Juliet McKenna - Northern Storm

‘Bring him here.’ Kheda pointed a merciless finger.

Dev promptly stepped forward and wound one hand in the loose cloth of the man’s tunic, throwing him down in front of Kheda, who studied him dispassionately.

‘One of our warriors died today, reclaiming this land for Chazen. You owe the domain a death.’ Kheda nodded at Dev, who looked back at him with faint confusion.

Much as I like to see you disconcerted, wizard, this is hardly the time.

Kheda held his breath as understanding dawned in Dev’s eyes and the barbarian drew his sword with slow deliberation.

‘My lord, please . . .’ The prisoner shrank into himself, shoulders hunched.

His plea was silenced as Dev’s blade flashed in the sunlight. The captive’s head leapt from his shoulders, the cut clean and barely bleeding.

Hopefully no one else will have seen enough beheadings to know what an impossible stroke that was. Hopefully I was the only one who saw that shimmer of fire edging Dev’s blade.

His face a mask of implacable severity, Kheda looked around the cove to see the Mist Dove’s oarsmen wide-eyed with awe at their warlord’s decisive action. The swordsmen and archers were more open in their vengeful appreciation of such immediate retribution. Kheda addressed himself to the rest of the quaking prisoners with cold condemnation.

‘You came unbidden into Chazen waters. Far from seeking my permission to stay and promising your duty to me, to this domain and its blood, you have plundered this island and who knows what else besides. Shall we see what we find in your ships and your huts to answer that question?’ he wondered ominously. He paused for a moment and was relieved to see guilty glances passing between some of the captives, condemning them as thieves as well as interlopers.

None of you carries any dagger to acknowledge the domain that bore you, so you’ve plainly abandoned such allegiances,’ he continued with scorn. ‘At least that spares me the tiresome chore of seeking recompense for your malfeasance from any other warlord. You can all pay for your offences with your bodies, as slaves. My lady Itrac Chazen will be opening her dealings with the domains to the north shortly. I’m sure she can find some value in your worthless carcasses.’

Kheda turned his back on a despairing wail of protest stifled by a heavy blow behind him. He summoned Tawai with a curt gesture. ‘Call the Mist Dove’s sail crew ashore. They can flog these wretches into submission and stow them aboard the Yellow Serpent. I’m not carrying that amount of dead weight on the voyage back to the residence. Light a fire and burn those bodies, they deserve no better. Set Ridu and his boys to burying Aysi fittingly. His body in the soil of this place will assuredly confer strength and courage on those who may dwell here in the future.’

‘As you wish, my lord.’ Tawai bowed low.

‘And tell your men I am most impressed with their skills. You are obviously an excellent teacher. I’d be grateful if you’d share your talents with the residence garrison.’ Surprising the archer with a smile of warm approbation, Kheda walked away along the shore towards the beached trireme.

Dev drew level with him. You don’t want to spring surprises like that on me,’ the mage said frankly. Kheda glanced around to make sure there was no one close enough to overhear them. ‘At least you rose to the occasion.’

‘I always do that.’ Dev chuckled.

‘I think I saw how,’ said Kheda, unsmiling. ‘Just be thankful no one else did.’

‘So what do we do now? My lord,’ Dev added for the benefit of Shaiam, who was climbing down from the trireme’s stern.

Kheda addressed himself to the shipmaster. ‘The Yellow Serpent can stay to patrol these waters as we decided earlier, even with captives in her hold. We don’t need them weighing us down ‘

‘My lord.’ Excessively apologetic, Shaiam inten-upted and gestured out to sea. ‘The Thorn Circle has appeared.’

Nyral’s ship?’ Kheda moved to get a clear view and found that he recognised the fast trireme. Well, well. I wonder what he will have to say for himself

‘Was it just his laziness that let these scavengers get a foothold here?’ Shaiam looked dubiously at the slowly approaching vessel. ‘Or could he be in league with them?’

‘Either way I’ll be stripping him of his command for failing the domain so grievously,’ Kheda said severely. ‘The only question is should he just be flogged bloody or until we see the bones of his ribs.’

‘Care for a wager on that?’ Dev cocked a sardonic brow at the shipmaster.

Kheda continued as if the barbarian hadn’t spoken. ‘The Thorn Circle can follow the Yellow Serpent under a new master. You and Hesi decide between you if it’s Yere or the Yellow Serpent’s helmsman who’s earned the promotion.’

‘The Thorn Circle’s crew have sailed with Nyral a long time, my lord,’ said Shaiam doubtfully. ‘I don’t know how they’ll take to a new shipmaster.’

‘Then tell Hesi to remove any who look as if they might be trouble and to mix plenty of the Yellow Serpent’s oarsmen in with the rest.’ Kheda looked steadily at the tall mariner. ‘And let the Thorn Circle’s men know that Hesi has order to ram them at the first sign of mutiny. A light galley won’t sink a fast trireme but the Yellow Serpent could certainly spring enough planks to cripple it. Tell Hesi to drive it into shallow water first, though, if it comes to it,’ he added wryly. ‘Truth be told, we can’t afford to lose any vessels and I don’t want to lose any men if we can help it. I just want Nyral and the rest of his crew to know that I am master here.’

‘There’ll be fewer doubters when word of this day’s work sprearls.’ A broad grin cracked Shaiam’s dark face.

‘I certainly hope so.’ Kheda smiled conspiratorially before nodding towards the captured boats now stripped of their ineffectual cloak of knot-tree branches. ‘Pick the best men you can spare to crew those and to spread that word a little wider. Have them tell Hesi if there are any honest folk living in these backwaters. I’d like to have someone ready to send word if they see any unknown ships that might be considering a sniff down towards the pearl reefs. Tell Hesi I’ll send him out a cage of courier doves when I get back to the residence so that he can report to me directly.’

‘Yes, my lord,’ said Shaiam with satisfaction. ‘And now let’s deal with Nyral,’ concluded Kheda softly. The Thorn Circle was drawing cautiously alongside the Mist Dove. The three men stood silently as the fast trireme grounded softly and her stern ladders promptly lowered. Dev turned and whistled and the Mist Dove’s swordsmen quickly drew up behind Kheda in a guard that made up in grimness for what it lacked in polish. Tawai and the archers moved casually to one side, making sure they all had a clear shot at whoever disembarked from the newly arrived ship. There’s nothing like the unity that comes from having been in a battle together. I’ll settle for that, even if it isn’t inborn loyalty to me as their warlord. Kheda nodded to acknowledge the fast trireme’s shipmaster as the man splashed through the shallows to bow before him. Nyral.’

‘My lord.’ There was no hint of obsequiousness in the heavy-set mariner’s voice or in his brown face, with his long black beard plaited to a sharp point. He wore a Redigal dagger on his scarlet leather belt, just like the helmsman standing at his shoulder, one massive hand dwarfing the thin and tattered route record that he clutched. There was a strong resemblance between the two men: both had deep-set, circumspect eyes and tip-tilted noses, though something forceful had sent the helmsman’s all lopsided a few years ago.

‘What traffic have you seen since we left you to watch these sea lanes?’ Kheda demanded.