Glen Cook - Surrender to the will of the night

Possibly not the best thing to say despite the absence of romance in the situation. But Katrin was no more experienced than he.

“Thank you, Commander.” She finished shrugging into her gown. “For everything. Are you all right? You look pale.”

“My wound. I didn’t feel it while… It’s reminding me that I’m not supposed to indulge in strenuous activity. Even now.”

Flicker of a smile. Self-congratulation? “You’d best get back to less arduous labors, then. Before someone imagines a reason for a new wicked rumor.”

“As you command, so shall it be, Your Grace.”

“Of course.” To herself more than him, she said, “A pity I couldn’t be Helspeth.” Louder, “Commander, this didn’t happen. I had an idea about attacking Hovacol on the way home. I sent the others away because I’m convinced that one of my lifeguards is spying for King Stain. I’m quite mad on that point. In fact, I’m starting to see spies everywhere. It took you all this time to talk me out of the invasion.” She paused, then added, “I really have been thinking about Hovacol. I talked it over with my people.”

“Smart thinking, Your Grace. But, don’t. It’s a side issue.”

Just how smart? Was she manipulating everyone? Had the past half hour been the product of a longtime scheme? If so, how often were her sicknesses and mad spells tactical?

On reflection, he concluded that was not the Ege style. Both daughters wanted people thinking they were more fierce, straightforward, and stubborn than their father had been.

Vircondelet was waiting when Hecht returned to their makeshift headquarters in the former employee barracks. “Wow! You don’t look so good, boss. What happened?”

“The wound is barking back. I got excited and tore something. What’re you still doing here?”

“They’ll move out at dawn. With de Bos doing the moving, if that’s all right. He’s got something going back in the berg. I don’t. How did you tear it?”

“I lost my temper. I’m starting to think I outsmarted myself, signing on with this madwoman.”

“Sir! That kind of talk…”

“I’ll be more circumspect. I promise.” He settled into a rickety chair, gingerly. There would be no sudden moves for a while.

Others from the duty section began to gather.

Again, Vircondelet asked, “What happened?”

“She was all about Hovacol and King Stain again. She wanted to attack them on the way home. And wouldn’t listen when I told her we don’t have the numbers and we’ll be too busy hauling falcons and firepowder and trying to avoid Eastern troops to go haring off on an adventure she dreamed up because some pipsqueak local tyrant doesn’t share her religious prejudices.”

Several men groaned. Vircondelet asked, “Do we have to? We’ll need to start planning right now.”

“No. I talked her out of it. For now. But she won’t forget it. I just need to keep her eyes on the Holy Lands. By the way. Don’t mention this to her people. She’s sure some of them are spies for King Stain.”

Hecht saw nothing to suggest suspicion of bad behavior on his part.

A clerk asked, “What is it with her? All this holy war stuff.”

“She isn’t well. And she thinks she’s sicker than she really is. She doesn’t want to be another Lothar.”

“She wants to make a splash that will buy her passage into Paradise?”

“So it would seem, Mr. Tharep. With luck, stubbornness, and a lot of yelling, I weaseled us out. Now, if we have to travel tomorrow I’d better go lay me down and let this wound recover some.”

Nervous discomfort. Some of these men could not get past their commander having been slain, then returned to life. No argument could quiet their conviction that the Night had intervened. Not that it was, ipso facto, always bad to be hallowed by the Night.

They were unaware that the Night already knew him as the Godslayer.

Hecht lay back on his commandeered cot and failed to fall asleep. Katrin would not get out of his thoughts. Inevitably, when he replayed specifics, she morphed into the Princess Apparent.

Try and try again, he could not get events as they had occurred to fit his prior expectations-least of all that Katrin Ege would take such pleasure from the encounter. Maybe the exercise of absolute power had moved her.

His flesh began to respond to his recollections.

“Well. Living proof that it’s a good idea to knock before entering.”

Hecht started up, in a panic of embarrassment. He dragged his blanket across his lap. “Heris? What the hell are you doing here?”

“Sweet welcome. I didn’t come to see that. I’ll tell Anna you miss her.”

“Heris, I… I…”

“Forget it. I’m embarrassed, too. I had to remind myself that you’re my brother.”

Which left him just that much more unsettled. “What do you want? Why are you here? What’s happened? You seem different.”

“I am different. Keep your voice down. Your mother hens will be all over us. Let me talk.” She plunged into everything she had seen since last they had visited. Hecht did not interrupt. Heris had a knack for reporting essentials.

“So you’re all set to release those devils.”

“All set to try. But not real sure we can pull it off. Which is why I dropped by. I need some weapons,” she explained.

“Damn! I ought to give you to Rhuk and Prosek. They could use somebody who understands firepowder as well as you do.”

“Even a girl?”

“That could be a problem. Drago is a total cocksman. Anyway, your timing is good. There’s about every type firepowder weapon ever imagined here. Tell me what you need. I’ll leave it behind.”

“A lot of firepowder. Several light falcons. And some of those hand weapons you don’t let your men use anymore. Why is that, anyway?”

“I do let them. Some of them. But giving them to everybody-besides being expensive-is counterproductive. Originally, the idea was for every man to have a weapon he could use if he came up against some Night thing. But they won’t hold back. If it’s dark and they’re scared they go straight to the smoke and bang. They end up hurting each other.”

“God, Piper. You sound like Grandfather giving a lesson on the Construct.”

“Sorry. Any news from home? Have you been?”

“Not for a while. Last time I was there, Anna was all upset because the girls were spending so much time with Grandfather. He has them learning the Construct. And Pella was being a handful. Anna has to remind him about the incident with the rotting demons all the time. He should be out here with you.”

“He should find something better to do with his life.”

“Anna would agree. But, what? Think about his background. The best he can do is have your light shine on him. I’ll let you get back to what you were doing. I’ll pop over to the town house and steal a night in a real bed. Don’t forget to leave me my toys.”

“I won’t. How will you shift them?”

“Dwarf power. I’ve got troops of dwarves I can call in. All mythical and imaginary, of course. Me being a true-believing Episcopal Chaldarean.”

Heris turned sideways, leaving Hecht unable to ask further questions.

As with everything in life, departure took longer and was more aggravating than had seemed likely beforehand. Everyone wanted to know why Hecht was leaving a cache of firepowder and falcons in the barracks. He refused to explain.

While questions were asked and going unanswered a courier arrived. He bestrode a badly blown bay gelding. He was as bad off as his mount. He belonged to the party that had gone down to Liume. Hecht and Vircondelet helped him dismount. He had just enough will left to hand over a folded note. Vircondelet helped him lie down, which was all he wanted now.