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room.
Mist indicated the pincers nipping the Matayangan arm. ,We're going to go when
the prongs are ten miles apart. About four hours. We'll need three assault
teams from you. Most of the Tervola here will accompany and support you."
Her tone was imperious. Bragi found it irritating. ,You ain't number one yet.
You're Chatelaine of Maisak till the dust settles." He glanced at Varthlokkur,
who observed blandly. Damn me, he thought. I wish I weren't dependent on him.
If I lost him, the wolves would be all over me. He turned. ,Credence. Want to
lead a commando team?"
,I'd be delighted, Sire."
,That's two. Who takes the third?"
,Two, Sire?" Prataxis scribbled madly, occasionally curs- ing as his
overworked pen spattered ink.
,I'm taking one team."
,Sire!"
,I know the arguments, Derel. Save your breath. I'm going. Credence? Who's the
best man?"
Abaca pursed his lips.
Sir Gjerdrum volunteered. Ragnarson said, ,Not you. I'm taking Derel and
Varthlokkur. That means you stay to keep them honest here. Not you either,
General," he told Liakopulos. ,Somebody has to run the army while Gjerdrum
runs the country."
Gjerdrum protested, ,Damn it, you do this every time...."
,The price of being trustworthy. Be quiet. Credence?"
,Perhaps Captain Haas?" He smiled thinly.
There was little warmth between Haas and Abaca. Ragnarson suspected the
Colonel wished Dahl the oppor- tunity to prove himself incompetent.
Michael pushed past Gjerdrum and Liakopulos. ,I'd be honored, Sire. Could I
take my old sidekick, Aral?"
Ragnarson glimpsed a pudgy hand waving behind the others. He grinned. Finally.
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Baron Hardle was politically perfect. King's flanks guarded by officers from
the social extremes. He liked flashy gimmicks. ,Make room for the Baron, men.
Baron, I accept. You take the third team."
Hardle looked nonplussed. He hadn't expected to be taken seriously.
Abaca grumbled. Ragnarson smiled. Abaca always grum- bled.
,He's a leader, Credence. As you'll recall."
,I guess. Like it or not. He saved my ass at the Battle of the Fords. I can
put up with him if he can put up with me."
Bemused, Hardle offered Abaca his hand.
Bragi exchanged glances with a triumphant Prataxis. By damn! There were tears
in Derel's eyes. He understood the thoughtless symbolism. The ideal had taken
root. Nordmen and Marena Dimura, shaking hands! They had no idea how far that
gesture said they had come.
Ragnarson studied the Baron. He no longer seemed small and fat and
ineffectual. He had a new dignity, a new air of self-worth. His class had lost
much of both after, in the main, serving the wrong cause during Kavelin's
civil war.
,Let's see what our friends need," Ragnarson suggested. A vision of blonde,
insatiable perfection ghosted through his thoughts. He pushed her away. The
question persisted. Would he taste those delights again? Or would he leave his
bones in an enemy land?
The hell with Varthlokkur's divination. He was scared. The wizard guessed
wrong sometimes.
14
Year 1016 AFE; There and Back Again
Asoldier plowed into Bragi from behind. He staggered forward, collided with a
Tervola, instantly decked the man. His troops spread out. The enemy began to
react, baring weapons and preparing spells. Varthlokkur hurled a spell of his
own. Chaos spread like a plague. Wild spells rampaged through the
headquarters, ignoring allegiances.
In a quarter hour the place was secure. Baron Hardle reported having secured
his objective too. But Credence Abaca was in trouble. He had fallen into the
headquarters Lord Kuo was currently using. The defense was stiffer. ,Let's get
there before they close the transfer portals," Ragnarson growled. He herded
his men through. Baron Hardle's troops joined them.
For a half hour Bragi knew nothing but the continuous clang of sword on sword,
the smash of shield against Tervola armor, the hair-raising instant when a
spell had been loosed and he feared it might lash his way. He was battling an
excellent swordsman, and weakening, when Lord Ch'ien, Mist's leading Tervola,
ended hostilities by announcing the enemy's surrender.
It was over. The coup was a success. Lord Kuo Wen-chin had fallen. Kavelin had
placed a friend on Shinsan's throne.
Bragi made the rounds. The cost! He'd lost a third of his men. The rest had
taken their nicks. He had a few shallow wounds himself.
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Baron Hardle turned up sporting a grin, a bloody blade, and a fine collection
of bruises. ,By god, Sire, we pulled it off. We pulled it off."
,We sure did, Baron. Get set for the counterattack. Where's Colonel Abaca?"
Hardle went pale. ,Counterattack? Uh.... Of course. Credence is in yon corner,
Sire."
Tervola spilled from an unsecured portal. The battle was on again. Spell met
spell. Blade smacked blade. A friendly Tervola shouted, ,They're from Western
Army."
Western Army? Bragi thought. Mist was supposed to neutralize Hsung's bunch.
The counterattack faded. ,We haven't been as successful as you'd hoped."
Bragi turned. Varthlokkur stood behind him, staring at the portals. ,How so?"
,Lord Hsung recaptured the other two headquarters."
,Damn! More men lost."
,This is too pat. It stinks of trap. Lord Hsung knew we were coming."
,I told you there was a traitor in the palace."
,Luckily, Hsung didn't get word to Kuo in time. Let's get out now. We're no
longer useful."
Bragi was startled. ,What?"
,I've opened a portal to Kavelin."
,I've got you. Derel. Shuttle the wounded through that rabbit hole.
Varthlokkur, did you look Credence over? How is he?"
,Not good. I did what I could. I can't guarantee he'll make it."
Bragi glanced around. Already captive Tervola were being paroled to war duty.
He wished it were that easy at home. His rebels went to the gallows
unrepentant. Why did he bother?
,Sire?"
,Oh. Baron. What?" He'd been on the edge of a reverie about Sherilee.
,The coup was successful except where Lord Hsung intervened. Lord Kuo is out.
Probably dead. The Council of Tervola will declare their position once the war
situation stabilizes. Mist is negotiating with Lord Hsung."
,Lord Ch'ien know?"
,Not yet."
,Don't tell him. He'd slap us in irons. Let's get out of here." He caught
Prataxis's eye, pumped his fist. It was a field signal for hurry up. Derel
nodded. The Tervola paid no attention. They had problems of their own. The
distraction of the coup had allowed Matayanga to seize a more favorable
position in several places. ,Think we rate a chanson, Baron?"
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,Sire?"
,Little kingdom doesn't like the management in a big empire, so it puts
somebody else in charge."
The Baron sneered. ,Your tame Daimiellian might write it so people on the
coast would believe it.We know they usedus." Hardle had donned his political
persona. Bragi liked him better as a bumbling captain.
,We used them too."
,I wonder, Sire. You're too trusting. The Chatelaine of Maisak was your
friend. You're dealing with the mistress of Shinsan now."
,Her fate isn't out of my hands." He moved to the portal. ,I'm going back,
Derel. Get the men out fast. Varthlokkur, come with me." He stepped into the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]