David Gemmell - The Swords of Night and Day

Unwallis flinched. Callan’s left hand snapped forward, smoothly grasping the ivory hilt. Unwallis could scarcely believe what he had seen. One tiny mistake and the blade would have slashed through his fingers, or his wrist, or ricocheted across the room, spearing one of the watching men. ‘Beautiful balance,’ said Callan, reversing the blade and offering it to Decado.

‘Where did you learn that?’ asked Unwallis. ‘It was incredible.’

‘We farmers learn a lot of things,’ said Callan. He glanced at Decado. ‘You do not look well, boy.’

Decado tensed. ‘Call me boy one more time, you whoreson, and I’ll show you how a sword should be used.’

‘This has gone quite far enough,’ said Unwallis, trying to sound stern. ‘We are guests here, Decado.

And you, sir,’ he said, addressing Callan, ‘should not seek to provoke a soldier of the Eternal.’

‘I accept your rebuke, sir,’ said Callan, with an easy smile. ‘I too am a guest in this house and should have known better.’ He bowed gracefully, then turned to Landis Kan. ‘Perhaps we should eat, uncle.’

The meal was conducted in near silence and Unwallis was relieved once it was over and Decado rose, offered cursory thanks to Landis Kan, and stalked from the room.

‘Believe me, sir, that was very unwise of you,’ Unwallis told Callan. ‘Decado is a deadly swordsman, and not a man to forgive an insult. I suggest you return across the sea as soon as is convenient to you.’

‘I intend to. It is my hope to explore the old kingdom of Naashan.’

‘You are a historian?’

‘Of a kind.’

‘Naashan, eh? One of your favourite places of excavation, Landis, was it not?’

‘Yes indeed,’ said Landis Kan. ‘A great many artefacts were discovered there. And now, I think, it is time for you and I to sit down and talk.’ Turning to Callan, he said: ‘I fear our conversation would bore you, nephew.’

‘Then I shall leave you,’ said Callan, rising from the table. Bowing once more to Unwallis, he left the room.

‘By the Blessed!’ whispered Unwallis. ‘Does the man have a death wish? Or has Decado’s reputation not reached the east?’

‘He knows his reputation, my friend. Callan is not a man who scares easily.’

‘He has an odd accent. I have travelled in Naashan and never heard one quite like it.’

‘East coast,’ said Landis, with a smile. ‘I had immense trouble understanding any of them.’

Unwallis sighed. ‘I shall try to keep Decado from killing him. Though I cannot guarantee it. The man is somewhat inhuman when he is sick. If his head pain clears he may be in a more forgiving mood.’

‘Why is he with you?’ asked Landis, as he filled two goblets with wine.

‘I have asked myself the same question. Perhaps the Eternal is tiring of him, and wanted him away from Diranan. I really don’t know. But let us talk of you, Landis. You know the peril you are in.’

‘I know. Old habits die hard, my friend. I found some artefacts and could not resist experimenting with them. As you could see, my Jiamads are not of the highest quality.’

‘You told the Eternal you wanted a quiet life away from the turmoil of empire. She granted you these lands.’

‘Does she now want them back?’

‘Of course not. The Eternal merely wants right of passage through them, so that our armies can clear the north of traitors.’

‘Come now,’ said Landis, ‘you know that the fastest way to the north is across the plain and through the ruins. You already have an army camped below the southern pass. To send a force this way would take an extra month, and for what? So speak plainly, Unwallis. What does the Eternal really want from me?’

‘You do not need me to scribble it on a tablet of clay. You were the most senior of her advisers, and the longest-serving. Even I do not know how long you were in her service. But longer than Agrias. And who are we fighting? The same Agrias who swore to serve her for life. Agrias who has caused us untold harm. More than a hundred thousand dead in battle, and five times that starved or fallen to disease.’

‘You are saying she fears I will become another Agrias?’ Landis laughed. ‘Nothing could be further from the truth. I want no power, other than that which I wield here.’

‘Do you still love her, Landis?’

‘You of all people should not have to ask this. Of course I love her. She was my life, and my dream.

She was everything to me, from the moment I first saw her statue.’ Landis sighed. ‘I shared her bed for many years.’ He shrugged. ‘Aye, and I was also forced to share her with whatever lover she took a liking to. None of that mattered. I would give a hundred years of life merely to share that bed one more night.’

‘As would I — though I do not have a hundred years to spare,’ said Unwallis. ‘You did warn her about Agrias. I remember that.’

‘You remember what else I told you?’

‘I remember. I am still not convinced. But that is in the past and not relevant. The Eternal wishes to be sure of your loyalty. She wants a small force in your lands to protect the borders. Would that be so terrible, Landis? A few soldiers, a few Jiamads.’

Landis filled a goblet with wine, and sipped it before answering. ‘Yes it would. Agrias has several armies in the north. If the Eternal’s forces come here Agrias will hear of it. Then the war will spread to my lands, which, at present, are mercifully free of terror.’

Unwallis took a deep breath. ‘Then let us move on to another point, and one of great delicacy. The tomb of Skilgannon.’

‘What about it? It was empty.’

‘Not the cave, Landis, but the site a half-mile distant on the dry island.’

‘It wasn’t him. I dug there and found some old bones, but the artefacts in the grave were of the wrong age.’

‘One of your diggers reported that you found two swords in a single scabbard.’

‘Not so. We found a massive axe, double-headed, which had not rusted, and a few pots containing gold coins. The coins were of the late Drenai period, and stamped with image of King Skanda. I still have some of them, should you wish to see them.’

‘Why do you have ward spells over your domain, Landis?’ The question was asked softly and Unwallis watched his old friend closely. Landis did not look him in the eye.

‘I do not like being watched. I am a private man and it irked me to have Memnon spying on me. I never liked the man. I live in hopes that the Eternal will realize he is a snake and place his head upon a spike.’

‘Yes, yes,’ said Unwallis. ‘No-one likes Memnon. But let us run over the facts. Like Agrias you are creating Jiamads. You refuse the Eternal the right to cross your lands. You have cast ward spells to prevent the Eternal from seeing what you are doing here. Does this accurately cover what we have discussed?’

‘It does not sound good, does it?’ said Landis, forcing a smile.

‘No, Landis. It does not sound good at all. I am your friend. I would like to help you. If I leave here, however, with no agreement, I fear for you.’

‘She knows I would never. . harm her.’ Landis was frightened now. Unwallis could hear it in his voice.

‘I cannot say what the Eternal knows, Landis. I only know what she does to those she believes are a threat. You think your long relationship with her will keep you alive? You are deluding yourself. Memnon has sent Shadows to the southern pass you spoke of. It could be they are heading north to eliminate some rebel general. Equally they could be coming over the mountains to find you.’

‘She would not kill me, my friend. I gave her life. You wondered how long I served her. I was here before the Eternal, Unwallis. She was the first Reborn. I brought her back. She will not kill me. Go back and tell her that I am not her enemy. Tell her you are convinced of this. She will believe you. Tell her I need a little more time to consider her offer.’