Axis had shifted himself closer to Inardle. His head still throbbed painfully, but the pain was subsiding little by little, and he no longer felt nauseated or so weak.
"How are you feeling, Inardle?" he asked, his voice low in a somewhat futile attempt to keep their conversation private in their cramped conditions.
"My wound throbs," she said, "but it is well enough. Zeboath said you'd done a fine job in stitching."
"Zeboath is very kind. I fear you will be marked for life with the scar I have made for you. The wing?"
"It throbs, and is swollen. Zeboath says he will need to wait for the swelling to go down before he can examine it properly. Axis..." Her voice broke, and she paused to compose herself. "They all were killed.
Every one of them. The screams..."
"Inardle--"
"They died--and in fear and agony. How can one man be so cruel, Axis? What drove Armat to it?"
"Necessities of war, perhaps," Georgdi answered, breaking their illusion of privacy. "Armat understands the Lealfast as his enemies, and there was little else for him to do with a field full of wounded Lealfast than to slaughter them. Armat would not waste valuable resources on trying to save them, Inardle, and he could not have left them alive at his back!"
"Would you have killed them?" Inardle said.
"I don't know," Georgdi said. "If I had been afraid enough of them, then yes, perhaps. Axis? Would you have left a few thousand injured Skraelings at your back?"
Axis silently cursed the man for the question. Did Georgdi not know that Inardle was half Skraeling? No, he answered himself. He probably didn't.
"No," said Axis, "I would not have left them at my back. I would have, and have in the past, ordered them put to death."
Inardle's entire body tightened at Axis' side, and he felt her pull away from him slightly.
"They were injured, Axis," Inardle hissed. "They were no threat to anyone!"
"Then they should not have been injured in the first instance," Axis snapped. "For the stars' sakes, Inardle, how could Eleanon have been so witless? He led them into slaughter!"
Inardle did not answer, but Axis could feel her trembling in anger.
"Axis is right," Georgdi said. "If so many died, then it is Eleanon's fault."
"Eleanon didn't--" Inardle began.
"Will you tell me what training the Lealfast have had?" Axis said. "I asked Eleanon and Bingaleal once, and they snapped at me something about being an elite force. Well, I think we can all dispense with that myth here and now, yes? What fighting experience have the Lealfast had, Inardle?"
She didn't answer.
"You have lived in the northern wastes for stars knows how many thousands of years," Axis said. "What enemies did you have there? Against whom did you perfect--" that word was laden with sarcasm "--the arts of war?"
"Did you fight the Skraelings?" Georgdi asked.
"We are unable to fight the Skraelings," Inardle said, very low.
"Why not?" Georgdi asked.
"Inardle, as all the Lealfast," Axis said, "is half Icarii and half Skraeling. The Lealfast are, apparently, unable to harm their blood kin."
Axis couldn't see either Georgdi, or Zeboath--who was keeping well out of this conversation--very well in this darkness, but he could sense their shock.
"We trained in the frozen wastes," Inardle said into the silence, her voice very quiet and now completely devoid of emotion.
"Against whom?" Axis said.
There was a silence.
"We shot at the snow rabbits," Inardle said, loathing having to paint herself and her fellows in such a ridiculous light. Damn Eleanon! "We used them to perfect our skills with the bow and arrow."
We shot at the snow rabbits? Axis was so appalled that he did not know how to respond.
"Then should we be faced with an invasion of devious rabbits," said Georgdi, "we can all rest easy knowing we have such skilled soldiers to hand."
Axis couldn't help himself. He laughed.
"I apologize, Inardle," Georgdi said, his own voice still riddled with amusement.
Axis supposed he should apologize, too, but he couldn't. He just sat there in the silence that followed Georgdi's apology, allowing his amusement to go some way to relieving some of his frustration and anger.
"Why did you stay, Axis?" Inardle said eventually. "You could have left at any time. There is no need for you to be here."
"I couldn't leave the Lealfast," Axis said. "No matter how angry I am at Eleanon, or at the entire situation in general, I just could not walk away from them."
"Unlike Eleanon," Georgdi said, "who lost no time in escaping."
