He flipped a sheet of paper across. „Look at that."

Michael read it. „Where'd it come from?"

„Your friend Dantice. Along with a good-bye. Said he'll see you someday, maybe down Tamerice way. Thought he was making a funny poem."

„Uhm. So. He was right all along. Bragi did do it. Six days ago?"

„He'll be in Throyes by now." Derel pointed. A small, crude map lay before him. He was using a compass to estimate distances. „And maybe done."

„Done?"

„Or done for. Is Credence ready? If Dantice knows, it won't be long before the whole country does. I'd guess we don't have much more than twenty-four hours."

Michael strained, grunted as he got to his feet. „I'll tell Credence. He'll want to up the level of alert. Then I'll get to work on the Queen. Maybe we can get her out before the news breaks."

A young signalman burst into Liakopulos's chambers unannounced. „Sir ... Sir ... You'd better come to the tower, sir."

„What's wrong, lad? You look like you've seen a ghost."

The youth gulped several times before saying, „It ... it may be ... it may be worse. Sir, the King may be dead."

Liakopulos surged up. „What?"

„The message wasn't all in when Sergeant Tipke sent me, sir. But Maisak says there was a battle. Some of the men just got back. They claimed everyone else was dead."

„All right." Liakopulos grabbed his swordbelt and cloak. „Let's go. And calm down. There must be some mistake."

There wasn't. Liakopulos had the message repeated. It didn't tell him much more, or anything different the second time round, though it did so at some length. It added that survivors of the battle were just beginning to trickle in.

„That's a hopeful sign. Message to the commander of the Maisak garrison," Liakopulos told the signals sergeant. „Hold all survivors there till the whole story is clear. And don't relay anything to Vorgreberg without my personal okay. And Sergeant, I want you and your men to go into seclusion. I don't want any wild stories getting out before we know exactly what's happened. Understood?"