The self-styled King of the Northmen came last, and more magnificent than ever, robed in rich, coloured cloth and rare white furs. He wore a heavy golden chain across his shoulders, a golden circlet round his head, set with a single diamond, big as a bird’s egg. His smiling face was more deeply lined than Logen remembered, his hair and beard touched with grey, but he was no less tall, no less vigorous, no less handsome, and he’d gained much of authority and wisdom—of majesty even. He looked every inch a great man, a wise man, a just man. He looked every inch a King. But Logen knew better.
“Bethod!” said Bayaz, warmly, snapping his book shut. “My old friend! You can hardly imagine what a joy it is to see you again.” He swung his feet off the table, and gestured at the golden chain, the flashing diamond. “And to see you so hugely advanced in the world! I remember the time was you were happy to visit me alone. But I suppose great men must be attended on, and I see you have brought some… other people. Your charming son I know, of course. I see that you’ve been eating well at least, eh, Scale?”
“Prince Scale,” rumbled Bethod’s monstrous son, his eyes popping out even more.
“Hmm,” said Bayaz, with an eyebrow raised. “I have not had the pleasure of meeting your other companion before.”
“I am Caurib.” Logen blinked. The woman’s voice was the most beautiful thing he’d ever heard. Calming, soothing, intoxicating. “I am a sorceress,” she sang, tossing her head with a scornful smile. “A sorceress, from the utmost north.” Logen stood frozen, his mouth half open. His hatred seeped away. They were all friends here. More than friends. He couldn’t take his eyes from her, didn’t want to. The others in the room had faded. It was as if she was speaking only to him, and the fondest wish of his heart was that she should never stop—
But Bayaz only laughed. “A real sorceress, and you have the golden voice! How wonderful! It’s a long time since I heard that one, but it will not serve you here.” Logen shook his head clear and his hatred rushed back in, hot and reassuring. “Tell me, does one have to study, to become a sorceress? Or is it simply a question of jewellery, and a deal of paint about the face?” Caurib’s eyes narrowed to deadly blue slits, but the First of the Magi didn’t give her time to speak. “And from the utmost north, imagine that!” He shivered slightly. “It must be cold up there, this time of year. Rough on the nipples, eh? Have you come to us for the warm weather, or is there something else?”
“I go where my King commands,” she hissed, pointed chin lifting a little higher.
“Your King?” asked Bayaz, staring about the room as though there must be someone else there, hiding in the corner.
“My father is King of the Northmen now!” snarled Scale. He sneered at Logen. “You should kneel to him, Bloody-Nine!” He sneered at Bayaz. “And so should you, old man!”
The First of the Magi spread his hands in apology. “Oh I’m afraid I don’t kneel to anyone. Too old for it. Stiffness in the joints, you see.”
Scale’s boot thumped heavy on the floor as he began to move forward, a curse half out of his mouth, but his father placed a gentle hand on his arm. “Come now, my son, there is no need for kneeling here.” His voice was cold and even as freshly fallen snow. “It is not fitting that we bicker. Are our interests not the same? Peace? Peace in the North? I have come only to ask for your wisdom, Bayaz, as I did in days past. Is it so wrong, to seek the help of an old friend?” No one had ever sounded more genuine, more reasonable, more trustworthy. But Logen knew better.
“But do we not have peace in the North already?” Bayaz leaned back in his chair, hands clasped before him. “Are the feuds not all ended? Were you not the victor? Do you not have everything you wanted, and more? King of the Northmen, eh? What help could I possibly offer you?”
“I only share my counsel with friends, Bayaz, and you have been no friend to me of late. You turn away my messengers, my son even. You play host to my sworn enemies.” He frowned towards Logen, and his lip curled. “Do you know what manner of thing this is? The Bloody-Nine? An animal! A coward! An oath-breaker! Is that the kind of company that you prefer?”
Bethod smiled a friendly smile as he turned back to Bayaz, but there was no missing the threat in his words. “I fear the time has come for you to decide whether you are with me, or against me. There can be no middle ground in this. Either you are a part of my future, or a relic of the past. Yours is the choice, my friend.” Logen had seen Bethod give such choices before. Some men had yielded. The rest had gone back to the mud.
But Bayaz, it seemed, was not to be rushed. “Which shall it be?” He reached forward slowly and took his pipe from the table. “The future, or the past?” He strolled over to the fire and squatted down, back turned to his three guests, took a stick from the grate, set it to the bowl, and puffed slowly away. It seemed to take an age for him to get the damn thing lit. “With, or against?” he mused as he returned to his chair.
“Well?” demanded Bethod.
Bayaz stared up at the ceiling and blew out a thin stream of yellow smoke. Caurib looked the old Magus up and down with icy contempt, Scale twitched with impatience, Bethod waited, eyes a little narrowed. Finally, Bayaz gave a heavy sigh. “Very well. I am with you.”
Bethod smiled wide, and Logen felt a lurch of terrible disappointment. He had hoped for better from the First of the Magi. Damn foolish, how he never learned to stop hoping.
“Good,” murmured the King of the Northmen. “I knew you would see my way of thinking, in the end.” He slowly licked his lips, like a hungry man watching good food brought in. “I mean to invade Angland.”
Bayaz raised an eyebrow, then he started to chuckle, then he thumped the table with his fist. “Oh that’s good, that’s very good! You find peace does not suit your kingdom, eh, Bethod? The clans are not used to being friends, are they? They hate each other and they hate you, am I right?”
“Well,” smiled Bethod, “they are somewhat restive.”
“I bet they are! But send them to war with the Union, then they will be a nation, eh? United against the common enemy, to be sure. And if you win? You’ll be the man who did the impossible! The man who drove the damn southerners out of the North! You’ll be loved, or at any rate, more feared than ever. If you lose, well, at least you keep the clans busy a while, and sap their strength in the process. I remember now why I used to like you! An excellent plan!”
Bethod looked smug. “Of course. And we will not lose. The Union is soft, arrogant, unprepared. With your help—”
“My help?” interrupted Bayaz. “You presume too much.”
“But you—”
“Oh, that.” The Magus shrugged. “I am a liar.”
Bayaz lifted his pipe to his mouth. There was a moment of stunned silence. Then Bethod’s eyes narrowed. Caurib’s widened. Scale’s heavy brow crinkled with confusion. Logen’s smile slowly returned.
“A liar?” hissed the sorceress. “And more besides, say I!” Her voice still had the singing note about it, but it was a different song now—hard, shrill, murderous sharp. “You old worm! Hiding here behind your walls, and your servants, and your books! Your time is long past, fool! You are nothing but words and dust!” The First of the Magi calmly pursed his lips and blew out smoke. “Words and dust, old worm! Well, we shall see. We will come to your library!” The wizard set his pipe carefully down on the table, a little smoke still curling up out of the bowl. “We will come back to your library, and put your walls to the hammer, your servants to the sword, and your books to the fire! To the—”