"That is not fair!" Inardle said. "Axis commanded him to go."
"The only thing that is not fair at the moment," said Axis, "is that Georgdi and I are making you the focus of our anger and frustration. I think what we say about the Lealfast in general, and Eleanon in particular, is fair enough. I asked Georgdi to go, and he didn't. Eleanon went, not through any cowardice as such, but because he was so shocked by what had happened at the gully that he simply could not think. As a leader and a commander, Inardle, he has a great deal to learn."
"And you shall teach him, I suppose," she said.
"If ever I get out of here," Axis said, "then maybe. And if ever I think it worth the effort."
"Are you such a good commander?" she said. "I heard that the main reason you stayed was because of me. Zeboath told me while you were unconscious that you spent hours searching for me among the wounded."
Thank you so much, Zeboath, Axis thought.
"Surely it is a pitiful thing," Inardle continued, her voice hard and bitter now, "to risk so many men just for your concern for a half Skraeling?"
"I risked myself only," said Axis. "Zeboath and Georgdi remained, or returned, of their own free will.
Perhaps they were fixated on you, too."
This was beginning to sound like a lovers' spat, Axis thought, becoming ever more uncomfortable and wishing he'd not allowed Inardle to needle him. Damn Zeboath!
"You should have left me," Inardle said.
"Trust me when I say I'm coming around to that conclusion myself," Axis shot back.
"Oh, peace," said Georgdi. "Listen for a moment." He paused so all could strain their ears, although Georgdi thought Axis and Inardle would spend the time fuming at each other. "There are men moving about above us," he continued. "Perhaps someone will be kind enough to remember us, and give us some breakfast."
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The Central Outlands
Maximilian pulled in his horse beside that of StarDrifter's, who was choosing to ride instead of fly this day to keep company with Salome, who was confined to the ground. He glanced at her as she rode five or six paces behind, chatting to one of the Emerald Guardsmen.
"Salome is continuing well?" Maximilian said.
"Yes," StarDrifter said, "she continues well. Impatient for this child to be born, as am I, but she is well.
What do you want, Maximilian? There is no need to run through the list of social politenesses before you get down to business."
"I was actually concerned, StarDrifter."
"Yes, yes. What do you want?"
"I am also very concerned about Axis."
"And so am I," StarDrifter said. "I heard about the...the..." StarDrifter was so angry about what he'd heard of the Lealfast that he simply could not finish.
"Yes, well," said Maximilian. "Axis is currently caught between Armat moving west and Insharah moving east. I worry not so much about Insharah--"
"Traitor that he is," StarDrifter put in.
"--but about Armat, who has no love for Axis. I don't know where Georgdi is right now, nor where are his men, but I worry."
"BroadWing has been talking to me," said StarDrifter.
Maximilian smiled, moving his horse aside momentarily so it could avoid a great rut in the road. "Good,"
he said, "that was to be my next question. StarDrifter, I believe there are some three thousand I
carii now with this column."
"Just over," StarDrifter said.
"And," Maximilian said, "of those three thousand, BroadWing tells me he has five hundred who were once in Axis' Strike Force."
StarDrifter noted the careful distinction between the Strike Force that existed before Axis took over its command--which was weak and ineffectual--and the Strike Force under Axis' command, which was a highly skilled and deadly force.
"Easily," said StarDrifter. "Maybe a few more."
"BroadWing has them training to the north."
"Yes. What do you want, Maxel?"
"They are doing well?"
StarDrifter grunted. "Better than the Lealfast. Maxel, what do you want?"
"I may have a use for them. Can you contact BroadWing? Fast?"
StarDrifter's eyes twinkled. "Do the stars shine in the heavens? Maxel, they are yours. You do not need to ask my permission."
Maximilian gave a smile. "Call BroadWing to me, if you would, StarDrifter."
Ravenna pulled her horse to a halt, allowing the weary animal a long rein so it could stretch its neck and relax.
It had been a hard ride getting here, but get here they had.
"They're just ahead," Ravenna said to Lister and Vorstus, who had pulled their horses up beside hers.
