Fall of Light (The Kharkanas Trilogy 2)

She studied him with an odd expression, and then said, ‘I recall a house that collapsed, in the village where I lived. The beams were found to have been eaten through from the inside. Their cores were dust. Or so I heard, sir. I do remember seeing the wreckage. It had more or less fallen in from each side. The weight of the roof timbers, I suppose.’

‘Logistics,’ Wareth said. ‘The line of messengers, busy messengers, with busy words. Even as this army sleeps, problems spread like some plague – or an infestation.’

‘It’s been three nights since the last murder.’

‘We’re all armed now, Rance. I’d imagine that those men fearing retribution for past crimes have taken to sleeping in their armour. More to the point, a sword left out of its scabbard will betray the arrival of a stranger.’

‘It will?’

Wareth nodded. ‘I suppose I should have explained that, but I imagine that the soldiers will make their own discoveries. Indeed, for all I know, the armour will do the same. A Hust camp needs no watchdogs, no geese. A Hust soldier standing on guard cannot be sneaked up on if he or she keeps a blade bared. But now, why, the armour could well suffice.’ He paused, and then cocked his head. ‘Hardly a sound defence against intrigue or treachery, however. Nothing in Henarald’s iron can sniff out poisoned wine, after all.’

‘They said it was a curse,’ Rance said.

‘What was?’

‘The termite infestation, sir. A curse upon the family, and the father in particular. Careless with his cock.’

‘Excuse me?’

‘The rooster in his yard, sir. It used to escape, terrorizing the younger children.’

‘Ah. Well then, was there something specific you wished to discuss?’

She glanced away, and then shrugged. ‘I am to report to Captain Prazek and Captain Dathenar on the morrow, immediately following the seventh bell.’

‘You are?’

She nodded, and then frowned. ‘You knew nothing of it? Oh. Then I wonder what they might want of me.’ A moment later she straightened her back, and then slowly slumped – though whether in defeat or relief, Wareth could not tell. ‘I am to be dismissed. That’s it. Well, I’m surprised it took this long.’

‘Rance, I’m not aware of anything like that. They would have spoken to me first, I assure you. No, they have some other purpose for wishing to speak to you. And, to be honest, I’m glad you’ve told me. I will accompany you tomorrow.’

‘Sir, there’s no reason—’

‘I selected you, remember? In fact, you are my responsibility.’ Still something uncertain flickered in her gaze. Wareth considered for a moment, and then he said, ‘A coward upon the field of battle is driven by an overwhelming need to survive, to escape from all threat, all risk. But upon the day to day matters away from that field of battle, a coward can well display virtues, such as loyalty. And on occasion, both fortitude and integrity might rear their pale heads into day’s light. Said virtues might even assemble all at once, in a single moment.’ He offered her a wry smile. ‘I am too easily painted in a single hue, Rance.’

‘I know that,’ she replied. ‘In that single colour you can hide other things about you. Few will see. Few will bother. Even the title itself – coward – can be used to hide behind, if you’re clever enough.’

He shrugged. ‘I’m not, alas.’

She snorted. ‘And here I thought you lied well, as cowards should be able to do.’

‘Titles have that way, Rance. Coward. Murderer.’ Seeing her blanch, he shook his head and added, ‘You misunderstand. I can claim both, you see. On the day we were freed, I killed a man with a shovel—’

‘I know.’

He blinked. ‘You know of that?’

‘Every woman does, sir. The men were about to attack them – the cats of your pit so roughly awoken, pushed out into the morning light. You broke open the first bastard’s skull, dropped him dead, and that stopped the others long enough for you to send Rebble to the sheds. Gave the cats time to arm themselves. You saved lives that day, sir. Stopped rapes.’

Wareth looked away. ‘It wasn’t quite like that,’ he said. ‘I just didn’t think it all through, that’s all. Never liked the one I killed either.’

She shrugged. ‘Real cowards always think it through, all the way through, sir.’

‘Not if they see their chance at getting rid of a tormentor, which I did. I simply forgot about his friends.’

‘Well,’ she said, ‘now at last I see the fear in you, sir. You’re frightened by the thought that you did the right thing, a brave thing. It doesn’t fit with who you think you are.’

‘If not for Rebble and Listar, I would have run,’ Wareth said. ‘Don’t let that tale live on in the camp, not among the cats, Rance. It wasn’t the way you’ve just told it.’