‘As you say, curious. But I don’t intend storming the place. I’m thinking of a more tactful approach than that.’
‘What are you going to do, reason with him?’ Bastorran came back acerbically.
‘Essentially, yes. But I’m not so naive as to think he’ll appreciate Her Majesty’s proposal. Which is why I’ll need a robust escort to accompany me. And I think it should consist of personnel from different services, given the sensitive political nature of the operation. We’ll need to liaise on this.’
‘It’ll have to be large if he decides to be uncooperative.’
‘I don’t think it’ll come to that. It’s not as though the empire intends making a prisoner of him; he’ll be treated as an honoured guest.’
‘You might have a job persuading him of that. Don’t underestimate his liking for power. After all, no one’s ever tried restraining him before.’
Any response Talgorian might have made was pre-empted by a rap on the door.
‘Come!’ Bastorran snapped.
Lahon Meakin stuck his head into the room.
The paladin glared at him. ‘I told you we weren’t to be disturbed!’
‘I’m sorry, sir, but something’s come up.’
Bastorran rose, mumbling apologies, and joined his aide in the corridor.
‘This had better be important, Meakin,’ he hissed.
‘We’ve news of a disturbance on the streets.’
‘Is that all? You should know better than to bother me about such a-’
‘This is something different, sir, and I think you’ll want to attend to it personally.’
15
Somebody was running along the street, smashing windows with a chain.
A roadblock of wagons sealed one end of the road, manned by dour-faced militia. At a distance, an angry mob faced them. Every so often, people ran forward to lob stones. Houses and a shop burned and no one was trying to put them out. Behind the barricade, mounted troopers were arriving.
Sheltering in the mouth of a nearby alley, Quinn Disgleirio and a pair of Righteous Blade members watched the confrontation.
‘What started it?’ Disgleirio said.
‘There was a raid on a local house,’ one of his companions explained. ‘The militia were heavy-handed, as usual, and this crowd gathered.’
‘It doesn’t take much to set off a riot these days,’ the other added.
‘Well, we don’t need it,’ Disgleirio told him. ‘There’s enough oppression on the streets without inviting more.’
‘Can’t see us stopping it now,’ the first Bladesman reckoned.
‘No. But we can try to limit the damage.’
There was uproar at the roadblock as uniformed riders moved through the crowd, laying about them with clubs and sabres.
‘Looks like we’re too late,’ the second Bladesman said.
The fight quickly turned into a rout. People scattered, pursued by baton-wielding militia, and the first of the runners were approaching the alley where Disgleirio and his men sheltered.
‘Chief?’ one of his companions queried.
‘Protect as many as you can.’
They stepped into the slush-covered street, drawing their swords.
The stream of fleeing protestors was turning into a flood. Some were cut down by the cavalry chasing them; others fell, to be trampled by the charging horses.
Disgleirio and his men fanned out, three rocks in the current of panicked humanity.
‘Stand firm,’ he instructed, ‘and watch your backs.’
A screaming woman dashed past, two militia on her tail with blades in their hands, but they lost interest in her when they saw the trio of Bladesmen. Disgleirio left his comrades to deal with the troopers. His attention was on a cavalryman sweeping along the street, lashing out at fleeing citizens.
The Bladesmen and the militia engaged. Those trying to escape gave them a wide berth as two frantic duels spilled from the pavement into the road.
Disgleirio concentrated on the trooper’s galloping horse. As it drew level he slashed at the rider, hewing the man’s leg. The rider cried out and tumbled from his saddle, hitting the ground heavily and bouncing several times on the cobbled surface before coming to rest. His horse bolted into the jostling crowd.
But Disgleirio had no time to enjoy his luck. Another group of militia was sprinting his way. He turned back to his men just as one downed his opponent; the other had already triumphed and stood over his prone adversary.
‘More!’ Disgleirio yelled, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder. ‘Cluster!’
At his command they swiftly came together in a well practised manoeuvre. They formed a circle, shoulders touching; sword in one hand, dagger in the other. A formation some called the Porcupine. When the fresh group of law-enforcers arrived, hotfoot, they faced a defensive ring bristling with steel barbs, but as they outnumbered the Bladesmen two to one or more, they thought to overwhelm them.
One of the militia fell immediately, lung punctured. Another reeled away bearing the yawning gash of a knife stroke. A third toppled with his chest perforated.
Odds thinned, the Bladesmen abandoned their huddle and set to in a general melee. A quick and bloody round of swordplay ensued, the participants huffing steam in the chill air. In short order, two more foes suffered lethal strikes. The remaining pair of militia, lightly wounded, took to their heels.
The Bladesmen caught their breath, sweat freezing on their brows.
‘They’ll be back with reinforcements,’ Disgleirio panted. ‘We can’t do much more here. I think it’s time to-’
‘What is it, chief?’
‘Who is that?’
They followed his gaze.
A slim, lithe individual with cropped fair hair had appeared on the street. He or she-it was impossible to tell which-was armed, and attacking people seemingly at random, whether they had weapons or not.
‘Is it a glamour?’ one of Disgleirio’s men asked.
‘I don’t know what it is. But I’m going to find out. You two get yourselves clear.’
‘But, chief-’
‘We’re taking a risk just being here. Now do as you’re told!’ He began jogging towards the apparition.
As he approached he got a clearer look at the figure, and decided that on balance it was female. He also saw that she had a somewhat alarming countenance, with unusually large, intense eyes set in a face so pale he thought she might be ailing. But there was nothing feeble about the way she lashed out at anybody within reach.
When he was just short of a sword’s span from the woman, Disgleirio stopped. He took in the litter of corpses and groaning wounded.
‘Yes?’ Aphri Kordenza said. Her tone was casually irritated, as though addressing a bothersome vagrant.
‘Who are you?’
‘A concerned citizen. What of it?’
‘Are you with the militia?’
‘Do I look like I am?’
‘Then why are you doing their dirty work?’
‘Because it pleases me.’
‘Murdering innocent people gives you pleasure?’
‘You talk like a priest. If you don’t like it, try stopping me.’
‘That was my intention.’
‘Then why didn’t you say so in the first place? I can’t abide idle chatter.’
She moved so fast it was all he could do to fend off her first blow. The second and third came as swiftly. And she had strength as well as speed; her strikes jarred Disgleirio to the bone. Driven back, he was forced on the defensive, parrying her blade but unable to attack. Her skill and agility shook him. He was a master swordsman, but she was easily his match.
Pulling himself together, he began to rally. He even got in some offensive strokes. But the more he picked up, the greater the woman’s onslaught. Her passes were increasingly vicious, and landed with ever more accuracy. Disgleirio deflected them, and paid her back in kind, though it took all his expertise. He was holding his own but making no headway.
As they fought, he noticed another strange thing about the woman. Whenever she lifted her left foot there was a glimmer of light beneath her heel. At first he thought he’d imagined it, but then she had to leap to avoid one of his swings, and he saw an arc of tiny blue sparks flowing between the ground and her foot. It made him think she was magically vitalised in some way, but he was too preoccupied to dwell on it.