"Look, here comes a scouting party. My friends," she said, turning a little in the saddle so she could look them in the eye, "leave Armat to me. He is touchy, and somewhat difficult. I don't want to--"
"We know how to behave, Ravenna," Lister said, "but you also need to know that we must get what we want. Armat setting off on his own dangerous ambitious tangent is not what either Elcho Falling or this world needs."
"Then leave him to me," Ravenna said. "Please. I've managed him thus far."
"And you don't want us stepping onto your territory?" Vorstus said.
"Leave him to me!" Ravenna snapped.
"As your ladyship wishes," Vorstus said, kicking his horse forward, Lister immediately behind him.
A moment later Ravenna gathered up her reins and urged her horse after them.
Armat heard them enter, but amused himself by keeping them waiting a few moments while he shuffled useless bits of paper on the table.
Finally he turned about, gracing Ravenna with a very slight inclination of his head. "My Lady Ravenna,"
he said. "How good to see you in the flesh. Those apparitions were interesting, but somehow...unsatisfying."
"Just Ravenna," she said. "I make no claim to pretension."
"A marsh-witch," Armat said to the two men who stood just behind and to one side of Ravenna. "Did she tell you?"
"Ravenna is well known to us," said the more commanding of the two, a tall, spare man with an ascetic face.
"As you are not yet to me," said Armat. "Ravenna, if you please?"
"This is Lord Lister," said Ravenna, indicating the man who had just spoken. "He is a man of great power and knowledge, and shall be invaluable to us. He knows Maximilian well."
Armat raised his eyebrows, although he was not in the least impressed. "You can deliver to me Elcho Falling?" he said to Lister.
"I know Elcho Falling intimately," said Lister. "I lived there for a time and know its mysteries."
Armat beamed. "Than we might as well just murder Maximilian now and depend on our new friend for what we need!"
"We still need Maximilian to open the mountain," Ravenna said. "Don't be hasty, Armat."
"I shall delay a day or two, then," Armat said. He looked to Vorstus. "And you are...?"
"I am Vorstus," he said, "Abbot of the Order of Persimius. I also know Maximilian well, for I have been an intimate of the Persimius family all his life."
"Maximilian has certainly chosen his friends well," said Armat, "if such cherished acquaintances and his lover stand here in my tent plotting his downfall. But enough of that. You look weary. Would you like some food and drink before we continue?"
Armat waved them toward a table on which was set food and decanters of warmed ale, and for a while there was nothing but banalities passed between them as Ravenna, Lister, and Vorstus ate.
"I must thank you," Armat said eventually, wiping his mouth with a napkin after sipping at a goblet of the warmed ale, "for sending me Insharah and his men. They shall come in useful."
"And weaken Maximilian," said Vorstus.
"Indeed," said Armat, rising from his chair and stretching a little as if he had a stiff back.
"But we must insist," said Lister, "that you do not attack Maximilian right now. We need him to--"
Armat was now walking about the table. "I shall attack whoever I damn well wish to, when I damn well want to," he said. "Just like this."
In a sudden brutal movement, he whipped a dagger out of his belt with one hand, gripped the back of Vorstus's neck with the other, and slid the dagger through Vorstus's throat. Armat held him as he struggled briefly, drowning in his own blood, then allowed the dying man to sag forward across the table.
"You will do well," Armat said very quietly as he wiped his dagger on the back of Vorstus's robe before sheathing it, "to remember that you are but my allies and my guests. You are not my lords, to command me as you will."
Then he looked at Ravenna, a query on his face. "Did I kill the right man of the two, Ravenna? I didn't dispatch the most useful, by any chance, did I?"
"There was no need--" Ravenna began.
"There was every need," Armat hissed. "I am your ruler, and you must not believe otherwise."
Ravenna glanced at Lister, then bowed her head.
"Lord Armat," she said.
"Good," Armat said, then looked at Lister.
Lister had been staring at Vorstus, but now he lifted his eyes to the general. "I shall not be so easily disposed of, Armat."
"Don't make it a challenge, Lister," Armat said.
We should allow him to think he is our better, Ravenna said into Lister's mind, and very reluctantly Lister inclined his head.
