Fall of Light (The Kharkanas Trilogy 2)

‘Is that a prick of the blade, soldier? Well then, when you do tell Hallyd, be sure to hang around, in case your mention reminds him of when I laughed outright in his face. Silvers, Golds! Why not shave your heads and call yourself Pearls? Or, for the more useless ones in your company, the Shiny Rocks? Well, I’m afraid my laughter snapped his temper, the poor man. Easily done, of course, as you will find.’

She watched them, noting how both men struggled to work out how they might respond to her. The prospect of violence was not far away. After all, if this officer had insulted their commander, might they not earn Hallyd’s backing should that officer’s blood be spilled? Indeed, had she not just provoked them, calling into question their company’s honour?

When the first soldier adjusted the grip of his sword, Serap smiled and stepped close to him, one hand reaching up as if to caress the side of his face. Seeing his confusion, her smile broadened, even as she drove her knee up and into his crotch.

Whatever crunched there sent the man to the filthy floor like a dropped sack of turnips.

Serap was already turning, sending her left elbow into the face of the second soldier, breaking his nose. The rush of pleasure she felt as the man’s head snapped back was almost alarming. In a flash, she realized that her own fury had been building for some time, seeking an outlet – any outlet.

She was now moving back, to acquire the proper distance. A kick with the side of her boot, at a downward angle, to strike the brokennosed soldier’s left leg, just below the knee, yielded another satisfying pop. Howling, the man collapsed.

The tavern door was shoved open and three more soldiers rushed in. Serap faced them.

‘Stand down!’ She pointed to the foremost soldier, a woman she thought she recognized, although the name escaped her. ‘Collect up your squad-mates, corporal. Drawing a sword on an officer of the Legion is a capital offence – disarm this one here and place him under arrest. I am off to have a word with your captain, as it seems he is losing control of his Silvers.’

The corporal’s eyes were wide, and then she said, ‘Yes, sir. Our apologies, sir. There was word of insurgents in this tavern—’

‘A reason to pick a fight with the locals, you mean. I have not yet decided how many of you will end up charged. I suppose it depends on what you do next, corporal, doesn’t it?’

The three newcomers were quick in carrying off their fallen comrades.

When they were gone, Serap selected a coin from her purse and set it on the bartop. ‘For their ales,’ she said, before striding over to where stood the four young brothers. ‘Listen to me, you fools. When two soldiers come in wearing swords, you leave them be. Understand? First off, they’re not on their own. Second, they’re thirsty for blood. Am I making myself clear?’

Nods answered her.

‘Good, now sit down and order a round – the tab is mine.’ She then returned to her table.

Settled into the shadows once more, Serap waited for her bloodlust to pass. The silence had things to say about that, but she was in no mood to pay attention to it, right now. Alas, it was persistent. It is afflicting us all, this growing anger, and how it so easily answers all that ails us, all that haunts us, and all that frightens us.

I wanted a fight as much as they did.

Oh, banner of white, you came in with such a swagger, I wanted to see it stained red. If only to make a point.

Now, if only I could work out what that point was, we could close out the night and be done with it.

* * *

‘It was awful,’ the man said. ‘I – I can’t get it out of my skull, that’s all.’ And he leaned forward where he sat on her cot, hiding his face in his hands.

Renarr studied him for a moment, and then moved to her trunk. ‘I have some wine here,’ she said, flipping back the lid and reaching inside.

‘Gives me a headache,’ the man said behind his hands.

‘Then remove your clothing, and we can forget this world for a time.’

‘No.’

‘Soldier, what do you want from me?’

His hands dropped away from his face, but he refused to meet her eyes. ‘Around the campfire, with people you fight beside – people you fight for, in fact – well, you’d think we could talk about anything. But it’s not so.’

Renarr poured herself a goblet of wine, settled the trunk’s lid back down and sat upon it. ‘Even words aren’t free,’ she said.

‘I know. I’ll pay you … for your time. If that’s acceptable.’

She considered his offer. ‘I’m not your mother,’ she said. ‘Nor your wife. When I spoke of escaping this world for a time, I meant it as much for me as for you. But I suppose my side of the bargain rarely occurs to any of you, does it? After all, you pay to answer your needs, not the whore’s.’ She waved a hand as he made to rise from the cot. ‘You need not go. What your coin buys from me is mostly up to you. That is the point I was trying to make. But I was also warning you – I have no special wisdom, no worthy advice. I cannot light your path, soldier.’

‘Then what can you do?’