‘My lord!’ Ridu appeared from behind one of the tumbledown huts, gore clotting on both of his swords. ‘Here, quickly!’
Kheda sheathed one sword and raised the face plate of his helmet. ‘What is it?’
‘Aysi,’ Ridu gasped, face ashen.
Kheda rounded the but to find the old warrior flat on his back, his helmet cast aside. One side of his face had been laid open by an axe blow, the weapon lying beside him. Its owner was sprawled some distance away with enough gaping wounds to kill him three times over.
Aysi’s nose and cheekbone were smashed, white splinters sinking beneath the welling blood that had already drowned his mined eye. It pooled in his ear, soaking through his grizzled hair to puddle on the ground beneath his head. The warrior’s jaw worked desperately as he choked on blood and spittle.
‘Don’t try to talk’ Kheda knelt and gripped Aysi’s hands as the old man feebly sought to clutch at his pain. As the blood trickled away from the hideous wound, Kheda saw just how deep it had gone.
‘Get the warlord’s physic chest!’ Dev bellowed and other voices carried the order down to the beached trireme.
There’s no staunching this, no salve that can do anything, not even dull the pain before he dies.
Kheda held both of Aysi’s hands firmly in his mail gauntlets. You proved yourself a mighty warrior today. You have won a warlord’s consideration for your family and your whole village.’
Aysi’s unwounded eye looked up past Kheda, uncomprehending, as his lips moved soundlessly. He coughed up more blood and froze in a rigid spasm of agony before going limp.
Kheda heaved a sigh and laid the old man’s lifeless hands gently on his breast. ‘Is anyone else hurt? Ridu!’ He raised his voice to get the youth’s attention.
No more than scratches.’ The youth looked down at his dead mentor, distraught. ‘Apart from Aysi.’
‘Let’s make sure his death hasn’t been in vain.’ Kheda rose to his feet and gripped the lad’s shoulder hard with one mailed hand. ‘Did you catch them all?’
Dev glowered at his side. ‘Are you sure none of them fled into the trees?’
No, that is, we got them all.’ Ridu scrubbed tears from his cheeks, his hazel eyes still white-rimmed with shock.
‘Bring your captives down to join their friends.’
Kheda waited a moment to be sure the youthful warriors had themselves in hand before striding back down to the shore. ‘Let’s see what these scum have to say for themselves.’
Now what?’ Dev’s brown eyes were avid.
Now you’ll see what it means to have me as your warlord,’ said Kheda shortly. ‘You and everyone else.’ I didn’t look for an opportunity to send this kind of message, but I can’t afford to pass it up. Down by the sea, the dead had already been dragged aside into a loose-limbed heap, the dying left to whimper out their last moments. Those who had thrown down their weapons were circled by oarsmen holding ready blades. The prisoners knelt with their forehearls pressed to the damp earth. Kheda saw that the trireme’s archers had come ashore and were gathering up the abandoned blades. He summoned Tawai with a snap of his fingers. ‘Did they carry daggers?’
None, my lord, just rough knives.’ The archer came over with an armful of swords, some scabbarded, most not.
‘They had some warrior’s weapons.’ Kheda carefully extricated one naked blade from the pile. The steel was stained with rust as well as blood and the filthy silken cord braiding the handle was inexpertly wound. ‘But scarcely cared for and clumsily sharpened.’
‘Salvaged from some isle where the invaders slaughtered Chazen warriors?’ Tawai hazarded. ‘The savages never bothered picking up fallen blades.’
‘Didn’t know how to use them,’ remarked Dev derisively.
‘They killed enough of our people with their stone clubs and wooden spears.’ Tawai looked at the barbarian with as much distaste as he dared.
‘We are hardly likely to forget that,’ said Kheda with mild reproof. ‘No, nothing about this sword tells me where it came from, or whose armoury it was made for.’
Telouet might have seen similar somewhere, might have known enough to hazard a guess. No one here is going to be able to.
He tossed the mined blade aside. ‘Let’s see if one of these vermin can tell us where they got their blades.’ The circle of rowers parted obediently to give him access to the cowering captives, who raised hopeless eyes to the armoured warlord.
‘Who led you here?’ barked Kheda.
Most immediately dropped their gaze to the patch of ground in front of their knees. A few were startled into betraying the same man with an unguarded glance.
‘Bring him here.’ Kheda pointed a merciless finger.
Dev promptly stepped forward and wound one hand in the loose cloth of the man’s tunic, throwing him down in front of Kheda, who studied him dispassionately.
‘One of our warriors died today, reclaiming this land for Chazen. You owe the domain a death.’ Kheda nodded at Dev, who looked back at him with faint confusion.
Much as I like to see you disconcerted, wizard, this is hardly the time.
Kheda held his breath as understanding dawned in Dev’s eyes and the barbarian drew his sword with slow deliberation.
‘My lord, please . . .’ The prisoner shrank into himself, shoulders hunched.
His plea was silenced as Dev’s blade flashed in the sunlight. The captive’s head leapt from his shoulders, the cut clean and barely bleeding.
Hopefully no one else will have seen enough beheadings to know what an impossible stroke that was. Hopefully I was the only one who saw that shimmer of fire edging Dev’s blade.
His face a mask of implacable severity, Kheda looked around the cove to see the Mist Dove’s oarsmen wide-eyed with awe at their warlord’s decisive action. The swordsmen and archers were more open in their vengeful appreciation of such immediate retribution. Kheda addressed himself to the rest of the quaking prisoners with cold condemnation.
‘You came unbidden into Chazen waters. Far from seeking my permission to stay and promising your duty to me, to this domain and its blood, you have plundered this island and who knows what else besides. Shall we see what we find in your ships and your huts to answer that question?’ he wondered ominously. He paused for a moment and was relieved to see guilty glances passing between some of the captives, condemning them as thieves as well as interlopers.
None of you carries any dagger to acknowledge the domain that bore you, so you’ve plainly abandoned such allegiances,’ he continued with scorn. ‘At least that spares me the tiresome chore of seeking recompense for your malfeasance from any other warlord. You can all pay for your offences with your bodies, as slaves. My lady Itrac Chazen will be opening her dealings with the domains to the north shortly. I’m sure she can find some value in your worthless carcasses.’
Kheda turned his back on a despairing wail of protest stifled by a heavy blow behind him. He summoned Tawai with a curt gesture. ‘Call the Mist Dove’s sail crew ashore. They can flog these wretches into submission and stow them aboard the Yellow Serpent. I’m not carrying that amount of dead weight on the voyage back to the residence. Light a fire and burn those bodies, they deserve no better. Set Ridu and his boys to burying Aysi fittingly. His body in the soil of this place will assuredly confer strength and courage on those who may dwell here in the future.’
‘As you wish, my lord.’ Tawai bowed low.
‘And tell your men I am most impressed with their skills. You are obviously an excellent teacher. I’d be grateful if you’d share your talents with the residence garrison.’ Surprising the archer with a smile of warm approbation, Kheda walked away along the shore towards the beached trireme.
Dev drew level with him. You don’t want to spring surprises like that on me,’ the mage said frankly. Kheda glanced around to make sure there was no one close enough to overhear them. ‘At least you rose to the occasion.’
‘I always do that.’ Dev chuckled.