"Excellent," Armat said, pushing Vorstus's body to the floor and taking the man's chair. He poured another measure of ale into Vorstus's goblet and took a sip.
"Where are the other generals?" Ravenna said after a long moment of uncomfortable silence.
"Kezial commands sixty thousand men about Adab," said Armat. "He undoubtedly thinks he'd like to use them against me, but he knows that by now--if, as we all suspected, Maximilian's portion of the army deserted him for me--I would have well over three hundred thousand soldiers in the Central Outlands, and Kezial is not a stupid man. He will wait where he is for the time being."
"And Lamiah?" Ravenna said.
Armat fiddled with his goblet. "Lamiah was stationed close to the Salamaan Pass," he said after a moment. "I have not heard from him recently."
"Is he heading north?" Lister said.
Armat raised his eyes and looked at Lister. "You tell me."
"How many men does he have?" Ravenna said.
"I don't know," Armat said. "Probably at least thirty thousand...but he may have more."
"Isaiah commanded a huge army," said Ravenna. "Where are the others?"
"Isaiah led a convoy that included settlers and families as well as soldiers," said Armat. "The settlers have now largely dispersed themselves about the southern and eastern Outlands. Of soldiers he had close to five hundred thousand. The others? Stationed here and about, and some, I assume, chose to remain with Maximilian."
"Ten thousand at most," said Ravenna. "You command by far the greater portion of the five hundred thousand, Armat, but even taking into account the men Kezial and Lamiah control, there must be tens of thousands elsewhere."
"They are likely scattered," Armat snapped. "The Outlands is a large area. Besides, they have almost no command save for relatively junior officers. They will be no trouble."
Ravenna raised an eyebrow at that, but said no more on the matter.
"Axis," said Armat, making Ravenna jump.
Axis?
"He is cur
rently sitting," Armat continued, "together with Georgdi, a physician, and a somewhat bedraggled Lealfast woman in a pit within my camp."
"What?" Ravenna said. "How?"
"How did the almighty Axis SunSoar manage to allow himself to be captured by such a poor commander as I?" Armat asked. "Sadly, far too easily. I am wondering what to do with him."
He leaned back in the chair, tilting it backward, and rested his booted feet on the table. "I have several options," Armat said, numbering them on his fingers. "I could keep him as a hostage to bargain with against Maximilian. I could parade him and use him to demoralize the few pitiful remnants of fighting men that remain with Maximilian. I could kill him as the pathetic wretch that he is. Which do you think?"
"He is a dangerous canker within your camp, Armat," Ravenna said.
"Kill him," said Lister. "He is dangerous, and no one knows his true motives. You can't afford to keep him alive."
"He is powerless," said Armat. "He has none of his magic."
No, Ravenna said to Lister. Don't tell Armat that Axis has--
"He has refound the Star Dance," said Lister. "Don't think you have some washed-up outdated military commander sitting in that pit, Armat. You have instead the greatest Enchanter the Icarii have ever known, and if he continues to sit in the pit, then that is because he wants to--because it suits his purpose. Kill him. He is far too dangerous to allow to live."
CHAPTER TWENTY
Armat's Camp, the Central Outlands
Axis," said Georgdi, "I don't like to mention this, but I've heard a rumor that you discovered your connection to the Star Dance a week or so past.
Idon't suppose you could, ah, shed a little light on our current predicament?"
Axis roused himself from the light doze he'd fallen into. "Georgdi, I am sorry. I had gotten too used to not being able to use the Star Dance."
A phrase of soft music ran among the four occupants of the pit, and the next moment a soft light illumed their surroundings.
Everyone blinked.
"I'm not so sure the light was a good idea," said Axis.
No one looked their best. They had all been treated roughly by Armat's men and were dirty and bruised.
Inardle looked even worse: her abrasions and wounds were now surrounded by deep bruises, and Axis thought he could see some grazes and marks on her arms that hadn't been there previously. In the time he'd known her, Inardle had always looked immaculate--her clothes simple yet elegant, her hair carefully arranged to best advantage atop her head. Now her clothes were filthy and torn, and her hair half tumbled down her shoulders.
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